McCollum Forced DCF to Hire Rekers

People within the Florida Department of Children and Families were forced to hire George Rekers to testify against a gay adoption case. Former DCF head Bob Butterworth admitted as much to the Miami Herald.

"We basically had to," said Butterworth. "The only problem we had was the expert, and the amount of money and the credibility of the expert."

That expert would be Rekers and the dollar amount was $120,000.

McCollum ignored adviced from Assistant Attorney General Valerie Martin.

"Dr. Rekers is a right-wing religious-based expert who I am reluctant to use - but nevertheless contacted him with no response," Martin wrote in an e-mail to John Slye, DFC deputy council.

Rekers religious-based testimony hurt the state's case. Frank Martin Gill and his partner were able two adopt two boys that were in their care for years. Judge Cindy Lederman wrote, "The court cannot consider his testimony credible or worthy of forming the basis of public policy."

McCollum was warned that Rekers was not suited to testify in the case. McCollum ignored legal advice and chose to pander to the Christian Right. McCollum failed to serve his conservative agenda by stopping the adoption. Tax dollars went to a witness that the court said lacked credibility. I'm not a lawyer but I have to wonder if McCollum is one. From a strictly legal standpoint hiring Rekers was stupid.