Marco Rubio sends Letter to Charlie Crist regarding ACORN

I decided to ad a separate post to show Marco Rubio's letter to current Governor Charlie Crist outlining his concerns over the ACORN controversy. Check out the last paragraph. Its a zinger!
Here is the letter again:
The Honorable Charlie Crist
The Capitol
400 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399

Dear Governor Crist:

As you are no doubt aware, the community organizing group Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) is now under intense scrutiny for recent reports of its involvement in questionable behavior and potentially illegal activity in several states.

In addition to the damning video reports of ACORN employees now familiar to most Floridians, just last week the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office announced that arrest warrants were issued for 11 former ACORN employees accused of faking voter registration cards. While it is commendable that ACORN assisted in the investigations that led to the arrests, it begs the question: why were so many people capable of these crimes working for ACORN in the first place?

Last Friday, the Census Bureau severed ties with ACORN. On Tuesday, U.S. Senators Bill Nelson and George LeMieux joined 81 other Senators in an overwhelming and bipartisan vote to strip federal funding from ACORN. Just yesterday, Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger in California and Tim Pawlenty in Minnesota took similar action, asking officials to investigate ACORN’s behavior in their respective states and prevent state taxpayer funding of the group.

Based on the mounting evidence against ACORN and the serious questions surrounding this organization, I respectfully ask that you follow the lead of the other elected officials I mentioned above and take immediate steps to initiate a thorough investigation into ACORN’s activities in Florida, including a detailed accounting of what state funds, if any, ACORN may be receiving. If it is discovered that they are receiving state funds, I believe further steps should be taken to cut off any taxpayer funding of ACORN.

The St. Petersburg Times also reported yesterday that your office may have partnered with ACORN in the past on several initiatives, including your 2007 effort to restore voting rights to convicted felons in Florida. If you partnered with ACORN, I have no reason to doubt you did so unaware of ACORN’s propensity for questionable activity, and with what you believed at the time to be the best interests of Floridians at heart. However, given the recent revelations about ACORN, I believe it is now in the best interest of all Floridians for your office to provide a thorough accounting of its relationship with ACORN and what, if any, influence ACORN may have had in any actions you have taken on behalf of the people of Florida.

Lastly, during last year’s presidential election, despite what now seems to be a prescient chorus of concerned parties asking for an investigation into ACORN’s election-related activities, you insisted that you were unconcerned with ACORN’s activities. In light of the recent allegations against ACORN, I suggest you reconsider your position, demand a full investigation of ACORN’s election-related activities, and take whatever steps available to you to prevent ACORN from engaging in voter registration and other election-related activities until the questions surrounding this organization are resolved.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Marco Rubio

Marco Rubio asks Charlie Crist to Investigate ACORN

From Tampabay.com

Does this explain the state GOP's silence over ACORN?

Huffington Post: Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, for example, partnered with ACORN in March 2008 for a "Homeownership Promotes The Economy" taskforce. More recently, Crist declared that -- contrary to GOP outrage -- he was not upset with the group's voter registration efforts in his state. The New York Times reported that ACORN supported a law signed by Governor Crist, which "changed the rules last year to restore the voting rights of about 112,000 former convicts."

The Buzz: "Breaking with the talking points of his fellow Republicans in Washington, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said he does not think voter fraud and the vote-registration group ACORN are a major problem in the Sunshine State. ''I think that there's probably less [fraud] than is being discussed. As we're coming into the closing days of any campaign, there are some who enjoy chaos,'' Crist told reporters. Crist made his comments as the Republican National Committee hosted a conference call with reporters to tie Democrat Barack Obama to suspicious voter-registration cards submitted by ACORN across the nation and in four Florida counties, including Broward. (photo from Acorn Web site)

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Also,I found this. Marco Rubio sent a letter to Governor Crist asking him to investigate ACORN Florida. Rubio did not hold back. Here is the letter:

Florida's Newest Senator George LeMieux is Crist Clone

Florida's newest Senator (a Crist appointee) has already started to side with Democrats. With his first opportunity to support Conservatives he failed miserably.

LeMieux supported the censure of representative Joe Wilson. Wilson is now famous for yelling "You lie!" during President Obama's help care speech during a joint session of congress.

From AP:
LeMieux: Censure Joe 'You Lie' Wilson
AP: "That was embarrassing and shameful," said LeMieux, who watched the address from the House visitors' gallery. "Everybody in the chamber just gasped. He should be censured."

UPDATE: LeMieux has the nerve to send out this letter to his Florida voters:
..."I thank Senator Mel Martinez for his service and his assistance during this transition; he is a great example of the fulfillment of the American Dream. I look forward to continuing the Florida tradition of working together with my colleague, Senator Bill Nelson to ensure that Florida's interests are well protected in the United States Senate." (Of course Nelson is a Democrat.)

He went on to say..."There are tremendous issues facing this nation, and although my time in Washington will be brief, I intend to work hard every day to address these critical challenges and serve the people of this unique, diverse and wonderful state."
Except when it makes Democrats mad....

Rubio Castigates Crist's pick of LeMieux

From NRO:

Rubio: It's fair to ask questions about Crist pick [NRO Staff]

Florida Republican and U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio spoke to NRO about Gov. Charlie Crist’s pick of attorney George LeMieux to serve the remainder of retiring senator Mel Martinez’s term:

George LeMieux is a very successful political operative, as well as a successful and effective lobbyist. Plus, he’s the governor’s best friend, but that’s not the criteria we’re looking for in the next U.S. Senator from Florida. What Republicans want is someone to go to Washington and stand up to the most radical agenda proposed in a long time.

There were some people in consideration that fit the bill in terms of conservative principles, but they weren’t picked. When you’re running for U.S. Senate, like Governor Crist, and you’ve got to pick the U.S. Senator, your choice says a lot about who you are, and what kind of senator you would be.

LeMieux has never been an elected official. He’s a lobbyist and was the governor’s closest advisor when he was deciding on issues like cap-and-trade and the stimulus.

Dan Webster, a Florida House veteran, should have been picked. He understands the legislative process and is consistent and courageous. We would have known where he stands from day number one. There would have been no doubts in anyone’s mind. So, I ask the governor, why George LeMieux over Dan Webster?

I think it’s fair to ask for questions about our new U.S. Senator, about the client list at his firm to where he stands on every issue. It should all be brought into the public record.