Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)

Payday Loan Industry Doubles Lobbying Expenditures

Ryan J. Reilly | March 15, 2011, 1:40PM

Lobbying expenditures from the payday loan industry more than doubled from $2,045,000 in the 109th Congress to $4,182,550 in the 110th Congress, according to a new report from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).

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Topics: Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Kendrick Meek

Jeff Greene

Florida Senate Candidate Jeff Greene Suggests Koran Includes Some 'Crazy Stuff'

Evan McMorris-Santoro | June 28, 2010, 3:25PM

Wealthy Florida investor and Democratic Senate candidate Jeff Greene suggested last week that the Koran includes "crazy stuff" -- and his opponent is having a field day with it.

On Friday, Greene and his self-funded campaign was the subject of a Washington Post profile. Since then, Rep. Kendrick Meek, Greene's opponent in Florida's Democratic Senate primary, has hit Greene over and over with candid moments from the piece, subtly calling him both a religious bigot (Greene said the Koran includes "all kinds of this crazy stuff" within earshot of the Post reporter) and a misogynist (Greene called former good friend Heidi Fleiss "a businesswoman," too).

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Topics: 2010 Elections, Florida, Islamic Society, Jeff Greene, Kendrick Meek

Jeff Greene

Greene's DC Ad: Investigate Meek Over Earmark Scandal (VIDEO)

Eric Lach | June 17, 2010, 1:41PM

Jeff Greene, the eccentric billionaire running for Senate in Florida, has released a new ad calling for an investigation of his opponent in the Democratic Primary, Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-FL), over the earmarks the Congressman sought for a developer now facing fraud charges. The ad isn't targeted at voters, however. It's up in the DC market, making the case for Congress to look into the matter.

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Topics: 2010 Elections, Earmarks, FL-SEN, Jeff Greene, Kendrick Meek

Florida

Report: Meek Sought Earmarks For Developer Who Paid His Staffer, Hired His Mom

Justin Elliott | May 17, 2010, 10:26AM

Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-FL), who is running for Senate in Florida, sought earmarks to help a developer who gave a top Meek staffer $13,000 in 2003 for a down payment on a house, and paid Meek's mother, former congresswoman Carrie Meek, $90,000 plus use of a Cadillac Escalade for consulting services, the Miami Herald reports.

The developer, Dennis Stackhouse, is now facing fraud charges associated with the Poinciana Park project in Liberty City, Miami, a proposed biopharmaceutical complex that was never built.

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Topics: Carrie Meek, Charlie Crist, Florida, Kendrick Meek, Marco Rubio

Jeff Greene

Billionaire Senate Hopeful Brings Colorful Past To Florida Race

Justin Elliott | May 3, 2010, 11:53AM

The latest entrant in the Florida Senate race is an eccentric billionaire who counts Mike Tyson and madam Heidi Fleiss as close friends and made his fortune betting against the real estate market before the crash.

The business and personal life of Jeff Greene is providing an embarrassment of riches for oppo researchers working for Greene's competition in the Democratic primary, Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-FL).

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Topics: Dena Graziano, Florida, Jeff Greene, Kendrick Meek, Marco Rubio, Subprime Mortgages

Florida Republican Party

Crist Switch Puts GOP Spending Scandals At Center Of Florida Race

Justin Elliott | April 29, 2010, 9:09AM

With the expected news that Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is opting to run for Senate as an independent, the general election is set to have two major candidates -- Crist and presumptive GOP nominee Marco Rubio -- tarred by the wide-ranging spending scandal that is rocking the state Republican Party.

The scandal -- in which GOP officials are accused of spending party money on lavish personal expenses along with other financial malfeasance -- is tailor-made for attacks ads come the general election season, which is shaping up to be a three-way contest among Crist, Rubio, and likely Democratic nominee Rep. Kendrick Meek.

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Topics: Charlie Crist, FBI, Florida, Florida Republican Party, IRS, Jim Greer, Kendrick Meek, Marco Rubio, Republicans