Captain Pink Shirt's Book

On March 6, 2001, I wrote the post "Mike Haridopolos' U.S. Senate Hopes Are Done." Haridopolos' book "Florida Legislative History and Processes" became a national punchline. No one could believe that Haridopolos could get paid $152,000 by Brevard College for a political science book that offered this kind of wisdom.

“Most importantly, a candidate should avoid wasting money on useless novelty items such as wooden nickels.”

Progress Florida is rubbing Haridopolos' bad literary venture in his face. Progress Florida is asking that Haridopolos give back the $150,000

Dear Senate President Haridopolos,

Monday morning you announced the end of your US Senate campaign. It has been reported in the media that you have amassed a “war chest” of $3.5 million left over from your campaign. After receiving $152,000 from the taxpayers of Florida for writing a book which has sold only 70 copies as of June 21st (granting only $487.90 in royalties to Brevard Community College), we believe that the taxpayers deserve a refund. You have more than enough funds in your campaign’s war chest to donate $152,000 to the Brevard Community College Foundation. More than 4,000 Floridians have signed a petition urging you to return these funds, and we believe this is the best (and easiest) way for you to do so.

You’ll undoubtedly agree that at a time of drastic budget cuts across the state, middle class families losing their jobs or seeing their pay slashed, and big tuition hikes at our public universities, our state’s higher education system can use all the financial support it can get.

Sincerely,

Mark Ferrulo
Executive Director,
Progress Florida

Haridopolos is not going to give the money back. This is a man that plans to hold on to every one of his "wooden nickels." Fiscal conservatism be damned.