Rothstein's law firm gave $52,000 to the state GOP on July 28, 2008, the same day that Crist appointed Jay Hurley to the Broward County court. A day later Rothstein's firm donated another $25,000 to the party.
Crist appointed Rothstein to the 4th DCA Judicial nominating commission on August 25, 2008, four days before Rothstein contributed $140,000 to the RPOF.Rothstein and his firm gave $100,000 to the RPOF on January 26, 2009. Crist appointed Judges Carlos Rodriguez and Barbara McCarthy two days later. Ferre also questioned Crist's appointment of Spencer Levine to an appellate judgeship in the 4th circuit, saying Rothstein pushed his appointment despite lack of judicial experience.
"Are all these incidents just coincidence?" asked Ferre. "Perhaps the U.S. Attorney's investigation into corruption in South Florida should be expanded to include the Governor's possible auctioning of judicial appointments in Broward County. We need to know what Charlie Crist knew and when he knew it."
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/...
The above is only some of the speculation involving Florida Governor Charlie Crist's relationship with Ft. Lauderdale attorney Scott Rothstein who was arrested yesterday by the FBI. Rothstein is charged with racketeering, money laundering and fraud.
Rothstein is thought to be cooperating with Federal investigators, as he has been kept in an undisclosed location for several weeks since his return from a quick trip to Morocco. He had been inquiring amongst colleagues about countries lacking extradition treaties with the United States, which happens to include Morocco.
Broward Palm Beach New Times columnist Bob Norman has been the leading investigative reporter on the Rothstein case which has been reading like a classic crime novel....
The feds are going after the political side of this hard. According to the information, Rothstein and "other co-conspirators":
-- utilized funds illegally obtained through the Ponzi scheme to make political contributions to... political candidates in a manner designed to conceal the true source of such funds and to circumvent state and federal laws...
-- used corporations to launder proceeds generated from the Ponzi scheme to conceal the source of the funds utilized to make political contributions.
-- paid large bonuses to employees of RRA purportedly as an award for exemplary work. Prior to the receipt of the bonuses, the employees were instructed to make large contributions to political candidates in the employers' names. Such conduct was designed to conceal the true source of the contribution and to illegally circumvent
campaign finance laws.
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/...
Timing of this could not be worse for Crist, as he is involved in a serious primary battle with Marco Rubio for the Senate seat formerly held by Bob Martinez. Crist recently installed George LeMieux, his former chief of staff to the Senate seat as a caretaker pending the election.
Rothstein is listed as the number 3 bundler of campaign contributions to the John McCain presidential campaign as well, although it is also known that he and his colleagues contributed heavily to Democrats, including Alex Sink, the likely Dem candidate for Crist's Governor seat.
This story has legs, do follow Bob Norman's blog, he updates it as needed with new information, much of it with contributions and leads from the comments section....