'We didn't have Surfside then.' Charlie Crist reflects on 2010 repeal of inspection law

[Jose Garcia]

Source: USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist is defending his 2010 decision to repeal a condominium inspection law that has come under renewed scrutiny in the wake of the tragic building collapse in Surfside.

Operatives have attacked Crist, who from 2007 to 2011 served as Florida's Republican governor. Crist, speaking at an appearance in Sarasota on Wednesday, suggested no one had the value of hindsight 11 years ago when lawmakers did away with mandatory condo inspections for structural safety every five years.

"We didn't have Surfside then," he said.



Read more: https://amp.tcpalm.com/amp/7962325002?__twitter_impression=true

[MyOwnPeace]

1. Starting in 1958 (yes, 1958!!!!!)

my parents would go to SURFSIDE, FLORIDA for their summer vacations. I went with them up until 1969 when I had to stay home because I had to work to pay college bills!
I was last there with them in 1971 when I traveled with them and my new bride.

How many people does he expect to actually believe that lie?

[Warpy]

3. And the condo was built in 1981

or thereabouts, so he had both the town and the condo so I wonder just what the hell he's trying to say, except "don't look at me, I didn't read that shit, I just signed it if the developers wanted me to."

[Blues Heron]

17. Doesnt he mean they hadnt had a condo collapse back then?

By "Surfside" he means "The condo collapse that happened in Surfside"

At least that's how I read it. Otherwise it doesn't make sense.

[csziggy]

19. Probably that - but if he had not repealed the inspection laws we wouldn't have Surfside

In that the damage to the condo might have been found and repaired earlier so there would NOT have been the collapse.

[marybourg]

2. Sure. Shoddy materials, fly-by-night builders, filled swampland, and crooked

financiers were unknown in FL before this recent collapse.

[patphil]

4. It's hard to see clearly when real estate & construction donors flash the big bucks in front of him.

Hindsight kicks in when you're no longer running for office, and the glare of all that cash has subsided.

[marble falls]

5. As soon as it happened, I thought Charlie was going to have to do some 'splainin' ...

... He could alwus say, "Hey, whadidya 'spect? I wuz GOP, then!" or "The Lege did it, I jes' signed oft!"

[Earth-shine]

11. As flawed as he is, I'd take Charlie over Ron any day.

I'm in Delray Beach. There are Republicans all around me.

[marble falls]

14. I like Charlie, too. But this is something Charlie better get a good answer for. If he flinches ...

... he'll look personally responsible.

[Hekate]

6. To call him a moron would be an insult to morons

On the other hand, clearly he thinks WE are stupid.

[Solly Mack]

7. No one needs hindsight to know regulations and timely inspections save lives.

As usual, he's full of shit.

[mackdaddy]

8. Maybe they did not have building collapse disasters because the law mandated the inspections.

Now, this is the result.

[BootinUp]

10. Why did they think it was put in place? dumbasses. nt

[Sapient Donkey]

12. We very likely wouldn't have the Surfside incident now had they not repealed it...

Does he think he's helping his case? "Building were not falling down when we were inspecting them for safety on a regular basis... How were we supposed to know that if we stopped inspections they might collapse? You gotta try it to know for sure"

These people...

[pressbox69]

13. He would be better off

pointing out that the Surfside death total is nowhere near the COVID death toll under Dead Boy Ron DeSantis.

[Mysterian]

15. He would be better off admitting he made a terrible mistake

and expressing his profound regret.

[Owl]

18. Exactly

[vanlassie]

16. "No one had the value of hindsight?"

Except structural engineers.
Reminds me of Condi Rice.
And COVID deniers.
There’s a pattern here.

[Polybius]

20. I get switching Party's when the other side becomes to crazy

What I don't get is switching all of your positions. It comes across as not standing for anything.

[NullTuples]

21. We repealed fire protections b/c nothing much was on fire yet

...is exactly the mindset that brought us to this point in the climate crisis.

[joshcryer]

22. Guarantee you could find a condo condemned...

...due to structural issues before it was repealed.