Gov. Crist's $31,700 ethical question

A group of Republican Party of Florida leaders expect their campaign contributions back from now-independent U.S. Senate candidate and Gov. Charlie Crist.

But Crist, after first saying he would “probably” return the contributions, says that's not going to happen now.

It may not have helped the betrayed contributors that research by the Palm Beach Post, later confirmed by a St. Pete Times inquiry, found that of the 20 RPOF leaders signing a letter seeking contributions returned, only 11 actually gave money to Crist's campaign. Crist has chosen to make campaign rhetoric out of that fact rather than talk about the actual issue of returning the money.

Those 11 individuals made contributions totaling $31,700 when Crist was a Republican — mere pocket change out of $10 million he's raised so far. Crist only became an independent in May when polls suggested it was his best chance to win the Senate race.

Thanks to a federal election campaign law loophole not requiring Crist to refund contributions made in reliance on party affiliation, Coffee Talk wonders where morals and ethics rank with a candidate increasingly associated with flip-flopping on issues.