Jim Rosica, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaAugust 11, 2016

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Lingering judicial vacancies aren’t causing a crisis in Florida’s federal courts — yet. That’s the upshot of a new study out Thursday from Integrity Florida, a government watchdog group. The state has four* unfilled U.S. district judgeships out of 37. That’s only an 11 percent vacancy here, which tracks with 10 percent of the nation’s 677 district […]

Jim RosicaAugust 10, 2016

The winners of the congressional redistricting case are still waiting on a federal court to decide if U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown should pay their bills. Lisa Hall, spokeswoman for the plaintiffs, said “there has been no ruling … so our fee motions remain pending.” In May, the League of Women Voters of Florida, Common Cause […]

Jim RosicaAugust 10, 2016

Incoming House Democratic Leader Janet Cruz of Tampa has let go two top staffers as she remakes the chamber’s Minority Office. Its staff director, 17-year House veteran Durward Brewer, and communications director Paul Flemming have been released, Cruz said Wednesday. Taking Brewer’s place will be Joe McCann, a lobbyist and former senior VP at the Ballard Partners lobbying firm and a […]

Jim RosicaAugust 9, 2016

A Miami attorney with the Greenberg Traurig law firm has become president-elect of the American Bar Association, the firm announced Tuesday. Hilarie Bass, co-president of the firm, will assume the presidency next August. She is perhaps best known for leading the effort “to eliminate Florida’s 20-year-old ban on gay adoption, which was found unconstitutional in 2010 and led to […]

Jim RosicaAugust 9, 2016

Some states recently have been moving to ease or eliminate restrictions on food stamps for people with drug convictions. Florida isn’t one of them. It’s now one of a handful of states that still prohibits drug-felony ex-cons from getting help. But its neighbor to the north is, reports Stateline, the Pew Charitable Trusts’ state policy blog. Both […]

Jim RosicaAugust 9, 2016

A Jacksonville judge has formally denied allegations he made racially biased and other derogatory comments off the bench, including calling a female attorney the “c-word.” Late Monday, Circuit Judge Mark Hulsey III filed a written response to judicial misconduct charges against him. He also asked for a separate investigation into a leak of the case before it became […]

Jim RosicaAugust 8, 2016

A bid protest filed over a Florida Lottery advertising contract worth $125 million has been “dismissed,” a spokeswoman said Monday. Lottery communications director Connie Barnes, in response to an inquiry from FloridaPolitics.com, said the “dispute has been dismissed.” She did not offer further details, including when and why. Barnes did not immediately respond to a request for more information. “The Lottery is […]

Jim RosicaAugust 8, 2016

It’s the kind of crime that’s enough to make you spit up: A Florida couple was convicted of charges that they systematically ripped off about $2 million worth of baby formula. Attorney General Pam Bondi‘s office announced the convictions Monday. It was all part of a “multi-state, multimillion dollar scheme that involved selling stolen formula […]

Jim RosicaAugust 8, 2016

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Florida Polytechnic University’s main building that looks a louvered flying saucer at rest “now ranks as one of the 16 “most breathtaking” buildings in the world, the school said in a Monday press release. “Business Insider’s ‘Tech Insider’ magazine surveyed 16 prominent architects, asking each to pick just one structure they fondly think of as […]

Jim RosicaAugust 8, 2016

The Florida Senate’s underground parking garage won’t reopen for another two years, a state spokeswoman said Monday. It’ll be June 2018 before senators and staffers will again be able to park under the Capitol complex, according to Maggie Mickler, spokeswoman for the Department of Management Services (DMS), which oversees the Capitol. Meantime, DMS has been working with the Senate […]

Jim Rosica
Helene, early Sept. 27. Image via NOAA via AP.

Watchdog group warns of federal judicial vacancies

Still no word on whether Corrine Brown owes redistricting plaintiffs

Janet Cruz shakes up House Dems office, hires Joe McCann

Miami attorney to become head of ABA

Unlike other states, Fla. still bans food stamps for drug cons

Jax judge denies calling woman lawyer ‘c-word’

Protest over $125 million Lottery contract ‘dismissed’

Florida authorities bust baby formula theft ring

Florida Poly ‘spaceship’ building is now ‘breathtaking’

Florida Senate’s underground parking closed for two more years