Politics

Party chief's dual role draws fire

Florida's Democratic leader moonlights as a lobbyist for a firm with Republican ties.

By STEVE BOUSQUET
Published July 6, 2007

Thurman, right, is paid $3,500 a month to help a firm headed by a former state GOP chairman set up meetings with Democratic members of Congress on behalf of Miami-Dade. Though the party's bylaws do not prohibit outside employment, she did not disclose the relationship in the past.
	[Times photo: Maurice Rivenbark (2002)]

ADVERTISEMENT [AP Photo (2005)] Thurman was elected state Democratic Party chair in 2005.

TALLAHASSEE – Florida Democratic Party chairwoman Karen Thurman makes $100,000 a year to build a political machine to compete with Republicans, and earns extra income working for a law firm headed by one of the state's leading Republicans, Al Cardenas.

As a former Democrat in Congress, Thurman is paid by the Tew Cardenas firm to build bridges with her former colleagues who now run Capitol Hill, on behalf of Miami-Dade County.

Cardenas was state GOP chairman during the tenure of Gov. Jeb Bush, a time in which Thurman lost her redrawn House seat to Republican Ginny Brown-Waite.

Some party activists who learned of the arrangement for the first time this week from a news article said Thurman should have disclosed it previously, and asked if Thurman has other moonlighting arrangements they don't know about.

"A hundred thousand dollars a year is pretty nice. We're still the Democratic Party. We're struggling," said Janee Murphy, a Democratic National Committee member from Tampa.

Murphy said she wants to give Thurman a chance to explain, but was concerned that Thurman would be helping Miami-Dade get federal dollars at the expense of other areas of Florida.

"As state party chair, you represent all Democrats," Murphy said.

Democratic national committeeman Jon Ausman said Thurman should have disclosed her outside work, and she should be required to file the same financial disclosure form elected officials file each year.

"There needs to be full disclosure," Ausman said. "It was a total surprise."

Said state party vice chairwoman Diane Glasser: "This should be fully disclosed. It would serve her needs a lot better." She added: "It concerns me that it was a big-time Republican."

To state Rep. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, the House minority leader, it's much ado about nothing.

"Everybody in political life navigates the ironies of relationships and friendships," Gelber said. "It's ironic, but it's not improper."

As first reported in the Miami Herald, Thurman is paid $3,500 a month to help Cardenas' firm set up meetings with Democratic members of Congress on behalf of Miami-Dade. The county has been seeking additional seaport security money.

Among those whose help Thurman sought are Rep. Benny Thompson, D-Miss., who chairs the Homeland Security Committee, and Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., the House majority leader.

Thurman, a Democrat from Dunnellon who served in Congress from 1993 to 2002, could not be reached for comment.

Party spokesman Mark Bubriski said Thurman was committed to her full-time job but, like many former members of Congress, could be "making millions" lobbying full time on Capitol Hill, but sacrificed that to rebuild the party.

"She does not do any work that conflicts with her work as party chair," Bubriski said.

Party bylaws do not prohibit outside employment.

State records show that in November, Thurman opened a Florida lobbying firm, Karen Thurman LLC, in partnership with J. Eric Gould, a partner in Cardenas' firm.

Gould worked in the Clinton White House and served as counsel to Thurman when, as a member of Congress in the 1990s, she served on the House Ways and Means Committee.

Times researcher Angie Holan contributed to this report. Steve Bousquet can be reached at bousquet@sptimes.com or 850 224-7263.

[Last modified July 6, 2007, 07:08:31]