Florida Whistleblower Leaks Proposal To Pave Over Natural Parks
Do you agree with Gaddis' actions?
What's the story?
- Florida whistleblower James Gaddis was fired from the state's Department of Environmental Protection for exposing Gov. Ron DeSantis' secretive plan to replace preserved land with hotels, golf courses, and pickleball courts.
- Democrats and Republicans are united in an enraged response to the leaked proposals. DeSantis responded to the backlash by saying the plans were "half-baked" and were "going back to the drawing board."
- Gaddis reported that the proposal included 350-room hotels and thousands of acres paved for recreational activities over nine state parks. The whistleblower's documents show the proposal was drawn up in two weeks.
What they're saying
- Gaddis, who worked for the agency for two years as a cartographer, said that the preservation of the state parks was more important to him than his job at the department. He said his actions weren't political, but motivated by the vast environmental destruction that would take place if the plans were to be completed. He told the Tampa Bay Times:
"It was the absolute flagrant disregard for the critical, globally imperiled habitat in these parks. This was going to be a complete bulldozing of all of that habitat. The secrecy was totally confusing and very frustrating. No state agency should be behaving like this."
- Democratic Florida Reps. Anna Eskamani and Angie Nixon wrote in a letter to Shawn Hamilton, secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection:
"Firing a cartographer who had clear concerns about the process of this plan and the lack of transparency around it is 100% retaliatory. We want to not only hold the department accountable, but our motivation is to learn more about how this happened in such a secretive way…Our intention is to prevent this from ever happening again, and that requires a better understanding of how it happened in the first place."
- Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters that the plans were not seen or approved by him, adding that "[I]t was intentionally leaked to a leftwing group to try and create a narrative." Onlookers have called this "a totally self-inflicted political wound."
- Gaddis said he would take "sole responsibility" for the leaked proposal.
Do you agree with Gaddis' actions?
By Jamie Epstein
(Photo Credit: Flickr/CityofStPete)
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Whistleblowers should always be protected and their testimonies be taken seriously and investigated.
I find this ironic because golf courses are suffering in this country, unless Florida is still good for that business?
But again, the GOP shows us they're anti-environment and anti-children. What a surprise.
We need to be a nation that celebrates and honors those who do right for our country and start condemning those who want to hurt our country. This is a clear example of doing the opposite. (Again!)
What does it say about our system, our society, that the person exposing a crime is the one who faces retaliation?
thats like telling the police which way a bank robber ran, and they arrest you.
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House and Senate needs to grow a pair, and STOP the carnage.
American democracy needs more people who will stand up to the tyranny of Donald Trump. We must support these brave men and women.
These types of politicians are playing games trying to see what they can get away with. I urge you to support logic and the well being of ALL people.
Where does the water go when there is a hurricane? Everywhere, just because we often view wetlands as 'undeveloped' land they serve natural barrier and retention resource for absorbing that water.
Long after Desantis and Trump are gone the residents of Florida will be living with the consequences of destroying the few remaining wetlands on the country, but you already knew that, you just have to remind them of the fact, everyone must pay the price of their myopic vision of grandeur.
Gaddis did nothing wrong.
This administration wants to gut the very soul of America. Leave the parks alone. Gaddis should never be threatened to either show loyalty to Musk, Trump or the Republican Party. We don't need more playgrounds for the wealthy to play. The parks are for all Americans.
The destruction of our environmental-system, our public lands is already having quality of life effects on people, wildlife and climate.
We need people to speak up.
Too many times plans are made in secret giving citizens no time to organize a resistance.
transparency and vehicles which allow dissent are critical.
greed will be the end of us - there is more than enough for everyone- De Santis should be ashamed of exploiting resources rather than protecting them for future generations
National parks should be preserved
This is exactly why we have whistleblower protection laws. To enable whistleblowers to point out things that shouldn't happen under their watch by their superiors and they need to be protected against retaliation.
Paving over the national parks is just the start of actions that will not serve the people of this country but enrich oligarchs.
Transparency in our government is of the utmost importance and the concern of targeting someone for said transparency and firing them is deplorable and about as unamerican as it can get. This country was founded on the principles of fighting against a tyrannical government and this feels very much that to the average American citizen.
Please protect parks
Is there no way to avoid the comedy of errors the new radical trumplicken stupid party is turning our federal government into. Our US constitution was written by intelligent people, for immigrants that were starting a new country to avoid the authoritarian type of government the neo trump lockers are trying to form here right now. The "republicans" are refusing to work with others to create an economy,create policy, and create the day to day functioning of our country. They should be eliminated. The whole Republican Party is chaos when compared to the Conservative Party they once were. They used to represent law and order and a slow reasonable approach to governing. The party has turned into a bunch of comedy reality show wanna be stars. Usually I provide a possible solution. The Mexican peso dollar exchange is as good as it's ever been in in case a person wants to think about a productive change of address. I don't see anyone listening to progressive ideas for positive change in this country anymore.
Protect all city, state and national parks from money making profiteering
Apparently, the joke that I tell that the government hates green grass and trees because they provide life for us little people, plus it doesn't generate enough tax money, is true.
Gadis did the right thing pointing this out. Now he is being punished!