Jul.06, 2010
Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum says he expects to give a deposition in the criminal trial of former Republican Party of Florida chairman Jim Greer.
Greer faces charges of fraud, money laundering and grand theft. He was accused of skimming off ten percent of contributions to the Republican Party.
Cheney Mason, Greer's attorney, says he will try to keep McCollum and his department from prosecuting the case because he believes McCollum and other Republican Party leaders organized a campaign to remove Greer from his position as chairman.
McCollum denies any conflict of interest in the case.
“It’s nice for defense lawyers to try to create reasons or excuses for their clients but in this particular case, I think you know the story," said McCollum. "As soon as the Republican party of Florida learned that there was a reasonable basis to suspect there might be some criminal behavior, they asked what I advised and I advised referral to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. That’s where it went for investigation and that’s where the case is.”
After the FDLE investigated the allegations against Greer, the case went to the Office of Statewide Prosecution, which is in McCollum's department.
McCollum says the process is “perfectly normal” and without political motives.