Attorney General Applauds Signing of Law to Promote Transparency, Accountability

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today applauded the
signing of the Transparency in Private Attorney Contracting Act (SB 712/HB
437), a new law that will promote transparency and accountability in
contingency fee contracts between the Attorney General’s Office and
outside counsel. The law, which was sponsored by Senator John Thrasher and
Representative Eric Eisnaugle and passed both chambers of the Florida
Legislature with bipartisan support, was signed into law today by Governor
Crist. … Continue Reading

Attorney General to Attend Bill Signing Ceremony for the Transparency in Private Attorney Contracting Act

To: Interested State and National Media
Date: April 14, 2010
Subject: Attorney General to attend bill signing ceremony for the Transparency in Private Attorney Contracting Act

Members of the Media,

Attorney General Bill McCollum will join Governor Charlie Crist, Senator
John Thrasher, Representative Eric Eisnaugle and members of the Florida
business community for a bill signing ceremony in Tallahassee today. The
Governor will sign the Transparency in Private Attorney Contracting Act, a
new law that will promote transparency and accountability for contingency
fee contracts between the Attorney General’s Office and private law firms.
Members of the media are invited to attend. … Continue Reading

Attorney General to Attend Bill Signing Ceremony for the Transparency in Private Attorney Contracting Act

To: Interested State and National Media
Date: April 13, 2010
Subject: Attorney General to attend bill signing ceremony for the Transparency in Private Attorney Contracting Act

Members of the Media,

Attorney General Bill McCollum will join Governor Charlie Crist, Senator John Thrasher, Representative Eric Eisnaugle and members of the Florida business community for a bill signing ceremony in Tallahassee tomorrow. … Continue Reading

Florida Attorney General: Georgia Will Join Health Care Lawsuit

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum today issued the following statement on Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue’s decision to join the lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the health care reform law: … Continue Reading

Bill McCollum for Governor: Miami-Dade County Breakfast with Bill

Friday, April 16, 2010
7:45 – 9:00 AM

Versailles Restaurant
3555 SW 8th Street
Miami, Florida 33135 … Continue Reading

Florida Democratic Party: In Case You Missed It: Will Bosses’ Conduct Affect GOP Results? – Miami Herald’s Beth Reinhard

Key Point: “One candidate who stands to lose credibility in the state party fiasco is Attorney General Bill McCollum, the Republican front-runner for governor. As calls mounted late last year for Greer to step aside, McCollum stayed quiet… He brushed off demands for a criminal investigation and said the party could police itself. But in recent days, Greer’s lawyers have said McCollum was fully aware of the backroom negotiations surrounding his resignation. McCollum, the state’s top lawyer, has refused to recuse himself from a criminal investigation into party spending.” … Continue Reading

Clay County Man Arrested for Possession of Child Pornography

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced a Clay
County man has been taken into custody on charges of child pornography
possession. Benjamin Allen Drake, 41, was arrested by law enforcement with
the Attorney General’s CyberCrime Unit after investigators discovered
Drake had multiple images of child pornography in his possession. … Continue Reading

Florida Democratic Party: Thurman Demands State & Federal Investigations Into Republican Corruption Include Bill McCollum’s Possible Cover-Up

Florida Democratic Party Chair Karen Thurman today demanded that the state and federal law enforcement authorities, currently investigating the growing corruption scandals at the Republican Party of Florida, expand their investigation into AG Bill McCollum’s role in possibly covering up the alleged crimes committed by Republican Party leaders and politicians. Thurman made this demand in light of the St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald reporting that McCollum’s involvement was much larger than he previously admitted. … Continue Reading

Florida Democratic Party: Thurman Calls on McCollum to Recuse Himself from Involvement in FDLE Investigation

Thurman: McCollum Too Deeply Involved in RPOF Mess to Have Any More Involvement in Investigation

Florida Democratic Party Chair Karen Thurman today called for Attorney General Bill McCollum to recuse himself from any and all involvement in the continuing Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation into the Republican Party of Florida. … Continue Reading

Bill McCollum for Governor: McCollum for Governor Announces 2010 First Quarter Fundraising Results

Tallahassee, FL – Today, McCollum for Governor Campaign Manager Matt Williams issued the following statement on the Campaign’s 2010 first quarter fundraising efforts. While final numbers are still being calculated, the Campaign announces a projected total of nearly $1.4 million in contributions, repeating another strong finance quarter: … Continue Reading

Bill McCollum for Governor: Leon County Breakfast with Bill

Monday, April 12, 2010
8:00 – 9:00 am

Savannah’s Country Buffet
437 W. Gaines Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32304 … Continue Reading

Attorney General Files Injunction, Freezes Assets in Alleged Ponzi Scheme

~ First lawsuit filed under new Florida Securities and Investor Protection Act ~

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General today announced his office has obtained
an injunction against and frozen the assets of a company and two
individuals who have allegedly been developing a $23 million investment
Ponzi scheme. According to the Attorney General’s lawsuit, filed yesterday
in Pasco County Circuit Court, Botfly LLC and principals David R.
Lewalski, and Jon J. Hammill targeted victims with promises of high
investment returns, but in reality spent millions on expensive personal
items. … Continue Reading

Media Advisory: Attorney General McCollum to Discuss Investor Protection Action

To: Interested State and National Media
Date: April 2, 2010
Subject: Attorney General McCollum to discuss investor protection action

Members of the Media,

Attorney General Bill McCollum will hold a media availability today in
Orlando to discuss a significant investor protection action. A call-in
number will be available for media who wish to call in and listen to the
announcement. Callers should call in by 1:25 pm and mute their phones
while on the line. Members of the media wishing to attend must present
official media credentials upon request. … Continue Reading

Pinellas County Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Soliciting Teens for Sex

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that a
Pinellas County man was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading
guilty to charges he used the internet to sexually solicit young teen
girls. Michael John Tyler, 27, was arrested in June 2009 by the Attorney
Generals’ CyberCrime Unit after receiving a cybertip from Pennsylvania
authorities. Tyler was prosecuted by attorneys with the Attorney General’s
CyberCrime Unit.

The Pennsylvania tip was referred to authorities after a victim called the
National Suicide Hotline. Acting on the cybertip, CyberCrime investigators
executed a search warrant at Tyler’s Oldsmar home and seized two computers
and a laptop. Forensic evidence revealed Tyler had initiated contact with
numerous young girls, sexually soliciting the vast majority of the
victims.

Tyler was charged with two counts lewd and lascivious battery, a
second-degree felony, and one count each of lewd and lascivious conduct
and possession of child pornography, both third-degree felonies. After
Tyler is released from prison, he must serve 10 years of sex offender
probation and must register with the state as a sex offender.

Contact: Sandi Copes
Phone: 850.245.0150
Sandi.Copes@myfloridalegal.com

Attorney General Sues Miami Company Over Allegations of Fraudulent Advertising

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that his
office has sued a Miami-Dade County company and two affiliated companies
over allegations the companies and their owners enrolled consumers in a
monthly subscription program without the consumers’ knowledge or consent.
CleanWhites, is affiliated with CleanWhites Pro and Advanced CleanWhites,
markets teeth whitening products but allegations of a negative options
scam prompted the Attorney General’s investigation. … Continue Reading

McCollum: Coordinated Cybercrime Operation Nets 29 Arrests

~ “Operation Broken Heart” also rescues two children ~

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today joined law
enforcement officials from 15 Tampa area agencies to announce the results
of a six-week cybercrime operation. The operation, dubbed “Operation
Broken Heart,” was a cooperative effort targeting the Tampa Bay area and
resulting in 29 arrests, including one registered sex offender. The
operation was initiated and led by the Attorney General’s Tampa CyberCrime
Task Force. … Continue Reading

Florida Democratic Party: Thurman Renews Call For Special Prosecutor

Demands Investigation Be Expanded Into RPOF AmEx Slushfund

With news of an FDLE investigation into disgraced RPOF Chairman Jim Greer today, Florida Democratic Party Chair Karen Thurman is renewing her call for Gov. Crist to appoint a special prosecutor to lead the investigation into the alleged corruption at the RPOF. Thurman also demanded that the investigation be expanded to include the RPOF AmEx slush fund and the Republican politicians like Marco Rubio, Jeff Atwater, and Dean Cannon, who lived large on the RPOF’s dime. … Continue Reading

Statement from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Regarding the Information Referred by Attorney General Bill McCollum

FDLE has received information from Attorney General McCollum’s office which indicates possible criminal activity surrounding a former senior official of the Republican Party of Florida and Victory Strategies, LLC. … Continue Reading

Bill McCollum for Governor: Tell President Obama Florida won’t stand for Democrats’ Unconstitutional Health Care Plan

I do not need to tell you how high the stakes are in this election – not just here in Florida, but in states across the nation. The recent passage of a disastrous and costly big-government health care plan is merely the opening salvo of the Democrats’ efforts to move our nation away from the conservative, limited government principles our founding fathers envisioned. … Continue Reading

Attorney General, Tampa area law enforcement agencies to unveil results of CyberCrime operation

Attorney General Bill McCollum and multiple Tampa area law enforcement
agencies will hold a press conference tomorrow afternoon in Tampa to
unveil the results of a coordinated CyberCrime operation lasting several
weeks. The agencies involved in the operation included the Attorney
General’s CyberCrime Unit, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE),
the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), the Hillsborough County
Sheriff’s Office, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, the Sumter County
Sheriff’s Office, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, the Pinellas County
Sheriff’s Office, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the New Port
Richey Police Department, the Clearwater Police Department, the Plant City
Police Department, the St. Petersburg Police Department, the Kenneth
Police Department, the Bradenton Police Department, and the Sarasota
Police Department. … Continue Reading