Is it any surprise that powerful Republican activist Sam Rashid's letter to the governor announcing he was finally resigning from the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority was an eyebrow-raiser?
Would you expect any less?
He is, after all, a man whose reference to certain local judges as "dumbasses" ended his appointment to a powerful committee that helps pick federal judges. And that was after just one day.
This time around, the antitax Rashid was railing on Facebook against Go Hillsborough, the pending transportation initiative. There he deemed high-powered Tampa public relations consultant Beth Leytham a "tax-payer subsidized slut" who made millions through "intimately close" relationships with elected officials. How else, but with her womanly wiles?
The Hillsborough sheriff is looking into questions raised about the awarding of a Go Hillsborough contract involving Leytham, which Rashid seems to believe justifies his inappropriate and sexist comments. Nope. Regardless of what does or does not turn up in that investigation, crude and demeaning insults from people put on public boards are not okay. Even here.
The resignation letter Rashid slow-walked to the governor held no hint of regret, and it didn't mention what he said about Leytham — you know, the actual reason he had to leave. Instead, he advised the governor on whom to appoint next — preferably someone like himself, the guy who provided "the very first minority representation to such an important governing body in our county."
Which would be news to, say, former Hillsborough Commissioner Rubin Padgett, state Sen. Arthenia Joyner, former Tampa City Council member and Hillsborough Commissioner Tom Scott, and insurance agent Ken Anthony — all African-Americans who put in years on the board.
Norman rakes it in
He may have left some scorched earth when it comes to prospects for future appointments, but you can bet Rashid will remain a force in local politics.
Jim Norman, looking for that big County Commission comeback despite the housegate scandal that pushed him out of politics three years ago, took in a tidy $2,000 from Rashid and his company, according to a recent campaign filing.
Norman did not bring in the six figures Rashid boasted he would, but he did lead the crowd vying for that District 6 countywide seat with $83,475.
You'll recall Norman dropped his bid for re-election to the state Senate in the fallout from the revelation that a millionaire businessman who benefited from the commission's progrowth votes had bankrolled a waterfront vacation home for Norman's wife.
You might think that would be enough to definitively end a career in politics. But this is Hillsborough County.
Other interesting notes: Norman took in $1,000 from the son of the late Ralph Hughes, the aforementioned businessman in the house episode, and $1,000 from the Hughes' family's Cast Crete company.
Norman also had a campaign dinner at KFC.
Bubba's shenanigans
In other news of what we apparently consider okay around here, a certain radio shock jock has, over time, had a live pig slaughtered during his morning show, got in big trouble with the FCC for assorted crudenesses and recently had his own lawyers so disgraced for their behavior while they were representing him that they're about to be disbarred.
Anyone surprised that Bubba the Love Sponge Clem just got nailed for trying to tamper with ratings?
Sue Carlton can be reached at carlton@tampabay.com.