When Jimmy Stewart Becomes Claude Rains
This is the feeling you would get if at the end of the movie, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Jimmy Stewart’s character, Jefferson Smith, decides that instead of filibustering, he will sell out to Joseph Paine, Claude Rains’s character.
The incoming speaker of Florida’s House is a local politician, Ray Sansom, whom I first encountered through my Mother’s volunteer work with Hospice. Ray was the director at the time, and a good one. The organization prospered under his leadership, but importantly, the people who worked there were happy to be in the organization, not an easy thing given the mission of any Hospice.
When Ray ran for office he had a base to work with, the people associated with Hospice and other non-profits in the area. He was well liked and seemed to be in tune with local concerns.
Then he started hanging around with a bad crowd, developer Jay Odom, and the president of the local community college, Bob Richburg. Understand that these two guys have never been indicted for anything, but every deal they make has an evil cast to it. They don’t legally lie or steal; it just feels that way. Everything they are involved with always ends up with big losers and people who don’t feel like promises were kept.
The current Ray Sansom will probably serve out his term, but the old Ray Sansom would have had the integrity to resign. He is term-limited, so he can’t be re-elected to the House, I hope he doesn’t try to run for another office, because it will be painful to work against him, remembering who he was at one time.
2 comments
Well said and very creative and articulate on how you said it. Any lots Jay gave to Ray for quid pro quo or is that out of the question, thesedays. And it sure is nice that his ole lady don’t have to drive to work like my loving wife, but he always took that Christian value approach even if easy at 110K or the mere 70 k from Hospice, a non-profit geared towards “hearts”.
It’s hard when someone you like turns “to the dark side”.
Odom would never do anything as obvious as lots, which are traceable, actually there are some rumors that he doesn’t even honor his “bribes”, but they trace back to people who can be bribed for next to nothing, and are, therefore, not reliable sources.
Richburg is an empire builder, and it is a real PITA to deal with his crew at OW/NFSC. I have a perceived bias as I graduated from Troy University-Florida, and was associated with UWF through an Elderhostel affiliate, but OW seemed to be more about building a brand than educating people. If you care, you could look into the controversy concerning the estate of Mattie Kelly as it relates to Richburg.
Some of us had high hopes for Ray, but he really lost his way at a time when his influence could have been used for good. You expect this stuff from enemies, not friends, which is the reason for the Mr. Smith Goes to Washington allusion.