FDLE gives cold shoulder Scott’s political attack against Quince and two fellow justices

Gov. Rick Scott demands complete obedience from his cronies. That’s the reason why Frank Brogan, Dean Colson, and Rufus Montgomery are so beloved by the governor’s office. It’s also the reason why Scott’s working so hard to get rid of individuals like James Ammons, who aren’t afraid of him.

The Florida Supreme Court is also on Scott’s purge list, right along with the president of FAMU. Justices Barbara Pariente, Fred Lewis, and Peggy Quince (the first African American woman to serve as the chief justice of Florida) have led the way in holding Scott accountable for his misuse of power.

Last year, Pariente, Lewis, and Quince were among five justices who ruled that Scott “overstepped his constitutional authority and violated the separation of powers” when he signed an executive order that required all state agencies to receive his approval before they implemented any new rules.

The governor attempted to get those three justices back by asking the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to launch a ridiculous election violation investigation against them. Scott said they might have broken the law by having staffers assist them with routine paperwork related their merit retention processes.

The FDLE recently found that the Pariente, Lewis, and Quince did nothing wrong. Scott released a sarcastic-toned statement about the work done by FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey and his agents.

“According to FDLE findings, it appears using state employees to complete and file campaign forms and other documents is ‘common practice.’ Now this case is before the courts where a determination will be made as to whether this ‘common practice’ is legal. Whatever the ruling, we will accept it and act accordingly,” Scott said.

Bailey should be applauded for making it clear that the governor won’t be permitted to use the FDLE as a political tool against the Florida Supreme Court. The FDLE should also resist Scott’s efforts to use it as a political tool against FAMU.  

Scott asked the FDLE to get involved in the Orange County Sheriff Office’s (OCSO) criminal investigation of the death of deceased drum major Robert Champion. He then used the investigation as an excuse to try and push Ammons out of office. Scott said he wanted Ammons to step aside in order to ensure that there was full cooperation with the detective work, but the OCSO said Ammons did fully cooperation and gave valuable assistance.

“This investigation could not have been accomplished without the support of the FAMU Administration and we do thank them for their cooperation,” said OCSO spokeswoman Ginette Rodriguez.

The FDLE is still investigating a number of other issues at FAMU. Scott should not engage in any political inference to shape the findings of this inquiry. He needs to know that the FDLE is not on the payroll of the Republican Party of Florida or the Scott re-election campaign. Its agents have no obligation to help him settle scores with people won’t let him bully them.