Critics of Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, have long suspected that a lucrative book contract he inked with Brevard Community College in 2003 was unusual. It is. In fact, it’s the only book contract the college signed in the last 10 years.
Although Haridopolos abandoned his campaign for the U.S. Senate this Monday, opponents are continuing to dog the lawmaker for the Brevard arrangement. Mark Ferrulo, executive director of the liberal advocacy group Progress Florida, wrote to Haridopolos on Wednesday, calling on the state senator to return the $152,000 he earned writing Florida Legislative History and Processes for the college, where he worked as an assistant professor.
“We believe that the taxpayers deserve a refund,” Ferrulo wrote. “You have more than enough funds in your campaign’s war chest to donate $152,000 to the Brevard Community College Foundation. More than 4,000 Floridians have signed a petition urging you to return these funds, and we believe this is the best (and easiest) way for you to do so.” (Read more about Progress Florida’s petition here.)
In February, the Associated Press reported that Brevard President Jim Drake admitted that Haridopolos’ “compensation was much more than normal,” and his contract was an “unusual” deal.
Very unusual, as it turns out. When asked for details on any other Brevard book contracts from the last decade, the college’s director of marketing and media relations said there have been none.
Read Haridopolos’ contract for yourself:
