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By DIANE RADO, JULIE HAUSERMAN and SHELBY OPPEL
© St. Petersburg Times, published December 5, 2000
TALLAHASSEE -- Amid confusion and chaos Monday, state Republican leaders held off on calling a special legislative session that would put George W. Bush in the White House.
But a renegade group of Republican lawmakers said they would continue an effort to call a special session on their own.
Meanwhile, Democrats mounted an aggressive public relations campaign to keep Vice President Al Gore's chances alive:
The Florida Democratic Party worked with state labor leaders to bus several thousand people to the Capitol for a rally on Wednesday. Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson and AFL-CIO President John Sweeney are among the national figures expected to attend.
State Democrats and the Gore campaign mounted an "orange ribbon" campaign to protest a special legislative session. Lawmakers will wear orange ribbons, and a "Democracy Wall of Ribbons" will be erected on the steps of the Old Capitol displaying the names of dissatisfied voters on ribbons.
The Democratic National Committee helped round up "citizen lobbyists" to come to the capital today to convince lawmakers not to convene.
Democratic lawmakers also took every opportunity to broadcast their theory: that Gov. Jeb Bush is pulling the strings to force House Speaker Tom Feeney and Senate President John McKay to call a special session that would benefit his brother.
"They are following the orders of Jeb Bush," said state Sen. Kendrick Meek, D-Miami. "Whatever the governor says, so shall it be written, so shall it be done."
Jeb Bush has generally tried to stay out of the turmoil over the presidential election. But he has also made statements indicating the Legislature would be courageous to convene.
The day's events were framed by confusion at the Capitol.
Capitol police tightened security, limiting public access and posting a metal detector at the front door.
"The metal detector wouldn't be there if we weren't receiving frightening calls," said Feeney spokeswoman Kimberly Stone. "There's just been a lot of threats one way or the other that have frightened people."
Stone said Feeney and McKay had requested the additional security.
However, Capitol police Col. Terry Meek said there were "no specific threats."
When news broke of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision at midday, a staffer in Feeney's office bolted out the wooden doors into the lobby, yelling: "U.S. Supreme Court overturned!"
Legislative leaders were clearly scrambling to make a decision on how to handle their public statements. Both Feeney and McKay must agree to call a special session, and Feeney supports such a move. A group of House Republicans also has been circulating letters in an attempt to force the Legislature into session.
So far, McKay has been reluctant to act, waiting for a report from a special committee. The report was finished Monday, but McKay said he had to weigh it with court rulings before making a decision. "I expect this process to require another day or two," McKay said in a written statement.
"The Senate isn't going to be pushed around," said state Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Palm Harbor.
The indecision Monday caused some friction with the news media.
Earlier in the day, McKay spokeswoman Karen Chandler said McKay wouldn't be available for comment. But about 6 p.m., after word got out that McKay was in his office, reporters tried to go interview him. Capitol police said McKay wasn't in the building and detained the reporters, preventing them from going to the Senate president's office. When reached, McKay spokeswoman Chandler said he was inside, holding meetings.
Feeney promised to make a statement about 6:30 p.m. but abruptly canceled the appearance. His spokeswoman, Stone, said "he has a scheduling conflict on his personal calendar."
A special session would allow the Legislature to name Florida's 25 electors if the legal battles continue and the close presidential election is not resolved.
Democratic House and Senate leaders said Monday they would be streamrolled by Republicans in a special session -- they don't have the votes or the parliamentary strategy to block any action.
They tossed around ideas that would frustrate Republicans in legislative debate. They even entertained the idea of walking out before a final vote was taken on naming electors.
House Democratic leader Lois Frankel gave her colleagues a pep talk, urging them to "stay on message" with journalists and constituents.
"This session is unnecessary. It is unwise. It is unfair," said Frankel, her voice weak from days of interviews.
Said Rep. Bob Henriquez, D-Tampa: "We can't win in terms of blocking it or in terms of necessarily changing the outcome, but there is the court of public opinion."
Democrats and state labor leaders will try to sway public opinion with their "This is America, Every Vote Counts" rally on Wednesday.
State Rep. Tony Hill, D-Jacksonville, said the AFL-CIO has rented 50 to 60 buses to bring protesters in from all over the state for the rally. The state AFL-CIO has been the main organizer of the event, providing buses and union halls for departure points. Busloads were scheduled to depart as early as 2 a.m. Wednesday from Miami; 4:30 a.m. from Palm Beach; and 6:30 a.m. from Tampa.
Sen. Buddy Dyer, D-Orlando, taped a phone message urging citizens to come to the Capitol. He held a news conference with state senators and former U.S. Sen. Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio to denounce a special session. Metzenbaum, who has a home in Pompano Beach, called the effort to call a session "truly unconscionable."
In the Tampa Bay area, Democrats staged events in Clearwater and Tampa to protest the prospect of a special session.
- Times staff writers Wayne Washington and Edie Gross contributed to this report.