Gov. Rick Scott, R-Fla., has been accused of failing to follow through on a commitment he made to seek an executive order prohibiting discrimination against LGBTQ state workers.
Brandon Wolf, a survivor of the shooting at the gay nightclub Pulse in Orlando where 49 people were killed, wrote an op-ed in The Tallahassee Democrat in June decrying Scott's response to the attack – specifically, that he has ignored a call from LGBTQ activists to institute an executive order protecting state employees and contractors from discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity.
"It was an easy ask that mirrored policies already supported on both sides of the aisle," Wolf wrote.
"More importantly, it was a fitting way to honor the 49 murdered at Pulse by announcing to the world that intolerance will never be Florida's creed.
"In fact, the call to action was so timely that Scott privately signaled his support. Following review by his office, he promised, the executive order would be signed."
However, Scott has yet to sign any executive order on this matter. When Orlando Weekly asked the governor's office about the order, Scott's spokesperson Lauren Schenone responded Florida already follows federal employee guidelines.
"Florida is a state that doesn't tolerate discrimination of any form," Schenone said. "In accordance with federal guidelines, Florida state agencies do not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, and state employees should not be discriminated against in any way. Our office will continue to review ways we can work to eliminate discrimination of any kind."
Rep. Carlos Smith, D-Fla., recently accused Scott and "many political leaders" of using "the tragedy at Pulse to leverage their own political careers and to make promises to our community that they could have delivered on but they did not," according to The Associated Press.
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