$48,000 trip? GOP picks up tab

[brooklynite]

TALLAHASSEE - The Republican Party of Florida will pay a gambling company $48,000 in hopes of sparing four lawmakers a possible ethics problem after they took a two-day trip to Toronto at the company's expense.

The GOP said it will pay $48,000 to Magna Entertainment Corp., which chartered a jet from St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport on July 12 and whisked the four lawmakers to its company headquarters in Canada. Senate President Tom Lee, R-Brandon, who urged the party to act, promised an inquiry by Senate lawyers.

Two Pinellas lawmakers were on the trip: Sen. Dennis Jones, R-Seminole, and Rep. Frank Farkas, R-St. Petersburg. Both run key committees regulating Florida parimutuels. Others included Sen. Jim King, R-Jacksonville, Sen. Michael Bennett, R-Bradenton, and lobbyists Marc Dunbar of Magna and John Culbreath of Magna's Gulfstream Park.

Magna is eager to install slot machines at Gulfstream, its thoroughbred track in Broward County. Voters approved the slots in a referendum in March, but lawmakers have not passed legislation to get the slots operating.

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/10/14/State/48_000_trip_GOP_picks.shtml
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So, does this mean the Florida GOP now endorses gambling? Should go over well with their social values voters...

[rocktivity]

1. I know that that fuel prices are very high right now

But four tickets from Florida to Canada at $12,000 EACH???

rocknation
:wow:

[UpInArms]

2. the $12,000 was actually a "lottery" for who got to sit

next to lobbyists Marc Dunbar of Magna and John Culbreath of Magna's Gulfstream Park.

:sarcasm:

[Catchawave]

4. They must've served meals on those flights ?

:rofl:

[Tight_rope]

6. For sure!

Dom perignon champagne and Caviar.

[zbdent]

11. Nope, diet cola and soda crackers

Halliburton brand, dontcha know . . .

[ewagner]

3. It was a chartered jet

but even then, $48,000 is pretty expensive...

[Catchawave]

5. First Class on USAir is about $1700 r/t each.

If the Florida GOP is paying for the trip, I bet there's alot of happy party supporters right now :P

[Village Idiot]

7. Isn't Magna owned by Frank Stronach?

Frank's wife, BELINDA, is a federal member (turncoat PC turned Liberal) of the Canadian Parliament for Vaughn, Ontario...


Hmmmmmmmm.......

[Spazito]

10. Frank Stronach is Belinda's father not her husband

and, yes, Magna Entertainment was started by Stronach and an offshoot of Magna.

[MGKrebs]

8. Ah, what the hell. Do the ethics investigation anyway.

:evilgrin:

[yellowcanine]

9. That ought to make GOP donors happy. Wait a minute. Is this corporate

"soft" money? If so how is this any different from Magna paying for it? Sounds like DeLay tactics to me.

[gratuitous]

12. The lobbying perfecto!

Not only do you get to put the screws to four state legislators, their party picks up the inflated tab for wining and dining them!

Magna Entertainment just punked the Florida GOP.

[Gman]

13. How in hell will the GOP picking up the tab make it not an ethics problem?

When they blatantly circumvented the $100 limit?

[superconnected]

14. If I was a little more evil

I'd go on RW sights and tell them smth like I donated thousands and I'm pissed about this and no more donations to them.

But I won't. It'd be fun though.