Tallahassee, FL — Six months ago Republican Party of Florida Chairman Lenny Curry touted “a new Republican initiative” designed to promote “friendly debate” and avoid “negative attacks.” Here’s how the Tampa Bay Times covered it: Curry makes a pitch for the Florida Civility Project, which he said would invite people to “join together and work toward common sense solutions through friendly debate and discussion, while avoiding negative attacks and the politics of personal destruction.“ — Tampa Bay Times, 2/27/13 It’s clear now this was nothing more than a failed gimmick. The personal attacks against female leaders from the RPOF just keep piling up. Yesterday, RPOF attacked Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz as a “dunce,” while on Monday, they accused FDP Chair Allison Tant of “ranting.” Indeed, the Florida GOP accuses Chairwoman Tant of “ranting” almost every time she expresses a poilitical opinion. “Apparently, the Florida GOP isn’t interested in having a substantive debate on the issues, but would rather call women names they would never use with a man. The juvenile name-calling must end. Insulting the intelligence of Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz, a respected legislator and national female leader, crosses the line of acceptable political discorse,” said FDP Chairwoman Allison Tant. “Lenny Curry and the Republican Party of Florida should follow their own guidelines on civility,” added Tant. Get the Facts: August 22nd: RPOF insults Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz’s intelligence with “Debbie Dunce.” Rather than disagree with Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz on the merits of Obamacare, the Republican Party of Florida stooped to a pejorative insult that they would never use with a man. (RPOF press release, 8/21/13) August: 4 times in 4 days, RPOF Yells “RANT”. Over 4 days in August, RPOF yells “RANT” 4 times when addressing viewpoints expressed by FDP Chair Tant. (Search of www.rpof.org, 8/22/13) May, June, and July: Chair Tant Expresses Democratic Viewpoints, RPOF Yells “RANT”. Over and over, RPOF shouts “RANT” at FDP Chair Allison Tant when she expresses a Democratic viewpoint. (Search of www.rpof.org, 8/22/13) February: RPOF Chairman Lenny Curry Announces “Florida Civility Project.” In a letter to “Florida conservative leaders” that a Repubiican shared with the Buzz, Curry makes a pitch for the Florida Civility Project, which he said would invite people to “join together and work toward common sense solutions through friendly debate and discussion, while avoiding negative attacks and the politics of personal destruction.” (Tampa Bay Times, 2/27/13)
Lenny Curry’s “Florida Civility Project” website is still available at rpof.org/civility. |