ABOUT THIS STORY

Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, will be one of the state’s most powerful legislators when he becomes Senate president in 2017. In addition to being influential, he has cultivated a public image as a conservative family man of high moral character. Has he been influenced by $650,000 in campaign donations from the lucrative alcohol, tobacco and gambling industries? To find out, Treasure Coast Newspapers analyzed his donations, legislative actions and policy stances.

State Sen. Joe Negron has sponsored legislation and taken policy stances that benefit alcohol, tobacco and gambling interests, which have donated $650,000 to him since 2012, a Treasure Coast Newspapers investigation found. Namely, Negron opposes increased taxes on those industries.

Money from those lucrative and powerful lobbies accounted for about 14 percent of the $4.5 million donated to Treasure Coast Alliance and Florida Conservative Action Committee, the two political committees the Stuart Republican formed to help power him to the Senate presidency for the 2017-18 term.

MORE | How Joe Negron ascended to Florida Senate presidency

Negron has benefited from alcohol and gambling money since his 1999 state House run, but only recently received significant tobacco money when a small family-owned Miami cigarette manufacturer started writing checks in 2013.

"It's surprising, knowing that he has not been supportive of the tobacco industry in any way that I can tell by looking at his record," said Dr. Barry Hummel, a Coral Springs pediatrician who serves on two statewide tobacco prevention groups. "I'm always concerned when I see someone take money from the industry because I don't know if that influences a decision down the road."

How much money has Joe Negron received?

Click on red-and-white stars to learn more.

MONEY AND INFLUENCE

Negron said there is no connection between his donations and decisions; the money merely shows support for his political positions and allies.

"Individuals have a right to participate in the political process by contributing to candidates and causes they believe in," he said. "I make my decisions on what I believe is the best policy for my constituents and the state of Florida."

In fact, Negron has accepted donations from businesses on the opposing side of some issues that benefit alcohol, tobacco and gambling, the newspaper investigation showed.

Negron declined to discuss the dangers those vices pose to people who overindulge. Alcohol and tobacco use have long been associated with major health issues, while gambling and alcohol abuse are among the leading causes of financial problems for people and their families. Some studies have linked the increased availability of alcohol, tobacco and gambling to a rise in the number of people who overindulge in them.

"I leave it up to individuals to make their own lifestyle decisions," Negron said. "My policy is that individuals and businesses that contribute to me and my political committee are supporting my political efforts. Ultimately, I decide how to vote based on what I think is good public policy and best for my constituents."

MORE | Click on red-and-white star to see what Common Cause said.

GAMBLING

Gambling interests have donated $522,500 to Negron, including $10,000 from the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

The tribe, whose seven casinos generate an estimated $2 billion annual revenue, has spent more than $4 million on donations to state candidates, committees and both political parties since 2010. Negron said he supports Gov. Rick Scott's proposal to give the tribe exclusive rights to operate blackjack and add craps and roulette tables in its casinos for 20 years, in exchange for paying the state $3 billion for the first seven years.

The deal also would allow the Legislature to permit new slot machines at the Palm Beach Kennel Club and an undetermined South Florida pari-mutuel facility, and allow "racinos" to seek voter approval to operate limited blackjack.

"Once amendments are adopted that address some of my concerns, I intend to support the proposed Seminole gaming compact," Negron said, adding he wants to make sure the deal is fair by providing gambling options to all areas of the state, not just South Florida.

Negron said the new state revenue could benefit the Treasure Coast, through the St. Lucie River Coalition, Loxahatchee River Initiative and Indian River State College's vocational education building renovation. It also could help Caulkins Citrus Co. expand a reservoir it built on its Martin County farm to hold up to 30 billion gallons of stormwater runoff that otherwise would pollute the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon.

PARI-MUTUELS

Negron has received $185,000 from eight pari-mutuel outlets, including $15,000 from the parent company of Fort Pierce Jai Alai & Poker of Fort Pierce, the only pari-mutuel facility on the Treasure Coast.

The Seminole deal prompted various pari-mutuel operators to try to get a piece of the action, said No Casinos spokesman Paul Seago. The nonprofit watchdog group opposes the deal because it "expands gambling both on and off tribal property in a way that would be a historic expansion of gambling," he said.

"It picks two out of the two or three dozen (pari-mutuels) that exist in the state and grants them slot machines, which is going to create a feeding frenzy in the state for others," Seago said. "Each different pari-mutuel — whether it's dog track or a horse track — they all have lobbyists. Instead of being a unified front, now they're all fighting: 'How come he gets this and why do they get this and what about me?' "

As part of the Seminole deal, the Senate Committee on Regulated Industries is researching what types of gambling should be allowed at which locations, Negron said.

"I don't have an objection to pari-mutuels being allowed to have poker rooms and other activities," he said, "as long as they are approved by voters in a referendum."

MIAMI CASINOS



Negron has received $125,000 from the iconic Fontainebleau Resort in Miami Beach and $105,000 from the Genting casino group of Malaysia and its Bayfront 2011 Development subsidiary.

The Fontainebleau, with an $80 million profit in 2012, has long been reported as a future gambling outlet, possibly even a Las Vegas-style casino. Genting, with a $1.8 billion profit in 2013, reportedly wants to build a casino at the site of the old Miami Herald building overlooking Biscayne Bay.

QUIZ | How well do you know Negron, vice industries?

"Fontainebleau is interested in, perhaps, including gaming if the Seminole Compact is approved," Negron said, adding he wants to do more research and review the Senate Committee on Regulated Industries' findings before taking a stance.

"It would be premature to weigh in on the merits or viability of specific projects at this time," Negron said. "My guiding principal is that any expansion of gaming should be approved by a referendum of the voters in that community."

FANTASY SPORTS



The Fantasy Sports Trade Association, which lobbies to promote the spread of the multibillion-dollar fantasy sports gambling industry, contributed $10,000 to Negron in September.

Negron sponsored a Senate bill to legalize fantasy sports gambling in November.

"I can see no reason why the state would criminalize an entertainment activity millions of law-abiding Floridians choose to participate in," Negron said, calling fantasy sports a game of skill, not chance. "Gaming is a part of Florida's entertainment structure, along with the voter-approved state lottery."

Negron said he's received donations from both sides of the issue, such as $85,000 from Disney, a traditional opponent of expanding gambling in Florida, according to Negron and Seago.

"My campaign and political committee has received contributions from hundreds of individuals and businesses, some of whom support gaming and some of whom oppose it," Negron said.

The gambling industry is particularly known for paying for influence, Seago said.

"The industry is not doing so well in various places and so they have to keep expanding into new markets," he said, "and they see Florida as an untapped market."

DOSAL TOBACCO



Dosal Tobacco has contributed $26,000 to Negron, who has long backed efforts to discourage youngsters from smoking.

Yet he also opposed Sen. Thad Altman's 2013 bill that would have imposed a 52 cents per-pack fee on Dosal and other companies that were dismissed from the government's multibillion-dollar lawsuit settlements in the 1990s because there was no evidence they engaged in the same kind of wrongdoing as the major tobacco companies.

Dosal can charge $1 to $2 less per pack in Florida for its "305" and "DTC" cigarettes than the major brands — and wants to keep it that way.

"The Legislature should not tax one company to tip the scales of business in the favor of another," CEO/CFO Yolanda Nader said in an email. "Taxing Dosal — which did not engage in fraud or any wrongful acts — at the urging of out-of-state tobacco companies that now do not like the terms of a settlement they agreed to, sends the wrong message to all Florida business owners and employers."

Negron and Dosal employ the same public relations firm, Bascom Communications & Consulting of Tallahassee, but Negron and Bascom said the firm has played no role in his fundraising.

MORE | Click on red-and-white star to see what Dosal said.

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

Southern Wine & Spirits of America, a Miami company whose reported $11.9 billion in annual revenue makes it the nation's largest broker and distributor, has contributed $65,000 to Negron.

Anheuser-Busch, whose stock reportedly was valued at $204 billion as of May, and its Southern Eagle Distributing subsidiary contributed a combined $20,000 to Negron.

None of the three companies appears to have a major interest in 2016 legislation.

"I'm not aware of specific proposals this session that directly affects Southern Wines or affects Anheuser-Busch," Negron said.

MORE | Click on red-and-white stars to see opinions from local professionals.

Digitally produced by Dacia Johnson