None of the powerful people had ever seen a cake quite like it.

It wasn’t the double layers of chocolate that had everyone abuzz, nor was
there anything particularly special about the white chocolate placards that
read: “Happy Birthday, Gov. Charlie Crist. From Scott and Kimberly Rothstein.”

Rather, the fact that Rothstein paid $52,000 just to have his name there
surprised some of the lobbyists and honchos with the biggest special interests
in Florida: Florida Crystals, The GEO Group, Mardi Gras Race Track and Casino,
Disney, TECO, Floride Power & Light, etc.** They each paid a mere $5,200
each to sponsor just one of the candles on that beautiful July 24th day in 2008
at The Breakers hotel in Palm Beach. Their donation is denoted in the little
silver flags that stand by the candles of the special-interest layer cake.

Fresh off a trip to Europe with his fiancée, Crist was thanking the 40 or so
folks in the Magnolia Room when a voice disturbed him.

It was Rothstein. He was talking so loudly while the governor was talking
that Crist finally stopped and looked up from the microphone.

“Scott, if you want the mic, it’ll cost you $100,000,” Crist said in jest and
remonstrance, according to three people in the room.

Rothstein shut his mouth and shut his wallet – something he rarely did.
Still, Rothstein’s contribution stood out. So did the fact that he and Crist
blew out the candles together. Rothstein posted that photo on the wall of his
office.

"He spent money like it wasn’t his,” said one person who was there. “Now we
know why.”

Indeed, Rothstein’s now at the center of an alleged Ponzi scheme in which he
bilked investors for what some say could be up to $1 billion. Though many in the
legal community had suspected Rothstein was up to something (he couldn't have
that much disposable cash legally, they said), politicians and political parties
didn't ask many questions. Big checks at the very least buy gratitude and a
see-no-evil attitude in politics. Rothstein's $52,000 check from his law firm
was the biggest single contribution for the Republican Party of Florida
fundraiser, which raised about $1 million for the party.

** Here's the list of $5,200 donors who correspond to the
fundraiser/cake:

THE GEO GROUP, INC.
DEGEORGE LAWRENCE
FLORIDA WHOLESALE SPIRITS
CCE
LINTON TIBBETTS
JAMES PALMER
JDR COMPANIES, INC.
PREFERRED CARE
PARTNERS, INC.
FLORIDA RESTAURANT ASSOC. PAC,
GUNSTER YOAKLEY
UNIVERSAL
HEALTH CARE, INC.
MICCOSUKEE TRIBE
FLORIDA CARPENTERS REGIONAL
CC
DISNEY WORLDWIDE SERVICES, INC
TECO ENERGY, INC.
CC1 COMPANIES,
INC.
FLORIDA CRYSTALS CORPORATION
MANUEL KADRE, P. A.
HOWARD GRUVERMAN

GEORGE LEVIN (a possible Ponzi victim of Rothstein's)
INTERNATIONAL OIL
TRADING FZCO (The company of Harry Sargeant, likely listed as "H.S." in a
separate federal indictment concerning illegal campaign
contributions).
CENTENE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, LL
JONATHAN KISLAK
MOSAIC
FERTILIZER LLC
OKOLOKO ONAJITE
THE HAGGARD LAW FIRM, PA
MURRAY GOODMAN

Here are the names we could read on the candles:

Don Yaeger
Emery and Margaret Wood

Armando Olivera
Southern Strategy Group
Bob Storm
Blake Casper

John Colon
Mark Kaplan
Murray Goodman

George and Susan Levin
Florida Carpenters
Mary Ann Portell
Dan
Adkins
Disney
Sunshine State Health Plan
Fr* Karls* (???)
Joseph Caruncho (?)
Republica
National Distributing Company
The Gee
Group
Tom Grady
Peter S. Rummell (??)
Sh* Page
Lawrence De
George
Cary and Elizabeth Hyden

Mr. and Mrs. William S. Williams

Dr. Charles and Nancy Crist
Julio and Marcia Martino (not sure on last letter)

Manny Kadre
Byron and Catherine Kennedy
Jay
and Linda *rmer
Jim and Lisa
Greer
Carole Rome
Howard Gruverm*
Harry Sargeant Jr.
George
LeMieux
Annie Kadre
Dr. AK Desai
Jeff
and Cyndie Kottkamp
Rob and Lynette
Miller
Te* and Patty Mo*

-- Posted by Marc Caputo