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

Scott PowersFebruary 9, 2017

Saying that U.S. Rep. Tom Price‘s views on Medicare vouchers and eligibility would be bad for senior citizens, Florida’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson vowed Thursday to vote against affirming his nomination to be Donald Trump‘s secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Nelson charged that Price’s support for a Medicare voucher system […]

Scott PowersFebruary 9, 2017

Freshman U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy‘s professional background in the U.S. Department of Defense has led her to pick up two subcommittee posts overseeing military counter-terrorism and readiness efforts, her office announced Thursday. Murphy, the Winter Park Democrat who was appointed earlier this year to the House Armed Services Committee, has been assigned to seats on […]

Scott PowersFebruary 9, 2017

A Florida Senate committee overwhelmingly approved the latest attempt to expand the state’s Stand Your Ground self-defense law. On Thursday, the Senate Rules Committee passed the measure after advocates said it would stop unnecessary prosecutions. Opponents alleged it would stop a lot of necessary prosecutions, as well. Senate Bill 128 would allow gun defendants to […]

Scott PowersFebruary 9, 2017

U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist and three more members of Congress have joined the bipartisan, largely bi-coastal Climate Solutions Caucus, the group announced Thursday. With the additions of Crist, a Florida Democrat; David Reichert, a Republican from Washington; Earl Blumenauer, a Democrat from Oregon; and Don Bacon, a Republican from Nebraska, the caucus formed and chaired […]

Scott PowersFebruary 6, 2017

Orange County leaders long have talked about turning the International Drive region into a “downtown Orange County” essentially rivaling downtown Orlando though to different ends. On Tuesday the county board of commissioners will hear a plan that would fashion what such a district would look like. The Orange County Board of Commissioners will hold a […]

Scott PowersFebruary 3, 2017

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Citing email obtained through open-records requests, NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer declared the League of Women Voters of Florida as “Florida’s newest gun ban organization,” working in secret. “The League of Women Voters is not who you think they are. The Florida League of Women Voters is Florida’s newest gun ban organization,” Hammer wrote in a letter […]

Scott PowersFebruary 3, 2017

The social fallout from Puerto Rico’s multi-fasceted financial crisis must be dealt with in more immediate ways in Central Florida where so much of the diaspora is fleeing, a panel of scholars urged key Puerto Rican political leaders in Orlando Friday. Their call for concern for recognizing, assisting, and empowering Puerto Ricans settling by the […]

Scott PowersFebruary 3, 2017

State Rep. Bob Cortes is “exploring” the possibility a run for Congress in Florida’s 7th Congressional District. On Friday morning, Cortes confirmed reports he was in Washington D.C. for a couple of days early this week talking to officials at the National Republican Congressional Committee and others about a possible run in CD 7 in 2018. If […]

Scott PowersFebruary 1, 2017

Current CareerSource Florida Vice President of Policy Michelle Dennard is in line to become the new president of the state’s workforce preparation and placement agency. Dennard was the top-scoring candidate for CareerSource’s president and chief executive officer job following interviews of three finalists conducted Jan. 20 by the agency board’s search committee. She scored highest on […]

Scott PowersFebruary 1, 2017

Florida’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson broke the suspense Wednesday afternoon when he announced he intends to vote against President Donald Trump‘s pick to be Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, whose family has strong ties in Nelson’s Orlando hometown. With defections of two Republican U.S. senators who announced earlier that they would vote against DeVos, the […]

Scott Powers
Please stay aware ... and safe.

Bill Nelson blasts Tom Price’s Medicare record

Stephanie Murphy lands counter-terrorism, military-readiness committee posts

Senate Rules Committee stands its ground on Stand Your Ground

Charlie Crist, three others join Climate Solutions Caucus

I-Drive plan to start fashioning ‘Downtown Orange County’

NRA declares League of Women Voters as ‘gun ban organization’

Puerto Rico crisis panel brings it home to Florida

Bob Cortes ‘exploring’ possible congressional run in CD 7

Michelle Dennard in line for CareerSource Florida presidency

Bill Nelson declares he’ll vote against Betsy DeVos; vote may come down to Mike Pence