Frank Artiles resigns, but still needs to apologize to Hialeah

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State Sen. Frank Artiles resigned Friday for having a racist rant earlier in the week, but only after it became increasingly clear that he had no other choice.

Nothing was getting done in the final weeks of session was the capitol turned on Artiles’ words to his colleagues, including calling Senate President Joe Negron a “pussy,” Sen. Audrey Gibson a “bitch” and “girl,” and using a slang version of the n-word to describe another group of senators. In fact, things were only getting worse. A new group or person called for his resignation every day, including people from his own party. Protesters went to his Miami office, delivering signed petitions and threatening a recall and Artiles reacted by threatening several of his colleagues with depositions that would try to show this kind of language is used all the time in the Florida Senate.

It certainly didn’t help matters that he was reluctant to apologize and then was forced to do it on the Senate floor — either that or Negron would bring it up — in what was the most half-assed, sorry-not-sorry apology ever, where he not only pooh-poohed his words.

His resignation letter Friday — under threat of being expulsed by the body — wasn’t a ton better.

“I apologize to my family and friends and I apologize to all of my fellow Senators and lawmakers. To the people of my district and all of Miami-Dade, I am sorry I have let you down and ask for your forgiveness.

“My actions and my presence in government is now a distraction to my colleagues, the legislative process, and the citizens of our great State.

I am responsible and I am accountable and effective immediately, I am resigning from the Florida State Senate.”

So, he is resigning because he is a distraction, not because someone who talks like he did doesn’t belong in the hallowed halls of the Florida Senate. Okay, we’ll take it.

At least he didn’t blame Hialeah again.

Artiles may have resigned from the Senate, but he still owes Hialeah an apology. Sen. Rene Garcia, a Republican who represents Hialeah, said as much this week after Artiles said his use of offensive language was instilled in him growing up in the diverse environment (not!) of Hialeah where, apparently, he wants us to think that kind of talk would be honky dory.

“My constituents and I would agree that this language is simply unacceptable. Senator Artiles owes the residents of Hialeah an apology for unfairly associating them with this kind of behavior,” Garcia said in a written statement.

  Frank Artiles