Jim Greer, former Florida GOP chairman, sentenced to 18 months in prison [View all]

[Ichingcarpenter]

An Orlando judge today sentenced Jim Greer, former high-flying chairman of the Florida GOP, to 18 months in prison, followed by one year of probation.

"You certainly in my opinion egregiously violated a position of trust," Circuit Judge Marc Lubet said at sentencing. "While you do need to go to prison for this, you don't need to go for 42 or 46 months."

It was a humbling end for a man who, until four years ago, wielded enormous political power in Florida and was part of then-Gov. Charlie Crist's inner circle.

But the sentence was significantly lower than what the state had asked for: a 3 1/2-year prison term.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-jim-greer-sentence-20130327,0,7299839.story