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Sink Scolds McCollum For No-Bid, Out-Of-State Ads

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The Associated Press

Published: March 26, 2009

Updated: 03/26/2009 11:33 pm

TALLAHASSEE - Florida's chief financial officer scolded Attorney General Bill McCollum on Thursday for spending state money on a no-bid contract with an out-of-state political strategist to produce ads aimed at warning parents and teens about Internet predators.

In a letter to the Republican attorney general, CFO Alex Sink said she was disappointed McCollum wanted to extend a noncompetitive contract and spend another $1 million with a New Jersey-based consulting firm.

Sink, the lone Democrat in the state's executive branch, said McCollum will need the sufficient supporting documentation when he requests the payment be made to Chris Mottola Consulting for producing the cyber crime ads.

She also told McCollum, who was featured in the promotions, that it might have been more appropriate to have instead substituted an outside expert in the $2.5 million campaign to avoid a perception of self-promotion.

"It is important to note that these funds are public funds," Sink said. "They belong to Florida's taxpayers."

McCollum's office has contended the money is that received in settlements from companies involved in any distribution of sex ads on Internet sites. Cybercrime has been McCollum's focus since becoming attorney general in January 2007, an effort applauded by Sink.

McCollum didn't take the criticism sitting down, claiming the only purpose of the ads was to protect Florida's children.

"Last week, the CFO claimed to be unable to deny the funds for these cybersafety contracts," he responded. "Today it appears she has every intention of doing just that. These actions are hypocritical."

Florida Democrats have said recently that the ads amount to little more than self-promotion by McCollum, who has not decided whether to seek re-election or a higher office in 2010. Republicans are keeping their options open until Gov. Charlie Crist decides whether to seek re-election or the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Mel Martinez, R-Orlando.

Sink is planning to run for re-election, although she would immediately become the Democratic front-runner in the governor's race if Crist decided he'd rather be in Washington.

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