Progressive reaction to former Republican Party of Florida chair Jim Greer's guilty plea listen

Tags: Jim Greer, Charlie Crist, Republican Party of Florida, corruption, Republicans Susan Smith

Former Governor Charlie Crist avoided having potentially embarrassing accounts from during his time as governor by Jim Greer pleading guilty instead of going to trial.

photo by Seán Kinane/WMNF (April 2010).

Jim Greer, the former head of the Republican Party of Florida, pled guilty to several charges this morning. In doing so he avoids a trial that was supposed to begin today. Greer changed his previous plea from not guilty on theft and money laundering charges to guilty. Several high-ranking Florida Republicans were due to testify during the trial, as was former Governor Charlie Crist, who, when he was a Republican hand-picked Greer to be party chair. Crist has since become a Democrat and may run again for Governor.

Susan Smith, president of the Democratic Progressive Caucus of Florida, says because there will be no trial, Floridians will continue to be kept in the dark about the inner workings of the state’s political system.