"Florida Gov. Charles Crist’s appointment of his closest political associate, unknown George LeMieux to the Senate may cause some harm to Crist’s own bid for the same Senate seat next year. Two weeks ago Crist made the appointment to fill out the remaining sixteen months of the term of fellow Republican Mel Martinez (who had resigned his Senate seat) the warning signs are clearly in sight. But perhaps the most controversial aspect of LeMieux’s appointment to the Senate is his link to the Seminole Indian Tribe and gambling as both the governor’s top aide and a lobbyist. On August 20, 2007, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported that Crist’s then-chief of staff LeMieux was the governor’s point man in negotiations with the Seminole Tribe and “expects the agreement to be reached this week.” A few weeks later, Gov. Crist and Mitchell Cypress, chairman of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, signed a deal that “allows the tribe to have ‘Las Vegas’ style slot machines and ‘banked card games’ such as blackjack and baccarat.” (Sarasota Herald Tribune, November 15, 2007). Legislators of both parties went ballistic, charging that any deals with the Seminoles required their approval. Among those leading the charge in court was then-House Speaker Rubio, whose attorney told the court “[t]he governor does not get to implement public policy by himself” without legislative approval. In July 2008, the Florida Supreme Court agreed and struck down the agreement LeMieux negotiated and Crist signed with the Seminole Tribe. Private Citizen LeMieux, who represents clients for the Gunster Yoakley firm, said he’s negotiating a new gambling agreement with the tribe on Crist’s behalf for free. Veteran Republican consultant Roger Stone, who has done work for South Florida paramutual betting parlors opposed to the Seminole compact, has a different view. He pointed out to reporters that 71% of the $912,000 the Seminoles gave to the Republican Party since 1996 was given since Crist won the Republican nomination for governor in 2006. In forms he was required to file with the Senate after his appointment, LeMieux revealed he earned $150,000 from the state Republican Party of Florida over the past thirteen months" Get the Story:
John Gizzi: The Other LeMieux (Human Events 9/9) Also Today:
Scrutinizing Florida’s new Sen. LeMieux (The Bradenton Herald 9/9) Earlier Story:
Seminole gaming compact a thorny political issue (9/2)
