Gov. Charlie Crist shook President Obama's hand yesterday in Tampa. The shocking news has Republican observers reeling. Meanwhile, this week the Quinnipiac Institute released poll numbers showing that Democratic challenger for governor, Alex Sink, has made no progress in chipping away at the lead of GOP candidate, Bill McCollum. Sink, running the most lackluster campaign since Bill McBride, has pledged to campaign against Florida Hometown Democracy, the foothold Florida Democrats might count on, for the November elections.
This week also brought news that FPL CEO Lew Hay told Wall Street analysts that contrary to what FPL claimed during its recent attempt to extract a 30 percent rate hike from ratepayers that in fact "the projects are not dead" that it claimed would be killed if the Public Service Commission denied the rate increase. Of course, what Hay told the analysts (and reported by the Herald) is nowhere in FPL web information of the meeting with analysts. No wonder the PSC is fit to be tied. The FPL misdirection is along the lines of the backers of the "whatever-today's-name-for-the-Dolphins-Stadium-is" threatening that the Superbowl will vanish from Miami unless new taxes are imposed on tourists to pay for upgrades; not so different from how the public was scammed into paying for the "Marlins-Stadium-that-lacks-no-name".
Yesterday, we learned of the federal indictment of a former Miami-Dade county official -- Frank Bernardino-- whose career qualifications make him a charter member of the Growth Machine. Mr. Bernardino: "Coordinated the development of wetland resource inventories associated with the Miami-Dade Lake Belt Plan", and "Provided staff support to the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Dept. in support of the construction of the West Dade Wellfield", and, "Prepared wetland basin inventories in support of amendments to the Miami-Dade Comprehensive Development Master Plan". Mr. Bernardino, a founder of the lobbyist Wren Group, was nabbed in Jacksonville, Florida and appeared in court in handcuffs. "Former Jacksonville Port Authority board chairman Tony Nelson was in court this morning to answer to a 44-count indictment (.pdf, 1.5MB) charging him with conspiracy, money laundering, mail fraud, bribery and making a false statement to the FBI. The indictment was unsealed today after nearly four years of investigation by the FBI. Lobbyist Frank Bernardino, who formerly worked for the South Florida Water Management District, was indicted with Nelson and also appeared before U.S. Magistrate Howard Snyder. Bernardino faces 36 criminal counts." Among Mr. Bernardino's clients, Big Sugar's Florida Crystals Corporation.
13 comments:
A Forrest Gump moment: 'Talk, Frank, talk!'
hmph, I knew Frank. I am a decent judge of people and I (still) think he is a good guy.
Pity....
Talk? Frank's gonna take one for the team.
You mean admitted sexual offender with an underage kid, Frank Bernadino?
Talk about moral failings
He's been indicted. Doesn't mean he's guilty.
Yes, a pedophile!!! I would not call him a good guy...I am the victim's (8 yr old boy when he was molested by Frank, then 18 yrs old) sister. AND he pleaded GUILTY! That was his best option since he was indeed guilty of a despicable crime. He is getting was he deserves one way or another.
Read about the case of sexual molestation against a minor by Frank Bernardino:
http://www2.miami-dadeclerk.com/CJIS/CaseSearch.aspx
Enter case number: F-93-23169
I've known Frank a long time and have spent a lot of time with him -both professionally and personally. I know him as a kind-hearted and generous man.
He has never forgotten the mistake that he made over 25 years ago, and tries daily to atone for it by being faithful to God, generous to the church, and being a good son/brother/friend.
KEEP FLORIDA'S CHILDREN SAFE:
I know this is heartbreaking for you..to see people admire your uncle and you know that they do not know the real story. But, we don't have the means to check your story about him. The link to the case is sufficient. The last anon is insensitive to your pain but entitled to their opinion. I remember Frank reached out to me when I tried to get him removed from acting with the public at meetings at the South Florida Water Mgmt. District. I said no way did I want to talk to him. Child molestation is unforgivable.
I thank you Geniusofdespair....Child molestation is UNFORGIVABLE!!! Is raping children (more than once) while they are crying, saying "no" a mistake????? To clarify...Frank is not my uncle but he is a non-blood relative, and in fact was adimred and trusted by my family. My brother paid a very high price. Florida's citizens and the people who serve them have a right to know who is representing them AND their children in Tallahassee.
There is a point being made here by keep florida safe for children.
Frank might be sorry and has moved on with his career, however, as this writer above is saying, rarely does the child who suffered the abuse get over it. It lingers on and on. So, lets not put this guy on some pedestal because he has found God or he is 'nice' to you. You don't know the pain he has obviously caused this family and it is not making their pain any easier. Apparently he is still up to activities, less severe than when he was young, that would not make a mother proud.
Did Frank change his name?
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