Via – ABC 10

The Florida Senate voted Wednesday to uphold the decision made by Gov. Ron DeSantis to suspend Israel, going against a special master’s recommendation to reinstate him. The vote was 25-15 in favor of upholding the suspension. 

A special master recommended last month that Israel be reinstated, but the Florida Senate Rules Committee voted 9-7 along party lines recommending to uphold Israel’s suspension. 

“To the voters in Broward County, I am sad to report that politics won the day,” Israel said in a statement. “Your vote has been stolen and the results of our 2016 election have been overturned. From 450 miles away, the governor substituted his judgement for yours and installed his own sheriff in Broward County.” 

Senators who were not part of the Rules Committee spent time asking questions of Special Master Dudley Goodlette before hearing the recommendation from the Rules Committee. 

DeSantis suspended Israel in January, citing “neglect of duty and incompetence” during two mass shootings in Broward County — at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in January 2017 and at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Valentine’s Day 2018.

Goodlette, a Republican and former state lawmaker, wrote in his 34-page report that DeSantis failed to present any evidence to support the Republican governor’s position.

“Had more evidence been offered, you know, my recommendation may have been to remove the suspended sheriff, but based upon the evidence that was presented, I concluded my recommendation was for reinstatement,” Goodlette told committee members during Monday’s hearing.

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