Jeff Greene, Hoping for a Photo Op to Save His Ailing Campaign, Visits Illegal Homeless Shelter

By Eric Barton Wed., Aug. 18 2010 at 10:26 AM

Greene with Westgate Tabernacle Bishop Avis Hill yesterday.

Things just don't seem to be going well for Palm Beach billionaire Jeff Greene. Here he was in West Palm Beach yesterday, hoping his stop at a homeless shelter would be a bit of good press as his campaign for U.S. Senate implodes.

But the shelter Greene picked for his photo op probably wasn't a smart political choice. Greene visited Westgate Tabernacle Church, which is operating an illegal homeless shelter.

In May, Westgate lost a long legal battle against Palm Beach County to keep its 75-person homeless shelter open. It's facing more than $200,000 in fines for violating
county statutes, but Bishop Avis Hill says he never shut down the shelter, despite media reports otherwise.

"I haven't stopped, really," he said. "Unfortunately, the demand is so great, I couldn't do that."

Greene campaign spokesman Luis Vizcaino refused to respond to a question about whether he or Greene knew about the shelter's illegal status.

"Jeff believes we need to come together and help the country," Vizcaino said. Asked for a yes or no, Vizcaino repeated the mantra and then hung up.

During the stop at Westgate, Greene responded to accusations about parties on his yacht that featured celebrities, strippers, and drugs (click here for a slideshow of photos from the yacht). A former stewardess on Greene's yacht published this first-person account on the Juice yesterday morning. Hours later, Greene told the Sunshine State News:

"I don't even know who this is [making accusations], but I can tell you, we have a zero-tolerance policy -- always have, always will. Anything to do with anything illegal... there was never drugs or firearms or anything around me or around my yacht."

The stories about Greene's yacht appear to have derailed his campaign. After pulling even with U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek for the Democratic nomination, he's now trailing.

Today, Greene is in Orlando, where he'll visit a restaurant, appropriately named Oh! Que Bueno.

Tags:

elections, Jeff Greene, Kendrick Meek, U.S Senate

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Bishop Avis L. Hill

To Little To Late: I am no longer pastor of Westgate Tabernacle. However, this counties Head Code Enforement Officer, Terry Verner (Retired) brought his own brother in law, to Westgate by night, dropping his brother and sister in law off a block away, knowing if caught he would loose his position. All the time be day, sending his Code enjorcement offer's by to write violations on a church only offering a cool drink of water and a morsel of bread. Boca Magizine thought enough of Westgate's humanitian work to award me, as one of 10 of the year. And polling by a local TV station determinded, that over 70% of the citizens of Palm Beach County were siding with Westgate Tabernacle. Mr Jeff Green's visit was political, but helping the poor, (of which sorry to say only used it as a photo opp and nothing for the homeless and hurting) was not a negitive reaction to his bid, for Senator. Thanks, to all those who supported our work for the 17 years helping the homeless. May The Good Lord, bless each and everyone of you, for your prayers and support. I am now working under www.facesofoasis.org helping the hurting...

Carly Green

green cleaning is the only way we are likely to significantly lower the dangerious chemicals we make use of on a daily basis, good article

The Evidence is clear.

Green has NOTHING to hide! (copy and paste and you will see...Nothing up either sleeve---or in her head)

http://www.browardpalmbeach.co...

Morris von Glied

Herr Greene deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame at our centerforbadtaste.com

Chaz Stevens, Genius

PS. The stories about Greene's yacht appear to have derailed his campaign.

Railed as in rails as in lines?

Virgil Starkwell

Through my numerous sources in the intelligence community, I was able to obtain this surveillance video of Greene campaign spokesman, Luis Viscaino scouting out "Oh, Que bueno" in advance of candidate Greene's arrival today.

Sorry, the sound quality is poor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...