Legendary Republican operative and Nixon acolyte Roger Stone, who was partners with politically connected attorney Scott Rothstein in a Fort Lauderdale-based consulting firm, says he was shocked to hear that Rothstein is accused of orchestrating a multimillion-dollar investment scheme.

“I’m as surprised as anyone else. I still don’t have much information,” Stone said Monday.

Stone and Rothstein formed a consulting biz called RRA Consulting that operated out of the Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler law offices. Though it’s still listed in state records as an active business, Stone said the partnership dissolved a few months ago. Stone, who lives in Miami, said he still rents office space from the law firm and visits about once a month.

Rothstein has been a major Republican money-raiser, bundling big bucks for John McCain’s presidential bid and Gov. Charlie Crist’s 2010 U.S. Senate campaign and contributing about $500,000 to the state GOP either personally or through the law firm.

So it was considered a major coup for Democratic governor hopeful Alex Sink to win Rothstein’s backing this year. Rothstein hosted an Aug. 27 fund-raiser for Sink and had the law firm write a $200,000 check to the Florida Democratic Party in September.

Said Stone: “This would have to be a considerable blow to Alex Sink and the Florida Democrats. He was a major get for the Democrats…Their trophy Republican seems to be on the lam.”

With Broward County lawyer and political mega-moneyman Scott Rothstein facing accusations of misappropriating large sums of money from investor trust accounts, the beneficiaries of his past largesse are facing pressure to give the money back.

This afternoon’s key word: “monitoring.”

Chief Financial Officer and 2010 Democratic governor candidate Alex Sink’s campaign announced she’s returning at least $2,000 in Rothstein-related contributions. The campaign has pledged to return more money if other contributors are determined to be tainted.

The Florida Democratic Party, which got a $200,000 check from Rothstein’s law firm in September, says it is “monitoring” the accusations against Rothstein and will return the money if it turns out to be tainted. The Republican Party of Florida, which has received about $500,000 from Rothstein and his law firm since 2002, also says it is “monitoring” the case.

And Gov. Charlie Crist, whose 2010 U.S. Senate campaign got $4,800 apiece from Rothstein and his wife? You guessed it: “monitoring” the allegations.

Read detailed statements after the jump…..

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Vice President Joe Biden will make a lunchtime money stop in Palm Beach County today, attending a fund-raiser for the Democratic National Committee at the Boca Raton home of Democratic moneyman Mark Gilbert.

Tickets start at $1,000.

Gilbert was campaign finance chairman for Ron Klein in 2006 when the Democratic challenger raised more than $4.1 million and ousted incumbent Republican Rep. Clay Shaw to represent a Palm Beach-Broward congressional seat. Gilbert also raised money for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign.

“It’s important for Palm Beach County to have people with a national voice and a national reach that allows our view to be put forth,” said county Democratic Chairman Mark Alan Siegel, who’s going to the lunch.

After the Boca stop, Biden heads to Miami for another fund-raiser. President Obama was in Miami Beach to raise money for Democratic House and Senate candidates on Monday night.

MIAMI — Air Force One just landed here as President Obama prepares to attend a fund-raiser in Miami Beach for Democratic Senate and House candidates.

Obama stepped off the plane about 5:30 p.m. with Sen. Bill Nelson and greeted a passel of Democratic elected officials on the tarmac at Miami International Airport: Chief Financial Officer and gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink; U.S. Rep. and Democratic Senate frontrunner Kendrick Meek of Miami; U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston; Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and state Sen. Dan Gelber of Miami Beach.

Obama is to attend a fund-raiser at the Fountainebleu Hotel, then go to a solar energy plant in DeSoto County on Tuesday.

President Barack Obama will use the backdrop of a FPL solar energy plant in DeSoto County tomorrow to announce the nation’s largest investment of stimulus money so far in clean energy, a White House source said.

The money will be used to build a “smart grid” in Florida and across the country. The project will be pitched as a dependable way to deliver renewable, domestic power like the kind produced in DeSoto. The event will be packaged with an announcement from Vice President Biden, who will not be in Florida, about energy efficient automobiles.

Moments ago, Obama landed in Jacksonville where he’ll address about 3,000 men and women at Naval Air Station-Jacksonville. Read his prepared remarks here.

Later, he’ll travel to Fountainbleu Hotel in Miami Beach, where he’ll host a fundraiser for Democratic Congressional candidates, including U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, the frontrunner for the party’s U.S. Senate nomination.

It’s the second consecutive stimulus-related trip to Florida for Obama. He was last in the state in February, campaigning in Fort Myers for Congress to approve his $787 billion stimulus package.

Republican Gov. Charlie Crist appeared with Obama at the event, welcoming the money for the cash-strapped state. But Crist has been criticized by his fellow Republicans for supporting the stimulus money and will not join Obama in the state today or tomorrow. Crist is in Broward County today visiting the Joe DiMaggio Children’s hospital and meeting with the United South & Eastern Tribes, Inc.

Incidentally, state CFO Alex Sink, the probable Democratic gubernatorial candidate, will not appear in Jacksonville with Obama, whose approval ratings have taken a beating in Florida. Sink will meet Obama in Miami and attend the fundraiser, a campaign spokesman said.

Obama, meanwhile, is not expected to make much news this afternoon. He is considering sending more troops to Afghanistan, but an election there mired in fraud accusations has delayed action from the White House.

There was news this morning of two separate helicopter crashes in Kabul that killed 14 Americans, making today one of the deadliest days for U.S. troops in the Afghanistan war. Today will also be Obama’s first public appearance since 150 were killed and another 500 injured in bombings this weekend in Baghdad.

But the president’s trip today initially appeared to be little more than a stopover on the way to Fountainbleu Hotel in Miami Beach tonight, where Obama will host a fundraiser for Democratic Congressional candidates. U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, the party’s expected nominee for the U.S. Senate race, will be traveling with Obama.

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South Florida Democratic U.S. Reps. Robert Wexler, Ron Klein, Alcee Hastings and Debbie Wasserman Schultz today endorsed state Sen. Ted Deutch, D-Boca Raton, to succeed Wexler in a special congressional election.

In addition to the display of endorsement firepower, Deutch’s campaign said it has already raised more than $200,000 in its first 10 days. And Deutch has about a dozen fund-raisers scheduled for the next six weeks, including one in Washington hosted by his congressional endorsers and events in New York and Cleveland.

Wexler is resigning in January to head the nonprofit Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation. A special election is expected in early 2010.

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UPDATED with a comment from Lois Frankel below.

WEST PALM BEACH — Appearing with a dozen Democratic elected officials a few blocks away from potential rival Lois Frankel’s office, state Sen. Ted Deutch, D-Boca Raton, said his congressional campaign has already topped $100,000 in contributions since setting up a campaign web site late Thursday.

Deutch is running for the seat of U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Boca Raton, who last week announced he’s stepping down in January to head the nonprofit Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation.

Deutch’s campaign today announced endorsements from 16 elected Democrats. Most of them stood behind Deutch outside the Palm Beach County Governmental Center this morning. The endorsers include County Commissioner Burt Aaronson, who said he gave “a lot of thought” to running for Wexler’s seat.

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Republican Allen West, the retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel making a second attempt to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Ron Klein of Boca Raton, has adopted a different money strategy for his 2010 campaign.

West raised a meager $583,877 for his 2008 race and got 45.3 percent of the vote against Klein, who spent more than $2.3 million.

This time around, West has already raised $543,808 . But so far, West isn’t socking away that money. He has already spent $336,427. More than $230,000 of that figure has gone to direct-mail consultants and services.

West and consultant Ed Brookover say they hope the early expenditures pay off by next fall in the form of a steady revenue stream from contributors around the U.S.

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The state’s trial lawyer association suspended Executive Director Scott Carruthers, Deputy Executive Director Paul Jess and political director Albert Balido for their involvement in a racially-tinged flyer targeting then-candidate John Thrasher.

“We repeat FJA’s apology for our financial role in the offensive and appalling absentee mail piece,” FJA President Michael Haggard said in a press release.

Haggard asked former Florida Supreme Court Justice Gerald Kogan to investigate the mailer and released Kogan’s report today after a board of directors’ meeting in Orlando.

The mailer sent to potential absentee voters was aimed at persuading Jacksonville residents to vote against Thrasher, a Republican, in the race to replace the late Sen. Jim King. Thrasher, a former House Speaker, later won the election.

The mailer depicted Black Panthers, President Barack Obama, Al Sharpton, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and a group of blacks holding an ACORN sign and was captioned “Is this the change you want to believe in?”

Kogan’s report, slightly longer than three pages, found that the three FJA executives were the only members of the organization who had knowledge of the flyer that drew outrage from Republicans and black lawmakers.

Everyone questioned about the mailer found it “outrageous, shocking, disgusting and contradicting everything FJA represents,” Kogan wrote in his report.

The trial lawyers initially distanced themselves from the mailer then admitted that Balido had hired political consultant Bill Helmich to come up with the last-minute attack.

“Bill, did it have to be so over the top?” Balido asked when initially shown the mail piece, according to Kogan’s report.

FJA promised that an oversight committee would review all campaign materials and expenditures in the future, according to the press release. (Read about FJA’s campaign spending at a bondage bar and a trendy South Beach night club here.)

The press release did not identify the three executives by name but said that “all three staff members specifically identified in the Kogan Report for their involvement in the matter have been temporarily suspended.”

The Florida trial lawyers political organization – Florida Justice PAC – spent more than $23,000 on food and beverages since the November election, including a $1,700 bash at a Miami Beach nightclub and two inexpensive tabs at a Ft. Lauderdale gay bar, according to state campaign records.

The expenses were filed under “other distributions” unlike most other campaign filings which include food and lodging spending under “expenditures.”

State records show that the association’s political arm spent a total of $125 at Purgatory bar in Ft. Lauderdale – $45 on July 8 and $80 on Sept. 15. The bar’s web site boasts of hosting the annual Leather Masked Ball, the “premier leather event in South Florida.”

The lawyers PAC also spent $1,706.93 on May 14 at Set Nightclub on trendy Lincoln Road in Miami Beach.

Set is a high-end, VIP lounge popular with celebs. Last year, Kevin Federline dropped $1,500 at the hot spot (and left a $700 tip) according to the bar’s web site. Pamela Anderson and Justin Timberlake also made appearances there.

Check back later for a response from the trial lawyers, who are now huddling in Orlando for an executive meeting.

If he ever decides to reenter politics, departing U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Boca Raton, has $977,616 in left-over money in his campaign account, according to a report filed Thursday night.

Wexler announced this week he’s resigning in the middle of his seventh term to head a Middle East-focused nonprofit. A special election will fill his seat.

Wexler chief of staff and consultant Eric Johnson said his boss hasn’t decided what to do with the money, but is likely to keep a chunk of it in an open campaign account.

While state campaign accounts must be liquidated within 90 days of the end of a campaign, there’s no such requirement for federal accounts. Former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, for instance, still has nearly $1.2 million in his campaign account more than three years after he resigned. Candidates are not allowed to divert campaign money for personal use.

Two Louisiana Democrats — Sen. Mary Landrieu and Rep. Charlie Melancon, who’s challenging Republican Sen. David Vitter — will be the headliners for the Palm Beach County Democratic Party’s annual fund-raising dinner on Nov. 14.

The event used to be known as the Jefferson-Jackson dinner, but Declaration of Independence author Thomas Jefferson’s slave ownership and $20 bill portrait model Andrew Jackson’s “Trail of Tears” Indian-removal policies offended the sensibilities of local Dem leaders. The name of the event was changed to the Truman-Kennedy-Johnson dinner instead.

County Democratic Chairman Mark Alan Siegel said the party hopes to draw about 500 people to the $150-and-up event.

DELRAY BEACH — Saying he can’t run for office while going through a divorce, Nick Loeb is terminating his state Senate bid and pledging to spend more than $100,000 of his own money to give full refunds to everyone who contributed to his campaign.

Loeb, a Republican who had former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani come to Palm Beach County to headline a May fund-raiser, said he collected more than $300,000 in contributions and spent more than $100,000 on his campaign for the Palm Beach-Broward legislative seat of Senate President Jeff Atwater, who’s running for chief financial officer in 2010.

Loeb’s wife, Anna, filed for divorce this month. Nick Loeb said he and his wife have been separated since July, when he said Anna Loeb reconnected with an old boyfriend while she was visiting her native Sweden.

Anna Loeb’s attorney, Michael Walsh, was not immediately reachable this afternoon to comment on Nick Loeb’s version events.

“I wish things could be different. This is not what I wanted. I have tried to reconcile but this is what she wants,” Nick Loeb said.

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School board member Paulette Burdick has opened up a massive money-raising lead over state Rep. Mary Brandenburg, D-West Palm Beach, in their 2010 Democratic primary race for the Palm Beach County commission seat of Jeff Koons, who’s leaving because of term limits.

Burdick raised another $15,004 between July 1 and Sept. 30, bringing her total to $44,222 so far. Brandenburg raised $600 in the quarter and has collected $2,350 overall.

Burdick’s haul included a $250 check from Koons.

Koons, who’s maintained a neutral posture in the race, was asked if his contribution constituted an endorsement of Burdick.

“Not per se,” Koons answered. But, he added, “Paulette does have the skill sets to be a good county commissioner.”

In a state House race that has attracted attention from legislative leaders of both parties, Democrat Lori Berman holds an early money-raising lead over Republican Bill Hager in state House District 87, where House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, R-Boca Raton, is leaving because of term limits.

Berman raised $21,643 between July 1 and Sept. 30 for a total of $52,818. Hager raised $12,575 during the quarter for a total of $38,575 in contributions. He’s also kicked in $14,500 of his own money.

Hager has already spent $35,306 on the race, according to his report, while Berman has spent $4,501.

The Palm Beach-Broward seat was considered safe GOP turf with Hasner running. But Republicans only held a 38.9-to-35.4 percent voter registration edge in 2008, giving Dems optimism for next year when Hasner won’t be on the ballot. House Democratic Leader Franklin Sands of Weston and 2010-12 Dem leader designate Ron Saunders of Key West have helped Berman raise money while Republican 2010-12 Speaker designate Dean Cannon of Orlando has helped Hager raise campaign cash.

For years, Broward eye doctor Alan Mendelsohn wrote checks and raised money for a host of elected officials from both parties and funneled big bucks into campaigns through shadowy “527″ political committees.

Then the ophthalmologist/moneyman was hit with a 32-count federal indictment accusing him of siphoning much of the committee money for his personal use and directing $87,000 in concealed payments to an unnamed former public official.

Mendelsohn has pleaded not guilty, but the verdict is already in from the former recipients of Mendelsohn’s largesse. They’re distancing themselves from the former money spigot.

Click here to read about Mendelsohn and local pols in this week’s Politics column.

RIVIERA BEACH — After visiting an elementary school that has improved from a D grade to an A in four years, Gov. Charlie Crist said public schools in Florida and Palm Beach County are “on the rise.”

Crist and his wife, Carole Crist, visited Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School this morning, greeting cafeteria workers, administrators and safety patrols and stopping in on three classes.

Crist is also slated to meet with restaurateurs in Palm Beach County today and to attend a fund-raiser in Manalapan tonight for his U.S. Senate bid.

“I can’t tell you how impressed I am with your school and your accomplishments here and what you’ve been able to do in a short period of time,” Crist said after being shown around by principal Glenda Sheffield.

Bethune Elementary got an F grade in 2002 based on its Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores and was a D school in 2006. After Sheffield became principal, the school got C grades in 2007 and 2008 and an A this year.

“You’re an A school. And it wasn’t that long ago that Bethune Elementary wasn’t an A school. That kind of gain and that kind of accomplishment is exactly what Florida students deserve and what they should have,” Crist said.

Asked about the controversy in Palm Beach County over its use of tests roughly every three weeks to measure whether students are on track, Crist gave a vote of confidence to Superintendent Art Johnson.

“I think we’re getting better every day,” Crist said. “I think that’s the message we want to convey to people that may have concerns. Florida’s on the rise and Palm Beach County clearly is on the rise. The leadership that Art has provided here is exceptional.”

PALM BEACH — Carole Crist, who has kept a low public profile since marrying Gov. Charlie Crist in December, was here this afternoon for a lunch to raise awareness of ovarian cancer.

About a dozen people attended the event at the Brazilian Court hotel, including Palm Beach Mayor Jack McDonald and Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer. It was part of a national awareness effort by the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund using governors, first ladies, lieutenant governors and state health secretaries across the U.S.

Carole Crist noted in brief remarks to the audience that ovarian cancer lacks a method of early detection akin to a mammogram for breast cancer.

“We need to change this. This is a major women’s health issue,” she said.

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Former Republican U.S. Rep. Clay Shaw of Fort Lauderdale is listed on the host committee for an Oct. 13 fund-raiser in West Palm Beach and an Oct. 15 event in Deerfield Beach for the state Senate campaign of state Rep. Carl Domino, R-Jupiter.

Shaw was also on the host committee for an Aug. 28 fund-raiser in Boca Raton for one of Domino’s GOP primary rivals, state Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale.

The invitation to Domino’s Oct. 15 fund-raiser also lists Broward County GOP Chairman Chip LaMarca as a host committee member. But LaMarca has endorsed Bogdanoff in the Republican Senate primary.

What gives?

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Republican congressional challenger Allen West applauded U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, for voting last week to cut off federal money to scandal-tainted ACORN.

But West says Klein’s a hypocrite if he doesn’t return $20,000 in past campaign contributions from the Service Employees International Union, which conservatives say is joined at the hip with the left-leaning Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now.

U.S. Department of Labor filings show SEIU has paid about $4 million to ACORN since 2005 for political activities. And ACORN founder Wade Rathke also founded a major SEIU local in New Orleans.

Klein rejected West’s call to give back the $10,000 he got from SEIU in 2006 and $10,000 he received from the union in 2008. Klein “is proud to stand with the hard-working SEIU families of the 22nd District, who have nothing to do with ACORN,” spokeswoman Melissa Silverman said today.

Check out West’s campaign statement and Klein’s response after the jump…..

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