A Dozen Revelations From Jeb Bush's Email Trove

— -- Jeb Bush received thousands of emails during his eight years as governor of Florida before the likely 2016 presidential candidate announced in a recent interview with ABC News’ Miami affiliate WPLG-TV he would release about 250,000 of them in 2015.

He vowed to do so in the name of “transparency,” but it’s important to note, given Florida’s open records laws, it’s likely he also knew they would be released whether he was behind it or not.

Bush, 61, recently announced he will “actively explore the possibility of running for president,” which heightened interest in those emails and conversations.

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ABC News received the huge email trove after an open records request to the state of Florida, where Bush was governor from 1999 to 2007.

A preliminary review of the cache shows Bush’s heavy use of e mail and his interacting with hundreds of constituents on a variety of issues, including lighthearted exchanges, some in Spanish. The constituent emails he received daily ranged from mundane questions and comments to what would now be known as Internet trolling.

Many of the emailers note the governor’s reputation for email use in their hopes for responses. The emails show Bush took a notably hands-on approach to many aspects of governing the state.

Bush said he will also release an ebook next year and is using his emails as a guide in writing it. His recent actions, besides the announcement, also indicate a serious interest in a White House run. Over the past few weeks he has resigned from boards including timber company Raynonier Inc., Tenet Healthcare and an advisory position at Barclays.

Such actions are all “part of the process he is going through in reviewing all of his commitments as he begins to actively explore a potential run,” Bush spokeswoman Kristy Campbell told ABC News.

Here are a dozen interesting exchanges from the email trove, which includes all eight years he was in office.

Elian Gonzales

In 1999, 6-year-old Elian Gonzalez was found off the coast of Florida. His mother died on the journey from Cuba to Florida, but the boy survived the escape and was released to relatives in Florida, setting off a high-profile custody battle with his father that gripped the nation and culminated in a federal raid to seize the boy and return him to his father. Critics of the episode saw it as a victory for Cuba. Bush received emails on both sides of the issue and he responded to several.

On April 22, the day federal agents seized Elian Gonzalez in the raid, Bush described it in emails to constituents as a “horrible day,” he was “sickened” and said the actions were “horrific. “ He wrote that he “went to sleep believing that a deal was in the works and it now appears that it was a sham,” and that he was “heartbroken” over the raid.

A month before Gonzalez was returned, Bush received an email saying the “plight of this poor kid is horrible, however, this is just another result of the Federal Government not handling problems in a timely and non-partisan way.” The constituent had blamed the federal government for not giving Florida the resources to deal with the “illegal immigration problem.” He said of then- Attorney General Janet Reno: “Her, and the whole Clinton machine should be put in jail. I don't know how you can not show your disgust with the whole thing. Your [sic] doing fine, please stay the course.”

Bush wrote back two days later thanking the man for writing and jabbing Bill Clinton, president at the time.

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In April 2000, an emailer wrote to complain about the “amount of energy being exhausted by Congress on how to solve the growing social security issue. I thought I might pass this on to you and hope some how you might filter the suggestion on to your brother George's staff,” who was then running for the White House.

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The writer gave what he believed was his solution to the problem. Just nine minutes later, Bush responded: “i am sorry, can you say who you are?,” signing the response: “Jeb.”

In March of 2000, Bush got into a back and forth with a woman who asked him “WHO MONITORS THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS?” complaining to the Florida governor about one of her son’s teachers. Bush wrote back saying, “Parents have the prime responsibility to monitor private schools. Schools' reputations draw parents to them but their results are what keep students there. Accreditation can also provide parents some guidance.”

The mother was unhappy with Bush’s response, writing, “[W]ell sir, I thought that there must be some government agency that creates the standard for private schools,” asking why the government does not monitor them, calling it “outrageous.”

Bush responded again saying private schools that participate in a certain scholarship program “must be accredited,” among other regulations.

“Government regulation beyond that would be an intrusion that would not enhance the child's chance for a better education,” Bush wrote. “Thank you for writing.”

In March 2000, Bush received another complaint in all capital letters with the emailer writing: “MR. BUSH, I HAVE WRITTEN TO YOU BEFORE CONCERNING WHAT DOES AND DOES NOT GO ON WITHIN HRS AND HOW THINGS ARE NOT HANDLED.”

Bush writes back seeming to understand she is referring to the state’s Department of Children and Families, writing he is interested that those who access those services are “treated with respect.”

In August of 1999, Bush received an emailing complaining about parking at the University of South Florida. The address of the mailer is “Me Love U Long Time.”

Bush responds directly a few hours later: “Thanks for writing. You have an interesting email address. We increased by over 12% to the university system. It is up to the universities and the Board of Regents to do what they can with that money.”

The War in Iraq

In the complaint pile were emailers trying to link or blame Bush to his brother George W. Bush, including on the issue of the Iraq War.

In March 2003, right before the invasion of Iraq an emailer wrote the governor: “This war will make George W [sic] go down as the worst president in history and you will suffer for that too.”

Bush responded, defending his brother, who was then president: “I respectfully disagree with you. I think our President is right on track."

Don’t Hang Up If the Governor Calls