Suspended Sheriff Scott Israel defends reaction to Parkland massacre
TALLAHASSEE — Suspended Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel took the stand before a Senate magistrate Tuesday, defending his reaction to the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and his entire tenure as sheriff.
Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Israel shortly after taking office for “incompetence” and “negligence” for his actions before and after the shooting in Parkland, as well as in response to the shooting at the Fort Lauderdale airport in January 2017.
“These hearings are about taking my livelihood away from me,” Israel said. “Incompetent and negligent? No sir.”
For about two hours Israel defended himself, accusing DeSantis of not giving him an opportunity to hear his side before the suspension order came down, refuting DeSantis’ lawyer’s claim that no active shooter training was held at the airport prior to the shooting and touting his efforts to reach out to the community.
Unlike DeSantis, Israel said, Gov. Rick Scott, who was in office at the time of the Parkland shooting, told him he’d finish the investigation of FDLE and hear his version of events before making any decision to suspend him.
“I’ve spent 40 years in law enforcement and unfortunately he didn’t even think it was important for me to fly up to Tallahassee to discuss my views,” Israel said.
Israel is expected to finish his testimony Wednesday, when lawyers for DeSantis will get the chance to cross-examine him.
Israel attorney Ben Kuehne blamed DeSantis’ desire to appease the National Rifle Association in part for the decision to
suspend Israel shortly after he took office in January for “incompetence” and “neglect of duty” stemming from the reaction to the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in
February 2018.
The decision was a “brutal, political ploy designed to obtain his election and fulfill his promise to the NRA,” Kuehne said during opening statements.
The hearing was held before Senate special master Dudley Goodlette, who is overseeing the Senate’s
inquiry of the suspension. Under the state constitution, the governor only has the power to suspend a local elected official from office for incompetence or other factors like drunkenness or neglect of duties. The Senate has the power to permanently remove the official from office.
The hearing could last through Thursday. Goodlette will issue a recommendation for senators to consider sometime in the fall. A vote before the full Senate must be held to remove Israel from officer permanently.