I posted in late January about the redistricting of Allen West by the Republican controlled Florida legislature, including reports from the Florida blog The Shark Tank (which won Best State-Level Blog at CPAC this year) that West specifically was targeted.
Republicans in control of the process denied targeting West, asserting that changes were mandated by state and federal law, something West denied. West ended up switching districts to avoid the consequences of the redistricting.
Whether and to what extent West was targeted now may never be known.
As The Shark Tank points out today, the Republican controlled legislature is in the process of passing legislation not only insulating legislators from suit personally (something which is common in most states) but also shielding documents relating to the redistricting even in lawsuits challenging the redistricting:
The legislature once heralded as the “most conservative legislature” is now trying its best to re-brand itself as the “bi-partisan” Florida legislature as it has collectively drafted legislation that shields all legislators, staffers and pertinent documentation from being subpoenaed in any potential litigation that may challenge the legislature’s redistricting of legislative and congressional districts.
Via The Miami Herald the proposal reads in pertinent as follows (emphasis mine):
“A member or former member of the legislature has an absolute privilege in any civil action, judicial administrative proceeding or executive branch administrative proceeding against compelled testimony or the compelled production of any document or record in connection with any action taken or function performed in a legislative capacity.”
The legislation is not limited to redistricting disputes, and is not specific to West, but the timing is curious. The Miami Herald article suggests that “the prospect of a protracted fight over whether or not the staff drew maps to protect incumbents, legislators want to pass a law that clarifies that opponents should keep their distance.”
In the Sunshine State, sunshine as to the redistricting of Allen West will not be not permitted.
DONATE
Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.
Comments
I think that Mr. West may have a legal case if it can be proven. Well, I guess that is to say if he were a target due to a combination of his race and outspokenness.
We have our own gerrymandering taking place in my congressional district here in Texas. In this case, they are trying to oust a very liberal representative, (Doggett). I don’t particularly like Doggett but what the Republican legislature has done has already lost its first legal battle and if history repeats itself, they will lose ultimately.
I really like Allen West and just cannot understand why fellow Republicans are turning on him. This is behavior that typically represents democrats. Just ask Dan Morales in TX…
I don’t see how he could possibly have a legal case, no matter what came out. What kind of case could it be? The legislature has no duty at all to him. It has constitutional duties to the residents of the areas it redistricts, which could conceivably form the basis of legal challenges, but it has none to the people who happen from time to time to represent those residents, or who would like to.
As a Florida Republican I find it hard to believe the intent of the redistricting was to exclude Allen West. The problem is that Florida voters recently amended the constitution to change the way congressional districts are drawn. This was the culmination of a process initiated by Democrats when they lost control of the state legislature. They didn’t care about gerrymandering for the 100 years they controlled the process. Suddenly there were petitions for “fair” congressional districts circulating. The net is that Florida will have more seats in congress but some of the districts won’t be as safe. Someone is going to be on the outside looking in. And despite the GOP majority in the state there are huge pockets of Democratic voters particularly in the Southeast part.
As a resident of Fl-22 who worked their tail off to get West elected for 2 election cycles now, I know that this is nothing but a heavy handed smack down to the citizens of West’s district from the Florida GOP who did absolutely nothing to help West get elected even though his opponent was an oppressive who was recruited by Obama’s 2006 Midwest Academy socialists. Read Stanley Kurtz’s “Radical-in-Chief” for proof of this fact.
This is: “How dare you have the audacity to elect a conservative. We made a pact here a long time ago to go along to get along. Quit rocking the boat. We don’t want anybody taking on Debbie Wasserman-Socialist. We don’t want anything to get accomplished.”
And to add insult to injury they want us to elect as our new representative a corrupto-crat who co-sponsored “Orange Charlie’s” Gore-Bull Warming legislation in Florida.
They are still pissed we got rid of Orange Charlie in Florida. He was the poster boy of Jeb Bush’s Florida GOP.
conductor, The Florida GOP has some swampland in the everglades that they want to sell ya.
I have reached the point where I want to know the names of the people pulling the strings in the GOP. I want to confront them and ask them why they are trying to destroy conservatives and the rebirth of the conservative movement in this country. I want them exposed and called on the carpet to answer for themselves. I want to know who the man behind the curtain is. I will betcha that Sarah Palin knows the name of every last damn one of them.
Talk to us, Sarah.
Names, we want names. It’s important to start getting this type of “republican” out of office, including at the state level.
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/02/allen-west-praises-gops-proud-history-of-supporting-african-americans-in-his-house-floor-speech-for-black-history-month-video/
I really like this guy. He has orbs.
So much for law in the “sunshine” in the Florida constitution.
Florida names. I would start with Jeb Bush and family and work out from there, all political connections and old favors. Then go through Cuban, old citrus and the cocktail circuits. The governor and his cabinet. Also Romney has been “here” effectively for years campaigning. Things are interrelated, not necessarily all clear alliances. That’s politics.
Allen West has to concentrate on just getting re-elected and doing his job. He still has to work with these people (to the extent of federal issues, such as money for the Everglades.) Choose his battles. I trust his judgment.
As George Patton once said: “A man that eloquent has to be saved.“
I am not surprised at all considering Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is a Romney Backer is featured in one of Romnneys radio ads
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/content/romneys-new-florida-radio-ad-features-pam-bondi
AND
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, a Romney supporter, went on The Recordand told Greta Van Susteren that Mitt wants Romneycare in every state.
She also said she would be on Romney’s Health Care Advisory Team when he’s president.
http://youtu.be/SF2YB4pGrjk
These are the very same people, who if in congress, would continue to elect “weak sister” Boehner as Speaker and “go along to get along” McConnell as minority leader. Flush them out and flush them down the drain.