Crist returns campaign contributions to indicted ex-head of Flordia GOP--so he can pay legal bills

Florida Governor Charlie Crist, the Republican turncoat who is running for the US Senate as an independent, entered the campaign as a Republican. When it became clear that conservative Marco Rubio would win, Crist quit the GOP. But he had collected campaign contributions from backers who supported him because he was a Republican.

One of those supporters was former Florida Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer, who was indicted in June on fraud, theft, and money-laundering charges. Crist picked the previously little-known Greer to run the party, and Crist continued to back him when the allegations became public earlier this year.

Greer, who still backs Crist, asked the governor to return $9,600 in campaign contributions--he needs the cash to pay for his defense. And the campaign will be returning those contributions.

But what about the money donated by Republicans--nearly all of whom have not been indicted--that Crist collected? Will that cash be returned? In May, Crist said "No."

Do you care to reconsider, governor?

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