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

Jim RosicaFebruary 15, 2016

Companies seeking to influence the Florida Legislature paid a median of $31,213,000 for the last quarter of 2015, according to data released Monday by the state. That’s a $531,000 increase over the preceding quarter, but still less than the $34,890,000 paid in the first quarter and $35,696,000 during the second. The 2015 Legislative Session overlapped those two quarters, and […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 15, 2016

Ballard Partners, the Tallahassee-based firm with offices around the state, has repeated as the top paid legislative lobbying concern, reporting median compensation of $2,346,000 for the last quarter of 2015. The state released lobbying compensation data on Monday, with LobbyTools crunching the numbers. Ballard Partners, formed by Republican insider Brian Ballard, also came out on top […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 13, 2016

About a quarter-century ago, a pack of Marlboro cigarettes sealed a friendship between the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and Florida legal legend Talbot “Sandy” D’Alemberte. It was December 1991, during D’Alemberte’s tenure as American Bar Association president. Scalia had been on the bench about five years by then. The two men were on an ABA “mission […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 12, 2016

Florida’s top elections official intends to appeal a federal judge’s decision to keep him in U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown‘s lawsuit concerning the recent congressional redistricting plan. Secretary of State Ken Detzner filed a notice of appeal on Thursday, court records show. Detzner wants the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overrule a decision to deny his motion […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 12, 2016

A former co-worker of retired Judge Jackie Fulford is taking her place on the bench of the 2nd Judicial Circuit, which includes the state capital. Gov. Rick Scott this week announced the appointment of Frank Allman Jr. to replace Fulford. Allman and Fulford were both assistant prosecutors under longtime State Attorney Willie Meggs. The 55-year-old Allman, […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 11, 2016

A bill to replace a statue of a Confederate army general as one of Florida’s two entries in the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall was passed by the Florida Senate Thursday. The Senate skipped debate and OK’d the bill (SB 310) by a vote of 33-7. That move, however, puts the two chambers at odds: A House version (HB […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 11, 2016

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Now the horse-trading begins. The Florida Senate on Thursday unanimously passed its $80 billion budget 40-0, setting up the conference process where legislators grind out a budget each year. Both sides of the aisle united to pass the spending plan, though some Democrats still raised concerns. Jeff Clemens of Lake Worth, for instance, suggested extra money would […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 11, 2016

Florida Grown, the fundraising committee that likely will fuel Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam‘s 2018 bid for governor, posted $144,925 in contributions for January, campaign finance records show. The latest haul brings total money raised to more than $4.1 million, with total expenditures now at about $891,000, for a cash-on-hand balance of about $3.2 million. Disney, Florida Phosphate and U.S. […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 11, 2016

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, former CFO Alex Sink, and others are throwing a fundraiser in Tampa for fellow Democrat Loranne Ausley, who’s seeking a Tallahassee-area Florida House seat. Former state Insurance Consumer Advocate Sean Shaw, who worked for Sink, on Thursday tweeted a photo of the invite to the event, to be held next Tuesday at […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 10, 2016

As the Florida Senate began considering its proposed $80.9 billion budget, state Sen. Don Gaetz on Wednesday defended his recommendation for a $30 million competitive grants program for after-school mentoring instead of direct funding. Gaetz, who chairs the Senate Education Appropriations Subcommittee, said he wanted to save nonprofits on “expensive lobbying and the anguish of the Legislative Session.” […]

Jim Rosica

AT&T, HCA, U.S. Sugar in top three for lobbying expenses

Ballard Partners leads in top lobbying pay for Q4 2015

Antonin Scalia, Sandy D’Alemberte and the pack of Marlboros

Ken Detzner files notice of appeal in Corrine Brown lawsuit

Veteran prosecutor tapped for Tallahassee-area judgeship

Senate OKs replacing Confederate general’s statue

Senate unanimously passes its proposed 2016-17 budget

Adam Putnam political committee tallies $144k for January

HD 9 candidate Loranne Ausley plans Tampa fundraiser

Senate budget: Don Gaetz questioned over mentoring funding