On August 9, 2006, the
Miami Herald reported that a Big Sugar front group calling itself Florida's Working Families had begun targeting gubernatorial candidate Rep. Jim Davis (D), who had gone on record as saying he would have vetoed a 2003 measure weakening Everglades pollution limits on sugar growers. State Senator Rod Smith -- Davis' opponent in the 2006 Democratic primary for governor -- had supported the bill and the sugar industry.
The recent attack on Rep. Jim Davis by Florida's Working Families was in the form of a mailer saying that Davis is anti-Israel because he missed last month's vote in Washington condemning the terrorist attacks against Israel. Davis' campaign office responded by pointing out that Davis sent out a statement condemning Hezbollah three days before the July 20 resolution passed 410-8.
But Florida's Working Families isn't backing off of their goal to help Rod Smith woo votes from Florida's large Jewish community. And the group has plenty of financial help to keep its campaign going since Big Sugar has given them $100,000, and also given $295,000 to a second group that created pro-Rod Smith mailings. Seems Big Sugar really wants Rod Smith to win the Democratic primary. But why?
The impact of Big Sugar's attack on Jim Davis means he is fighting both Rod Smith as well as one of the most powerful industries in Florida. The Miami Herald described Jim Davis' efforts to fight back:
The Davis campaign isn't taking any chances. He's shoring up his defense against an attack ad paid for by Florida's Working Families, which raps the Tampa congressman for missing last month's vote in Washington condemning the terrorist attacks against Israel, which could hurt his standing in South Florida's large Jewish community.
A Jewish member of Congress, Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston, vouched for Davis' commitment to Israel in a call with reporters. Another Jewish lawmaker, U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler of Boca Raton, defended Davis in a written statement.
''This shady group has decided to try to scare Jewish voters in South Florida and distract them from the main issues in the campaign because the group's candidate is faltering in the polls,'' Wasserman Schultz said. ``I call upon Rod Smith to condemn this negative attack and the politics of distraction.''
Rod Smith -- whose key campaign advisers lobby for sugar interests -- did not condemn the attack.
Instead, Smith is trying to use Davis' attendance record in Congress as a way to distract from the issues. Davis has missed votes in Congress while out on the campaign trail, but has said that most of the votes he missed were formalities or already had broad support. This tactic by Rod Smith is similar to Dick Cheney's attack on John Edwards' Capitol Hill attendance record during the VP debate when Edwards tried to bring up the subject of Halliburton.
As for Florida's Working Families, the Miami Herald reports:
The group reported to the IRS that it received $100,000 in donations from U.S. Sugar Corp. of Clewiston and a subsidiary in June. It did not report that money to the Florida Division of Elections, but the group's accountant said it had not registered with the state when the donations came in. A new law requires all political groups to report their fundraising, but the law did not take effect until July 1.
The Everglades deal, for those who don't remember, was considered a major setback by environmentalists who had thought that Florida was finally going to get serious about rehabilitating the Everglades. The Herald reports:
The measure -- greased by three dozen lobbyists -- passed unanimously. Democratic state Sen. Al Lawson told senators that the federal government suggested a later cleanup deadline.
But federal officials distanced themselves from that claim, and two Democratic senators changed their votes. Even Republican members of Congress criticized the GOP-run Legislature for easing pollution restrictions and extending the cleanup deadline.
Davis also assailed the vote and has continued to do so during the campaign. Smith said he should focus instead on making sure the federal government meets its financial obligation to the Everglades.
Today in the Orlando Sentinel, Mike Thomas published his own warnings about Rod Smith with an editorial titled, "Smith would be fiasco for Dems, environment" which starts out with the plea, "If you are a Democrat, please vote against Rod Smith for governor in next month's primary." Thomas goes on to make his case by describing the environmental power Rod Smith would have as governor:
The governor has tremendous power over the birds, bees and manatees. In addition to pushing legislation and manning the bully pulpit, he has the power to appoint. He can pack water-management boards and regulatory commissions with lackeys from development and agriculture.
It is at their obscure meetings that lobbyists and lawyers neuter environmental laws by tinkering with the fine print. The word shall is changed to should, or required becomes recommended.
A seemingly strict pollution standard can be watered down over details about when and where you take the samples. Tinkering with the water level behind a dam can destroy a lake or wipe out a bird colony.
This is why 20 years after Bob Graham ordered a cleanup of Lake Okeechobee, it looks like Yoo-hoo.
The death of Florida is in the details. The growers play this game oh so well. And now they want Smith as their next playmate.
You can bet he wouldn't interfere with the long-established practice of taxing homeowners to subsidize Big Sugar's irrigation, flood protection and pollution cleanup.
Jim Davis earned a score of 100% from the Florida League of Conservation Voters when they rated him two years ago. Last year he received a score of 89% from the national League of Conservation Voters.
Interestingly enough, Jim Davis isn't just pro-environment: Michael Schiavo's TerriPAC recently endorsed Jim Davis in the Florida governor's race because Davis fought against the attack on Michael's family.
So just maybe the two Democrats in Florida aren't so much alike after all. Give some help to the Jim Davis campaign today, and stand up for Democratic values in the Florida race for governor.