Ashley Moody tells Senators to remove Scott Israel as Broward Sheriff

ashley moody
The Senate began its consideration of the Israel case.

As the Senate begins consideration of the Scott Israel suspension case, Attorney General Ashley Moody is urging Senators to permanently remove Israel from his post as Broward County Sheriff.

Moody released a letter Monday morning as the Senate Rules Committee began hearing testimony to make a recommendation on the case to the full Senate.

“My niece was outside playing and heard the first shots ring out at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2018,” Moody began in her letter to the Senate.

“She lost a dear friend due to the acts of an evil person and the cumulative failure of the criminal justice system. The Parkland families deserve accountability.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended the Sheriff in January, citing his office’s handling of the shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The Senate has final say over suspensions issued by the Governor.

Senate President Bill Galvano appointed Special Master Dudley Goodlette to review the case, elicit testimony and make a recommendation to the Senate.

Regarding the Parkland shooting, Goodlette’s report noted the failure of multiple Broward deputies to enter the school. But he nevertheless found Israel should be reinstated.

“To be sure, Sheriff Israel bears ultimate responsibility for the neglect of his deputies,” Goodlette wrote. “But it is impractical to suggest that he can face removal from office based on the conduct of a subordinate that was never authorized, sanctioned, or ratified.”

Moody’s letter focused on the Parkland shooting, in which 17 people — mostly high school students — lost their lives.

“This was not just one deputy, or a handful of deputies, failing to respond appropriately, follow procedures or field reports,” Moody wrote. “This was the failure of an organization led by Sheriff Israel that failed to protect the Parkland families.

DeSantis “made a difficult, but well thought out and supported decision, to remove Sheriff Israel. To ensure the safety of Broward County and accountability of our leaders, the Senate should support the Governor’s decision, as I do, and uphold Sheriff Israel’s suspension and remove him from office.”

Ryan Nicol

Ryan Nicol covers news out of South Florida for Florida Politics. Ryan is a native Floridian who attended undergrad at Nova Southeastern University before moving on to law school at Florida State. After graduating with a law degree he moved into the news industry, working in TV News as a writer and producer, along with some freelance writing work. If you'd like to contact him, send an email to [email protected].


7 comments

  • NoMoreRepublicans!

    October 21, 2019 at 12:59 pm

    This woman is a jerk. She’s inciting a lynching among a bunch of blood-sucking Republicans who will do ANYTHING to inflict what they view as damage on a Democrat and on the voters of a Democratic county. The United States of America is going down the tubes in favor of GOPpers boosting the Republic of Trumpistan. It’s sickening. Time for antifa to step up!

    • Bob

      October 21, 2019 at 2:16 pm

      Bahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!
      You fing loser!!

    • DeSantis Supporter

      October 21, 2019 at 7:01 pm

      Go to hell you leftist POS.

    • DeSantis Supporter

      October 21, 2019 at 7:03 pm

      Not everyone in Broward is a DemonCrat.

    • Joe Budd

      October 21, 2019 at 7:17 pm

      Thank you AG Moody!

      The Honorable Senator Kevin Rader,

      I write you today to encourage you to support the wishes and safety of your constituents regarding the upcoming vote on reinstating Sheriff Israel.

      I understand there was a report issued by Special Master Dudley Goodlette which concluded Sheriff Israel did not violate any laws in his responsibilities of training and readiness for active shooter situations and Governor DeSantis failed to establish cause for his suspension.

      Misfeasance is abundantly obvious. Who really cares if a law was broken when the safety of our children is at stake. The Sheriff seemed to learn nothing from the failures of the Fort Lauderdale airport shooting. Those failures carried over to cost the lives of 17 individuals as law enforcement staged on the outside due to a breakdown in command directly under the supervision and responsibility of the Sheriff.

      For 26 excruciating minutes, Meadow Pollack and 32 others laid bleeding on a cement floor. She and 16 others died. How many of those might have survived if instead of following orders to set up a perimeter, they would have engaged the active shooter as they should have? Thank God for the brave men and women of the Coral Springs Police Department who raced into the building past the Sheriff Israel led Broward Sheriff’s Department! The brave men and women of the Broward Sheriff’s office deserve better leadership!

      This is not and should not be a partisan political issue. The parents of those tragically lost are united in calling for you and the rest of the Florida Senate to uphold the removal of Sheriff Israel.

      Sincerely,

      Joe Budd, Palm Beach County Republican State Committeeman
      Resident of District 29

    • William Beers

      October 22, 2019 at 5:46 pm

      And we should listen to a left wing loon why ????

  • Sonja Fitch

    October 21, 2019 at 3:01 pm

    Sheriff Williams in Jacksonville had 3 rogue JSO cops and a friend that committed domestic terrorism! What has Sheriff Williams done to these 3 rogue JSO cops and the friend? All are still walking the streets. If any of the 3 rogue JSO cops and friend had been black they would be cuffed and in jail. So hush AG!!!

Comments are closed.


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