New Sink Campaign Strategist's Background in FL Includes Finance Complaint

Ken Morley is back in Florida. The veteran Democratic strategist has signed up with Alex Sink's gubernatorial campaign as the new general consultant, replacing Mark Farinella.

With Republicans still reeling from their own in-house financial management problems, they may be looking to play up some of the financial problems the Democrats have had over the years. They may be tempted to look at a complaint filed against Scott Maddox's short lived gubernatorial campaign in which Alex Sinks new strategist played a small part. If so, they won't find much--at least concerning Morley.

In 2005, when Morley managed the Maddox campaign, the Florida Police Benevolent Association filed a complaint with the Florida Elections Commission against Maddox, charging the campaign with moving funds into the Leon County Democratic Executive Committee to pay for Morleys salary. The Elections Commission investigated the matter and did not find any merit to the PBAs charges against the Maddox campaign and no complaint was filed against Morley himself.

The Maddox team dismissed the complaint as part of a long-standing grudge between the PBA and the Maddox family. Scotts father, Charlie, was one of the founders of the Florida PBA and served as chairman until being voted out in 1994. Since then, the PBA and the Maddox family have squabbled through lawsuits, political controversies and a host of other forums.

Like Farinella, who was celebrated for successfully guiding the Obama campaign in North Carolina, Morley has impressive credentials. He is best known for his work in keeping Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon in office back in 2008 and guiding then U.S. Rep. Ben Cardin to a U.S. Senate seat in 2006 over a solid field of candidates, including former NAACP head Kweisi Mfume and then Lt. Gov. Michael Steele who is now chairman of the Republican National Committee.