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Andrew Pollack Ain't Heavy, He's DeSantis' Brother

January 22, 2019 - 6:00am
Andrew Pollack in June 2018
Andrew Pollack in June 2018

The reports came swift and sharp and with a notable tone of relief among the media when Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he was rescinding former Gov. Rick Scott's 11th-hour appointments. Many journalists wasted no time praising the DeSantis move as good news. But they expressed shock he would do such a thing without first protecting Scott appointee Andrew Pollack, father of Parkland shooting victim Meadow Pollack. 

Not to worry. Can there be any doubt Pollack isn't a Board of Education return shoo-in?

Nevertheless, WLRN declared that DeSantis “rejects” Pollack. The Tampa Bay Times called it a “rebuke.” A Jacksonville-based education blog claims it's “the right thing.” But as much as some may be looking at the move with approval, they also might be missing the whole story. To suggest the governor had somehow targeted, or acted out directly against Pollack’s position is, frankly, absurd.

Andrew and Julie Pollack at DeSantis' Inaugural Ball
Andrew and Julie Pollack at DeSantis' Inaugural Ball

Pollack and his wife attended DeSantis' Inaugural Ball. Afterward, Pollack respectfully  tweeted out  his hopes for the new governor.

And, it was just a little over a week ago that Andrew Pollack stood with the newly inaugurated governor as the announcement came down that an executive order had been signed to remove Scott Israel as Broward County sheriff. More than just a figure standing beside him during the speech, Pollack in fact spoke prominently during the press conference. He was there introducing other parents and speaking highly of Gregory Tony as Israel's replacement.

Pollack's positive words of praise for Tony were not token supports. Pollack was said to have worked closely with DeSantis in choosing the former Coral Springs Police Department sergeant. So, what leads to the governor so abruptly removing his ally from a Board Of Education position?

It was not as dramatic as many believe. We know DeSantis had a contentious relationship with outgoing Gov. Rick Scott. Though DeSantis has been working at a furious pace since he uttered the words “I will,” he still made one of his first tasks addressing the 84 late appointments to courts, boards and appointments Scott made. Scott had "done the deed" on his final Friday and the ensuing Monday, the day before DeSantis was sworn in.

So, as soon as he could, DeSantis, rescinded 46 of Scott’s appointments -- those set to go before the state Senate, but over which he now held control. Rather than selectively pick out certain names, he made the decision to do a blanket retraction, pulling all the names at once.

Rejected appointees have been invited to reapply, say DeSantis staffers, and certainly some reappointments will be made. 

Reaching out locally, I have heard Pollack is not at all bothered by the decision and is acting confident he will at some time be reinstated. This has been confirmed by local news outlet CBS Miami. He has done preliminary work with the BOE in early meetings, and says that, as an ally of both Scott and DeSantis, he is not resentful over any action. “I look forward to taking the recommendations of the [Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School] Commission and making sure they are put in effect.”

This blanket retraction appears evident in the letter DeSantis sent (viewable here) to Senate President Bill Galvano. It does little more than inform of DeSantis' intent, while providing the lengthy list of names. The formality is apparent.

Meanwhile, Pollack -- in contrast to news reports -- sees little conflict in the decision. “I’m more concerned with where I’m going to eat tonight than if the governor is going to reappoint me,” he said.

Sure sounds like a man confident DeSantis has his back.

Brad Slager, a Fort Lauderdale freelance writer, wrote this story exclusively for Sunshine State News. He writes on politics and the entertainment industry and his stories appear in such publications as RedState and The Federalist.

Comments

Hard pass on Andrew Pollack. He praises a White Nationalist. He has too much bias - unfit for the position. He once had a disabled HIV positive person evicted from their home for complaining about repair work that seemed to never get fixed and revealing the person's illness to neighbors. Reprehensible!

If the objective is to clean up bad appointments, why is nobody looking at Fred Gutenberg? Additionally when is our newly elected Ag Secretary going to start doing what she was elected for? All I see is her being some kind of social justice warrior. Looks like the farmers in the state are on their own until we can run this Pot lawyer out of Tally.

Pollack or not, DeSantis did the right thing rescinding Scott's lame duck appointments. In fact, NOTHING Scott ever did was 'good' ... so, ridding this state of his 'final touches' was a good thing!

Other than the fact that a majority of Florida voters elected Scott instead of a powerful and entrenched Liberal Democrat, I guess we must assume someone thought he was doing good.

Right! The same dipsticks that voted for Trump! Scott should have been in prison ... not the Governor's Mansion ... for defrauding Medicare/Medicaid to the tune of some $3 billion, or so!

The 'Promise Program' instituted by fake president Barry Soetoro is the unequivocal cause of this and thousands of other school tragedies. https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2018/03/05/ingraham_promise_program_hailed_by_obama_admin_led_to_florida_schools_ignoring_violent_students.html

The real "fake president" is the con-man mook occupying the Oval Office right now! Corrupt and (very likely) criminal! Ditch Mitch! Dump Trump!

We are confident the Gov will make sure Andrew Pollack has whatever position, if any, that Mr. Pollack himself feels is right for him...where he can do the most good. We are grateful for Mr. Pollack's commitment to making sure schools put in the right policies that will actually be effective in keeping our school children as safe as possible. What we also count on him to do is act as watchdog for where our tax dollars are being spent. Squandering tax money on stupid "PC" actions that make parents "feel good" but are not proven to work is what I know he can uniquely offer over the career politicians and commission/board members who have entrenched themselves in the Broward Permanent Political Class. We wish Mr. Pollack success and want him to know he has our backing in whatever he decides to take on. We trust his intentions and his judgement.

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