Peter Schorsch, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschOctober 20, 2015

Politicians frequently humble-brag about campaign contributions, invoking “grassroots support” or furiously beating chests over the lack of special interest cash. Republican state Rep. Matt Gaetz, who is seeking the Northwest Florida Senate district held by his term-limited father, Don Gaetz, took in two donations earlier this year that certainly could be seen as “interesting.” Both are raising questions, […]

Peter SchorschOctober 20, 2015

Dear Charlie: I can’t imagine how difficult the past year has been for you and the rest of the Crist family. I am not referring to your loss last November to Rick Scott. As hard as that must have been, I know the real loss for you was the passing of your beautiful, graceful sister […]

Peter SchorschOctober 20, 2015

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Hill+Knowlton Strategies (H+K) is promoting Ron Bartlett to deputy general manager of H+K’s Florida operations. Alia Faraj-Johnson is also moving up to lead the firm’s Florida public affairs practice. Bartlett, an H+K senior vice president, most recently served as head of the Florida public relations practice, the company’s largest state-based public affairs practice. Faraj-Johnson served as […]

Peter SchorschOctober 19, 2015

Rubin Group partner Heather Turnbull represents several interests before local governments in South Florida, as well as the Florida Legislature, Executive Branch and the Cabinet. She started with Rubin in 2003 as a consultant and promoted to vice president last year. Turnbull began her career in as a legislative assistant in the Florida House and previously […]

Peter SchorschOctober 19, 2015

Lobbyist Scott Ross is changing firms, moving from Floridian Partners to Capital City Consulting. For Ross and Nick Iarossi, it’s a reunion of sorts. Ross, the former deputy secretary at the Department of Business and Professional Regulation turned contract lobbyist and Iarossi, one of the founders of Capital City Consulting, first met at Florida State University […]

Peter SchorschOctober 18, 2015

On one level – the level of the conniving campaign operative who will do anything to score a great headline during a news cycle – one has to admire the chutzpah and financial misdirection that Team Marco pulled off last week. Relying on the mad alchemy of misstatement and perfect timing, Rubio fed the press-inflated […]

Peter SchorschOctober 16, 2015

Campaigning is hard work. Campaigning for president is even tougher. And running for president while working a “regular job” is tougher still – at least in the case of Marco Rubio. For the Miami Republican, the road to the White House takes him away from his regular, taxpayer-funded gig as U.S. senator, where he holds the […]

Peter SchorschOctober 16, 2015

On one level – the level of the conniving campaign operative who will do anything to score a great headline during a news cycle — one has to admire the chutzpah and financial misdirection that Team Marco pulled off yesterday. Relying on the mad alchemy of misstatement and perfect timing, Rubio fed the press-inflated campaign fundraising numbers […]

Peter SchorschOctober 16, 2015

A “celebration of life” will be held Monday for Fred Leonhardt, the longtime Republican lawyer-lobbyist and member of Florida’s GrayRobinson firm. The service will be 11 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 106 E. Church St. in downtown Orlando. Before that, there’s a visitation 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday in the Lee Fellowship Hall, also at First Presbyterian. Leonhardt died […]

Peter SchorschOctober 15, 2015

U.S. Rep. David Jolly’s campaign is claiming he is the victim of “dirty tricks and pettiness” from a rival Senate hopeful. Accusations came after an anonymous blog posted a video showing the Pinellas County Republican, his wife and a staffer rushing through security screening at Miami International Airport. It happened less than twenty-four hours after Jolly […]

Peter Schorsch
Image via Palatka Main Street.

After calling for sin tax, Matt Gaetz nabs checks from South Florida strip clubs

Dear Charlie: Let’s win this one for Margaret

Personnel note: Hill+Knowlton Strategies Florida promotes Ron Bartlett, Alia Faraj-Johnson

4th Floor Files talks with Heather Turnbull about David Beckham and other passions in the capital city

Personnel note: Lobbyist Scott Ross joins Capital City Consulting

Peter Schorsch: Team Marco conjures fundraising win via news release hocus-pocus

Marco Rubio won on blasting lax work schedules, now must defend his own

All hail Marco Rubio, fudger of numbers

Fred Leonhardt services on Sunday and Monday

David Jolly campaign says Ron DeSantis consultant behind anonymous video attack