Original article posted in Miami Workers Center blog, August 08, 2011.
In a lawsuit taken to the Florida Supreme court, this story tells about a woman who fought the power down in Florida and won.
A couple of months ago I told you about Ms. Rosalie “Cookie” Whiley and her fight against the Gov. Rick Scott. Ms. Cookie, a leader of the Miami Workers Center, filed a lawsuit against the job-killing governor after he tried to use his new executive power to make it harder for Ms. Cookie to apply for food stamps.
See the Miami Herald article Courts: Gov Scott overstepped his authority
Gov. Rick Scott’s original executive order stopped all rule-making by self-governing agencies. Because the governor stripped the Department of Children and Family Services of its self-governance, all of its in progress rule-making was halted immediately in their tracks.
One of the new rules the Governor stopped in its tracks would have helped seeing impared applicants, like Ms. Cookie, to file for the crucial food stamp program.
The lawsuit was initially covered by the Miami Herald Here: Blind woman challenges Gov. Rick Scott’s new rules
Yesterday the Florida Supreme Court decided that the executive order issued by Governor Scott “overstepped his constitutional authority and violated the separation of powers”. Although the order was not overturned it will not be enforced against state agencies.
The rest of the leaders and members of the Miami Workers Center, LIFFT, and MIA along with Ms. Cookie will continue defending our rights and work towards community based solutions to the problems that seek to diminish our rights.
Rosalie “Ms. Cookie” Whiley 1, Governor Rick Scott 0.
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