Mike Thomas Fan Letter to Rick Scott

Benjamin Kirby wrote that Howard Troxler and Carl Hiaasen should get over the election of Rick Scott.

Was I depressed when hospital grifter Rick Scott and a veto-proof hard-right Republican Legislature got elected in November? Yes. For a couple of weeks. In fact, maybe I'm still a little upset -- but I have also moved past it.

You'd better do the same, if only for your own sanity. I'd say the same thing to Troxler and Hiaasen.

Fortunately, for Kirby, Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Thomas answers the call with an op-ed about how much he loves Scott.

•There is no Solantic conspiracy. This was one of the loonier theories pushed by Democrats. Scott supposedly invested $70 million on a long-shot gamble to become governor so he somehow could direct enough state business to his Solantic clinics to make it all back, and more. That almost is up there with Obama being born in Kenya. Now that Scott is selling his share in the clinics, we can put this behind us unless Donald Trump runs for governor in 2014.

•How many politicians have promised to "end politics as usual in Tallahassee"? Only one has done it.

•Next to Casey Anthony and Dancer the tiny dog, Rick Scott is the best thing that ever happened to our website.

I wonder how many op-eds like that Kirby can read? I'm sure it won't be the last penned by Thomas.

The Rose Ferlita Machine

St. Petersburg Times columnist Howard Troxler wrote that the race for Tampa's next Mayor will be decide on campaign organization. Troxler praised Rose Ferlita for finishing first. Today, Ferlita and opponent Bob Buckhorn face each other in a runoff election. Peter Schorsch took a photo of a member of Ferlita's mean green grassroots machine. Watch out. This guy is fierce.

Charlie Crist Loves the Growth Monster Part 2

I wrote last December on how Gov. Charlie Crist loves the growth monster and has no interest in seriously reforming Florida's tax system. Crist sign SB 360. The bill is a giveaway to developers and makes growth management harder.

Crist knew the bill was a stinker and held no public signing ceremony. Sponsor Sen. Mike Bennett wrote SB 360 for the purpose of gutting the Growth Management Act of 1985. New houses will be built (in a state with a foreclosure crisis) in any area deemed economic development projects.

Developers are a huge lobbying industry in Florida. County commissions will stumble over each other designating lands fit for "economic development. Nevermind if local communities can handle to increased traffic and water needs. Politicians will leave that for others to worry about as they seek higher office.

Florida News Capital has a video story on SB 360. Howard Troxler pens a superb op-ed that asked Crist to veto the bill. (Too bad Troxler failed to convince the Governor.)

Quote of the Day

"Yachts! The Florida Legislature is going to pass a new tax break for buying luxury yachts and private airplanes.

"Let's hope this passes in the same year that the Legislature hurts the K-12 schools, guts the universities, makes it harder for Floridians to vote, drains the Lawton Chiles tobacco trust, kills Florida Forever, weakens wetlands protection, repeals a quarter-century of growth management law, deregulates the telephone companies and tries to paper over the indictment of the immediate past speaker of the House of Representatives and a damning grand jury investigation."

Howard Troxler, on the priorities of the Florida legislature.

The Ray Sansom Scandals

Ray Sansom faces two ethics complaints from David Plyer and Susan Smith. The State Commission on Ethics ruled Plyers' complaint was "legally sufficient." Leon County State Attorney Willie Meggs will have a grand jury hear the ethics complaints.

Democrats quickly abandoned William Jefferson and Rod Blagojevich. The GOP operates differently. Sansom's position as Florida House Speaker caused Republicans to circle the wagons. Gov. Charlie Crist blew off a question to investigate Sansom. Attorney General Bill McCollum told a Panhandle resident he did not have the jurisdiction to investigate. After the St. Petersburg Times reported McCollum's email, the Attorney General suddenly put his investigative powers into action.



Columnist Howard Troxler breaks down the Sanson scandals.

To keep track, let's divide the "things to investigate" list about House Speaker Ray Sansom into three categories:

The Job.

The Meeting.

The Building.

I would add the possible violation of Florida's Sunshine laws.

Q. Does the Sunshine Law apply to the Legislature?
A. Florida's Constitution provides that meetings of the Legislature be open and noticed except those specifically exempted by the Legislature or specifically closed by the Constitution. Each house is responsible through its rules of procedures for interpreting, implementing and enforcing these provisions. Information on the rules governing openness in the Legislature can be obtained from the respective houses.

Q. Does the Sunshine Law applies to members-elect?
A. Members-elect of public boards or commissions are covered by the Sunshine law immediately upon their election to public off ice.

Q. What qualifies as a meeting?
A. The Sunshine law applies to all discussions or deliberations as well as the formal action taken by a board or commission. The law, in essence, is applicable to any gathering, whether formal or casual, of two or more members of the same board or commission to discuss some matter on which foreseeable action will be taken by the public board or commission. There is no requirement that a quorum be present for a meeting to be covered under the law.

Northwest Florida State College president Bob Richburg kept the meeting to hire Sansom closed to the public. The law requires minutes of the meeting be submitted for public record. Richburg waited 10 months to file the minutes. Richburg still hasn't explained why the meeting was held at Florida State University.

On the political side: how long can the Republican Party of Florida have their legislative spokesman mired in scandal. Sansom is toast. Keeping Sansom around hurts the state and gives Democrats an easy target. Is that what Florida Republicans want?

Update: Sansom has hired defense attorney Peter Antonacci.