Former House Speaker TK Wetherell sent 40 million dollars to build classrooms around FSU’s football stadium. Lee Moffit created a renowned cancer center at the University of South Florida. Other speakers have had Civic Centers named in their honor. But none of the House speakers did what Ray Sansom did…take a job funded by the largess he sent his hometown college.

Since Sansom resigned a year ago, state lawmakers have spent a quarter million dollars in the legal fees. An official hearing is set for February 22.

There is a very real possibility that the leading Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate and two or three other past or present officials, could be forced to raise their hands and tell the truth. That’s creating a lot of pressure for a settlement.

The most damaging testimony could involve former House Speaker Marco Rubio. Sansom was his budget chief when the money for the school was appropriated. State Representative Bill Galvano acknowledges that negotiations are taking place that could result in a settlement. Democrats are crying foul.

“The Republicans just want to whitewash this and it’s clear that anything short of expulsion is just a whitewash,” Florida Democratic Party Spokesperson Eric Jotkoff said.

But any negotiated settlement would likely allow Sansom to remain in the House until his term expires in November. Otherwise, he’s got nothing to lose by rolling the dice.