The Broward Democratic Party wants Gov. Charlie Crist to use his authority to veto a proposal for a floating gasworks off northern Fort Lauderdale.
A resolution opposing the terminal and pipeline passed unanimously Tuesday night at the monthly meeting of a couple of hundred Democrats who govern the local party.
The Democrats acted at the request of Ivan Itkin, president of the Galt Ocean Grassroots Organization, a Democratic Party club.
Broward Democratic Chairman Mitch Ceasar called it a "godawful idea" and "highly detrimental to our community." He said defeating the idea is "critical to the health and welfare of Broward County and all of South Florida."
Suez Energy North America Inc., a subsidiary of a huge French energy company, has proposed construction of the Calypso Deepwater Port, twin undersea terminals 7.7 and 10.3 miles off the coast to receive natural gas deliveries from tankers and send the highly flammable fuel through a pipeline to South Florida's power plants.
Read more about the proposed project, and the reaction to it, here.
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Campaign checks help gas terminal and pipeline company say Hello Broward
> Posted by Anthony Man
The Houston-based company whose plan to build a liquefied natural gas terminal and pipeline off the Fort Lauderdale coast is sparking opposition has introduced itself to key Florida politicians -- with campaign contributions.
Suez Energy North America Inc. has donated to U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, who represents most of the Broward coastline, including the area with growing public concern over the gas project.
The company has also given to U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, who represents communities in northern and central Broward, and to U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez.
The contributions aren't enormous. Federal Election Commission records show Klein received three checks totaling $5,000 toward this year's re-election. Wexler got $3,500 in two installments for his 2008 campaign and Martinez got one $3,000 check toward his 2010 re-election effort.
Suez Energy's political action committee is giving to both sides. Klein and Wexler are Democrats; Martinez is a Republican.
Julie Vitek, vice president of communications at Suez, said contributing to campaigns "is one way for us to connect with the elected officials in areas where we have an operating presence or hope to have one. It provides us with an opportunity to introduce ourselves, build relationships and share information in the same vein as being members of a business trade association, a civic group, or advertising in a local newspaper."
Suez, a subsidiary of a French energy company, wants to build twin undersea terminals 7.7 miles and 10.3 miles off the coast. The Calypso Deepwater Port would receive natural gas deliveries from tankers and send the fuel through a pipeline to South Florida's power plants.
Opposition to the $400 million project has increased in recent weeks. Commissioners in several cities are opposed to the project and the Broward Democratic Party passed a resolution last month urging Republican Gov. Charlie Crist to use his power to veto the proposal.
One of the leading opponents is Ivan Itkin, president of the Galt Ocean Grassroots Organization, a local Democratic club.
He said he's more interested in getting Klein and Wexler to oppose the project than the fact that they've taken money from Suez.
"As long as they petition the governor and use their political efforts to support our efforts, then I'm happy," Itkin said. "If they take Suez' money and then decide to support us, then I'm happy with that."
Klein said he didn't know details of the project. He said his staff would monitor the issue and he would get involved if need be.
The congressman said he wasn't aware of the Suez contributions, which are a tiny fraction of the $2.1 million cash in his campaign warchest as of March 31, the end of the most recent reporting period.
He said the money wouldn't make any difference to his policy stand. "I will always be out there on the public safety side," he said.
More concerned is Paul Renneisen, Klein's challenger in the Aug. 26 Democratic primary.
Renneisen said he thinks the project and Klein's accepting Suez money would become an issue in the campaign.
Wexler, the other Broward recipient of Suez money, hasn't taken a position, said his chief of staff, Eric Johnson.
"He's been open to hearing from [Suez] on the merits of the project, and certainly open to hearing from the constituents and the public in Broward County," he said. "Most importantly, he would never support anything that does not meet all the safety concerns of the county."
Johnson said Wexler has raised almost $2 million for the 2008 election, "so he gets supported by numerous interest groups, companies, local and national, and contributions he receives never determine how he votes and what he supports."
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