John Thrasher's firm made thousands over 2 years from testing companies.

[Orlandodem]

Low and behold a bill that require MANY new tests for Florida's schools was introduced.

Are the Republicans putting Florida's children up for sale?

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2010-04-19/story/testing-companies-paid-thrashers-former-lobbying-firm


Two out-of-state companies that offer education testing paid a lobbying firm where state Sen. John Thrasher was a partner between $60,000 and $190,000 over a two-year period, state records indicate.

During the current legislative session, Thrasher, a St. Augustine Republican, sponsored Senate Bill 6, which, among other things, would have required school districts to develop or acquire end-of-course assessment tests.

After drawing stiff criticism from educators and teachers' unions, the bill was vetoed Thursday by Gov. Charlie Crist.

Thrasher left the lobbying firm, Southern Strategy, in 2009 and has denied personally lobbying on behalf of the testing companies.

"I never had any connection to ," he said. "I was bought out last May and don't even have any connection with them anymore."

The companies - Ohio-based IQ Innovations and New Jersey-based Educational Testing Service - say the lobbying Southern Strategy did on their behalf was unrelated to Thrasher's bill.

IQ Innovations paid between $60,000 and $150,000 to Southern Strategy in 2008 and 2009, and Educational Testing Service paid the firm between $4 and $40,000 over the same period, according to state compensation reports. Lobbying firms are only required to report a range of payments received from clients.

The companies are still clients of Southern Strategy, but 2010 compensation reports are not yet filed with the state.

Southern Strategy founder Paul Bradshaw declined comment, saying it's company policy to not speak to the media about clients.

In 2009, Thrasher reported more than $1.5 million in income from Southern Strategy. Included in that amount is a $695,169 buyout, $614,613 in stock sales and $190,509 in salary, according to financial disclosure reports.

Lobbyists for Southern Strategy gave more than $7,200 to Thrasher's campaign when he ran for his Senate seat in 2009.