74 Lawmakers Call On Florida Gov. To ‘Immediately’ Suspend Broward County Sheriff
Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran sent a letter to Governor Rick Scott Sunday urging him to suspend Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel over his department’s handling of the Parkland shooting.
PARKLAND, FL – FEBRUARY 15: Broward County Sheriff, Scott Israel (C), Florida Governor Rick Scott,(R),and Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi,(L), speak to the media about the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School where 17 people were killed yesterday, on February 15, 2018 in Parkland, Florida. Police arrested the suspect after a short manhunt, and have identified him as 19 year old former student Nikolas Cruz. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Corcoran published the letter — signed by 73 Republican lawmakers — on Twitter Sunday afternoon.
“The Florida Constitution gives you the power to suspend a sheriff for ‘malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty [or] incompetence,” Corcoran wrote. “I am requesting that you immediately exercise this power and suspend Sheriff Scott Israel of Broward County for incompetence and neglect of duty.” (RELATED: Broward County Sheriff Denies Mishandling Parkland Shooting)
WATCH — Jake Tapper Grills Sheriff Israel:
The letter further detailed Israel’s handling of the Nikolas Cruz case, including how the sheriff’s office responded to an incident at Cruz’s mother’s house during Israel’s first week on the job.
“Sheriff Israel’s fundamental duty is to keep the peace and protect the citizens of Broward County,” Corcoran continued. “He has the power and responsibility to appoint highly qualified deputies and to ensure they receive state-of-the-art-training.”
“Sheriff Israel failed to maintain a culture of alertness, vigilance, and thoroughness amongst his deputies. Sheriff Israel failed to fulfill his duty to ensure that all of his deputies have the necessary active shooter tactical training. As a result of Sheriff Israel’s failures, students and teachers died.”