Gov. Crist asks for review of French rail company, citing 'Holocaust' concerns

Gov. Charlie Crist late Friday ordered a review of a French company competing to build a high-speed rail line in Florida, saying he was concerned about questions over the company's role in the Holocaust.

"I have been made aware of a concern that has been raised about a company and their participation in Florida's high-speed rail project and its involvement with the Holocaust during World War II," Crist said in a statement. "I, like many others, have been touched by the stories told of those tragic days in world history, and am personally offended by this latest information.

"Therefore, I have instructed our secretary of transportation, Stephanie Kopelousos, and her team to review these allegations and ensure that all prospective participants in Florida's high-speed rail project strictly meet all the qualifications criteria under state and federal law."

Nazih Haddad, chief operating officer of Florida Rail Enterprise, said at a forum in Orlando on Thursday evening that officials with the French national railway have said they're willing to open their records to the state and welcome full disclosure, the Associated Press reported.

Questions were raised by a Florida resident. Officials for the railway — Societe Nationale des Chemins de Fer Francais — have argued that the company had no control over operations when France was under Nazi occupation.

Florida earlier this year was awarded $1.25 billion in federal funding for high-speed rail, short of $2.5 billion the state requested to build a Tampa-Orlando line.