The Tampa Bay Times frames the issue perfectly:

There is no graver responsibility and act of state government than an execution. In Florida this week, a campaign fundraiser takes precedence. Attorney General Pam Bondi persuaded Gov. Rick Scott to postpone an execution scheduled for [Tuesday night] because it conflicted with her re-election kick-off reception.

Good Christian folk, both, who care deeply about the sanctity of life.

The execution they decided to postpone is that of double murderer Marshall Lee Gore — not that I’ll shed a tear for him when he finally goes.

That said: Florida, according to investigative reporter Radley Balko, has had more death row exonerations than any other state; and yet, Bondi isn’t shy about boasting of the executions she’s been part of.

I guess we should be pleased that, for political expediency, she didn’t try to get Gore executed earlier rather than later. Or that she didn’t have the guy killed as part of her fundraiser (one where donors could have their picture taken with Bondi, both smiling next to Gore’s corpse. Suggested donation: $1,000).

My guess is that within a generation, that’s where we’ll end up. In Florida politics, anything the Onion can conceive of, and more, is truly possible.



