April 14, 2016 – Bill Cotterell

The justices of the Florida Supreme Court were the real heroes of the long legal and political struggle to end the practice of legislators choosing their constituents, rather than the other way around.

Right up to the end. Then they blew it.

Going back to 2010, the high court batted away attempts by legislative leaders to keep the “Fair Districts Florida” constitutional amendments off the ballot. Then, when about 70 percent of the voters approved Amendments 5 and 6, the League of Women Voters and some other publicinterest advocates sued — exposing flagrant cheating by the Republican leadership of the House and Senate. [READ MORE]