Grandstanding? yes.
Politically effective? Yes.
"Are you gonna vote for the guy who wants to stop drilling, or are ya gonna vote Rubio...?"
Source: St Petersburg Times
Crist calls special session to ban offshore drilling
Gov. Charlie Crist said Thursday he's calling a special session of the Legislature in less than two weeks and will ask lawmakers to consider a proposed constitutional amendment to ban offshore oil drilling. His proclamation sets the session dates as July 20-23.
At a hastily-called news conference, Crist said the session would be devoted to one issue -- "a rifle shot," he called it -- to give the voters of Florida a say on drilling. But in doing so, he violated a cardinal rule of Tallahassee politics by calling for a special session without a consensus with legislative leaders.
"I feel a compelling duty to protect Florida," Crist told reporters. "And I'm going to be governor for about six more months, and I think I wouldn't be doing my duty as governor if I did not call for this special session."
Crist noted that the deadline is Aug. 4 for a proposed amendment to make it to the Nov. 2 ballot. He said the Senate sponsor of the proposed drilling ban will be Sen. J. Alex Villalobos, R-Miami, but no House sponsor has been selected. His announcement sets up a clash with the House, where Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, has publicly accused Crist of grandstanding on drilling.
