Florida Democrats Demand Documents From McCollum On His Frivolous Lawsuit Seeking To Block Health In

File Records Request for Documents On No-Bid Contract To His Former Washington D.C. Lobbying Firm NEWS FROM THE FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC PARTY
For Immediate Release: March 24, 2010
Florida Democrats Demand Documents From McCollum On His Frivolous Lawsuit Seeking To Block Health Insurance Reform

File Records Request for Documents On No-Bid Contract To His Former Washington D.C. Lobbying Firm
Today, Florida Democratic Party Executive Director Scott Arceneaux demanded that Attorney General Bill McCollum turn over all document related to the no-bid contract he doled out to his former Washington D.C. lobbying firm to file the frivolous lawsuit against President Obama’s historic health insurance reforms.
“If it wasn’t bad enough that Bill McCollum was fighting to take away health coverage for 32 million Americans, reopen the Medicare Part D ‘doughnut hole’ for 565,000 Florida seniors, and raise taxes on the 216,000 small businesses in the Sunshine State, the fact that McCollum doled out a no-bid contract to his friend in this effort is simply shameless political posturing by a career politician,” Arceneaux said. “Today, the Florida Democratic Party is demanding that McCollum turn over all documents related to his no-bid contact to hold McCollum accountable for wasting our tax dollars on political stunts.”
Text of the Florida Democratic Party’s Public Records Request:

Wednesday, March 24, 2010
The Honorable Bill McCollum Office of Attorney General State of Florida The Capitol PL-01 Tallahassee, FL 32399
Dear Attorney General McCollum:
In light of recent revelations that you once again used a no-bid contract to hire one of your political friends – this time a colleague of yours during your time as a Washington lobbyist – to file a frivolous lawsuit against President Obama’s historic health insurance reform law, pursuant to Florida Statute 119.011, I am requesting the following information and records from the Office of the Attorney General:

• Any and all communications and documents related to communications between your office and your former employer Baker & Hostetler since January, 2006, including but not limited to any and all communications or documents regarding the decision to retain your former lobbying firm Baker & Hostetler and/or your former Washington D.C. lobbying colleague David Rivkin, within the Office of the Attorney General and its respective staff, including but not limited to email, letters, files, and documents.
• Any and all documents regarding how many state employee hours have been devoted to this effort within the Office of Attorney General or other agencies that have assisted in this lawsuit, including but not limited to email, letters, files, and documents.
• Any and all documents regarding how much this lawsuit has cost Florida’s taxpayers through efforts within the Office of Attorney General, other agencies who have assisted in this effort, and outside legal counsel, including but not limited to email, letters, files, and documents.
• Any and all documents regarding deliberations within the Office of the Attorney General about using a no-bid contracting process in retaining your former lobbying firm Baker & Hostetler, including but not limited to email, letters, files, and documents.

This request includes copies of every document related to the matter from January 2009 to present in digital format. Please contact me at 850-222-3411 if you have any problems meeting this request by 12 PM on Wednesday, March 31st, 2010.  If you refuse to provide this information, Chapter 119 requires you to advise me in writing and indicate the applicable exemption to the Public Records Act. If the exemption you are claiming only applies to a portion of the records, please delete or redact that information.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
 
Scott Arceneaux
Executive Director
Florida Democratic Party
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