After debating in favor of a bill that would require ultrasounds before abortions, Democrat leaders openly harassed, threatened and belittled her. Democrat Rep. Scott Randolph of Orlando trashed papers on her desk and threw her pen away. Randolph, who refused to apologize, now also threatens to try and unseat her in 2012.
(Tallahassee, FL) Freshman State House of Representatives member, Daphne Campbell from Miami was in her first legislative session last week when her own party viciously turned on her after she debated for and voted in favor of the pro-life bill requiring Ultrasounds before abortions.
Wednesday April 27, 2011, the Ultrasound Bill came up for debate and a vote on the floor of the House chamber when the ugly incident happened. Rep. Campbell is a wife and mother of five children who works as a nurse. As she rose in passionate support for the pro-life bill, Rep. Scott Randolph (D) from Orlando, whose assigned seat is right next to Campbell, started tossing papers on her desk and threw her pen in the trash apparently incensed that a fellow Democrat would support the bill. Randolph, who has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood and Equality Florida, told Campbell “You are a traitor…I swear, you will not be re-elected. I will get an opponent.” Campbell’s quick retort was “You have no right. God put me here.”
Rep. Campbell said in an interview with Sunshine State News, “I was the victim of an altercation by my fellow state representative, Scott Randolph. Several items were thrown in my face, foul language was used against me, and I was insulted and ridiculed in front of all my colleagues. I was called a ‘traitor’ and was told that I was going to be kicked out of office next year.”
Rep. Campbell’s passionate debate, quoted from the book of Ezekiel and admonished members with the commandment “Thou shalt not kill.” Republican members in the Florida House stood to their feet in a standing ovation as other Democrat members protested with arms folded standing in the back of the chamber. The full text of the one page speech can be found HERE: According to Bill Warren, FFPC’s Director of Policy, who personally witnessed the whole incident, “Democrats are now harassing her with needless questions on all of her bills and attempting to defeat even simple, non-controversial bills.”However, Republican members have come to her defense by passing her bills out of the House with a commanding majority and even all stood behind her in solidarity on one occasion.
Florida Family Policy Council President John Stemberger released the following statement regarding the incident:
“I spoke to Rep. Daphne Campbell by phone and personally thanked her and told her she is to be applauded for standing alone within her party in support of the weakest and most vulnerable members of society– the unborn. She is a hero within our community and we will do everything we can to rally around her and support her. As for Rep. Scott Randolph, his temper-tantrum-like behavior is intolerant and juvenile. His disrespectful
Campbell is holding a press conference today at 3:00pm at the Capitol asking Randolph to apologize for the incident. The Associated Press, The Miami Herald, The Jacksonville Times Union and The St. Pete Time all did feature stories on the incident. The Orlando Sentinel newspaper where Randolph is located, barely even mentioned the incident deep into a story on other abortion related bills.
Those wishing to thank Rep. Campbell with a word of encouragement for her principled stand can e-mail her HERE. Those wishing to let Rep. Randolph respectfully know of your disappointment with his unprofessional behavior, you can e-mail him HERE.
For More Information Contact:
Korie Kapal at 407-251-5130 or at FrontDesk@FLFamily.org
