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DOT’s Kopelousos a no-show at this morning’s rail bill signing

Posted Dec 16, 2009 by Catherine Whittenburg, Tallahassee bureau

Updated Dec 16, 2009 at 10:42 AM

Gov. Charlie Crist signed the special session bill on commuter rail this morning, but his Transportation Secretary was not present for the occasion.

The bill will jump-start the $1.2-billion SunRail project planned for Central Florida, create a new statewide rail authority and—supporters hope—will improve the state’s chances at winning federal money for a high-speed rail line connecting Tampa and Orlando. The bill also dedicates additional state money to Tri-Rail, south Florida’s faltering commuter line.

DOT Secretary Stephanie Kopelousos was at the heart of negotiations over the rail projects, making her absence at today’s ceremonial noticeable. In recent days, Kopelousos has also been the target of scorn and criticism over department officials’ use of breakfast food items in subject lines of email messages about SunRail. Kopelousos has denied allegations that it was an attempt to keep conceal those messages from detection in searches for public records about SunRail, but Crist yielded yesterday to demands for an investigation.

Reporters were quick to ask Crist this morning where Kopelousos was. “Making breakfast?” one suggested.

“I don’t know where she is right now,” Crist said.

The governor also responded that he did not delay the bill signings—as requested by anti-tax activists who opposed SunRail—because he does believe not so-called Wafflegate scandal affects the legislation. He heads next to Tampa and Orlando for more ceremonial signings of the bill.