Fla. Gov. Seeks Inquiry Into 'Culture Of Corruption'

October 15, 2009

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October 15, 2009

A recent string of arrests of public officials in Florida has led Gov. Charlie Crist to ask for a special grand jury. It will examine whether Florida has, as the governor suggests, a "culture of corruption."

RENEE MONTAGNE, host:

In Florida, a string of charges brought against local and state officials has lead Governor Charlie Crist to ask for a grand jury investigation into political corruption. From Miami, NPR's Greg Allen reports.

GREG ALLEN: Illinois and former Governor Rob Blagojevich had grabbed the headlines; in New Jersey, an investigation involving mayors, rabbis and trafficking in body parts has sensation; but in terms of day-in day-out arrests on charges of influence peddling, Norman Ostrau at Florida Atlantic University's Public Ethics Academy says it's hard to beat the Sunshine State.

Mr. NORMAN OSTRAU (Florida Atlantic University Public Ethics Academy): Over the past ten years, federal public corruption convictions, Florida was number one.

ALLEN: Where do we begin? Last month, three officials in Broward County were arrested for steering contracts and on money laundering charges. That was two years after the county sheriff in Broward served prison time on corruption charges.

Around that same time, in neighboring Palm Beach County, five city and county officials pleaded guilty to similar charges. Then there's a former state House speaker forced to resign and now standing trial for perjury.

Corruption is as much a part of Florida as orange juice and theme parks, which is why Governor Charlie Crist says he's asking the State Supreme Court to empanel a special grand jury.

Governor CHARLIE CRIST (Republican, Florida): To investigate these types of crimes, return indictments, provide specific recommendations to address the fundamental problems within the system that may be in fact cultivating a culture of corruption.

ALLEN: One of the most recent political corruption cases could involve the governor himself. Two weeks ago, the FBI arrested Alan Mendelsohn, a prominent south Florida eye doctor and Republican fundraiser who worked on Crist's transition team after Crist was elected governor in 2006.

The governor is now running for the Senate and hopes to leave office next year for Washington after less than one term. At his news conference, Crist was asked about his ties to Mendelsohn.

Gov. CRIST: It doesn't center around any one case at all. Since I have been governor, unfortunately, I've had to remove over 30 people from public office -that's almost one a month. And it's obvious to me that something's wrong with the system.

ALLEN: Skeptics say a grand jury investigation effectively takes the issue of public corruption off the table for a year or more, while Crist pursues his Senate run. But Ostrau, with Florida Atlantic University, is hopeful.

Mr. OSTRAU: Whatever the governor's reason for doing this, the result puts an emphasis on the issue and it might raise some concern with some legislators to come back and deal with it.

ALLEN: Ten years ago, another Florida Republican governor, Jeb Bush, convened a task force to look at public corruption with few results. The legislature mostly ignored the taskforce recommendations.

Greg Allen, NPR News, Miami.

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