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Rubio Says Allen Can’t “Effectively Serve”

Posted Aug 15, 2007 by Catherine Dolinski, Tribune Tallahassee Bureau

Updated Aug 15, 2007 at 11:44 AM

House Speaker Marco Rubio, like other GOP leaders, has previously refused to say that state Rep. Bob Allen should resign in the face of sex charges against him.

But Wednesday morning, Rubio stripped Allen of his post as chairman of the House Energy Committee, removed him from the Environment and Natural Resources Council, and said in his opinion, Allen “can no longer effectively serve” as a state representative.

Police charged Allen, R-Merritt Island, last month with offering an undercover police officer $20 to perform oral sex at a park in Titusville.

Since then, Allen has proclaimed his innocence, but also aroused further controversy by saying the reason he offered sex to an undercover officer was that he feared being harmed by the officer, who was black, and by other black men in the park.

State Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer, like Rubio, has also previously hinted that Allen should go but declined to say so outright.

In a statement Wednesday, Rubio said:

“The House will continue to respect Rep. Allen’s right to defend himself against the charges which arose when he was arrested on July 11. However, we must acknowledge that in addition to being a private citizen, he is a public official. As such, we are judged by a higher standard than procedural innocence. The mere perception of impropriety can interfere with our official function.  It is my personal belief that because of the allegations against him, Rep. Allen can no longer effectively serve the people of his district in the Florida House.”

Per House rules, all of the House Speaker’s committee and council appointments expired Aug. 1. Rubio removed Allen from his posts by not reappointing him. Rep. Paige Kreegel, R-Punta Gorda, will take over as Energy Committee chairman.