For members of the Florida Commission on Ethics to consider waiving a penalty for one of its sitting members for the flagrant disregard of a simple filing requirement is an absolute disgrace. This is an insult to Florida residents who try to follow the rules.
That a sitting member of the commission (Freddie Figgers of Lauderhill, appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis) would request or agree to such a waiver, and for the commission’s own staff to recommend it, is such a poor example of ethical behavior that it boggles the mind.
It’s no surprise that the same member would have received a no-bid contract (at the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District) before it was rescinded — another ethical lapse.
Perhaps commission members and staff should examine their own personal standards to see if they can serve capably. From this Broward citizen’s vantage point, they cannot. As they say about fish, this board’s proposed action seems to rot from the head down.
Siobhan McLaughlin, Hollywood
(Editor’s note: The ethics commission will vote Friday, April 19, on whether to waive a $1,500 fine against Figgers for failure to file a one-page financial disclosure form while a member of the board of Enterprise Florida. The story was first reported by The Florida Bulldog.)
Drill down on Donald Trump
The April 12 Sun Sentinel included a letter to the editor headlined “Half the country disagrees” by Osvaldo Valdes of Hollywood.
I credit him for being a subscriber of this paper even though many readers likely oppose his views. I also wonder if he’s open-minded or, like my GOP friends, he constantly denies Trump’s negatives or just pleads ignorance to his actions. He might reread two letters that accompanied his in the April 12 issue, entitled “If Trump gets back in, he won’t leave” and “The most corrupt ever.”
I realize Joe Biden is not the epitome of everyone’s idea of a president. But we have to look past issues and drill down to what the man is all about. Trump has changed the GOP for the worse. Why do you think so many Republican congressmen and former administration members have resigned and warned us about him?
Trump has made it acceptable to lie and deny. If you lose an election, just deny that you lost or refuse to accept the result. There’s so much infighting in the GOP that it’s difficult to determine where Republicans stand. Too many elected officials are about “my way or the highway” when it’s supposed to be what their constituents want. I’m afraid Mr. Valdes’ hero is a big reason why.
Bill Marvin, Delray Beach
Violence no surprise
We’re appalled by images of crime and violence, but we should not be. They’re part of the American tradition.
Americans continued the violent behavior of the English. America killed and stole land from indigenous people in the 19th century and perpetuated slavery well into the 20th century. Many still take what they want through fraud, theft and abuse of power. Changing the trajectory means the majority must realize that a better union requires a civil society, obeying rules and laws and showing empathy.
Freedom is not doing whatever comes to mind, owning unlimited guns, or taking from other people. Vote accordingly.
William Teat, Fort Lauderdale
Four years ago
We ask ourselves whether we’re better off today than we were four years ago. The answer is pretty clear.
Four years ago, I was in my house, afraid to go out because of COVID. People were being laid off and couldn’t pay the rent or go to the grocery store. The economy was tanking. Gas prices were down — because nobody went anywhere. Now people look back four years and say everything was great. They must have brain freeze.
We had a president telling us to drink bleach, that it might cure COVID. We were told to stay inside. About 1 million people died. But it must have been great because that’s what people keep thinking who want to vote Republican. I don’t know where all these people were four years ago, but they certainly weren’t here in the United States.
Hal Krantz, Coral Springs
