Nadine Smith Resonds to Gov. Crist's Spokeswoman

 
Nadine Smith has left a new comment on your post "Charlie Crist, is denying any meeting of any kind ...":

We did indeed talk with Governor Crist moments after ending a meeting with his legislative staffer about the anti-bullying bill.
The Governor was returning from lunch at Andrews restaurant and David Barkey from the Anti-Defamation League and I stopped and spoke with him urging him to make next session the year we pass the strongest anti-bullying bill possible.

He pumped his fist in the air enthusiastically as he told us "I'm with you! I'm with you!"

His support on the bullying issue is not new.
This has been an issue that the Governor has publicly and repeatedly demonstrated support for since his days as Commissioner of Education. Last year in response to a question from Capital New Reporter Victoria Langley, he reaffirmed his support for an inclusive bill that refused to leave any group of students outside the protections of an anti-bullying bill. When Sen. Wise bottled the bill in his committee last year, Governor Crist invoked the tragic massacre in Virginia and publicly pressured him to let the bill go to the floor.

We wanted our members to know that he reaffirmed that support enthusiastically when the Anti-Defamation League and Equality Florida representatives met with him briefly outside his office. We let the Governor know we'd met with his staff and with his help we had the opportunity to pass a strong bill that wasn't afraid to address bullying that is happening our schools everyday.

I imagine his spokesperson is conveying that we were not on the Governor's calendar and that she was not informed of our impromptu conversation.

Best
Nadine Smith
Equality Florida


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