Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Christine Jordan SextonApril 16, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott appeared on Fox News Thursday night and accused the federal government of behaving like the mafia and “bullying” the state during negotiations over supplemental Medicaid dollars to pay Florida hospitals. “This is ‘The Sopranos,'” Scott said, referring to the hit HBO show about a New Jersey-based mafia family. “They are using bullying […]

Kevin MeerschaertApril 16, 2015

A Jacksonville City Council subcommittee is looking for ways to reduce blight, but some residents are asking whether there aren’t more important issues the council should focus on. The full council approved legislation this week to crack down on so-called “bucket and hose” car wash operations. Many have sprouted on Jacksonville street corners in the […]

Christine Jordan SextonApril 16, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott‘s announcement that he will sue the federal government for withholding Low Income Pool dollars caused a firestorm on Thursday, rounding out what has been topsy turvy health care week in Tallahassee. The announcement drew praise from conservatives such as Koch-brothers backed group Americans for Prosperity which issued a release saying, “the Obama […]

Martin DyckmanApril 16, 2015

His name was Arthur. I remember no one else from the third grade, and I had forgotten him until beginning what was the most difficult of all my college term papers even though it required no research. We were to write down everything we could remember about our attitudes toward black people. “Nobody but me […]

James CallApril 16, 2015

In the tension-filled chambers of a Legislative Session’s final days words matter and poorly chosen ones can stress long-standing relationships. Supporters of the Boys and Girls Club of Florida on Thursday pushed back on remarks Sen. Eleanor Sobel made after Wednesday’s meeting of the Children Families and Elder Affairs Committee. The committee had unanimously approved […]

Associated PressApril 16, 2015

A Florida newspaper that knew ahead of time that a man planned to fly a gyrocopter into restricted airspace at the U.S. Capitol faced questions Thursday about whether its editors should have used the knowledge to try and stop the risky stunt. The Tampa Bay Times, which posted reporter Ben Montgomery in Washington on Wednesday […]

Christine Jordan SextonApril 16, 2015

Attorney General Pam Bondi said she will help Gov. Rick Scott sue the federal Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services for withholding supplemental Medicaid funding for Florida’s hospitals. In a release Bondi said her office “led the lawsuit that stopped the federal government from forcing states to expand Medicaid and we will not sit by […]

James CallApril 16, 2015

Growers may want to start planning to plant cannabis seeds. Whether the authorization will come under the Compassionate Medicinal Cannabis Act of 2014, or SPB 7066, which is moving in the Senate or under an amended bill is still unclear. Rep. Matt Gaetz, however, said Thursday that Florida “is on the back 9” in clearing […]

Martin DyckmanApril 16, 2015

His name was Arthur. I remember no one else from the third grade, and I had forgotten him until beginning what was the most difficult of all my college term papers even though it required no research. We were to write down everything we could remember about our attitudes toward black people. “Nobody but me […]

Bob SparksApril 16, 2015

This week, two more candidates jumped on the elevator heading for the top floor of the executive branch. The announcement on Sunday by Hillary Clinton and on Monday by Marco Rubio brings the number of announced candidates for president of the United States to four. While several others will follow, it is amazing to look […]

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Rick Scott says feds are “bullying” Florida like “The Sopranos”

Jacksonville cracks down on “bucket and hose” car washes

Rick Scott’s decision to sue the feds over Medicaid gets mixed reactions

Martin Dyckman: Voters respond to politicians’ racist “dog whistles”

Boys and Girls Clubs advocates cry foul over sexual predator remark

Should Tampa Bay Times have done more to alert authorities about Capitol gyrocopter stunt?

Pam Bondi says she’ll join Rick Scott in Medicaid lawsuit

Five minutes with Matt Gaetz, talking FDA lies and being on the back 9 with medicinal marijuana

Martin Dyckman: Voters respond to politicians' racist 'dog whistles'

Bob Sparks: Top priority for diverse GOP field is beating Hillary Clinton