A Daytona Beach News-Journal editorial
It would be silly to pretend that the U.S. Constitution doesn’t matter in Flagler County. Of course it does. It matters in every corner of the county: In the workplaces, the schools, the libraries, on the streets. It matters in sprawling, suburban Palm Coast; in Bunnell’s county seat; in tiny communities like Korona that have identities but no legal form. It matters in the dozens of houses of worship across the county. It matters in Flagler County’s elections office, in its courtrooms and in its jail. It matters in the places where homeless people gather to take shelter from the rain.
The Constitution is the foundational law of our democracy. It never ceases to matter, in its magnificent entirety.
And we would certainly like to believe it matters to Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins as well, so much so that he recently dragooned the rest of the commission into a vote of support for that august document. Put in context, however, it’s difficult to believe Mullins regards the Constitution as anything more than a platform for a political stunt, to be brandished at a politically trying time.
At the meeting, Mullins seemed most concerned by decisions by privately held social media sites who had banned former President Donald Trump from their pages, though he seemed to be confused about the scope of the First Amendment, which doesn’t govern actions by private companies. And he left little doubt about his ardent support for the Second Amendment. But the rest of the Constitution? We’re not so sure.
Normally we would refrain from guessing how someone feels, in their heart of hearts. But we have witnessed Mullins’ outspoken rejection of the results of the 2020 presidential election. We have read his astounding request to Florida’s congressional delegation, on official county letterhead, that representatives and senators ignore the very detailed process set out in the Constitution, and find a way to nullify legally cast votes in Georgia, Pennsylvania and other states. As backup, Mullins repeated several assertions that were known to be false. Where was his respect for the Constitution then — or as recently as late March when he told a gathering of fellow conservatives Joe Biden “is not our voted-in president”?
We have also witnessed his fulminating about former News-Journal staffer Pierre Tristam, the editor of the Flagler Live news site — who is, as we are certain Mullins is quite aware, protected by the First Amendment. Was Mullins thinking about the First Amendment when he posted pictures of Tristam’s head digitally altered onto the body of a cockroach? How about when he derisively mocked Muslims?
Was he musing on the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution when he suggested, on his radio infomercial, that liberals should be beheaded? Was he pondering the Fourteenth Amendment’s equal-protection clause when, at that same late-March meeting, he mocked transgender people and more temperately suggested liberals should be “put on a bus” and sent elsewhere?
We would believe Mullins, however, if he spoke lovingly of the Constitution’s guarantee of access to the courts, and due process for those accused of wrongdoing — such as, for example, his right to defend himself against a lawsuit alleging he sold invalid tickets to the 2018 and 2019 Masters golf tournaments to a travel company.
Overall, however, we must join those registering doubt of his sincerity last week, when he pushed the resolution of support for the Constitution that allowed him to unleash a flood of patriotic-sounding rhetoric in the middle of a commission meeting. And though his fellow commissioners played along, we suspect that the time is fast approaching when even the most conservative of his colleagues will tire of his antics.
For now, though, we’ll close with this: The next time Mullins wants to talk about the Constitution, he should download a new copy. If he was, in fact, sincere, it seems likely that his personal copy of the Constitution has more than a few pages missing.
The editorial ran in the April 27 edition of the News-Journal. It is reprinted here with permission.
Gray says
Excellent article and everyone in Flagler county should read it. We have to get him out of office in the next election. The other commissioner’s are apparently scared to stand up to him.
Rick G says
Mullins should extract his head from 45’s derrière long enough to smell the anti pragmatism he spouts out on a regular basis.
Mike Cocchiola says
It won’t stop at this useless political stunt. Mullins wants to declare Flagler a “second amendment sanctuary” so everyone can carry guns. Next, bring prayer into government and schools. Then. deal firmly with those people in Flagler he deems to be liberal. Remember, he called for beheading liberals and putting them on a train to… where??
This nutjob is a conman who is facing an extensive lawsuit for fraud, a “former” drug addict, a suspected purveyor of paid female escorts (remember the infamous Uber Affair?), and a man who published lurid online pictures of his former wife. And he’s running for reelection to the BOCC in a district that he doesn’t even live in.
Hey Joe… remember that 1st amendment you are so fond of? I get to say all this because I can back it all up with known facts.
Captain says
Too all that voted for this unstable man you have YOURSELF TO BLAME
Steve says
Lil Joe will dry up and blow away like the two lil raisins down below.
ASF says
It’s like that news picture of Donald Trump, Mullins alter-ego, clutching a Bible as he staged his armed march in Washington DC. The Bible was but a prop for Trump, just as the Constitution is but a prop for Mullins.
Both are national embarrassments. The more Mullins thinks he is able to get away with, the worse stunts he will try to pull. So, we better get ready and brace ourselves since we, the people, don’t seem to be willing or able to do much of anything else..
Dennis says
Yea, let’s talk about the constitution. Here. Please have the Democratic Party read this item so the know what is in it. Most politicians from both sides do t like the constitution so they try to side step.
Mythoughts says
Thank you News Journal for reporting the facts about little man Mullin who acts like he is a know-it all and lacks knowledge about the US Constitution.
He is a little man with a big mouth. He has caused taxpayers to no longer respect the Flagler County Commissioners because they lack the courage to have DeSantis remove him from office.
Now the taxpayers realize in the election to vote for all new commissioners one that don’t allow a loud mouth bully control them.
Trailer Bob says
Mullins, please go back to Georgia, you are an embarrassment to real Republicans.
Brian Riehle says
Joe Mullins seems yo be the new voice of the Republican Party in Flagler County.
The Voice Of Reason says
To be a current Republican and vote for the likes of trump, mullins, scott, rubio, desantis, graham, mcconnell, greene, bobert, see how the USA handled covid the worst in the world, over half a million dead, sheer stupidity setting public health policy, ignoring and attacking and ridiculing science, running up massive public debt before and after covid. You MUST look in the mirror and think, what a complete dumb ass I am. Or you’re quite simply a brain dead mentally ill gullible sucker. A hopeless, pathetic loser. The truth hurts. With citizens like you, the USA is up s..ts creek.
Common Sense says
Is it wrong to have elected officials go through a mental health evaluation before being elected? Anyone who seriously believes Donald Trump is still president, or that jewish space lasers cause wildfires, is not mentally sound and should not be able to hold public office.
Edith Campins says
How exactly are Democrats in Flagler County sidestepping the Constitution? Be specific. Cite examples.
Realist says
I cannot wait to vote him out in the next election.