FOLLOW US

ARTILES APOLOGIZES BUT REMAINS UNDER FIRE

By DARA KAM
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

©2017 The News Service of Florida. All rights reserved. Posting or forwarding this material without permission is prohibited. You can view the Terms of Use on our website.

THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, April 19, 2017......... A firestorm continued to swell Wednesday over racially tinged and expletive-laced remarks Sen. Frank Artiles hurled this week, as demands for the Miami Republican's ouster grew and Senate leaders appointed a special master to investigate whether he should be sanctioned.

Artiles berated Sen. Audrey Gibson, a black Democrat from Jacksonville, on Monday night at a members-only club near the Capitol, calling her "girl," a "bitch," and a "f---ing ass----", and also used the word "niggers" when referring to Republican senators who backed Senate President Joe Negron in a leadership race. He also used a derogatory term to refer to Negron.

Negron late Wednesday afternoon appointed the Senate's general counsel, Dawn Roberts, to serve as special master to conduct an inquiry into Artiles' behavior and submit a report and possible recommendations for sanctions to the Rules Committee by Tuesday.

The Senate president ordered the investigation after Sen. Perry Thurston, who heard most of Artiles' remarks at the Governors Club and who serves as chairman of the Florida Legislative Black Caucus, filed a formal complaint seeking Artiles' expulsion from the Senate.

The day began with Negron stripping Artiles of his role as chairman of the Communications, Energy and Public Utilities Committee, shortly before Artiles made a mea culpa on the Senate floor.

Artiles --- who reportedly claimed he used the word "niggas" in reference to the other Republicans --- did not specifically say either word during his public act of contrition, which followed news reports detailing the events Monday night.

"With regard to the word which I used toward no one in particular, but is rightfully the most inflammatory, I know my explanation is inadequate but it is sincere. I grew up in a diverse community. We share each other's customs, cultures and vernacular. I realize that my position does not allow me for the looseness of words or slang, regardless of how benign my intentions were," said Artiles, who also served in the Florida House before his election to the Senate in November.

Gibson, who kept her back turned to Artiles throughout his nearly four-minute speech, later called Artiles' apology "meaningless." She said Artiles unleashed the invectives in reaction to Gibson's questioning the Republican's amendments during committee meetings last week.