Stocks, heads spin on outcome

Amid financial hand-wringing and the glare of TV lights, state lawmakers seek a resolution.

By ALISA ULFERTS

© St. Petersburg Times, published December 10, 2000

TALLAHASSEE -- Ginny Brown-Waite's portfolio is down 35 percent.

And she's not alone. The Republican state senator, who represents much of east and central Pasco County, said everywhere she turns people complain to her about what the protracted battle for the presidency has done to their investments.

"I'm getting calls from people saying, "My stocks are in the toilet,' " Brown-Waite, R-Brooksville, said Friday while sitting in her Tallahassee office waiting for state lawmakers' special session to begin. The Republican-led Legislature called the session last week, saying it had a constitutional duty to pick Florida's 25 electors to send to the Electoral College if the outcome of the presidential election still is in dispute Dec. 12. Critics have accused those lawmakers of trying to secure a victory for Republican Texas Gov. George W. Bush.

Brown-Waite said she thinks the only way to calm the nation's and the stock market's worries is to bring a swift end to the monthlong battle for the White House.

"I'm glad we're here to give finality to this. That's what the state needs right now. (But) I'm sorry it has come to this," Brown-Waite said.

Brown-Waite and the rest of the Pasco County legislative delegation gathered Friday for brief session with the state's lawmakers. They are scheduled to meet again early this week to approve the state's electors.

Probably the most visible lawmaker in the push for the special session has been state House Majority Leader Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey. At the request of GOP leaders, Fasano has toured the news show circuit in recent weeks to spread the Republican message.

There have been so many appearances even Fasano gets confused about which networks have carried his interviews and what those networks are. While preparing Friday morning for a taping with an MSNBC crew, Fasano and an aide were listing the different networks he's appeared on: CNN, MSNBC, BET.

Fasano interrupted. "What's BET," he asked legislative staffer Towson Fraser. The answer was the Black Entertainment Television network devoted to African American culture.

Fasano said he hasn't been given any pointers for his many television addresses. But he said the attention he's been given lately as the unofficial spokesman for the Republican representatives does not detract from the importance of what he and other lawmakers are trying to do.

"I can't look at that. I have to look at what my constitutional duty is," Fasano said. And that duty, he said, is to ensure that the nearly 6-million Floridians who cast votes are counted when the Electoral College meets later this month.

As House Majority Leader, it is Fasano's job to keep Republican members informed and in line. He has been in touch with nearly all of them, delivering memos, talking points and other special session information.

He stood during nearly all of Friday's hearing, giving fellow Republicans the leader's traditional thumbs-up cue right before a vote was called to signal they should vote "aye."

When asked if he would support a slate of Democratic electors if Vice President Al Gore were shown to be the clear winner, Fasano said yes. But that's not likely to happen, he quickly added.

"Al Gore and his lawyers have been in the courts for four weeks without finality," Fasano said.

Rep. Heather Fiorentino, R-New Port Richey, hesitated when asked that same question. She'd like to read the court ruling that gave the presidency to Gore before voting to send Democrats to the Electoral College, Fiorentino said.

"I will keep an open mind," she said Friday from her office in the capitol. "(But) I don't see in the next four days that you are going to come up with a judicial winner."

She's been receiving nearly 2,000 calls and e-mails a day on the subject. A three-ring binder Fiorentino carries with her contains copies of the U.S. and Florida constitutions, plus other information about the special session she has received.

Rep. Ken Littlefield, R-Dade City, said his office has received 10,000 e-mails since Thanksgiving.

"What we are doing is making sure that the 6-million voters that cast ballots in the state of Florida are counted," Littlefield said. He's already been spending time in Tallahassee in recent weeks, preparing for when committees start meeting in advance of next year's session. Like State Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Palm Harbor, who has said he's keeping a low-profile, Littlefield said he, too, is staying out of the media glare.

"I've been trying to watch the news, not make it," Littlefield said.

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