Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersDecember 4, 2017

Airbnb is launching a television commercial this week in Tallahassee to convince Florida Legislators of the back-home support for vacation rentals, which again are facing the prospect of legislation over whether and how local governments can regulate them. The new commercial running this week in the Tallahassee market, “Airbnb citizen,” features Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward talking […]

Ana CeballosDecember 4, 2017

Before she filed a sexual harassment complaint against Sen. Jack Latvala, Senate aide Rachel Perrin Rogers allegedly engaged in a pattern of raising claims against fellow staffers at the Senate Majority Office, according to a sworn affidavit released Monday. But the head of that office, Republican Sen. Wilton Simpson, now says it is part of […]

Jim RosicaDecember 4, 2017

State Sen. Daphne Campbell has been appointed Chair of the Haitian Temporary Relief Task Force. The Miami Democrat, elected to the Senate last year after serving six years in the House, announced the appointment Monday. It was made by state Rep. Kionne McGhee, a Democrat who leads the Miami-Dade County Legislative Delegation. The task force is […]

Staff ReportsDecember 4, 2017

Get your checkbooks ready, PAC chairs and Tallahassee uber-lobbyists, for fundraisers for legislators and candidates planned for this week. — — — — On Tuesday, Dec. 5, state Reps. Travis Cummings, Jason Brodeur, Jamie Grant, Cord Byrd, MaryLynn Magar and Rene Plasencia will be holding a 5:30 p.m. fundraiser at the Southern Public House, 224 […]

Jim RosicaDecember 4, 2017

A change to the state’s “lost and found” law could help needy Floridians, its sponsor says. State Rep. Bobby Olszewski, a Winter Garden Republican, filed a bill (HB 851) to allow “lost or abandoned personal property” at a “theme park or entertainment complex” to be donated to charity. Specifically, his measure—which also includes zoos, museums and aquariums—allows […]

Staff ReportsDecember 1, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott late Friday announced the appointment of Sonya Rood and Gary Nicklaus to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Rood, 53, of St. Augustine, succeeds Aliese “Liesa” Priddy and is appointed for a term ending Jan. 2, 2022. Nicklaus, 48, of Jupiter, succeeds Ronald Bergeron and is appointed for a term ending Aug. 1, […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 1, 2017

Should the United States Congress bar people from using food stamps to buy soft drinks? Two Florida lawmakers contend just that. Fernandina Beach Republican Sen. Aaron Bean and Lecanto Republican Rep. Ralph Massullo filed “memorial” legislation (SM 1016;H 847) that would urge the feds to disqualify soda and related beverages from being purchased with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) […]

Jim RosicaNovember 30, 2017

A proposed constitutional amendment to end greyhound racing in the state unanimously cleared its first committee Thursday. That was right after its sponsor, Commissioner Tom Lee, delivered a fiery speech on the power of—and oncoming peril to—his proposal. Mira, a 7-year-old greyhound and former racing dog, lay a few feet away. “You haven’t heard from […]

Ana CeballosNovember 30, 2017

The Florida Senate employee who sparked a Senate sexual harassment investigation against Sen. Jack Latvala called Senate President Joe Negron a “douchebag” during a text message exchange last Session with the Pinellas lawmaker. Rachel Perrin Rogers, a top aide to Republican Majority Leader Wilton Simpson, was texting Latvala when news broke in April about ousted […]

Jim RosicaNovember 29, 2017

A member of the Constitution Revision Commission says he’s become the victim of a “smear campaign” after proposing a constitutional amendment creating a “bill of rights” for nursing home and assisted living facility residents. On Wednesday, Conwell Hooper, head of an Atlanta-based group called the American Senior Alliance, issued a press release that he had […]

Influence

Airbnb takes to Tallahassee TV to promote vacation rentals

Affidavit: Jack Latvala accuser boasted about sabotaging people’s careers

Daphne Campbell appointed chair of Haitian Temporary Relief Task Force

Get your checkbooks ready for this week’s legislative fundraisers

Bill tweaks state law on theme parks’ ‘lost and found’

Two new appointees join FWC

Lawmakers want soda pop banned as SNAP purchase

Greyhound racing ban clears first CRC committee

Text messages shed light on working relationship between Jack Latvala, accuser

Brecht Heuchan says ethics complaint is part of ‘smear campaign