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Democrat Daisy Lynum is a divisive force on the Orlando City Council. Florida bloggers should keep an eye on how Lynun uses her campaign money.

Thomas is only one of many friends Lynum has been willing to help. After the 1998 election, she distributed more than $8,000 from her campaign account to 44 of her campaign workers. There's nothing illegal about the payments. But they do raise ethical concerns, especially since those paid include a police officer, a member of the NAACP and a homeowner-association president. Other candidates often go to great lengths to avoid looking as if they're buying loyalty. After the 2000 election, for example, former Commissioner Bill Bagley painstakingly distributed his leftover campaign cash by returning money to 243 contributors; some received a prorated check for as little as $1.75.

Lynum attended a 2004 party at the Roxy nightclub. Lynum wasn't even a candidate.

"It's been a good day for me," Lynum said. "I just walked in, got a beer -- I'm feeling real good."

Someone brought a hidden video camera. Members of both political parties were filmed receiving checks and bragging about getting drunk. Mayor Buddy Dyer, Ernest Page, and Patty Sheehan were forced to give back money after Local 6 News broke the story.

Update: I got an email, from a reporter covering the story, stating that Ernest Page did not return the money. I won't reveal the name of the source.

Ernest Page did not return the money, though he vowed he would after we proved it was raised improperly in apparent violation of state elections laws. While Dyer and Sheehan did return the dough, Ernie Page decided to call the man who bundled the cash contributions and, after being assured it was okay to keep the money, he kept it.

If journalists want to email me - please inform me if the exchanges are on or off-the-record. It just makes things easier for all parties.