FLORIDA: Gov. Rick Scott Signs Bill Removing Unenforced Gay Adoption Ban

Florida's 1977 ban on gay adoption was struck down by a Miami-Dade County court in 2008. The state appealed that ruling, but it was upheld in a 2010 state district appeals court decision. Following that appeals court ruling then-Gov. Charlie Crist announced that the ban would no longer be enforced, but it took until earlier this year for the state legislature to formally strike the law. In March hate group leader John Stemberger sent a letter to all Florida legislators, telling them that the 2010 ruling only applies to the counties under the jurisdiction of the appeals court and that the Department of Children & Families is infested with pro-gay workers anyway. Stemberger had a lovely meltdown on Twitter last night following the governor's signing.

Editorial Of The Day

From the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel:

It's hard to imagine that any state attorney would waste time prosecuting a clerk over a marriage license. By nature, these folks want to win, and given the preponderance of court rulings about the discriminatory ban, it's a good bet they wouldn't. Already, the state attorneys in Palm Beach and Monroe counties have made clear they won't be making any such arrests. We encourage other state attorneys to do the same. Sure, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court have yet to hear Bondi's appeal of the substance of Hinkle's ruling. But neither court has agreed to extend Hinkle's stay past Jan. 6, an indication of which way these constitutional minds are thinking. Scott and Bondi can tell their supporters they've fought the good fight. But their argument — that 62 percent of Florida voters supported the amendment, that marriage is meant to produce children, and that allowing same-sex marriage would "impose significant public harm" — is failing to pass constitutional muster. Scott has said he doesn't support discrimination. And Bondi has conceded that "the Supreme Court has now spoken, and the stay will end on Jan. 5." It's time for them to give up this fight. It's past time.

The state has until the end of the day to respond to the Washington County clerk's request for clarification on whether she can only marry the plaintiffs in the federal suit that resulted in the overturn of Florida's ban.

BREAKING: 11th Circuit DENIES Request To Extend Stay On Florida Marriages

Read the denial. Suck it, Pam Bondi!

FLORIDA: Bondi Asks Eleventh Circuit To Extend Marriage Stay During Appeal

The stay on the ruling that overturned Florida's ban on same-sex marriage is due to expire on January 5th.  Late Friday night, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi appealed that ruling to the Eleventh Circuit in the first marriage case to reach that court. Today Bondi filed an additional motion, asking the Eleventh Circuit to extend the lower court's stay while it considers her appeal.

The ACLU reacts via press release:

“As if it wasn’t clear already, Attorney General Bondi and Governor Scott are putting up every possible legal obstacle they can think of to try to postpone the inevitable: loving couples being able to have the commitments they’ve made to one another respected by the state they call home. The State has plenty of time to prepare for marriages to begin in January, as Judge Hinkle’s latest order required, and every day that our clients go without the protections and responsibilities of marriage, they are being harmed. We are preparing to file a response soon, explaining why this motion should be denied.”

From today's motion:

The district court found that Florida’s laws violate the plaintiffs’ constitutional rights—the central issue on appeal. It is true that any denial of a constitutional right is a real injury, but that also was true when the district court decided, on balance in this unique case, to stay the injunctions in the first place. There is no need for immediate relief now that alters that balance of equities away from entering the stay and toward lifting the stay. The plaintiffs are no differently situated than those located in the four States of the Sixth Circuit, the three States of the Fifth Circuit, or the other two States in this Circuit. The laws in those States, like those in Florida, limit the definition of marriage to the legal union of one man and one woman. In the Fifth and Sixth Circuits, those laws remain in force while federal appellate review continues. So it should be here. In fact, there is no more urgency for any of the plaintiffs now than existed when the district court entered the stay in August, or than when the plaintiffs filed suit earlier this year. For the reasons the district court originally recognized, there is a substantial public interest in a stay. The Enjoined Officials respectfully request that this Court extend the district court’s stay until these consolidated appeals are complete. Because the existing stay is set to expire on January 5, 2015, the Enjoined Officials also respectfully request expedited treatment of this Motion.

Read the full motion.

FLORIDA: Log Cabins Republicans Of Miami Applaud Reelection Of Rick Scott

"For this particular election cycle, Governor Rick Scott was clearly the better choice for Florida as a whole. What is important to us is ensuring that the LGBT community as well as everyone in general, has the opportunity to find jobs, to grow their businesses (many gay businesses included), for our state to be debt-free, to allow people to flourish and not be burdened with higher taxes and yes to defend our Constitution. Log Cabin Republicans of Miami is confident that marriage equality will not be an issue in the near future. The courts will decide and Governor Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi will ensure that, moving forward, the Constitution will continue to be protected, as they are sworn to do, and marriage equality will be one of those rights they will be defending. We move forward with confidence and perseverance in our fight for marriage equality here in Florida and across the nation." - Log Cabin Republicans of Miami, via press release. (Tipped by JMG reader Bobby)

FLORIDA: Hater Cheers Crist Loss

Stemberger is the head of the Florida Family Policy Council and the chairman of the anti-gay answer to the Boy Scouts. He recently declared that the fight against same-sex marriage is "worth dying for."

FLORIDA: Gov. Rick Scott Wins

Perhaps the biggest disappointment of the night.

Wingnut Dennis Prager: Campaign Against Rape Is A Liberal Lie To Get Votes

"It’s a gargantuan lie to get votes. It’s as big a lie as the 'culture of rape' on your campuses. What nonsense. There is a culture of rape on campuses run by the feminist left? What do you cite to sell me this nonsense? One in five women are sexually assaulted on campuses. Do you know what sexual assault means? Did you ever look at what counts? An unwanted kiss is considered sexual assault. I’m stunned it’s only one in only. Four out of five women have not gotten an unwanted kiss? My wife gets unwanted kisses every so often. They make light of rape because they redefine these terms. We don’t make light of it. We think it is the worst thing possible short of murder. But they make light of it by trivializing it. Culture of Rape? No. I’ll tell you why it exists on the campus, and that is: a rape of the culture." - Right wing crackpot Dennis Prager, at a rally to support Florida Gov. Rick Scott. Wonkette notes that the Scott's campaign did not organize the rally.

Seen In Florida

FLORIDA: Edith Windsor Tells Gov. Rick Scott To Stop Fighting Same-Sex Marriage

Orlando's Watermark has the transcript:

“I am Edith S. Windsor, the plaintiff in Windsor v. United States, the case that won federal recognition of marriages for same-sex couples. The two extremely positive decisions in favor of marriage equality were Justice Jacobs’ decision in the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals and Justice Kennedy’s decision in the Supreme Court, both self-described conservatives. Five judges in Florida have also ruled that it’s wrong to exclude same-sex couples from marriage. And the majority of Floridians agree. My dear Governor Scott, I employ you to use the power of your office to allow loving couples to marry now in your state. Very respectfully yours, Edie Windsor.”

GOP Links Charlie Crist To Sex Trafficking Over Donations From Strip Club Owners

Man, they are fucking desperate.

FLORIDA: Marriage Absent From Final Crist/Scott Debate Before Election Day

Last night's CNN-hosted debate between Florida Gov. Rick Scott and former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist included no questions about same-sex marriage, but the pair heatedly sparred about jobs, the economy, the death penalty, medical marijuana, and Scott's Medicare fraud past. The Florida gubernatorial race is considered the nation's tightest. CBS Miami has the full debate in four parts.

FLORIDA: Pro-Charlie Crist TV Campaign Launched By LGBT Group SAVE Dade

Via Steve Rothaus the Miami Herald:

SAVE, one of South Florida’s best-known LGBT-rights groups, has produced a campaign video, Why We Vote, in support of candidates including Democrats Charlie Crist and Annette Taddeo. “I’m voting because Rick Scott and Pam Bondi refuse to recognize our marriage,” says SAVE board chairman Christian Ulvert, seen on-camera with his husband Carlos Andrade. Both men are plaintiffs in the ACLU of Florida’s federal lawsuit against Florida’s constitutional gay marriage ban. In an email to supporters of SAVE announcing the organization's final get out the vote push before the November 4 election, Ulvert appealed for help to buy airtime for the ad as well as funds for voter canvasses, phone banks, and get out the vote events. "All told, we're looking to set a new record of turn out among equality voters in make-or-break races for pro-equality candidates," wrote Ulvert. “We have the opportunity elect for the first time a pro-equality Governor and Lt. Governor in Charlie Crist and Annette Taddeo."

Rick Scott Does Fangate Damage Control

Scott is beyond ridiculous.

FLORIDA: Gov. Rick Scott Won't Say If Same-Sex Marriage Ban Is Discriminatory

After the bizarre start to last night's gubernatorial debate, Florida Gov. Rick Scott repeatedly refused to say if he thinks his state's ban on same-sex marriage is discriminatory.

Scott was asked if Florida's constitutional ban on gay marriage was discriminatory, but he refused to directly answer the question, even when asked a second time. He did say he supports traditional marriage. Crist said he supports gay marriage. "Who is it for us to tell other people who to love and what is it in our right to tell other people who to marry?" Crist said. Scott then pointed out Crist supported the gay marriage ban when it passed in 2008. "We don't know what Charlie believes on this issue because he's taken every side on this issue," Scott said.

Scott's debate performance is being characterized as "weak and rambling" even on right wing sites, where the instantly infamous fan incident is being roundly mocked.

BIZARRE: Florida Gov. Rick Scott Refuses To Take Debate Stage Because Charlie Crist Had A Small Fan Blowing On Him

Tonight Rick Scott might have cost himself the election.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott refused to go onstage for the first seven minutes of a debate Thursday night, because his opponent had a fan. No, not a rowdy supporter in the audience. An actual electric fan. Scott's Democratic challenger, former Gov. Charlie Crist, had set up a small fan underneath his podium, apparently trying to keep himself from sweating under the Broward College stage's lights. Scott saw the fan, a prop that often accompanies Crist at public appearances, as a violation of the debate's rules and said he wouldn't participate. The moderators tried to explain the disagreement while Republicans in the audience chided Crist for breaking rules -- at least as Scott saw them -- against props on stage. "We have an extremely peculiar situation right now," moderator Elliott Rodriguez, a local news anchor, said as the broadcast started. "Are we really going to debate a fan?" Crist said while standing alone on stage. Several minutes later, Scott relented and joined the debate. "That has to be the most unique beginning to any debate," Rodriguez said as Scott walked onto the stage.

Scott's handlers point out that the debate contract signed by both candidates bans the use of electronic devices. Crist's handlers point out that the fan was electric, not electronic. Twitter is blowing up at #FanGate.

(Image via Wonkette)

TIME Magazine: New Rick Scott Ad Is Most Sexist Republican Message Of 2014

Via TIME Magazine:

In case there is any debate about whether 1) Republicans really want young women on board for the midterms and 2) they’re confused about how to do it, the College Republican National Committee ad for Rick Scott will settle the question once and for all. The ad features Brittany, a young undecided voter, who appears to be shopping for a wedding dress, but she’s actually shopping for candidates for the Florida Governor’s race, get it? Because women don’t like dirty old politics, women like wedding dresses!

(Tipped by JMG reader Joel)

FLORIDA: Crist Takes Lead In New Poll

Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist had been in a dead heat with Gov. Rick Scott for months. Things are still very close, but there's some good news for the Crist campaign today. Via the Tampa Bay Times:

Crist's 6 percentage-point lead isn't so big because the likely-voter poll's error margin is 4.1 percent. But it ain't the topline, it's the trend to note. And for the past two weeks, the momentum has been for Crist: a net 9 percentage point shift since last week and, compared to the poll released Sept. 9, an 11-point shift. The movement in Crist's direction corresponds with Crist's increasing ad buys. Scott has been pumping more money into TV as well, but he hadn't been as closely answered as he is now. Overall, the poll track in the governor's race indicates one clear takeaway: the race is close and prone to minor shifts.

While in office as a Republican, Crist supported Florida's successful ballot measure to ban same-sex marriage. After jumping ship to the Democrats, he changed his tune. In August he issued an open letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, demanding that she not appeal that month's slew of marriage rulings. That letter was ignored.

Scott Scott Baby

Accompanied by the Palm Beach Symphony and Ballet Palm Beach, yesterday reality star and erstwhile pop star Vanilla Ice performed his hit for Florida Gov. Rick Scott at an annual event to promote tourism. Ice was a big fan of Herman Cain in 2012.

Here I am with Gov. Rick Scott celebrating the beautiful state of Florida. #CC14 pic.twitter.com/zX11zaNUfM
— Vanilla Ice (@vanillaice) September 23, 2014

FLORIDA: Crist Slips Behind In Latest Poll

Via the Miami Herald:

A newly released Mason-Dixon poll conducted on behalf of Telemundo (conducting the first gubernatorial debate Oct. 10) and Leadership Florida/Florida Press Association (conducting a debate Oct. 15) shows Rick Scott leading Charlie Crist 43 percent to 41 percent, within the magin of error of plus or minus 4 percent. Libertarian Adrian Wylie receives 4 percent. The survey of 625 likely voters was conducted Sept. 2-4, and Mason-Dixon cautioned that its sample reflected current voter registration in Florida (41 percent Democrat, 37 percent Republican, 21 percent other), and "does not assume a higher or lower turnout by either political party." Considering the Republican turnout is consistently at least 4 percentage points higher than Democrats in off-year elections, it's reasonable to assume Scott would have a higher lead if the sample reflected the likely electorate.

Attorney General Pam Bondi is presently accompanying Scott on his campaign tour.