Former Florida GOP Chairman: GOP Leaders Discussed Ways to Suppress Black Votes

“There was a feeling within the party that the tea party was just a bunch of whack-a-dos”
Politics • Views: 32,490

Former Florida Republican Party chairman Jim Greer is accusing party officials of scheming to suppress black votes, which is only a surprise if you haven’t paid attention to the dozens of Voter ID laws being pushed by the GOP across the country: Jim Greer Denounces Florida Republican Party Officials as Liars, ‘Right-Wing Crazies’ in Deposition.

TALLAHASSEE — In a wide-ranging deposition that spanned two days in late May, former Florida Republican Party chairman Jim Greer denounced some party officials as liars and “whack-a-do, right-wing crazies” as he described turmoil in the months before his resignation.

Greer said some GOP leaders were meeting to discuss ways they could suppress black votes while others were constantly scheming against each other.

He blamed criminal fraud charges filed against him in 2010 on legislative leaders and other party officials who he says orchestrated an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the statewide grand jury to avoid paying him money he was due.

His statements were in response to questions from lawyers for the party, Senate President Mike Haridopolos and Sen. John Thrasher. Greer has filed a lawsuit against the party and the two officials in an attempt to collect $130,000 he was promised in a written agreement shortly before he resigned. The lawsuit, pending in Leon County, is unlikely to be resolved until after a criminal trial scheduled for mid November. …

� Greer said “the party was in turmoil” as officials wanted to get rid of him and former Gov. Charlie Crist because they disagreed with some of Crist’s decisions, including the appointment of a liberal African-American judge to the Florida Supreme Court, Crist’s endorsement of John McCain for president in 2008 and the hug Crist gave President Barack Obama in 2009. “My phone lit up with people wanting me to censure the governor,” Greer said. “The tea party came into existence. There was a feeling within the party that the tea party was just a bunch of whack-a-dos.”

� After the party’s budget and audit committee started asking questions about House and Senate spending, including legislators who used party credit cards for personal expenses, Greer said he wanted to open the books and credit card records, but party officials and legislative leaders vetoed the idea.

� Greer said he warned others at the party that the budget committee was made up of “whack-a-do, right-wing crazies” who were trying to take over because of continuing disagreements with Crist and legislative leaders. House and Senate leaders insisted that no one at the party could control their campaign finances. “We eat what we kill,” Greer said the leaders told him. “Legislative leaders were using their party credit cards like drunken sailors and they made it clear to me I was not to interfere with their spending,” Greer said. …

On voter suppression, Greer said he had just completed a December 2009 meeting with party general counsel Jason Gonzalez, political consultant Jim Rimes and Eric Eikenberg, Crist’s chief of staff, when questions arose about fundraising.

“I was upset because the political consultants and staff were talking about voter suppression and keeping blacks from voting. It had been one of those days,” he said.

(h/t: simoom.)

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90 comments
1 AK-47%  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:12:36am

Their white sheets are really showing now, not that they have been making a great effort to keep them hidden lately...

2 S'latch  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:13:14am

Whack-a-do?

3 engineer cat  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:15:30am

Greer said some GOP leaders were meeting to discuss ways they could suppress black votes

it says he said this in a deposition. isn't plotting to suppress the vote against federal law?

4 Someone Please Beam Me Up!  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:16:03am

The only thing about this that's surprising is that someone admits it.

5 Killgore Trout  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:17:18am
There was a feeling within the party that the tea party was just a bunch of whack-a-dos

Lol

6 jaunte  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:19:31am
House and Senate leaders insisted that no one at the party could control their campaign finances. "We eat what we kill,'' Greer said the leaders told him.

These people are nuts.

7 engineer cat  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:22:31am

whack-a-do

i thought it went "do-whack-a-do whack-a-do whack-a-do"

8 wrenchwench  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:26:11am

re: #7 engineer cat

whack-a-do

i thought it went "do-whack-a-do whack-a-do whack-a-do"

See #2 above.

9 Killgore Trout  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:26:38am

Reading the whole article it's a really sad story. Bunch of greedy thieves and dishonest creeps all trying to ruin each other's lives.

10 dragonath  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:27:45am
11 Kragar  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:29:50am

re: #9 Killgore Trout

Reading the whole article it's a really sad story. Bunch of greedy thieves and dishonest creeps all trying to ruin each other's lives.

Speaking of which...

EXCLUSIVE: GOP Senate Nominee Shorting U.S. Treasury Bonds, Would Profit From Government Default

12 allegro  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:31:05am

re: #11 Kragar

Speaking of which...

EXCLUSIVE: GOP Senate Nominee Shorting U.S. Treasury Bonds, Would Profit From Government Default

That should immediately disqualify anyone from running from any public office.

13 Eventual Carrion  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:33:52am

re: #3 engineer cat

Greer said some GOP leaders were meeting to discuss ways they could suppress black votes

it says he said this in a deposition. isn't plotting to suppress the vote against federal law?

It used to be, now plotting/actively trying to get as many people out to vote as possible is a punishable offense (see ACORN).

14 researchok  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:34:47am

This story is huge.

15 GunstarGreen  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:35:14am

re: #9 Killgore Trout

Reading the whole article it's a really sad story. Bunch of greedy thieves and dishonest creeps all trying to ruin each other's lives.

And people wonder why some people get disillusioned and disgusted with politics to the point of no longer caring. Corrupt down to the very core, rotten the entire way through, unsalvageable by any standards.

16 Killgore Trout  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:35:16am

re: #11 Kragar

Speaking of which...

EXCLUSIVE: GOP Senate Nominee Shorting U.S. Treasury Bonds, Would Profit From Government Default

Meh, we've seen this before. He has under $1,000 in shorts. It's a common investment strategy people use to hedge their bets if they're holding large amounts of treasury bonds.

17 researchok  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:37:28am

re: #9 Killgore Trout

More than that- these people are in a position of authority.

Even if half the allegations are credible (and not even necessarily true, justcredible) this speaks volumes as to the rot within.

18 R.M, Ramallo  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:37:44am

Ok, let me get this straight.
In Florida:
1) voter fraud means black people voting
2)conservative means playing 'teenager at the mall' with credit cards
3)the Tea Party patriots are cannibals

19 AK-47%  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:40:04am

re: #12 allegro

That should immediately disqualify anyone from running from any public office.

It should but it won't as long as he continues to spew the party line...

20 Someone Please Beam Me Up!  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:40:06am

re: #14 researchok

This story is huge.

Note to self: Greer is not someone I'd buy a used car from.

Note to self redux: But it's awfully easy to believe this.

21 Big Steve  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:40:12am

re: #11 Kragar

Speaking of which...

EXCLUSIVE: GOP Senate Nominee Shorting U.S. Treasury Bonds, Would Profit From Government Default

This is totally a bullshit story. I own Proshare ultrashorts which were bought through a managed fund. And in their value is one third what they were a year ago. Every fund manager buys these as a hedge.

22 Kragar  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:40:19am

re: #16 Killgore Trout

Meh, we've seen this before. He has under $1,000 in shorts. It's a common investment strategy people use to hedge their bets if they're holding large amounts of treasury bonds.

Getting elected into office so you can influence legislation to benefit your own private investments is a common investment strategy?

23 Someone Please Beam Me Up!  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:41:03am

re: #22 Kragar

Getting elected into office so you can influence legislation to benefit your own private investments is a common investment strategy?

Kragar, WHERE have you been?!

//

24 Big Steve  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:43:01am

re: #22 Kragar

Getting elected into office so you can influence legislation to benefit your own private investments is a common investment strategy?

His holdings are trivial and these are bought through fund managers. He probably wasn't even aware he owned them. Besides they have been a shitty investment losing a huge amount of value over the last year.

25 nines09  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:43:28am

Drag these cockroaches into the light.

26 researchok  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:44:36am

re: #20 Someone Please Beam Me Up!

That is exactly the problem.

Lots of smoke...likely means fire.

27 Obdicut  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:45:40am

re: #22 Kragar

Getting elected into office so you can influence legislation to benefit your own private investments is a common investment strategy?

I actually agree with Big Steve. Unless someone solely has holdings that are shorting the bonds, it is almost certainly just a hedge against loss. It doesn't look good, and is a conflict of interest, but I really doubt that's why he's voting against the debt ceiling. He's probably voting against the debt ceiling because he's an Ayn Randite Tea Partying asshole who doesn't understand or care to understand basic economics.

28 KingKenrod  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:45:58am

re: #22 Kragar

Getting elected into office so you can influence legislation to benefit your own private investments is a common investment strategy?

Most people use those funds as a hedge, to prevent big losses, as long as it's a small percentage of an entire portfolio. It's a hedge against inflation. If he (or his wife) were betting big, it would be a different matter.

29 A Mom Anon  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:46:07am

re: #15 GunstarGreen

That's kinda what they're hoping for. That people are so over the bullshit that they just say fuck it and quit trying to be involved. That's not a side effect,it's a big part of why they act like this.

30 R.M, Ramallo  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:46:48am

Josh Mendell is running against Sharrod Brown. Last I checked, he was down by 11 points. Frankly, he's a weasle.

31 allegro  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:47:03am

It's really becoming increasingly amusing that no Republican said what he/she said (or remembers), knows what he/she owns, leaves every moment of their days and businesses to be blindly led by other people - but they don't know who they are - all the while telling us they are the leaders who will take our country back (from who? they don't say).

It's quite the comedy.

32 engineer cat  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:47:11am

$1,000 in shorts

get em at target, they're cheaper there

33 Kragar  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:47:35am

re: #27 Obdicut

I actually agree with Big Steve. Unless someone solely has holdings that are shorting the bonds, it is almost certainly just a hedge against loss. It doesn't look good, and is a conflict of interest, but I really doubt that's why he's voting against the debt ceiling. He's probably voting against the debt ceiling because he's an Ayn Randite Tea Partying asshole who doesn't understand or care to understand basic economics.

Just strikes me as a weaselly thing to do.

34 AK-47%  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:48:22am

re: #33 Kragar

Just strikes me as a weaselly thing to do.

It is, but it is pretty much standard weaselly, not treasonously weaselly...

35 Kragar  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:49:33am

Jefress: Gays Lead a 'Miserable Lifestyle'

On yesterday’s edition of The Janet Mefferd Show, anti-gay pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Dallas labeled the message of liberals “hopeless,” and said that gay people lead a “miserable lifestyle” that is predisposed to “depression, or suicide, or alcoholism.” Jefress’s comments are the latest in a string of anti-gay screeds. He has previously implied that gay rights will result in the “inevitable implosion of our country” and that gays are using a variety of “brainwashing techniques” to “inject homosexuality” into our culture.

Maybe it has something to do with bigoted assholes attacking them all the time.

36 R.M, Ramallo  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:50:40am

Oh, and when he run for office last time, he ran as an honorable veteran and a wholesome family man.

37 Kragar  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:50:47am

re: #31 allegro

It's really becoming increasingly amusing that no Republican said what he/she said (or remembers), knows what he/she owns, leaves every moment of their days and businesses to be blindly led by other people - but they don't know who they are - all the while telling us they are the leaders who will take our country back (from who? they don't say).

It's quite the comedy.

They are the party of personal responsibility after all.

38 Big Steve  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:51:27am

re: #33 Kragar

Honestly it isn't. If you go to a brokerage house and plink down your hard earned coin and tell them you want to open an account, they will suggest a managed fund, probably several, depending on your risk aversion. If your money goes into one of these funds, you could end up holding hundreds of different equities, bonds, and funds. You don't control what you have and any good manager is using small amounts of the fund to hedge against the really bad things.

39 Big Steve  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:52:58am

re: #27 Obdicut

I actually agree with Big Steve.

waking up from having fainted at my desk...

40 Kragar  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:53:13am

re: #38 Big Steve

Honestly it isn't. If you go to a brokerage house and plink down your hard earned coin and tell them you want to open an account, they will suggest a managed fund, probably several, depending on your risk aversion. If your money goes into one of these funds, you could end up holding hundreds of different equities, bonds, and funds. You don't control what you have and any good manager is using small amounts of the fund to hedge against the really bad things.

He should be buying gold coins, guns, and survival seeds if he's worried about bad things.
///

41 Big Steve  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:55:51am

re: #40 Kragar

Believe it or not there are managed funds that do exactly that.

42 Targetpractice  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:56:02am

re: #39 Big Steve

waking up from having fainted at my desk...

Shall I grab the fainting couch, sir?

//

43 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:57:15am

Chick-Fil-A head of PR drops dead of a heart attack.

I wonder if Westboro is going to picket his funeral.

44 Kragar  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:59:12am

re: #43 Learned Mother of Zion

Chick-Fil-A head of PR drops dead of a heart attack.

I wonder if Westboro is going to picket his funeral.

"Guys, you know how we were asking for a sign from God?"

45 jaunte  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 11:59:18am

Today in Fox News voter suppression cheerleading: John Stossel "blows the lid off" the crazy myth that everyone should vote!
Image: FoxNewscrazyvotingmyth.jpg

46 Kragar  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:02:20pm

Texas State Rep: Avoid School Prayer Ban By Reading Christian Proverbs To Students

On her Facebook page last week, Texas State Rep. Debbie Riddle (R-Tomball) explained her view that schools would be acting wisely and constitutionally if they start forcing students to read Christian Proverbs:

Formal prayer has been taken out of our schools. How about this idea? Read from the book of Proverbs from the Bible. Proverbs is a book of wisdom. Proverbs is in the Holy Scriptures for Christians and Jews. As for other religions – the wisdom won’t do them any harm…I say have a reading out of Proverbs each day in our classrooms.

Riddle’s suggestion that forcing students to listen to Christian proverbs is constitutional is wrong. The Supreme Court held that both school-led prayer and scripture readings are unconstitutional over forty years ago because the First Amendment prohibits public schools from promoting one religion over another or over no religion at all. Though Riddle claims the Book of Proverbs is a neutral “book of Wisdom,” she later admits that the reading of the proverbs is a Christian text which “won’t harm” people of “other religions.”

How about this idea?

47 dragonath  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:03:24pm

re: #45 jaunte

Not just that. Wingers love overpopulation too!

48 jaunte  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:04:29pm

re: #47 Fred Galt

There's nothing like having a giant population of non-voters to make it seem like old times.

49 Kragar  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:04:40pm

re: #47 Fred Galt

Not just that. Wingers love overpopulation too!

"God gave all this to this and told us to multiply!"

50 Eventual Carrion  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:05:18pm

re: #46 Kragar

Texas State Rep: Avoid School Prayer Ban By Reading Christian Proverbs To Students

How about this idea?

[Embedded content]

Just as reading them the Koran won't hurt kids of christian religions I would guess she means too.

51 AK-47%  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:05:34pm

re: #46 Kragar

Texas State Rep: Avoid School Prayer Ban By Reading Christian Proverbs To Students

How about this idea?

[Embedded content]

How about some suras from the Koran - they cannot possibly harm anyone, could they?

52 R.M, Ramallo  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:05:42pm

re: #46 Kragar

Yes. If Chris Hemsworth flips the table, then, yes, that should happen.

53 dragonath  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:07:26pm

re: #51 Expand Your Ground

How about some suras from the Koran - they cannot possibly harm anyone, could they?

Proverbs 31:6
Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish.

54 Kragar  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:07:29pm

re: #52 OhNoZombies!

Yes. If Chris Hemsworth flips the table, then, yes, that should happen.

Sometimes you need to flip a few tables.

55 R.M, Ramallo  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:15:58pm

re: #54 Kragar

By Thor's Hammer, I think you do.

56 bratwurst  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:20:29pm

This tweet gave me douche chills and made me cringe simultaneously:

57 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:27:23pm

re: #46 Kragar

Texas State Rep: Avoid School Prayer Ban By Reading Christian Proverbs To Students


How about this idea?

[Embedded content]

This pretty much points out how there is a large group who sees separation of church and state as a sort of "oppression" that needs to be dodged around rather than seeing it as necessary protection to protect important personal freedoms.

58 danarchy  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:27:37pm

re: #56 bratwurst

This tweet gave me douche chills and made me cringe simultaneously:

[Embedded content]

I am almost afraid to ask what a douche chill is... Is that what happens when you leave the Summers Eve in the fridge overnight before using it?

59 jaunte  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:27:48pm

re: #46 Kragar

"The idea that religion and politics don't mix was invented by the devil to keep Christians from running their own country."
-- Jerry Falwell

60 AK-47%  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:28:58pm

re: #59 jaunte

"The idea that religion and politics don't mix was invented by the devil to keep Christians from running their own country."
-- Jerry Falwell

Our Founding Fathers were incarnations of Satan?

61 Kragar  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:31:27pm

re: #60 Expand Your Ground

Our Founding Fathers were incarnations of Satan?

Well, they did rebel against the authority of the British crown.
/

62 Charles Johnson  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:32:47pm
63 Kragar  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:34:50pm

New 'Joker' Massacre Thwarted By Maryland Cops

One week after Colorado's movie theater shooting, Maryland cops arrested a heavily armed man who told his employer he was a "joker" who was going to "blow everybody up."

Police said today they believe they "thwarted a massacre."

The suspect, identified as Neil Edwin Prescott in a court document obtained by ABC News, was being dismissed from his job. He made threatening statements to his supervisor at least twice on Monday, police said.

Prescott had an arsenal of about 25 firearms at his residence, including semi-automatic rifles, shotguns and handguns, according to a police affidavit. Police said he also had high powered scopes and magazines and thousands of rounds of ammunition in "40 large steel boxes."

He was quoted as telling his employer, "I am a joker, I'm going to load my guns and blow everybody up," police said.

64 makeitstop  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:35:27pm

#MittBeatleSongs:

Baby, You're I'm a Rich Man

65 jaunte  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:37:23pm

The Whitest Album.

66 Kragar  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:37:57pm

All you need is $20k from your parents

67 dragonath  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:38:27pm

He's a real Nowhere Man, Sitting in his Nowhere Land, Making Nowhere Plans....

68 Kragar  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:39:18pm

re: #67 Fred Galt

He's a real Nowhere Man, Sitting in his Nowhere Land, Making Nowhere Plans...

Back in the U.S.S.R.

69 jaunte  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:39:36pm

Happiness Is a Warm Lapierre

70 dragonath  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:40:42pm

When I'm Sixty-Five

71 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:41:49pm

re: #67 Fred Galt

He's a real Nowhere Man, Sitting in his Nowhere Land, Making Nowhere Plans...for the Olympics

much better,

72 Charles Johnson  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:42:34pm
73 dragonath  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:43:25pm

You've Got to Hide your Money Away

74 jaunte  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:44:13pm

"Act Naturally"

75 Targetpractice  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:44:39pm

With A Little Help From My Friends SuperPACs.

76 Kragar  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:44:49pm

re: #72 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

You've got to hide your tax returns away

77 jaunte  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:45:19pm

"Oligarch's Garden"

78 AK-47%  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:45:22pm

The Continuing Story of Bungling Bill

79 Charles Johnson  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:45:43pm
80 Kragar  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:45:59pm

Maxwell's gold standard hammer

81 Targetpractice  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:46:17pm

"Things We Said Today (Will Be Totally Denied Tomorrow)"

82 jaunte  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:46:52pm

"Her Job's Leaving Home"

83 dragonath  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:47:09pm

Rocky Rafalca

84 Kragar  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:48:02pm

Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Horse

85 allegro  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:48:12pm

Love Me Do (Pleaaaase! I'll do and say anything!)

86 dragonath  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:49:01pm

You Know My Name (Look Up the SEC Filing)

87 jaunte  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:49:02pm

"You Won't See Me"

88 Kragar  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:49:30pm

I am the Walrus (a tribute to John Bolton)

89 Targetpractice  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:49:40pm

"Please Please Vote For Me"

90 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste  Fri, Jul 27, 2012 1:05:20pm

"Let It (My Tax Returns) Be"


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