Trial lawyers behind Thrasher’s chairmanship of Ethics and Elections
by Dara Kam | October 8th, 2009Trial lawyers can blame themselves for their nemesis Sen. John Thrasher taking the helm of the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee.
Senate President Jeff Atwater tapped the former House Speaker for the post the day after Thrasher won a special election to replace the late Sen. Jim King.
That’s despite Thrasher’s twin violations of state ethics laws – one before he became Speaker and another after he returned to lobbying – that cost him $500 and an admonishment from the state ethics commission.
As head of the Senate committee, the Jacksonville Republican will be in charge of campaign reform legislation that’s a priority for the next Senate president, Mike Haridopolos, R-Melbourne.
Senate GOP leaders want more transparency in campaigns, and that’s why Atwater tapped Thrasher for the post, sources close to the president said.
That’s where the trial lawyers come in.
The Florida Justice Association, the trial lawyer’s political organization, backed a controversial race-baiting mailer targeting Thrasher, a trial bar foe who’s backed numerous tort reform efforts, and placing the special election for Senate District 8 in the annals of Florida political history as one of the nastiest battles ever.
Not only will the trial lawyers have Thrasher to contend with, they’re also trying to make up with black lawmakers outraged by what Senate Democratic Leader Al Lawson called the “most blatant display of racism” he’s seen in nearly three decades as a state legislator.
The direct mail piece is the latest bit of elections notoriety attached to Thrasher, a darling of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, another trial bar nemesis.
He was the front man in an effort to revoke the signatures on petitions for an anti-development constitutional amendment known as “Florida Hometown Democracy.”
The Florida Supreme Court struck down the signature revocation law after Thrasher sent out a letter urging voters to remove themselves from the Hometown Democracy petitions and the proposed amendment will be on the 2010 ballot.
Where's the money? Use The Post's interactive database of who wants and who's getting federal dollars.
Use these interactive graphics to find and contact Palm Beach County and Treasure Coast legislators.
October 10th, 2009 at 11:27 am
TRIAL LAWYERS AREN’T IN THE BUSINESS FOR JUSTICE (PER THE ADS)? YOU MEAN THEY’RE IN IT FOR THE MONEY? (AND AS MUCH OF THE JUDGMENT THEY CAN GLOM ON TO?) WHO’DA THUNK?