GOOD MORNING I'M JIM DEFEDE
AND WELCOME TO THIS LIVE
SPECIAL EDITION OF FACING SOUTH
FLORIDA.
WE WILL HAVE THE FIRST AND ONLY
TELEVISED DEBATE FOR TWO
CANDIDATES FOR COMMISSIONER OF
AGRICULTURE.
AND LATE IN THE SHOW WE WILL
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT AMENDMENT
4 RESTORING THE RIGHTS OF 11.4
MILLION PEOPLE WHO WERE
CONVICTED A FELONY BUT
COMPLETED THEIR SENTENCES.
TALK TO THE DEMOCRATIC
CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE.
AS IT STANDS NOW WE ARE 16 DAYS
FROM KNOWING THE RESULTS OF
THIS YEAR ELECTION, EARLY
VOTING STARTING TOMORROW.
923652 VOTES HAVE ALREADY BEEN
CAST NEARLY MILLION.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON YOUR SCREEN,
ROUGHLY 400,000 REPUBLICAN
VOTES, 350,000 DEMOCRATIC
VOTES.
158,000 IN PA VOTES.
IN OTHER WORDS WE ARE IN THE
THICK OF IT AND WHILE MOST OF
THE ATTENTION OF IT IS FOCUSED
ON THE GOVERNOR RACE AND SENATE
RACE, THE STATE'S NEXT ATTORNEY
GENERAL AND NEXT CHIEF
FINANCIAL OFFICER WILL BE
CHOSEN.
AND SO WILL THE NEXT
COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE AND
CONSUMER SERVICES.
AND IF YOU WONDER WHY YOU
SHOULD CARE, WATCH THIS.
THE PERSON OVERSEES AN
AGENCY WITH 630 EMPLOYEES, THEY
REVIEW ROLLER COASTERS FOR
SAFETY, MAKE SURE THE
SCALES IN YOUR GROCERY STORE
DON'T CHEAT YOU.
OVERSEEING ONE OF THE LARGEST
INDUSTRIES, AGRICULTURE, HELPS
SET STANDARD IT IS FOR FARMER,
A ROLE THAT TAKES
ON GREATER IMPORTANCE GIVEN THE
ON GOING ALGAE CRISIS.
PLAYING A ROLE IN THE
BURGEONING MEDICAL MARIJUANA
INDUSTRY, BY SETTING RULES ON
PESTICIDES AND FOOD SAFETY.
THE AG COMMISSION SIR ONE OF
THE FOUR MEMBERS OF THE
CABINET, ISSUES RELATED TO
CLEMENCY AND DEATH PENALTY.
NOW AS YOU CAN SEE WE ARE
FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE TWO
CANDIDATES HERE IN THE STUDIO
TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES,
LET'S GIVE THEM A FORMAL
INTRODUCTION.
MATT CALDWELL IS 7th GENERATION
FLORIDIAN WHO WORK AS A REAL
ESTATE APPRAISER AND A STATE
REPRESENTATIVE
FROM SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FROM
2010.
HE IS ENDORSED BY THE NATIONAL
RIFLE ASSOCIATION AND MARCO
RUBIO.
NIKKI FREED IS A FORMER PUBLIC
DEFENDER WHO WORKS AS AN
ATTORNEY AND STRONG ADVOCATE
FOR MAKING MEDICAL
MARIJUANA LEGAL IN FLORIDA.
ENDORSED BY LABOR UNIONS AND
MASSACHUSETTS SENATOR ELIZABETH
WARREN.
LET'S GET GOING, THANK YOU FOR
COMING IN, DEBATES ARE HEALTHY,
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE FOLKS COME IN
AND DISCUSS THE ISSUES.
I WANT TO START WITH THE
PROBABLY THE ISSUE THAT MOST
FOLKS IN THE LAST YEAR CAME TO
REALIZE WE HAD ANG AG
COMMISSIONERS OFFICE AND THAT
WAS THE ISSUE OF THE CONCEALED
LESSON.
TAMPA BAY TIME DID A STORY
EARLY THIS YEAR FINDING THAT
AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT FAILED
TO REVIEW NATIONAL
BACKGROUND CHECKS ON TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF APPLICATIONS FOR
CONSOLED -- CONCEALED WEAPONS
PERMITS.
IT ALSO REVEALED THAT THE
FORMER HEAD OF LICENSING
CLAIMED THAT SHE WAS WORKED FOR
THE NRA AND HER JOB WAS TO
QUICKLY PROCESS APPLICATIONS.
MATT, I WANT TO START WITH YOU.
DO YOU MIND IF I CALL YOU MATT
AND NIKKI?
THAT'S FINE.
MATT, I WANT TO START WITH YOU.
ONE THE CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE
MIGHT HAVE IS BECAUSE OF YOUR
TIES TO THE NRA ARE YOU TOO
CLOSE TO THE NRA TO
REGULATE THIS PART OF THE JOB?
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, JUST TO
MAKE SHEAR, NO ONE SHOULD GET A
LICENSE IF THEY DON'T QUALIFY
FOR IT.
IF SOMEONE IS NOT DOING THEIR
JOB THEY SHOULD GET FIRED.
I'M BEHOLD IN TO THE 21 MILLION
PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE STATE OF
FLORIDA, IT'S WHAT I HAVE DONE
LAST 8 YEARS IN THE FLORIDA
HOUSE, REPRESENT TILLING
REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS,
INDEPENDENTS, I DO HAVE A
PHILOSOPHY AND A PARTY, I FEEL
LIKE ANYONE WHO SERVICES IN
PUBLIC OFFICE HAS TO BE BEHOLD
IN TO THEM BEFORE ANYBODY ELSE.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO FIX
THIS PROBLEM, YOU SAID YOU
WOULD CONDUCT A REVIEW ON DAY
ONE.
IT DOES FROM EVERYTHING I
READ AND NEWS ACCOUNTS AND
TALKING TO THE COMMISSIONER
PUTNAM, HE ORDERED AN
INTERNAL INVESTIGATION, THERE
IS A GREAT DEAL OF BACKUP AND
REVIEW.
THERE IS NO ONE PERSON JUST
APPROVING A PIECE OF PAPERWORK
AND NOT GETTING REVIEWED.
I WENT TO BE SATISFIED THAT IS
BEING COMPLETED.
THIS WAS AN IS IS THAT APPEARED
IN 2013 AND 2014, NO INCIDENCES
SINCE THEN IN THE LAST FOUR
YEARS, IT IS A CRITICAL
RESPONSIBILITY I AM GOING TO
MAKE SURE I AM AMENDING
SATISFIED PERSONALLY.
NIKKI.
THAT IS ONE THE BIGGEST
ISSUES IS THE FACT 13 MONTHS
BACKGROUND CHECKS WERE NOT DONE
IN THE STATE OF
FLORIDA, THE TO BE RESPONDENT
TO THEM AND PUT SAFETY FIRST.
YOU KNOW, SO WE HAVE SEEN
COMMISSIONER PUTNAM DIDN'T DO
THAT, HE WAS BEHOLD IN TO THE
NRA, NRA CONTROLLED THE
LICENSING PROCESS.
MATT HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY THE
NRA, A PLUS RATING HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY WHEN YOU WERE AS
CHAIR OF THE GOVERNMENT
ACCOUNTABILITY THAT IS WHAT
YOUR JOB WAS, TO DO A CHECK ON
THINGS HAPPENING WITH OTHER
BRANCHES AND YOU CHOSE
NOT TO DO IT IT MAKES ME VERY
CONCERNED FOR THE FACT THAT YOU
ARE COMPLETELY DISMISSIVE THIS
IS A PROBLEM AND
SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE
RECTIFIED I THINK THAT THE
VOTERS NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND, NOT
BEHOLD IN TO ANYBODY, WE ARE
BEHOLD IN TO THE CITIZENS OF
FLORIDA.
MY CONCERN IS YOUR CONNECTION
TO THE NRA.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU CHANCE TO
RESPOND.
I HEARD YOU SAY IS YOU DON'T
THINK THAT THIS IS A
RESPONSIBILITY OVERSEEING
WEAPONS PERMITS THAT SHOULD
FALL UNDER THE COMMISSIONER OF
AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER
SERVICES.
I THINK SO.
FDLE.
I THINK WE NEED TO START
THAT CONVERSATION TO MAKE SURE
WE ARE DOING IT AN EFFECTIVE
AND ACCOUNTABLE
MANNER, WE NEED TO HAVE THE
CONVERSATION TO PUT IT INTO LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
A VITAL PIECE OF THIS PUZZLE.
I WANT TO LET YOU RESPOND TO
THAT AND ALSO THE ISSUE OF
WHETHER OR NOT FDLE SHOULD BE
DOING THIS.
FIRST OF ALL THE ROLE OF
LEADERSHIP MEANS YOU DON'T USE
POLITICAL OFFICE JUST TO GAIN
POLITICAL POINTS.
I THINK WE CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD
WHAT OCCURRED IN 2013, HAD YOU
A SPIKE IN APPLICATIONS FROM
400,000 LICENSEES AT THE
BEGINNING OF THIS TERM TO 2
MILLION LICENSE 'S, THEY GOT
SWAMPED.
IT'S FALSE TO SAY NO ONE GOT
BACKGROUND CHECKS, THERE ARE
THREE BACKGROUND CHECKS, THE
FINAL AND THIRD ONE,
YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH
REGARDLESS WHETHER YOU HAVE A
LICENSE, NO EVIDENCE THAT
ANYONE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO
PURCHASE A FIREARM WITHOUT
GOING THROUGH THE BACKGROUND
CHECKS, NO ILLEGAL FIREARM
PURCHASES.
HOW THIS PROGRAM SHOULD BE
OPERATED IT NEEDS TO BE
ACCOUNTABLE BY SOMEONE ELECTED
BY THE VOTERS.
IT SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO
BUREAUCRATS.
YOU SHOULD HAVE AN ELECTED
OFFICIAL WHO IS HELD
ACCOUNTABLE, RESPONSIBLE FOR
OVERSEEING IT.
I WANT TO BE UP TO FAITH IN
THAT.
TAMPA BY TIMES DID A STORY
WHICH THEY DOCUMENTED E-MAILS
THAT WENT FROM THE NRA LOBBYIST
TO THE AGENCY WHEN THE AGENCY
DENIED CONCEALED WEAPONS
PERMITS.
AND THEN URGING DEMAND REALLY
THAT THE AGENCY CHANGE THEIR
MIND ABOUT THOSE CONCEALED
WEAPONS PERMITS.
DO YOU THINK THAT TYPE OF
CONTACT FROM THE NRA TO
STAFFERS WITHIN YOUR AGENCY IS
APPROPRIATE?
WELL, I THINK ANYONE HAS A
RIGHT, ALL 21 MILLION
FLORIDIANS TO FILE ANY KIND OF
COMPLAINT THEY WANT TO,
IT'S ON ME AND THEN
SUBSEQUENTLY THE STAFF TO
HANDLE IT IN THE CORRECT
MANNER.
AGAIN, NO ONE GETS A LICENSE IF
THEY DON'T DESERVE IT.
IF THEY DON'T MEET THE
QUALIFICATION, HAVEN'T
DEMONSTRATED THEY ARE
PROFICIENT WITH THE FIREARM
SAFETY.
I WILL GIVE YOU THE LAST
WORD THEN I WANT TO TURN TO
MEDICAL MARIJUANA.
NO I THINK THAT, AGAIN, MATT
YOU ARE DISMISSIVE ATTITUDE
THAT THERE WERE OTHER STEPS
THAT WERE TAKEN, SHOWS THAT YOU
THINK THAT THAT STEP WAS NOT
IMPORTANT AND THAT IS GOING TO
CONTINUE THE POLICY THAT WERE
INSTITUTED
BY COMMISSIONER PUTNAM AND I
THINK THAT IS IRRESPONSIBLE.
I WANT TO TURN TO MEDICAL
MARIJUANA, BECAUSE YOU
OBVIOUSLY HAVE BEEN A STRONG
ADVOCATE FOR IT.
YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE AG
COMMISSIONERS OFFICE TAKE OVER
RESPONSIBILITY FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
MY CONCERN, MY QUESTION TO YOU
WOULD BE, IS YOUR CAMPAIGN IS
LARGELY FINANCED BY INTERESTS
IN THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA
INDUSTRY.
SAME WAY THAT I QUESTIONED
WHETHER OR NOT THE NRA -- ELSE
BEHOLD IN TO THE NRA, ARE YOU
NOT TOO BEHOLD IN TO
THE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION TO
OVERSEE THE INDUSTRY IN AN A
POPE REAT WAY -- APPROPRIATE
WAY.
MY FIRST PRIORITY IS
PATIENTS ACROSS THE STATE.
STAGE 4 CANCER, A PATIENT THAT
ARE HAVING DEBILITATING
CONDITIONS AND ILLNESSES AND
PARENTS TRYING GET
MEDICINE FOR CHILDREN.
NOW MY CAMPAIGN IS SUPPORTED BY
MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING OVER A
THOUSAND INDIVIDUALS GIVEN
CAMPAIGN
CONTRIBUTIONS WHO BELIEVE THEY
HAVE ACCESS, 72% OF CITIZENS
VOTED FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA,
LEGISLATURE AND
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE CONTINUE TO
PUT IN ROAD BLOCKS.
DO YOU BELIEVE SHE IS BEHOLD
IN TO THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA
INDUSTRY.
I WILL LET THE VOTERS
EVALUATE THAT, OBVIOUSLY I
THINK THE KEY POINT HERE IS
THAT I'M THE ONLY PERSON IN
THE STATE THAT ACTUALLY PASS
ADD MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL, I
CRAFT THE BILL IN 2014,
CONVINCED A REPUBLICAN
HOUSE, REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE,
GOT A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR TO --
CHARLOTTE'S WEB BILL.
I SAW RAEN HAS BEEN TWO YEARS
SEIZURE FREE BECAUSE OF THE
WORK I DID BE OUT ORIGINAL
EFFORT.
THIS IS STILL FEDERALLY
ILLEGAL.
INTERSTATE COMMERCE BINDS MOST
OF OUR ACTIONS, ALL THE
CONTROVERSIAL ACTIONS ARE A
DIRECT RESULT OF THAT --
LET ME ASK YOU THIS, AND I
WANT TO ASK YOU THIS QUESTION
AND GIVE YOU CHANCE TO RESPOND.
THERE IS A CAP ON THE NUMBER
DISPENSARIES THAT ARE ALLOWED
UNDER THE CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENT.
THERE IS A COUPLE ISSUES THAT
STEM FROM THAT.
SHOULD THE NUMBER BE EX BENDED,
SHOULD MUNICIPALITIES HAVE THE
ABILITY TO BASICALLY ZONE --
ZONE IN SUCH A WAY AS TO
PREVENT DISPENSARIES FROM BEING
IN THEIR CITIES?
WELL THE ABOUT LOTS BETWEEN
WHO AND AND STATE GOVERNMENTS
IS A TOPIC.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE PATIENTS
HAVE ACCESS, BUT THE BIGGER
ISSUE IS AGAIN DEALING WITH
THIS INTERSTATE COMMERCE
QUESTION.
THE ONLY WAY THAT I AS AN
ELECTED OFFICIAL TAKEN AN OATH
TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION,
CRAFT A SYSTEM THAT
GUARANTEES IT'S ONLY IN THE
STATE OF FLORIDA.
NO CROSS STATE ACTION.
I'M TALKING ABOUT WITHIN THE
STATE THE NUMBER OF DISPENSE
REESE, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THE
NUMBER OF
DISPENSARIES IS CURRENTLY
LINING UP IS APPROPRIATE,'S
ANDED, THE MUNICIPALLALLITY TO
SHOULD ZONE DISPENSARIES.
I'M A FREE MARKET GUY, WOULD
LIKE TO SEE THE MARKET
DETERMINE HOW MANY DISPENSARIES
ARE NEEDED.
I WANT TO BRING YOU IN ON
THAT.
FIRST OFF, I HAVE BEEN A
STRONG OPPONENT OF THE CAPS ON
THE DISPENSARIES, I BELIEVE
IT'S UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
THAT WE ARE PREVENTING ACCESS
TO PATIENTS THAT WENT IN A
LICENSE HOLDER CAPPED AT THE
AMOUNT OF DISPENSARIES
MEANS THEY ARE NEVER GOING TO
RURAL CITIES, UNPOPULATED
AREAS.
CAPS FOR THE LICENSE HOLDERS
FOR THE AMOUNT OF RETAIL SHOPS
IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
WHEN IT COMES TO EVEN THE LOCAL
CONTROL.
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS NEED TO
CONTROL THIS.
THEY KNOW WHAT THEY NEED BETTER
THAN PEOPLE IN AT THAT LA HAS
SEE, HAVING AN ALL OUT BEEN IT
PREVENTS ACCESS
TO THE PATIENTS.
YES OR NO QUESTION.
YES OR NO, SHOULD THERE BE
SMOKEABLE CANNABIS IN THE STATE
OF FLORIDA?
IF DOCTORS TELL ME THAT IS
THE WAY TO GET IT I WILL
SUPPORT IT.
I SUPPORT SMOKING.
UP NEXT WE'LL CONTINUE OUR