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Politics

Backroom Briefing: Public Record? It Depends

August 16, 2019 - 6:00am
Mike Hill
Mike Hill

Florida House Speaker Jose Oliva and his successor don’t consider a heated text-message exchange with an embattled lawmaker to be state-related business.

But Rep. Mike Hill, a Pensacola Republican who this year was chastised by members of his party for his response to a suggestion that gay people be put to death, did and turned over the text messages after a public-records request by The News Service of Florida.

The text messages, first reported by Politico Florida, show Hill was angered when Oliva and future House Speaker Chris Sprowls issued a joint statement condemning his refusal to push back against a constituent’s suggestion that he sponsor legislation to allow the execution of homosexuals.

“Such callous indifference to an outrageous question is unacceptable, runs contrary to our founding principles, and in no way reflects the beliefs of the Republican caucus in the Florida House,” Oliva and Sprowls said in a statement May 31.

A day later, as Hill drew bipartisan criticism over his response to the constituent’s suggestion, sent a long text message to Oliva and Sprowls.

“You should have called me before you joined the mob,” Hill texted on June 1.

“You need to be more concerned with your own actions before you advise me on mine,” Oliva, R-Miami Lakes, responded.

The clash came to light because Hill considered the text-message exchange to be a public record under Florida’s Sunshine Law.

By comparison, Oliva and Sprowls, a Palm Harbor Republican who is slated to become House speaker after the 2020 elections, said they did not possess any text messages that could be turned over as part of the records request.

Sprowls said he had no text messages to turn over two days after the request was made, while Oliva took 50 days to say there were none.

On Monday, Hill’s office said, “the representative searched his text messages for responsive records” and offered an exchange among the three of them.

When asked about the discrepancy, House spokesman Fred Piccolo said each member has the discretion to determine what record should be archived as a public record.

Piccolo then cited this House rule: “Each member shall ensure compliance with this rule for all records created or received by the members of the member’s office.”

The rule also says the speaker “shall ensure compliance with this rule for all records created or received by their respective offices and their predecessors in office.”

PETA SEEKS ‘HUMANE’ PYTHON KILLING

Ingrid Newkirk, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, better known as PETA, wants the state to humanely kill pythons, as Gov. Ron DeSantis has ramped up efforts to eradicate the invasive species from the Everglades.

“We realize that something must be done to fix the exotic-pet trade’s mistake, but the true test of a civilization is whether it can solve its problems humanely,” Newkirk said in a prepared statement. “PETA is calling on Gov. Ron DeSantis to ensure the requirement of special methods necessary for the humane killing of these animals who have ended up in Florida’s swamps through no fault of their own.”

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and governor’s office agree with the sentiment.

Helen Ferre, a spokeswoman for DeSantis, agreed pythons should be “handled in a humane process,” adding “The Burmese Python is a threat to native wildlife and removing them is an important component of Everglades restoration.”

On its website, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission twice uses the word “humanely” regarding pythons.

Pythons can be “humanely killed” on private lands at any time with landowner permission and no permit required. They also can be killed in the 22 wildlife management areas, public small-game hunting areas, and wildlife and environmental areas, including by methods other than traps or firearms, the website says.

Last week, DeSantis announced the expansion of python eradication efforts to all state parks.

“We’re putting a lot of money into restoring the Everglades,” DeSantis said during a news conference in Fort Lauderdale. “We want to make sure that ecosystem is strong.”

LEMIEUX PAGE TURNER

Shakespeare, George Orwell, H.G. Wells and Roald Dahl are among the heavyweights who made the grade on state Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran’s back-to-school reading list.

But the former Florida House speaker --- the father of six children --- strayed outside the norm with at least one of his picks.

Joining the literary lions on Corcoran’s selections is George LeMieux, who briefly served as a Florida U.S. senator and whose resume includes stints as deputy state attorney general and chief of staff for former Gov. Charlie Crist, who once fondly dubbed LeMieux “the maestro.”

“Florida Made: The 25 Most Important Figures Who Shaped the State,” penned by LeMieux and Laura Mize, is on Corcoran’s list of 30 reads for high schoolers, along with “Animal Farm” by George Orwell, “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding, “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley and a host of other classics.

The 25 figures chosen by LeMieux include some giants, such as Henry Flagler, Walt Disney, John Gorrie, Barron Collier, LeRoy Collins and Fidel Castro.

But LeMieux also tapped a handful of Floridians --- Hamilton Disston, Ted Arison and Pédro Menendez de Avilés --- that might spur some Google sleuthing.

LeMieux’s book, published last year, received some rave reviews on Amazon, where it ranked 50,189 in the U.S. State & Local History category Thursday.

Here’s the Amazon blurb:

“Florida is in many ways both the oldest and newest of the megastates. Once an insect-ridden swampland, it is now a top destination for tourism, business, agriculture and innovation. The ideas and actions of a colorful cast of characters --- from beloved cultural icons to political heroes and even a socialist dictator --- transformed the peninsula.”

TWEET OF THE WEEK: “The victims of Epstein’s heinous actions deserved an opportunity for justice. Today, that opportunity was denied. The Federal Bureau of Prisons must provide answers on what systemic failures of the MCC Manhattan or criminal acts allowed this coward to deny justice to his victims.” --- U.S. Sen. Rick Scott (@SenRickScott), after the apparent suicide in a New York jail of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Comments

I, for one, will NEVER BUY "placeholder" LeMieux's book ! ("rave reviews" on Amazon"?!?...Everyone whose name has ever "passed by a T V camera or radio microphone (and that includes every "talking head" in the business, writes a book that Amazon showcases....that's called AMAZON "business", NOT "rave ANYTHING" ). So, NO THANKS ! (It's bad enough that these self centered posers keep "turning up" at all,... But I'll NEVER need their books (unless they turn-up long after the writer's death with something pertinent to add to our history,....that hasn't already been said....BETTER !

Feed Pythons "PETA" members, in a "humane fashion" (azz first, so we can clearly hear their "change of heart"!)

Most of the movers and shakers within the Republican government of Florida are a singular bunch of wackadoos that should be replaced as soon as possible.

"VoteDumb(read:Dem)2020" displays his "runny mouth" again......

I was instructed by House Counsel to turn over the text messages. Not my choice.

Oliva & Sprouls have no common sense, and there should be no place for them in Florida's Legislature !

Representative Sprowls is a smart man of high integrity. Your comments only reflect your own ignorance.

Comments are now closed.

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