Florida House staffer FIRED after calling Stoneman Douglas students 'crisis actors'

Greg P. | 9:51 AM on February 21, 2018

Benjamin Kelly, and aide to state Rep. Shawn Harrison (District 63, Hillsborough County, FL) was fired on Tuesday after sending an email via his state address to Tampa Bay Times reporter Alex Leary claiming two of the students from Stoneman Douglas HS were actually “crisis actors”:

An aide to state Rep. Shawn Harrison, using state email, sent me this: "Both kids in the picture are not students here but actors that travel to various crisis when they happen." https://t.co/UFD1ZXGNjr

— Alex Leary (@learyreports) February 20, 2018

Here’s the email:

Here's the email. I asked for more information to back up the claim and was sent another email that linked to a YouTube conspiracy video. pic.twitter.com/VRSVOcjj3E

— Alex Leary (@learyreports) February 20, 2018

Kelley was quickly called out for spreading the debunked conspiracy theory, including by Sen. Marco Rubio:

Claiming some of the students on tv after #Parkland are actors is the work of a disgusting group of idiots with no sense of decency

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 20, 2018

Rep. Harrison, upon reading the report from Leary, placed Kelly on leave:

I was just made aware that my aide made an insensitive and inappropriate allegation about Parkland students today. I have spoken to him and placed him on leave until we determine an appropriate course of action. I do not share his opinion and he did so without my knowledge.

— Shawn Harrison (@ShawnHarrisonFL) February 20, 2018

Kelly was later fired for the email by Speaker of the Florida House Richard Corcoran:

Tonight Mr. Kelly was terminated from his position as my District Secretary. I am appalled at and strongly denounce his comments about the Parkland students. I am again sorry for any pain this has caused the grieving families of this tragedy.

— Shawn Harrison (@ShawnHarrisonFL) February 21, 2018