What did the Governor Know...

and when did he know it?

That is the question on many minds as more details surface on the Jim Greer arrest. Attorneys for the ousted and indicted Republican Party of Florida chairman are now saying a deal for his company to do party work was legal, and that Gov. Charlie Crist knew about it from the get-go. Additionally, they claim sitting Sen. George LeMieux was in on it too. The Miami Herald, linked above, broke the story today.

If true, the news could be explosive, but that is still a big if. Also, it is likely a mistake to focus too much on the statements because they may be no big deal. Greer faces six felony counts here, including four counts of grand theft. Greer may be making noise about something that is not germain to his indictment. But this is certainly embarrassing for Crist and LeMieux, if nothing else. It may well mean subpoenas get these men making the wrong kind of headlines in coming months as they get dragged into court as witnesses.

If this isn't true, as both Crist and LeMieux claim, one wonders why Greer would make it up. Of course, it is damaging to Crist, and perhaps the governor's defection from the party made Greer vindictive. Honestly, Greer's support of Crist in the GOP primary cost him his job at RPOF as much as any shady dealings with party money. But going after a sitting Republican senator, one appointed by Crist but supportive of Marco Rubio in the Senate race, is a step further down the road to vengence, and could wound the party going forward. Of course, that is likely of little concern to Greer these days.

Legal uncertainties make it hard to say how this will affect the political races. Unless Crist or LeMieux is found criminally responsible for any of this mess, then this too shall pass. We need to know whether prosuctors care about how the Victory Strategies deal constructed from the start, or just about how Greer spent the money once he got his grubby GOP hands on it. If the latter is the case, then AmEx users like Marco Rubio and Bill McCollum could be as hurt as Crist, if not more so. But if prosecutors pursue this on the grounds Greer's company should never have gotten party money in the first place, then Crist is probably toast.

The newly independent governor so far has successfully created the sense among Florida voters that he is the innocent being screwed over by extemist party politics. But Rubio will sieze an any opportunity to remind voters Crist was part of the machine until a couple months ago. Kendrick, should he ever begin campaigning seriously for this seat, also has the opportunity to remind voters that 12 years of GOP domination in state politics has wrought some ugly things for the Sunshine State.

And as it becomes clear that the RPOF during Crist's tenure as governor was among the most corrupt organizations ever involved in state politics, this newfound outsider glow will be harder to come by for the man with the golden tan.