Pinellas Democratic Establishment Endorses Sink

Congressional candidate Alex Sink has received endorsements from the Pinellas County Democratic establishment. Here is the list if endorsements sent out by the Sink campaign.

Pinellas County Commissioner Charlie Justice; Pinellas County Commissioner Janet Long; Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch; Pinellas School Board Member Linda Lerner; Pinellas School Board Member Rene Flowers; State Representative Dwight Dudley; State Representative Darryl Rouson; State Representative Carl Zimmermann; St. Petersburg City Council member Darden Rice; St. Petersburg City Council member Karl Nurse; St. Petersburg City Council member Steve Kornell; Seminole Councilor Patricia Plantamura; Largo Mayor Pat Gerard; Former Largo Mayor Robert Jackson; Largo Commissioner Mike Smith; Belleair Bluffs Commissioner Joseph Barkley;

Young Beating Justice

Apparently, Peter Schorsch isn't a Charlie Justice fan. I wonder if it is because Mitch Kates worked on Justice's campaign. Schorsch tweets that Bill Young is (unsurprisingly) beating Justice.

By the Way, Congressman Bill Young is crushing Charlie Justice. Good.

I don't know Justice or Kates personally, but like what they have done. Last time I checked Kates was workimng on the Amendment 4 campaign. Justice has been a good State Senator. For some reason his campaign never could catch fire. Progressives like Justice and there was a limited amount of blog coverage for Justice. I'm not sure what the campaign's problem with reaching out to the netroots. Team Justice probably isn't sure either.

Update: Schorch explains his problems with Justice in two tweets. He brings up some good points.

First tweet:

Dude gave up a Senate seat early = Veto-proof GOP majority.

Second Tweet:

Also wrote law allowing candidates to run for federal office without resign to run = VP candidate

Justice is allowed to make the choice of whether to stay or not in the Florida Senate. Schorsch calling him out on those choices and the consequences are fair.

60 Seconds With Charlie Justice

Charlie Justice appeared on Tampa's WFLA to ask voters to support him over incumbent Bill Young.

Charlie Justice Campaign Reception

Democratic Congressional candidate Charlie Justice will be having a campaign reception on September 13, 2010. The event is open to the public. For more information go to the Facebook page.

Time: September 13
6:00pm - 8:00pm

Location: Villlage Pub
5519 Shore Blvd S
Gulfport, FL

Charlie Justice Campaign Needs Volunteers

Charlie Justice is running for Floor congressional district 10. The seat is currently held by longtime Republican incumbant C.W. "Bill" Young. This is the first time in ages that Young has faced a serious Democratic challenger. The Justice campaign is getting their campaign organized by asking for volunteers. Below is information on how you can help. You can contact campaign intern Kristen Eberts at (727) 896-2010 during office hours.

Just reply to this email or call (727) 896-2010 if you want to volunteer. I'll contact you directly to help you get started!

Here are the ways you can help:

* Phone banking. Contact voters to find out who they're supporting and to raise their awareness of Charlie Justice.
o When: Can be done 9 am-9 pm, 7 days a week.
o Where: At home or at campaign HQ.
o What you need: A cell phone or landline.

* Data entry. Keep the campaign organized by entering information into our database.
o Whenever, wherever. You can even watch TV at home while you enter information!
o What you need: Nothing if you work at HQ; otherwise a computer.

* Driving. Pick up checks from donors, deliver flyers and campaign materials to events, run errands.
o When: Only needed on certain days.
o Where: Come to campaign HQ and we will send you around town.
o What you need: A car and driver's license.

* Donor research. Money makes the political world go round--so we need to find people who are willing to donate.
o Whenever, wherever.
o What you need: Nothing if you work at HQ, otherwise a computer.

* Represent Charlie at local events. Be the face of Justice for Congress! Go to events to hand out literature and answer questions about Charlie.
o When and where: We will contact you about events in your area. You choose which ones to go to.
o What you need: A smile, and transportation to/from events.

* Host and/or help plan a small fundraiser. We will be eternally grateful.
o When and where: It's up to you! At your house, a local restaurant, in a park...
o What you need: Organization.

* Special skills: Do you have any particular skills that could help the campaign?

* Opportunities Coming Later in the Campaign:
o Door to door voter contact
o Planting yard signs
o Other field work and office jobs

Steve Wise's Idea of Reform

Former Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections created controversy for using tax dollars to place his name and image on material. Michelle Patty was a former critic of Johnson. The Supervisor used tax dollars to pay Patty more than $16,000. Patty went around the Tampa black community handing out "Vote for Buddy" yard signs. All these actions were seen as an election official using tax dollars to get re-elected.

Sen. Charlie Justice sponsored SB 216. The bill would help put an end to such practices.

Campaign Financing/Local Government Expenditures [GPSC]; Defines the terms "local government" and "public funds." Prohibits a local government from expending, and a person or group from accepting, public funds for a political advertisement or electioneering communication concerning an issue, referendum, or amendment that is subject to the vote of the electors. Provides an exception for certain electioneering communications. Clarifies restrictions with respect to local officials.

Republican Sen. Steve Wise attempted to sneak in an amendment to restart the defunct Leadership fund. This would allow party leaders in the House and Senate increase their power by holding money over the caucus. Wise choose his words poorly. Leadership funds were banned. Wise striked "Leadership" from the record. The new term was Caucus accountability fund.

Caucus accountability Leadership fund.—

(1) For purposes of this section:
(a) “Caucus accountability Leadership fund” means accounts comprised of any moneys contributed to a political party, directly or indirectly, which are designated to be used at the partial or total discretion of a leader.
(b) “Leader” means the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the majority leader and the minority leader of each house, and any person designated by a political caucus of members of either house to succeed to any such position.

(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, caucus accountability leadership funds are authorized prohibited in this state. No leader shall accept any leadership funds.

(3) This section applies to leadership funds in existence on or after January 1, 1990.

Justice was able to defeat Wise's amendment. It's hysterical Wise would put this into a reform bill. The current legislature is doing some wacky stuff in the closing days.

Correction: the leadership funds would not come from tax dollars. The money would be from contributions. I used Buddy Johnson as an example. I have heard that Johnson was the inspiration for Justice's bill. The leadership funds would work like PAC money. The Majority and Minority leaders in the Senate and House would decide who receives these funds. This was seen as Wise attempting to increase his influence for when he became the Republican Senate leader.

The Justice bill would forbid tax dollars to be used to benefit a local candidate or voter amendment. The Wise amendment attempted to allow House and Senate leaders to set up leadership funds. These funds would be considered political contributions.

Where Does Kathy Castor Stand On Gershom Faulkner

Kathy Castor is feeling pressure from the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus. Gay activists want Castor to withdraw her endorsement of St. Petersburg Council candidate Gershom Faulkner. State Senator Charlie Justice has withdrawn his endorsement Faulker because of comments that homosexuality is a lifestyle choice.

Faulkner refuses to attend the St. Petersburg gay pride event or to take a position against a state constitutuional amendment banning gay marriage.

Faulker is a former deputy campaign manager for Castor. It will be interesting to see if Castor will publicly state her reasons, either for against the the endorsement. My hunch is she is going to ignore the controversy.

Castor gained name-recognition in a high profile fight against the Hillsborough County Commission on gay pride. It could be argued that Castor's fights with fellows members of the Commision helped her get elected into Congress. It would be ashame to see her abandon her principles for a political crony. Faulker is a longterm headache for the FDP if he is elected.

SB 734

Charlie Justice is sponsoring SB 734. The bill is dead. The Florida Senate is ducking voting on it. The reason is politicians love to use tax dollars for so-called voter education campaign. What this really means is political parties are using tax dollars for campaign advertisements. Justice's bill would put an end to that.

An act relating to campaign financing; creatings. 106.113, F.S.; defining the terms "local government" and "public funds"; prohibiting a local government from expending, directly or indirectly, public funds to support or oppose an issue, referendum, or amendment that is subject to a vote of the electors; prohibiting a person or group from accepting public funds from a local government that are intended to support or oppose an issue, referendum, or amendment that is subject to a vote of the electors; prohibiting a local government from expending public funds for a political advertisement; providing an exception for a communication from a local government which factually and objectively describes the purposes of an issue, referendum, or amendment and does not advocate for the passage or defeat of the issue, referendum, or amendment; providing an effective date.

I'm someone on the Left who is not a fan of the Russ Feingold model of publicly-financed campaigns. Nor do a like the idea of local governments using tax dollars for bogus voter education programs. Email Ken Pruitt and tell him that SB 734 should be voted on.

Ken Pruitt
pruitt.ken.web@ flsenate.gov