Ryan Ray, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ryan RayAugust 15, 2015

The South Florida Water Management District was joined by Republican elected officials Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and Rep. Matt Caldwell this week in saying tighter restrictions on agriculture in the Everglades Agricultural Area are unnecessary because best management practices, or BMPs, are working. Levels of harmful phosphorous – a product of agricultural runoff into the ecologically sensitive […]

Ryan RayAugust 14, 2015

Ballard Partners took home a whopping $3.8 million in consulting fees last quarter, according to estimates based on recently submitted compensation reports. The Adams Street juggernaut led by Brian Ballard, a top Tallahassee Republican and former chief of staff to Gov. Bob Martinez, handled about $2.2 million in business from 176 legislative lobbying clients as […]

Ryan RayAugust 14, 2015

With just two lobbyists in the Cocoa, Fla.-based shop, Spearman Management brought in an estimated $630,000 in governmental consulting fees between April 1 and June 30, according to recently submitted compensation reports. Lobbyist Erin Hellkemp joined firm owner Guy Spearman, III to earn about $370,000 in legislative lobbying fees and $260,000 in executive branch lobbying fees. […]

Ryan RayAugust 14, 2015

Adams Street fixture Colodny Fass brought in an estimated $735,000 during the most recent reporting quarter, according to recently submitted lobbying compensation reports. Colodny’s single largest contract was for executive branch lobbying on behalf of WellCare Health Plans – the Tampa-based Medicaid and Medicare coordinators paid between $30,000 – $39,999 to the firm between April 1 […]

Ryan RayAugust 14, 2015

Lewis Longman & Walker took in a solid $260,000 haul last quarter, according to estimates based on recently released lobbyist compensation reports. The firm pulled down some $135,000 from 24 legislative lobbying clients and around $125,000 from 22 clients for work with members of the Capitol’s executive plaza level and with state regulatory agencies. A […]

Ryan RayAugust 13, 2015

Relatively new on the scene, former House Speaker Dean Cannon‘s lobby shop Capitol Insight is raking in the consulting fees like an old Adams Street institution. According to a compensation report the firm filed Thursday morning, the firm collected an estimated $860,000 for its consulting services between April 1 and June 30. The total includes about […]

Ryan RayAugust 13, 2015

Sarasota Rep. Greg Steube filed a bill Thursday that would expand the state’s low-THC medical cannabis regime. The bill – HB 63 – contains several provisions that would substantially lower some barriers to entry for would-be medical cannabis growers and manufacturers, most notably a lack of limits on the number of manufacturers. Under current law, only five […]

Ryan RayAugust 13, 2015

Bryant Miller Olive‘s lobbying practice took in an estimated $145,000 between April 1 and June 30, according to recently submitted compensation reports. The firm’s Q2 ledger books are skewed toward executive agency lobbying, a rarity among Tallahassee governmental relations firms. Executive lobbying accounted for $95,000 last quarter, the remaining $50,000 coming from work among Florida […]

Ryan RayAugust 12, 2015

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Despite the recent political pyrotechnics on display in Tallahassee last month when former Gov. Jeb Bush came back to town to highlight lobbying reforms approved during his administration, recent initiatives to clean up Adams Street have produced more heat than sunshine, according to a recently released national survey. The Sunlight Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based public interest watchdog […]

Ryan RayAugust 12, 2015

Tsamoutales Strategies – the three-lobbyist firm where former Senate President Mike Haridopolos plies his trade – collected $180,000 in fees between April 1 and June 30, according to recently submitted compensation reports. The U.S. arm of Spain-based company Abengoa Water anchored the firm’s client list, contributing between $30,000 – $39,999 for both legislative and executive lobbying […]

Ryan Ray

State officials say Everglades water policy, BMP regime are working

Ballard Partners a top earner during Q2 with more than $3.8 million in lobbying fees

Guy Spearman’s shop takes home $630K in second-quarter lobbying fees

Colodny Fass brings in $735K in second quarter lobbying fees

Lewis Longman & Walker collects $260K in second-quarter lobbying fees

Capitol Insight hauls in $860K in Q2 lobbying fees

Greg Steube files low-THC cannabis bill

Bryant Miller Olive collects $145K in Q2 lobbying fees

New survey ranks Sunshine State worst in the nation in lobbyist transparency

Tsamoutales Strategies takes in $180K in Q2 lobbying fees