Notes For Sunday, February 23, 2003

BYRD PUSHES LEGAL LIMIT TO PROMOTE SELF. Peter Wallstein gives us "Byrd spent thousands on 'ghost' campaign - Though unopposed, speaker pushed legal limits". Wallstein writes: "Without an election opponent in his rural west Florida district last year, House Speaker Johnnie Byrd was free to coast into a fourth term and focus his political efforts on one goal: building a new leadership team in the state Capitol. But campaign finance records show that Byrd was also intent on boosting his own identity, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a ghost campaign -- even though he was essentially elected the day he qualified for the ballot. A Herald analysis of Byrd's 2002 campaign account and GOP spending shows that Florida's new staunchly conservative Republican speaker:"

• "Spent more than $400,000 on his candidacy, even though he was unopposed, including paying more than $220,000 to a consulting firm owned by a longtime friend and former legislative aide;"

• "Spent more than $70,000 for ''consulting'' services in the three months after he qualified as the lone contender for his House seat, despite state laws that limit spending by unopposed candidates; and"

• "Took advantage of the unregulated, unrestricted corporate funds known as ''soft money'' to pay for statewide TV ads during the governor's race featuring himself advertising his personal website, at a cost of at least $400,000."

"There is no proof that Byrd's spending largesse broke the law. That could only be determined by the Florida Elections Commission if a complaint is filed and spurs an inquiry, and there is no indication that such a complaint has been lodged."
6:00 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

OUR SENTIMENTS EXACTLY. "Florida already has done enough damage trying to sell itself cheap", the St. Pete Times editorial board notes in "Retire to Florida, we're cheap", 5:56 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

THIS IS WHY WE LOVE TAMPA. "Mayoral Election Heats Up As Miranda Points Fingers"
5:53 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON? "Stanford joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a number of other institutes of science and technology in filing a 'friend of the court' brief in support of the University of Michigan, which is facing a court challenge to its admissions policy. The university uses race and ethnicity, among other factors, in admitting students. The U.S. Supreme Court will hear the case in the spring." The story is here. Stanford, MIT and Michigan, that's some serious intellectual firepower.


"But the university has daunting competition. The Bush administration, joined by Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and University of California Regent Ward Connerly, has filed a brief opposing the university's policies." Dubya, John Ellis - You mean the republic didn't win the Spanish Civil War? - Bush, and Ward Connerly? Um, that's something other than a brain trust, wouldn't you agree.

No doubt who'll win in the Supreme Court.
5:27 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

POST ENDORSES FRANKEL. Really, was there any doubt? "West Palm needs a lift; Frankel can supply it". 5:20 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

ORLANDO SENTINEL: BARR NOT QUALIFIED TO BE MAYOR. "Set aside for a moment the most recent revelations about Mr. Barr's frequent use of racial slurs -- and how that affects his understanding of a city that is half minority. His problems go even deeper". The rest is here. The local GOP had tepid words od support for Barr: "'We follow the general rule that everyone is innocent until proven guilty,' Lew Oliver, head of the Orange County Republican Party, said before a GOP fund-raiser Saturday night at the Orlando International Airport Hyatt. 'We are still actively supporting Pete Barr.'"
5:20 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

WE SUPPOSE WE MUST READ THESE THINGS. A puff piece in the Washington Post, "The Patience of Jeb". Florida Blog's take on the piece. 5:17 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

THE GRAHAM THING. "Graham's speechwriters are sharpening their pencils". 4:55 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]