  We present multi-epoch optical spectroscopy of seven southern Fermi-monitored
blazars from 2008 - 2013 using the Small and Medium Aperture Research Telescope
System (SMARTS), with supplemental spectroscopy and polarization data from the
Steward Observatory. We find that the emission lines are much less variable
than the continuum; 4 of 7 blazars had no detectable emission line variability
over the 5 years. This is consistent with photoionization primarily by an
accretion disk, allowing us to use the lines as a probe of disk activity.
Comparing optical emission line flux with Fermi $\gamma$-ray flux and optical
polarized flux, we investigate whether relativistic jet variability is related
to the accretion flow. In general, we see no such dependence, suggesting the
jet variability is likely caused by internal processes like turbulence or shock
acceleration rather than a variable accretion rate. However, three sources
showed statistically significant emission line flares in close temporal
proximity to very large Fermi $\gamma$-ray flares. While we do not have
sufficient emission line data to quantitatively assess their correlation with
the $\gamma$-ray flux, it appears that in some cases, the jet might provide
additional photoionizing flux to the broad line region, which implies some
gamma-rays are produced within the broad line region, at least for these large
flares.

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena;Astrophysics of Galaxies