Special Session Spectacle
July 19th, 2010 by flanewsState lawmakers are gearing up for a short stay in Tallahassee. Tomorrow’s Special Session is scheduled to last four days, but as Whitney Ray tells us, legislative leaders, feuding with the governor, could use Tuesday to blast Charlie Crist, then go home.
It’s a simple issue immersed in politics. Governor Charlie Crist is asking lawmakers to let voters decide if a constitutional offshore drilling ban is needed.
“I’m here to announce that I’m calling a special session to ban offshore oil drilling in Florida waters,” said Crist when he called the session July 8th. .
But as soon as the special session call came down from the governor’s office, the gloves came off. Republican legislative leaders are accusing Crist of political grandstanding, because the state already has a drilling ban, and the issue doesn’t help people suffering from the BP spill.
They’re threatening to go home early. Democrats hope they don’t.
“If there’s a chance to vote. They should have their voices heard. If they don’t like the amendment, vote no, but they at least should have the opportunity to have their voice heard,” said Representative Ron Saunders.
The Special Session is scheduled to begin noon, Tuesday, and 30 minutes before it does, 400 clean energy advocates will be in the capitol courtyard, lobbying not only for a ban on offshore oil drilling, but also for tax credits for renewable energy. Kim Ross is organizing the rally.
“Then we intend to go watch our legislators in action. Let’s see if they’re going to take this seriously or not,” said Ross.
Missing from the argument is Republican lawmakers, many of whom don’t want a constitutional ban on drilling. We tried to interview the House Speaker as well as several other Republican lawmakers. We were told they were either traveling or too busy to talk about the issue.
Not all Republican lawmakers are going along with leadership’s plan. State Senator Paula Dockery is one of several members asking her party to give the constitutional ban a fair shake.
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