The Incredible Disappearing Sands

The Orlando Sentinel reports that House Democrat Leader Franklin Sands not only missed "...the first big vote during his term as minority leader," today, but also refused to participate in any of the six hours of budget debate on the House floor. Six hours and not one word?

Broward House members have to bail on budget debate (leaving, on a jet plane)

TALLAHASSEE -- The Florida House just took a predictable, party-line vote to approve $2.3-billion in budget cuts. The final tally: 73-40, with not a single Republican or Democrat crossing party lines.

One name you won’t find on the vote board: House Democratic Leader Franklin Sands, D-Weston. In the first big vote during his term as minority leader, Sands was missing in action.

He was catching a flight back to South Florida, said House Democratic spokesman Mark Hollis.

Three other Broward County Democrats missed the vote, too: Elaine Schwartz, Joe Gibbons and Perry Thurston.

...

In a stark sign of Sands’ new leadership style, he didn’t say a single word on the House floor during six hours of debate. By contrast, the last Democratic leader, now-Sen. Dan Gelber, was a prolific speechifier.

Speaker Sansom Resigns College Position

In an effort to keep Republicans updated on the news during this week's Special Session, please see Tallahassee Democrat article below.

Sansom Resigns College Job

House Speaker Ray Sansom is resigning his $110,000-a-year job at Northwest Florida State College, he said to open the Legislature's special session this morning.

Sansom, a Destin Republican, has been under fire for $25 million he steered to the college last year when he was budget chief in the House, revelations by the St. Petersburg Time of communications he had with the college's president and secretive meetings that resulted. His new job at the college was announced on the day he assumed the post leading the House in November.

"This has not been an easy decision to make," Sansom said to start off special session, asking members to allow him personal remarks.

...

"Unfortunately, some have disagreed with my decision to work at the college. While I do not question their motives, I strongly object to their conclusions," Sansom said. "In all my years in public service, I have sought to act in a manner worthy of the trust that the people have placed in me."

However,

"I will not and cannot allow any controversy over my position at the college to divert our focus."

House members gave Sansom a standing ovation at the end of his remarks.

Read more here