Scott Powers, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersDecember 20, 2017

With Republican agriculture commissioner candidate and state Sen. Denise Grimsley‘s decision Wednesday to give to charity the money her political committees received from Jack Latvala, numerous others may also be pondering what to do with the millions of dollars he has donated from his committees. Latvala, who resigned Wednesday afternoon after damning reports emerged from investigations […]

Scott PowersDecember 20, 2017

U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz filed legislation Wednesday that would require congressional sexual harassment cases to automatically be referred to the House Ethics Committee. The “Me Too Congressional Ethics Act,” co-sponsored by Wasserman Schultz’s fellow Florida Democratic U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, is aimed at lifting the shroud of secrecy cloaking sexual harassment lawsuit settlements involving […]

Scott PowersDecember 20, 2017

U.S. Rep. Val Demings of Orlando has been appointed to the House Judiciary Committee, her office announced Wednesday. Demings, a former Orlando chief of police with 27 years as a police officer, becomes one of 17 Democrats on the 40-seat committee overseeing criminal and civil justice legislation, including oversight of federal courts, administrative agencies, and […]

Scott PowersDecember 20, 2017

Democrat Anna Eskamani qualified for the 2018 ballot in Florida’s House District 47 race, collecting more than 1,400 petition signatures. Eskamani, an Orlando-based executive for Planned Parenthood, faces Winter Park businessman Stockton Reeves, a Republican, in the 2018 race. They seek to succeed state Rep. Mike Miller, who is running for Congress. She needed 1,200 signatures […]

Scott PowersDecember 19, 2017

Let there be no doubt that the tax reform bill approved Tuesday by the U.S. House of Representatives will be a touchstone in 2018 congressional campaigns. It already has started. Moments after the House approved the Republican-created tax reform bill Tuesday, Democrats took aim at Republicans in vulnerable districts, including Florida U.S. Reps. Ron DeSantis of Ponte […]

Scott PowersDecember 19, 2017

Monday’s fatal train derailment in Washington state has Florida state Sen. Debbie Mayfield saying she sees the same fears and the same fights in the Northwest, and the same kind of potential tragedy, that have her pushing for state safety regulations of the Brightline higher-speed passenger train being planned by All Aboard Florida. “I do […]

Scott PowersDecember 19, 2017

With the scheduled end coming for a federal emergency housing voucher program being used by Puerto Ricans displaced by Hurricane Maria, state Sen. Victor Torres and several other Democratic lawmakers are urging Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello to ask the federal government for an extension. The program provides temporary housing vouchers for people who’ve fled […]

Scott PowersDecember 18, 2017

U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy and other leaders of the U.S. House Democratic Caucus’ National Security Task Force declared Monday there is a “disconnect” between what President Donald Trump is doing in foreign policy and what his long-awaited foreign policy statement holds. Murphy, the Winter Park Democrat who co-chairs that task force along with Democratic Reps. Seth Moulton […]

Scott PowersDecember 18, 2017

State Rep. Amy Mercado has thrown her support behind Democratic businessman Lee Mangold in the House District 28 race, Mangold’s campaign announced Monday. Mercado, who represents District 48 in Orange County, is the second sitting Democratic state representative to back Mangold in the Seminole County district contest, following John Cortes, who weighed in a couple […]

Scott PowersDecember 18, 2017

A bill shepherded through the House of Representatives last week by U.S. Rep. Darren Soto to rename a Kissimmee post office for the Puerto Rican “Borinqueneers” U.S. Army regiment now is getting pushed in the U.S. Senate by Florida’s U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson. The bill, House Resolution 4042, intends to rename the […]

Scott Powers

Jack Latvala’s political committee money await decisions

Debbie Wasserman Schultz files ‘#MeToo’ sexual misconduct ethics bill

Val Demings appointed to U.S. House Judiciary Committee

Anna Eskamani qualifies for HD 47 ballot by petition

Democrats, Republicans waste no time targeting opponents for tax votes

Debbie Mayfield warns of parallels between Washington train wreck and Florida concerns

With program set to end, Victor Torres, other Democrats seek extension to Puerto Rican housing

Stephanie Murphy decries ‘disconnect’ between Donald Trump’s foreign policy statement, actions

Amy Mercado endorses Lee Mangold in HD 28 race

Bill to rename Kissimmee post office for Borinqueneers gets Marco Rubio, Bill Nelson push