By: Kristi Dunn
Many Northeast Florida Republican insiders were excited to learn that Senator John Thrasher has been chosen by top Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) leadership to be “their man” for Chairman of the RPOF. Unfortunately for them, many rank-and-file Republicans and conservative groups such as the Republican Liberty Caucus of Northeast Florida (RLCNEF) do not share in their excitement. Rather, it appears an outright revolt is brewing, because while Senator Thrasher talks about conservative values, a closer examination of his career in politics paints a much different picture.
There is also a problem among many in the RPOF with the selection process itself. The structure of the RPOF is designed to allow the 67 Republican Executive Committees around the state to identify potential candidates and then, as a body, make a selection. It is supposed to be a bottom-up, not a top-down, process. This is not the way it has played out so far.
Many concerns have been raised regarding Thrasher himself. His record of questionable ethics and methods concern many conservatives who make up the base of the Republican Party and who are looking for serious reform. Tom Edwards, Jacksonville resident and president of Conservative Citizens for Justice, said, “I’m not concerned about John Thrasher because he’s a former medical association lobbyist who led the state’s tort reform effort, but I am concerned about his ethics. His record speaks for itself.” (Source: http://www.jaxobserver.com/2009/08/20/new-group-prepares-to-blast-thrasher-with-more-negative-tv-ads/)
Examining Thrasher’s Record:
- In 2008, Americans for Prosperity, Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County, the Republican Liberty Caucus and other grassroots organizations attempted to get a Taxpayer Protection Amendment on the ballot for the voters. John Thrasher was hired as a lobbyist to defeat this legislation. Thrasher was working as a taxpayer-funded lobbyist against the taxpayers.
- Thrasher sponsored the legislation that forced Florida taxpayers to pay $10 million per mile for CSX, one of his clients. This is the highest per-mile cost for such projects.
(Florida Times-Union 11/08/2008)
- In his first term in the House, in 1992, Thrasher violated a state law prohibiting a legislator from lobbying a state board on behalf of a client. An Ethics Commission report found that Thrasher, a longtime general counsel for the Florida Medical Association, called the chairman of a Florida Board of Medicine subcommittee to lobby against a proposed rule and appeared in person a week later to advocate for the FMA. The result was a public reprimand for his ethics violation on the floor of the House in 1995.
(Source: http://politicsfla.wordpress.com/2009/08/06/examining-district-8-candidates-john-thrasher/) - In violation of Florida’s law against former legislators lobbying their colleagues for two years after leaving office, Thrasher organized and hosted a luncheon for legislators on behalf of one of his special interest clients in 2001.
- Thrasher spent $5.8 million in taxpayer money to redecorate his office.
(Source: Florida Times-Union, “Thrasher Sprucing the House; Some Shocked by $6 Million Tab” 6/28/99)
- Thrasher supported the passage of a bill that would provide $60 million in a tax giveaway to help powerful South Florida interests make renovations to the Miami Dolphins stadium. (Source: Florida Times-Union, “House Sacks Dolphins’ $60 M Sales Tax Break,” 4/29/97; Miami Herald, “Broward’s Rookie Democrats Have Capitol Challenges Ahead” 11/16/98)
- John Thrasher gave $500 to the re-election campaign of Democrat Alex Sink while she was still Florida’s Chief Financial Officer.
(Source: http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2010/01/about-john-thrashers-campaign-check-to-alex-sink.html) - As House speaker in 1999, Thrasher blocked legislation that would have beefed up the ethics commission’s power, saying it could lead to witch hunts.
- As Clay County commissioner, Thrasher was cleared by the commission by a narrow margin of an ethics allegation, after he voted to award a contract to a garbage firm he had represented as a lobbyist.
(Source: http://flapolitics.blogspot.com/2009/08/mysterious-and-troubling.html)
Conflict of Interests
As party chairman, Thrasher should remain neutral in Republican primary races, but as a senator, Thrasher would need to build alliances with other Republican legislators who might face a primary challenge for re-election. Each role would be vying for attention, but only one would win.
Another key role for the party chairman is raising money for the party. Thrasher will not be able to do that during the legislative session, when legislators are banned from raising money.
Thrasher is also chairman over the Senate Ethics and Elections committee. The task of this committee is to set public policy on maintaining fair and unbiased elections. This post requires him to shepherd all legislation that impacts how political parties and campaigns operate. Whose interests will he represent in that role?
The second committee Thrasher is a member of oversees the drawing of legislative districts. To allow Senator Thrasher to remain in dual chairmanship roles and/or as a member of a committee holding sway over fair representation would threaten the integrity of the process as a whole.
The People’s Voice
Once one has considered John Thrasher’s record, it is hard to understand why the Republican insiders want to lend their support to him. With the growth of the Republican Liberty Caucus, the emergence of Tea Party movements and the influence of the “We Surround Them” (912) groups, many grassroots activists had high hopes for a new direction for the RPOF. Electing John Thrasher keeps the RPOF running “business as usual.”
Approaching this election with transparency and honesty would have given the RPOF a solid boost heading into the 2010 elections. But they failed to understand that those “Tea Party people” want principled leadership and bottom-up representation, not the party-first top-down mentality currently in place.
Please contact your local Republican Party Chairman, State Committeeman and State Committeewoman and let them know your thoughts on the election of a new State Chairman. The election is set for February 20, 2010 in Orlando, FL.
Additional Reading:
- http://politicsfla.wordpress.com/2009/08/06/examining-district-8-candidates-john-thrasher/
- http://jacksonville.com/opinion/columnists/ron_littlepage/2010-01-07/story/john_thrasher_cant_serve_2_masters_at_the_same_ti
- http://www.postonpolitics.com/2009/10/state-ethics-violator-thrasher-to-head-senate-ethics-and-elections-committee/
- http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/article1063292.ece
- http://www.wusf.usf.edu/news/2010/01/07/fundraising_rule_hampers_thrasher_gop_chairman_hopes
- http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2010/01/unraveling-the-thrasher-fundraising-catch-22.html
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March 1st, 2010 at 2:41 pm
Dear Anonymous,
The candidates we have backed, which would include Sharon day, who never got an RLC endorsement BTW, would not agree with your back handed attack on the RLC. I even have written statements from a few of them of these candidates.
The RLC is being recruited to work on campaigns, people are flooding to our meetings and I get several emails a day from people asking for more information about the RLC. We are only the “plague” to those that do not want accountability within the party. To even suggest that Sharon lost due to the RLC, is ludicrous, perhaps you should examine the backroom deal that gave Thrasher an immediate lead, instead of pointing fingers at the group that stood against that whole process.
February 20th, 2010 at 4:56 pm
How many elections does the RLC backed candidates have to lose before you start realizing that you are viewed as a plague? Your leaders say over and over how much momentum you have but the results are always the same FAILURE! Sharon Day has been involved in the RPOF for years and should have done better than losing by 2 to 1. She lost badly because it is the kiss of death to have the backing of the RLC. It loses votes for those candidates. Sharon is a good woman and should have been elected, but no one will vote for the “RLC candidate.” The RLC should be avoid like the plague!
January 28th, 2010 at 1:37 pm
I do not want to see Mr. Thrasher as the leader of the Republican Party in any state, especially not in Florida. He has used his political career to enhance his wealth and represents only himself and only what is good for him. We are tired of corrupt leaders like John Thrasher!!!!