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Political junkie

Three Pinellas addresses donate big to campaigns

By Times staff writers
Published January 25, 2006

Pinellas County has a long history of helping Republicans win statewide office, and this election cycle is no different.

But this year three Pinellas addresses stand out as home to some of Florida's biggest campaign cash cows:

30750 U.S. 19 N, Palm Harbor.

2325 Ulmerton Road, Suite 20, Clearwater.

5858 Central Ave., St. Petersburg.

That last one should be no big surprise. It's the home of the Sembler Co., the development company founded by GOP uber-fundraiser Mel Sembler, whose son Brent Sembler is Republican gubernatorial candidat e Charlie Crist's finance director. That Sembler business address produced 62 $500 contributions, for a total of $31,000, for Crist's campaign. Supporters at the other two addresses back Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher over Crist.

The Ulmerton Road address, home to developer and restaurateur Fred Bullard's myriad corporate interests, produced 25 $500 checks for Gallagher, or $12,500.

The U.S. 19 address belongs to a host of companies connected to Frank Mongelluzzi, best-known as CEO of Able Body Labor. Gallagher received $11,000 from that address. A spokesman for Mongelluzzi, Todd Wiseman, said he and Gallagher met and hit it off.

"Frank has a good Christian-owned family business, and hopefully he's giving to someone who's like-minded," Wiseman said.

SUPPORT FROM THE BENCH: It would make sense that Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard would back state Rep. Kim Berfield , R-Clearwater, in her campaign for state Senate against Rep. Frank Farkas, R-St. Petersburg.

Berfield, after all, is from Clearwater and has represented the city in the state House for the last five years. And Hibbard has been a Republican since he was 18.

But to drop a plug for Berfield in the middle of a City Council work session may be seem a bit odd. Yet, as Hibbard was accepting a $200,000 park grant from Berfield last week, he made it clear she was his horse.

"Rep. Berfield, we appreciate all your efforts on behalf of Clearwater in the state House," Hibbard said, sitting at the city's dais. "We look forward to you representing us in the Senate in the future."

FROM THE TOP ROPE: Democrats see the Pinellas-Hillsborough state Senate District 16 seat being vacated by Republican Jim Sebesta as their best opportunity to pick up a seat. But their lone Democratic challenger, state Rep. Charlie Justice, hasn't done much to fuel optimism with his consistently weak fundraising - less than $30,000, compared to $317,000 for Republican state Rep. Kim Berfield of Clearwater and $248,000 for Rep. Frank Farkas of St. Petersburg.

Senate Democrats, though, may have found just the right person to get Justice in gear: a 6-foot-5 former pro-wrestler formerly known "Jason the Terrible."

Mitch Kates, who uses his real name since getting out of part-time wrestling business in the 1980s, came on board as Justice's full-time campaign manager this week. A veteran of the Kerry-Edwards campaign in Pennsylvania, and more recently a mayoral election in Boston (where he apologized for calling Boston Mayor Tom Menino "a drooling Teddy Bear") Kates comes with a strong reputation for organization and fundraising.

And presumably body slams for slacking candidates.

PASS THE BUCK, PLEASE: There has been some noteworthy fallout from the Junkie's recent discovery that local Democratic Executive Committee chair Carrie Wadlinger contributed to Pinellas County Commissioner Calvin Harris' re-election campaign.

Another Democrat seeking the seat, Norm Roche, is asking for a contribution as well. Here's portions of an e-mail Roche recently sent to Wadlinger:

"To be honest Carrie it upset me considerably. . . . I don't mean to imply that you do not have the right as a citizen to support any candidate you wish," Roche wrote.

"However, given your position as DEC chair, and that I'm certain you realize that whenever your name appears in a political article it will note your position as DEC chair - perhaps your contribution to my opponent could have waited until a later date. . . .

"I would not only appreciate a contribution from you, I would be honored to receive one from you, as I'm certain my opponent was."

No word yet if the check's in the mail.

MY BAD: Amid the recent squabbling in Safety Harbor, City Commissioner Andy Steingold quoted from state law - Florida Statutes, Chapter 617 - to support his argument why the local Chamber of Commerce should share its financial records with the city.

Turns out, however, that Steingold, a former prosecutor now in private practice, should have read from a different section of the law.

"It was a mistake," Steingold acknowledges.

No matter. While Steingold read from a part of Chapter 617 that exempts the chamber from having to disclose the information, another part requires the chamber to share those records with its members, and the city is a member.

Meanwhile, the dispute simmers.

After the meeting where Steingold spoke, city commissioners were faxed two letters. One was from the chamber inviting them to review the financial information during regular business hours.

Another was from an attorney for chamber president and CEO Cyndi O'Donnell, who has had some tense exchanges with city commissioners over the records.

". . . This is wrong, and Mrs. O'Donnell will not tolerate it," attorney Nicholas J. Taldone wrote. "She has rights as well. The commissioners are now on notice that such personal attacks are completely without substance. Any further personal attacks will be treated as the malicious interference with her chamber contract and defamation they are and be dealt with accordingly."

DEANIAC FORUM: Local Democrats are going to local Deaniacs looking for support.

A group of 10 Democrat candidates will speak to the grass roots group Democrat for America at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 1 at the Pinellas Park Public Library, 7770 52nd St.

Scheduled to speak are all five Democrats hoping to replace U.S. Rep. Jim Davis (D-Tampa) in the state's 11th Congressional District: Hillsborough County Commissioner Kathy Castor; state Sen. Les Miller of Tampa; Washington, D.C. businessman Al Fox; and lawyers Scott Farrell and Michael Steinberg. The district covers western Hillsborough and northwest Manatee counties, along with south St. Petersburg.

Greg Rublee, one of four Democrats running in the 9th Congressional District, is also expected to attend, along with three state House candidates: Liz McCallum, running in District 52; Janet Long, running in District 51; and Betsy Valentine, running in District 54.

On the county level, both Democrats running for an at-large County Commission seat, incumbent Calvin Harris and challenger Norman Roche, are scheduled to attend, as are two Largo city offices, commission candidate Gigi Arntzen and mayoral candidate Pat Gerard.

Eileen Schulte, Aaron Sharockman and Adam C. Smith contributed this week's Political Junkie. Contact the staff at politicaljunkie@sptimes.com

[Last modified January 25, 2006, 00:55:16]