Haridopolos Outrages
Two Dirty Peas In A Pod
On June 25th, the day before more than 5,000 Floridians headed to the beach to join "Hands Across the Sand" in opposition to oil drilling, Sen. Haridopolos held an "off the record" phone meeting with Big Oil's hired guns, the Houston-based "Consumer Energy Alliance", reaffirming that he is a favorite son of Dirty Energy industry lobbyists.
As reported a month earlier by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, "Republican Mike Haridopolos said the Deepwater Horizon accident is probably a 'total anomaly' that should not stop oil companies from the potential of drilling closer to Florida." Dirty Hari and the Dirty Energy Lobby: two peas in a pod.
Money For Nothing
Sen. Haridopolos started "consulting" for Market Share Systems, Inc., a subsidiary of Appliance Direct in 2004. Appliance Direct is a client of lobbyist and close friend Frank Tsamoutales. Haridopolos is paid $5,000 per month by Sam Pak, owner of Appliance Direct, but according to the St. Petersburg Times Haridopolos is "vague on the services provided."
How many jobs have you worked that pay $60,000 a year and are "vague" as to what you're supposed to do?
Update: Appliance Direct filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April 2011. Apparently Haridopolos' advice wasn't helping very much.
The $152,000 Book
Haridopolos was paid handsomely in a "highly unusual and expensive" deal by Brevard Community College for a "textbook-quality look at the development of the Florida Legislature, state constitution, the governor's office and judiciary from pre-statehood until present."
And what did Brevard Community College and the taxpayers of Florida receive? A double-spaced 175-page manuscript that contained "mostly Haridopolos' advice on running for office."
Not bad work if you can get it.
High Speed Flip-Flop
Haridopolos voted for a high speed rail package in 2009. In November 2010, a spokesperson told the Orlando Sentinel that Haridopolos still supported high speed rail.
However, once Gov. Scott announced he was rejecting $2.4 billion in federal high speed rail funding that would create thousands of new jobs, Haridopolos changed his position.
That was fast.
The Wrong Guy For The Job
Haridopolos hired a contractor connected to a large federal corruption investigation to offer recommendations on finding "savings" in Florida's retirement system.
Only after this information about the contractor was brought to light by the Orlando Sentinel did Haridopolos fire the contractor.
Making Government Work For You (And Only You)
Using public tax dollars to enrich himself is nothing new for DirtyHari. However, he has no problem using the public purse to indirectly support his political ambitions as well.
At a time of large state budget shortfalls, DirtyHari created a new position of "minority outreach" and paid Republican activist Arlene DiBenigno $75,000 to staff the position. According to the Miami Herald, "It was unclear what DiBenigno did, except one time she helped speak Spanish to a group of protestors who opposed an immigration bill that Haridopolos' Senate ultimately watered down."
Word has now gone out DiBenigno is now about to join Haridopolos' US Senate campaign. DirtyHari strikes again.
