Rubio unwinding and unplugged on Gelber's "pointless" "wasted" "obstruction"

In our day 2.5 coverage of the aftermath of Burnin' Down The House, House Speaker Marco Rubio had loads to say in an email from his personal account. Here it is:

"To require every bill be read in full was an anger-driven overreaction. Rep. Gelber knew the amendments he wanted heard are going to be heard on Tuesday in committee and Wednesday on the full floor. Because of the black caucus gala on Friday and the Passover, we had promised the members we would finish our work by noon. So we asked him to withdraw the amendments and wait until next week. He refused.  We then used a valid and legitimate procedural motion in the interest of time management.

Rep. Gelber’s response to this was an overreaction and it was pointless.

No minority leader in the history of the Florida house has ever been empowered more than Rep. Gelber. We have allowed him to hire contract staff. We created the position of ranking member, gave them offices next to committee chairs and allowed Rep. Gelber to appoint them. We have allowed Rep. Gelber to make every committee assignment for the Democrat members. And, at his request , I appointed Rep. Gelber to the TBRC. Furthermore, during almost two full regular sessions and three special sessions, we have never once limited their questions or debate. In fact, on the budget alone, we endured almost 8 hours of questions a little over a week ago. However, when we were forced to limit debate on one issue, one time, on something scheduled to be debated the following week, Rep. Gelber responded with a procedural obstruction that had never been used before.  No speaker in the last 20 years has been more accommodating to the minority party than I have.

Yet the first time we chose to limit debate, the response was something none of my predecessors has ever been subjected to. I could understand if our motion to limit debate was part of a pattern of behavior. But this was the first and only time we have ever done this. To respond with an unprecedented procedural obstruction was simply a temper-driven overreaction.

The move also accomplished nothing.  Rep. Gelber forced members of the black caucus to miss their gala. He forced countless members to miss their flights home to be with their families. For what? We still passed every single bill we intended to pass yesterday. It just took longer."

I felt bad for the young part-time staffers who were forced to read bills all night. And I felt bad for all the members, none of whom anticipated having to stay around until 2am. But at least Republicans got bills heard and their agenda completed. I have heard from a number of Democrats who realize this stunt accomplished nothing for them. It didn't get any of their bills heard and it didn't stop us from passing anything. Many of them feel their leaders just wasted 16 hours of their life."

We then asked:

Why have the sergeants pull Garcia for Zapata resolution vote? What does this do to the next few days? What does this signify for Florida House from here on out (Dems have more power now)? Have Dem. bills been shortchanged? Did you overreact/lose temper as well? Couldn't u just have allowed this Gaetz amendment up? It would have taken 40 minutes. Did you feel betrayed? Did you appear to lose control of House? Isn't this good old South Florida politics, write large in Tally during a bad budget and prez election year?

And he wrote: "Garcia voted for the resolution, and had endorsed it earlier in the day on radio. It is a vote that helps him politically. I did not want to be accused of holding the vote at an unexpected time when he was off the floor.

I never felt betrayed or angry. This is all business to me. But during the first bill reading, I felt I needed to get everyone settled down. Tempers were raw and if you don't settle things down, things can escalate and become personal. After that things went back to normal.

The only time I got upset is when I felt they were being disrespectful to the readers. These kids were really the ones that got the brunt of this and they deserved respect.

As for control of the House, I am not sure what you mean. We heard and passed every bill we wanted. It just took longer. No fist fights broke out. No offensive words were exchanged. I think everyone handled it OK.

This has nothing to do with South Florida, the budget or the elections.

Finally, as for the rest of session, nothing is going to prevent us from doing our job. The minority party doesn't have power. Making a reading clerk read a bill isn't power. It’s just a delay tactic one that doesn't work so long as we are willing to stay as long as it takes to get the job done.

The minority party doesn't have power, what they have is an important role to play. They have the right to be the loyal opposition. We have respected that right as much as anyone ever has in the history of the House. And we will continue to do that.

Finally, on the amendment, the better question is: Why file the amendment? Why not wait until Tuesday to discuss in policy and budget and then again Wednesday on the floor? We scheduled only two hours on Friday because the Democratic office told us they had members who wanted to leave for the holiday by 1p.m. Then they decide that want to take almost half that time to discuss a bill that is going to be heard next week anyways."

Comments

Rubio for Governor.

Can we get Marco Rubio to read his Max Alvarez' love notes next time? Ode to crooked Turnpike deals.

Governing by blogging!

Governing by taking time on a weekend- after an annoying, tiresome Friday/Saturday in the House- to answer reporters inquiries.

RUBIO LOSES FACE

Rubio got punchy late at night. He compared the long day on the House floor to the squalid Superdome after Hurricane Katrina. Then he laughed himself to tears as fellow Republicans engaged in a mock whodunnit by issuing a fake ransom note to Republican leader Adam Hasner of West Palm Beach.

In the estimation of many Republican lawmakers, lobbyists and veteran staffers, Rubio came out the most bruised. He looked like he couldn't control his chamber. And Gelber has started to isolate House Republicans from Republican Gov. Charlie Crist and the GOP-controlled Senate.

[Disgusted Republican]

Rubio for GOVERNOR!!

Rubio for TOWN IDIOT!