Winner of the week
Joe Negron. Who says public service doesn’t pay well? Former Florida Senate President Joe Negron has parlayed his legislative leader into a lucrative gig as general counsel of the Geo Group, the giant, for-profit corrections company based in south Florida whose agenda Negron consistently promoted in the legislature. Congratulations, Sen. Negron. You win the award for number one poster boy for why so many people mistrust legislators and see politicians as self-dealing phonies.
Loser of the week
Scott Maddox. The Tallahassee city commissioner was booted from office after a long-expected indictment on racketeering and fraud charges. The former Florida Democratic Party Chairman (2003-2005), candidate for governor (2006) and attorney general (2002) and agriculture commissioner (2010) is accused of soliciting bribes. He has pleaded not guilty.
Scott Maddox. The Tallahassee city commissioner was booted from office after a long-expected indictment on racketeering and fraud charges. The former Florida Democratic Party Chairman (2003-2005), candidate for governor (2006) and attorney general (2002) and agriculture commissioner (2010) is accused of soliciting bribes. He has pleaded not guilty.
Runner up: The FBI: The Bureau naturally wanted to stay mum about an ongoing corruption investigation and not become intertwined with a political campaigns. But its leaky and/or sloppy investigation into Tallahassee city government fairly or unfairly tainted Andrew Gillum and probably helped cost the mayor the governor’s office.