Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersApril 21, 2017

Friends of the court are beginning to crowd into the Florida Supreme Court case pitting Orlando’s State Attorney Aramis Ayala and Gov. Rick Scott, with families of homicide victims siding with Scott, and the ACLU and House Minority Leader Janet Cruz siding with Ayala on Friday. Several filings Friday are loading the case with friends. Also Friday, a group […]

Mitch PerryMarch 27, 2017

A bill that would increase the penalties for certain violent offenses if the defendant is an undocumented immigrant advanced in a Florida House Committee on Monday. The legislation, sponsored by Cape Coral Republican Rep. Dane Eagle (HB 83), would upgrade penalties for five different violent crimes committed by undocumented immigrants, including sexual battery, aggravated assault with a […]

Scott PowersMarch 17, 2017

A group of church and civil rights leaders joined mothers of slaying victims from Florida and Central Florida Friday outside the office of State Attorney Aramis Ayala. They were there to send a message to her and the community. “We stand with you, State Attorney Ayala,” proclaimed Christine Henderson of Equal Justice USA of Florida. She and a […]

Scott PowersMarch 15, 2017

The Consul of the Mexican Consulate in Orlando and several groups blasted a Florida senate bill Wednesday that would make one set of criminal codes for undocumented immigrants and another for everyone else. Mexico Consul Juan Sabines Guerrero called Senate Bill 120 “condemnable by society as a whole” as he and representatives of the ACLU and […]

Mitch PerryMarch 10, 2017

ACLU executive director Anthony Romero and author/actress/talk-show host Padma Lakshmi will be among the participants at an ACLU town hall meeting scheduled for Saturday afternoon on the University of Miami campus focused on resisting President Trump’s immigration policies. “The Resistance Training: An ACLU Town Hall” will feature PeoplePower.org, the civil liberty group’s new grassroots mobilization platform launched to […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 14, 2017

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A federal case on the state’s new abortion law has taken another twist with a filing from Attorney General Pam Bondi‘s office. Late Monday, her office notified the court of proposed rules related to the law that could affect Senior U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle‘s consideration of a pending request for a preliminary injunction. The controversy in question involves part of the law […]

Mitch PerryDecember 13, 2016

A host of groups and individuals – led by the Florida ACLU – have filed a lawsuit in the U.S District Court for the Northern District of Florida challenging a state law that requires groups to register with the state and pay a fee if they advise or help women seek abortions. The lawsuit also challenges a […]

Mitch PerryDecember 8, 2016

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On Wednesday, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel traveled to Trump Tower to hand deliver a letter signed by 17 big-city Democratic mayors urging President-elect Donald Trump to reconsider his vow to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), the provision that protects young, so-called Dreamers who came to the country before the age of 16 from deportation and allows them to study […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterSeptember 8, 2016

It’s been overlooked for years, but criminal justice reform could be coming down the pike. Sen. Jeff Brandes said he hopes to make reforming the system a top priority, but told the Florida Association of Professional Lobbyists it could take years before reforms are achieved. Calls for reform aren’t new, but they are growing louder. […]

Mitch PerryAugust 29, 2016

Tampa Bay Democratic U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor expressed disappointment Monday that only 13 percent of eligible voters in Hillsborough County have voted by mail or at the polls heading into Election Day on Tuesday, the last day to vote in this year’s primary election. “We can do a lot better,” said Castor, who will face Republican Christine Quinn when she runs for her seat […]

Tag: ACLU

Families of homicide victims, ACLU, Janet Cruz join filers in Aramis Ayala case

Bill that would increase penalties for undocumented violent offenders advances in Florida House

Church, Civil Rights leaders, slaying victims’ mothers rally for Aramis Ayala

Mexico Consul, ACLU, Civil Rights groups blast immigrant crime bill

Anthony Romero, Padma Lakshmi and MILCK to participate in ACLU Resistance Training town hall in Miami on Saturday

Pam Bondi steps into federal case over state’s abortion law

ACLU files suit challenging Florida law requiring those who advise a woman considering an abortion to register with the state

Bob Buckhorn says, if asked, he would have signed immigration letter to Donald Trump

Jeff Brandes turns attention to criminal justice reform

On eve of primary election, Kathy Castor laments low turnout so far in Hillsborough County