The people picking up the checks for next week's legislative screening of the controversial documentary "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West," include a South Florida firefighter and real estate brokers.
Rep. Adam Hasner, a Delray Beach Republican, is hosting the screening and since none of the sponsors of the event are lobbyists, they can pick up the $4,500 tab for renting the Tallahassee IMAX, appetizers, drinks and complimentary copies of the film.
Hasner's main organizer is Tom Trento, who has formed a company called the Florida Security Council and originally intended to pay for the April 16 screening himself. But since he is a member of the Florida Outdoor Advertising Association, which employs lobbyists, he changed his mind last month.
The film has sparked some controversy for its depictions of radical Islam, but Hasner, who is Jewish, has said it's important for state lawmakers to see how Islamic schools and families view Western countries.
The event is being billed as a "National Security Briefing," and its sponsors include Miami Beach firefighter Henry Patino; Sergio Cabrera, owner of a Miami company called TransPhoton; Richard Monahan, an Orlando real estate sales agent; and retiree Michael Trento, presumably a relative on Tom Trento's.
About 50 fellow lawmakers and guests RSVP'd for the show, Hasner said, which he's seen twice and wanted to promote because "for me as a Jew, it's important to make sure history doesn't repeat itself."