Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Thomas A Watson who wrote (307050)	10/10/2002 1:56:23 PM
From: GROUND ZERO™	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 769670

Arrest warrant issued for state senator in drug case By Buddy Nevins and Linda Kleindienst Staff Writers and the Associated Press Posted October 10 2002, 7:31 AM EDT An arrest warrant was issued Wednesday for state Sen. Mandy Dawson (D) on a prescription drug fraud charge, police said. Tallahassee police Chief Walter McNeil told the Tallahassee Democrat that the charge has to do with prescription drug fraud. McNeil said the department planned to issue a statement Thursday. A shift commander reached at the Tallahassee Police Department declined comment, only to say that ``it is an open investigation.'' Dawson, D-Fort Lauderdale, was questioned during the past month about a prescription obtained at a Tallahassee pharmacy, according to three top political and law enforcement sources in Leon and Broward counties. The sources said the prescription was allegedly altered by adding the figure "1" in front of the quantity of pills prescribed. Dawson, who is up for re-election on Nov. 5 against independent Fred Segal, could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. She represents District 29, which stretches from central Broward County to northern Palm Beach County, mostly along both sides of Interstate 95. She easily beat challengers Corey Alston and A. Tarkan Ocal in the Democratic primary, gaining more than 60 percent of the vote. Her victory came despite criticism of her repeated absences from the Senate and the revelation she had erroneously claimed a degree from Florida A&M University on her résumé. Dawson conceded she did not correct newspaper stories, legislative publications and résumés containing the false information about the degree. She said that someone else made the original mistake and that the error was irrelevant to the voters of her district. She also had an explanation for her absences after Alston attacked her for missing more than 400 votes. She blamed them on migraine headaches, back surgery and the struggle of trying to raise three children as a single mother. Two years ago, in a highly unusual move, Senate President Toni Jennings sharply chastised Dawson publicly for being two hours late to a session and missing 14 votes. Records show she missed eight of 22 committee meetings in the first half of the 2000 legislative session. In 2001, as chairwoman of the Broward Legislative Delegation, Dawson's repeated absences kept other Broward legislators and residents waiting. This year, Dawson missed a major part of the two-month session because of back surgery. A former welfare mother who has become a leader in the political community, Dawson was a legislative aide in Tallahassee for four years before winning a seat in the state House in 1992. Six years later, she beat incumbent Matt Meadows, D-Lauderhill, for a seat in the Senate. Her major supporter in that race was U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, and his Broward political operative, Art Kennedy. Kennedy on Wednesday said he was shocked by news of the police investigation. Sen. Ron Klein, D-Delray Beach, the incoming Senate Democratic leader, said he had heard rumors about the investigation and tried to reach Dawson a couple of days ago. He said he had not heard back from her. "I don't know if there is any validity [to the rumors]," Klein said. "I know that she had a number of serious medical problems." Buddy Nevins can be reached at bnevins@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4571. Copyright © 2002, South Florida Sun-Sentinel GZ