"Polk County, Florida commissioners agreed unanimously Tuesday to challenge the constitutionality of voter-imposed term limits and salary cuts.
County Commissioner Bob English brought up the issue, which was not scheduled for discussion, during his portion of the agenda."
"The sudden charge by State House Speaker Dean Cannon and other legislators to drastically reform Florida’s Supreme Court is a poorly disguised attempt at retaliation towards the judicial branch. The Florida Supreme Court’s disqualification of Amendment 7 from the 2010 ballot made it a target for legislators who seek to protect gerrymandering and derail the Fair Districts amendments, approved by over 62% of voters. The specific aim of Amendment 7 was for it to be simultaneously approved along with Amendments 5 and 6, thereby essentially overriding them. Speaker Dean Cannon personally argued the case for the counter amendment during the court hearing. Ultimately, the court decided to uphold a lower court decision to strike Amendment 7 off the ballot for being misleading to voters. Not coincidentally, Cannon is now leading the effort to break up the court into two separate civil and criminal courts while also requiring justices to obtain 60% of the vote to win merit retention, as opposed to the current simple majority.
Opposition to this retaliatory “reform” comes from the fact that a well financed minority could effectively hold judges hostage to obtaining the 60% needed for retention. The higher rate of turnover would create more flexibility for the executive branch and its allies in the legislature to appoint agenda friendly judges, regardless of which of the two parties hold the power. This would undermine the impartiality of justice and the independence of the judicial branch. ...
Given the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. FEC, removing regulations on spending by moneyed special interests on ads in support of or against candidates, this retaliatory “reform” of Florida’s Supreme Court will further the effects of plutocracy at the expense of impartial justice. The passive, open acceptance and attempted rationalization of such measures by legislators highlights the unrepresentative nature of the existing system and the continuing need for electoral reform."
"The Florida Board of Executive Clemency voted today to change its rules to require Floridians with past felony convictions to endure harsh mandatory waiting periods of up to seven years before being eligible to apply to have their civil rights, including their right to vote, reinstated.
The board did not make the proposal public until today’s hearing – providing copies of the 24-page plan to speakers and members of the media within minutes of the vote. The board voted unanimously to approve the plan even though some members publicly admitted they had not yet reviewed it. The Florida Board of Executive Clemency is composed of the [elected] Governor and elected three member Florida Cabinet (Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer and Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services)."
"Four of the nation’s premier civil rights organizations, the American Civil Liberties Union, Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, the Sentencing Project and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., sent a letter Friday to Florida’s Board of Executive Clemency (“Board”), asking the Board not to further restrict Floridians’ voting rights by requiring every individual with a criminal conviction to apply for restoration of their civil rights after a new waiting period that could be as long as five years. ...
If Florida rolls back its clemency rules, it will be one of only four states left in the country (Kentucky, Virginia and Iowa are the other three) that deny the right to vote to everyone with a felony conviction for life unless they receive clemency from the governor. The Board will meet this Wednesday to decide whether or not to adopt the proposed change of clemency rules."
" After a hard-fought political campaign, voters approved two measures last fall that would change how Florida's congressional and legislative districts are drawn every decade.
Now, the real brawling is starting in the courts.
Two lawsuits filed in the wake of last November's election could determine the fate of the two amendments to Florida's constitution, which supporters say will help end gerrymandering, the process of tailoring districts to favor a particular party, incumbent or demographic group. Opponents claim the amendments will dilute the voting power of minorities."
The entire article with commenting is at http://washingtonexaminer.com/news/2011/02/lawsuits-challenge-fla-redistricting-changes
"[Florida] Attorney General Pam Bondi said Thursday that recent rule changes have made it too easy for nonviolent felons to get their civil rights [including voting rights] restored after completing their sentences, and she wants to undo them.
Bondi, a former Tampa prosecutor, appears to have the support of at least one other Cabinet member and Gov. Rick Scott. That's a majority of the four-member Board of Executive Clemency. Florida's three cabinet members and Scott, all Republicans, sit on the board, which could revise the existing rules as early as next month in a special meeting."
The entire article with commenting is at http://washingtonexaminer.com/news/2011/02/new-fla-ag-wants-overhaul-pardon-proceedings
"Dear Floridan: Two weeks ago, I sued Governor Rick Scott in federal court. I sued to stop the governor from blocking and delaying the clear will of Florida voters. The conflict is over the Fair District Amendments which passed last year to set standards for drawing fair legislative and congressional district boundaries. Floridians demanded fair districts with the passage of Amendments 5 and 6.Urge Governor Scott to swiftly implement Fair Districts in Florida."
http://rightardia.blogspot.com/2011/02/acly-sues-florida-governor-rick-scott.html
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