Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Associated PressJanuary 12, 2017

The outgoing president somberly ruminated about the fragility of democracy and earnestly implored Americans to reject corrosive political dialogue. Fourteen hours later, the incoming president staged a defiant and frenetic news conference at his gilded New York City tower, dismissing critics, insulting reporters and likening the country’s intelligence officers to Nazis. President Barack Obama‘s farewell […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 11, 2017

A large protest is being planned this weekend at the Suwannee River State Park against the construction of the Sabal Trail Pipeline. Activists fear that the $3.2 billion, 515-mile natural gas pipeline that is intended to run through North Florida into Central Florida will create a huge environmental calamity and contaminate the state’s drink water supply. Construction […]

Associated PressJanuary 11, 2017

A defiant President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday adamantly denied reports that Russia had obtained compromising personal and financial information about him, calling it a “tremendous blot” on the record of the intelligence community if such material had been released. The incoming president, in his first news conference since late July, firmly chided news organizations for […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 11, 2017

Though education was rarely discussed by Donald Trump on the campaign trail, at the top of his list of priorities was to spend $20 million on school choice, which would come from “reprioritizing federal dollars.” In picking Michigan billionaire Betsy DeVos to serve as his Education Secretary, he made it clear that intended to make school […]

Scott PowersJanuary 11, 2017

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio‘s concerns regarding Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin took center stage in Senate confirmation hearings Wednesday when he grilled Rex Tillerson over whether the secretary of state nominee believes Putin is a war criminal, and whether he believes Putin was directly involved in cyber attacks to affect the 2016 American election. Tillerson […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 11, 2017

As the race for Republican Party of Florida chair heads into its final days, Blaise Ingoglia and Christian Ziegler are proposing new plans to try to persuade fellow executive members to vote for them this Saturday. Ziegler is the 34-year-old Sarasota County Committeeman challenging Ingoglia’s re-election bid. He introduced a new website called The GOPExchange, a place Ziegler says […]

Scott PowersJanuary 11, 2017

As new allegations arise charging details of Russian interference in the American presidential campaign, Florida’s U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio joined a bipartisan group of senators to unveil a bill calling for comprehensive sanctions on Russia for cyber intrusions, aggression, and destabilizing activities. Rubio, a Republican, was joined by Maryland Democrat Ben Cardin, Arizona Republican John McCain, New Jersey Democrat […]

Associated PressJanuary 11, 2017

A legal journey that could mean life or death for the suspect in the Florida airport mass shooting has begun with appointment of a public defender to represent the Iraq war veteran blamed for killing five people and wounding six more. U.S. Magistrate Judge Alicia Valle told Esteban Santiago, 26, at a hearing Monday that […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 11, 2017

U.S. Senator Bill Nelson has made it clear what had been strongly rumored for the past month now – he’s firmly behind Coconut Grove real estate developer and Democratic party donor Stephen Bittel in the race for the Florida Democratic Party Chair position. “I have known Stephen Bittel for over 30 years and believe he will be an extraordinary Chair of […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 11, 2017

When you try to manage a multi-billion-dollar state budget with three-decade-old software, problems are bound to happen. An audit has found security flaws in the Department of Financial Services‘ antiquated FLAIR accounting system, according to a report released Friday. (FLAIR stands for “Florida Accounting Information Resource Subsystem.”) The department is run by Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater. […]

Headlines

A farewell address, a news conference and White House change

Nearly 90,000 people have signed Tim Canova’s petition to stop Sabal Trail Pipeline

Donald Trump denounces ‘disgrace’ of reports of Russian ties to him

Randi Weingarten doesn’t share Jeb Bush embrace of Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary

Marco Rubio grills Rex Tillerson on Russia: Is Vladimir Putin a war criminal?

Blaise Ingoglia, Christian Ziegler introduce new plans as Florida GOP chair race approaches

Marco Rubio, bipartisan group of Senators, throw down gauntlet on Russia

Life or death legal journey for airport shooting suspect

Bill Nelson now officially backing Stephen Bittel to lead Florida Democrats

Audit uncovers flaws in state’s accounting system