Quote
Frank Artiles apologizes after getting reported for using N-word, other profanities
Patricia Mazzei,Miami Herald
Miami Republican Sen. Frank Artiles dropped the n-word to a pair of African-American colleagues in private conversation Monday night — after calling one of them a "f------ a------," a "b----" and a "girl," the two senators said.
Over drinks after 10 p.m. at the members-only Governors Club just steps from the state Capitol, Artiles told Sens. Audrey Gibson of Jacksonville and Perry Thurston of Fort Lauderdale that Senate President Joe Negron of Stuart had risen to his powerful GOP leadership role because "six n-------" in the Republican caucus had elected him.
Artiles later told Gibson and Thurston that he'd used the word "n----as," suggesting the slang term was not meant to be insulting, Gibson and Thurston said. It's unclear whom Artiles was referring to, since the only black senators in the state Senate are all Democrats — and none of them backed Negron's bid to lead the chamber.
Artiles apologized to Gibson late Tuesday afternoon, after he'd been reported to Republican leaders and reporters started asking questions.
...
"He said, 'If it wasn't for these six n------,'" Gibson said. By way of explanation, he added, "'I'm from Hialeah,'" she said.
"I said, 'OK, Perry, I'm done,'" Gibson said.
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/frank-artiles-apologizes-after-getting-reported-for-using-n-word-other/2320782
He issued a formal apology before the Florida Senate today, but needless to say, many are demanding he step down.
Artiles reminds me of the stereotypical Southern movie sheriff. Wearing a cheap suit and having that early 50s haircut we used to get when grandpa took us to his barber.
Time to step down. You cannot lead with that kind of mentality.
So Rick Scott and Pam Bondi have asked him to step down. That to me is an indicator of how over the top his actions were.
Step down from what? Like resign from the Senate? If so, I disagree. He's an elected official and his constituents should recall him if they are dissatisfied with his conduct.
What should be done, however, is the Republican Party should kick him out.
The law says that a Senator can be suspended by a Governor. Then a Senate review is necessary to remove him. Here is the law:
Executive Suspensions
Quick Links
Committee on Ethics and Elections
Executive Appointments
Governor's Executive Orders (Including Suspensions)
Final Reports
The Suspension Process
"The Senate is constitutionally charged with the duty to review the Governor's executive suspensions and, upon such review, either reinstate the suspended official or ... remove him from office. Although the Governor has exclusive authority to initiate suspensions, the Senate has the responsibility to make final dispositions of them. The Senate is entrusted with the great duty and responsibility to ensure that the awesome executive power of suspension is used to achieve its constitutionally intended public purposes and to see that no officer is removed for grounds other than those provided by law."1
Article IV, section 7(a), of the State Constitution authorizes the Governor to suspend any state officer not subject to impeachment or any county officer on any of the following grounds:
Misfeasance;
Malfeasance;
Neglect of Duty;
Drunkenness;
Incompetence;
Permanent Inability to Perform Official Duties; or,
Commission of a Felony.
The Legislature has enacted procedural statutes which broadly address the executive suspension and removal process in Part V, Chapter 112, Florida Statutes. Additional procedures are contained in Senate Rule 12. Pursuant to these statutes and rules, public officers are provided a full and fair hearing on the facts, in a manner appropriate to the case, prior to any final Senate act.
Quote from: Adam White on April 20, 2017, 06:45:54 PM
Step down from what? Like resign from the Senate? If so, I disagree. He's an elected official and his constituents should recall him if they are dissatisfied with his conduct.
What should be done, however, is the Republican Party should kick him out.
Huh? So you're saying he should not step down and if not recalled be forced to be a Democrat? Just fucking resign...he's a disgrace to
all elected officials.
Quote from: JaxJersey-licious on April 20, 2017, 11:33:51 PM
Quote from: Adam White on April 20, 2017, 06:45:54 PM
Step down from what? Like resign from the Senate? If so, I disagree. He's an elected official and his constituents should recall him if they are dissatisfied with his conduct.
What should be done, however, is the Republican Party should kick him out.
Huh? So you're saying he should not step down and if not recalled be forced to be a Democrat? Just fucking resign...he's a disgrace to all elected officials.
Wait...are you saying that if he isn't a Republican he HAS to be a Democrat? I don't even know what to say to that.
But I think he should either be recalled or his constituents could make a big deal and force him to resign. Or he could chose to resign if he felt like it. But forcing him out of the Senate seems an overreaction to a racist comment that could honestly have been in jest.
I think his comments are disgraceful, for sure.
Quote from: Adam White on April 21, 2017, 04:48:34 AM
But forcing him out of the Senate seems an overreaction to a racist comment that could honestly have been in jest.
No, sir. If this is his mentality in a state as diverse as ours, he has no business in a position of leadership. You cannot lead if you marginalize other races/genders/religions/ethnicities/cultures for your own benefit.
Quote from: Jim on April 21, 2017, 09:59:16 AM
Quote from: Adam White on April 21, 2017, 04:48:34 AM
But forcing him out of the Senate seems an overreaction to a racist comment that could honestly have been in jest.
No, sir. If this is his mentality in a state as diverse as ours, he has no business in a position of leadership. You cannot lead if you marginalize other races/genders/religions/ethnicities/cultures for your own benefit.
I think the question for me is whether his comment or his 'mentality' makes him unsuitable to hold his office. That's a decision for him or his constituents, though I take no exception to the Senate following its normal disciplinary procedures.
Lyndon Johnson famously is reported to have said, "I'll have those niggers voting Democratic for the next 200 years". If he made this comment, did it render him unsuitable for office? Who knows. But there's no question that he did a lot for minorities during his terms in office.
Everyone's allowed to make mistakes. In a democracy, the voters can hold you accountable. And so can your party. Let them sort it out. And if Artiles feels he needs to resign, then he can do it.
Quote from: Cheshire Cat on April 20, 2017, 07:09:44 PM
The law says that a Senator can be suspended by a Governor. Then a Senate review is necessary to remove him. Here is the law:
Executive Suspensions
Quick Links
Committee on Ethics and Elections
Executive Appointments
Governor's Executive Orders (Including Suspensions)
Final Reports
The Suspension Process
"The Senate is constitutionally charged with the duty to review the Governor's executive suspensions and, upon such review, either reinstate the suspended official or ... remove him from office. Although the Governor has exclusive authority to initiate suspensions, the Senate has the responsibility to make final dispositions of them. The Senate is entrusted with the great duty and responsibility to ensure that the awesome executive power of suspension is used to achieve its constitutionally intended public purposes and to see that no officer is removed for grounds other than those provided by law."1
Article IV, section 7(a), of the State Constitution authorizes the Governor to suspend any state officer not subject to impeachment or any county officer on any of the following grounds:
Misfeasance;
Malfeasance;
Neglect of Duty;
Drunkenness;
Incompetence;
Permanent Inability to Perform Official Duties; or,
Commission of a Felony.
The Legislature has enacted procedural statutes which broadly address the executive suspension and removal process in Part V, Chapter 112, Florida Statutes. Additional procedures are contained in Senate Rule 12. Pursuant to these statutes and rules, public officers are provided a full and fair hearing on the facts, in a manner appropriate to the case, prior to any final Senate act.
I'm not a lawyer, but I don't believe Artiles's actions meet the conditions stipulated by that statute.
He is going to resign. His words were an atrocity.
http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2017-04-21/frank-artiles-resigning-florida-senate-sources-say
Best course of action to take. Own up.
Quote from: Cheshire Cat on April 21, 2017, 11:33:46 AM
He is going to resign. His words were an atrocity.
http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2017-04-21/frank-artiles-resigning-florida-senate-sources-say
Atrocity?
Oh my.
Quote from: Jim on April 21, 2017, 11:35:23 AM
Best course of action to take. Own up.
It's good that he's taking responsibility. Better than trying to argue his way out of it or dodge it forever. It's the decent thing to do - and he's doing the Republican Party a favor, as this minimizes the scandal and helps their chances in the next election.
Quote from: Adam White on April 21, 2017, 11:37:37 AM
Quote from: Cheshire Cat on April 21, 2017, 11:33:46 AM
He is going to resign. His words were an atrocity.
http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2017-04-21/frank-artiles-resigning-florida-senate-sources-say
Atrocity?
Oh my.
Quote from: Adam White on April 21, 2017, 11:37:37 AM
Quote from: Cheshire Cat on April 21, 2017, 11:33:46 AM
He is going to resign. His words were an atrocity.
http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2017-04-21/frank-artiles-resigning-florida-senate-sources-say
Atrocity?
Oh my.
Yes, an atrocity. Definition of atrocious a synonym of atrocity:
1
: extremely wicked, brutal, or cruel (his words were cruel)
2
: appalling, horrifying (his words were horrifying and appalling)
3
a : utterly revolting (his words were indeed utterly revolting)
Quote from: Cheshire Cat on April 21, 2017, 01:25:30 PM
Quote from: Adam White on April 21, 2017, 11:37:37 AM
Quote from: Cheshire Cat on April 21, 2017, 11:33:46 AM
He is going to resign. His words were an atrocity.
http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2017-04-21/frank-artiles-resigning-florida-senate-sources-say
Atrocity?
Oh my.
Quote from: Adam White on April 21, 2017, 11:37:37 AM
Quote from: Cheshire Cat on April 21, 2017, 11:33:46 AM
He is going to resign. His words were an atrocity.
http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2017-04-21/frank-artiles-resigning-florida-senate-sources-say
Atrocity?
Oh my.
Yes, an atrocity. Definition of atrocious a synonym of atrocity:
1
: extremely wicked, brutal, or cruel (his words were cruel)
2
: appalling, horrifying (his words were horrifying and appalling)
3
a : utterly revolting (his words were indeed utterly revolting)
I'd hate to hear you describe the holocaust or the Armenian genocide!
You won't have to Adam. There are plenty enough descriptors for those historic tragedies already.
Quote from: Cheshire Cat on April 21, 2017, 03:31:12 PM
You won't have to Adam. There are plenty enough descriptors for those historic tragedies already.
You're ridiculous, Diane.
He acted the fool to his Senate colleagues in an especially egregious way in a semi-public space. Stepping down was the only thing to do to avoid further embarrassment for himself, his constituents, and the government. None of this other talk is even relevant; it wasn't going to come to the governor suspending him. There's no voter recall (except through the governor and Senate) and there's no mechanism for kicking someone out of a political party.
Quote from: Tacachale on April 21, 2017, 04:53:09 PM
He acted the fool to his Senate colleagues in an especially egregious way in a semi-public space. Stepping down was the only thing to do to avoid further embarrassment for himself, his constituents, and the government. None of this other talk is even relevant; it wasn't going to come to the governor suspending him. There's no voter recall (except through the governor and Senate) and there's no mechanism for kicking someone out of a political party.
Well, to be honest, I'm very, very rusty on American politics. But I do recall that some American political parties have mechanisms for kicking out members - maybe it's limited to third parties, I have no idea.
He seems like a real piece of work, though I give him credit for not prolonging this and for resigning early in the game.
Quote from: Adam White on April 21, 2017, 03:56:30 PM
Quote from: Cheshire Cat on April 21, 2017, 03:31:12 PM
You won't have to Adam. There are plenty enough descriptors for those historic tragedies already.
You're ridiculous, Diane.
Not one word in my response is ridiculous. What is ridiculous is your apparent need to level a personal insult in response to a statement you can't undermine with facts or common sense. It's okay, you can own that because it is your view but certainly not my truth. The man has resigned as a result of public pressure against unacceptable racist statements about Blacks. His words were shameful and now he has owned them. That is all that needs to be said about this now. He is no longer in the Senate or a representative of Florida and that is a very good thing.
This wasn't this guy's only issue. Search "Frank Artiles Punch"...
Quote from: Cheshire Cat on April 21, 2017, 10:58:27 PM
Quote from: Adam White on April 21, 2017, 03:56:30 PM
Quote from: Cheshire Cat on April 21, 2017, 03:31:12 PM
You won't have to Adam. There are plenty enough descriptors for those historic tragedies already.
You're ridiculous, Diane.
Not one word in my response is ridiculous. What is ridiculous is your apparent need to level a personal insult in response to a statement you can't undermine with facts or common sense. It's okay, you can own that because it is your view but certainly not my truth. The man has resigned as a result of public pressure against unacceptable racist statements about Blacks. His words were shameful and now he has owned them. That is all that needs to be said about this now. He is no longer in the Senate or a representative of Florida and that is a very good thing.
Personal insult? Hardly.
Here's the definition of humorous (a synonym of ridiculous):
humorous
ˈhjuːm(ə)rəs/Submit
adjective
causing laughter and amusement; comic.
"a humorous and entertaining talk"
having or showing a sense of humour.
"his humorous grey eyes"I simply mean I find you amusing.
If a woman like myself speaking from a place of truth, facts and injustice amuses you, so be it Adam. However as I said earlier, your opinion of me is of no value to the issues or topics at hand which is nothing to be amused by, nor does the commentary qualify as amusing. Looks like you are trying to fill a sarcastic roll on this forum that many would rather leave empty after years of enduring the same here. :) Sticking to the topics and respect for others opinions and views is a much more welcome exchange in my experience.
Quote from: Cheshire Cat on April 22, 2017, 12:59:22 PM
If a woman like myself speaking from a place of truth, facts and injustice amuses you, so be it Adam. However as I said earlier, your opinion of me is of no value to the issues or topics at hand which is nothing to be amused by, nor does the commentary qualify as amusing. Looks like you are trying to fill a sarcastic roll on this forum that many would rather leave empty after years of enduring the same here. :) Sticking to the topics and respect for others opinions and views is a much more welcome exchange in my experience.
Thanks for wo-mansplaining everything to me, Diane.
You are welcome Adam. :)