Update: Can’t Charlie Find A Black Republican In Black District?
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Gov. Charlie Crist appointed Dania Beach Commissioner Al Jones to the County Commission on Monday, more than seven weeks after Jones applied for the job.
Jones replaces suspended Josephus Eggelletion, who is said to be negotiating a plea deal with the Feds on charges of money laundering.
Apparently the Republican Party has so few black activists that Crist had pick Jones, who doesn’t even live in the district.
The commission’s district 9 has the largest black population in Broward.
This is the third big appointment Jones has gotten from Tallahassee.
He was appointed to the School Board for a short time by Gov. Jeb Bush in 2006 and has been a gubernatorial appointee to the South Broward Hospital District.
Why is Jones a Tallahassee’s fav?
He’s a safe choice. He’s someone who won’t challenge the status quo.
That’s too bad. If anything needed challenging, it is the status quo at the County Commission.
Judging from the time it took Crist to make the choice, Jones was a hard choice. Here is my original post on the appointment:
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It will be two months next week, Charlie.
Two months of inaction.
Two months since County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion was suspended. That was on September 23 after his arrest.
Two months watching you, Gov. Charlie Crist, stall, delay and not make a decision.
It’s time to name a replacement for Eggelletion.
Your minions in Broward like lawyer Ed Pozzuoli have spent the last two months feeding you names to consider. Your staff has interviewed applicants.
Still, no replacement.
Broward is the second largest county in the state.
Eggelletion’s District 9 encompasses residents in all of Lauderdale Lakes; the northwest portions of Fort Lauderdale and Oakland Park; western Pompano Beach; a hunk of North Lauderdale and the eastern sections of Tamarac, Sunrise, Lauderhill and Plantation.
These areas include more than 97,200 voters. It is estimated that another 100,000 live in the district who are not registered to vote.
All of them have not been represented at the county commission for two months.
So what’s the hold up?
Not happy with the list of applicants?
Okay.
I know it’s tough to find a fellow Republican to represent the heavily-black district. Black Republicans are a rare commodity.
Maybe it’s time to consider a Democrat or an independent.
A Republican has no staying power in the district anyway beyond the next election, probably in 2010.
Eggelletion represented the most Democratic district on the county commission — three Democrats for every voter registered Republican or independent.
So Charlie, I know you are distracted.
You’ve got all that fund raising for your U. S. Senate race. You’re fighting an unexpectedly strong challenge from former House Speaker Marco Rubio.
But, Charlie, you’ve still got a state to run.
It’s time to give the people of District 9 a county commissioner.
November 21st, 2009 at 3:22 pm
The bottom line is CC does not like the Republican candidates enough to make a selection. The GOP pressure to pick a republican is at odds with CC’s better judgment to select the best democratic candidate.
Thus the indecision.
November 21st, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Charlie Crist can pick no more capable or honorable a person to fill that seat than Levi Williams. Republicans love him, Democrats respect him, he’s a lawyer, he’s served honorably before on important boards, what is Crist waiting for? You won’t find a stronger candidate than Williams.
FROM BUDDY: I’ve been told that Levi is in the mix.
November 21st, 2009 at 8:45 pm
I agree with Levi Williams. I think he’s best person to fill the District 9 seat which is my district. As a Democrat I not only respect him but I love him too. Levi is an issue person, not a party person. This District will remember how CC displayed a lack of respect in his delay in appointing someone sooner.
November 22nd, 2009 at 8:57 am
Charlie is doing a good job. Believe it or not, he does have a lot on his plate besides the replacement of just another corrupt Broward politician. Can someone call our State Attorney and explain to him there is rampant corruption going on in this county? Nevermind, he knows. He just doesn’t want to do anything about it.
November 22nd, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Yes, Charlie has a lot on his plate.
On Thursday before Hallowean, he had a fundraiser in Las Vegas.
The next day, a fundraiser in Arizona.
Saturday, Arnold Schwarzenegger threw him a fundraiser in California.
He did not return to Tallahassee until Monday.
November 22nd, 2009 at 3:52 pm
This is NOT about CC avoiding spending time on this issue.
He needs to make the right pick and I’ll bet that since its Broward the nominee needs to have his/her background checked out thoroughly.
Hence, the delay.
November 22nd, 2009 at 4:00 pm
This is about Charlie Crist not knowing any blacks who will do the bidding of Eddie Pozzuoli and Tripp Scott. Any qualified black doesn’t want to be Eddie’s “boy.”
November 22nd, 2009 at 5:25 pm
Pat, You’re not making sense. You point blame at Mike Satzs’s office which happens to be firing on all cylinders with a VERY dedicated staff but support Charlie Crist’s efforts (OR LACK THEREOF) ??? Blaming the Broward State Attorneys Office which is working their tails off for taxpayers, and supporting Charlie Crists’ non stop world/nat’l tour all in the same sentence. MAKES NO SENSE !!!
November 22nd, 2009 at 5:35 pm
BTW
I admire the support in this blog for Charlie and how concerned he is about making the right pick. But PLEASE, You’re joking RIGHT ??? He couldnt care LESS. Cares about one thing and one thing ONLY, getting into the Senate where he will be even less accountable as it is pretty hard to knock a sitting Senator out of office. NO Term limits, elections every 6 years. If only corporate boards could get these terms. If George would wake up and realize he is sitting in the catbird seat. C’mon George ???? Marco will understand.
November 23rd, 2009 at 9:04 am
Stop by the Govt Center this afternoon – great timimg!
November 23rd, 2009 at 9:31 am
Calfloridia, do you know something we don’t?
Proud D, I agree with you. I also wonder why CC hasn’t removed Scott Rothstein from the 4th District JNC after Rothstein admitted what he did publicly AND asked for his own law license to be taken away because he broke the rules. What does it take for Charlie Crist to make a decision? I suspect he is afraid to piss just about anyone off. Sure not the makings of a Senator in my book.
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:12 pm
CC has been a “do NOTHING” governor, the same way he was a “do NOTHING” attorney general, the same way he was a “do ALMOST NOTHING” legislator.
Was is anyone surprised?
The Republican party has thumbed it’s nose at the black community for decades…did you really expect anything different now?
November 23rd, 2009 at 3:12 pm
This is just outrageous. 2 months and can not find a single qualified candidate in the district, goes outside the district to find a republican, and they are not even embarrassed by the fact he doesnt live in the district, going so far as to say that he will move there “soon.” Is there an act more anti-democratic than this? Is there an act more offensive to those who live in the district than this — saying they can not govern themselves and Crist will find sommeone outside the district?
November 23rd, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Tommy the Fry Cook:
My friend, I am surprised that as a fry cook you can operate a computer.
CC has been a great Governor!
Not perfect mind you, but very good.
I realize that this is a pro-obama, leftist town and many low lifes who want expanded government to take care of every one dislike anything Republican.
Just practice say’n “Senator Crist”…
November 24th, 2009 at 7:14 am
To “I.P.Auphen”:
You must not be “P.(ing) Auphen” enough because it’s backing up and soaking your brain. Crist may very well win the Senate seat, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s the most unaccomplished, self-centered, self-promoting, abject failure of a governor in modern history. Jeb Bush was a disaster for the state, but at least he had a brain and an agenda. Crist has neither. The scary part is that there are Republican sycophants like you out there that are in denial about it.
I’ll bet you also thought George W. Bush was a great president, didn’t you?
November 28th, 2009 at 7:44 am
George W. Bush was the least liked president since Herbert Hoover, and the least effective president of all time. He was a failure. We would have been much better off with Al Gore, or even with John Kerry even though like Gore they were not my favorite choices. To be sure, we were much better off with Bill Clinton. Say what you want about the blowjobs, that guy knew how to run a government and we did very well during those years.
Charlie Crist electrified the state when he ran, got to become governor, faced a few challenges he could not overcome, and instead of standing tall and working harder to fix those problems, he chose to bail out during his first term. He’s getting ready to leave a State that’s in much worse shape now than when he first came into office. He ran for governor promising to make our state better and he failed at upholding that promise. For personal political advantage alone, he has chosen to run for the US Senate instead of fulfilling the promise he made to the people of this state to serve as their governor. That makes him a fraud of a leader, a failure as a person, and a failure as a governor.
Forgive the suggestion, but it’s time that Florida starts measuring the caliber of our leaders well beyond them having a nice smile and a sharp suit. That’s not enough to make a great governor but that’s all that CC offers us; a nice smile and a sharp suit.