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.

The Crowded Attorney General Race

The Florida Democratic primary for Attorney General is getting interesting. State Sen. Dave Aronberg announced he will run. Aronberg worked as an Assistant Attorney General under Bob Butterworth.

"Public safety is not some political theme to me. It is a passion. The people of this state deserve a true watchdog who will fight to protect them everyday - that's exactly what I will be," said Sen. Aronberg. "Corporations have their attorneys, and criminals have their attorneys. I will be the people's attorney," said Sen. Aronberg. "And as your Attorney General, I have one message for those who seek to commit crimes or fraud against our citizens: if you target Floridians, the state will target you."

Sen. Dan Gelber recently dropped out of the United States Senate race. Gelber is hinting at running against Aronberg.

"I have been overwhelmed by emails, phone calls and posts on my blog supporting my call for unity and urging me to consider running for Attorney General," Gelber said in a statement. "After spending nearly a decade as a federal prosecutor, the job of Attorney General is a place where I believe I can best serve our state. ... My hope was that there would be time for all of us to be thoughtful and to unify, but given Senator Aronberg's decision, I will my announce my plans soon."

The biggest name that has not announced his intentions is Rod Smith. Smith ran for Governor in 2006 and procecuted serial killer Danny Rolling. Smith is a adjunct law professor at the University of Florida's Levin College of Law and a partner at Avera & Smith Law Firm. Smith has a history of representing unions. Which will help him with the Democratic base. The question is does Smith want the job?

The Buzz reports Smith is looking "seriously at running for attorney general and not considering any other race." Smith would have prefered to enter the race with no primary challenger. The question is does Aronberg's and Gelber's intentions make the Attorney General race less appealing for Smith?

From a personal perspective, a crowded race is more interesting and forces the candidates to discuss the issues. Aronberg is the only official candidate. However, I have no problems with a three way race. I sure FDP chair Karen Thurman doesn't share my opinion.

Update: Gelber sent this email out to supporters.

A few days ago I receded from the U.S. Senate race in order to avoid the circular firing squad that has characterized too many past Democratic efforts. My hope was that with the opening up of every cabinet office (for the first time in 140 years [sic]) that Democratic hopefuls – like me -- would take a step back to give all of us time to reach a thoughtful judgment on how best to unify our party in a year when real change is finally within reach.

In fact, over the last few weeks many of the potential candidates had been in dialogue with each other and with others hoping to avoid the type of divisions that damage our ability to present a winning slate in November. I am grateful to have heard that so many of you share my concern and were also hopeful that our party could break free of its past missteps.

This afternoon my friend Dave Aronberg let me know that he was not waiting any longer and announced his candidacy for Attorney General. While I would have preferred a different timeline, I expect to be making my own announcement of my intentions within a few days. While part of me worries that this is déjà vu all over again, I am still optimistic that ultimately we will be able to deliver the change Floridians so desperately need.

Update: Smith is friends with Aronberg. Smith says he is still undecided on if he will run.

The Sales Tax Increase

The St. Petersburg Times reports a Quinnipiac University poll shows only 48 percent of Floridians support a one cent sales tax increase meant to offset $8-billion cut from property taxes. The idea has come under criticism for money that will be lost from education funding. Under problem is that sales taxes are not a stable tax base. If people are making less money they will purchase less things. Florida has always had this problem with it's current tax system.

The sales tax loopholes is a matter the Republican legislature refuses to address. Corporations can avoid paying state taxes on property sales by filing as a corporate sale.

Phillips Point in West Palm Beach, PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Fort Lauderdale's Las Olas Centre — all are officially recorded as selling for $10 in recent months.

In truth, these trophy properties fetched $200 million, $170 million and $230.9 million, respectively.

So why the tiny sale prices in public records? Taxes.

Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio has long been pushing for the sales tax increase to lower property taxes. Hysterically, Republicans in the Florida Senate are against the idea because they fear they would have to eliminate corporate sales tax loopholes in order to make up for loss revenue.

Haridopolos is in line to become Senate president in 2010, and likely would be at the forefront of having to find the replacement revenue. He's among a group of Florida lawmakers who have signed a pledge not to raise taxes.

Haridopolos' math works like this: To avoid raising taxes, legislators would have to eliminate the largest sales tax exemptions other than the sacred ones for groceries, rent and prescription drugs.

The remaining exemptions include the value of trade-ins toward new car purchases, government supply purchases, the purchase of fuel by utilities and for metered water.

"You will start to tax items that are not currently taxed. By any definition, that's a tax increase," Haridopolos said. He said he has written three letters to the tax commission over the past two weeks but has received no reply.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry at Rubio's and Haridopolos's economic stupidity.

In other news: the legislature is making drastic cuts to the Department of Children & Families.

But Thursday, in his latest role as Secretary of the Department of Children & Families, Butterworth met his match: an intransigent Legislature that is pursuing what he called the equivalent of taking out a ''contract on kids,'' with a budget that ''destroys'' the public safety net by cutting programs deeply rather than tapping the state's $1.3 billion emergency fund, or close corporate-tax loopholes.

''In my 40 years in public service, this is the worst year I've ever seen, the meanest I've ever seen,'' Butterworth told The Miami Herald as the House was completing debate on its $65 billion budget proposal.

Sacrifices must be made to keep football stadium skyboxes tax exempt.

More DCF FUBARS

Marissa Amora suffered permanent brain injuries after her mother's boyfriend beat her. Melissa is now on a feeding tube. Prior to Marissa's beating, the Department of Children and Families received several urgent reports on the abuse Melissa was receiving. This is the kind of parenting Marissa received after a previous assault.

Marissa's mother could offer no explanation for the little girl's broken collarbone.

A DCF child abuse investigator testified at trial she was concerned that Marissa's mom ''was more interested in getting her boyfriend out of jail'' than picking up her own child.

The mother, the investigator said, rarely visited the girl during her monthlong hospitalization, ''and when the mother did come to the hospital the child would cry and the mother spanked the child in her hospital bed,'' the appeals court wrote.

Marissa was placed back into her mother's custody. We know what happened next.

Marissa's adoptive parents sued and won $26.8 million. The DCF was going to appeal. New DCF Secretary Bob Butterworth reversed that decision. The only problem is getting the Florida state legislature to pay. They have a history of not paying for even the most tragic cases.