We don't know if he got Florida House Republican candidate Todd Marks' memo, but Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum today, in a tight race for the GOP nomination for governor, called on Governor Charlie Crist to begin using the Department of Homeland Security's E-Verify program to verify the legal status of all employees working in state agencies. McCollum wrote:
“While I have a great respect for immigrants who go through proper legal
channels to live in our country, I am extremely troubled by those who
choose to ignore that process to live and work here illegally, taking jobs
which might otherwise be available to the thousands of Floridians who are
currently out of work,” wrote the Attorney General.
“As one of Florida’s largest employers, state government should lead by
example. I am requesting that you use your authority to direct state
agencies under your supervision to use the E-Verify system as soon as
possible to verify the employment eligibility of all new hires upon
employment,” continued the Attorney General.
In calling for E-Verify, McCollum is picking up on a call that Hillsborough area Republican Todd Marks began making months ago.
Marks, a candidate in the Florida House District 57 race, called for Florida to adopt such a plan more than two month ago in a debate against his Republican opponents.
McCollum is struggling in what was supposed to be a cakewalk to his nomination as the GOP candidate for governor, with opponent Rick Scott spending millions of dollars in just a few months to take a current lead against the longtime politico who has been in and out of public office for over nearly three decades.
