Civil legal assistance act funded: vetoed a year ago, program is once again back in business.

It was interesting to read in a recent issue that Democratic Sen. Dave Aronberg includes consumer protection issues as one of his two niches in the Senate. The term "consumer protection" implies that he is in favor of legislation that protects consumers. It turns out, however, that Sen. Aronberg's niche is actually protecting car dealers from injured consumers.

Sen. Aronberg sponsored SB 2304 in this year's legislative session. This bill is a pet project of auto dealers in Florida who are looking for virtual immunity from lawsuits. It would have drastically amended Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA), affording almost blanket protection to car dealers. Not consumers. Not even other Florida businesses. Just car dealers. The bill did not pass, but Aronberg has promised to bring it back next year.

What, a Democrat putting big business interests ahead of average citizens, you say? Sadly, Aronberg even has a mentor. In the 2005 legislative session, Democratic Sen. Skip Campbell sponsored a bill that provided car dealers immunity from statutory damages for selling bogus add-on products. Sen. Campbell's bill retroactively immunized car dealers, affecting a number of class action lawsuits filed years earlier. Now Campbell is running as the Democratic candidate for attorney general, the highest consumer protection office in the state.

Sen. Campbell is still enjoying wholesale support from Democrats, so it is easy to see why Aronberg followed his lead. Why not flush traditional party values down the toilet and cozy up to the rich and powerful car dealers if your own political party is going to give you a free pass on the defection?

Both Campbell and Aronberg claim to be consumer protection advocates. Technically, this is correct. Car dealers are loving the protection they are getting from consumers thanks to these two Democrats. Campbell, Aronberg, and other Democrats contemplating abandoning party ideals should know that these actions have not gone unnoticed. Before running for office on a platform of consumer protection, each of them should be prepared to answer the question of exactly how the bills they sponsored offered any protection to Florida consumers.

William C. Bielecky

Tallahassee

Sen. Aronberg responds: Not only are William Bielecky's assertions false, but the opposite is true. I led the opposition to the auto dealer's bill in the 2004 and 2005 legislative sessions.

When the flawed bill was re-introduced yet again in 2006, I took the offensive. I attached my name to the bill in exchange for an agreement to eliminate all the onerous provisions cited by Mr. Bielecky. The strategy worked, and I succeeded in shelving the bill altogether for another year. My door always remains open to people on both sides of this issue, but I will only support a FDUTPA bill that speeds relief to victims and makes them whole.

My focus in the Senate continues to be consumer protection issues. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reviewed my legislative record in May and concluded that I was "likely the strongest consumer advocate in the legislature."

I don't doubt Mr. Bielecky's own dedication to consumer issues. I just wish he knew who his real friends are.

Sen. Dave Aronberg

Greenacres

Sen. Campbell responds: Mr. Bielecky refers to a bill which had nothing to do with consumers' protection. Instead it was filed because some lawyers were using a gotcha attack to secure settlements from car dealers because they were selling an etch vehicle protection product and disclosed it on a buyer's order rather than on a retail sales contract as a form of insurance product. I am not necessarily for the product but I, in good conscience, can't see that justice or fairness to the consumer is accomplished by the failure to use the correct form of contract.

P.S. As soon as the industry found out that there was a technical deficiency, they fixed it.

Sen. Skip Campbell

Ft. Lauderdale