A.G. Gancarski
Nikki Fried, the state’s Agriculture Commissioner and sole elected statewide Democrat, addressed the media on AP Day Tuesday in Tallahassee.
Fried said she had vowed not to continue the “status quo,” and discussed movement on hemp, cannabis, concealed weapons permit reform, climate change, energy issues, Panhandle recovery since Hurricane Michael, food insecurity, clemency, and consumer services.
As well, diversity within her own department, including on LGBT+ issues, was part of the culture changes in her department in the post Adam Putnam-era.
Fried, who branded as a canna-candidate during her 2018 campaign, focused on consumer services and farmers in her remarks, alluding to medical marijuana once.
Environmental legislation, including energy burdens for low-income families and a grid storage project, is in the hopper, as are guidelines for green buildings.
Fried also proposed grants for farmers to get sustainable technologies, and a “flagship climate change research center.”
“There’s no time to waste getting a start,” Fried said.
Fried also discussed firearm safety proposals and clemency.
“We haven’t done enough … and we have the power to do so,” Fried said, saying she wanted to “restore civil rights right now to Floridians who have paid their dues.”
“The Clemency Board continues to pass the buck,” Fried said. “Four people have gotten their rights back.”
“I also haven’t been shy in holding our President accountable,” Fried said, regarding international trade.
President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis are yoked; DeSantis announced less than an hour before Fried spoke that Trump would keynote a Florida GOP fundraising dinner on Pearl Harbor Day.
The Trump/DeSantis connections evaded question and answer for the Governor, but not for the Agriculture Secretary.
Fried addressed a number of topics in her question and answer time, including political scandal reaching to the top of the Governor’s political operation.
DeSantis has been plagued by revelations that two big-money 11th-hour contributors were criminal conspirators with murky connections. The Florida Democratic Party has called for the money to be returned; however, Fried had been quiet up until Tuesday.
While the Commissioner vowed to put “state before party,” she couldn’t help but have “questions” about the “foreign influence” in the Governor’s orbit.
She noted that the two Ukrainians, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, were investigating buying marijuana licenses.”
While she said she would be “vigilant,” she did not go full partisan: “I will leave the President and the Governor to deal with their own fellows,” Fried said, cautiously.
2 comments
Dan
October 29, 2019 at 11:46 am
Lets get the facts straight… “She noted that the two Ukrainians, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, were investigating buying marijuana licenses.”
Neither of these people are Ukrainian citizens but are U.S. Citizens so although they have been charged with representing foreign donors, they have been convicted of nothing, nor have they pleaded guilty.
Lets put it in prospective, Hillary Clinton failed to register 1,100 foreign donation, yet no one has asked her to return those funds. Why is that?
NoMoreRepublicans!
October 29, 2019 at 12:14 pm
Fried needs to get off her pot schtick. Beyond that, if she wants to focus on holding DeSantis’ and Trump’s feet to the fire (in spite of the Draft-Dodger-In-Chief’s “bone spurs) – HAVE AT IT! Both of ’em aren’t worth the space they take up.
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