Angie Nixon falsely accused of stealing food from House member’s lounge

A Jacksonville Democrat is involved in a food fight in Tallahassee. But it’s not about legislation.

Rep. Angie Nixon said she was accused by the House Sergeant at Arms of “stealing food from the members’ lounge.”

“I cannot make this shit up. I took a plate of salad, a plate of nachos and a two tacos. Someone took a picture of me and sent it to the sergeant. I then get an apology because I paid my tab but was told I can’t take more than one plate out. … Literally the FL House is policing plates,” the House District 13 incumbent said.

She got a text at 12:20 p.m. from the Sergeant at Arms “cutting” her access to the dining hall until she paid up. A follow-up text 25 minutes later admitted the error and conferred an apology, but Nixon was not reassured.

“I told the Sergeant I feel like they’re targeting me and trying to make me uncomfortable so I won’t come back. … Let’s not start on the fact that I now have a camera outside my office (because) someone vandalized my office and my staffer’s desk. This is wild,” Nixon said, noting the money was paid by deductions from her paychecks.

Nixon told us that “it’s no surprise that in a state where the Republican political leaders police our access to health care, what we can learn, and who we love, spend public money on staff to police the food I eat. Their primary responsibility should be ensuring a safe and healthy place for us to do the people’s business. My hope in the future is they at least verify their financial records before accusing me, someone that is often already under great public scrutiny, of stealing food.”

The Sergeant at Arms referred us to the House Speaker’s Office for comment, which had a different take.

“There was no such accusation of theft made. The texts clearly show that. An honest mistake was made and immediately corrected. Mrs. Nixon’s account with the meal program is in good standing.”

“You saw the text. He said he was cutting off my access bc I didn’t pay. That’s accusing me. I called him back and told him I paid he had to check,” Nixon said when advised of the comment from the Speaker’s Office.

This is just the latest divergence between the Democratic legislator and the Republican power structure.

Nixon has discussed dealing with microaggressions in the House before, including an assignment to a basement office that had rats in 2022.

Last year, after filing a failed resolution calling for an Israeli cease-fire in the war with Hamas, she appealed to House Speaker Paul Renner to censure Rep. Randy Fine over what she called “vile, hateful (and) incendiary things” he said.