Cruel Corcoran’s House Republicans Shock the Nation

For Years, Richard Corcoran Has Been One of the Fiercest Opponents of Gun Safety and Mental Health Coverage

In the past week, Richard Corcoran’s House of Representatives’ cruel indifference to the demands of Parkland students has shocked the nation. Florida’s House Republicans have become a national embarrassment and earned themselves a reputation as a cesspool where staffers spread deeply offensive conspiracy theories and meaningful efforts to address gun violence go nowhere.

In the past week alone:

• OUTRAGE: The House voted to list pornography as a public health threat — and then promptly voted down an assault weapons ban as Parkland students watched “in anguish.” After, students “said they were outraged by ruling Republican lawmakers”:
• “How could they do that to us?…“We are not forgetting this come midterm elections — the anger that I feel right now is indescribable” — Emma Gonzalez
• “I heard that our lawmakers voted against a ban against assault rifles. I’m not sure if any of the Florida HOR or Senate Members have turned on their TV or looked at their phone because tomorrow, the storm is coming. #NeverAgain” — Adam Ahanti
• “Hope you guys enjoyed being Politicians! #votethemout” — David Hogg
• “To shoot down a bill like that is absolutely abhorrent. That disgusts me and its disgusts my peers, because we know what we went through and we know this needs to be changed.” — Delaney Tarr
• “I want to see those people who have spoken out against this, and shot down that bill.” — Ryan Deitsch
• SILENCE ON D’SOUZA’S BULLYING: Corcoran failed to condemn conservative commentator Dinesh D’Souza, who has repeatedly mocked and insulted Douglas students on Twitter. A few weeks ago, Corcoran said he was “honored” to campaign with D’Souza.
• PARANOIA: A staffer for Representative Shawn Harrison told the Tampa Bay Times that two Parkland students who had spoken out in favor of gun safety were “fake.” The Times later revealed that the staffer (who was fired) had a history of IRS problems — and should have never been hired.

It’s no surprise that the House under Corcoran has emerged as the leading opposition to any sensible gun safety proposals. For years, Corcoran and House leaders have not only blocked numerous gun safety measures — they have also cut funding to keep schools safe and repeatedly refused to provide nearly a million Floridians with access to mental health services:

BANNING GUN SAFETY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL

In April 2011, Corcoran Cosponsored Legislation Removing the Authority of Municipalities to Impose Gun Safety Rules, Including Waiting Periods. [Florida House of Representatives, HB 45, Vote #293, 4/26/11]

AFRAID OF THE GUN LOBBY

Politico: Corcoran “Has Said Little” About Gun Issue Because He “Knows That Any Gun Control Legislation to Come Out of His Chamber Would Draw Fierce Opposition From His Allies in Gun-Rights Groups.” [Politico, 2/21/18]

Corcoran on Decision to Block Debate on Assault Weapons: “Rules Matter That’s What Makes Our Country Great. You Have to Follow the Rules.” [Tampa Bay Times, 2/22/18]

ENDANGERING SCHOOLS

Florida Association of School Administrator President on Feb. 1st: The Florida House Has Scheduled No Increase in Safe Schools. [Tallahassee Democrat, Bill Lee op-ed, 2/1/18]

Tampa Bay Times Column: Romano: Until the Parkland shooting, lawmakers ignored requests for school safety funds. [Tampa Bay Times, John Romano Column, 2/20/18]

DOCS V. GLOCKS

In April 2011, Corcoran Cosponsored Legislation Prohibiting Health Care Providers from Recording Patients’ Gun Ownership Status. [Florida Journal of the House of Representatives, HB 155, Vote #292, 4/26/11]

MENTAL HEALTH CUTS

In 2017, Corcoran Negotiated a Budget Cutting Medicaid Payments to Hospitals By $521 Million. [Daily Commercial¸ 5/6/17]

The Senate Attempted to Soften the Cuts to Hospitals But the House Didn’t Even Introduce a Hospital Funding Bill. [Palm Beach Post, 6/29/17]

Naples Daily News: Advocates Said Cuts In Medicaid Payments to Hospitals “Could Spell Disaster for Mental Health Patients.” [Naples Daily News, 4/29/17]

Corcoran Allowed Millions in Grants for Mental Health Funding to Expire

In 2017, the Florida Legislature Allowed $20.4 Million in Federal Mental Health Funding to Expire Without a Replacement Plan. [WUSF, 8/13/17]

Salus Care in Fort Myers Said the Cuts Would Mean 800 Children Would Be Turned Away and 250 People Would Not Receive Psychiatric Services. [WUSF, 8/13/17]

Cocrocan’s Budgets Cut Mental Health From Thousands

Orlando Sentinel: Budget Cuts Expected to Leave Several Thousand People Without Mental Health Care.  [Orlando Sentinel, 8/7/17]

Orange County Receiving Center CEO Said They Were Cutting Staff and That a “Very Low Estimate” of 3,500 Patients Would Lose Access to Services. [Orlando Sentinel, 8/7/17]

Florida’s Refusal To Expand Medicaid Has Left Hundreds of Thousands Without Mental Health Coverage

Corcoran “Led the Crusade” Against Medicaid Expansion, Which Would Have Covered 1 Million Floridians. [Miami Herald, column, 3/5/17]

Dept. of Health and Human Services Study: 309,000 Uninsured Floridians With Mental Illnesses Would Have Been Covered by Medicaid Expansion. [Florida Trend, 3/29/16]