Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Crist's Latin isn't cum laude

By Times Staff
Published March 26, 2006

Looks like Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist could use some Latin lessons. The Florida attorney general has been vocal in criticizing the Florida Supreme Court ruling striking down vouchers, but the Palm Beach Post last week found him flummoxed about the central legal concept behind that opinion.

The high court cited the legal theory "expressio unius est exclusio alterius," a Latin phrase meaning that the expression of one thing in law by definition excludes another. Outraged state lawmakers are working at crafting a constitutional amendment to get around that theory, but the Post caught Crist unprepared for legal discussion.

"It's some Latin term, isn't it? Res ipsa loquitur and ipso facto, one of those? ... I never took Latin. Just Espanol."

FRIENDS IN D.C.: This is the final week of the fundraising quarter, which means a frenzy of money chasing by state and federal candidates. Crist is getting some notable help on Tuesday at a breakfast fundraiser at the Washington offices of the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. Among the "special guests" expected: Sen. Mel Martinez and Reps. Connie Mack and Mark Foley, none of whom have formally endorsed anyone.

"I hope you can join us next Tuesday for breakfast with the next governor of Florida, Charlie Crist. We've worked with him since his days as a state senator and the education commissioner," said the note for the Spirits Council. And, no, we have no idea what the education commissioner did for the booze distillers.

DAVIS' 67 COUNTIES: Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jim Davis rolled out his grass roots leadership for all 67 Florida counties last week. In his Tampa Bay home turf they include: Citrus County, former state Sen. Karen Johnson ; Hernando County, Al Hernandez and County Commissioner Diane Rowden ; Hillsborough County, minister Art Jones , Frank Sanchez , pastor Bartholomew Banks , Gulf Coast Building Trades president Ed Dees , Rev. W. James Favorite , state Reps. Bob Henriquez and Arthenia Joyner , Tampa City Council member Linda Saul-Sena ; Pasco County, loan officer Elizabeth Kylander , physical therapist Dee Thomas ; Pinellas County, former House Speaker Peter Wallace , community leader Gypsy Gallardo , lawyer Deborah Martohue; Polk County, tax collector Joe Tedder.

AFL-CIO HONORS SMITH : Unions may seem invisible in Florida, but they still matter in Democratic primaries. So Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rod Smith had reason to crow last week about being honored as 2005 Legislator of the Year by the Florida AFL-CIO.

"Sen. Smith has earned this award," said Florida AFL-CIO president Cynthia Hall . "He was one of our strongest allies in Tallahassee during the 2005 session."

The AFL-CIO award recognized state Sen. Smith's leadership on issues such as privatization, collective bargaining, education and election reform. The award takes into account votes cast as well as overall leadership, effectiveness and accessibility.

A REPUBLICAN THE FEA CAN LOVE : State Sen. Dennis Jones , R-Seminole, has received the 2005 Friend of Education Award from the Democrat-leaning Florida Education Association: "Sen. Jones has always been a friend of public school employees in his long and distinguished career in the Florida Legislature," said FEA president Andy Ford . "He has fought for some very tough issues recently, successfully pushing to get the actuarial information to improve retirement benefits for our members and also sponsoring legislation to do that."

"Dr. Jones meets with and listens to our members both in Tallahassee and back home," said Michelle Dennard , president of the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association. "He led the fight to get the maximum yield from the slot machines for education and led the opposition to plans to weaken the class size amendment."

JEB'S FOUNDATION HELPERS: The newest major donor to Jeb Bush' s Foundation For Florida's Future: the Geo Group Inc., the Boca Raton private detention facility operator that gets tens of millions of dollars annually from the state. We still haven't seen how the foundation, ostensibly set up to promote Bush's education record, will spend the money, but we give it credit for disclosure.

A state audit last year found the state overpaid GEO and Corrections Corporation of America by $13-million, but GEO apparently holds no hard feelings against the governor. The private company formerly known as Wackenhut Corrections gave $50,000 to the foundation March 13. Meanwhile, the Villages development ponied up another $50,000 for the foundation, bringing the development's total contribution to $400,000.

20 GUNS, ONE PEN: State Rep. Everett Rice , R-Treasure Island, called a news conference last week in Tallahassee to tout the backing of 50 sheriffs in his bid to become attorney general. "This is the largest number of sheriffs to endorse a candidate for statewide office in the history of the Florida sheriffs," he proudly declared.

Perhaps the former Pinellas sheriff should have shouted - into a bullhorn - because only one reporter showed up to the event. Rice delayed as long as he could, hoping someone else would appear. "This will be practice," he told about 20 sheriffs in the room.

Despite the awkward moment, Rice bristled at the suggestion he was trailing in the race, which includes three Republicans - state Rep. Joe Negron , who is the House budget chief, former U.S. Rep. Bill McCollum and state Sen. Burt Saunders - and Democratic state Sen. Walter "Skip" Campbell .

Meanwhile, 28 sheriffs endorsed Crist for governor. "Charlie Crist is a true Republican who has been a champion for ensuring that government meets its primary obligation to protect life and ensure domestic tranquility," said Pasco County Sheriff Bob White .

GOP SUPPORT FOR SOFT MONEY CURB: State Sen. Alex Villalobos of Miami is the first Republican senator to back legislation that would prohibit lawmakers from soliciting unlimited soft-money donations for committees under their control. Villalobos signed his name to a Democrat-backed pledge to support pending legislation that would outlaw funds controlled by senators, House members, statewide officeholders or statewide candidates.

Dozens of lawmakers, including Villalobos, have created the shadowy committees in recent years, enabling them to accept checks from special interest groups for far greater than the $500 limit on contributions to their re-election campaigns. Villalobos is chairman of Floridians to Defend the Constitution, which he formed to boost his bid for Senate president in 2008. The group has raised $70,000 and spent $49,000, with major donations from hospitals, lobbyists, rock quarries and firefighters. Though he has endorsed a soft-money limit, Villalobos said he won't abolish his committee immediately.

"I can't unilaterally disarm, but it would be a good thing if they all went away," said Villalobos, whose bid for the 2008 presidency is imperiled by a coup by a dozen or more senators who have defected to state Sen. Jeff Atwater , R-North Palm Beach .

WOMEN FOR GALLAGHER: After hosting more than 150 members of the Florida Federation of Republican Women at his home for a sixth annual lunch, gubernatorial candidate Tom Gallagher on Tuesday announced a statewide coalition of 70 women backing his campaign. The 15-member steering committee: Judith Albertelli , immediate past president of the federation; U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen ; state Reps. Marty Bowen of Lakeland and Anitere Flores of Miami; state Sen. Evelyn Lynn of Ormond Beach; Nancy Brinker , founder of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation; Diana Cardenas of Miami; January Dennison of Haines City, president of Technology Research Consultants; June Duda of Orlando; former state Rep. Bev Kilmer of Tallahassee; Donna Poole of Tallahassee; Stephanie Moak Siegel of Boca Raton; Carole Smith of Tallahassee; Jean Thrasher of Orange Park.

And one other name Buzz finds particularly interesting: Mary McCarty , Palm Beach County Commissioner and sister of Brian Ballard , a key adviser to the Charlie Crist campaign.

--Adam C. Smith, Steve Bousquet, Joni James, and Alex Leary contributed to this week's Buzz.

[Last modified March 26, 2006, 00:25:14]