Possible Government Corruption Raises Questions in Miami

The columnist for the Miami Herald, Carl Hiaasen, certainly deserved a holiday off. There is no shortage of taxpayers getting the raw end stories to go around.

Former Rep. Carrie Meek has come along way from granddaughter of a slave, daughter of former share croppers to the first African-American elected to Congress from Florida since Reconstruction.

Meek spent her childhood in segregated Tallahassee. Unable to attend graduate school in Florida because of her race; she graduated from the University of Michigan in 1948.

Meek shall inherit the Earth.

When Boston developer Dennis Stackhouse went looking for government handouts, one of the first political leaders he enlisted in his "help the poor" campaign was Rep. Carrie Meek.

Stackhouse's ill-fated "vision" was the Poinciana Biopharmaceutical Park in Liberty City. [ Is the bigger the title, the more dough Congress throws at you ] Stackhouse pitched the bio tech park idea to revitalize the neighborhood which still bears scars from the riots of the 1980's.

In 2003, Rep. Carrie Meek signed on as consultant to the Poinciana project; receiving at least $40,000, the first year. One of Stackhouse's companies furnished Rep. Meek with the free use of a Cadillac Escalade; leased with funds from the non existent bio tech park's lucrative bank account. [ I guess she needed the wheels to roll up on the park, if it ever materialized ]

In 2004, Kendrick Meek, who succeeded his Mother's seat when she retired, secured $72,750 in Federal funds for the same Poinciana park.

Last year, Kendrick Meek requested $4 million in Federal money for Poinciana. When it wasn't awarded his Mother, Carrie Meek, traveled to Tallahassee to meet Governor Charlie Crist. She hoped to gain his support for a $20 million state grant for Stackhouse's project.

After four years, hundreds of thousands of dollars, blowing in the wind; not one building stands at Poinciana Bio Park. Most of the companies Stackhouse claims would lease office space there, told Miami reporters they'd never heard of the place when contacted.

Miami-Dade officials have halted any further progress [?] on the park after a newspaper series revealed Stackhouse had diverted more than $500,000 from an anti-poverty agency. Money allegedly spend on lobbyists, lawyers and strategic company contributions like bribery was going out of style.

On the Web site, History Makers, Rep. Carrie Meek's bio quote is : "Service is the price you pay for the space which God has let you occupy." At whose expense?

Hilary Clinton's campaign has announced the endorsement of Florida Congressman, Kendrick Meek, and named him a senior adviser to Senator Clinton.

The Meek's claim ignorance on their part of Stackhouse's dirty dealing. No one has received a jail term or fine thus far in this case.

According to Pete Sepp, an executive officer at NTU, there are more than 20 convicted members of Congress still receiving life time benefits. The only way to have entitlement taken away is if they are found guilty of treason, sabotage, espionage, or assault against our national security.

Short of hijacking a plane; crashing into a government building, these crooks are eligible to stay on the payroll. [ How is that not selling out your country]

In 1996, a bill to strip pensions from convicted members of Congress; died quickly on the House floor shortly after being introduced. If you support putting an end to the theft of the nation's piggy bank, go to congress.org and send a message to our representatives.