30 Sheriffs blast progressive group’s ‘anti-law enforcement rhetoric,’ urge vote against endorsed candidates

An open letter signed by 30 of Florida’s 67 county Sheriffs is arguing that the “anti-cop” rhetoric from Florida Rising, a progressive group dedicated to “advancing economic and racial justice,” means voters should oppose the organization’s endorsed candidates.

“The largest Florida-based anti-cop group of its kind, Florida Rising, is deploying its infrastructure, resources and endorsements exclusively to like-minded Democrats up and down the ballot,” the letter reads.

The letter was distributed by the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, and most of the Sheriffs who signed the letter are Republicans. But Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood, who has endorsed Democratic candidates for the Legislature in the past, also signed the letter.

Florida Rising has worked to support progressive causes, including criminal justice reform and favors “investing in communities, not policing them,” its website states, adding that “a prison and policy-only approach does the opposite of creating real safety in our communities. We work to end mass incarceration, defend immigrants, and eliminate laws that take away the vote from people with felony convictions.”

The Sheriffs slammed Florida Rising’s “hate speech,” which the Sheriffs argue “claims law enforcement and the (Ku Klux Klan) are one and the same and clearly state that school resource officers have no place in our schools.”

Voters are urged not to vote for its endorsed candidates, including gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist and U.S. Senate candidate Val Demings, a former Police Chief in Orlando who has touted her law enforcement career on the campaign trail. Democratic State Sens. Loranne Ausley of Tallahassee and Janet Cruz of Tampa, as well as Democratic Senate candidates Joy Goff-Marcil, Eunic Ortiz and Janelle Perez are also listed as candidates voters should oppose.

“Florida Rising, like most Floridians, opposes radical extremists agenda’s like those pushed by the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, such as arresting a woman for getting an abortion,” said Florida Rising’s Senior Director of Programs & Advocacy, Moné Holder in response to the letter. “We hope that 30 Florida Sheriffs that have signed on to this memo, will stand with the people of this great state, rather than serve as a mouthpiece for the radical right and we would ask the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, and their corporate donors, to focus their attention on the cost of living crisis they have created, while we keep fighting for Floridians’ freedoms.”

Here is a list of the Sheriffs who signed the letter:

— Sheriff Paul Blackman of Highlands County

— Sheriff Darby Butler of Dixie County

— Sheriff Mike Chitwood of Volusia County

— Sheriff Michelle Cook of Clay County

— Sheriff Vent Crawford of Hardee County

— Sheriff Kevin Crews of Washington County

— Sheriff Donald L. Edenfield of Jackson County

— Sheriff Eric Flowers of Indian River County

— Sheriff Tommy Ford of Bay County

— Sheriff Peyton C. Grinnell of Lake County

— Sheriff Bob Gualtieri of Pinellas County

— Sheriff David Hardin of Glades County

— Sheriff Mike Harrison of Gulf County

— Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman of Sarasota County

— Sheriff Mark A. Hunter of Columbia County

— Sheriff Wayne Ivey of Brevard County

— Sheriff Robert Johnson of Santa Rosa County

— Sheriff Brian N. Lamb of Lafayette County

— Sheriff Carmine Marceno of Lee County

— Sheriff Buddy Money of Liberty County

— Sheriff Chris Nocco of Pasco County

— Sheriff James F. Potter of DeSoto County

— Sheriff Scotty Rhoden of Baker County

— Sheriff Chip Simmons of Escambia County

— Sheriff Bobby Schultz of Gilchrist County

— Sheriff A.J. Smith of Franklin County

— Sheriff George Paul “Gordon” Smith of Bradford County

— Sheriff William Snyder of Martin County

— Sheriff John Tate of Holmes County

— Sheriff Stephen H. “Steve” Whidden of Hendry County