$Katherine Harris/her brother$, FGCU and the Florida Panther.

[JanMichael]

So Florida needed a new University, one to specialize in environmental studies, and Katherines Harris's brother ponies up the land for it. What a selfless deed! Well not quite...Land right next to other land that he (The Family) owned as well as, sadly, environmentally sensitive Florida Panther habitat. Everybody knew that FGCU would spawn massive growth...

http://www.everglades.org/washingtonpost_com%20Growing%20Pains%20in%20Southwest%20Fla.htm

"The classic case was the proposal to build Florida Gulf Coast University on rural land donated by Ben Hill Griffin III, the scion of a prominent Florida agribusiness and real estate family, and the brother of Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris.

Eller didn't think Griffin's 760-acre land gift was so altruistic, since Griffin's firm owned 11,000 acres nearby. Eller predicted in a memo that the new university would stimulate "unprecedented" development up to seven miles east, demolishing prime panther habitat. In September 1994, Eller and other biologists drafted a "jeopardy opinion," a formal conclusion that the project would violate the Endangered Species Act.

Then the power politics began.

First Sen. Bob Graham (D-Fla.) forwarded the wildlife service a letter from former water district chairman James Garner, a well-wired lawyer-lobbyist representing Griffin. After meeting with Garner in Atlanta, Fish and Wildlife officials quickly backed down. The revised opinion still said the project "raises serious concerns regarding the future status of the Florida panther," but its jeopardy finding was switched to a no-jeopardy finding.

Then the pressure shifted to the Corps. Then-Sen. Connie Mack (R-Fla.) wrote Col. Terry Rice, then the agency's Florida commander,urging him to approve the permit. Chiles, a Democrat, also wrote Rice to "emphasize the importance of FGCU as a state priority."

Once again. WE'RE BEING ROBBED DOWN HERE!!!!

[blindpig]

1. shame

more proof that the Nader analysis of the parties is not just an egomaniac's delirium. makes me want to weep......
the panther is toast, florida is toast, we are toast......