Charlie Crist fundraiser resigns (FL GOP megafundraiser under scrutiny)

[seafan]

Crist fundraiser resigns

By Aaron Deslatte
GANNETT NEWS SERVICE

July 27, 2006

A prominent South Florida developer under federal investigation has resigned as a top fundraiser for Republican Attorney General Charlie Crist's gubernatorial campaign, citing negative media publicity he was drawing to the campaign.

A grand jury is investigating whether Sergio Pino improperly paid for a junket to Mexico for approval of a Miami-area development project, and last week the Miami Daily Business Review reported that it had obtained corporate records indicating one of Pino's companies may have illegally reimbursed employees for political contributions that made to Gov. Jeb Bush's 2002 re-election.

Pino wrote to Crist Sunday that he would stop raising money for the campaign because "recent newspaper articles . . . have raised questions with respect to my involvement in past fundraising activities," he said. "While I appreciate your friendship and public support in light of these articles, I have decided that it would be in your campaign's best interest for me to discontinue my personal involvement until these matters are resolved.

snip

This story has been breaking since last Friday:

FL construct'n magnate link'd to poss. campaign finance viol's to Jeb 2002

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. I don't believe the last line of the article.

Call me jaded, but I just don't.