Common Cause Florida Sends Letter to Gov. DeSantis: Veto Dangerous Ethics Bill

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –  Today, Common Cause Florida and eight other democracy partner groups sent a letter to Governor Ron DeSantis, demanding he veto SB 7014, the anti-democratic Ethics bill that will make it almost impossible for Floridians’ to file complaints against government officials who violate the public trust.

The coalition letter urges Governor DeSantis to veto the new Ethics Bill because it “creates an unreasonable barrier and deterrent for members of the public seeking to assist the Commission with ethics enforcement. This bill allows unethical conduct to continue unchecked, thereby diminishing public trust in the Sunshine State.”

It also notes that the bill includes restrictions on local ethics boards. It highlights that under this bill, boards like the ones in Miami and Tallahassee will no longer be able to pursue self-initiated investigations from anonymous credible whistleblowers.

“This isn’t about minimizing frivolous complaints; this is about making complaints almost impossible,” said Amy Keith, executive director of Common Cause Florida. “The people of Florida deserve accountability and transparency and the right to demand it of officials.”

“This bill has huge implications for public trust,” she continued. “It will allow corruption to go unchallenged if it comes into law.”

Common Cause Florida calls on Governor DeSantis to veto this bill if he believes that Floridians deserve protection from corruption. We will continue to defend and strengthen the core democratic structures and tools that enable the people of Florida to mobilize and hold their leaders accountable.

To view the letter, click here.

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