Sansom’s smelly situation

I haven’t said much about Florida House Speaker Ray Sansom and his sweetheart $110K/year job at Northwest Florida State College, an institution for which he’s helped secure more than $25 million in funding.  Other area bloggers, Rick Outzen in particular, have taken the lead.

But it’s not just Rick talking anymore.  The big state papers are coming down hard on Sansom.

Alex Leary of the St. Pete Times reports:

…When lawmakers signed off on the budget in May, the school had snagged $25.5-million — the single largest project of any college.

For that, it could thank state Rep. Ray Sansom, the Destin Republican who controlled the House budget.

The assistance, documented in a memo the St. Petersburg Times obtained this week through a public records request, highlights the close relationship between Sansom and the college president, Bob Richburg.

An editorial in the Palm Beach Post urges him to quit the NFSC job:

The Legislature might consider underwriting a “hypocrisy institute.” If Rep. Sansom doesn’t do the proper thing and quit the job that has harmed his credibility, the Legislature could name the institute for him.

As does an editorial in the Panama City News Herald:

Why hire a lobbyist when you can have a legislator on the payroll?

To avoid conflicts of interest, the speaker should resign his position at the college and find another job that doesn’t have strings leading to Tallahassee.

And to their credit, the PNJ is on board too:

The problem is that Sansom has already sullied the speaker’s office. It’s time now to do what he can to repair the damage by giving up the new job.

I can’t figure out how Sansom and the folks at NFSC ever thought this would fly.  Annonuncing the job on the same day Sansom was sworn in?  What on earth were they thinking?  I like the Panama City News Herald‘s line the best:  “Why hire a lobbyist when you can have a legislator on the payroll?”  Not just a legislator, even; the most powerful legislator!