Dems kick Haridopolos’ U.S. Sen bid right out of the gate
by Dara Kam | December 6th, 2010
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee didn’t waste any time slamming Senate President Mike Haridopolos, a GOP U.S. Senate hopeful who’s just taken over the helm of his chamber.
Before Haridopolos has even officially announced his intention to run against incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in two years (if, as expected, Nelson seeks reelection), the DSCC lashed out at the Merritt Island Republican for violating the state’s ethics laws.
“Mike Haridopolos’ arrogance reached a new level when he kicked off a likely Senate bid by pleading guilty to breaking Florida ethics laws,” DSCC National Press Secretary Deirdre Murphy said in a statement today. “If Haridopolos’ miserable first week as a likely candidate is any harbinger for the future, he’s got a lot of explaining to do to Florida voters.”
Haridopolos, a college teacher whose courses include government, and the state Commission on Ethics reached an agreement about his failure to accurately fill out his financial disclosure forms for five years.
His punishment? Nothing, thus far.
Haridopolos’ own chamber and fellow senators will have to decide whether their leader must face a fine or other penalty for failing to identify the clients that paid him as a political consultant.
Sen. John Thrasher, who is also the head of the state GOP, is chairman of the Rules Committee that will make the final decision on whether to mete out any fiscal or other reprimand. Haridopolos appointed Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, to head the committee before he entered the stipulation agreement with the ethics commission.
Read the joint agreement here.
Tags: Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Florida Commission on Ethics, John Thrasher, Mike Haridopolos
December 6th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
Could be worse. Could have spent the last year voting for Obamacare and doing nothing to stop the biggest tax increase in America’s history. But I doubt the Dems or the Post will spend too much time talking about that.
December 6th, 2010 at 4:01 pm
boy, if they’re attacking this guy before he’s even become a candidate, he must be really bad…for Bill Nelson!
December 6th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
Just another teabagger who wants to give tax cuts to his rich buddies and shaft the rest of us. Nelson shouldn’t have a problem with him.
December 6th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
The Dems sure do sound threatened by the Senate President. Why? They must know that Sen. Nelson is vulnerable.
December 6th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Rodney, I’m not what Washington is calling “rich”, but I’m gonna get “shafted” by Bill Nelson and all the rest if these tax cuts expire for everyone. Frankly, after the bad votes Nelson’s made recently, if Mike can spook him and his handlers this bad, that’s a good thing.
December 6th, 2010 at 4:21 pm
for a guy who’s been in space, Nelson sure is running scared these days. first the earmark flip flop, then his buddies go out and rip a guy who isn’t even filed against him.
you just gotta laugh. at any rate, nothing’s more fun than seeing a career politician running scared.
December 6th, 2010 at 4:31 pm
Yeah, Rodney, just like Ron Klein mopped the floor with Allen West last month. Nelson’s running scared, and hopefully running out of a job at the rate his errand boys are attacking this Haridopolous guy.
December 6th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
Hey Rodney, how did all the other Democrats who voted for the stimulus and Obamacare do in November? They got crushed because we’re tired of the spending and want people who want to REPEAL Obamacare. Haridopolis wants to repeal it, Nelson doesn’t. Nelson’s chances sound so good to you?
Don’t believe me? Listen to Chuck Schumer tell it:
http://minx.cc/?post=308984
December 6th, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Voters “did say ‘repeal health care,’ they did say ‘reduce the size of government.’ –Schumer
WOW. what a great quote, Gray. if a liebral like Schumer can figure it out, the Nelson’s really toast.
December 6th, 2010 at 5:25 pm
Haridopolis’ ethical lapses (which are not just “alleged” but stipulated to by Haridopolos) should, if the Florida Senate has any sense of decency or morality whatsoever, cause Haridopolis to be censured and removed from his position as Senate President. It won’t happen because the fox (Thrasher and fellow Reps) are guarding the Haridopolis henhouse. The thought of him running for the US Senate is nauseating and speaks to the illness of our political system.
December 6th, 2010 at 5:31 pm
The biggest tax increase in American history? REALLY? How did you all do in 1999 and 2000? If you didn’t die and America didn’t roll over back then, it won’t next month because the tax rates will only go back to where they were in 2000. I did ok back then, as I’m sure the rest of you did too. Its just a ploy to avoid paying their fair share.
The RICH Republicans have really used you teabaggers, now they’re gonna screw you good. I hope you like it without vaseline because thats exactly what you’re getting. I thought you all wanted the deficit reduced? Extending the tax cuts will cost more than “obamacare” and the bailouts (which Bush did anyway) combined. That’s real deficit reduction for ya!
And more Chinese debt.
For you unemployed Teabaggers, the Republicans won’t give you your benefits which YOU’VE EARNED unless the rich can save more of their taxes.
How’s that Tea going for ya? Looks like you’re just getting teabagged! But you all deserve it…..idiots!
December 6th, 2010 at 6:26 pm
Reality, the only reality I’m seeing there is just how twisted and angry liberals can be. That’s just out of line.
December 6th, 2010 at 6:48 pm
More good leadership from the RPOS!
December 7th, 2010 at 12:26 am
@Monkeysauce…you’ll forgive my delve into crassness, however the facts as I’ve stated them remain TRUTH.
It’s not about “liberal” or “conservative,” its about what will get this nation back on the right track, or ON the right track. You can’t have your cake and eat it too without consequences i.e. DEBT. Bush TRIPLED it unnecessarily on tax cuts, two invasions (one illegal), the medicare prescription….and the WORLD ECONOMY almost failed. That’s what happened. We lost jobs by the millions with these tax cuts on borrowed money. Call me what you like, but we have got to pay the piper sooner or later. Again, the 1990′s weren’t that bad economically…another FACT. So I wouldn’t mind paying a little more to get this nation on track to prosperity instead of throwing borrowed money away. But that’s just me…..
December 7th, 2010 at 8:56 am
We can not get this country or this state back on track at the hands of those right in the middle of the culture of corruption! Both our new senate president and our new Florida house speaker are tainted with corruption. Just look at the money Cannon took out of the RPOF and the money he funneled to McCollum! Corruption breds corruption. Breaking the Jeb Bush cycle of Florida corruption
will bring new opportunities to Florida, the jury is still out onhow Rcik Scott will interact with this orgainzed corruption. The Villages developer Gary Morse is the common denominator for this GOP corruption. he makes sure everyone gets enough money he owns them! The man owns his own international airport and his own TSA inspectors. You can’t get more important than that! If the feds will not only look into their family Montana hunting schemes but everthing else they do, no telling what would surface. Problem is they own the politicians.
December 7th, 2010 at 10:43 am
LMAO, nothing is going to happen to this crook. Note” Sen Thrasher is the chairman of the Ethics Committee” thats his right hand man. He will get a slap on the wrist. How do Floridians expect to be represented when the crooks, are the judge, jury, and public all rolled up into one. This is laughable. If the Senate was more balanced, this guy would be facing serious charges, but instead, they laugh in our faces as they steal from us. Repubs have been in control of this state for over 17 years now. Yet we still keep voting them in. 8 of those years we had a Republican President of this nation and still we got taking to the wood shack. But we still keep voting for these idiots.
I think we are the idiots, we actually think this party cares. Well it doesnt. Now Haridopolis gets to annouce his next run for office and he’s done absolutely nothing in his present position as President of the Senate. Can anybody not see how bad this entire party is? They are a bunch of self serving right wingnuts, who are just looking for the next purse string to tug on. COME ON FLORIDA, MAYBE ONE DAY WE WILL WAKE UP!!!!
December 7th, 2010 at 5:10 pm
Republicans (and sadly some Democrats too) are the most expensive prostitutes in both houses; in DC and in Tally, and I always thought prostitution is illigal. well oviously for normal people, not for politicians.