The first lawsuit I ever filed in my life was a lawsuit against the State of Florida for violating Florida’s Public Records law. That was around 1998. I won that lawsuit, it established a new precedent for the release of public records that were stored in an electronic format and I have been passionately devoted to Florida’s Public Records laws ever since.
And so, like many people around this state, I am utterly furious to know that Florida’s historically unpopular governor has flagrantly violated Florida’s cherished public records law when his administration allowed emails to be deleted. Calls for Rick Scott’s impeachment based on the violations of this law are not wild eyed hyperbole. Let me quote the law for you:
119.10″ƒViolation of chapter; penalties.””
And so it really is just that simple. Now we’re all going to be treated to techno babble over the coming months, Scott and his team will claim they did not know that emails were being deleted from the off site server, but entire email accounts do not just accidentally get deleted. The technology companies that are responsible for maintaining these records don’t just go about deleting accounts without specific direction from the client who owns the accounts and pays the bills.
Follow the facts and Read Florida’s Government In The Sunshine Law
This is fine, let’s prosecute and impeach Rick Scott. But who’s gonna do it? The Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi? The Obama Department of Justice? Not likely. An action by some pro se party is about the only chance, and that possibility is almost zero.
This latest outrage shows the frailties of public records stored electrically. A few keystrokes on a computer and poof, no more records. At least with paper records a state employee feeding the shredding machine might get someone’s attention before all is lost.
You should do a post about your first lawsuit against the State of Florida for violating it’s public records law. It would be instructive, and help define your candidacy for state representative.
Yes, I would like to see a copy of it too.
I agree totally. It is time for impeachment.
The majority public should be able to request an impeachment. An attorney will be needed for legalities.