Orlando Sentinel

Money talks in toll-road scandal

- Scott Maxwell

The latest 400 pages of testimony in Orlando’s toll-road scandal read like a Hollywood script.

There are secret meetings in the backrooms of high-end steakhouse­s, strategy sessions about punishing enemies and rewarding friends, and covert talks about deals worth tens of millions of public dollars.

But the theme that stands out most is the puppetry of it all— how, in American politics, moneyed interests pull the strings of all-too-willing marionette­s.

Take it from the state’s star witness— and lead puppet— Marco Peña.

During the course of two days, Peña told investigat­ors howhe kissed the right rings to rise to power— and howhe allowed everyone to pull his strings once he got there. Call it the story of “Peñacchio.” Peña starts by confessing he didn’t even care much about the expressway authority. He just wanted to get into power. Hewas willing to take whatever post he could get— clerk of court, airport board, you name it.

Forget experience or knowledge. Peña just wanted Gov. Rick Scott to put him on something after losing a race for the state Legislatur­e in 2012.

So Peña turned to Chris Dorworth— a former legislator-turned-lobbyist whom Peña viewed as gatekeeper to Republican politics.

Peña said that Dorworth and other behind-thescenes players— land developers and bond brokers — vetted him to make sure hewas “pro-business” and “not a huge environmen­talist.”

Once everyone was satisfied, Scott appointed Peña to the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority. Then the real lobbying began. Peña said that Norm Pellegrini, a bond salesman who helped get the authority into some costly and criticized bond deals several years back, tried to convince Peña that those bonds were actually good for the authority.

Therewas also a dinner in a private room at Christner’s (formerly Del Frisco’s) Steakhouse in Winter Park. Peña thought itwas simply meant to congratula­te him on his appointmen­t. Instead, Peña found a crowded table.

Seated therewere Dorworth, state Rep. Jason Brodeur, former Seminole County Commission­er Randy Morris, attorney Damon Chase— and, perhaps most important, developer Jim Palmer.

Investigat­ors focused a lot of their questions on Palmer. His name comes up 51 times during the interview.

Peña said the dinner quickly turned into a lobbying game. The group tried to convince Peña that the authority should give Palmer $32 million for land needed to build a road.

One appraisal would later suggest the land was worth only a fraction of that—$12 million. But Palmer wanted $32 million. The group told Peña the authority should give it to him. And Peña said Dorworth later told him that Palmer “takes care of his friends, or something to that effect.” That image stinks. Don’t take it fromme. Take it from former allies of Palmer, including Mayor Teresa Jacobs, State Rep. Bryan Nelson and County Commission­er Jennifer Thompson— all of whom recently vowed to refuse or refund campaign money that Palmer sent theirway.

It’s fine and dandy that these folks are giving Palmer back a few thousand dollars. I’m more concerned about the hundreds of millions of public dollars Palmer is still controllin­g at another local transporta­tion agency— the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, where Palmer is also an appointee of Rick Scott.

It’s time for Palmer to step aside from that position. Peña’s recounting suggests that Palmer doesn’t have any qualms staging private meetings about public business ... and public money. That should concern everyone.

Listen, I don’t have much sympathy for “Peñacchio,” who pleaded guilty to violating the state Sunshine Laws. If Peña was played as a puppet, it was because he offered himself up as one.

But at least Peña is gone from public office and the expressway disbanded.

I’m no longer worried about the puppets. I’m worried about the folks whowere pulling their strings— the moneyed interests still out there.

Because if your puppet’s strings get cut, all you do is find another one.

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