It has been quite an education to serve on Florida’s Constitution Revision Commission.
If you follow my blog, you might recall that during the 2017/18 Commission, I sponsored five public-submitted proposals, all environmental in nature: A Right to a Clean and Healthful Environment; the Department of Environmental Protection as a cabinet position; Clarifying the Water and Land Legacy; Florida Wildlife Commission/Wildlife Corridors; and No Oil and Gas Drilling in Florida’s Territorial Seas.
Early on in my journey, with an outcry of controversy from the Associated Industries of Florida, the Florida Chamber, and the Florida Agriculture Coalition, I fought. It was a scathing experience, I will never forget.
With regard to A Right for a Clean Environment, former Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court, Kenneth Bell, was hired along with lawyers from U.S. Sugar Gunster Law Firm to destroy my proposal, which they did.
In the end, only one of my proposals made it to the ballot, supported by all by but one CRC vote that day. That proposal, now an amendment, is “No Oil and Gas Drilling in Florida’s Territorial Seas,” our state waters, ten miles off our west coast and three miles off the east. These waters belong to the people of Florida, not to the federal government.
And now Amendment 9 is under attack from yet another former Supreme Court Justice, Harry Lee Anstead! For me, it is of no consequence that my proposal is bundled with another environmental proposal.
I think it is repulsive that these men of influence, who raised their hand to represent fairly all the people of Florida now are spending their “golden years” off the bench getting paid by Big Corporate Interests to partake in the carnage of Florida’s environment. Former power and influence should not be allowed to seduce the court.
Shame on you former Supreme Court judges, for getting paid by Big Business, Big Petroleum, Big Tobacco, and Big Gambling to try to influence the Florida Supreme Court to deny taxpayers of Florida the quiet enjoyment of their properties and the waters we all treasure.
More than likely we shall know by September 24 if the Florida Supreme Court decides to place CRC Constitutional Revision 9 on the 2018 ballot or not. In the meanwhile, hang in there and please keep fighting for Florida’s precious environment.
Gunster, Kenneth Bell: https://gunster.com/staff/attorneys/kenneth-b-bell/
Former Judges: Harry Lee Anstead: https://www.4dca.org/Judges/Former-Judges/Former-Justice-Harry-Lee-Anstead
Links to CRC Lawsuits, Florida Court System
2-15-18 Former Florida Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Bell, and other giants of business fight against A Right to a Clean Environment:http://floridapolitics.com/archives/250218-aif-fight-proposed-constitution-amendment-environmental-protection
8-21-18: Ex Lieutenant Governors and Lawmakers Fight Ballot Proposals http://sunshinestatenews.com/story/ex-lieutenant-governors-and-lawmakers-fight-ballot-proposals
9-14-18 Former Florida Supreme Court Justice Harry Lee Anstead fights against Amd. 9 Prohibiting Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling; Prohibiting Vaping in Indoor Work Places and other constitutional amendments: http:// http://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2018/08/14/heres-another-legal-challenge-for-floridas-constitutional-amendments/
9-5-18 As there have been multiple cases to watch in the court system this article helps to explain: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/2018/09/05/whats-at-stake-in-todays-florida-court-hearings-over-amendment-8/%3ftemplate=amp
9-12-18 Good News, Amd. 9 and others going to Supreme Court
http://www.mysuncoast.com/news/three-more-proposed-amendments-going-before-florida-supreme-court/article_54689732-b692-11e8-934b-ff33231f5cb8.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share
Tell it like it is Jacqui! Crossing fingers and toes.
They just DON’T care Jacqui.. keep trying, your doing a great job letting the public what is going on…
Rick Scott Is Preparing to Pack the State Supreme Court After His Term Ends.
This will end badly.
Are you saying that Amendment 9 may not be on the ballot? I thought they were chosen already and agreed upon.
I read the articles you attached. From my experience with Florida politics, the reason they were bundled in the first place was to give other powerful people a reason to try to discredit the ones they did not want included. Perhaps only the top 10should have been included, and yours would have stood on its own. I will hope for the best.
Yes it may not, it as all others has been going through the court system. At this point for Amd. 9 it will be heard at the Florida Supreme Court along with 7, and 11.
Yes… it will be printed on ballot at this point but could be revoked.
Go get ’em Jacqui…
I hate to tell you I had the same experience in Tallahassee with all the politicians when I lobbied for healthy mothers and babies. It took 3 years to pass License laws to open a Birth Center. Just NEVER GIVE UP!! Someone will hear and agree someday! Thank you for all you are doing to protect our beautiful resources.
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Thank you Marjie. I appreciate your words. And I will not ever give up.
Absolutely “repulsive and shameful” and for what reward, what price?
When our environment eventually collapses, as we’re now seeing in doses, those who profited through their greed and short sightedness, will not be unaffected.
Just ask the ghosts of the millionaires and heiresses who were left behind on the decks of the Titanic. They tried hopelessly to trade their gold watches and jewelry for seats on the life boats but their fortunes did not save them.
Quite a visual.Thanks Ezra.
To hell with politics and politicians. The environment issue is an issue of the struggle to survive and I sure don’t want a bunch of clowns takeing bribes and makeing all our decisions for us. I have been bringing back the mighty menhadden by putting calcium sand in fresh water runnoffs. I looked up the definition of estuary and it is the area where a FRESH water river meets the sea. We have large numbers of birds here and all their lives depend on this little fish. All the game fish allso depend on this little guy..
Thank you Brent.
Like I said before I know what our state government has done to the citizens of this state is the same as what Stalin did to Ukraine in 1930. The sooner people realize this the sooner they will move forward and restore what is left of our estuaries.