Criminal justice reporters, drop what you are doing and call @gnewburn. When FL finally reduces its absurd level of incarceration, we will look back at this night and passage of Amendment 11. And you need to know why it was on the ballot.
2.5 years ago, Greg came to @JulieOnJustice and me and said, "I have an idea for getting rid of the Savings Clause so we can make the recent reforms we've won retroactive." He outlined a plan to go through the Constitution Revision Commission instead of the expensive
signature-gathering process. We reached out to donors for support at this time. Folks weren't that interested. Greg found champions to carry it through the CRC and we were shocked - shocked - no one opposed it as it moved this summer to passage. Amendment 11 was on the ballot.
When we got on the ballot, we sought funding again and folks were already tied up with other campaign, including Amendment 4, a very worthy cause. This amendment, however, is the key to getting people out of prison now who are serving excessive sentences. We thought it was huge.
One major CJR funder gave us money to explore a campaign. Polling was bad, even though focus groups showed path to victory. Campaign would have been expensive, everyone thought. Oh well, it was a good try. We scraped together a little money for a website...
and sent flyers into the prison just in past two weeks. And now Amendment 11 is poised to pass. There is NO DOUBT that we were carried by support for Amendment 4 and I am proud of @Volzie and everyone who worked on that. But Amendment 11 wouldn't have been on ballot...
without @gnewburn and his vision 2.5 years ago. I swear, this will be something that matters to thousands and thousands of families in the future. Now write THAT story. I will show you the emails to prove it. Congrats to my brother from another mother. Proud of you.
And every funder in CJR movement should be happy that this was done for nearly free!
