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Politics

Blood Money: Charlie Crist Uses Congressional Shooting to Fundraise Campaign Cash

June 16, 2017 - 9:00pm
Charlie Crist
Charlie Crist

On Wednesday, a congressman from Louisiana was shot while practicing for a charity baseball game. The gunfire left him seriously wounded. His health deteriorated into “critical” condition.


Across the country, Republicans and Democrats banded together under a sense of unity. Violence, they said, would not divide them.

After U.S. Rep. Scalise was shot, they would come together. They would be stronger, together.
 
A little over 24 hours later, Charlie Crist saw an opportunity to raise a little cash.
 
On Thursday, the Florida congressman sent out a fundraising email.
 
“If there's one thing I want you to know about me, it's this: I represent all of my constituents (regardless of party affiliation) day in and day out,” Crist wrote. “I have a ‘people over politics’ approach.”
 
Crist, a Republican-turned-Independent-turned-Democrat, then asked recipients to chip in $15 to “continue to bring people together, across party lines to get things done.”
   
The email thinly alluded to Wednesday’s shooting, which caused scores of politicians to stop debating and cross party lines to come together, at least for a little while. Congressmen encouraged others to do the same in the spirit of unity in the midst of a volatile and impassioned political climate.

“Listen, I know our nation's political debates get heated,” he said. “It's because we all care so deeply about our country. But when I vote, I vote for what's right for the people -- not what's politically convenient.”

Politicians frequently use emails to ask constituents for money -- in the last two weeks, Crist and his staffers have sent out nearly 10 different emails asking voters to pay up for his reelection bid. 
 
Crist, who has been in office since January, is no stranger to fundraising, either. In the first quarter of 2017, he broke records when he raised $720,000 from January to March. 
 
The email didn’t go unnoticed, though and feedback was less than positive. 
 
“Not his finest moment,” wrote Tampa Bay’s “Reality Check” radio show host Ryan Gorman, who frequently covered the CD13 race last year.
 
Crist’s latest fundraising email also caught the attention of Republicans who said the timing of the email was less than coincidental -- and they weren’t happy.
 
Former U.S. Rep. and Crist opponent David Jolly said the email was a callous move showing Crist was only focused on himself in the midst of a heartbreaking tragedy involving one of his colleagues. 
 
“While Members of Congress have been promoting unity tonight, only a special few have found a way to raise $$ off of it for themselves,” wrote Jolly on Twitter
 
Jolly is widely expected to face off against Crist once more for a grudge match campaign in 2018, though neither men have officially declared they’re in for the race just yet. 
 
For now, Crist continues to send out emails. 
 
“Our issues are complex and good solutions involve input from across the political spectrum,” he wrote. “In Congress, I'll combine my ideas with others, no matter where they come from.”
 
Sunshine State News contacted Crist’s office to determine why the email was sent, but had not received a response at the time of this article’s publication. 
 
 

Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.


 

 

Comments

No surprise here. Beware Charlie "the Windsock" Crist.

Crist is a disgrace, what the hell is wrong with you floridians that you keep electing this charlatan into any and all political positions to represent you. Aren't you the stupid ones?

Re: The Anonymous post. Have to agree with you. Only thing I can come up with is massive amounts of mercury in the water supply that rots brain cells.

You can change the stripes but you don't change the person.

The only time in the past twenty years I have voted for a Democrat - and a woman to boot - was Alec Sink against the Chain Gang. She would not have been a bad governor. And he was and is a steaming pile of fresh cow dung. That sucks pond scum for nutrients. That can not, for goodness sakes, make up his mind which gender he is. Like the Harvard (you know, it used to be a respected college) study said, "Gender is something that you can decide on every day." Ah, yes, Harvard. And Brown and Berkeley. Can't believe anyone would send a kid there. But one thing I do believe. I can recognize a steaming pile of fresh cow dung when I stumble on one.

Of all the hypocrites to talk about money! YOU pushed Citizens United to allow money to absolutely control politics. It's YOU who want people to carry guns to schools, etc. It's YOU who wrap yourselves in the flag while denying people the vote, health care, and any benefits while the richest get richer. Don't give me this crap about calleousness. YOU personify it!!!

The more studies there are about 'so-called' , the more it shows what a fraud it is. What the studies are showing are that there is more Democrats cheating. we have 20 trillion in national debt, 6 trillion in state and local debt. social security in deficit now. People have to stop lying to voters that there is unlimited amount of money for 'any' benefits.

Since Charlie is his own God... He can forgive himself. Now the story is about redemption !

Crist is only in politics for himself, he jumped from Republican to Independent to Democrat. That shows how desperate he is to be in office with no concern for the people.. IMO.

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