With Election Day just around the corner, both parties are looking to make gains in the makeup of the U.S. House of Representatives.  Several seats in Florida could flip to the other party on November 8th, possibly changing the balance of power in Washington, D.C.

One of those Florida races in the spotlight is for U.S. House District 13 in Pinellas County.  That race pits Representative David Jolly, a Republican running for re-election to a seat that was held for years by the late Bill Young, and former Florida Governor Charlie Crist, a former Republican-turned-Democrat.

During a recent televised debate, Rep. Jolly took the opportunity to remind viewers of Crist's nickname that originated in the mid-1990's - "Chain Gang Charlie" - and that Crist's idea to fight crime during those years was to bring chain gangs to Florida.  Jolly said this to, and about, Crist:

"You stood there, over three African-American prisoners in chains, on their knees, on the side of the road. Saying that it was a great sight. Saying we needed to bring it to Florida," Jolly said. "And you did this — whether you know or not — on the eve of Juneteenth, the day the African-American community celebrates the end of slavery."

Our partners at PolitiFact were in attendance at the debate, and decided to check out Jolly's claim.  PolitiFact reporter Joshua Gillin says that Jolly's claim rates HALF TRUE on the Truth-O-Meter.  Gillin says that Jolly gets some facts right, but misses on others.

"Back in 1995, Charlie Crist was a Republican state senator who was trying to introduce legislation to crack down on crime," said Gillin.  "Crist had actually pushed a provision in a bill in the Legislature, which then went on to pass.  Crist and Department of Corrections Secretary Harry Singletary went to Alabama in June 1995 to see how that state was utilizing chain gangs."

The trip was not without conflict.  "Singletary and Crist were at odds at how it should be implemented in Florida," said Gillin.  "An Associated Press photo shows the two men observing Alabama inmates chained together in a line by the ankles, which served to solidify Crist's reputation at the time."

Gillin notes that, while all of this did happen, the way that Jolly phrased his comments toward Crist were inaccurate.  "The visit to Alabama happened on June 8th, the same day that the AP photo was taken," said Gillin.  "Juneteenth, which is the celebration of the date of emancipation of slaves in Texas in 1865, is actually on June 19th, which is eleven days later than June 8th."

As far as the phrase "it was a great sight" allegedly said by Crist?  "That was actually how the reporter covering the story worded it in one of the stories about the visit," said Gillin.  The reporter's line in the story says 'For Crist, it was a mighty fine sight.'  Crist was quoted in the story, saying 'I see justice. I see justice being done' and 'I’m very impressed by what I’ve seen so far,' but he didn't say, at least in print, that it was a 'great sight.'"

Jolly gets some of the facts right, but some others are inaccurate, which leads to a HALF TRUE rating of his claim on the Truth-O-Meter.

 

SOURCES:  Charlie Crist and chain gangs