The campaign that wants to bring Las Vegas-style slot machines to racetracks and jai-alai frontons in
Miami-Dade and Broward counties has reported spending nearly $2.7 million in politically potent ways
to push the initiative, including $10,000 earmarked for state Senate Majority Leader Alex Villalobos'
father, a Miami attorney.
Villalobos, a Miami Republican who practices law with his father, Jose, is poised to play a key role in
determining how the slots will be regulated, if voters in the two counties approve them in a March 8
referendum.
But Villalobos, his father and a lead lobbyist for the gambling facilities said Tuesday that even though
the money showed up in a required state spending report, it never changed hands. Lobbyist Ron Book
said he asked the elder Villalobos' opinion on county issues and wrote him a check to retain his
services -- but that Villalobos turned him down.
''I sought his advice and counsel and thought that I should pay for his services, but he didn't want to be
hired or retained,'' Book said, noting he's known Jose Villalobos for more than three decades. 'I called
him and said, `We want to put you on the payroll for helping.' He said, 'I'm not interested.' ''
Jose Villalobos, a contract attorney for the city of West Miami, said he does not accept work that
could conflict with his son's public role.
''I specify that my son is in the Legislature and I don't do cases that involve the Legislature to avoid
any potential misunderstandings,'' Jose Villalobos said.
REQUIRES REGULATION
Voters in November approved allowing the two counties to hold the referendums on slots. If voters
permit the machines in the seven gambling facilities that are backing the measure, it will be up to
Florida lawmakers to write regulations governing the machines.
Alex Villalobos said he would likely have to recuse himself from participating in the debate if his father
were involved.
''That would be a potential problem, that this could come up to us,'' the senator said. ``I've talked to
my father. He's not been retained, he's not been paid, absolutely not.''
Book said the expenditure shows up on a finance report filed Friday with the Florida Department of
State because a campaign check was made out to Jose Villalobos. But, Book said, that check was
never mailed. ''Once they cut a check, it's recorded,'' he said.
NATIONAL FIRMS
The expenditure is one of dozens that the ''Yes for Better Schools and Jobs'' campaign has reported as
it spends millions to spur voters to the polls. The biggest checks went to national political consulting
firms, including $169,000 to Feather, Larson & Synhorst, a telemarketing company that boasts as its
clients President Bush and his brother, Gov. Jeb Bush.
The campaign also paid $216,806 to a Democratic grass-roots consulting group, FieldWorks,
underscoring that the issue transcends partisan lines.
The campaign also paid a veritable ''who's who'' of Miami-Dade and Broward power brokers, including
$117,500 to Miami strategist Al Lorenzo, who ran Miami Mayor Manny Diaz's 2001 campaign;
$45,000 to a firm run by Diaz's former chief of staff, Francois Illas; $35,000 to Miami-Dade political
consultant Susan Fried; and $8,000 to Art Kennedy, a district aide to U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings,
D-Miramar, and longtime political activist with ties to Broward's black communities.
THEY KNOW THE JOB
''These are people who understand campaigns and how to run them,'' Book said. ``This is a question of
people who have access to large groups of people, reminding them there was a vote in November,
there's a vote on March 8. We've got to reach out and remind them to finish the deal.''
Foes of the slots didn't file a report electronically, but said Tuesday that they have raised no money
since the beginning of the year.
''There are lots of people with passion. We have the mayors of both counties behind us,'' said Paul
Seago, a spokesman for No Casinos, which raised more than $300,000 to battle the November
initiative. ``That next step? Checks are hard to come by.''
The Seminole Tribe of Florida, which owns several gambling sites across the state, spent $5.6 million
on a last-minute media blitz against the amendment in the November election, but the tribe has not
said whether it plans a similar campaign this time. The Miccosukee Tribe and cruise boat casino
operators also have not said if they will ante up to oppose the issue.