Former House speaker flashed GOP plastic

By GARY FINEOUT
H-T Capital Bureau Correspondent

Published: Sunday, August 16, 2009 at 1:00 a.m.

TALLAHASSEE - Months before he accepted a $110,000 job with Northwest Florida State College, Rep. Ray Sansom picked up the tab for college officials for a dinner that included Delmonico steak, crusted grouper and creme brulee.

But Sansom -- who has since been indicted by a Leon County grand jury on charges that he steered taxpayer money to a college project to benefit a developer -- did not use his own money for the meal, which cost nearly $600. Instead, records show that the Destin Republican used a credit card given to him by the Republican Party of Florida.

The March 2008 dinner receipt was included in records released by State Attorney Willie Meggs as part of his investigation.

Republican officials have refused to say which elected officials have party credit cards or what expenses those officials charged on their cards.

The use of the credit cards raises questions about whether politicians are using money from lobbyists and other donors for personal expenses without public accountability.

Florida has strict laws that ban lobbyists or their clients from buying meals or showering gifts on lawmakers, the governor and other statewide elected officials. But there is nothing that prevents a legislator from using a party credit card even if the credit card bills are ultimately paid with money taken from donations from lobbyists and special interests.

And there is nothing in state law that spells out exactly how political parties must use credit cards, says Mark Herron, a veteran Tallahassee attorney who handles ethics and election law cases. But Herron cautioned that both parties must ensure they do not run afoul of the IRS regulations regarding non-profit political organizations.

The use of those credit cards is no small matter. Campaign finance records filed with the state show that the party has so far paid American Express more than $500,000 for credit card charges in the first six months of 2009 -- a non-election year.

Other state records show this year credit cards were used for meals, hotels and other travel expenses, including a stay at the Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif., and charges associated with the party annual meeting held in Orlando.

Last year credit cards paid for limo rides in New York City, tabs at famed restaurants such as Joe's Stone Crab in Miami Beach or Bern's Steakhouse in Tampa, and hotel stays at the Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island and the Sheraton Park Tower Hotel in London, England.

But the electronic records turned over to state officials by the party do not break out who made the individual charges.

"I'm not going to acknowledge who has credit cards and who doesn't," said Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer.

Greer says that credit cards are given to elected officials to pay for their expenses when they are raising money for the party or doing other political work. Although the party will not disclose who has cards, traditionally they have been given to legislative leaders responsible for getting Republicans elected.

"From a political and business standpoint it's practical for that person to have a credit card," Greer said.

Meggs said that he got the $597.02 receipt as part of an inquiry into whether the meeting in Tallahassee between Sansom, the college president and college trustees violated the state's law on open meetings. Sansom was hired by the college in November 2008, which triggered newspaper reports and the criminal inquiry that resulted in Sansom stepping down from his college job and his post as House speaker.

Sansom has pleaded not guilty to the charges and insists he will be exonerated.

Meggs said he is not "broadening" his investigation to look at how the Republican Party uses its credit cards.

A spokesman for the Florida Democratic Party said that the party does not give credit cards to any of its elected officials. The party comptroller has two check cards that are drawn on state and federal bank accounts, said Eric Jotkoff.

Jotkoff said that Karen Thurman, the head of the party, decided it was "best to limit the credit cards and not hand them out like candy like the Republicans did."

Aides for Gov. Charlie Crist, Attorney General Bill McCollum and House Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala say their bosses do not have a Republican Party credit card. An aide for Rep. Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, the next in line for speaker, said that Cannon does not have one, either.

But Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, and Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R-Melbourne said they do have party credit cards.

Haridopolos, who this summer won a leadership battle to succeed Atwater, said that he got his credit card in June but "rarely uses it." He said he spends most of his time traveling around the state by car.

"We don't fly with the credit card, we don't live on the high life," said Haridopolos.

Jaryn Emhof, a spokeswoman for Atwater, said he is "very meticulous about its use" and notes that the party can tell what each cardholder spent money on.

When asked if Sansom has kept his credit card after he stepped down as House speaker, a spokeswoman for the Republican Party of Florida would not answer.

Greer, whose own use of party credit cards sparked complaints last year from some party activists, maintains credit cards have not been used for improper expenses.

"With few exceptions, there has never been anything in my opinion by an elected official that was considered inappropriate," said Greer.

Katherine Gordon, a spokeswoman for the party, would not say if Sansom's dinner with college trustees was an exception or whether he was asked to pay for the meal. Gordon said that Greer ultimately takes responsibility for those who were entrusted with the cards, and that any "violation of that trust" is an internal party matter.

Still, shortly after Greer was elected in January to a new term as party chairman, he made changes to the internal party policies on who was eligible for credit cards and "additional controls" on what expenses could be placed on the cards.

He said he did not take away cards from a list of names, but changed the policies used to decide who gets one. Greer noted that the new policies took cards out of the hands of nine party employees.

"Regardless of whether it's an elected official or a staff person, no one gets a credit card with the party at this time that I have not determined is a properly issued one," said Greer.