The ghost of Jim Greer is coming back to haunt Bill McCollum.
Until the Republican Party chairman resigned last January amid a storm of controversy over his financial dealings, McCollum was one of Greer's most steadfast supporters. Now the GOP gubernatorial candidate, with his campaign sinking in the polls, can't seem to run away from him fast enough.
McCollum's primary opponent, Rick Scott, alleges that Greer and the Republican Party "cleared the field" for the attorney general's run for governor.
"Not only did Greer use his position as party chairman to endorse McCollum and push out other candidates, the party also funneled over $1.7 million in RPOF funds to McCollums gubernatorial campaign," the Scott campaign said in a statement.
"When the partys finances were first called into question, McCollum sought to keep the partys financial records under Greer from becoming public and stalled a formal criminal investigation into the matter."
The investigation, which McCollum referred to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, resulted in Greer's indictment on six felony charges of fraud, theft and money laundering.
If convicted, Greer could face 30 years in prison. But the disgraced party boss might be able to lighten that sentence if he cooperates with authorities and fingers others.
For McCollum, as a party leader and Florida's chief law-enforcement officer, the question is what did he know and when did he know it.
"McCollum tried to slow down the investigation. That was a mistake," Scott told Sunshine State News.
Heretofore, much of the focus in the Greer affair has centered on his longstanding ties to Gov. Charlie Crist, who appointed Greer as chairman in 2007. But McCollum had tight connections with the chairman, as well:
- McCollum served on the Host Committee to Re-Elect Jim Greer as chairman in 2009.
- McCollum acknowledged having close dealings with Greer as recently as November 2009, saying,"I work with him every day, and I have a good relationship with him."
- Greer introduced McCollum at his gubernatorial campaign announcement in 2009 and served as a member of McCollum's finance team.
- Greer pushed to have the state party endorse McCollum in the primary. Though the endorsement move failed, Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson subsequently opted not to run for governor.
- Greer sent a letter to the Republican Committee members endorsing McCollum and said the party would back McCollum despite the entry of state Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, into the race.
- Greer defended McCollum over complaints that the attorney general steered a no-bid advertising contract to his political consultant. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink had charged that, "a $1.4 million no-bid contract to Attorney General McCollum's political consultant for ads featuring Mr. McCollum is not the best use of state funds."
Scott alleges that McCollum, in turn, tried to stall or downplay investigations into Greer's activities by papering over problems under the chairman's reign.
Scott's campaign says, "McCollum opposed releasing party credit card records." In February, McCollum was quoted as saying, "I don't think it's good for any political party to be having everything that's done inside the party open to the press and the public."
Meantime, McCollum claimed that the party's contract with Greer's Victory Strategies, LLC was a "perfectly legitimate contract." That arrangement, which allowed $200,000 in party funds to be funneled to Greer and RPOF Executive Director Delmar Johnson, was characterized in the state's indictment of Greer as "money laundering."
Speaking of cash flow, Scott complains that the state party "spent over $1.7 million on McCollum's campaign for governor."
An examination of campaign records for 2009 confirmed that RPOF provided McCollum with $1,069,083 in "in-kind" support, which typically comes when a candidate raises money for the party and receives a reimbursement for staff and office expenses.
Dockery received $23,250 in a similar transaction that year before she pulled out of the race last month, citing a lack of funding.
"It's unfortunate that the race comes down to money. It's unfair that all the money circled around one candidate," she said.
Scott, a billionaire who doesn't need outside financial help, suggests that RPOF remuneration conveys the impression that the party created an unlevel playing field in the primary.
Money aside, Dockery criticizes the "cozy relationship between the party and its chosen candidate."
RPOF spokeswoman Katie Gordon Betta dismisses any implication of bias under current Party Chairman John Thrasher, who succeeded Greer in February.
"Chairman Thrasher has made it clear to both candidates that the party is neutral," Betta said.
Scott, who entered the race in April, is unimpressed. Pointing to Greer's indictment and arrest earlier this month, Scott said, This is just another example of how career politicians and Tallahassee insiders like Bill McCollum have failed Floridians."
Such attacks elicited a sharp response from 18 GOP county chairmen and committee members who, in a signed letter, called for Scott to retract his charges.
Palm Beach County Party Chairman Sid Dinerstein said, "Charlie Crist will not be able to run far enough or fast enough from Jim Greer. Bill McCollum was the guy who got everybody in a room to get rid of Greer."
McCollum spokeswoman Kristy Campbell, who did not respond to Sunshine State News' request for comment, said previously that McCollum met with Crist in August 2009 and "requested that he ask Greer to resign," but that Crist refused.
But Dockery recalls being rebuffed in her request for the party to immediately release all records. That was back in November 2009.
"I was told by Greer and McCollum that there was no problem," Dockery said.
"Here were are in June, and it's coming to a head."
What Greer has to say about the events of the past year could add to McCollum's campaign woes.
The ousted chairman has indicated a willingness to burn down the Republican house. Greer is suing his former employer, alleging that a breach of contract denied him a severance package. And his attorney, Damon Chase, told Sunshine State News that "everyone" knew of his client's financial dealings.
It's little wonder that McCollum is trying to distance himself from the Greer political tar baby -- and little wonder that Scott keeps Greer's name in the public light.
A South Florida Republican consultant, who requested anonymity, said McCollum made a fatal mistake of "living in the Greer bubble in Tallahassee.
"McCollum was told it was a cesspool," the operative said.
Now McCollum's candidacy -- down 13 points to Scott in the latest polls -- appears to be sinking.
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Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 801-5341.
