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United States News Title: Crist sued over GOP contributions Crist sued over GOP contributions Donor says party switch leaves funds off limits. Posted: June 28, 2010 - 11:11pmPhotos Crist Advertisement By David Hunt A Jacksonville businessman who once was one of Gov. Charlie Crist's strongest allies in Northeast Florida is suing on behalf of Republican donors who feel cheated that Crist left the GOP without refunding campaign contributions. John Rood, a former U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas who runs The Vestcor Cos., is one of two lead plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit asking a judge to block Crist from using Republicans' money to finance his U.S. Senate run. The lawsuit was filed last week in Circuit Court in Collier County. Linda Morton, a donor from Naples who gave the Crist campaign $500 last December, is the other lead plaintiff. Death, Taxes & Politics: The T-U blogs on the lawsuit Crist opted to run as an independent in April amid pressure from conservatives and polls suggesting he would not be able to overcome former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio in the GOP primary. Shortly after he announced his independent bid, he changed his voting registration. About a year before the switch, Rood supported Crist's run with the maximum donations allowed by law. He gave Crist $2,400 to run in the primary and another $2,400 to run in the Nov. 2 general election. Campaign finance records show Rood also gave Crist the state maximum of $500 during his 2006 gubernatorial campaign and another $500 in 2002 to help Crist's campaign for attorney general. The money flow Rood, who has given thousands of dollars to Republican causes over the years, has accepted recent appointments from Crist to the Florida Board of Governors and to serve as the Republican Party of Florida's finance chairman. Calls to Rood and his assistant were not returned on Monday. Crist's campaign representatives did not respond to a phone call and an e-mail. Federal elections records show Crist had $7.6 million on hand at the end of the last reporting period on March 31. The war chest is nearly equal to the combined accounts of Rubio and Democratic contender Kendrick Meek. The lawsuit comes on the eve of a critical reporting date as Crist's campaign scrambles to tally up second-quarter cash. State Rep. Tom Grady, R-Naples, who was working on Crist's Senate campaign until the party switch, is representing Rood and Morton. The basic complaint: Republican donors are upset their money is being used to fund a non-Republican campaign - especially one that will be filtering votes away from another Republican candidate. Crist first said he would return the money but then said he would need the cash to support his Senate run.
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