Chiles protests ‘raiding’ of trusts

By Bill Cotterell
Florida Capital Bureau Political Editor

Gov. Charlie Crist "betrayed" needy Floridians by borrowing $700 million from a tobacco-funded endowment set up for health and education needs, the son of Gov. Lawton Chiles said Monday.

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson joined Lawton "Bud" Chiles III to protest the "raid" on the Lawton Chiles Endowment Fund, created and maintained with proceeds from the state's tobacco-company lawsuit settlement. Chiles backed off an earlier threat to sue over the fund transfer, saying an obscure late-night action by the Legislature made it legal. He also said his family has decided against asking Crist to remove his father's name from the endowment.

But Chiles said his new organization, "Worst To First," will run a grassroots movement to rally 1 million people opposing budget policies of Crist and the Republican-run Legislature. He said it is not intended to hurt the governor's campaign for the U.S. Senate, but that Crist is not staying around for a second term to be held accountable for budget decisions made now.

"My family's betrayal is really not the issue," said Chiles. "The betrayal that matters is the betrayal to the children of Florida and to the elderly, the people for the purposes that this was established."

Crist's spokeswoman, Erin Isaac, said, "The children of Florida need help now."

"They are raiding this trust fund that still, even in this down economy, is worth in excess of $1 billion. When you raid a trust fund, you raid the trust of the people," said Nelson. "This nonsense has to stop. Trust funds are exactly that -- they're set up in trust for a particular reason."

Chiles said WorstToFirst.org would try to collect 1 million commitments from residents promising to get involved and stay vigilant about budget cuts that hurt children's programs. He said the organization will form the Lawton Chiles Leadership Corps, inviting 500 to 600 high-school and college students to Orlando Aug. 8-9 for a conference on the needs of children.

Gov. Charlie Crist "betrayed" needy Floridians by borrowing $700 million from a tobacco-funded endowment set up for health and education needs, the son of Gov. Lawton Chiles said Monday.

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson joined Lawton "Bud" Chiles III to protest the "raid" on the Lawton Chiles Endowment Fund, created and maintained with proceeds from the state's tobacco-company lawsuit settlement. Chiles backed off an earlier threat to sue over the fund transfer, saying an obscure late-night action by the Legislature made it legal. He also said his family has decided against asking Crist to remove his father's name from the endowment.

But Chiles said his new organization, "Worst To First," will run a grassroots movement to rally 1 million people opposing budget policies of Crist and the Republican-run Legislature. He said it is not intended to hurt the governor's campaign for the U.S. Senate, but that Crist is not staying around for a second term to be held accountable for budget decisions made now.

"My family's betrayal is really not the issue," said Chiles. "The betrayal that matters is the betrayal to the children of Florida and to the elderly, the people for the purposes that this was established."

Crist's spokeswoman, Erin Isaac, said, "The children of Florida need help now."

"They are raiding this trust fund that still, even in this down economy, is worth in excess of $1 billion. When you raid a trust fund, you raid the trust of the people," said Nelson. "This nonsense has to stop. Trust funds are exactly that - they're set up in trust for a particular reason."

Chiles said WorstToFirst.org would try to collect 1 million commitments from residents promising to get involved and stay vigilant about budget cuts that hurt children's programs. He said the organization will form the Lawton Chiles Leadership Corps, inviting 500 to 600 high-school and college students to Orlando on Aug. 8-9 for a conference on the needs of children.