• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
MENUMENU
MENUMENU
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • FlaglerLive Board of Directors
    • Comment Policy
    • Mission Statement
    • Our Values
  • Live Calendar
  • Submit Obituary
  • Submit an Event
  • Support FlaglerLive
  • Advertise on FlaglerLive (386) 503-3808
  • Search Results

FlaglerLive

No Bull, no Fluff, No Smudges

MENUMENU
  • Flagler
    • Flagler County Commission
    • Beverly Beach
    • Economic Development Council
    • Flagler History
    • Mondex/Daytona North
    • The Hammock
    • Tourist Development Council
  • Palm Coast
    • Palm Coast City Council
    • Palm Coast Crime
  • Bunnell
    • Bunnell City Commission
    • Bunnell Crime
  • Flagler Beach
    • Flagler Beach City Commission
    • Flagler Beach Crime
  • Cops/Courts
    • Circuit & County Court
    • Florida Supreme Court
    • Federal Courts
    • Flagler 911
    • Fire House
    • Flagler County Sheriff
    • Flagler Jail Bookings
    • Traffic Accidents
  • Rights & Liberties
    • Fourth Amendment
    • First Amendment
    • Privacy
    • Second Amendment
    • Seventh Amendment
    • Sixth Amendment
    • Sunshine Law
    • Third Amendment
    • Religion & Beliefs
    • Human Rights
    • Immigration
    • Labor Rights
    • 14th Amendment
    • Civil Rights
  • Schools
    • Adult Education
    • Belle Terre Elementary
    • Buddy Taylor Middle
    • Bunnell Elementary
    • Charter Schools
    • Daytona State College
    • Flagler County School Board
    • Flagler Palm Coast High School
    • Higher Education
    • Imagine School
    • Indian Trails Middle
    • Matanzas High School
    • Old Kings Elementary
    • Rymfire Elementary
    • Stetson University
    • Wadsworth Elementary
    • University of Florida/Florida State
  • Economy
    • Jobs & Unemployment
    • Business & Economy
    • Development & Sprawl
    • Leisure & Tourism
    • Local Business
    • Local Media
    • Real Estate & Development
    • Taxes
  • Commentary
    • The Conversation
    • Pierre Tristam
    • Diane Roberts
    • Guest Columns
    • Byblos
    • Editor's Blog
  • Culture
    • African American Cultural Society
    • Arts in Palm Coast & Flagler
    • Books
    • City Repertory Theatre
    • Flagler Auditorium
    • Flagler Playhouse
    • Flagler Youth Orchestra
    • Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra
    • Palm Coast Arts Foundation
    • Special Events
  • Elections 2022
    • Amendments and Referendums
    • Presidential Election
    • Campaign Finance
    • City Elections
    • Congressional
    • Constitutionals
    • Courts
    • Governor
    • Polls
    • Voting Rights
  • Florida
    • Federal Politics
    • Florida History
    • Florida Legislature
    • Florida Legislature
    • Ron DeSantis
  • Health & Society
    • Flagler County Health Department
    • Ask the Doctor Column
    • Health Care
    • Health Care Business
    • Covid-19
    • Children and Families
    • Medicaid and Medicare
    • Mental Health
    • Poverty
    • Violence
  • All Else
    • Daily Briefing
    • Americana
    • Obituaries
    • News Briefs
    • Weather and Climate
    • Wildlife

Former State GOP Leader Jim Greer Is Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Theft

March 28, 2013 | FlaglerLive | 3 Comments

Jim Greer.
Jim Greer.

Former state Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer was sentenced Wednesday to 18 months in prison for essentially stealing from the party, far less than prosecutors wanted but more than Greer’s lawyer argued he really deserved.

Greer, 50, pleaded guilty last month to money laundering and theft in connection with a scheme in which he created a company and then steered party business to it. The affair was a major embarrassment to Republicans, who forced Greer out after the matter became public.

Greer argued all along that he was being punished for supporting former Gov. Charlie Crist, who picked Greer out of obscurity to lead the party, after Crist fell out of favor with many in the GOP as he left the party and ran for U.S. Senate as an independent.

Circuit Judge Marc Lubet said he was giving Greer the 18 month prison term, instead of the term of more than 40 months sought by prosecutors, because Greer had paid $65,000 in restitution, and because Greer was facing the charges while his business partner in the fundraising company and co-conspirator in the scheme was getting off with no prison time after coming forward about the plan and working with law enforcement against Greer.

His partner in the scheme, former RPOF Executive Director Delmar Johnson, wasn’t prosecuted, and wore a wire to help prosecutors make the case against Greer.


“A court has responsibility to see that there’s justice whenever it sentences, tempered with some sort of mercy if that mercy is deserved,” Lubet told Greer at the sentencing in Orlando. He noted Greer had no prior criminal history, but that he had “egregiously violated a position of trust for your employers.

“…You are now a five times convicted felon and are going to have to live with that the rest of your life,” Lubet told Greer.

Greer’s lawyer had argued Greer should get a short sentence – saying that he was being punished because of who he was and the high profile of the case, arguing that for a similar crime, an unknown person essentially embezzling from a company would get off with no prison time.

“If this weren’t Jim Greer, this would be probation,” lawyer Damon Chase told Lubet before the sentencing. “Mr. Greer wants to move on, he wants to make amends, he is contrite for everything that occurred.”

Lubet said the violation of the position of trust deserved more than probation, but said Greer has done the right thing since his crime, noting that he’s paid back $65,000.

Greer will be on probation after he is released from prison. He was handed over to law enforcement immediately after the sentencing.

Greer had been relatively obscure, the vice mayor of Oviedo, before being chosen to head up the party in 2007. It was widely believed he was rewarded by helping Crist get elected governor. Crist denied in a deposition that he knew Greer had created a company, Victory Strategies, to secretly contract with the party for fundraising help.

Prosecutors said essentially that Greer, as party chairman, and Johnson, the director, signed the contract with Victory Strategies, without other party officials knowing they were paying themselves for “outsourced” work they were already being paid for in their positions at the party.

Prosecutors also said they chose not to prosecute Johnson because he blew the whistle on the scheme and made it possible to prosecute Greer.

“There wouldn’t be a case without Mr. Johnson, whatever his motives for coming forward were,” said prosecutor Michael Williams. “Without Mr. Johnson coming forward, we probably wouldn’t be before you today.”

–David Royse, News Service of Florida

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
You and your neighbors collectively read our articles about 25,000 times each day (that's not a typo) with up to 65,000 daily reads during emergencies like hurricanes. Flagler County residents rely on FlaglerLive for essential, bold and analytical journalism that cannot be found anywhere else. But we depend on your support. Please join our December fund drive! If you donate the cost of a scoop of ice cream, you will be helping us continue to provide comprehensive local news and honest, serious journalism for our community. If you can donate more or become a monthly donor, even better. Donations are tax deductible since FlaglerLive is a 501(c)(3) non-profit news organization. Donate by clicking anywhere in this box. Think of it as buying a scoop, in every sense of the term!  
All donors' identities are kept confidential and anonymous.
   

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Magnolia says

    March 28, 2013 at 1:38 pm

    Very disappointing. Both were as guilty as it gets, and so is Charlie Crist who knew about it all. Pretty sickening, actually.

    This slap on the wrist is not a deterrent.

    Reply
  2. Seadog says

    March 28, 2013 at 1:43 pm

    I am hopeing Greer will write a book exposing the Florida Republican Party for what it is if they dont kill him first.

    Reply
  3. johnny taxpayer says

    March 28, 2013 at 1:56 pm

    As I’m sure the comment section will no doubt quickly fill up with holier than thou comments about how this is indicative of republicans and essentially all republicans are criminals etc… Let me just call attention to one statement in the article that is particularly relevant

    “The affair was a major embarrassment to Republicans, who forced Greer out after the matter became public” – emphasis on the “forced Greer out part”…

    There is a long history of politicians in both parties breaking the law, however the history in how each party deals with the criminals is not alike. Republicans typically move quickly to force the criminal out of their elected positions, democrats simply do not. Jesse Jackson Jr- reelected while under federal investigation without even campaigning and only finally resigned as part of his plea deal. LA Congressman William Jefferson, reelected after being charged with 16 counts of corruption. Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, former House Weighs and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel, the list goes on and on…

    And finally let’s not forget who put Mr. Greer in his position in the first place, none other than John Morgan’s paid for puppet, Charlie Suntan, now a democrat.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Advertisers

  • grand living realty
  • politis matovina attorneys for justice personal injury law auto truck accidents
  • WNZF Creekside Festival

Recent Comments

  • Kris on Up to 210 Homes Approved on Old Kings Road South of SR100 But Polo Club West Neighbors Have Worries
  • Wow on Up to 210 Homes Approved on Old Kings Road South of SR100 But Polo Club West Neighbors Have Worries
  • Laurel on Malacompra Beach Annexation Into Palm Coast Draws Frosty but Not Fatal Response from Joint Committee
  • DAve on School Board Trio Will Hire an Attorney to Help Them Fire Board’s Attorney of 17 Years
  • DAve on Up to 210 Homes Approved on Old Kings Road South of SR100 But Polo Club West Neighbors Have Worries
  • Atwp on Rezoning Enabling Up to 850 Homes in Seminole Woods Causes Sharp Debate Before Palm Coast Approval
  • Celia M Pugliese on Up to 210 Homes Approved on Old Kings Road South of SR100 But Polo Club West Neighbors Have Worries
  • JimboXYZ on Covid Deaths in Florida Near 91,000
  • Atwp on School Board Trio Will Hire an Attorney to Help Them Fire Board’s Attorney of 17 Years
  • T on Up to 210 Homes Approved on Old Kings Road South of SR100 But Polo Club West Neighbors Have Worries
  • Kat on Up to 210 Homes Approved on Old Kings Road South of SR100 But Polo Club West Neighbors Have Worries
  • jeffery c. seib on Rezoning Enabling Up to 850 Homes in Seminole Woods Causes Sharp Debate Before Palm Coast Approval
  • The dude on 2-Hour Standoff Involving Threats of Gunfire on Brunswick Lane Ends with Arrest of Michael Wells, 57, on 4 Felonies
  • polly sci on Rezoning Enabling Up to 850 Homes in Seminole Woods Causes Sharp Debate Before Palm Coast Approval
  • The dude on School Board Trio Will Hire an Attorney to Help Them Fire Board’s Attorney of 17 Years
  • jeffery c. seib on Up to 210 Homes Approved on Old Kings Road South of SR100 But Polo Club West Neighbors Have Worries

Log in