Sansom case shows how deep Tallahassee cesspool is
Scott Maxwell
TAKING NAMES
August 26, 2009
The best thing about the continuing fall of former House Speaker Ray Sansom is that it's revealing Tallahassee's true nature.
I used to think our state capital was a cesspool.
But now I'm beginning to think that a cesspool would look like DeLeon Springs compared to the mess of special-interest-funded pay-for-play that envelops our state capital.
Sansom, you may remember, lost his speakership after it was revealed that he'd funneled money to a community college — which then rewarded him with a six-figure job.
But it turns out: That was just the tip of the cessberg.
We've since learned that Sansom racked up more than $170,000 worth of charges on the Republican Party of Florida credit card — on everything from $1,900 at Best Buy to $975 in tuxedo rentals. (Consumer tip No. 1: Once you've shelled out nearly a grand for rentals, maybe it's time to consider buying the monkey suit.)
So who paid the bills? Well, in part, it was donors who wanted things from Sansom and his political pals — guys such as developer Jay Odom, who prosecutors say really wanted taxpayers to help pay for a multimillion-dollar airplane hangar up in the Panhandle.
Odom gave more than $270,000 to RPOF at the same time RPOF was paying for Sansom to live the high life.
At the end of the day, Sansom got clothes, trips and meals.
Prosecutors say his buddy got what he wanted.
And the taxpayers got hosed.
What's really scary, though, is that Sansom wasn't the only elected official with a card.
In fact, a joint investigation by the Miami Herald and St. Petersburg Times, which uncovered the Sansom story, revealed that other legislators and GOP officials racked up $3.6 million worth of credit-card charges. But the party won't reveal complete details.
The whole thing stinks. And not just to Democrats. It's also an insult to the rank-and-file Republicans who cut $25 and $50 checks, thinking they were supporting the party of fiscal restraint.
Keep in mind: Some of Sansom's extravagant spending came right as he was preaching his gospel of belt-tightening to Florida families.
While they were cutting services and hiking fees, Sansom was hosting a $597 dinner at Tallahassee's University Club. (Consumer tip No. 2: Hosting a dinner at home not only saves money; it tells your guests you care.)
The credit cards, however, are simply part of Tallahassee's culture of incest between politicians and special interests who consummate their relationships with campaign checks, gourmet meals and transcontinental vacations.
It is one big orgy of excess.
Many of us have long suspected that special interests actually sponsor the bad legislation.
It's just that we now know they sponsored Ray Sansom's Kenneth Cole wardrobe as well.
It's certainly true that our current Republican leaders didn't invent this system.
Political reciprocity pre-dates the New Testament. It thrives in Washington among both parties. And it not only thrived when Democrats ran the state in the pre-Jeb days; it helped lead to their downfall.
But modern-day Florida Republicans have helped turn the practice into an art, thanks to the use of party credit cards and go-between bank accounts. (State Dems say they don't give cards out to elected officials.)
The result: Speaker Sansom spending $9,000 at a florist in Fort Walton Beach. (Consumer tip No. 3: Carnations can really light up a room for half the cost of a rose.)
Perhaps just as stomach-turning as the spending has been the feigned outrage.
Gov. Charlie Crist, for example, called Sansom's expenses "unbelievable" and "an embarrassment."
Either Charlie has no shame, or he's still jet-lagged from last year's $430,000 European vacation. You remember that "trade mission," right?
So we have the guy who racked up a $1,300 mini-bar bill expressing disgust about another guy who spent $839 at Starbucks. (Consumer confession No. 1: I, too, overpay for Starbucks.)
And then there's RPOF leader Jim Greer, who responded to this scandal by yanking back all of the RPOF credit cards — and even staged a one-man production Sham-a-lot when he dramatically cut his own credit card in half for the media last weekend.
The performance was supposed to be Greer's response to this disturbing news about Sansom's spending.
Except for one little detail: It wasn't news to Greer. At least it shouldn't have been. He's the guy who pays the bills and collects the cash. The only thing he's responding to is the fact that the public finally learned about this special-interest-subsidized excess.
This whole mess could've been avoided the way most political messes could — if politicians would simply act like the "public servants" they profess to be.
Do your job.
Serve the people.
And save the trip-taking, shopping sprees and favors for your own time and dime.
That's not a partisan issue. It's just common sense.
Scott Maxwell can be reached at smaxwell@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-6141.
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