PINELLAS AREA GOP RISING STAR BUSTED

He was a rising star on the Pinellas County Republican political scene, a Yale graduate, and an Eagle Scout. He narrowly lost a race for State House 52 last year, counting among his contributors the city's fire chief, and even then-Tampa Bay Devil Rays owner Vince Namoli. Some were even saying that he could become the next mayor of St. Petersburg.

Today, Angelo Cappelli faces serious jail time.

Cappelli, a wealth and investment advisor for SunTrust bank, was arrested Wednesday at his attorney's office and charged with grand theft and perjury for allegedly stealing more than $100,000 from the trust of a deceased client. Authorities say he returned the funds, and a police spokesman reported that Cappelli was "emotional" and that he made a "complete confession" to the crimes.

The late client, Mario Granata, passed away in February and had no spouse or children. His assets at the time of death were allocated to be left to the Pinellas County Community Foundation. So not only did Cappelli allegedly steal from a dead person, he stole from a charity.

Yesterday's Lakeland Ledger had an editorial entitled Tallahassee As a Holding Cell, noting the two state legislators who are or have experienced legal trouble, State Representative Bob Allen (R - Merritt Island) for offering to perform oral sex on who turned out to be an undercover police officer in a park restroom, and State Senator Gary Siplin (D - Orlando), who was convicted last year for grand theft. On a side note, what I want to know is...Why the hell is a convicted felow still allow to serve in the Florida Legislature???

It's getting to where, in the words of former Arkansas governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee, "the five most feared words for a...politician were 'Will the defendant please rise?'".