I asked him about the organization’s birth.
“I just had an idea about the name and decided to start it,” he told me.
“What, you heard the Pledge of Allegiance?” I asked him.
“No, I was reading the Constitution, OK?” he said, laughing. “I just thought it was a good name for an ECO that would be involved in judicial races.”
Early on, money donated to the ECO was indeed used in a Hillsborough County court race, thanks primarily to a $15,000 contribution made by big Democratic donor Charles Brink of Tampa. I asked Herron about Brink.
“I don’t know who he is, to tell you the truth,” Herron said. “I just got the check and put it in the bank.”
Welcome to the world of ECOs – it has all the secrecy of Mafia dealings, complete with bag men. During my interview with Herron, he seemed to have sworn his oath to omerta.
For more information about the shadowy 527 backing Steve Kornell, please read this article.
