Florida House Speaker Ray Sansom sent the memorandum below to House Members:
MEMORANDUM
TO: Members, Florida House of Representatives
FROM: Speaker Ray Sansom
DATE: January 30, 2009
RE: Recusal from Duties
_______________________________________________________
Effective immediately, I have decided to recuse myself from the exercise of my duties as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Ongoing legal proceedings have temporarily created an inability for me to carry out my responsibilities as Speaker. Under the House rules, during this temporary inability, Speaker pro tempore Larry Cretul will exercise all the duties, powers and prerogatives of Speaker.
I know Larry will manage the House with distinction and it will be an honor for me to serve under him at this time, until any legal proceedings I face are resolved. The allegations and reports associated with these proceedings have caused my family grave pain and this has prompted my decision. I expect positive outcomes and am confident that when the facts are known, my honesty and integrity will be confirmed.
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This Capitol e-Report was written by Rheb Harbison, a Senior Government Consultant in the Carlton Fields Tallahassee Office. He is principally responsible for advocating on behalf of the Firm’s clients before the legislative and executive branches, asserting positions on a variety of state business issues.
Rheb has 28 years of progressive senior level experience in lobbying, public affairs, communications, media relations, and marketing in both the public and private sectors. Rheb counsels clients on political action strategy and is also responsible for fund-raising and the activities of the Firm’s political action committee, which supports the election of local and state candidates for public office.
Since May he has participated in more than 160 interviews with legislative candidates.
Rheb can be reached at rharbison@carltonfields.com or 850.224.1585.
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