FL GOP House Speaker tried to trade favorable treatment for support on his radical court reform bill

[seafan]

Wouldn't the House Speaker's trading favorable treatment in return for supporting his bill attacking the courts be a reason to lose his job as House Speaker?

These people must be removed from power. There are no two ways about it.


Mr. Cannon is skating on very thin ice.




Florida House Democrat: Speaker Dean Cannon tried to trade favorable treatment for support on court bill

By Mary Ellen Klas, Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau
April 26, 2011

TALLAHASSEE — House Speaker Dean Cannon's attempt to play hardball Monday with his top priority court reform bill wasn't the first time the speaker has used political pressure and dealmaking to advance his plan.

Rep. Perry Thurston of Plantation, the incoming Democratic leader, told the Times/Herald that Cannon called him into his office April 12, two days before the court reform bill was to be debated on the House floor.

He wanted to know if Thurston, as incoming Democratic leader, and the Democratic caucus "could get him 10 to 15 votes for his court-packing bill, and five people to speak on behalf of it," Thurston said. "He said your ability to deliver will affect redistricting and the budget."

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And what was Cannon willing to offer?

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Thurston said the offer from Cannon came back: "You get back in my good will," a reference to Thurston's critical press release calling Cannon's court reform plan a "veiled attack on the third branch of government."
Thurston called the next day telling Cannon: no deal. "It would not be in the best interest of the people of the state of Florida for us to support this bill," he said.

Cannon has since barred Thurston, the Democrat's chosen lead legislator on redistricting matters, from the redistricting committee. Waldman, another vocal critic of the court reform bill, was also not appointed to the committee.

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More about Dean "Loose" Cannon's full frontal assault on the Florida Supreme Court and statewide courts here and here.



The face of a drone for radical conservatism.



House Speaker Dean Cannon (AP)