Sansom quietly changing Rubio's House

It's supposed to be a secret, but incoming House Speaker Ray Sansom, R-Destin, is making some personnel moves.

The Buzz is Clerk Bo Pittman and parliamentarian Leonard Collins have been told they will not be needed later this year. We previously reported that Mike Hansen will be Sansom's chief of staff, replacing Bob Ward.

"We've been told there will be no discussions about the transition until much later this year," House spokeswoman Jill Chamberlin replied when we asked about the changes.

Pittman became clerk under outgoing Speaker Marco Rubio after longtime clerk John Phelps retired in 2006. And Rubio created the $133,908 parliamentarian job the same year. He and Collins have a long history dating at least to the 1996 Bob Dole campaign.  Sansom has not yet returned a phone call seeking comment.

Comments

[adam kenneth long]

isnt marcos wife going to be pissed when she gets home and her house is different? i heard the new master bedroom dosent even have a balcony.

Hmmmmmmm.......... maybe you should check into where Bob Ward will be placed in the next administration.

Rumor around the capitol is Ward cut a deal with Sansom during session to take both Pittman and Collins jobs.

This is a big loss for the House...Bob Ward cut a deal with Mike Hanson in the middle of session so that he could be Clerk of the House. In exchange for what????

This is a big loss for the House...Bob Ward cut a deal with Mike Hanson in the middle of session so that he could be Clerk of the House. In exchange for what????

Quid pro quo... Look it up.

What is so surprising about this? Nothing, things change every two years in the House and Senate. Atwater started in May.

Ward gets a job, Sansom gets someone who has no clue how to do that job. Ward got the better end of the deal no doubt.

However, both lose credibility and Ward will look like a bufoon up there when the action starts flying on the floor.

Not sure how the spokeperson's comments can be reconciled with the actions taking place. Somebody's lying.

These are non political positions and should be immune from the political ebb and flow... The House is not a better place as a result of this.

These are non political positions and should be immune from the political ebb and flow... The House is not a better place as a result of this.

So let me get this straight.

The current chief of staff uses his role to convince the incoming speaker to fire two of the current speakers employees (who he technically still works for) so he can stay employed?

I hope that's not what happened. If that's the case, he should be ashamed of himself.

Sansom is paying Rubio back for taking the bloated salaries of the Gallager losers Muniz and Gilley off the party payroll by firing two of his people, classic.

This should make the house staff feel real safe now, but don't worry, there will be no discussions until much later this year.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaa

Bob Ward does not cut deals, he is good at what he does and gets asked to accept positions. What about Kathy Mears going to Gov office, anyone want to say that she must have passed Gov agenda to get her job? No, so leave the Bob speculation out.

5:33, watch organization session in November. Look at the dais and tell me where Bob is located. Then come back and say no deal was cut.

Kathy Mears took the job because there was an opening, they didn't fire Towson so she could move in.

Bob is good at what he does...feather his own nest... Backstab...be dishonest...Bob Ward is a stain upon the institution. Congrats on the new position buddy!!!

Bob is good at what he does...feather his own nest... Backstab...be dishonest...Bob Ward is a stain upon the institution. Congrats on the new position buddy!!!

5:29 is bitter and definitely not a player

I thought Sansom was in the incoming Speaker, not Byrd.

5:38 Maybe not fire Towson, but didn't ask him to stay either.

Wow looks like someone wants to be the next Johnnie Byrd.

PK should apply for a job back in the House.

5:46, the point is Mears didn't orchestrate the move, unlike the situation rumored here.

Don't worry, from what I've heard Hansen makes PK look like the worlds greatest boss.

5:40 is a fellow gallager loser. Get over it, Crist won.

Maybe that's what Sansom learned on his economic trip to Europe. Firing two staffers will make up for spending thousands and thousands on travel for his entourage.

Doesn't the house also harbor that other Gallagher hack Martinez? These losers just need to leave the state.

Those aren't the only two that are getting the boot. Sansom has already used Ward to fire other staffers.

Does that mean Ward is acting as the hatchet man?

Is that part of his deal?

If Bob Ward is clerk, that would be fantastic. He is smart and into details. He will show no favoritism.

So Len Collins who knew basically no member before taking the job and was a successful private sector lawyer can't be defined as "smart, into details, and showing no favoritism"?

6:23 yes

What was wrong with Bo Pittman as clerk? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. This is why nothing worth anything ever gets done, because every two years they rearrange the deck chairs. The House especially. Can't wait for the incoming Speaker to start rearranging the walls, too. Literally.

What was wrong with Bo Pittman as clerk? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. This is why nothing worth anything ever gets done, because every two years they rearrange the deck chairs. The House especially. Can't wait for the incoming Speaker to start rearranging the walls, too. Literally.

[adam kenneth long]

if you rearrange walls, do you have to rearrange the doors too? i know a great door guy. he won "best doors" in 2006.

Tom Gallagher is not "a loser". He did not have the benefit of the SPTimes like the wind at his back as his opponent did. Nor did he have the millions that the man of character, "the Donald," helped raise to be up on the air months out.

Dear Marco: GET OUT!
Love, Ray

Bob Ward is great and loyal to the end. Bo is a good guy in the wrong position. A change had to be made. Len (who I'm sure is a nice guy) should know, everyone works at the pleasure of the Speaker. Nobody has more than a two year gig. All the haters on here must be some of the staff rumored to be let go. With term limits being everyones concern, Sansom is a former aide turned house member.... He'll do great. It's summer time, everyone needs to relax and spend time with their families.

This isnt't rearraging the deck chairs...that would mean Pittman and Collins and the others getting fired would have been g iven the option to stay in different capacities. Instead they were just asked to leave.

6:50 Are you Freaking Kidding Me.
Bo Pittman was changing out batteries in flashlights for the Sergeants office before Bob Ward gave him the Chief Clerk Position....
Good Riddance

7:21, with all due repsect, please explain how you know Bo is "a good guy in the wrong position"? Honestly, who would be in a position to know that?

7:21, with all due repsect, please explain how you know Bo is "a good guy in the wrong position"? Honestly, who would be in a position to know that?

7:21 aka Bob or Mike Hansen, nice try, but once this got out House staff will be running scared and there's no turning back now.

You are right though, Bob is loyal to the end......... if by "the end" you mean himself.

Wow, this got ugly fast.......some of you people act like these guys took your jobs ......... ummmmm nevermind

Maybe this is Sansom's version of "drop like a rock"

everyone knows hey works at the will of their elected official.. what is the surprise.. didnt Crist let go of all the Bush staffers... why cant sanson.. atleast he is hiring republicans!

7:29, Last time I check Marco Rubio does the hiring and firing as Speaker...not Bob Ward. He's just the yes man to the person in power. That's all he'll ever be.

If any of this is true (which I doubt because it's on this blog) Rubio should have a long talk with his chief of staff that ends with him getting a kick in the hind quarters.

8:29, the problem is Sansom and his people are saying nothing has been or will be discussed for months, yet people are already fired.

That's not the proper way to handle a transition, period.

Also, the quote from Chamberlin makes it sound like Rubio is out of the loop, so somebody is pulling a fast one.

Sansom is going to be a Byrd-esque disaster. From what I hear he's paranoid in much the same way Johnnie was. He's already showed dubious decision making...see decision to oppose drilling as most recent example. From what's going around he has a removed and stand offish relationship with most of his staff. Thank you term limits, a bunch of not ready for primetime politicians who aren't up for the job they never should have got it in the first place.