Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Drew WilsonFebruary 21, 2017

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam raised more than $500,000 for his political committee in the first half of February according to a newly updated financial report. The committee, Florida Grown, brought in about $200,000 of its $538,000 haul from the Associated Industries of Florida and one of its related political committees. Another $100,000 came from Vero […]

Les NeuhausFebruary 20, 2017

Guns, children, neglect, animal abuse, human trafficking and forced prostitution. These aren’t the beautiful, cliché, sundown-on-the-beach Florida stories, but in an attempt to raise public consciousness about these issues we at Florida Politics bring you today’s ‘DCF Files.’ *** On Monday, the Palm Beach Post published a story citing chilling figures from the Florida Department of […]

Associated PressFebruary 20, 2017

Thousands of demonstrators turned out Monday across the U.S. to challenge Donald Trump in a Presidents Day protest dubbed Not My President’s Day. The events on the federal holiday didn’t draw nearly as many people as the million-plus who thronged the streets following the Republican president’s inauguration a month earlier, but the message was similar. […]

Associated PressFebruary 20, 2017

President Donald Trump has tapped Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, a prominent military strategist known as a creative thinker, as his new national security adviser, replacing the ousted Michael Flynn. Trump announced the pick Monday at his Palm Beach, Florida, club and said McMaster is “a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience.” The president’s […]

Michael MolineFebruary 20, 2017

Is Sen. Bill Nelson up for a contested Democratic primary in his re-election bid next year? “You want to do a contest on pull-ups or push-ups?” Nelson replied to a reporter who asked that question during an informal news conference in Tallahassee Monday. News reports have mentioned Tim Canova, who tried and failed to replace Debbie Wasserman Schultz in Congress, former U.S. […]

Les NeuhausFebruary 20, 2017

A former child protection detective in Florida was arrested for lying in an ongoing investigation involving the possible sexual assault of a child, a spokesman for the state’s Department of Children and Families confirmed Monday. According to court records, Brittanee Sharmayne Carter, 27, was taken into custody by agents of the Florida Department of Law […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 20, 2017

The Florida Lottery, now being sued by House Speaker Richard Corcoran, Monday said it had reached “another record – $1 billion in contributions to education for the 15th consecutive year.” On Friday, Corcoran – a Land O’ Lakes Republican – filed suit against the state agency for “wasteful and improper spending” for signing a multiyear, $700 million deal for new […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 20, 2017

Florida lawmakers will probably not make texting while driving a primary traffic offense in 2017, although it is the law in 41 other states. Right now, Florida doesn’t allow officers to pull over drivers for texting and driving unless they notice another potentially dangerous or deadly offense at the same time. In an interview with […]

Associated PressFebruary 20, 2017

Florida prosecutors can seek the death penalty in ongoing cases despite a state Supreme Court ruling that found a new death penalty law unconstitutional. The court ruled Monday that the death penalty can be applied as long as there is a unanimous jury recommendation. It ruled last October that a new state law requiring at […]

Associated PressFebruary 20, 2017

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence moved Monday to assuage European Union fears about the strength of Washington’s support for the union and its commitment to European security through the NATO military alliance. During meetings in Brussels, Pence said he was acting on behalf of President Donald Trump “to express the strong commitment of the United […]

Headlines

Adam Putnam’s political committee adds another $500K

The bad, the ugly and the downright horrible — a roundup of today-in-DCF news

Thousands of demonstrators across U.S. say ‘Not My President’

Donald Trump taps military strategist as national security adviser

Bill Nelson seems undaunted by prospect of primary challengers

Florida child protection investigator arrested for lying in possible sex abuse case

Lottery says it’s generated $1 billion for education this year

WTSP exposé examines Florida’s ‘weakest in nation’ texting, driving laws

Florida prosecutors can seek death penalty despite questions

Mike Pence tries to reassure anxious Europeans on U.S. support