By Gina Jordan
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-929308.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – The Florida Public Service Commission is without a chairman. Nancy Argenziano resigned this week effective immediately. While she was outspoken during her time as a legislator and a PSC commissioner, Gina Jordan reports she really outdid herself at Tuesday's news conference.
Argenziano says she is stepping down because, as a commissioner, she was prohibited from endorsing or supporting any political candidates or causes.
"I have a choice of doing nothing and suffering the possibility that my inaction will be somewhat responsible for what I consider a catastrophe for honest people of the state, or resigning from the PSC and doing what I can - of telling what I know- and going all in for the election of Alex Sink."
Saying she cannot sit and be quiet, Argenziano is touting what she calls Democrat Alex Sink's honesty and integrity. She says she would be terrified if her fellow Republican Rick Scott is elected. At a news conference in Tallahassee, she also addressed the recent firing of long time Senate staffers by incoming Senate President Mike Haridopolos.
"These are people who have, whether they're Democrats or Republican, have been through many leaders, decades of leaders, Republican and Democrat. Those leaders were smart enough to understand these are people (Senate staffers) you want to make good policy. These are people you want to keep you out of trouble. The current leaders are not smart enough to know that."
Argenziano's term on the PSC would have ended in a few months anyway, since a nominating panel rejected her bid for reappointment. But she said giving up three months salary was worth it.
"Most of you will understand the relief I feel at leaving the fetid pit of the PSC, and trust me I've changed this three times to be as kind and as gentle as I can. I tell you that in my weirdest nightmare, I would not have expected to come upon the corruption, the bought and sold nature of everything related to the PSC."
Argenziano wants the PSC taken out of the Legislature's control. She is working on a ballot initiative for 2012 in that regard. In the meantime, she plans to tour her old Senate and House districts in support of Sink's gubernatorial bid. She is also endorsing independent Governor Charlie Crist for U-S Senate, Democratic Senator Dan Gelber for Attorney General, and former Democratic Representative Loranne Ausley for Chief Financial Officer.
Hear more from Nancy Argenziano on this week's "It's About Florida" on WFSU-FM.