Liveblog: Florida Attorney General debate, Aronberg vs. Gelber

Note: language is paraphrased except when in quotes.

After some technical difficulties, both mine and the debate's, we're underway in the Florida Attorney General Democratic candidate debate between Dan Gelber and Dave Aronberg. Moderator is Prof. Susan McManus of the University of South Florida.

Gelber won the toss and makes the first opening statement. "Republicans, your driving privileges have been suspended; hand over the keys." "I was a federal prosecutor for over a decade ... no type of case that I haven't prosecuted ... I [also] know how to win in Florida."

Gelber calls current AG Bill McCollum (Republican candidate for governor) "missing in action." Florida is "a state that needs dramatic change." He is running "to stand up for principles and passions that you have."

Now Aronberg gets three minutes. "I've made a career out of beating Republicans in the legislature and at the ballot box ... in Florida, we're stuck in neutral." He will be the first AG in eight years "who actually wants to be AG" (a reference to McCollum and former AG Charlie Crist). Aronberg says they are more interested in press conferences than public safety ... role of AG is to "make people safe in their own lives." "I protect workers from the union-busting ways of the legislature ... I protect a woman's right to choose ... and I will vigorously promote equal pay for equal work." "I will end our state's amoral discrimination when it comes to adoption."

First question: how do you differentiate yourself from your opponent?

Aronberg: announces that he was inducted into the Netroots' Progressive Hall of Fame. There are many similarities between the candidates, but I have actual experience in the AG's office, working with former (Democratic) AG Bob Butterworth. "If what you want is to be Attorney General, you don't have an eye on the governor's office or the Senate, you are the Attorney General." Let's elect someone whose life's ambition is to be the Attorney General.

Gelber: our voting records are different on things like vouchers and SB 360. "I have a lot of experience as a prosecutor. I ran one of the largest district attorney's offices in the country. Note what our experience is ... "I do believe experience matters." "I have stood up against everything they've thrown ... when they wanted to shut down early voting, I showed up in the governor's office and promoted early voting."

Question: what can you do about corruption?

Gelber: I've spent my career fighting corruption. One thing I definitely will do is work for campaign finance reform.

Aronberg: starts by emphasizing (in response to a statement by Gelber earlier), "I have never voted for vouchers." AG can't be afraid to step on toes, to avoid prosecuting the Ray Sansoms of the world for political reasons.

Blast Off! Radio today at 4:00 pm EDT: "Musical Chairs" in Florida politics

It's been an interesting week in Florida from a political standpoint. First, Gov. Charlie Crist announced that he will run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by fellow Republican Sen. Mel Martinez, setting up a tough primary fight with former state House Speaker Marco Rubio, the darling of the extreme Right.

Then, predictably, everyone began to move around the deck chairs on the Titanic. State CFO Alex Sink declared her candidacy for governor, instantly becoming the Democratic front-runner (and earning Blast Off!'s endorsement almost immedicately following her announcement), while on the GOP side, state Attorney General Bill McCollum has announced his own gubernatorial candidacy today; state Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Bronson may join him there. And in the most unintentionally hilarious such situation, Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp, whose tenure in Tallahassee has been plagued with charges of corruption, mused last week about running for ... get this ... Attorney General! (It'd be funny if it weren't so sad ...)

So, naturally, today's Blast Off! Radio will cast its eye on how 2010 is shaping up in Florida politics -- after all, I know we sometimes neglect the fact that the show is part of the Florida Progressive Radio Network! But there is plenty of other news to cover, too, including President Obama's speeches at Arizona State University and the University of Notre Dame (lots of hypocrisy to go around in both venues ... and not by the president), an important court ruling in Florida for same-sex couples wishing to adopt children, and a discussion (maybe even ... a rant?!) about whether certain people (*cough* Republicans *cough*) who benefit personally from federal stimulus money might change their tune about Obama now (short answer: are you kidding?).

All this and more, of course, including your phone calls, emails, and chatting in the always-entertaining chat room. But how can you be a part of this frolicsome festival? As usual, it's oh-so-easy to do:

TIME: 4:00 pm Eastern TODAY

Click here to listen

Call in number: (646) 716-7543

E-mail: blastoffradio-at-gmail-dot-com

(I got the link to the show right today ... for once!)

So whatever you're doing this afternoon at 4:00 Eastern (3:00 Central, etc.), just click on over to yet another exciting edition of Blast Off! Radio -- you'll be glad you did!

UPDATE (3:51 pm 5/18/09): Well, that's never happened before.

A technological glitch with my cell service (yes, my bill is paid up!) caused my call, and thus the show, to end prematurely and abruptly with about 15 minutes to go. I'm trying to figure it out now.

Apologies to all listeners; we'll be back in business next week at the usual time for a special Memorial Day edition of Blast Off! Radio.

Another hat in the ring: McCollum announces bid for governor

In a decision that surprises no one, the ever-ambitious loser Bill McCollum (R-You Ever Giving Up?) has announced that he's running for governor of Florida.

Currently the state's Attorney General, McCollum had a lengthy career in Congress before coming to the curious decision that the state deserved a leader of his caliber (by which I mean "BB"), no doubt in the afterglow of his co-management of the Clinton impeachment hearings in the U.S. House. However, unlike his fellow manager Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, he couldn't use the impeachment as a stepping-stone to the U.S. Senate, losing the 2000 election to Democrat Bill Nelson.

McCollum did go on to win the AG post in 2006, albeit against little-known state senator Skip Campbell, who himself went on to bail out of a winnable election that might have returned him to the state Senate in 2008. This hardly burnishes McCollum's record, and he further demonstrated his questionable judgment by eagerly signing onto that electoral Hindenburg, the 2008 presidential campaign of Rudy Giuliani, as his Florida chairman. Bottom line: if McCollum had anything whatsoever to do with Giuliani's disastrous strategy of putting all his eggs into Florida's basket (did he, for example, "guarantee" a Rudy win in the primary?), then he certainly ought not be anywhere near the governor's desk.

The last state AG to run for governor, of course, was none other than Charlie Crist. But McCollum may face opposition from his own party, as state Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson is considering entering the race. Bronson's candidacy would further splinter the state GOP, already reeling from innumerable missteps and mismanagement in 2008, but Bronson probably has a decent shot at winning the nomination against McCollum, who has the campaign acumen of a bowl of wet Corn Flakes. Whether Bronson runs or not, the Republicans appear disorganized and McCollum seems like a consolation prize. And against a Democratic Party unified behind Alex Sink, that doesn't bode well for their chances to retain the governorship ... which, of course, is excellent news for Florida.

Korrupt Kottkamp says he's mulling a run for AG

Of all the fucked-up decisions in all the world, Florida Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp (R-Of Course) actually has come to the conclusion that he would be a good choice to be the state's chief law enforcement officer.

"I'm giving very serious consideration, most likely, to attorney general," said Kottkamp, a North Fort Myers Republican. The job "allows me to really emphasize some of my strengths as a lawyer, member of the Legislature and experience I got working with the governor."

Kottkamp's decision, along with a host of others' plans in both parties, are prompted by Gov. Charlie Crist's formal entry into the race for U.S. Senate. The first-term Republican governor announced Tuesday he wouldn't seek re-election as governor next year.

Yes, this is the same Jeff Kottkamp who has reamed Florida taxpayers over and over again for personal travel between his Fort Myers home and Tallahassee, even to attend football games, and who apparently went so far as to take his family on a vacation in St. Augustine, again at taxpayer expense. Of course, none of that was in the Tallahassee Democrat article linked and quoted above, but you know ...

Anyway, I know about "innocent until proven guilty" and all that, but isn't the evidence against Kottkamp pervasive enough that it ends up being an act of extreme hubris for him to consider running for any elective office, let alone attorney general? State Republicans may be willing to look the other way, as they're trying to unite behind frequent loser and serial moron (but probably not corrupt) Bill McCollum for governor ... but I think Floridians have had enough of the fox guarding the henhouse, Mr. Kottkamp.

But if he does decide to run, well, at least it'll provide a lot of comedy fodder for the blog ...

Senate race in Florida in 2010 is wide open: Mel Martinez won't run, nor will Alex Sink

The news just broke that U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) has decided not to run for a second term in 2010, in order to -- you guessed it -- spend more time with his family.

Just the other day, I made the case for state CFO Alex Sink to run for this seat rather than for the governorship, but that's apparently off the table as well.

So now what?

On the Democratic side, look for some up-and-comers to consider a run, like state senators Dan Gelber and Dave Aronberg. Unlike some, I don't see Rep. Ron Klein or Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz making a serious run for the gig, simply because I don't think they'd be very strong candidates statewide and they have more potential for leadership in the House (although Klein is being targeted heavily by the GOP for 2010).

For the GOP, I wouldn't be surprised to see Bill McCollum take another crack at it (although he really just needs to sit down and shut up). Also possible: former state House speaker Marco Rubio and maybe even state Sen. Jeff Atwater, if he's willing to give up his Senate leadership position so soon.

No matter what happens, though, with an open seat, there are sure to be suitors aplenty. The silly season is barely over, but here in America's Wang™, it seems to be starting up all over again already.

UPDATE (12:22 pm 12/2/08): TheHill.com suggests other possible candidates, like Democratic congresspersons Allen Boyd, Robert Wexler, and Kathy Castor.

Boyd's too blue-dog to be a viable candidate, and as much as I love Wexler, he would have the same problem, in my opinion, as Klein and Wasserman Schultz: no following statewide. Castor? As Sarah Palin might say, let me get back to you on that one ...

(cross-posted at FPC Blog)

"G-U-N ... see you real soon!"

As reported here last week, Disney is telling the state of Florida that they're exempt from the state law permitting gun owners to bring their weapons to work. And some of the workers are, well, up in arms about it. (Yes, pun intended.)

But within the section concerning those who deal with explosives is an exemption for an "employer who has obtained a permit required under 18 U.S.C. § 842 to engage in the business of importing, manufacturing, or dealing in explosive materials on such property."

Said Suarez: "We have the permit. We deal in explosives every day."

But the NRA's chief state lobbyist, Marion Hammer, said the exemption should be read in the context of those employers whose "primary" business is explosives.

"Disney is a prime offender in denying people their rights under the Second Amendment and the laws of Florida," said Hammer, adding that the law was drafted in response to Disney firing an employee for having a gun in his car.

Now Attorney General Bill McCollum, whose office is tasked with enforcement, must interpret what it all means. Spokeswoman Sandi Copes said the office is still reviewing the case and the legislation.

Until and unless McCollum sides with Fiore or someone successfully sues to stop Disney, employees are being told to keep the firearms at home.

Disney security guard Edwin Sotomayor protested his employer's policy by announcing to the news media last week that he would lawfully bring his weapon in his car to work. He was promptly fired. Sotomayor, 36, said it was worth it to "prove a point" and pave the way for the numerous other employees who keep their mouths shut about the guns they have in their cars.

He said the Orlando area's crime rate makes pistol-packing a must for many.

"If you're going to let the Mouse rule the world, it's not worth it," he said. "There are two worlds: the world of Disney, and the real world. This was for the real world. It can be scary."

Fiore is among those who worry. But while she appreciates the attempt to give her the right to protect her life, she said she doesn't want to lose her livelihood by bringing a weapon onto Disney property.

"I'm not going to make a point and get fired," she said. "But if I need protection to and from work, it's my constitutional right."

Yep, that's the answer. Carry guns to work. I mean, having guns readily available to every rent-a-cop and soccer mom in America sure has kept the crime rate down ...

I hate to bring it to the NRA's attention, but their interpretation is all well and good ... and wrong. The Legislature could have written the statute to cover only those businesses whose "primary" business is explosives, but they didn't. In fact, the original bill did say that, but the Legislature changed it to cover businesses with federal explosives licenses -- to make the exemption broader. Therefore, the legislative intent is clear and indeed the final version of the bill, which became law, evinced their desire NOT to limit the exemption to businesses primarily engaged in the explosives business.

Of course, the problem is that we have to rely on one of the batshit craziest wingnuts in Florida, Bill McCollum, to make a ruling on this. Hopefully even he can't ignore legislative intent in this case ... but I'm holding my breath that he'll do the legal and correct thing.

I don't know which wingnuts are the most rabid, but the Second Amendment crazies are definitely finalists for that award. They're motivated solely by fear, and that permeates their entire world view. How sad. How pathetic. How batshit crazy.

SCOTUS upholds death penalty; McCollum has erection

In keeping with the GOP mission of bringing death and destruction to as many people as possible, borderline-psychotic Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum couldn't act fast enough once the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Kentucky's lethal injection procedure is constitutional.

By a 7-2 vote, the high court rejected challenges to the Kentucky execution procedure brought by two Death Row inmates, holding that they had failed to show that the risks of pain from mistakes in an otherwise "humane lethal execution protocol" amounted to cruel and unusual punishment, which is prohibited by the Constitution.

The ruling appeared to open the door for Florida to resume executions because it uses essentially the same method as Kentucky's.

... McCollum sent paperwork overnight to the U.S. Supreme Court, asking for permission to go ahead with the execution of child killer Mark Dean Schwab, whom the state was to have executed in November.

"It's in the best interest to the people of Florida to have these executions resolved," McCollum said. "We have a lot of people on Death Row."

If the high court lifts the Schwab stay of execution, it is likely that executions by lethal injection could resume within two months in Florida, according to lawyers representing Death Row inmates.

This is one issue where it took me a long time to come around, but I finally did a few years ago. For a long time, I felt that being pro-choice and anti-death penalty was logically inconsistent; I've since changed my mind. I now believe that government-sanctioned killing of actual human beings is morally wrong, and it does nothing to stem the tide of violent crime. The facts speak for themselves: nearly the entire world has abolished capital punishment, and the only countries stubbornly holding on either have an historical predilection toward barbaric treatment of criminals or ... well, no, that's about it, because that really does include the United States.

And of course Florida's bloodthirsty GOP leadership is falling all over themselves to crank up the death machine again. I'm sure they still lament the loss of "Old Sparky," Florida's notorious electric chair.

After Wednesday's ruling, Gov. Charlie Crist immediately asked for a list of about five inmates from which to choose which of the state's worst or longest-serving killers, of the 338 people on Death Row, should prepare to die.

The governor would be signing his second death warrant since taking office in January 2007. He signed Schwab's in July.

"Justice delayed is justice denied, and an awful lot of families of the victims have been waiting for justice to be done, and so that's certainly an important factor," Crist said. "But in addition, the heinous nature of the crime itself is important to consider."

Anyone want a cocktail? Florida's preparing some really nice ones right now.

Bill McCollum hates the Constitution

Florida attorney general Bill McCollum (R), twice unsuccessful in bids for the U.S. Senate, is taking on a new foe now: the U.S. Constitution.

It seems that, like his hero Drunky McStagger, Bill doesn't like the Constitution's annoying habit of giving people rights, especially the right to speak freely (or not to speak at all). So he's actually fighting a federal court ruling that struck down an obscure 1942 Florida law requiring public school students to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Two years ago, the law was struck down as unconstitutional by U.S. District Judge Kenneth Ryskamp, who heard the case of Cameron Frazier, a Boynton Beach High School junior thrown out of class for refusing to stand and recite the pledge.

"The Court does recognize that parents have a fundamental right to control the upbringing of their children," Ryskamp wrote. "Yet this right does not translate into a requirement that a parent must give prior approval of a child's exercise of First Amendment rights in a school setting."

Ryskamp's not one of those "liberal, activist judges." Ronald Reagan appointed him, and years later, when he was being considered for a higher court, liberal groups opposed him.

And despite some hand-wringing by so-called patriots who think that living in the land of the free means forcing kids to stand and recite a pledge, Ryskamp's ruling appeared to be the last word on the subject in Florida.

Even then-Gov. Jeb Bush thought so.

"Individuals do have the right to dissent or the right to not say the Pledge of Allegiance," Bush said after Ryskamp's ruling. "I think that's constitutionally clear. I don't know why you wouldn't want to do it, but I don't think we need to spend a lot of time and energy on this."

You'd think that the attorney general of the nation's fourth-largest state would have more important priorities than worrying about an outdated statute that quite reasonably was declared unconstitutional. But, if you thought that, then you don't know Our Bill.

Four months after taking office last year, [McCollum] filed a 31-page appeal of Ryskamp's ruling with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeal, which heard oral arguments on the case on Friday in Jacksonville.

Hinging the appeal on the parental note, McCollum argues that students should have fewer free-speech rights in order to maintain "the constitutional right of parents to control the upbringing of their children," and that minors don't have "an autonomous right to be free of parental control or involvement in the exercise of their expressive activities."

The appeal might be legally flimsy. But it won't hurt McCollum to mention his "patriotic" stand for the pledge in the next batch of campaign literature.

Of course, anybody who really cares about nurturing young people to respect this country for its highest ideals would be interested in something far more noble than Taliban-like forced compliance.

No, no, actually "nurturing young people to respect this country for its highest ideals" is the furthest thing from the feeble, cobwebbed "minds" of McCollum and his ilk. Instead, they'd rather make futile, outrageous gestures that hint at faux patriotism but that in fact reveal them to be pathetic little simpletons pandering away the taxpayers' money.

Every time I've cast a vote against Bill McCollum for one reason or another, I've held out the hope that his latest loss would send him back into the cave out of which he slithered. Unfortunately, he still poisons our state with his presence. We can only hope that this latest bout of hubris will be his last, since like its progenitor, this case is a loser.

Felons' rights restored in Florida

Gov. Charlie Crist (R-Fla.) is proving himself very, very different from his predecessor, Jeb! "Puppy Eater" Bush.

Today he and the Cabinet, sitting as the Board of Executive Clemency, voted to restore civil rights, including voting rights, to non-violent felons who have served their sentences. The only dissenting vote was cast by that notorious fascist Florida's ultra-wingnut attorney general, Bill McCollum.

Under the new rule, which was urged on the Cabinet by Crist, felons convicted of non-violent crimes will be allowed to vote, hold public office, apply for occupational licenses and sit on juries without navigating the clemency system, a cumbersome process that can take up to four years or longer.

It is unclear how many Floridians will be affected by the change, but Crist's office estimated that up to 515,00 [sic] could have their civil rights restored within a few months.

Crist took umbrage at McCollum's accusation that the change will allow "dastardly" criminals to have the right to make laws by voting and gain access to people's homes by getting licensed for jobs such as exterminators.

"I believe in appropriate punishment. I'm Chain Gang Charlie," said Crist, as McCollum shook his head. "I believe in justice. But punishment should never be confused with revenge. We should be able to find it in our hearts to forgive. Our Creator does."

Well, I'm not thrilled with the last couple of sentences in Crist's statement, but the message is clear and appropriate: people who have paid their debt to society, so long as they aren't violent, ought to be able to participate in society as a productive citizen, with all the rights and privileges appertaining thereto.

Let's not obscure McCollum's real motivation here. He's not tough on crime. No way. Rather, he knows that 515,000 potential new voters likely means more Democratic voters than Republican ones, at least if you generalize based on the probable socioeconomic and ethnic status of the felons. McCollum doesn't brush his teeth without having some kind of political motive or some way to advance the wingnut cause.

So bravo to Gov. Crist and the other Cabinet members for doing the responsible thing. No, "Chain Gang Charlie" certainly isn't perfect, and of course I'd rather have Jim Davis as governor. But after eight years under Jeb!'s doctrinaire (and often stupid) leadership, the new administration is a breath of fresh air here in America's Wang™.

UPDATE (5:46 pm 4/5/07): Vox Populi has more insight on this at Tampa's Back Door Ways.