State Government Tampa Senator Admits He Didn't Report Large Gift from Supporter

BRADENTON – State Senator Jim Norman (R-TAMPA) has admitted to the Florida Commission on Ethics that he violated state law by neglecting to disclose $500,000 given to his wife by a wealthy conservative political activist for the purchase of an Arkansas lake house vacation property in 2006.

Norman signed a consent order earlier this month, just after the ethics commission found probable cause that he'd broken the law. In the order, he admitted to four counts, including not disclosing a gift and not disclosing his interest in the Arkansas home, as well as two boats.

Norman, a former Hillsborough County Commissioner, said he didn't know where the money for the half-million dollar purchase came from when the story first broke in 2010, while he was running for the Florida Senate. He was initially disqualified from the ballot when a judge called the explanation that the money was an investment ”patently absurd.“

That removal was overturned on appeal when the panel noted that despite the failure to disclose the items when filing for office, Norman, who'd already won a primary, still met all of the constitutional requirements to be on the ballot. Norman then went on to win in the general election, where he was unopposed. Jon Korsak, a 39-year-old GOP activist and homeland security consultant from Lutz, is running against Norman in this year's GOP primary for the seat.

The large sum of money had been given to Norman's wife by one of Norman's friends, Ralph Hughes, a millionaire GOP power broker and founder of Cast-Crete, a corporation that produces pre-cast concrete. Hughes died in 2008, while under investigation by the IRS regarding at least $300 million in unpaid corporate and personal tax liabilities, according to a civil lawsuit filed by the Justice Department. Hughes, a strong pro-growth proponent in the hillsborough area, regularly had interests in issues that came before the county commission while Norman was a member of the board. 

ABC Action News originally broke the story in 2010. Click below to watch their broadcast.