The Herald: Politically influential Broward lawyer Scott Rothstein, who is suspected of financial wrongdoing, hired a lawyer this weekend from his own firm, and his law firm has also retained a high-powered lawyer.

Kendall Coffey, former U.S. attorney in Miami, said he had been retained Saturday to represent the Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler firm in Fort Lauderdale. He declined to specify why, except to say ``in light of the allegations circulating in recent days I have been retained to investigate matters.''

Sources told the Miami Herald that the allegations relate to an investigation into financial matters with a company that Rothstein was involved in. ... Rothstein has become a major political player in recent years, giving tens of thousands of dollars to candidates.

He made headline-grabbing moves such as hiring high-profile figures including former Broward Sheriff Ken Jenne after Jenne's release from prison last year. In the most recent campaign finance reporting period, Rothstein's law firm gave the largest single individual contribution -- $200,000 -- to the state's Democratic Party, the Herald reported last month.

Although Rothstein himself has been a key donor to the GOP -- backing everyone from Broward Sheriff Al Lamberti to Gov. Charlie Crist in his U.S. Senate bid -- he also supports Democrat Alex Sink in her campaign for governor.

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