Heated debate over monuments bill in Tallahassee

The future of a monuments bill could be up in the air after public comment sparked emotion at Tuesday’s Senate Community Afairs Committee meeting.

The bill that is being discussed would prevent the removal of historical monuments but also fines people for damaging or painting them. Senator Jonathan Martin of Fort Myers is the bills sponsor.

The legislative battle got so heated it caused every Democrat to walk out.

SB 1122 passed through the Senate Community Affairs Committee, but that doesn’t mean it has a good chance to become law.

Tear gas, riots, fire and violence flooded the streets of many major cities following the death of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

In Baltimore, a crowd used ropes to pull down a statue of Christopher Columbus, then tossed it in the harbor.

Outside the White House, people broke through the fence guarding the Andrew Jackson statue and tried to tear it down.

Martin said he watched as many more monuments got taken away.

“There were confederate monuments that were being torn down, but also there was a large amount of what we, in South Florida, we think are just American historical figures, monuments that recognized veterans in the U.S. military being defaced,” Martin said.

Martin said he felt the need to protect our history, the good and the bad, so he’s introduced a bill to protect monuments in Florida.

During public comment, a lawyer went before the community affairs committee and said the measure was also a good way to protect “white culture.”

“I can’t tell you how atrocious, despicable, I feel towards those sentiments,” said Senator Alexis Calatayud, a Republican.

“I am vacillating on whether or not to even vote yes because it looks like I endorse your hatred, and I do not,” said Senator Jennifer Bradley, a Republican.

“I am just lost, in a sense, for words right now. I’m so hurt,” said Senator Rosalind Osgood, a Democrat.

“I cannot even believe that we are even going to have a vote after hearing such a blatant display of white supremacy,” said Senator Lori Berman, a Democrat.

As a result, every Democrat on the committee walked out.

“Instead of debating or trying to make the bill better, which is usually what we do in the senate,” Martin said.

While the Republicans on the committee passed the monuments measure, the bill may be dead anyway.

State senate president Kathleen Passidomo of Naples told reporters, “I’m not going to bring a bill to the floor that is so abhorrent to everybody.”

Martin said that the lawyer just wanted to be heard and shock everybody, and he did that.

Martin said Gov. Ron DeSantis supports his monuments measure.