The Florida Republican Party is releasing its controversial credit card statements to media outlets in exchange for a copying fee of $292.24 and a condition that the bills not be duplicated or published. The media is allowed to report details of the statements.

Here are some details flowing out so far:

• Senate President Jeff Atwater of North Palm Beach charged $44,929 during 2007 and 2008, mostly on rental cars, airfare and meals in Tallahassee and South Florida. (Orlando Sentinel)

• Former Senate President Ken Pruitt of Port St. Lucie charged $21,000. (Orlando Sentinel)

• All told, the roughly three years of statements include $7.3 million in charges on 31 credit cards. (Herald/Times)

Charging haircuts and chicken sandwiches to a Florida Republican Party credit card was a display of “financial desperation” from Republican U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio, primary rival Gov. Charlie Crist said Friday.

“It looks like an act of financial desperation when you’re charging a $7 sandwich at Chik-fil-a. That doesn’t sound like sound financial management of your personal income,” Crist said in an interview Friday with The Palm Beach Post editorial board.

In an hour-long interview (video here), Crist hit on a range of subjects, including:

*Running as an independent: Crist said political advisers have raised the possibility, but said he will not change parties.

*Ethics reform: He will suggest criminal penalties in state law for public corruption, a topic he will address in his State of the State speech on Tuesday.

*Oil drilling: Crist said he was not convinced drilling on the state’s shores could be done safely. “Not yet, but I’m close,” he said.

*Health care reform: Crist said he would not “start from scratch” like many Washington D.C. Republicans have suggested to President Obama. Instead, Crist said he would remove any parts of the bill that would raise taxes, raise rates or take money out of Medicare.

Story here.