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her
which is somewhat surprising for a politician who has recently published a very candid book, When You Get There, that
could expose Florida state politics for its notoriously racist
flaws and aid in the ousting of incumbent Gov. Rick Scott in
the November 4 election. But what has she got to be afraid
of? The retired decorated U.S. Navy lieutenant commander
was built for storms like this.
The whistle-blowing autobiography, which became an
Amazon best-seller the first week of release in August,
has given Carroll, 55, an opportunity to share her version
of events that led up to her March 2013 resignation, which
she insists were all part of a plot spearheaded by one of the
governors chiefs of staff, Steve MacNamara, who himself resigned amid controversy. Despite its tell-all nature, her book
is actually much more. It reveals the triumph-over-tragedy
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EBONY: Have you heard from Gov. Rick Scott or Steve MacNamara about these allegations?
CARROLL: If they had empathy or any regret for what they
did, they would reach out. What I found in politics is that
instead of people having a bit of humility or asking for forgiveness, they tend to get more hardened.
Tell-all books can be taboo in politics. Why not simply do a major television interview?
CARROLL: Fifteen minutes of an interview can get lost. The
book is everlasting; its in print, and people can go back to
it. Writing this book was my way of countering the press, to
put the facts out.
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EBONY:
EBONY:
EBONY:
EBONY:
EBONY:
The former
lieutenant
governor of
Florida remains
poised and
professional
as she candidly
discusses her
time in office.
EBONY:
a stage of anger.
EBONY:
CARROLL:
EBONY: In the end, you said that Gov. Scott never came to
your defense. How did that make you feel?
CARROLL: Knowing what I did to get him elected, he didnt
even have the common courtesy to allow both of us to talk
to the press together. I was so hurt and pissed when I heard
his press conference the next day. I could not believe the
level of betrayal and the lack of appreciation for my loyalty.
How did you endure all of this and still come out
on the other end?
CARROLL: I went through a stage of depression, a stage of
withdrawal and a stage of anger. Had it not been for my
firm belief in God, I would not be here talking to you today.
My healing process was writing the book.
EBONY:
EBONY: Changing course a bit, is there any truth to the allegations that ultimately forced you to resign from office?
You were named in the 2013 racketeering investigation
of Allied Veterans of the World, a charity that operated
a chain of Internet sweepstakes cafes.
CARROLL: Any wrongful activity with Allied Veterans
never occurred. As a matter of fact, the Florida Depart-
EBONY: When someone recognizes your contribution to history as the first Black person and the first woman elected
to be lieutenant governor of Florida, how do you feel?
CARROLL: It makes me feel good, but being first in anything
is not the important part. It is what you do with it to help
other people thats most important.
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