When Jim Greer Asks for Money, Charlie Crist Pulls Out Checkbook

After stiffing jilted Republican donors, Gov. Charlie Crist is opening the pursestrings for his old pal, Jim Greer.

The longtime Crist protege and disgraced GOP chairman asked Crist in an Aug. 5 letter to return $9,600 in campaign contributions to help him pay his criminal defense bills.

Crist obliged Monday after Greer's letter surfaced in the St. Petersburg Times.

But the governor hasn't been so accommodating to other Republicans who contributed to his "independent" Senate campaign. Months ago, Crist glibly declared, "The money's been spent."

But now that the guv has been tapping Democratic funding sources, perhaps it's poetic justice that a slice of the money should go to Greer, who is doing everything possible to trash his old party.

Sort of like his pal, Charlie.

Naturally, GOP Senate candidate Marco Rubio seized on the situation.

"It should surprise no one that despite refusing to return a single penny to Floridians who gave to him in good faith, Charlie Crist wasted no time in refunding money to his indicted political confidante," said Rubio spokesman Alex Burgos.