Florida families work hard and expect a fair shot. That means when someone is qualified for a job, their resume gets looked at — period. The Rooney Rule has done exactly that in the NFL since 2003. It doesn't guarantee anyone a job. It just says: before you hire, make sure you've actually interviewed qualified candidates from a broader pool. That's not a radical idea. That's basic fairness.
Now our Attorney General is using state resources and legal muscle to go after the NFL for following that rule. James Uthmeier issued a subpoena ordering league officials to come to Tallahassee and answer for a voluntary hiring practice that has existed for over twenty years. This isn't protecting Floridians from harm. This is our state government picking a fight with a private organization over whether they have to consider a wider range of qualified people before filling a job. Taxpayer money is paying for lawyers and subpoenas to make it harder for qualified people to get interviews. That should bother all of us, regardless of party.
I'm asking you to publicly oppose the Attorney General's use of state authority to dismantle voluntary fair hiring practices in private organizations. Florida's leaders should be focused on expanding opportunity here, not leading a national effort to roll it back. Please make clear that this use of state power doesn't represent the values of your constituents.
Don't let our state become the face of a campaign to make hiring less fair for qualified workers.
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