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Columns

On Frank Artiles and Joe Negron

April 20, 2017 - 12:15pm

Frank Artiles is a racist lunatic. That is obvious. He is also a coward. That is obvious. He seems to pick on people who are smaller physically than he is.

The college kid he punched in the face, Sen. Audrey Gibson, and probably countless others we don't know about.

He isn't a jarhead, he is a jughead.

"Niggers," "pussies," and "bitches" -- Oh my!

What Alt-Right land of Oz does this freak live in? Calling Sen. Gibson a bitch because she had questions about his bills? Really?

I disagree with Sen. Gibson when she said Artiles probably doesn't call his wife the same types of names he called her.

I'd be willing to bet he calls his wife everything but the child of God when he doesn't get his way. He clearly has no control. Because he has no control, he does not belong in Florida's upper chamber.

On that, Sunshine State News Executive Editor Nancy Smith and I agree.

One thing we don't agree on, however, is Senate President Joe Negron's actions. (See Nancy's column here.)

While I can see how Nancy and others think Negron should have immediately jumped all over Artiles, I'm glad he didn't.

Negron COULD have come down on Artiles like a ton of bricks. After all, Artiles used disrespectful language to describe Negron during his psychopathic rant.

Here is where I see things differently.

Artiles would have clammed up immediately, had he known he was going to be investigated for potential expulsion from the Senate.

Let's face it, Sens. Perry Thurston and Gibson got a little help from loud-mouth Artiles when he gave that insincere apology on the Senate floor.

Who orchestrated that apology? Sen. Joe Negron.

What Joe Negron did was allow racist Frank Artiles to hang himself. Frank Artiles went before the entire Senate body, before everyone who was watching via the internet, and before everyone who was present in that Senate chamber, and gave a half-assed apology for WHAT HE SAID.

He admitted it.

Even though we all know he didn't mean a word of it, what we DO know is that he admitted to saying those inflammatory, racist things. He can't take that back. It is forever in the record.

Frank Artiles never thought a formal complaint for his expulsion was going to be filed. Something tells me Joe Negron knew.

To use a phrase I absolutely hate, while Artiles was playing checkers, Negron and the Legislative Black Caucus were playing chess.

The special master isn't going to have to search too hard for the facts. Frank Artiles admitted that his behavior, his words, were a terrible reflection on him, the Senate, and his constituents, almost convicting himself via rule 1.43.

He admitted he hurt Sen. Gibson personally.

He admitted Sen. Thurston tried to get him to apologize for what he had done.

He admitted he disrespected Sen. Negron.

He admitted all of this and he did it on the Senate floor. He admitted all of this before he knew that a formal complaint was being filed. Artiles' arrogance and his cockiness made him think the apology was going to be the end of it.

Now, Joe Negron and Jack Latvala fought tooth and nail for that Senate president position. You don't win by being a slouch. You don't beat Jack Latvala by being a slouch.

Nah, I don't think Negron dropped the ball at all. I think he was allowing an idiot to "idiot," if I may make that a verb!

It seems to me it will be difficult not to find Artiles guilty, given the words that came out of HIS mouth publicly.

Those words never would have come out of his mouth publicly if not for Joe Negron.

We very well may have reason to drag Negron and company for complete filth down the road.

Like for instance, if they leave a clearly unstable Frank Artiles in the Florida Senate.  

For now, though, the jury is still out.  I haven't seen anyone try to excuse Artiles' behavior.

In fact, given the international coverage this has received, would ANYONE want to be associated with Frank Artiles right now?

I don't even think Donald Trump would touch him with a 10-foot pole, and that's saying something.

Frank Artiles needs to go.

Fast.

Leslie Wimes, a Sunshine State News columnist, is founder and president of Women on the Move and the Democratic African American Women Caucus, www.daawc.com. Follow Leslie on Twitter: @womenonthemove1.

Comments

Incredibly interesting how he is be being labeled a "racist", but minimal mention of him degrading women. Obviously, this is a perfect platform for the "usual suspects" to claim RACISM once again. It's sickening to constantly witness others label people that they dont know. This situation was completely blown out of proportion. Let's take a wild guess and predict who will replace him. Hmmmm.... Bullard?

This article begins with a focus on his obvious extreme misogyny and that alone should be enough to dump him. However, combined with his clear racist tendencies, it should be a slam dunk, even in the overly male senate.

No matter what others post, Frank Artiles is a Racist! Only a racist spews this filth. I'm glad he resigned to save taxpayers the expense of an expulsion hearing.

Wimes is much more a 'racist' than Senator Artiles. She should resign (quit). Black racism against Whites is much more prevalent today than vice-versa.

Yeah, as a white male my life is SO difficult due to racism from the black community. I mean, it is actually possible that in some hypothetical situation I might actually be at a disadvantage for being white. However, I am 53 years old and have yet to experience anything like that. How many 53 year old black men in this country can say the same thing? Frankly, I doubt there is a black person in this country that is old enough to answer the question that could say the same thing. Your statement is so completely absurd, I actually thought it might be a Trump tweet.

It's ridiculous that people are labeled "racist" & scenes are exaggerated to influence others' agendas. People are "always" waiting for situations to present themselves & their agendas. Removal of an elected official because he is being persecuted by others with an agenda is WRONG!

A racist is as a racist does.

If that is indeed Negron's strategy, he outsmarted Artiles.

Amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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