From Kendrick Meek: Even as financial abuses at the Florida Republican Party come under scrutiny and investigation, the effort to expand secret political slush funds in Florida has been renewed. We can’t afford to let the backroom bankrolling of politicians be an accepted practice of Tallahassee insiders. Tell Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio that enough is enough.
“[There is currently up for veto] a bill that allows a handful of legislators to create soft-money fundraising machines, known as leadership funds, outside the structure of the political parties. … It would allow four lawmakers to control millions in campaign contributions from special interests and not require the funds to maintain public websites and to report transactions every 10 days. The current system of lawmaker-controlled funds requires such transparency, even as it gives legislative leaders access to large pots of political party money through donations earmarked to ‘Victory’ committees.” [Miami Herald, 4/3/10]
Marco Rubio’s scandalous spending sprees are now infamous: haircuts for $134, double-billed reimbursements, and the list goes on. You’ve heard it on the news and read it in the papers. Not surprising, Marco Rubio previously wanted to revive the “leadership slush fund” accounts when he was in the Legislature. This is not the kind of government we want the Sunshine State known for across the country, yet it’s been all over the national news. And Marco Rubio has remained silent on this latest reincarnation of financial corruption while Gov. Crist is weighing the politics of a veto.
Now you can make a difference. Click here to tell Marco Rubio and Charlie Crist it’s time to clean things up. Take a stand now. Call on Crist to veto this corrupt system and call on Marco Rubio to speak up on behalf of the transparency he’s run afoul of so many times before. Then tell your friends to do the same. Then, post your message to blogs and your social networks to let people know of the struggle we face to clean things up.
Together, we can bring new leadership to the Sunshine State.