A sore loser with good questions

State Rep. Kevin Ambler's lawsuit may not undo his Republican primary loss to Hillsborough County Commissioner Jim Norman in the state Senate District 12 race. It may forever cast him as a sore - and litigious - loser.

Yet the effort could benefit the public if it serves to cast light on a suspicious financial arrangement that allowed Norman's wife to pay cash for a $435,000 lakefront home in Arkansas.

Norman says there are other investors in the house, and they want to stay out of the limelight. But no investors are listed on the deed, which is highly unusual for a real estate investment.

The 2006 transaction has been subject to all sorts of rumors, and Norman blames the accusations on dirty politics.

But he has refused to provide the specifics that could quickly put an end to the matter.

Ambler's lawsuit seeks to invalidate Norman's victory. It accuses him of failing to list all his assets - including boats on the Arkansas property - and liabilities on the financial disclosure forms candidates must complete to qualify.

Specifically, it says Norman accepted a loan of approximately $435,000 in 2006 from the late Tampa businessman Ralph Hughes.

If this is true, Norman could be in serious trouble, and not simply for omitting a few items on the qualifying forms.

Hughes, who died in 2008, was a political activist who contributed heavily to commission candidates, particularly Norman.

The owner of Cast-Crete Corp. vigorously fought impact fees and other development controls, and Norman was a consistent ally. Hughes' company, which produces precast concrete, benefitted - at least indirectly - from some of the commission's decisions, including the establishment of impact fee-free zones.

If Norman or his wife were receiving favorable financial treatment from Hughes, Norman's commission decisions become suspect.

The Tribune's Mike Salinero reports that the FBI is investigating Norman's finances.

Norman never tried to hide his close relationship with Hughes. After Hughes died in 2008, Norman pushed to have the county's Moral Courage Award named after him. Hughes' name was removed from the award after it was found the Internal Revenue Service claimed his estate owed millions in personal and corporate income taxes.

Even before Ambler filed his lawsuit, an ethics complaint against Norman making similar accusations had been submitted by a local lawyer.

Florida ethics laws prohibit an elected official, his spouse or children from taking unauthorized compensation from someone seeking to influence public decisions. Gifts - which can include preferential financial rates - are also regulated.

The ethics laws' penalties can include removing an elected official from office or disqualifying a candidate from being on the ballot.

Ambler's lawsuit asks the court to remove Norman from the general election ballot and name Ambler as the Republican Party nominee.

Given the state's laws, this may not be as wild a gambit as it seems - if Ambler's charges are true.

The lawsuit says the loan accusations are based on "information and belief." No evidence is revealed.

But the lawsuit will likely force Norman to confront the accusations in sworn testimony.

Norman insists he has done nothing wrong, and we would like to believe him. But he should not wait for legal proceedings to provide the details - including tax returns - that will reveal whether Hughes had any secret involvement in Norman's personal finances.