Greer probe turns into a federal case

At the urging of Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, Gov. Charlie Crist said Friday he "believes" that the investigation of former Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer should go to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The Greer affair was put in the hands of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement by Attorney General Bill McCollum this week.

But Democrat Sink, McCollum's likely opponent in this fall's gubernatorial race, wrote to the attorney general Friday, saying, "It is not appropriate to refer this investigation to a law-enforcement agency that works under the direction of the four of us (Cabinet members Crist, McCollum, Sink and Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson)."

"We need an independent prosecutor leading this investigation, and not a Cabinet agency," Sink said.

Crist, who was copied on the letter, responded quickly with a short letter to Sink, stating:

"While I have tremendous confidence in the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, I can certainly understand and appreciate your very reasonable request for referral.

"I do believe it should be referred to the United States Attorney's Office due to the potential IRS implications."

Greer, whom Crist installed as state Republican Party chairman after he was elected governor in 2006, resigned this year amid widening allegations he had misappropriated party funds.