Rick Scott: The Man With No Answers Ad

THe American Bridge 21st Century has released an online ad attacking Gov Rick Scott for failing to answer why on-duty law enforcement officers were used as props for Scott's campaign event. Scott would rather get a root canal than honestly answer a question to the media.

Quote of the Day

"So glad the Capitol Police got that House ovation that they can use to feed their families and pay their mortgages."

Adam Snider, of Politico

Snider is pointing out that the Capitol Police are not getting paid during the government shutdown.

Family Asks For Police Officer to be Charged For Marlon Brown's Death

The grand jury never saw the dash-cam video of Deland police officer James Harris running over fleeing suspect Marlon Brown. Harris was fired from his job. The grand jury decided not to charge Harris with Brown's death.

Brown's family settled for $550,000 on the grounds that they don't file a civil suit. The Brown family questions the medical examiner's report.

"At best the report is inaccurate, at worst it's a blatant lie," says Brown family attorney Benjamin Crump, who also represented Trayvon Martin's family. The Deland Police Department is claiming that Brown died of of a lack of oxygen.

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The medical examiner determined that Brown died of "mechanical asphyxia" - essentially, lack of oxygen - and that the death was an "accident" caused by Brown being trapped under a moving vehicle.

According to Crump, the funeral director who prepared Brown's body tells a different story about his injuries, but a spokesman for Volusia County says medical examiner's office "absolutely" stands behind the autopsy.

Crump and Brown's family released the dash-cam video to the media. The Deland Police Department is now viewing the video. Does anyone watch that video and believe Brown died from a lack of oxygen?

Update on Christina West Police Brutality Investigation

There has been political fallout from the shocking video of Christina West's DUI arrest. Tallahassee Police Chief Dennis Jones had resigned.

Tallahassee Police Chief Dennis Jones announced his retirement Friday in the wake of a controversial DUI arrest by TPD officers that came to light only this week.

The 60-year-old Jones’ retirement is effective Oct. 5.

Two TPD officers have been suspended with pay. An investigation is being conducted into the two officers handling of West's arrest. West suffered several facial injuries and a broken cheeck bone from the officers slamming her face into a police cruiser and the pavement.

Attorney Reggie Garcia points out why an independent investigation is needed. The TPD did not record West's arrest on the crime log for that night. The TPD had the vídeo for a month and did not launch an investigation until after there was national media attention. The TPD is in need of serious reform.

Police Officers Involved In Arrest of Christina West Suspended

WPTV reports that the two Tallahassee Police officers involved in the arrest of Christina West have been suspended with pay. West was injured by the two officers during a DUI arrest. Here is a picture of West after the arrest.

Here is police video of the arrest of West.

The arrest happened on August 10, 2013. The two officers are only being suspended after the arrest became national news. Another thing that makes the arrest suspicious is West's arrest wasn't recorded in the Tallahassee Police Department crime log. West's case number is is highlighted in the image below. No arrest is mentioned.

The Tallahassee Police Department is standing by the arrest procedures.

“We standby our practices that we have in place and we also stand by the procedures that we have in place,” police department spokesman David Northway told WCTV on Tuesday. “And if there is something that has gone awry in this investigation then the proper procedures will be followed and actions will be taken against those officers.”

State Attorney Willie Meggs believes excessive force during the arrest.

"It was a very disturbing video to me," said State Attorney Willie Meggs. “I didn’t see anything in the video that would cause me to believe that this woman needed anybody to use any type of force or restraint on her.”

It appears that the Tallahassee Police Department has been less than transparent and candid in the handling of the controversy surround West's arrest.

Members of Tallahassee Police Department Being Investigated For Police Brutality

This photo of Christina West after she was arrested for DUI. State Attorney Willie Meggs is investigating the police arrest of West.

State Attorney Willie Meggs called the footage “very disturbing.”

“I am extremely upset. This is a very disturbing situation to me, and I’m dealing with it.” Meggs told the Democrat.

Meggs also told WCTV that the video was “one of the most disturbing videos” he’s ever seen.

Meggs has already dropped some other charges police gave West. The DUI charge still stands. There does appear to be evidence that West lost control of her car and ran onto the property of a homeowner.

Here is a video news report WTXL.

According to the WTXL report, police kept pressure on her leg and twisted her arm. West can be heard screaming in pain. The orbital in West's face was broken; quite possibly from when police slammed her face first into the road or a police car. Video shows both instances happening. Other injuries include a bloody nose, a black eye, and cuts on her arms and legs.

Tallahassee City Commissioner Scott Maddox is concerned the city may face a lawsuit.

"The video was taken from the police car and shows the road side sobriety test as well as the arrest of the subject," Maddox wrote. "It also shows DISTURBING use of force against a completely non aggressive arrestee. It is my belief that the city of Tallahassee will soon face a liability lawsuit based on the content of the video."

West's attorney Fred Conrad does intend to sue.

“I was shocked to see this,” said her attorney, Fred Conrad of Tallahassee. “I would never have expected that out of my police department. By and large, most of my officers that I deal with at the Tallahassee Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office are all professional and good cops, folks that I would feel very comfortable with in the event that I needed them as a citizen. This was disturbing. I could not believe that I saw that happening in Tallahassee, Florida.”

Conrad said he intends to pursue compensation for West, though he didn’t explicitly say he would be filing a lawsuit.

“I can say I intend to pursue just compensation for Ms. West,” he said. “And I can say I intend to do it relentlessly. I intend to make the police department pay for this. This is wrong. And they need to pay for it.”

Officer Chris Ormerod failed to mention that West was slammed into a police car and onto the road in his A probable cause statement. TPD Chief Dennis Jones has opened an internal affairs investigation.

The extended video from the police video shows the incident started after West agreed to take a breathalyzer. West is clearly drunk during the sobriety tests. The police became frustrated after repeatedly asked about her children and her husband. West's husband was in a nearby nearby but refused to get involved. You can hear the cops in the video claim that West scratched and made physical contact with them. It does not appear in the video that the police officers were ever in physical dangers. It appears the two officers lost their tempers dealing with a very difficult and intoxicated woman.

Republican Hypocrisy on Campaign Money

Fort Lauderdale police officers came out with a video asking Floridians to help stop SB 830. The bill's purpose to to financially destroy unions.

Labor and Employment; Prohibits a state agency from deducting from employee wages the dues, uniform assessments, fines, penalties, or special assessments of an employee organization or contributions made for purposes of political activity. Prohibits a county, municipality, or other local governmental entity from deducting from employee wages the dues, uniform assessments, fines, penalties, or special assessments of an employee organization or contributions made for purposes of political activity, etc.

Unions negotiate better wages and working conditions for their members. So for Republicans to merely label politicial organizations is a simplification.

There is also the hypocrisy of Republicans attempting to restrict political contributions. Conservative columnist George Will and the Supreme Court have argued that political contributions. Republicans are suddenly against the free speech when the money goes elsewhere. Apparently, Republicans believe it should be illegal for unions to be able to set up a political contribution system. Yet, that is exactly what Republicans in the Florida legislature did with its leadership funds.

The passage of the so-called leadership funds bill, HB 1207, will strengthen the clout of legislative leaders, allow them to work outside the purview of the party and, for Republicans, outside the the influence of the governor. In 2012, all legislators must run in newly drawn districts. Proponents argue the measure will increase ``transparency'' because they would give citizens the opportunity to view campaign finance activity, which is currently obscured by party reporting.

Leadership funds were banned 21 years ago when Democrats, in charge of the Legislature then, were embarrassed by a perception of pay-to-play politics. Rep. Rick Kriseman, D-St. Petersburg, said that lawmakers are headed down that path again.

"People just want you to be honest with them,'' he said. "This bill isn’t about transparency...This is about winning elections.''

It is about the Republicans able to keep to caucus in line with the promise of campaign money. Unions giving money to Democrats hinders the Republican cause. What the union-busting and leadership fund bills have to do with creating jobs is beyond me.

Wisconsin Police Union Unions Protesters

Wisconsin police union members joined protesters in the rotunda of the capital. Gov. Scott Walker and Republicans in the legislature exempted police officers and firefighters from legislation to end collective bargaining. Walker and fellow Republicans probably concluded going after civil servants who risk their lives everyday is a political loser. The fact that the police union is against the legislation is bad news for Walker.

West Central Florida Police Benevolent Association Endorses Edwards

District 12 Congressional candidate Lori Edwards has been endorsed by the West Central Florida Police Benevolent Association.

The press release:

"I am honored to have the support of those who risk their lives to protect us," said Lori Edwards, "and I look forward to providing them with a strong voice in Congress."

"I know when police officers need a champion in Congress, Lori Edwards will be there for us," said Gary Bradford, spokesperson for the West Central Florida Police Benevolent Association.