On February 11, 2016, Sheriff David Morgan posted a political campaign video on YouTube. In the final minutes, from 28:45 to 29:15, Sir David explains why he is seeking in a third term, despite the fact that he supposedly believes in term limits and that people serving a third term usually lose touch with reality.
On February 4, 2010, Sheriff Morgan told a community group, "...monopoly money, you lose touch with reality if you are spending other people's money; so that's why I'm a big advocate of term limits, of term limits. I would love to do a second term as the Sheriff of Escambia County. But let me make this statement to this group as I make to a lot of these groups. I believe in term limits from the top of my head to the soles of my feet. If I go stupid and run for a third term, do not vote for me; do not vote for me because you need to cycle people out of these positions. I need to go back to the business world and understand what it is to balance a checkbook and make payroll, put children through college..."
Here is Sheriff Morgan's exact quote taken from his February 11, 2016 political advertisement:
"I will tell you now in running for this third term it was a difficult decision for me to make. And I made that decision because of you; because of you. Because I see those in our community who want to take us backwards and not forwards. And some of the candidates that are coming up to run now. And I encourage you to check out their backgrounds; to check out their backgrounds. And when you do, you are going to find out why David Morgan changed his opinion and understood that it was his duty to run for another term."
COMMENT:
The assertion by the Sheriff that he is running for a third term because of the "candidates that are coming up to run now" suggests that Sheriff Morgan has already lost contact with reality.
According to indisputable proof from the Escambia County's Supervisor of Elections, Sheriff Morgan filed to run for a third term on January 13, 2014.
That was 388 days before Doug Baldwin, Sr. filed to run for Sheriff. And it was 567 days before former Sheriff Ron McNesby filed to run for the office.
Are we to believe that Sheriff Morgan could look into the future and see 388 and 567 days ahead regarding the character and qualifications of candidates who had not filed to run for Sheriff? Is Sir David a soothsayer? A clairvoyant? A fortune teller? If he can see that far ahead regarding his political opponents, why does he not stop crime like in the Minority Report?
And when Sheriff Morgan smears the other candidates, what exactly does he have in mind? What is in their backgrounds?
Doug Baldwin, Sr. is a decorated former Pensacola Police Department officer with assignments in Special Weapons and Tactics, Criminal Investigations, Special Operations, Narcotics Unit, and Department of Homeland Security Protection Liaison. John Johnson is a decorated former Drug Enforcement Agency special agent.
Sheriff Morgan, on the other hand, has zero first-hand experience working as a criminal investigator, or a narcotics investigator, Special Weapons and Tactics, or Special Operations. When you look into his professional background before he became Sheriff, he rode a desk in the rear echelon.
So why is Sheriff Morgan running for an unprecedented third term as Sheriff of Escambia County? Maybe the answer is that Sheriff Morgan decided to break his pledge not to run for a third term because: (a) he can and/or (b) because the local powers that put him into office in 2009 are getting a good return on their investment and want to keep him around. In other words, is it possible that Sheriff Morgan has now become the political machine he decried in when he ran in 2008?
Monday, February 15, 2016
Sunday, February 14, 2016
CLORISSTI MITCHELL RUNNING FOR ECUA DISTRICT 3 SEAT
On February 12, 2016, Ms. Clorissti Mitchell formally declared that she is running for a Emerald Coast Utility Authority (ECUA) District 3 seat on the board. With family and friends on the patio of the Tuscan Oven in Pensacola enjoying antipasti, pizzas, wine, and beer, Ms. Mitchell was introduced by longtime Pensacola activist Barry Goodson.
Goodson stated, "We need her voice for our community." Goodson stated that while women make up 52 percent of the population of Escambia County, women are grossly underrepresented in government. Goodson noted that we need to be as concerned about women's rights as water rights.
The Reverend H.K. Matthews, who just celebrated his 88th birthday last week, was unable to attend and lend his prestige and status as the county's leading civil rights leader to her campaign.
Ms. Mitchell told her supporters and the community at large that she pledged to be their voice in government on water issues. Since November she has been walking door-to-door introducing herself and writing down residents' views on water issues affecting them and their neighborhood. She plans to hold more "listening" events at community centers. Ms. Mitchell stated that while a Flint situation is not possible in Escambia County because of the filter system in place, she wanted all residents to be assured that she will work to maintain the highest quality water standards.
Although Ms. Mitchell did not talk about specific issues and concerns, it is known that she is aware of the issue of the potential coal ash contamination of our underground aquifer. Last Sunday, Ms. Laurie Murphy, executive director of the Emerald Coastkeeper organization, wrote a powerful essay in the Pensacola News Journal explaining that "Florida law does not regulate coal ash ponds." Emerald Coastkeeper is actually conducting its own "groundwater monitoring." There are two coal ash storage ponds in Escambia County--at the Southern Company's Crist Plant located near the Escambia River and one at Gulf Power.
Another local water issue that has drawn opposition from concerned residents is ECUA's proposed construction of two 35-foot to 45-foot tall storage tanks holding a total of six million gallons of raw sewage on Palafox Street near a historic district and the business district of downtown Pensacola. Ms. Melanie Nichols, president of the North Hill Preservation Association pointed out that ECUA did not inform local residents of the planned sewage tanks in a timely manner. Undoubtedly, Ms. Mitchell will be addressing this pressing issue that threatens the welfare and lives of local residents, as well as their home property and business values. Another 750,000 gallon sewage tank and pumping station located on Pensacola Beach has also drawn the ire of local residents, according to a Pensacola News Journal article.
ThinkProgress, a progressive website, reported that on January 29, 2016, that "the Florida House approved a bill that would allow fracking to take place throughout the state as early as 2017, following an inquiry into the environmental and health impacts of the practice. The bill does not require fracking companies to disclose the chemicals or potential carcinogens used in the process, however, and includes a ban on local communities banning the practice entirely."
Whatever the Florida bill allows or does not allow, an environmental voice listening to residents of Escambia County, will be vital as northwest Florida confronts the reality that a fracking accident could contaminate our underground water supply.
Below are videos of the campaign event.
BARRY GOODSON:
CONCLUSION:
Water is vital to humans. Without water, we will not survive. Contaminated water, as Flint has shown, can have deadly and catastrophic effects on young children and adults. Escambia County has serious water issues that need to be addressed. We need an advocate who is willing to listen to the community and willing to stand up and fight for the community.
I think Ms. Mitchell can be that voice.
Goodson stated, "We need her voice for our community." Goodson stated that while women make up 52 percent of the population of Escambia County, women are grossly underrepresented in government. Goodson noted that we need to be as concerned about women's rights as water rights.
The Reverend H.K. Matthews, who just celebrated his 88th birthday last week, was unable to attend and lend his prestige and status as the county's leading civil rights leader to her campaign.
Ms. Mitchell told her supporters and the community at large that she pledged to be their voice in government on water issues. Since November she has been walking door-to-door introducing herself and writing down residents' views on water issues affecting them and their neighborhood. She plans to hold more "listening" events at community centers. Ms. Mitchell stated that while a Flint situation is not possible in Escambia County because of the filter system in place, she wanted all residents to be assured that she will work to maintain the highest quality water standards.
Although Ms. Mitchell did not talk about specific issues and concerns, it is known that she is aware of the issue of the potential coal ash contamination of our underground aquifer. Last Sunday, Ms. Laurie Murphy, executive director of the Emerald Coastkeeper organization, wrote a powerful essay in the Pensacola News Journal explaining that "Florida law does not regulate coal ash ponds." Emerald Coastkeeper is actually conducting its own "groundwater monitoring." There are two coal ash storage ponds in Escambia County--at the Southern Company's Crist Plant located near the Escambia River and one at Gulf Power.
Another local water issue that has drawn opposition from concerned residents is ECUA's proposed construction of two 35-foot to 45-foot tall storage tanks holding a total of six million gallons of raw sewage on Palafox Street near a historic district and the business district of downtown Pensacola. Ms. Melanie Nichols, president of the North Hill Preservation Association pointed out that ECUA did not inform local residents of the planned sewage tanks in a timely manner. Undoubtedly, Ms. Mitchell will be addressing this pressing issue that threatens the welfare and lives of local residents, as well as their home property and business values. Another 750,000 gallon sewage tank and pumping station located on Pensacola Beach has also drawn the ire of local residents, according to a Pensacola News Journal article.
ThinkProgress, a progressive website, reported that on January 29, 2016, that "the Florida House approved a bill that would allow fracking to take place throughout the state as early as 2017, following an inquiry into the environmental and health impacts of the practice. The bill does not require fracking companies to disclose the chemicals or potential carcinogens used in the process, however, and includes a ban on local communities banning the practice entirely."
Whatever the Florida bill allows or does not allow, an environmental voice listening to residents of Escambia County, will be vital as northwest Florida confronts the reality that a fracking accident could contaminate our underground water supply.
Below are videos of the campaign event.
BARRY GOODSON:
CLORISSTI MITCHELL:
CONCLUSION:
Water is vital to humans. Without water, we will not survive. Contaminated water, as Flint has shown, can have deadly and catastrophic effects on young children and adults. Escambia County has serious water issues that need to be addressed. We need an advocate who is willing to listen to the community and willing to stand up and fight for the community.
I think Ms. Mitchell can be that voice.
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