Crist postpones clemency vote on felons rights

Gov. Charlie Crist postponed efforts Thursday to have the Florida Board of Executive Clemency vote on a plan to allow most felons automatic restoration of voting rights after they have served thier prison time.

   The governor appeared to have the votes necessary to have Florida join all but two other states and end the Jim Crow-era law that disenfranchises felons from voting, serving on a jury or obtaining many work-related licenses, but he wanted to avoid isolating fellow Republican, Attorney General Bill McCollum, as the lone vote.

Crist seeks compromise on felons rights on eve of clemency board meeting

On the eve of his first clemency board meeting as governor, Charlie Crist stepped up efforts to work out a compromise between his Cabinet colleagues on how to provide automatic restoration of civil rights to most felons. More here.

McCollum says meet more often to reduce clemency backlog

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum has weighed in today with his answer to the backlog of felons awaiting approval from the Clemency Board for the restoration of their civil rights: meet more often.

In a letter to Gov. Charlie Crist, McCollum acknowledges that the backlog is "unacceptable'' and proposes as a solution to have each member of the Cabinet commit two people from their staff to help work on eliminating the clemency backlog and require the Cabinet to meet at least monthly -- and perhaps more often -- as the Clemency Board until the waiting list is gone.

Here is McCollum's letter to the governor: Download clemency_letter.pdf

Cabinet names Bustle as new highway head

Gov. Charlie Crist and the Florida Cabinet today named Electra Bustle, assistant commissioner at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, to be the new head of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Bustle replaces Fred Dickinson, the long-time chief of the department who resigned two weeks ago. Bustle was formerly chief of FDLE's missing child clearinghouse, the sex offender registry and was instrumental in the implementation of the child protections required under the Jessica Lundsford Act. She previously served as general counsel, captain and major at the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office and also worked at DHSMV 10 years ago.

The Cabinet and an audience of Bustle's co-workers from law enforcement gave her a standing ovation.

"Wow,'' Bustle said. "Together, we will be looking for ways to better serve citizens...I look forward to hitting the ground running and getting started March 7.''

 

New Highway Safety director up for vote Tuesday

Gov. Charlie Crist will ask Tuesday morning that his fellow members of the Florida Cabinet vote to name Electra Bustle, assistant commissioner at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, to replace Fred Dickinson, the long-time chief of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Dickinson announced two weeks ago that he was stepping down from the agency that he has led since 1992. Since the agency reports to both the governor and Cabinet, the selection of Bustle must be approved by Cabinet members as well.

New traditions at first Cabinet meeting

Gov. Charlie Crist and the new Florida Cabinet held its first meeting Thursday and Crist used it to drop long-standing traditions. The governor in the past would normally field five minutes worth of questions from the media prior to each Cabinet meeting. This gaggle would occur at the bottom steps of the stairs leading from the first floor of the Capitol. Crist, however, has nixed this tradition and instead  has decided to do a 15-minute availability in his large conference room.

During his first pre-Cabinet briefing, Crist was asked about his thoughts on whether the insurance consumer advocate post should remain under the control of Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, and whether discussions to move it were a result of fears that Sink may run against Crist. Crist's response: "I don't know if I plan to run for re-election."

At the Cabinet meeting, Crist, Sink, Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson and Attorney General Bill McCollum voted in favor of Crist's choices to lead the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Veterans Affairs. They also voted to reaffirm Coleman Stipanovich as the head of the State Board of Administration.

Crist and Cabinet also took time to meet with a group of roughly 100 Brevard County residents angry about their insurance rates. All four elected officials thanked the group and said they were more important than anyone else in the Capitol right now.

"We've got plenty around of lobbyists around. There the guys with the suits. We pay more attention to the people in the tee-shirts,'' said Sink.

Show Copeland the money

Eric Copeland is like the stepchild of the Democratic party's statewide candidates this year, the one who gets the least attention and praise.

But the candidate for commissioner of agriculture and consumer services got some love at a fundraiser last night in Coconut Grove. Among the people on the host committee:  top fundraiser Alex Heckler, former state Rep. Elaine Bloom, Miami-Dade Public Defender Bennett Brummer and Miami-Dade School Board Member Betsy Kaplan.

Copeland has raised about $56,000 and loaned himself $167,000. Republican incumbent Charles Bronson has collected $1.5 million.

Alex Sink maintains narrow fundraising lead

New financial reports filed Friday show that Tampa Democrat Alex Sink has held onto her slight fundraising edge over GOP rival Tom Lee in the chief financial officer contest _ making her the lone Democrat to do so in either the governor's race or in any of the Cabinet races. Sink reported raising nearly $86,000 from Sept. 30 to Oct. 6,  while Lee raisied more than $159,000. But Sink's overall total is $2.95 million to Lee's $2.9 million. Lee has more money in the bank than Sink _ $445,000 to $116,000 _ but Sink has spent more than $2 million on television ads to run between now and Election Day.

In the Attorney General race, Bill McCollum raise nearly $118,000 while State Sen. Skip Campbell raised just more than $92,000. McCollum has raised a total of $2.34 million to Campbell's $1.67 million. Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson led all Cabinet candidates this past go-round, reporting raising more than $189,000, bringing his total to $1.52 million. Democratic challenger Eric Copeland raised $6,526. Including loans, Copeland has raised nearly $223,000.