The Florida Elections Commission apologized for illegally excluding me from the consent order hearing, calling it a mistake. I have no reason to doubt that account. Read the consent order below.
I would be willing to bet that the exclusion was purposeful, because this is the DeSantis government's modus operandi. What just happened is a variant of the "never ask for permission, only ask for forgiveness" approach to human and legal relationships. It was an extra skilled touch on his part not to throw his assistant under the bus, but instead to appear to be protecting a "weak" (in this case weak=overworked) female, inviting you to protect her as well. DeSantis has populated his government with people who believe in his approach, and everyone else has taken note of what he will tolerate and has adjusted accordingly. I would recommend that you make them pay at least a little in your blog, or others in positions of power will take note and adopt this approach to you. I firmly believe you've gotten even DeSantis's attention with the federal inquiry into the bid-rigging crime involving Corcoran et al., and I would hate to see your effectiveness blunted by the use of this technique. I know this sounds and feels like a cynic's approach to the situation, but the Republicans have brought guns to this fight; a butter knife is not going to have the only effect the governor and his minions understand: blood. They're coming for yours every time. It's not cynicism to acknowledge this-- it's wisdom. Make. Them. Pay. Every time. Otherwise they'll just keep doing it. You're doing a great job.
I appreciate your concern here. But I've been a known quantity to these people for a long time -- long before this. I also try to take people at their words until proven that I can't. I do this was most likely a mistake and that they're being open with me. My goal here is for the civic systems to work better. I do understand -- 110 percent -- the importance of inflicting a consequence for bad public behavior. I think I probably do it more effectively -- pound for pound -- than anybody else in Florida. But part of my effectiveness, I think, is having a sense of when meet good faith with good faith and when to bad faith with pain. In this case, I inflicted a consequence, got a fast reaction, and the FEC role is done now anyway. i do find it most likely that there was no discussion (commissions work this way alot). If it proves otherwise somehow there will be hell to pay. Anyway, this is just my explanation of how I like to work.
Billy,
You rock!
I would be willing to bet that the exclusion was purposeful, because this is the DeSantis government's modus operandi. What just happened is a variant of the "never ask for permission, only ask for forgiveness" approach to human and legal relationships. It was an extra skilled touch on his part not to throw his assistant under the bus, but instead to appear to be protecting a "weak" (in this case weak=overworked) female, inviting you to protect her as well. DeSantis has populated his government with people who believe in his approach, and everyone else has taken note of what he will tolerate and has adjusted accordingly. I would recommend that you make them pay at least a little in your blog, or others in positions of power will take note and adopt this approach to you. I firmly believe you've gotten even DeSantis's attention with the federal inquiry into the bid-rigging crime involving Corcoran et al., and I would hate to see your effectiveness blunted by the use of this technique. I know this sounds and feels like a cynic's approach to the situation, but the Republicans have brought guns to this fight; a butter knife is not going to have the only effect the governor and his minions understand: blood. They're coming for yours every time. It's not cynicism to acknowledge this-- it's wisdom. Make. Them. Pay. Every time. Otherwise they'll just keep doing it. You're doing a great job.
I appreciate your concern here. But I've been a known quantity to these people for a long time -- long before this. I also try to take people at their words until proven that I can't. I do this was most likely a mistake and that they're being open with me. My goal here is for the civic systems to work better. I do understand -- 110 percent -- the importance of inflicting a consequence for bad public behavior. I think I probably do it more effectively -- pound for pound -- than anybody else in Florida. But part of my effectiveness, I think, is having a sense of when meet good faith with good faith and when to bad faith with pain. In this case, I inflicted a consequence, got a fast reaction, and the FEC role is done now anyway. i do find it most likely that there was no discussion (commissions work this way alot). If it proves otherwise somehow there will be hell to pay. Anyway, this is just my explanation of how I like to work.