Florida’s Mel Martinez resigns from Senate; here’s his old freshman report card
August 7, 2009 at 11:32 am by Wayne Garcia
UPDATE at 1 pm: Martinez will hold a 3pm newser and then Crist is expected to name former Secretary of State Jim Smith as the an interim replacement before the summer recess ends. Leading candidates so far include former Secretary of State Jim Smith, former Tampa Mayor and FLA Gov. Bob Martinez, former US Sen. Connie Mack and former Speaker Allen Bense.
After months and months of flat-out denying he would quit his Senate post before his term was up (ever since he announced he wouldn’t seek re-election in 2010), Mel Martinez today made a liar out of himself and announced he will step down now.
That leaves the appointment in Gov. Charlie Crist’s hands. Now, before everyone in the Democratic Party grassroots starts freaking out (too late, judging by my Facebook and Twitter account traffic), yes, Charlie can appoint himself but, no, he won’t. It would be political suicide to do that.
In 2005, CL’s then- Sarasota reporter Allyson Gonzalez gave Martinez a freshman report card. He didn’t do too well:
The 109th Congress is now in session and first-term Senator Mel Martinez is three months into his stay in Washington, D.C. For a progress report on the senator’s early legislative performance, we compared some of his recent votes with that of his original campaign promises, as outlined both in interviews and on his campaign website, www.melforsenate.org.
So far, it’s clear that our junior senator has some serious homework to do. Were this a school report card, we’d have to issue a note home saying that – although he may be a joy in class – Mel Martinez needs some serious help with his grades.
IMPROVING HEALTH CARE: F
Medicaid cuts: Martinez supported.
You won’t read about this on his current website, http://martinez.senate.gov. Martinez failed to join the seven other Republicans who rejected the majority Republican platform swiping $14 billion from Medicaid over the next five years. While some form of Medicaid reform is needed to ensure the viability of the program and the health of its recipients, the proposed cuts were blunt and short-sighted and in reality would have hit children the hardest. Ultimately, most of the Senate realized that fact with their 52-48 vote; too bad Martinez supported the hack job.
Veterans’ medical care: Martinez supported.
With veterans’ needs dramatically rising, the $410 million voted on by the Senate and Martinez functioned merely as a symbolic action. Why talk big about veteran support and then participate in a 47-53 vote to turn down a $2.8-billion veteran assistance bill that could have staved off future long-term costs? Was the $410 million intended as some middle ground?
PROTECTING NATURAL RESOURCES: F
Oil drilling in Alaska: Martinez supported.
After accepting some $123,000 from 35 different oil and gas groups like Halliburton and the Independent Petroleum Association of America during the 2004 election – making him the senator to receive the fifth-greatest amount of contributions from the industry – Martinez voted to open up drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The vote can best be described as a Faustian bargain that failed, as Martinez hoped that drilling for Alaskan oil reserves would spare offshore drilling in Florida, at least for a while. But the deal he struck may have made things worse for Florida, by possibly permitting oil companies to drill in areas more than 100 miles offshore – something that wasn’t previously allowed.
As Martinez explained in a March 16 statement following the 51-49 Senate vote, he made his ANWR decision with assurances that the existing moratorium of offshore drilling on Florida’s Gulf Coast would be extended to 2012. Interior Secretary Gale Norton wrote to Martinez that no new drilling leases have been made within 100 miles of Florida coastline and that “we will continue this policy.”
What Martinez did not apparently know is that the existing leasing bans already extended to 2012, and covered a full 200 miles offshore, not the 100-mile confirmation Martinez had received.
Senator Bill Nelson is now playing cleanup by trying to hold up President Bush’s nominee for the deputy Interior secretary in the hopes of securing a clear promise that the eastern Gulf of Mexico remains drilling-free.
Read the rest of Gonzalez’s story and Martinez’s report card.
