kevin white in the news again
tommyDid County Commissioner Kevin White promise zoning changes for campaign contributions? Mortgage con man Matthew Cox says he did:
You help get me elected and I’ll vote in your favor every time.
This is totally weird.
In a special report, “The Con Man and the Commissioner,” the St. Pete Times says they became the convict’s pen pal, and got seven letters from him over the past few months. In them, he details his connections with White and his 2003 campaign for Tampa City Council.
Cox is obviously a media hound, and a convict, so it would be easy to dismiss this as nonsense. It all amounts to he said / he said, anyway. But Kevin White just can’t seem to keep his name out of the paper, either.
You might remember when White spent $6,000 in 2006 campaign money on clothing. (By the way, Cox’s letters claim he referred to Kevin White “Mr. Bling-Bling,” three years before that.)
In late 2007, White was accused of sexual discrimination for firing an aide after she would not succumb to his wiles. Her lawsuit against Hillsborough County was filed in May.
Other than the $6,000 campaign clothing, these accusations have not been proven.
But if he gets much more of this type of publicity, you voters are likely to remember his name when he runs again in 2010.
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August 7th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Call his office and tell him to resign!
August 7th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
I thought we proved with the Kuhn incident that this kind of bribing was tolerated and accepted, event encouraged?
This is why the city counil is in charge of every urban planning issue, becuase if not thee would be less of a need to bribe them. That would, what did Brian Blair say a while back…that would be “taking food out of their families mouths”.
August 7th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Wow, investigative journalism in Tampa Bay does exist! Makes you wonder what else is out there….
Thanks for sharing Tommy.
August 8th, 2008 at 8:54 am
If White gets returned to the private sector, we might wind up with a *actual* Democrat in that seat.
August 8th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Alyssa Ogden’s lawsuit says White at least twice asked her to give him a kiss while at County Center, and in one case, he pulled her toward him, then threw a stack of $100 bills at her when she refused, saying, “Just take it, just give me a chance.”
Cox told the Times his arrangement with White included giving him an additional $7,000 to help win his run-off election in 2003.
Question for the FBI - do you see the connection now?
August 9th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
We are in the edge, not only can you buy your politician cheaply we here in Tampa Bay offer easy installment payments to buy the voltes of our government reps.
August 10th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
You know, the FBI lusts after this guy but would they be willing to hang their hat on a scumbag like Cox?. I wonder to if White is dirty, but Testerman is a better investigative reporter than any I have seen and this is weak for him. Don’t make a deal with the Devil just to get diciples. If White is dirty nail his ass, but do it with evidence.
August 10th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
There has been enough smoke aorund the feet of White to wonder if there is a fire indeed. The finances for his personal use and the sexual harrasment suit, now this.
Heck, it is more efficient to assume these guys are guilty till proven innocient. But the third serios accusation does begin to question.
August 11th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Off topic, but here’s an interesting website on Brian Blair:
http://beatbrianblair.com/
August 29th, 2008 at 9:38 am
[...] Times editorial: Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin White should be more forthcoming about alleged payoffs from con man Matthew Cox. Kevin White deserves the benefit of the doubt now that a convicted swindler has alleged arranging [...]