The headlines today ought to read: "'JEB!' AND HIS SUGAR DADDIES CELEBRATE AS INFERIOR' REAGAN APPOINTEE REMOVES "VENERABLE" JUDGE FROM 'GLADES CASE".
Federal Judge William Hoeveler was ordered off an Everglades cleanup lawsuit he had overseen for 15 years on Tuesday, a stunning legal victory for Big Sugar, which had argued the venerable jurist had strayed from law into politics.
Hoeveler was removed from the case by Chief U.S. District Judge William Zloch. Zloch is a well known conservative who was appointed by Ronald Reagan in 1985; he is a former Notre Dame quarterback who apparently appealed to Reagan's "Gipper" fantasies. Unlike Hoeveler, who has a "sterling reputation", "The Almanac of the Federal Judiciary reports 'a majority of lawyers said Zloch's legal ability is inferior.'" See Kidwell, "New Chief Judge Gets Mixed Reaction", Miami Herald (September 17, 2000).
The ruling dismayed environmentalists who viewed the judge as a powerful ally for Everglades protection, leaving them with a new judge, Federico Moreno, whose record on environmental issues is virtually blank.
But it was the second big win for the sugar industry, which earlier this year also succeeded in persuading the Florida Legislature to rewrite Everglades clean-up laws.
And what does this mean, well the Miami Herald puts it like this:
Score one for Big Sugar and Gov. Jeb Bush.
With the sidelining of the outspoken federal judge who is considered the top legal guardian of the Everglades, environmentalists predict a setback for Everglades restoration -- and perhaps a tougher case for critics who charge that Bush-backed legislation will slow the cleanup.
Senior U.S. District Judge William Hoeveler, removed Tuesday from overseeing Everglades restoration efforts for critical remarks he made to newspapers, has been the federal government's point person on Everglades cleanup since 1988 -- and his replacement will need time to get up to speed, environmentalists said. ''The learning curve and the experience is lost. It's gone,'' said Thom Rumberger, an attorney with the Everglades Trust. ``It's a setback and Sugar loves it. If they can push out the cleanup another five or 10 or 15 years, it's all to their advantage.''
BYRD CHIRPS LOUDLY AT GRAHAM - Honing his Republican primary pitch, Byrd lashed out at Democrat Bob Graham, the presidential hopeful whose Senate seat he is seeking, for failing to support the war in Iraq. "That certainly kicked me into gear," Byrd said. "We've got a Florida senator who's out of step with Florida's families." "Candidate courts hometown supporters".
Speaking of carnivals, the field of candidates vying for U.S. Sen. Bob Graham's seat next year grew even larger this week with the announcement that Republican gadfly Larry Klayman also wants the job. "... and now from Florida".
COME ON IN, THE WATER'S WARM -The already-crowded Republican field running for Bob Graham's U.S. Senate seat could get even bigger, as a South Florida millionaire looks at jumping into the race and spending more than $10-million of his own money.
"Nobody in this state wants to go against me. I don't lose," said Jeffrey Saull, an office chair magnate from Vero Beach who said he's talking to advisers about the race and would be prepared to spend $10-million to $20-million on a campaign. "I'm not just considering it. I'm starting to make arrangements." "Millionaire might join race for Graham's Senate seat".
An arrogant ("I don't lose") office chair "magnate". How Republican.
"PARADISE SPOILED" -The Sunshine State, one of the nation's treasures, is fast becoming the Asphalt State. What we are doing to our paradise is criminal and, well, stupid. "Sunshine State becoming paradise spoiled".
GOP BRAIN TRUST IN TALLAHASSEE -Thousands more students enrolled in Florida schools this fall than state lawmakers budgeted for, a lobbyist for school boards said Tuesday.
Statewide, schools could have 15,000 more students over original projections, said Wayne Blanton, executive director of the Florida School Boards Association. Based on the figure of about $5,500 spent per student, that could mean a shortfall of $82.5 million. "More students enroll in Florida schools than state lawmakers budgeted for".