Editorial
What is an example of a carpetbagger? A politician who takes up residence in a place and runs for office without having strong ties to the area
What is an example of a scalawag? A southern white Republican (“scalawags”). A scalawag is a lying, no-good rascal.
State House seat 77 has a Republican carpetbagger and a Republican scalawag running in it
Let’s meet them:
Republican carpetbagger Ford O’Connell
Just a few questions:
- He has a homesteaded 1.7 million condo in Washington DC
- Had to use a Washington DC driver’s license to get a homestead exemption
- Moved to Lee County in April 2022 and registered to vote
- Must have a Florida driver’s license to be registered to vote
- Does he actually live at the apartment he rented across from FGCU?
Republican scalawag Tiffany Esposito
- Owns two condos one inside the district which was purchased in 2022 and one outside the district which is her homesteaded resident
- Cannot legally move her homestead exemption until January 2023
- Which condo does she actually live in?
Qualifications of Representatives https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/contentViewer.aspx?Category=publicguide&File=About_The_Representatives_Qualifications_Of_Representatives.html
The Constitution requires a Representative to be at least 21 years of age, a resident of the district from which elected, and a resident of Florida for two years prior to an election.
Unlike many other state and county officers, Members of the Legislature take office upon election; that is, at midnight of the day of the General Election.
Representatives serve two-year terms and are limited to four terms. Vacancies in legislative offices may be filled only by-election.
But both this carpetbagger and a scalawag have homestead residents outside the district.
No big surprise