The sugar industry gives money for the Tammany Hall-on-the-Prairie holidays to the Republican Party of Florida, which launders the cash back to the invited guests for travel expenses under the flimsy guise of "fundraising" activities. The trips are paid for with legalized bribes. It must have felt really good, because Southerland just introduced a bill that would block federal oversight of waterways and wetlands, which just so happens to be where a lot of sugarcane is harvested. Steve Southerland also spent time getting his snout nuzzled by sugar honchos at King Ranch. Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam has been there, and so have House Appropriations Chairman Seth McKeel and House Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee Chairman Matt Caldwell. So did former House Speaker Dean Cannon, current Speaker Will Weatherford and future Speakers Steve Crisafulli and Richard Corcoran. Prominent Republicans have been filling the skies between Florida and Texas to make their way to King Ranch for several days of bloodletting in pursuit of animals and plenty of schmoozing with sugar industry executives once everyone runs out of bullets. Are there any elected power-hungry wannabes among Florida Republicans who haven't received an invitation to secret hunting vacations at the sprawling King Ranch in Texas courtesy of the state's big sugar daddies?Īs Tampa Bay Times reporters Craig Pittman and Michael Van Sickler have reported, it's been an air shuttle service akin to the Berlin airlift.
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