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Crist Leaving Johnson Investigation To FBI

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By WILLIAM MARCH

wmarch@tampatrib.com

Published: February 14, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG - Gov. Charlie Crist said Friday he won't order any state agencies to investigate former Hillsborough County Elections Supervisor Buddy Johnson, preferring instead to let federal investigators take the lead.

"I don't think we ought to get in the way of what they're doing," Crist said at a news conference in St. Petersburg, where he was joined by Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio and St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker.

The FBI this week opened an investigation into Johnson's financial dealings while elections supervisor. He was defeated for re-election in November and left office in January with a budget deficit in the millions.

Iorio, a former Hillsborough elections supervisor, put the blame for the meltdown of Johnson's office partly on former Gov. Jeb Bush, who appointed Johnson supervisor when Iorio left to run for mayor in 2003.

Bush's choice of Johnson to replace her was "a very poor appointment," she said.

"I think it is important that when governors have these constitutional appointments to make, that they really have to look at individuals who have solid backgrounds, particularly in elections," Iorio said. "You have to have that attention to detail and high standards."

Before being appointed elections supervisor, Johnson had owned a restaurant in Plant City and had served three terms as a Republican member of the state House of Representatives.

An audit released this month concluded that Johnson broke state law by overspending his budget by some $1 million.

During his re-election bid, Johnson spent as much as $1 million on a voter education program that prominently featured his name and photograph, leading to accusations he was using public money to boost his campaign.

Hillsborough County officials have sent several state and federal government agencies the results of that audit, encouraging them to investigate. Current Elections Supervisor Phyllis Busansky, who defeated Johnson, said the FBI has seized some of the audit records.

Iorio said she was heartbroken at what has happened and at the treatment of some of her former employees.

"Somebody needs to look into it, that's for sure," she said.

"I devoted 10 years of my life to that office and I was very proud of it when I left," she said. "We tried to make it the best in the state."

Asked for a response Friday afternoon, a spokesman for Bush said none was available.

Reporter William March can be reached at (813) 259-7761.

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