Rail bill's own breakfast-gate

In an apparent attempt to evade capture by public records requests, “pancakes,” “waffles” and “French toast” were used as code words in e-mails about rail legislation between top officials at the Florida Department of Transportation and perhaps others involved in crafting the bill approved by the Legislature during the recent special session.

That discovery, following an initial public records request from rail opponent Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, prompted another round of records requests by Dockery aides attempting to find out what's been going on between CSX, FDOT and other legislators with hands in negotiating, writing and amending the legislation.

Dockery, a candidate for governor who was in Sarasota Dec. 13 for a Republican Party event, says she may write a book about the whole affair that ultimately led to the passage of legislation setting the ground work for the $2.66 billion 61-mile commuter rail project running on CSX tracks through Central Florida.