Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll apologized to Nadine Smith, director of the group Equity Florida. The move stems from nearly two weeks of controversy surrounding comments Carroll made to a reporter when she said lesbians don't look like her, according to the Huffington Post .
July 11: Allegations of lesbian affair surfaced
Carletha Cole, a former aide to Carroll, alleged in court documents she discovered Carroll in a compromising position with another female aide, Beatriz "Bibi" Ramos. Cole also claims Ramos is living in Carroll's home. The Miami New Times reported Cole is a minister and grandmother. The accuser also faces several years in prison for allegedly making illegal audio recordings without the consent of Carroll.
July 13: Attorney defended allegations against statewide officeholder
Steven Webster, Cole's attorney, claims Carroll's chief of staff made the secret recordings. A fire in the lieutenant governor's office started in a trash can, which Webster claims was deliberately set aflame after an argument in the office, according to Tampa Bay Online . Court documents also claim conversations were secretly recorded at the direction of Gov. Rick Scott.
July 14: Disparaging comment
WTSP interviewed Carroll ahead of a Mitt Romney rally in Orange Park, Fla. In response to a question, Carroll said, "The problem is that when you have these accusations that come out, it's not just one person you're attacking. It's an entire family. My husband doesn't want to hear that. He knows the type of woman I am. I mean, my kids know the type of woman I am. For 29 years -- I'm the one that's married for 29 years. The accuser is the one that's been single for a long time. So usually black women that look like me don't engage in relationships like that."
July 17: Prosecutor mulled more charges
CBS Miami reported a state attorney considered more charges against Cole. The accuser was arrested last October on charges she gave a recorded conversation to a reporter. That happened less than a month after Cole was fired from her position as an analyst on Carroll's staff.
July 18: Democratic response
Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith responded to Carroll's statement by saying, "Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll has embarrassed our state with her public comments insulting the gay and lesbian community ... It is sad to see an elected leader relying on unfair stereotypes to deflect criticism."
July 24: Gag order refused
Circuit Court Judge Frank Sheffield refused a state attorney's request for a gag order on the case. The Miami Herald reported Florida Bar rules prevent lawyers from talking about evidence in the first place.
July 26: Apology issued, accepted
Carroll issued an apology letter to Equality Florida, a civil rights advocacy group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Floridians. According to the Miami Herald , the group launched an online petition demanding an apology. In her letter to Smith, Carroll said, "The false charges that have been lodged against me are no excuse for what I have said that may have been hurtful to members of your organization and to other Floridians."
Smith accepted the apology by saying, "On behalf of a Equality Florida, I want to thank Lt. Gov. Carroll for taking responsibility for her words and for responding to the harm those words inflicted."
William Browning is a research librarian specializing in U.S. politics.
