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NYT investigation tosses Everglades deal into Senate race
Posted Mar 8, 2010 by William March
Updated Mar 8, 2010 at 05:21 PM
A New York Times investigation of the state’s proposed deal with U.S. Sugar to buy land for Everglades restoration has made the deal into a hot issue in the GOP Senate primary between Gov. Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio.
The NYT story says the deal, in which the state plans to buy 72,800 acres of land from U.S. Sugar for $536 million, will benefit the sugar company far more than the Everglades, and harm restoration projects already underway.
It also questions in the involvement in the deal of the Gunster law firm, employer of George LeMieux, Crist’s long-time political adviser, 2006 campaign manager and chief of staff in the governor’s office, whom Crist appointed last year to fill the U.S. Senate seat Crist and Rubio are now running for, after Mel Martinez resigned and left it vacant.
In a news release following up on the story, Rubio calls the deal “a massive taxpayer-funded bailout for a top Charlie Crist campaign donor and a profitable bonanza for Crist’s inner circle.”
LeMieux says in the story that he recused himself from any discussion of the deal, and told the law firm he shouldn’t receive any compensation from the firm as result of its involvement.
Crist has repeatedly acknowledged criticism of the deal, but notes that it would be the largest land purchase ever for the Everglades, the first time the state has succeeded in removing land from the Everglades Agricultural Area to reclaim, and a big step forward for restoration.
_____________
Update: Asked for a response to Rubio’s criticism, Crist campaign spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg said, “Marco Rubio is being supported in this campaign and in previous campaigns by Florida Crystals Sugar company, who is the number one opponent to this Everglades restoration purchase. What else would expect from a lobbyist who is bought and paid for by special interests?”
She noted $14,400 in contributions to Rubio’s Senate campaign from Florida Crystals officials and members of the Fanjul family who own the company, plus $4,500 contributions to Rubio’s previous state House campaigns from Florida Crystals and other sugar companies.
Rubio, meanwhile, also went on the Glenn Beck show to launch his bash of Crist, accusing Crist of “ramming a bailout down the throats of taxpayers.”
________________
Further (and last) Update: The back-and-forth continues. In response to the above update, Rubio campaign spokesman points out that Florida Crystals gave heavily to Crist’s campaign for governor, and that U.S. Sugar, accused in the NYT story of benefitting from the deal, “has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to Charlie Crist over the years” including $60,000 in the past year alone.
MOP hasn’t checked the figures on the sugar donations to Crist, but given the extremely active role the sugar industry has played in Florida politics, particularly in contributing to Republicans, it’s plausible.
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Reader Comments
Por (Bill Newton - Florida Consumer Action Network) on March 08, 2010 (Suggest removal)
Yuck! What an icky mess. So, nobody really wants to save the Everglades, just get as many campaign contributions as possible while, in Crist’s case, appearing to help the Everglades and, in Rubio’s case, fighting against helping the Everglades? But either way, the Everglades loses and one sugar company or the other wins? Of course, the loser company can just wait until the next election cycle to get their own bail out.
Suggest removal