Florida House Speaker Ray Sansom has resigned from his vice president position at Northwest Florida State College. This is the statement that he read to the House:
” Members, before we get started I’d like to make a brief, personal announcement.
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Together with my family, I have decided to resign from my position as a vice president at Northwest Florida State College.
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This has not been an easy decision for me to make. I accepted my position at the college with pure intentions and for good reasons. I have long had a passion for education, and I have spent decades working to expand the opportunities available to the people of northwest Florida. Given my interests and my professional experience, serving at the college was a natural next step, and it took me back to an institution that I love and without which I could not have gotten a college degree. God willing, I had hoped to still be working at the college long after my service in elected office was over.
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Unfortunately, some have disagreed with my decision to work at the college. While I do not question their motives, I strongly object to their conclusions. In all my years in public service, I have sought to act in a manner worthy of the trust that the people have placed in me.
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When I became Speaker of the House, I made a commitment to you and to the people of Florida that I would put this office and this institution above any personal interests of my own. I will not, and cannot, allow any controversy over my position at the college to divert our focus from serving the needs of the people we represent.
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In the weeks since I became Speaker, many of you-Republicans and Democrats alike-have offered my family and me words of support and encouragement, and we sincerely thank you for that.
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I appreciate your indulgence in allowing me to make these personal remarks. Now let’s get down to the business of this special session.”
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