Regret plagues King after Schiavo vote

St Pete Times ^ | 02/10/04 | By ADAM C. SMITH, Times Political Editor

[tutstar]

The Senate president says he bowed to pressure to pass a law that would reinsert Terri Schiavo's feeding tube.

ST. PETERSBURG - The phone calls and e-mails flooded into state Senate offices so fast and furious last year they crashed the phone and computer systems. Their message: Save Terri Schiavo.

State senators responded by following the lead of the state House and governor to pass an unprecedented law to keep the Pinellas County woman alive. Within hours a feeding tube was reinserted into Schiavo, whom courts had found to be in a persistent vegetative state and whose husband had insisted she would not want to live that way.

Senate President Jim King gave in to pressure and supported the legislation. Now he's sorry he did.

"The Terri Schiavo vote that I made was probably one of the worst votes that I've ever done," said the Jacksonville Republican and 18-year veteran of the Legislature.

In a meeting Monday with the St. Petersburg Times editorial board, King spoke of the "unbelievable" pressure to help Schiavo, his worries about being blamed for Schiavo's death and his regret that he didn't show more backbone.

After five years of bitter litigation over the wishes and fate of Schiavo, who had no living will, her feeding tube was removed Oct. 15. A massive campaign by religious conservatives across the country pressured lawmakers and Gov. Jeb Bush to step in and save her. The Legislature passed a hastily crafted law on Oct. 21, and her feeding tube was reinserted that evening. A legal challenge is pending.

King said other senators who voted for the Schiavo law have told him they also regret it, but the pressure of tens of thousands of phone calls and e-mails - and physical and political threats - was enormous.

"After the vote there were far more people critical of what we had done and very vehemently angry at what we had done than there were people supporting it," King said.

A Times poll in December found two-thirds of Florida voters opposed the Schiavo law.

There is "no question" he would not vote that way today, King said, "and if it comes up again I will not do it."

King said he won't try to repeal the law because he expects it will be overturned in court. But he made it clear, as he has in recent weeks, that he will block any bills aimed at making it harder to remove feeding tubes from comatose or mentally incompetent patients without living wills.

Bill Stephens, executive director of the Christian Coalition of Florida, one of the groups that fought for the Schiavo law, said he is "shocked" that King regrets his vote.

"It sounds like we're going to have a challenge this year," Stephens said.

King is a leader among moderate Republicans in Florida, and he has butted heads with Christian conservatives before.

One of his proudest and most hard-fought achievements was passing a "death with dignity law" that gives Floridians the right to refuse life-prolonging medical care.

King said he is wary of any bills inspired by Schiavo's case that could weaken those rights, which he pushed for after watching his parents die in nursing homes.

Underscoring his moderate views on social issues, King acknowledged Monday he disagrees with a Florida law that bars gay couples from adopting kids. The state allows homosexuals to serve as legal guardians and foster parents, but a law recently upheld by a federal appeals court does not allow them to adopt.

"They're doing everything else but adopting, and in many cases ... it is the adoptable child that really isn't being adopted by anyone else," King said in response to a question. "Empirical evidence is that gays that have been involved in foster parenting have better performance factors than a lot of the "normal' foster parents."

[tuckrdout]

But, doesn't it make you feel good that the Senate is being controlled by 'republicans'?! </sarcasm

[sfRummygirl]

Thanks for the ping.
This King sounds like he would float whatever way has the biggest treat for him.

[cyn]

I was quite disgusted when I read this yesterday. I called and then sent an email addressing his obvious lack of understanding and compassion at what his precious legacy has wrought.

I slept on this, wondering beyond this what is best to do. I do believe king needs to hear from us (he obviously doesn't understand WHY, what motivated those many emails and calls he got in the fall) to show him and others that YES, we are paying attention.

Email: king.james.web@ flsenate.gov

Capitol Office:
Suite 409
The Capitol
404 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100

(850) 487-5030
SunCom 277-5030
Fax (850) 487-5368
Fax SunCom 277-5368

District Office:
Suite 108
9485 Regency Square Boulevard
Jacksonville, FL 32225-8145
(904) 727-3600
SunCom 841-3600
Fax (904) 727-3603
Fax SunCom 841-3603

Legislative Assistants: Kay Rousseau, Rebecca Stagg and Kelly Williams

District-wide: 1-888-861-9761

[phenn]

If you intend to contact Jim King, either by phone or email or fax, it may be rather helpful to let him know how YOU PERSONALLY can be affected by these bad laws. Let him, or his assistants know, that your concerns are not just for one particular case, but for all Floridians.

I'm thinking that might make a bit more impact as he obviously couldn't give a toss about Terri.

[phenn]

From Attorney Felos's Bio:
Since 1991, Felos has been a patient volunteer with the Hospice of the Florida Suncoast, Inc., the largest non-profit Hospice in the world. He served on its Board of Directors for nine years, served from 1996-1998 as Board Chair, and provides pro bono legal help to Hospice patients and their families.
http://meditationforlawyers.com/felos_bio.htm

From Jim King's web page:
Highlights - Hospice Hall of Fame Award
Affiliations - Florida Hospice Board of Directors
http://flsenate.gov/Legislators/index.cfm?Members=View+Page&LastName=King&District_Num_Link=008&Submenu=1&Tab=legislators&chamber=Senate

http://terrisfight.org/king.html
Statement of Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation regarding Senator Jim King

[cyn]

Father, cause Your people to stand firm ... increase their numbers where they cannot even be counted ... Amen! Strengthen us, dear Father, meet all needs beyond all we can ask or imagine in Terri's fight, and give us wisdom as we also fulfill our daily responsibilities . . . In Jesus' Name, Amen.

In sorrow over continued travesty upon travesty. . .praying for Terri's family in all they are facing day after painful day.

[Dante3]

Good idea.

King is disgusting. Did he win the last election big? Any chance someone will challenge him?

I bet there is more than one skeleton in his closet.

[tutstar]

I wonder what big Jim stands to loose by helping Terri? It must be something very lucrative to generate all that regret.

That is a very good question!! I've pondered it but not out loud too much. WE know he's connected to hospice, he does have some businesses, wonder if they are all what they appear to be.

[cyn]

phenn, what is behind this crappy interview? What does king stand to gain -- or lose? -- that makes him have to back pedal? what pressure is he under to cave in on this, make it look like he didn't really mean it?

I read something in the Tampa paper back in Dec when we were reading up about the GAL about a search for the best location for a new bldg for ?elder affairs close to USF campus. King was mentioned in that article.

[cyn]

lol at that timing! I wonder if I can find that article. . . there's $$ in all this, to be sure. It brings back those earlier questions that were being asked about how and why Terri was being apparently supported by hospice, as HINO/GINO michael has not paid them. Wonder how her current bill is being paid?

[cyn]

my understanding is that he is not expected to run for another term. he will step down as senate pres this fall. I can't remember if he ran unopposed or if he had a democrat opponent who was less appealing than he is as a RINO.

[phenn]

I can only give you a guess at an answer. Back in (ummmmm) December, Hemlock issued a press release that stated they were launching a media campaign in Florida as a response to all the events of Terri's case. If you read many of the editorial pieces that have published recently, you'll notice that a great many of them are unsigned. I think it is because they are being authored out of the Hemlock camp.

The reason this group is going to attack Florida lawmakers has nothing to do with Terri. It has to do with keeping the idea in the minds of the public that they have a 'duty to die' if they become incapacitated or limited.

Think for just a moment about the number of elderly people in Florida. Eventually, all of these citizens face aging and becoming dependent to some degree. Not all of them retire here on a shoe-string. There is money to be made in the exploitation of personal estates through the state guardian program.

Let's be honest here. A lot of judges (including Greer), attorneys (including Felos) and lawmakers (including King) sit on the board of Hospice throughout Florida. Have you ever noted one of these people volunteering time at a homeless shelter or a pediatric ward? Certainly not. There is no money in solving those challenges.

My honest and personal opinion is there is a lot of money to be made in death. So much so that these laws were passed under the radar, many people have been victims of neglect and wrongful death and we shuffle people off to their demises when we seriously could be treating and improving them.

It's abandonment and I think it's done in the name of profit. That may read as a bit paranoid, I realize, but I believe it.

[cyn]

I'm thinking that, too. . . I do believe he needs to be called on this now. He is a loose cannon, and is firing on Terri and others like her.

I am remembering felos' claim that thousands are affected by Terri's law. We see from phenn's post above that they are together -- and not out of love or compassion for the infirm or disabled.

[cyn]

"There is money to be made in the exploitation of personal estates through the state guardian program."

OK, that's what I'm thinking, though I don't understand HOW? it is lucrative.

An older friend who died recently asked donations to be sent to our local hospice. In the "old days", pre-Terri, we wouldn't think anything of it. Now we've seen that Terri was kept at hospice apparently in part at hospice expense, and what else is done with that money?

In addition to $$$, is it something else that makes killing people desirable -- as Askel5 posted above?

[phenn]

Off-duty police have been hired to guard Terri since October. A couple of us put pen to it and estimated that more than $100,000 has been spent. I cannot imagine Hospice benefactors have visualized their money ending up there.

How is fleecing a disabled ward lucrative? You have to understand the guardian laws. They truly have free fire. It can be done so very easily if immediate family are not Florida residents.

The other $$$ about killing being desirable: Please read Wesley J. Smith's book "Culture of Death", specifically as it relates to organ harvesting.

[cyn]

I'm looking for your earlier posts about anti-king petitions . . . and praying for God to give us the strength and skills we all need to oppose this evil on our doorstep.

I do believe if we do not oppose king on this, it is not good for Terri. He has connected himself to Terri, and not in a positive way.

[cyn]

I have been wondering about that -- what conversations and deals and threats are going on behind the scenes. Else why would he have done this interview that makes him look like a total idiot and incompetent?

Nope. Don't wanna be a cupcake, not any more. God, please strengthen me; let me be totally Yours.

[cyn]

Have you all seen this latest from king? As if FL senator jim king re: Terri Schiavo: "...I want her to die." (which is shows up #2 when one googles "king james senator Florida petition" -- king's legacy might not be what he wants as he steps on the dark side against Terri) wasn't enough.

[cyn]

email: king.james.web@flsenate.gov

[floriduh voter]

Better to go to www.terrisfight.org than to look through my posts. I'm bashing Judge Rapkin, John Kerry and Terri's Judges. My plate's pretty full. Or, just go to Terri's page on my web site where there are a bunch of Terri links.