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

In this process, the back stabbers are the only survivors. Outwit & Outplay.

7:03 at this point, i think gallagher would be doing a better job. anything would be better than nothing. gallagher had his enemies, but he did his job as CFO.

8:29 Hiring Republicans? Thought he only hired ineffective people...look what he did at the RPOF.

is chamberlain an ex of the gallagher regime.. maybe, i am mistaken.. not sure!!!

[1654]

Bob Ward is a very honorable man and anyone who says otherwise doesn't know what he or she is talking about. He is one of a very, very few people within Cap Circle who actually lives by the moniker of not caring who gets the credit as long as the "right thing" gets done. Some of you people are pathetic and make me embarrassed to say I work in the process.

If you're wondering what Sansom's priorities will be in the next two years, just ask Charlie Crist.

8:54 Bob did you ask your new boss Sansom for permission to write that blog?

Bob, get off the blog, finish packing your boxes, take your nameplate...Marty Bowen's moving in.

8:54, if you're so embarrassed and think so highly of Bob, ask him about this situation.

I have a feeling it will be a one person conversation anyway.

Is Hanson the guy who jogs shirtless around town at lunchtime?

Heeeeeerrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeee comes Johnnie, uhh I mean Ray.

Welcome to Byrd part deux

[John L. Parker Jr.]

8:54 Glad to see someone in Tallahassee can still spot an trully honorable man when he sees one. Mr. Ward is an admirable Man in a town full of boys and girls.

Didn't Sansom sneak a bunch of st. joe kick backs into the budget in the last couple of days...that's a byrd move is ever there was one.

9:31 if by admirable you mean self-serving, back-stabbing, unloyal hack than yeah I guess you're right.

1,2,3,4 Bob showed you the door

5,6,7,8 isn't Sansom oh so great

sound off (stab in the back)

2 bits, 4 bits, 6 bits a dollar...... if you got stabbed in the back by Bob stand up and holler

(screams coming from the 5th floor)

What would it help Sansom to squeeze stuff in for St Joe? Surely it has nothing to do with the power company he works for. No way a new airport will increase the power consumption in that area.

I don't trust nun of dem boys from Miamuh Ray, let's get rid of em. I's a panhandle boy like you Ray, hire me and we'll have us a good ol time up there.

9:37 - You must have been called to the office on a Friday.

I am sorry :-(

[Choir practice]

Wow!
I've know Bob for years. What a good guy. The same hold true for Bo.

So Ray finally got a job in the private sector at the power company. Nothing quite like "small government", "pro-business" Republicans whose life was spent sucking the government tit as a career politician. Hypocrisy at it's finest.

***************************************

[Cynical Idealist]

Don't know Bob Ward except by reputation and even people I know who don't like him respect him.

Bo, on the other hand, I do know and think the world of him. He's a solid guy who works hard, pays attention to the details, doesn't bad mouth the boss or his staff, and doesn't deserve such treatment.

That said, all the folks in the House work at the pleasure of the Speaker and we observers know to expect change to accompany the change in leadership.

Bo Pittman has a reputation for being rather dim

Bob Ward is not only honorable, but competent. He came in to rescue the Corcoran disaster, nad did it with class and dignity without taking any shots.

He should get a plaque.

I cant believe anyone here is attacking Bob Ward. Ridiculous.

Sansom RPOF disaster??

Ward is a man of honor, true to this word, and respected all around.

It’s easy to take cheap shots hiding on the blog.

Corcoran was a joke…he actually made PK look good

[oliviaharis]

Rubio and House budget chief Ray Sansom, R-Destin, said they made the changes after hearing a call from counties and cities for more local control.A lot of concerns were generated by the "one-size-fits-all concept," Rubio said.

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oliviaharis
Florida Treatment Centers

8:48 No really, you are kidding me?

Thank you, I knew that.

Better than nothing... LOL!

:)

I heard that Frank the mail room guy from the Senate is moving to the House mail room. Go Frank. You've always been an amazing mail guy.

Bottome line -- who cares?

if you ask staff - theyre the people who know what's really going on - they will say these guys are doing a great job. they should not be shuffled around..

Sansome is not the one who said that this will not be discussed until much later in the year. That was Rubio. Rubio is desperately trying to hold on to his last few months of being in power. Rubio is livid that Ray is making moves. Pretty funny.

Actually 9:49 that was Jill Chamberlin trying to protect Sansom b/c she wants to keep her job.

Instead of The Buzz, this should be called the Catty Corner.

It's a little quiet on here today. Did the Sansom crew go around and turn off the House staffers computers?

Marco: Ray, what are your plans for transition?

Ray: Nothing much, we probably won't do anything until much later....

Marco: Ok.

Ray: (whispers) but I did go ahead and start canning your staff.

Marco: What was that?

Ray: I didn't say anything, but hey thanks for sewing up that speakers race for me.