It was a lively atmosphere outside Collier County Courthouse on this past Saturday morning, despite the oppressive humidity and temperatures in the high 80s. David Jolly, a former member of Congress who’d represented Pinellas County, was the speaker for an open Town Hall meeting.
Hundreds of people showed up to hear what Jolly had to say and ask him their questions. The gathering is one of the grassroots events that people in Southwest Florida and across the country have been putting on to protest the Trump administration’s policies.
The group has been gathering about every two weeks since shortly after Trump took office. They assemble at the Collier County Courthouse, which allows for peaceful protests without a permit. A city park such as Cambier Park in Naples would require a permit.
Among the messages Jolly gave from the stage is that we are in a constitutional crisis.
“When the President of the United States looks at Congress and says, ‘I don't care about the budget you pass or the laws you pass, that’s been signed into law, I'm going to ignore it and do what I want,’ that's a crisis. When the President looks at the courts and says, ‘I don't care what you're telling me to do, I'm going to ignore your orders,’ that's a crisis. When the President looks at individuals across the United States, particularly black and brown individuals in our communities, and says, ‘I don't care about your due process,’ that's a crisis,” Jolly said.
Jolly, who served in Congress from 2014-2017 as a Republican, changed his party affiliation recently to Democrat and is, he said in an interview, is considering a run for Governor of Florida in 2026.
“I do think among all communities across the state of Florida, among all folks, regardless of their station in life, the affordability crisis is first and foremost, a problem they're concerned about. I do think we've abandoned public schools. I think we need to return to celebrating public education, celebrating teachers. And look, I think there's a culture of corruption in Tallahassee that has evident this cycle in ways that has not been evident before. I think we can look at being a state that actually welcomes everybody, regardless of where you come from, regardless of who you love or who you worship,” said Jolly.
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