NACA Candidates Forum July 2018

Several candidates from both parties responded to the invitation of the Nokomis Area Civic Association to answer questions at at forum held on July 24, 2018 in Nokomis.

Candidates for the Sarasota County Commission in attendance:

Wesley Beggs
Alex Coe
Mike Cosentino
Ruta Marie Jouniari
Lourdes Ramirez

Commission Candidates who did not attend:

Al Maio (incumbent)
Christian Ziegler

Candidates for U.S. House District 17 in attendance:

Bill Akins
Julio Gonzalez
Greg Steube

Follow-up: Strongly worded email from John Ask to Commissioner Maio: 7.30.18 

It’s a sorry state of affairs when you’ve become so toxic to your community that you aren’t comfortable showing your face in public. 

Florida in the grip of the Gun Lobby.

This interview ought to be an eye-opener. It describes NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer as essentially writing the laws that have turned Florida into one of the more "accommodating" states in the US when it comes to gun control. "Stand your ground" and Open Carry are two well known examples of a legislative influence that has designs on reshaping the way we perceive guns throughout the USA.

Fresh Air Interview: Terry Gross speaks with reporter who covers the NRA

Journalist Mike Spies says the NRA's push to allow guns on college campuses, daycare centers and bars is part of an effort to "normalize gun carrying as much as possible in American public life."

Hammer earns $200K a year writing gun legislation and making sure Florida's Republican legislature passes it:

. . . because [Hammer is] so enmeshed in the culture of the state and because Florida is a state that has a very high population of NRA members, she's able to function as an unelected legislator and often has more power than legislators do and is able to tell governors what to do and able to tell Republican lawmakers there what to do. And that is - that is what she does.

Full transcript here. 

See also: 

Miami Herald: NRA wants more gunslingers in the nation’s bloodiest mass-shooting state (Jan. 2017)

WLRN Interview with Hammer from 2013

Hammer as seen by the NRA

Hammer (via Miami Herald)

Herald Tribune finds lawmakers work for paid lobbyist lawfirms

State Sen. Greg Steube works for lobbyist
lawfirm Becker & Poliakoff

Once viewed as an "inescapable" conflict of interest, some state lawmakers are on the payroll of firms that actively lobby the Legislature

By Zac Anderson 
Political Editor 

The law firm of Becker & Poliakoff has an extensive legislative lobbying practice that netted $1 million to $2 million in 2015.

The firm employs 10 registered lobbyists who represent dozens of clients, from hospitals to electric utilities, liquor stores and city governments.

The firm also employs Sarasota state Sen. Greg Steube.

As an attorney, Steube is supposed to look out for the best interests of his firm's clients. As a lawmaker, Steube is supposed to do what's in the best interest of his constituents and the people of Florida.

A Herald-Tribune analysis found at least 42 lawyers serve in the Legislature, 13 in the Senate and 29 in the House.

By cross checking the names of their law firms against the lobbying firms listed in the state's legislative lobbyist directory, the newspaper found at least six lawyer/legislators who work for firms that lobby the Legislature and another — Senate President Joe Negron — who worked at a lobbying firm until last month.

Here's a list of the attorneys who serve in the Legislature and worked at lobbying firms at the start of 2017, including their employers and how much each firm makes from lobbying, according to state records.

Lawmaker/Law firm/legislative lobbyists employed by firm in 2017/firm's 2015 lobbying compensation range

Rep. Richard Corcoran/Broad & Cassel/1/ $200,000 - $400,000

Rep. Chris Sprowls/Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney/13/$1.75 million - $3.5 milion

Rep. Eric Eisnaugle/Rumberger Kirk & Caldwell/1/$0

Rep. Katie Edwards/Arnstein & Lehr LLP/2/$0

Rep. Jose Felix Diaz/Akerman LLP/7/$350,000 - $850,000

Sen. Greg Steube/Becker & Poliakoff/10/$1 million - $2 million

Sen. Joe Negron/Gunster/5/$850,000 - $1.75 million

The Florida Bar once viewed this dual role as an "inescapable" conflict of interest, an ethical conflict so "clear" that the Bar issued a formal ethics opinion effectively prohibiting lawmakers from working at firms that lobby the Legislature.

That ethics opinion was rescinded in 1999 and now at least six Florida lawmakers — including the speaker of the House — work for law firms that lobby the Legislature, according to a Herald-Tribune analysis.

But there is renewed scrutiny of such employment.

Read more: