By STEVE BOUSQUET and ALISA ULFERTS
Published December 10, 2003
TALLAHASSEE - A planned legislative retreat this week sparked trouble in the Senate on Tuesday when Democrats realized they were not invited.
The policy forum is for Republicans only.
House Speaker Johnnie Byrd, R-Plant City, proposed the forum to Senate President Jim King, R-Jacksonville, who agreed. The two leaders, who suffered through a rocky year, will meet Thursday at Wakulla Springs State Park south of Tallahassee to discuss key issues facing the Legislature in 2004.
"This is a meeting that was asked for by Johnnie, and we agreed to do it, but it's not a policy meeting. It's going to be good for them and good for us," King said. "We didn't look at it as trying to keep them out. I've never done that."
The session is open to reporters but will be held in a small conference room with limited seating. A spokeswoman for Byrd said 11 members of the House leadership have been invited.
When Senate Democratic Leader Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, found out the forum was open only to Republicans, he asked to meet with King on Tuesday to complain.
If that's how Democrats see it, "I guess I apologize," King said.
The session was intended to sooth tensions between House and Senate Republicans after a series of testy sessions. Byrd also is part of a crowded field of Republicans running for the U.S. Senate.
Klein already was angry at King for removing two Senate Democrats recently from committee leadership posts.
"The history of the Senate is a place where everybody's opinions are valued," Klein said. "Since when are we allowing Johnnie Byrd to dictate things over here?"
Byrd's spokeswoman, Nicole deLara, said no Democrats were invited because they hold no leadership posts in the House. "It is a meeting of leadership," deLara said.
