John Morgan jokes, curses, talks third-party gubernatorial run at Capital Tiger Bay Club
Orlando attorney John Morgan. (Photo by Christine Sexton/Florida Phoenix)
Trial attorney John Morgan took Tallahassee by storm on Wednesday as he joked, dropped f-bombs, and gave his 'no bullshit' take on politics in America and Florida.
But when it was done and over, he maintained he is 'serious' about a possible run for governor.
By his own reckoning, Morgan's extensive experience with helping to finance proposed constitutional amendments for medical marijuana in 2016, increases in minimum wage in 2020, and legalization of marijuana in 2024, have given him the campaign chops he needs if he does choose to run for governor.
Morgan also acknowledged he has plenty of name recognition due to his role as the founder and face of the Morgan & Morgan law firm.
He figures he can afford to wait and see how other candidates fare down the 'home stretch.' He likened it to running a sprint rather than a marathon.
'I'd rather have a three-month window than an 18-month window,' he said.
While Morgan was less than firm about his run for office, he said he is moving ahead with real plans to form a third party in the state. A new party is necessary, he said, because the existing parties have been hijacked by factions that he doesn't feel represent many of their members.
Republicans are controlled by supporters of Donald Trump as opposed to 'country club Republicans,' Morgan said, while Democrats are in the thrall of progressives and 'socialists' such as U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. He said that both sides refuse to compromise.
He argued that the polarization in the country is because many people are angry over income inequality and it helped lead Trump supporters to riot on Jan. 6.
'We're stuck in the middle, and we don't have a voice, any voice, but yet, we have a lot to say, but we're paralyzed,' Morgan said. 'So my belief is this: I believe that we need a third party.'
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Morgan said he will choose the party's name through a competition he will sponsor with a cash prize for the winning entry. He said he has already brought in a lawyer to help draft the paperwork to launch the party.
In addition to discussing his political future, Morgan weighed in on Florida's current political events as well as its past.
He took repeated shots at DeSantis and said the 2023 insurance changes meant to lower property coverage rates were a 'a money grab' for the governor to run for president.
'And who lost? Every homeowner in Florida. There's going to be a day of reckoning. There's going to be a hurricane, and it's going to be bad,' he said.
Morgan facetiously spoke about DeSantis being a 'hard-working governor,' noting that he saw him at the Kentucky Derby in Churchill Downs on May 3 and a Formula 1 sprint event at the Miami Grand Prix later the next day.
'So, he's always working for us, constantly working for us and for our benefit,' Morgan said.
Morgan conceded being a 'billionaire' who lives in Maui during the winter. He says he 'smokes a lot of dope out there' because it's 'relaxing.'
He recalled earlier this year getting texts and videos of the governor invoking his name 'everywhere' and talking about his sway with members of the Legislature. Given the alleged influence he has over legislators, Morgan said he had a simple question for them: 'When the f— are they gonna start doing what I tell them to do?'
He declared the Democratic Party of Florida dead and put the blame squarely on former Tallahassee mayor and 2020 Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Andrew Gillum, who lost his bid for governor by 34,000 votes in 2018 to DeSantis.
Morgan also opined that the Legislature shouldn't meet every year but every other year instead.
'Because every time they meet they screw us over,' Morgan said.
He questioned whether Florida needs its Governor's Mansion, a lieutenant governor, or agriculture commissioner.
He predicted the latest effort to legalize marijuana in Florida will pass despite the constitutional ballot changes the Legislature recently passed and DeSantis signed into law.
'It's sickening, because what it means is politicians want to have total control so they can take care of their special interests — cable companies, the fire companies, the sugar people. They don't want us to have a say, because they know we, the people, are dangerous. We're dangerous when we get to vote, and they don't want that,' he said.
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