Scandal is eating at the Florida GOP, thanks to new federal probes into its financial management. In my piece today over on the home page, I look into how these probes are affecting both the Rubio and Crist campaigns. Rubio, as his campaign reminds us, is reportedly only being looked at by the IRS, while Jim Greer, a former Crist ally, is reportedly being investigated for possible criminal wrongdoing by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement:

Both Republicans’ responses to the news of investigations this week are indicative of how they hope to use, or brush off, the credit-card issue, as well as growing concern about a public perception of the RPOF as having a culture of corruption. The latter may ultimately influence the race more than any bickering over expenses. “Getting this information out in the open will be the best way to deal with it,” Rubio said. “As far as my spending is concerned, it was for legitimate political purposes. When I made personal charges, I paid for them directly to American Express . . . I welcome the chance to set the record straight once and for all.”
While Rubio hopes to make sunshine the best disinfectant for the Sunshine State GOP, Amanda Hennenberg, a Crist spokeswoman, has rushed to tie the rumored investigations to Rubio’s character. “This speaks to a wider issue that undercuts Speaker Rubio’s credibility when it comes to his fiscal conservative credentials, as well as raises questions about this political insider’s use of public office for his own personal enrichment,” she said in a statement. “As we have said before, when it comes to Speaker Rubio, it’s not what we know, it’s what we don’t know YET” (her capitals).

More here.