Crist’s Guest List Short But Powerful

BY BUDDY NEVINS

Didn’t manage to make it to Gov. Charlie Crist’s wedding?  You weren’t alone.  

The list of Broward attendees was short because the political establishment here is largely Democratic.

Still, a small group from Broward made the trip to St. Petersberg to watch the governor marry Halloween costume company heiress Carol Rome Friday night.
 
Crist invited the elite of Broward Republican politics.

Or at least the Broward GOPers that backed him for governor two years ago over former state Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher.

Here are some of the local guests:

  • Randy Perkins of Parkland, owner of the nationwide multi-million dollar AshBritt hurricane recovery firm based in Pompano Beach.
  • Ron Book of Plantation, whose reported earnings are more than any other solo lobbyist in Florida in 2007 — $5.2 million from his Tallahassee work alone, not counting millions more to represent clients in Miami-Dade and Broward.
  • Ed Pozzuoli of Fort Lauderdale, managing partner of Tripp Scott law firm. He is the former chairman of the Broward Republicans and is said to still be the party’s driving force from behind the scenes.
  • Gina Pozzuoli, Ed’s wife and a member of the Broward Judicial Nominating Commission, which recommends who Crist appoints to be judge.
  • Scott Rothstein of Fort Lauderdale the major domo of the Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler law firm.  Rothstein is THE major Republican fund raiser in Broward.  He was accompanied by his wife Kimberly Rothstein.
  • Jim Scott of Fort Lauderdale, name partner of the Tripp Scott law firm and a former Florida Senate President.  Scott was also a Broward County commissioner from 2000-2006.
  • Laura Raybin Miller, financial adviser and a gubernatorial appointee to the South Broward Hospital District Commission, which governs the public hospitals south of Griffin Road. Miller is Scott’s girlfriend.
  • Eric Eikenberg, Crist’s chief of staff.  Eikenberg grew up in Broward and previously worked for former U. S. Rep. Clay Shaw, R-Fort Lauderdale.  He ran George LeMieux’s losing Florida House campaign in Fort Lauderdale in the 1998.
  • George LeMieux, Crist’s former chief of staff who grew up in Coral Springs.  LeMieux, a lawyer, was chairman of the Broward Republican Party and later a deputy attorney general under Crist. He is credited as the architect of Crist’s 2006 win in the governor’s race. LeMieux spent most of his years when out of state government at the Gunster Yoakley law firm, where he works today. 

Other notable names at the wedding:

  • Jeff Atwater, the current Florida Senate president from Palm Beach County whose district laps over into northeast Broward.  Atwater is a banker.
  • Rodney Barreto, major Crist fund raiser, Miami-Dade developer, lobbyist and member of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for eight years.  He also is one of Miami’s biggest boosters, having chaired the Super Bowl host committee.  Barreto started out as a City of Miami police officer. 
  • Geraldo Rivera, the Fox News celebrity television broadcaster.
  • U. S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Boca Raton.
  • U. S. Rep. Connie Mack IV, R-Naples, who represented Fort Lauderdale in the Florida House before moving to Naples to run for Congress. 
  • U. S. Rep. Mary Bono Mack, R-Calif., widow of Sonny Bono, who won the singer’s seat in the U. S. House. Now married to Connie Mack.

 



5 Responses to “Crist’s Guest List Short But Powerful”

  1. Gina's fan says:

    Gina Pozzuoli is a babe!

  2. seiously says:

    Wow Buddy do you have to bend over or get on your knees for Scott these days. Just curious did his wife wear her old Blue Martini uniform to the wedding? If you are going to mention important tidbits about everyone dont leave her out, trust me her work at Blue Martini was more visually pleasing then the crap some of the others on here did/do.

  3. Wexler's an ultra liberal says:

    Why did Wexler get an invite?

  4. Jack Springerland says:

    What the heck was Geraldo Rivera doing there–not to mention Robert Wexler. Both goons.

    FROM BUDDY: I have no idea, Jack.

  5. you gotta be kidd'n says:

    Gina P. a “babe”?
    Well, now we know that her husband posts on here and that he is p.w.’d.
    In re: babe. Maybe 15 years ago.