The Buzz: Florida politics 2004

Bush wears out another communications chief

By Times Staff Writer
Published November 7, 2004

Look for a few changes around the office of Gov. Jeb Bush.

Our workaholic governor has worn out another communications director.

Jill Bratina, in the job since January 2003, plans to leave in early December to return to the private sector.

Before joining the governor's staff in 2002, Bratina had the difficult job of explaining why Bridgestone/Firestone's tires were toppling Ford Explorers.

Bratina grew up in Safety Harbor and graduated from Countryside High School. Her parents live in St. Petersburg.

She plans to return to the Tampa Bay area, or make a move to Washington. She's looking for a job that gets her out of the office before 9:30 every night.

Her likely replacement on the hot seat is Alia Faraj, who was appointed press secretary in March 2002 and most recently spent time on a very hot seat as deputy chief of staff for Secretary of State Glenda Hood.

Since becoming governor, Bush has run through a string of staffers working overtime to get his message out to Floridians. First there was Cory Tilley, a campaign staffer who became communications director and left to run his own consulting firm; then Justin Sayfie, a lawyer/policy director who is now a lobbyist and lawyer in South Florida, and then Katie Baur Muniz who left in 2002 to become a full-time mother.

It's hard work fending off questions from pesky reporters.

Florida's hurricane watchers will get a glimpse of a familiar scene Monday night during a special 90-minute CSI-Miami episode.

The footage was shot at the state emergency operations center in Tallahassee during this year's four hurricanes.

The program airs at 9:30 p.m. Monday on CBS stations.

The state operations center will appear between the first and second commercial break.

Compiled by staff writer Lucy Morgan.

[Last modified November 6, 2004, 23:26:23]