Orlando

Associated PressJuly 18, 2016

The gunman who opened fire at a gay Florida nightclub last month in the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history had complained he was repeatedly taunted for being Muslim in his job as a security guard at a Florida courthouse, according to records released Monday. When Omar Mateen first started working at the St. […]

Scott PowersJuly 18, 2016

When Rollins College professor and investment executive Stephanie Murphy came out of almost nowhere in late June to become the Democratic nominee in Florida’s 7th Congressional District, she had three groups ready to support her. Support her they did, as Murphy raised more than $126,000 in the first nine days of her campaign to show […]

Scott PowersJuly 18, 2016

In the brutal Democratic primary for Florida’s Congressional District 10, Val Demings raised nearly $300,000 in the second quarter of 2016, but rival Bob Poe countered by lending another $500,000 to his campaign. Poe is burning money fast with television commercials and a large, paid ground staff, and reported spending almost $1.4 million in the three […]

Scott PowersJuly 18, 2016

The three major Democratic candidates for Congressional District 9 head into the stretch run for the Aug. 30 primary with money flowing, as Darren Soto reported he had raised and spent the most money, and Susannah Randolph reported she still had the most in the bank for a big final push. Those two and Dena […]

Associated PressJuly 16, 2016

Orlando police say the Pulse nightclub had intruders on its property for a second night in a row. A police report says officers responded to the nightclub early Friday after a witness reported seeing a man crawling out from underneath a security fence around Pulse. The witness said the man joined three waiting companions, and […]

Scott PowersJuly 15, 2016

Have voters anywhere in Florida ever elected an African-American state attorney? Aramis Ayala suspects she has a chance to be first, which would be late-coming, trailblazing history in Florida if she were to upset incumbent Jeff Ashton for the 9th Judicial Circuit post serving Orange and Osceola Counties. Ayala, 41, a former prosecutor in the […]

Larry GriffinJuly 15, 2016

Optimized-Geraldine-Thompson-announcement-022-1024x1024.jpg

In response to Republican criticisms of her calls to close the loophole allowing people on the terror watch list to purchase firearms, Sen. Geraldine Thompson isn’t backing down. She invoked the Pulse tragedy as well as other recent shooting attacks, condemning the Republican opposition to passing new laws and vowing to continue her efforts. “The bloodshed we […]

Scott PowersJuly 15, 2016

Whose fault was it that Orlando did not qualify for federal funding to shore up anti-terrorism efforts the past few years? U.S. Rep. John Mica called a congressional hearing Friday to see, and several officials concluded it was at least partly because of Congress. Mica was not entirely convinced and countered with several reasons why he is […]

Associated PressJuly 15, 2016

U.S. Rep. John Mica is holding a hearing on why federal authorities didn’t deem terrorism as a high enough threat factor in Orlando for the region to receive federal money for preventing and responding to terrorist threats. Mica has invited Orlando Police Chief John Mina and Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings to be at Friday’s hearing in Washington. Almost $590 million […]

Associated PressJuly 14, 2016

The families of the victims slain at the Pulse nightclub will get the most money from a fund established to help the victims’ families and survivors of the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history, according to a proposal released Thursday. The fund has about $20 million. The exact amount each family will get is […]

Orlando
Mario Cristobal. Image via AP.

Documents: Pulse gunman repeatedly taunted for being Muslim

ActBlue, Democrats’ PACS, Full Sail leaders kick-start Stephanie Murphy’s CD 7 campaign

Val Demings raises big money but Bob Poe lends his campaign another half-million in CD 10

Stretch run for CD 9 Democrats sees 3 big fundraisers; Darren Soto raises most, Susannah Randolph has most

Police: Pulse nightclub has intruders for 2nd night in a row

Aramis Ayala’s 9th Judicial Circuit state attorney run could be historic

Geraldine Thompson fires back against criticism of her calls for gun control legislation

John Mica congressional hearing on Orlando’s lost federal anti-terrorism money aims some blame at Congress

Post Pulse, John Mica has hearing on why Orlando didn’t get funds

Families of deceased Pulse patrons to get highest payments