Rules Committee Passes 'Smart Cap,' Admonishes Senate President Mike Haridopolos

The Senate Rules Committee voted unanimously Thursday to send a letter of admonition to their leader, Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, for an ethics violation.

Haridopolos admitted last year to unintentionally leaving out information on his financial disclosure forms from 2004 through 2008.

"In view of the inadvertent nature of these violations, Senator Haridopolos' admission of error and his subsequent submission of required corrections, the Rules Committee recommends to the Senate that a letter of admonition from the Rules chair is an appropriate level of penalty," the consent decree reads in part.

Some Democrats had called on Rules Committee Chairman John Thrasher, R-Jacksonville, and committee member Anitere Flores, R-Miami, to recuse themselves from the proceedings because they endorsed Haridopolos for Senate president. They both voted to admonish Haridopolos.

"Hell no, absolutely not," Thrasher said when asked if he should have recused himself.

The committee also voted along partisan lines to move the "smart cap" bill --that would tie the amount of revenue Florida can bring in to population growth and inflation -- to the Senate floor. Haridopolos is an enthusiastic supporter of the bill.

"Historically government has spent more when times are good and then been forced to make dramatic cuts when the economy takes a downturn. The smart cap amendment ensures the state budget doesnt grow beyond a familys ability to pay for it," Haridopolos said in a released statement.

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