FLORIDA DEMOCRATS WELCOME DEM CONVENTION CHAIR & LA MAYOR VILLARAIGOSA AS 2012 JJ SPEAKER, BUY YOUR TICKETS TODAY!

GREER TAKES ON CRIST… WHO’S NEXT, RUBIO?  Charlie Crist’s lawyer accuses Jim Greer and his lawyer of witness tampering [Tampa Bay Times] “John Morgan, the senior partner in the law firm where Crist now works, has told agents from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement that Damon Chase, the Lake Mary lawyer who represents Greer, pressured him to have Crist change his testimony or face embarrassing personal questions…Greer is charged with fraud, money laundering and theft of almost $200,000 from the Florida Republican Party by creating Victory Strategies, a company that billed the party for consulting work. Greer faces trial July 30 in Orlando.”

RICK SCOTT’S VOTER PURGE A “DISGRACE” Scott’s Voter Purge Is a Disgrace [Lakeland Ledger column] “‘Not a single eligible voter, as far as I know, has been removed from the voter rolls,’ said Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday. What Scott could not truthfully say was, ‘Not one single eligible voter has been attempted to be removed from the voter rolls. The Scott administration’s voter-roll purge has been so full of holes that one might just as well have picked a name out of a phone book and said that person was ineligible to vote.”

The voter suppression fight [Gainesville Sun column] “Voter suppression is a national Republican policy. They want you to think this is an effort to remove those, who are not legally eligible to vote, like non-citizens. It is an old political trick like many efforts down through history to target and keep minorities from voting…The Alachua County Republican Chairman responded with a non-convincing, no-facts rebuttal. This chairman did not convince me he was honest about his concerns of the integrity of the voter rolls” 

Civil rights groups file federal lawsuit over Florida voter purge [Palm Beach Post] “A coalition of civil rights groups have filed a federal lawsuit against Gov. Rick Scott’s administration over a controversial non-citizen voter purge the Justice Department considers a violation of two federal elections laws….The purge, the brainchild of Scott, has sparked a national outcry and partisan divide over voting in the presidential battleground of Florida. And it’s created a tug-of-war between President Obama’s and Scott’s administrations.”

Alcee L. Hastings: Continue fight against voter suppression [Sun Sentinel Guest Column] “This was a concerted collaborative effort led by the governor to suppress and confuse voters. It was not transparent and a clear violation of the law. I, along with many others in Florida, have fought long and hard for the right to vote. To have somebody come along as a ‘Scotty Come Lately’ and decide that he is going to suppress the rights of voters is absolutely insane.”

BUSH: NO PLACE FOR REGAN IN TODAY’S GOP Jeb Bush: No Place For Father, Reagan In Today’s GOP [BuzzFeed] “Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush said today that both Ronald Reagan and his father George H. W. Bush would have had a difficult time getting nominated by today’s ultra-conservative Republican Party.

HITTING THE AIRWAVES Obama campaign woos Hispanics with TV, radio ads [AP] “Obama is reinforcing his advantage with a sizable Spanish language TV and radio ad campaign in some of states expected to be among the most contested in the general election. On this front, he is vastly outspending Romney in a race that could be decided by thin margins in many states.”

New Super PAC ad in Florida resumes Bain attacks on Romney [Tampa Bay Times] “A new Super PAC ad that will run in Florida and other states and resumes criticism of Mitt Romney’s tenure at Bain Capital.” WATCH “DONNIE” HERE. 

Union targets Mitt Romney in Spanish-language Florida ad [Miami Herald] “The Service Employees International Union is teaming up with the pro-Obama SuperPAC Priorities USA for a new $4-million TV and radio ad campaign in Florida, Colorado and Nevada through the summer.” WATCH THE AD HERE.

New Obama Campaign office opens in Kissimmee [WFTV] “Officials say more than 150 people stopped by the opening of President Obama’s campaign office in Kissimmee on Saturday.” 

Biden back in Florida this week [Tampa Bay Times] “VP Joe Biden will travel to Orlando on June 15 to address the U.S. Conference of Mayors.” 

“CARDBOARD CONNIE” MACK SLAMMED FOR DUCKING DEBATE Mack shouldn’t duck debate [Tampa Bay Times Editorial] “Voters expect candidates to explain their positions and debate their opponents. On the way to clinching the Republican presidential nomination, Mitt Romney participated in more than 20 candidate forums and debates. And there are three other credible Republican Senate candidates: former Sen. George LeMieux, Mike McCalister and former Rep. Dave Weldon. If Mack keeps refusing to debate them, get ready for Cardboard Connie 2.0.”

Fla Young Repubs straw poll: LeMieux 70%, Mack 19%, Weldon 9% [Tampas Bay Times] “Florida Young Republicans held a U.S. Senate straw poll today in south Florida. Connie Mack IV didn’t show” 

ON THE CONGRESSIONAL FRONT — RIVERA NOT STANDING UP FOR CUBANS, BILL YOUNG HELPING HIS SON, WEST DRAGS DOWN ROMNEY 

Rivera Doesn’t Want Cubans to Vote in the US or Prosper in Cuba [Havana Times] “In August of last year, Rep. David Rivera introduced two proposals for legislation in an attempt to modify the Cuban Adjustment Act. If passed the two combined would stop Cuban immigrants from voting or visiting Cuba for 10 years!”

Activists protest Congressman who gives millions in contracts to companies employing his children [WMNF] “A local activist group is pushing Republican congressman Bill Young to start siding with the poor and middle class. Yesterday they took their activism to the Science Applications International Corporation in St. Petersburg…According to FCAN, The National Forensic Science Technology Center , which employed Congressman Young’s other son Billy, received nearly $40 million dollars in tax payer money from 2000 to 2010.”

Mitt Romney Will Not Condemn Allen West For Saying Democrats In Congress Are Communists[Huffington Post] “Mitt Romney will not condemn Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) for his comments in April alleging that “about 78 to 81″ Democratic members of Congress are members of the Communist Party, top Romney adviser Eric Ferhnstrom told CNN on Thursday.” 

OTHER NEWS WE THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Florida Democrats hope to narrow electoral gap [Sarasota Herald Tribune] “Democrats are optimistic that they will improve on their position – they currently are in the minority in the congressional delegation, as well as the state House and Senate. But they say their gains will have to be measured over the next few election cycles – not just this year”

Ex-congressman got millions in land deal [Palm Beach Post] “The South Florida Water Management District needed only 600 acres of the ranch in Highlands County for environmental purposes. But it bought all 2,042 acres and did it in a way that arranged for the Putnams a lucrative tax break, while allowing the family to continue grazing cattle on the land rent-free until the district needed the land. After paying the family’s attorney $3.9 million in legal fees, the total deal cost taxpayers nearly $30 million. Seven years later the district has used only 150 acres and has no plans for the rest. The Putnam cattle graze on, courtesy of Florida taxpayers.”

Scott administration purging environmental agencies of expertise? [Orlando Sentinel] “A business initially valued at more than $100 million that would profit by replacing wetlands destroyed by developers, has left in its wake three state officials forced to resign or suspended after they objected to the project.”