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IMPORTANT RELATED STORY: 

 The Neutrality of Rick Scott 

 

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In the World of Politics…

IMPORTANT RELATED STORY: 

 The Neutrality of Rick Scott 

     

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The Neutrality of Rick Scott

UPDATE – Nov. 03, 2010:  The Associated Press reports that Rick Scott won the race on Wednesday, to become Florida’s next governor, leading  by 1 percent or about 53,000 votes, with 99 percent of the ballots counted.

The Roman Catholic World

by Marielena Montesino de Stuart  E-Mail: ContactTRCW@aol.com

At a time when candidates across the United States are passionately expressing their rejection of “corporate welfare” and “bail outs”– Florida’s  Republican gubernatorial candidate, Rick Scott, has chosen a Swiss neutrality, regarding the Jackson Lab proposal– which could involve millions of taxpayer dollars for the establishment of a non-profit genetics lab in the town of Ave Maria, in Scott’s very own home turf of Collier County.

RICK SCOTT - Republican Gubernatorial Candidate - Florida, 2010

The majority of Collier County citizens oppose public funding of this lab. This is reflected in a  Naples Daily News public poll, which shows that 84% of responders do not want any taxpayer money to go to the Jackson Lab.  The Letters to the Editor section of the NDN is also a living testament of the overwhelming public rejection of the Jackson Lab proposal.

The Jackson Lab’s controversial involvement in holding workshops and providing resources for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research is also a serious concern for those who stand in defense of human life.  Rick Scott’s neutrality regarding the Jackson Lab is perplexing, to say the least, considering that he is running as a pro-life, fiscal conservative “outsider” and “businessman”.

Add to this the fact that many Collier County citizens see the Jackson Lab “deal” as nothing but a corporate bail out of pizza tycoon, Tom Monaghan, and Barron Collier Cos’., real estate venture in Ave Maria– a town in Southwest Florida’s Eastern Collier County, founded in 2007, under a controversial “Special District” government.

The Naples Daily News ran a column on Thursday, October 21st, covering Rick Scott’s visit to Arthrex, a manufacturer of surgical devices, located in Naples.  The president of Arthrex strongly opposes the Jackson lab “deal”.  The NDN described how  Rick Scott ”claimed not to know the particulars of the Jackson Lab and wouldn’t comment specifically on it.”  If this is true, Mr. Scott is undermining his candidacy as governor of Florida, for failing to be informed, and for failing to take a stand on the biggest taxpayer scandal in Collier County history.  But there is more to this story.

Money talks

Given Mr. Scott’s wealth and ability to finance his own way to Tallahassee, one would think that “corporate special interest” would not stand between him and the taxpayers.   But, alas, could the October 12th and October 22^nd fundraisers, be the cause of Mr. Scott not knowing the particulars of the Jackson Lab “deal”?   After all, passionate Jackson Lab supporters from the powerful Barron Collier-Ave Maria special interest camp acted as hosts at these fundraisers.

Did  Blake Gable, a Barron Collier Vice President– listed in the October 12th fundraiser Host Committee, fail to provide Mr. Scott with sufficient information about the Jackson Lab “deal” in Ave Maria?

Could the latest fundraiser, held on Friday evening, October 22^nd, be contributing to Mr. Scott’s neutrality?  The VIP reception at $10,000 per couple, was held at the home of Ned and Cindy Lautenbach, in Naples.  Lautenbach is an influential businessman, who has acted as Advisory Partner at Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, Inc., a private equity investment firm specializing in management buyouts.   Lautenbach has served as a Director of Sony Corporation and Eaton Corporation.  Forbes also lists Lautenbach as chairman of the Independent Trustees of the Equity and High Income Funds of Fidelity Investments.

Another high profile member of the October 22^nd Host Committee is the Honorable Tom Grady, member of the Florida House of Representatives, who is involved in the House’s Economic Development Policy Committee.  Mr. Grady serves in other committees, including the Finance & Tax Council, and acts as Vice Chair of the Insurance, Business & Financial Affairs Policy Committee.  Other prominent business and political leaders also appear as hosts of these fundraisers.

Yet, in spite of the militant Jackson Lab supporters, as well as the business and political leaders surrounding Rick Scott at these fundraisers, Scott claims to be unfamiliar with the particulars of the Jackson Lab “deal”.  How is the public supposed to believe this?  Isn’t this a disregard of  many taxpayers who have supported Mr. Scott’s previous statements opposing the Jackson Lab (further explained below)—not to mention his claim to being a fiscal conservative?

How can Mr. Scott claim to be neutral on the Jackson lab matter, when four of the five Collier County Board of County Commissioners have refused to allow the citizens of his very own “home” county, the right to vote on the subject of taxpayer funding for the Jackson Lab?  Is Mr. Scott unaware that the Jackson Lab “deal”  has become a taxpayer scandal in Collier County?

It must be noted that a distinguished Catholic resident of Naples, the Honorable Francis L. Rooney, former Ambassador to the Holy See, under George W. Bush, is also listed in the Host Committees for both the October 12th and the October 22^nd fundraisers.  One can only hope that during these soirées, Ambassador Rooney whispered a few words of wisdom into Mr. Scott’s ear, based on the Catholic Church’s opposition to Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research (HESC)– a pro-life position not exclusive to Catholics.  Why?  Because Mr. Scott has said that he is pro-life, and the Jackson Lab is involved in holding workshops and providing resources for HESC research.  But there is more.

Is Rick Scott listening?

Not far from this very exclusive fundraiser, the overwhelming rejection  of the Jackson Lab project rages on.  But it seems like Mr. Scott may have failed to listen to the opinion of another experienced former businessman– His Excellency,  Frank J. Dewane, Bishop of the Diocese of Venice in Florida, who issued the following statement on July 23, 2010, through the diocesan spokesman:

[Excerpt]:  ”Jackson Laboratory’s purported association with and openness to human embryonic stem cell research causes the Diocese of Venice concern. Of particular note is a public statement made by the company that they are “not willing to rule out doing human embryonic stem cell research” (Naples Daily News, April 10, 2010) “…as is well known, since work on human embryonic stem cells involves the destruction of innocent human life, the Church does not approve of such research.”

Rick Scott’s neutrality on the Jackson Lab issue became known when I spoke with him on September 18, 2010 in St. Augustine, Florida.  During our conversation he insisted that he had not taken a stand on the Jackson Lab– in spite of what he told a crowd of supporters in Naples, just before they were headed to vote in the Primary Election.

On August 22, 2010 the Naples Daily News published a story titled “Naples’ Rick Scott, candidate for Florida governor, speaks out against Jackson Lab deal at hometown meet up.”   The following are excerpts from the NDN story:

Rick Scott entered a Naples restaurant and pub filled predominantly with his supporters and took a stance against Jackson Labs. Previously the candidate was somewhat unclear about his views on the proposal.

The Jackson Labs deal doesn’t look to be the answer, he said on Sunday night.

It was standing room only at Mulligan’s Sports Grille in Naples near the Coastland Center mall as Scott, who began with his somewhat vague and noncommittal stance on the Jackson Labs proposal in Collier County finished his sentence saying it looked to be a bad deal for taxpayers.

Regarding similar deals across the state, including U.S. Sugar and the Tri-Rail project, Scott began on Sunday as he had throughout the campaign: “Spend capital where you’re going to get a return on investment.”

“Would we do this with our own money?” he asked the crowd.

After a resounding “no” from many of the hundreds of partakers in the meet and greet, Scott then said:

“The way I look at all these projects, is that there is not a good return, so I wouldn’t support it,” he said.

Scott also doesn’t support the use of stimulus money, on which Jackson Labs is contingent.

On August 23^rd, following the NDN article, I spoke with Rick Scott’s campaign spokeswoman, Jennifer Baker,  regarding Mr. Scott’s stance on The Jackson Lab proposal—having been described by NDN as “previously…. somewhat unclear.”  Ms. Baker offered the following statement, which was published on August 24, 2010 in TheRomanCatholicWorld.com and Spero News.

“This was the first time he [Rick Scott] was asked [about The Jackson Lab proposal].  His comments last night speak to what he thinks about the Jackson lab deal.  This has not been a major issue in the campaign, so we do not talk about it every day.  The Naples Daily News quote, I think, very clearly articulates his position on the deal. I think that Rick’s statement is very clear as to where he stands on the issue. It’s very clear what he thinks about the deal.”

If Mr. Scott is  genuinely seeking election as a conservative Republican governor he must do so while consistently and openly preserving conservative values.  Scott’s constant request to be held accountable can only be granted by the people of Florida if he takes a solid stand on issues.  Voters expect more than short, dismissive and neutral answers to crucial questions.

This election is more than just a battle of ideas.  The ground is shifting , and great changes are at hand.  The American desire for the preservation of liberty is in the ascendant, and the way in which candidates like Rick Scott answer questions cannot come across as if searching for some way out.  This is how individuals and communities become discouraged.

The Jackson Lab scandal is a microcosm of the state of our government– because it smells of corruption, corporate welfare and disregard for the innocent unborn.

Neutrality will never solve these problems.

♦   ♦   ♦

Marielena Montesino de Stuart

You may read Marielena Montesino de Stuart’s observations and opinions through RenewAmerica, USAToday, U.S. Politics Today (a EIN News Service for Political Professionals) Poynter Online, Spero News, The New Liturgical Movement-Poland, The Naples Daily News, Les Femmes-The Truth, Culture War Notes,  ProLife Blogs, The Wanderer, etc.   

TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION:  Ave Maria, Florida + Ave Maria University +  Rick Scott + “Let’s Get to Work” + The Jackson Laboratory + Workshops and Resources for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research + Eugenics + Margaret Sanger + Tom Monaghan + Tom Golisano +  Nick Healy + Nicholas J. Healy Jr., President of AMU + Barron Collier Companies + The Ave Maria Stewardship Community District + Bishop Frank J. Dewane 

E-Mail:  ContactTRCW@aol.com    © All Rights Reserved    www.TheRomanCatholicWorld.com

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AVE MARIA UNIVERSITY and Public Perception

This article is also available through Spero News

“Public Scandals Affect Reputation of Ave Maria University“

The Roman Catholic World

October 6, 2010

by Marielena Montesino de Stuart    E-Mail:  ContactTRCW@aol.com   

Ave Maria, Florida

In less than a month, Ave Maria has been the subject of two “immoral scandals” covered by newspapers and television news.  But this article is not about the details of these scandals, nor about the outcome of any arrest—which almost always involves lawyers and negotiators. 

This article is about how these scandals, as well as the decisions and choices made by Ave Maria University, affect the public perception of Ave Maria Town.

The first scandal was covered by the media on September 7^th, and it involved the “immoral conduct” of the former superior of an Ave Maria University-endorsed religious community on campus, called Home of the Mother, aka, “Hogar de la Madre.”

Then, on October 1^st, the Naples Daily News published a story about an Assistant Baseball Coach at Ave Maria University, who had been arrested the day before, for “indecent exposure in public.” WARNING:  The following link to the Naples Daily News describes the details of the arrest, which  include graphic language and details.

The “university-town”

Ave Maria is a “university-town.”  Given the symbiotic relationship between the town and the university in this isolated area of the Everglades, the decisions made by the university– and the repercussions of those decisions, can also affect the town. 

Ave Maria has a large population of children.  As in any community, children are always the most vulnerable when individuals that engage in “immoral conduct” are in their midst. 

Case in point:  the Home of the Mother religious sister who was accused of engaging in “immoral conduct” with a female university student, was also a teacher at Rhodora J. Donahue Academy, which is the local Ave Maria K-12 school.  Other than the initial official comments made by AMU to the media, no further information has been made public about the outcome of any investigation that may have been conducted about the Home of the Mother religious sister.

The religious sister in question was brought to Ave Maria by Ave Maria University officials, not by the Bishop of this diocese (this cannot be emphasized enough).  Once the Bishop learned about the “immoral conduct” by this Home of the Mother religious sister, he confronted the situation– with consideration and transparency for the community of Ave Maria– by meeting with Ave Maria University officials, so as to  “determine if there are other victims and help any student that might have been harmed.”  

The community of Ave Maria– and society at large, deserve the same degree of consideration and transparency from Ave Maria University, concerning the hiring of the Assistant Baseball Coach who was arrested last week, as well as information regarding his presence in Ave Maria– regardless of the outcome of the arrest.

Questions 

It is a pointless task to attempt to make sense of many of the decisions made by the administration at Ave Maria University, which has former pizza tycoon, Tom Monaghan, as its Chancellor, and a maritime lawyer, Nicholas J. Healy Jr., as its president.  This leaves no other choice but to ask questions. 

So, I submitted a media inquiry to Mr. Healy containing nine questions.  I requested that he respond in writing.  I spoke personally with him on Monday morning (Oct. 4th) when I called to confirm his receipt of my media inquiry.  He answered the phone, but declined to answer any questions, saying that I should address my inquiry to the “proper channels”—then hung up.  His handling of the phone call would make an interesting study in the history of university presidents.

I then submitted the letter  to the Director of Marketing, Deacon Forrest L. Wallace, as per the protocol indicated by Mr. Healy, during last month’s Home of the Mother scandal.  I had to assume that this was the “proper channel.”  Which begs the question—why are these “immoral conduct” scandals considered a “marketing” issue, at a university that claims to be “unabashedly Catholic”?  Is it all about public perception?   Maybe it is time to switch  the “channel.”

Here are the nine questions I presented to Mr. Healy:

1. Have you [Mr. Healy] ever personally met the Assistant Baseball Coach who was arrested last week? 
2. Did AMU conduct a background check on the Assistant Baseball Coach, prior to hiring him?  
3. Was there anything in his background that indicated he should not perform his work as an Assistant Baseball Coach, without supervision? 
4. During the hiring process and in consideration of his position as an Assistant Baseball Coach at AMU, did Ave Maria University ask if he ever had the adjudication of guilt withheld to a crime (felony or first degree misdemeanor)? 
5. Did AMU request character references, other than prior employers or relatives, before  hiring this individual? 
6. Had there been any irregularities or concerns about this individual, expressed to Mr. Healy or to other officials, faculty members or staff, at AMU? 
7. Where did this individual stay during the time that he was performing his work at AMU as an Assistant Baseball Coach?  Did he stay at the AMU campus dormitories?  Did he stay off-campus at a home or property in Ave Maria?  Please note that “stay” can be any time during a 24-hour period. 
8. Did this individual come in contact with minors in Ave Maria, on or off campus? 
9. Will Ave Maria University, through you [Mr. Healy] or through AMU lawyers, provide legal assistance to this individual, or refer him to legal counsel? 

The following is the response that I received from AMU’s Director of Marketing.   Notice that the statement does not mention the name of the Assistant Baseball Coach who was arrested, and the only reference is to “the part-time employee.”   Mr. Wallace wrote in an e-mail that this is the statement that they provided to others: 

Statement regarding employee issues. 

The university has been made aware of the situation with the part-time employee.  Our protocol is to await the outcome of the legal process prior to taking any definitive action.  Until the matter is resolved, the employee in question will be on a leave of absence.  Ave Maria University protects the confidentiality of matters relating to our students, faculty and staff, and it is our policy not to discuss specific details of personnel matters publicly.  Thank you for your understanding. 

[Signed]:  Ave Maria University

It is preposterous for AMU’s administration to respond with such a generic “marketing” statement.  The questions presented to Mr. Healy do not violate the confidentiality of the Assistant Baseball Coach—given that the circumstances of his arrest are a matter of public record.   Ave Maria University can only benefit by being more transparent about the hiring of this coach, and his presence in this community. 

Long-standing concerns about Ave Maria University’s administration

On February 17, 2009 I wrote a commentary titled “Open Letter to the Ave Maria University Board of Trustees” published by the Naples Daily News, where I included my concerns about how the decisions made by the university’s administration could affect the town.  I’m still waiting for an answer to the questions that I posed in that open letter.

Ave Maria University’s influence over Ave Maria Town was very well asserted by the university’s president, Nicholas J. Healy Jr., in his famous quote from The Angelus, titled “University, Town Set Precedent Long Lost in Europe”:

“What kind of university will this be, which will determine the character and ethos of Ave Maria Town?“

— Nicholas J. Healy Jr., President of Ave Maria University   

If we are to believe Mr. Healy’s prophetic statement, then we have cause to be concerned over the latest “immoral conduct” scandals involving individuals hired by Ave Maria University. 

But if marketing and perception is of such importance, then the public also needs to take note of the following marketing fact:  Ave Maria University is NOT a Catholic university, and cannot even call itself a “Catholic university” on its own website, no matter how some may spin it. 

The Bishop of the Diocese of Venice in Florida has never issued official Catholic recognition of Ave Maria University.  The question is—why?

The community of Ave Maria

It is no surprise that Ave Maria University officials have again declined  to answer basic questions, just as with the scandal involving the religious sister from Home of the Mother.  

But have property owners in Ave Maria considered that news about an AMU employee being arrested for indecent exposure in public could affect their property values even further—in an already depressed economy?    

Even though the arrest took place in Naples, how can any family feel encouraged to bring their children to Ave Maria, with news such as this, about someone employed by Ave Maria University?

The reader should be aware that “indecent exposure in public” is only the general description of what has been made public.  This writer is refraining from describing the severity of the circumstances described by the Naples Daily News and television news—leaving such offensive details to other media outlets. 

It is important to note that former employees, who did nothing more than oppose Tom Monaghan’s decisions, were publicly referred to as “academic terrorists.” An amazing difference, when one considers Ave Maria University’s statement about the “protection” and  “confidentiality” extended to this coach, who was arrested for indecent exposure in public.

Will Ave Maria University stand behind this Assistant Baseball Coach, just as it stood behind the Dean of Students after he was arrested in 2009?  Lawyers stepped in, and the charges against the Dean of Students were dropped—but the news and the circumstances of his arrest were also widely covered by the media.

Is the leadership of Ave Maria University listening?

Tom Monaghan and his Ave Maria-brand administrators have been under criticism for many years now.  Their decisions  have been at the center of the criticism.  One of the latest scandals in Monaghan’s bag of decision-making, has been  the naming of a building in honor of Tom Golisano, an individual with a notorious history of monumental financial support of pro-choice institutions and  hard core pro-choice politicians—including Barack Obama.  This decision, and the criticism that continues to this day, affects the community of Ave Maria.   

And now there is the Jackson Lab scandal, and its proposed move to Ave Maria—which received a “go ahead with it” from Tom Monaghan.  It has been reported that Monaghan made the land available for its location in Ave Maria.   This decision, and the criticism that continues to this day, also affects the community of Ave Maria.

The Jackson Lab has a dark history in eugenics, and is involved in holding workshops and providing resources for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research.  There is a battle raging in Collier County over the Jackson Lab proposal of using millions of taxpayer dollars in order to bring this lab to Ave Maria. 

How can university administrators who boast that AMU is “unabashedly Catholic” support the Jackson Lab project—when the Bishop of the Diocese of Venice in Florida has voiced his strong moral concerns about this lab?  But Ave Maria University’s administration remains unmoved by the bishop’s publicly stated opinion.  And Catholic faculty members at AMU have not voiced any public opposition to the Jackson Lab proposal—neither in defense of the unborn, nor in defense of taxpayers.  

Meanwhile, the Jackson Lab is not hiding its agenda.  Charles Hewett, VP of the Jackson Lab, stated to the Naples Daily News on April 10, 2010, “We certainly are very thoughtful about the subject, but not willing to rule out doing human embryonic stem cell research.”  

In the same article, the Naples Daily News published the following statement, by AMU’s president:

“If they [The Jackson Lab] were to locate here I think there would be very considerable benefits to the entire area,” said Nicholas Healy, president of Ave Maria University. “They will bring well-paying jobs and so on. It will help real estate in the town.” 

Silence in the town 

Ave Maria was conceived, designed and promoted to the world as a “university-town.”  Most of the residents moved here in support of that concept.   Given the relationship between the university and the town, one would think that more transparency would exist regarding decisions and choices made by the university, which may impact the public perception of Ave Maria.

Any community, particularly one with so many children, would be signing petitions and demanding public answers from those in charge of employing or endorsing individuals, who end up in the news because of “immoral conduct.”   Why is the community of Ave Maria the exception? 

Randy Engel, a highly acclaimed investigative journalist recently wrote:

“I find this silence to be unnatural and a bit unnerving. It is the same kind of silence one associates with religious cults. Who or what are the people of Ave Maria afraid of?” 

♦    ♦    ♦

References:  

“Academic terrorists”: Captions  In the Light of the Law    Naples Daily News.  Also referenced in PDF articles available here and here. 

“The Jackson Lab, Tom Monaghan and His City of God“             

By Marielena Montesino de Stuart

You may read Marielena Montesino de Stuart’s observations and opinions through RenewAmerica, USAToday, U.S. Politics Today (a EIN News Service for Political Professionals) Poynter Online, Spero News, The New Liturgical Movement-Poland, The Naples Daily News, Les Femmes-The Truth, Culture War Notes,  ProLife Blogs, The Wanderer, etc.

TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION:  Public Scandals Affect Reputation of Ave Maria University + Ave Maria, Florida + Ave Maria University + Home of the Mother and Lesbianism at Ave Maria University + Hogar de la Madre and Lesbianism at Ave Maria University + Arrest of an Assistant Baseball Coach + The Jackson Laboratory + Workshops and Resources for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research + Eugenics + Margaret Sanger + Tom Monaghan + Tom Golisano +  Nick Healy + Nicholas J. Healy Jr., President of AMU + Barron Collier Companies + The Ave Maria Stewardship Community District + Bishop Frank J. Dewane 

E-Mail:  ContactTRCW@aol.com    © All Rights Reserved    www.TheRomanCatholicWorld.com 

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