Joe Henderson
If you’re keeping score (and I know you are), Tuesday was a bad day for the Florida Senate. That august body served up a double serving from the “This Is Why People Hate Politicians” buffet.
There was the eye-popping, ear-insulting, are-you-kidding-me story that Sen. Frank Artiles employed the vilest racial insult to describe a pair of African-American colleagues, including the n-word. He called one of them a “f—— a——,” a “b—-” and a “girl.”
He doubled down over adult beverages late at night (senators, take note of the setting and time) to complain to a couple of colleagues that Senate President Joe Negron rose to that position because “six n——-” in the Republican caucus had elected him.
Artiles says he is really sorry.
On that point, he is correct.
Artiles has requested time to formally apologize on the Senate floor, but his speech ought to consist of just four words: “I’m sorry, I quit.”
But there was more Senate buffoonery. The Associated Press reported that the Senate will not consider the sweeping ethics reforms proposed by House Speaker Richard Corcoran on how the Legislature conducts business.
That kills, for now, Corcoran’s gambit to require lawmakers wait six years after they leave office before registering as a lobbyist in Tallahassee
“The Senate has shown us they have expressed zero interest in holding elected officials accountable and draining the swamp,” Corcoran told reporters.
Negron’s comeback?
“The Senate is very committed to the highest ethical standards and we believe that the ethics rules we have in place should be enforced,” he said.
I’ll translate: blah, blah and furthermore, blah.
So, you may ask, how are ethics and racist gutter talk by a sitting senator related?
It goes to perception.
The public already thinks politicians are slimy offspring from a zombie apocalypse. Call me crazy, but I don’t what happened here is going to change that.
Get a hundred people in a room and at least 99 of them would say they don’t like politicians, don’t trust them, and that they’re all on the take.
The last part of that is not true, of course, but the Legislature has helped create its image problem by doing just what the Senate has planned for Corcoran’s bill: closing its eyes, covering its ears, and going “la la la la la la, NOT LISTENING!”
So, as a public service, I offer this bit of sage advice to members of the Florida Senate.
However sincere Artiles’ forthcoming apology might sound (I’m thinking choked-up speech and tears will be involved), don’t accept it. Make it clear that the only acceptable action is his immediate resignation. If he is still in the Senate by the close of business today, that’s too long.
It’s the only ethical choice.
Oh … wait. Ethics. My bad.
