Senate President Jeff Atwater tapped Sen. J.D. Alexander to chair the Ethics & Elections Committee now that Sen. John Thrasher stepped down once he became head of the Republican Party of Florida. Atwater spokeswoman Jaryn Emhof said Atwater chose Alexander, who was chair last year, because he was already on the committee. That way, she said, the president wouldn’t have to tap someone from another committee and start a domino effect of “shuffling people around” from one committee to the next.

One of those people who wanted to be shuffled: Sen. Paula Dockery,  wrote Atwater earlier today:

This letter serves as a notification of my desire to serve as chair of the Senate Ethics & Elections Committee, in addition to my current chairmanship of the Criminal Justice Committee. The people of Florida are rightfully demanding substantial ethics reforms. The chairperson that you select for this committee will be in a position to truly listen to the people and begin the restoration of the public trust.

I have been emphasizing this need for the past three years and have researched changes that would restore the integrity of our beloved institution, and my sincere desire to use my leadership skills for this critical purpose, as well as my record on transparency and open government makes me the logical candidate for the job.

Thank you in advance for your careful consideration in this matter.

Interestingly enough Senator Dockery has been the only one calling for Ethics Reform in the state legislature.  J. D. Alexander refused to remove himself from the Sun Rail vote, even though he stood to benefit financially from the vote.  His recently acquired company Phoenix Industries in Winter Haven is located adjacent to the CSX rail line.  The company specializes in Rail to Truck transportation, Cold and Perishable Storage.

The way I see J.D.’s appointment is simple.  It’s a classic case of a FOX WATCHING THE HEN HOUSE! Not to mention the Sun Rail connection between Jeff Atwater and J.D. Alexander, but then again seems as if it’s business as usual in Tallahassee.

Jeff Atwater

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker today endorsed Jeff Atwater’s campaign for Chief Financial Officer. Baker, the popular two-term mayor is known for combining strong fiscal discipline with a commitment to making St. Petersburg a more livable, economically vibrant community.

“People in our community know we need real leadership in Tallahassee, and I know Jeff Atwater will be a vigilant steward of our tax dollars and a watchdog for the people of Florida,” said Baker. “Fiscal accountability, transparency and oversight are more important than ever in Tallahassee, and Jeff Atwater will lead the fight to safeguard every dollar from fraud, waste and abuse.”

Baker said Atwater’s commitment to controlling wasteful spending, his dedication to transparency and accountability, and his fiscal conservatism were the basis of his support.

“I’m honored to have the endorsement and support of Rick Baker,” said Senator Atwater. “Rick is the kind of leader who puts performance before politics and who represents the best of Florida leadership. I look forward to working with him in the coming campaign and as Florida’s next CFO.”

For more information about Senator Jeff Atwater and his campaign for Chief Financial Officer, please visit www.jeffatwater.com.

Jeff Atwater

Below is an email that went out from the Jeff Atwater for CFO campaign.  ———–

I have some great news!  In only a few short weeks, we have raised over $500,000 for my campaign to serve as Florida’s next Chief Financial Officer.  Please accept my sincere thanks.

Your personal commitment to this race has both humbled and energized me to tackle the challenges ahead.  I want you to know how deeply appreciative I am for this tremendous show of support. Without you, this campaign would not even be possible.

As I travel our great state, I see examples every day of how urgently the people of Florida need help.  Families and small businesses are suffering from an economic downturn. They need leaders in Tallahassee who will cut wasteful spending, stamp out fraud and restore our economy.

I look forward to fighting side-by-side with all Floridians to transform our state into a national model for efficiency and responsibility.  I know that with a commitment to a smaller, smarter, more transparent government we can ensure prosperity and economic security for every Florida family.

I look forward to seeing you on the campaign trail, and I encourage you to stay strong and committed to the work ahead. I encourage you to join us on Twitter and Facebook to follow our campaign updates.

Thank you again,

www.jeffatwater.com

Pat Patterson

DELAND—Surrounded by supporters, State Representative Pat Patterson (R-DeLand) today formally launched his campaign for Florida’s Chief Financial Officer in his hometown of DeLand.

As the House Chair of the Insurance, Business, and Financial Affairs Policy Council, Patterson and his committee members oversee many divisions within the Office of the Chief Financial Officer and the Offices of Insurance and Financial Regulation. He also serves on the General Government Policy Council, and the State Universities and Private Colleges Appropriations Committee.

Representative Patterson, an independent, consumer-focused insurance agent of more than thirty years, is currently serving his fifth term in the Florida House of Representatives. A U.S. Navy veteran and former public school teacher, Patterson also served two terms on the Volusia County Council.

“Floridians deserve a Chief Financial Officer who is willing to put the wellbeing of Floridians first,” said Patterson. “I want to put my thirty years of experience to work advocating for consumers in Tallahassee.”

A native Floridian, Patterson emphasized his three decades of experience assisting consumers with insurance and financial decisions to the crowd gathered for his announcement, held at DeLand’s historic Grant Bly House. He has advocated for greater consumer choiceandcriticized Tallahassee for placing billions of dollars in hurricane risk on the backs of the people of Florida.

“Floridians deserve to have a choice in this election,” said Patterson. “With me, they’ll get someone who has spent a lifetime educating and advocating for consumers, and someone who understands that we can’t just sit idly by while our state is one major storm away from financial devastation and potentially billions in unfair tax increases.”