It was 101 degrees in the shade Monday afternoon when Florida legislators gaveled open a two-week special session to redraw — for the third time — the state’s congressional districts and, within minutes, it became apparent that hardly anyone wanted to be there. The governor and his family had jetted off to Paris for a vacation. The Florida Supreme Court, which ordered lawmakers to redraw the map that forced the special session, was on its summer break. At least 10 of the state’s 40 senators and 17 of the 120 House members received permission to skip out for the session. House and Senate leaders announced that they disagreed with the court ruling that said the Republican-led redistricting process was “tainted” by illegal partisan intent but vowed to fix it as part of the “remedial” process laid out by the court. “We continue to believe that we drew a constitutional map in 2012 and again in 2014,” said House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, addressing the chamber in a 20-minute opening session. “Unfortunately, we are here today because the Supreme Court disagreed and ordered that eight districts be redrawn.”
Echoing the theme of a lawsuit filed last week in federal court by two Pensacola Republican Party officials, several lawmakers used their opening day speeches to accuse the court of violating the legislature’s First Amendment rights by requiring it to justify its map-drawing decisions in an open and transparent way. “We are under direction by a court that continues, over and over again, to exceed their constitutional authority,” said Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-Trinity, after the House adjourned. “When one branch goes deep into other areas, the people lose. We have to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
State Sen. Tom Lee, R-Brandon, accused the court of inhibiting free speech when it ordered that all map-making decisions be made in the open. Lee said that violated his right to speak freely with colleagues, the House and even constituents about the maps. “Who are they?” Lee asked of the court. “This has gotten out of hand. To me this is just a big overreach by the court.”
Full Article: Florida lawmakers reluctantly convene for another redistricting session | Tampa Bay Times.