It's a long time until 2008
Growing weary yet of talk of GOP tension in the Senate? Get used to it.
Lake Wales Sen. J.D. Alexander said Friday that a 527 has funded a series of recorded phone messages in his district. The latest attacked his vote on a controversial phone rate bill that will soon kick in, he said.
In a press release Friday, Alexander linked the "malicious and misleading calls'' to his decision to join other GOP senators who defected last month from backing Sen. Alex Villalobos for Senate president in 2008 to backing Sen. Jeff Atwater. He told Buzz he'd traced the calls' funding to the "Committee to Restore Integrity in Politics." State records show the 527 was funded by casino cruise ships in 2004. Buzz couldn't track down Roger "Rocky" Pennington, the committee's chairman, Friday afternoon.
Buzz did reach Villalobos. He said he knew nothing about the calls, had never heard of the committee and has never worked with Pennington, who provides marketing for campaigns. "If I need to confront somebody I will confront them in public and before the Senate,'' the Miami senator said. "I don’t have to do no sneak attacks."
Lake Wales Sen. J.D. Alexander said Friday that a 527 has funded a series of recorded phone messages in his district. The latest attacked his vote on a controversial phone rate bill that will soon kick in, he said.
In a press release Friday, Alexander linked the "malicious and misleading calls'' to his decision to join other GOP senators who defected last month from backing Sen. Alex Villalobos for Senate president in 2008 to backing Sen. Jeff Atwater. He told Buzz he'd traced the calls' funding to the "Committee to Restore Integrity in Politics." State records show the 527 was funded by casino cruise ships in 2004. Buzz couldn't track down Roger "Rocky" Pennington, the committee's chairman, Friday afternoon.
Buzz did reach Villalobos. He said he knew nothing about the calls, had never heard of the committee and has never worked with Pennington, who provides marketing for campaigns. "If I need to confront somebody I will confront them in public and before the Senate,'' the Miami senator said. "I don’t have to do no sneak attacks."
17 Comments:
At 7:08 PM, March 10, 2006, David said…
I believe Roger is actually Rocky
At 7:39 PM, March 10, 2006, The Razor's Edge said…
Roger IS Rocky and is Argenzeano's hit man.DLP got the calls, too.
Unfortunately for Roger/Rocky, the calls are probably illegal since his group is registered as a Florida electioneering organization (not really a "527") and can only legally do communications between qualifying and the general election. Never let the law get in the way of a vendetta, huh Roger/Rocky?
At 8:07 PM, March 10, 2006, gobyone said…
Reminds me of the time when Alexander was in the House and broke down and cried on the House floor when he didn't get his way.
At 9:17 PM, March 10, 2006, anonymousintally said…
What scumbags.
Rocky is doing Dockery's race for leadership.
Rocky takes over $900,000 from the gambling industry.
Rocky spends over half of that money from his gambling committee on his own company DMS.
Rocky uses this gambling money to do unethical calls about a two year old bill against republicans on the winning team.
Rocky is doing the media for Kim Berfield's race against Farkas, Dockery's boy.
Berfield is pledged to Atwater, who Rocky is trying to mess up.
Is there anyone more unethical, incestuous, or corrupt than Rocky Pennington? Hell, the only thing that would make it better would be the involvement of Latvala.
At 9:37 PM, March 10, 2006, anonymousintally said…
Follow the money to Rocky-
Committee to Restore Integrity in Politics (ECO)
Status:
Active
Address:
6352 Glassgow Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32312
(850) 668-5946
Committee Type:
Electioneering Communications Organization (ECO)
Chairman:
Roger Pennington
7068 Atascadero Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32308
Treasurer:
Mark Zubaly
6352 Glasgow Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32312
Registered Agent:
Mark Zubaly
6352 Glasgow Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32312
Mailing Address:
6352 Glasgow Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32312
(850) 443-0243
CONTRIBUTIONS
150,000.00 PALM BEACH CASINO LINE
125,000.00 TITAN CASINO CRUISES
150,000.00 OCEANS CASINO CRUISE
325,000.00 PALM BEACH CASINO LINE
150,000.00 STERLING CASINO LINES
EXPENDITURES
4,945.82 DIRECT MAIL SYSTEMS
154,480.00 DIRECT MAIL SYSTEMS
154,480.00 DIRECT MAIL SYSTEMS
1,992.60 DIRECT MAIL SYSTEMS
13,254.00 DIRECT MAIL SYSTEM
At 9:41 PM, March 10, 2006, Fuzzydice said…
I am at a bit of a loss here, fellow bloggers.
First, how can the Times miss this is Rocky Pennington (assuming that is correct)? If so, it would appear he is back on contract with the Academy and that he's on the Villalobos team. I guess the prospect of Randy Neilson landing the Senate loot didnt sit well.
Second, do the Villalobos people actually believe they are going to win this battle by gettin' down and dirty like they have this week? By trotting out Evelyn Lynn to incoherently babble arguments and lob poorly thought out barbs at Alexander, Fasano and Atwater? By having Nancy Argenziano stomp around the Capitol screaming at everyone? This is Team Villalobos?
The House freshman have more political savvy than this motley crew. Half of the group is mentally unstable. The other half has backbone made of Jello brand gelatin.
Third, tactically speaking, attacking JD Alexander and reportedly others on Team Atwater is a huge mistake. If they shoot, they had better seriously wound. For every action, there is an equal and far more devastating reaction. The Pruitt and Atwater team is far more skilled at electoral slash and burn, and have financiers with pockets far deeper than the Trial Bar if they are agitated.
At 10:38 PM, March 10, 2006, Bucs Fan said…
I had heard Zubaly moved to Tallahassee, and I kind of lost track of Rocky after he and Latvala switched roles at DMS.
The problem is, it is so much uber insider stuff, that I'm afrid all of us political junkies are resigned to nothing more than watching the gang war unfold, and wait to see the outcome. The general public would never understand, even with a playbook and program, and therefore, until the fallout is over and actual bodies are on the floor, it's just not news...except for us political soap opera followers.
At 12:52 PM, March 11, 2006, CrackerCrumbs said…
JD Alexander talking about fair play? I heard he also went whining to Tom Lee last week, claiming the Villalobos tribe killed his bill.
Is this the same guy that gave Villalobos a signed pledge saying he would vote for him?
What a spoiled little rich kid.
At 5:36 PM, March 11, 2006, anonymousintally said…
Nice try Crumb boy Custin. You and Villalobos have been out in Tally more in the last 6 weeks than the last 2 years combined.
Villalobos and the unstable women clique looked like fish out of water at AIF.
Na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye.
At 6:21 PM, March 11, 2006, susanBO said…
Ok, lets cut the crap. Most, if not all, the posts are from Tallahassee insiders. The average person who attempts to check this blog out would not even know who the heck these people are that are named. Not just insiders,but self serving lobbyist and probably some legislators too.
I have sat back and watched this garbage too long. I am an insider in Tallahassee. I work and have worked for the Legislature for 23 years. I can really shed some first hand knowledge here.
It seems to me that all the men that have posted here that seem to continually speak derogatorily about the female senators, or try to paint them in a bad light, have MAJOR Venus envy. These women are tough and take no crap from the boys who play in Tallahassee. As a matter of fact these women have far more testosterone than these whinners and little whimps do. Then these lobbyist try to paint your currupt minions of the senate as saints. Lets review your saints history; Sen. Diaz Di La Portila, wow, he is the king of the ethics violators. He lives in 800K house and yet he cannot pay his ethics fines. It is a wonder how he did not get sent to jail, then we have Sen. Bennett, past ethics problems and a new ones to boot, lets not even get into the Pruitt scams. One thing I can say about the Sen.Villalobos side, if the average person comes up to Tallahassee and asks staff who they respect, it will be many who are on the Sen.Villalobos team. They are fighting the good fight. Sen. Alexander needs much tougher skin if he wants to be a leader. and heaven help us if he gets there. His fat cat insurance buddies that he is frequently seen smoking fat cigars with will certainly get more of what they want. Sen.Atwater, a true lightweight that is just a lackey whom not many respect at all.
Your post that this Rocky guy is Sen. Arginziano's "hitman" is the most ubsurd, as pretty much everybody in Tallahassee knows that she needs no hitman. She and the other Female senators never have needed any ones help when it comes to fighting their own battles. Some men just can't handle it. That is a fact.
The truth is that most people in Tallahassee know these people and the players very well.
The Villalobos team for the most part are the hard workers and they dont sell out easy. That is why they get attacked. The others, whom are split amongst themselves, dont even know their own bills, never work, some don't even show up for committees.They are the partiers and wanna be leaders. They are scared of the others who do their homework and it is very noticable. The public would be far better off with the Villalobos team. If honesty,hard work and honor matters, then this is the only team. So stop the pretending, those of us that actually work with and around you know what you are doing. Staff in Tallahassee knows far more then you think. So blog to yourselves if you want, but we know.
At 7:51 PM, March 11, 2006, David said…
Spoken like a true legislative lifer who's a holder over from the Democrats.
At 8:36 AM, March 12, 2006, publius said…
susan,
23 years is time to retire dont you think? you are the problem with term limtits....staff that thinks it knows better than everyone else, what a suprise! Arrogant staffers that have been in tallahassee way too long should retire and then go to work in the real world! Come on, get off the public payroll and do something usefull with your life besides being a career staffer in tallahassee. maybe after a few years in the private sector your rants would carry some meaning but ANYONE who stays in the political process as long as you have becomes corrupt, cyncical and begins activly fighting for their own personal agenda instead of the agenda that the ELECTED officials set. But then again, you staffers feel like you all are smart and everyone else is stupid. Maybe one day you will leave tallahassee and engage in the real world, then maybe you rants will matter to the rest of us.
At 11:52 AM, March 12, 2006, susanBO said…
So, lets see, the lobbyist did not like my post. Don't shift the issue. You guys want a senate that does what you pay them to do. And the reason you attack me is because you know that staff knows what you all do. As soon as I can retire and not fear retribution, I personally will let it all out. By the way my retirement is very soon. I am looking forward to sharing with the people what your all about. FYI I am and always have been a Republican. Just have never seen the likes of you guys. Fear my freedom
At 1:56 PM, March 12, 2006, David said…
So now it's all about you? I actually respect some legislative staff members. However, I don't think you have any addition insight. I'm a former legislative staffer myself and know from experience that members don't take politics with staffers. Staff has their role and lobbyists have theirs.
At 8:39 PM, March 13, 2006, Rutherford B. Hayes said…
Let me get this straight. JD Alexander is crying about hardball politics. Isnt this the same girlie man that has dishonered himself by reneging on a signed pledge for a Speaker’s race, dishonered himself by reneging on a signed pledge to senator Dan Webster in 2002, just recently dishonered himself by reneging on a signed pledge to senator Villalobos last month, has been caught trying to recruit an opponent for senator king, has been caught trying to recruit an opponent for lee Constantine, tried to recruit Leroy Collins to run against Farkas/Berfield, promised both Farkas and Berfield his support, promised Murman his support and then recruited Rhonda storms to run against her, and now he is crying like a little girlie man.
Buck up dude real men don’t cry on the house floor, they don’t cry and run from a committee room when they loose a vote, and shouldn't cry when their voting record is exposed. Ditch the skirt and be a man sissy boy.
At 11:07 PM, March 13, 2006, anonymousintally said…
Hayes, slowly step away from the crack pipe. The weak SNL quotes are no substitute for the truth.
I don't think folks complain about hardball. Coming back at a negative ad by outing the gambling interest is hardball in itself.
At 12:44 AM, March 14, 2006, Grapefruitblog.com said…
IT'S BACK and it's ANONYMOUS!!
www.grapefruitblog.com
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