Governor candidate out of top Senate post
Latvala faces allegations of harassment
Facing claims of sexual harassment by at least half a dozen women, Republican gubernatorial candidate and state Sen. Jack Latvala of Clearwater was removed Monday from his post as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
“While the independent, third party investigation regarding Senator Latvala is pending, I believe it is in the best interest of the Senate for another Senator to temporarily serve as Chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations,” Senate President Joe Negron, RStuart, wrote in announcing the decision.
Negron’s decision came after Latvala sent the Senate President a letter earlier Monday, asking to be relieved of duty.
“I understand that you are in the process of hiring an independent, third party to conduct an investigation regarding the anonymous allegations made against me in a recent news article,” Latvala wrote. “I am requesting that you permit me to temporarily take a leave of absence from my role as Chair of the Committee on Appropriations until this matter is resolved. I look forward to defending myself against these untruthful allegations and believe I will be fully exonerated.”
Latvala’s removal comes after Politico Florida reported Friday that six women accused Latvala of sexual harassment over a period of several years. None of the women, who work as lobbyists and legislative staff affiliated with both political parties according to Politico, allowed their names to be published, fearing reprisals.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Gov. Rick Scott called the allegations against Latvala “disgusting,” and said, if true, he should be “out of office.”
Negron quickly announced an investigation of the allegations to be headed by Senate General Counsel Dawn Roberts. But Roberts, who had served as staff director for the Ethics and Elections Committee when Latvala was its chairman, recused herself Saturday.
The investigation will now be carried out by an independent, third-party to be hired by the Florida Legislature’s Office of Legislative Services. That investigator has not yet been hired.
The chairmanship of the committee, the most powerful post in the Senate other than the presidency itself, now goes to state Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island. In the 2017 legislative session, Negron relied on Bradley to shepherd major legislation through the process, both a medical marijuana law and one of Negron’s top priorities — funding for a new, massive reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee. Bradley succeeded on both bills.
The allegations against Latvala followed the resignation of one of the state senator’s top allies in the opposition party, incoming Senate Minority Leader Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth, after his admission to an extramarital affair involving a lobbyist who worked for Martin County and is now employed by Broward County.
The sex scandals have cast a pall over the upcoming legislative session, set to begin Jan. 9, as lawmakers fear more allegations of harassment, assault and improper affairs could surface.
dsweeney@SunSentinel .com, 954-356-4605 or Twitter @Daniel_Sweeney