A.G. Gancarski
The Florida Democrats don’t comment on every Ron DeSantis judicial appointee, but they’re making an exception for Apopka’s Roger Gannam.
Chair Nikki Fried fumed Friday about the alleged extremism of the Liberty Counsel litigator named to the 6th District Court of Appeal, saying that the historically right-wing lawyer would never get confirmed to a federal court.
“This is outrageous,” said FDP Chair Fried. “After Ron threw out a democratically elected State Attorney this week, he has continued his crusade to consolidate the courts and stack the judicial bench with activist judges like Roger Gannam, who has a long history of attacking women’s rights and the LGBTQ+ community.”
“He would never be appointed to a federal bench. How can the people of Florida seriously expect a fair and impartial hearing when he can’t even answer a question about his own biases? He should be nowhere near a courtroom — in Florida or anywhere else.”
Fried’s question regarding biases relates to a South Florida Sun-Sentinel examination of 15 applicants, including Gannam, who vied for the Florida Supreme Court seat Justice Ricky Polston vacated. The Sentinel noted Gannam wrote “N/A,” not applicable, in response to a Judicial Nominating Committee question about whether he would be biased on an issue that might reach the court.
Gannam’s biases seem to be most pronounced on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity, as exhibited in a Florida Times Union guest column about the latter in 2015. Gannam argued enforcing equal legal protections of LGBTQ people is “discrimination against people of faith.”
“Sober and rational concerns for modesty, privacy and safety will be recategorized as discrimination under the new and far-from-settled concept of ‘gender identity,’” he wrote. “Boys will be allowed to enter girls’ dressing and shower areas, to expose themselves and view girls in all stages of undress. Domestic abuse shelters must allow biological men who present a female ‘identity’ to sleep in the women’s dormitories.”
“Most insidiously,” he continued, “male predators will use the legal cover of female ‘identity’ to gain unchallenged access to women-only bathrooms and dressing rooms.”
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Jesse Scheckner contributed reporting.
11 comments
SteveHC
August 12, 2023 at 1:55 pm
This is PRECISELY how a “governor” such as DeSantis becomes INCREDIBLY dangerous to a state’s citizenry.
Rémi Geise
August 12, 2023 at 6:06 pm
Agree 💯 %
John Hoefer
August 12, 2023 at 6:03 pm
How can we remove DesAntis for not doing his job ? DeSantis needs to be removed from his position.
DeSantis is incompetent, narcissist and pathological .
He is unfit to hold the Governor position.
If he can remove elected officials this easily and staff those positions with only people who think and act like him then Florida is in Big trouble.
DeSantis has to be unseated and can not be allowed near the Oval office.
Remove DesAntis Now !
Wanda
August 14, 2023 at 6:01 am
I really don’t understand, if we the Puertorricans got together and temoved our governor, how the same thing cannot be done here with DeSantimonious
George Childs
August 12, 2023 at 6:57 pm
Trump is, in my opinion, clearly insane. What is Ragin’ Rhonda Dee’s excuse?
Faith in Science
August 13, 2023 at 7:32 am
Karma will catch up to him eventually.
Angela
August 13, 2023 at 8:03 am
There is nothing more frightening than Ignorance in Action!
And, shame on our public who don’t know history for they are destine to repeat it.
Autocratic Dictatorship is both Trump and DeSantis goal-
And I am a registered republican! Would not vote for either ever!
Old time Republican
August 13, 2023 at 10:16 am
I am also a long time Republican, and like yourself will NEVER vote for Tratior Trump or Hitler reincarnated DE Santis.
Bobble Head
August 13, 2023 at 11:56 am
Well, I’m a pragmatic Liberal and hope for a sane opposition. So I think true conservatives need a new party.
Lou
August 14, 2023 at 8:51 am
I now know why the people in Florida are more dumb that I thought they lack basic common sense how could U expect a different result if U keep.votibg for Rhonda the child trafficker Matt Gatez
maritza
August 15, 2023 at 3:54 pm
The only think that Nikki is capable of ripping is her pantyhose,
Comments are closed.