Both local dailies on Thursday reported that the Republican nominee for Florida State Senate in District 12, Hillsborough County Commissioner Jim Norman, is being investigated by the FBI regarding that $435,000 Arkansas home that Norman's wife, Mearline, purchased in 2006. Both the St. Pete Times and the Tampa Tribune reported on those details, though only the Tribune reported where they learned of such an investigation (they say two government agencies who refused to be identified informed them).
A lawsuit filed by the man Norman beat in the GOP primary, House Republican Kevin Ambler, contends that the late Ralph Hughes was the source of the funding for Mrs. Norman to purchase the home. He wants the results of the election voided and election officials to declare him the nominee.
It's all very interesting, and we hope that the Bureau, if indeed they are investigating (their history is never to admit they are doing so), might come up with information on the matter relatively soon.
But don't hold your breath.
We understand investigations take time, and nobody should put a timetable on them. But it's easy to get a little jaded around here about a law enforcement agency, whether it's the FBI or the FDLE, investigating a local official.
Or don't you remember Buddy Johnson? He was being investigated, right? Still is, unless we missed the press release exonerating the former Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections. If press reports are accurate, the investigation began over a year and a half ago, back in February of 2009, over allegations of fiscal improprieties in office.
How 'bout Pat Bean, the former Hillsborough County Administrator who was sacked by the County Commission earlier this year? Some Commissioners were reluctantly to let her go in June because they were awaiting the completion of an FLDE investigation (allegedly) into charges that she gave herself a pay raise.
We're still waiting on that announcement as well. Back in June, Commissioners Sharpe and Beckner said it would be best to wait for that state law enforcement agency to issue their report before dismissing Bean. If that had been the view of the majority, Bean would still be collecting pay checks by reading novels or whatever people do when they're getting paid for not working.
This article appears in Sep 2-8, 2010.