Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ryan RayFebruary 2, 2016

The House advanced a controversial proposal designed to stop Florida cities and counties from shielding undocumented immigrants from federal immigration laws. HB 675 by Rep. Larry Metz would create potential penalties and fines for local governments that don’t comply with detainers from the Immigration and Customs Service, or otherwise fail to act when they suspect illegal aliens are […]

Ryan RayJanuary 20, 2016

The Florida arm of the American Civil Liberties Union has harsh words for a new bill circulating in the Legislature that would make getting an abortion more difficult. HB 233 is a GOP-sponsored bill that would require abortion clinics to be near – and have admitting privileges to – a hospital. Similar proposals based on […]

William MarchJanuary 7, 2016

A federal judge heard arguments Wednesday in a case that could affect whether prisoners are counted in drawing voting districts in Florida, an issue that affects voting power particularly in rural areas of the state. The American Civil Liberties Union and several Jefferson County residents charge the county used “prison-based gerrymandering” in drawing its five […]

Diane RobertsNovember 25, 2015

It’s America’s holiday season, when we’re supposed to give thanks for our blessings, when we gather around tables laden with festive food, commemorating a bedraggled boatload of refugees who just showed up one day on our shores, needing a decent meal and a safe place to crash. The Wampanoag welcomed those undocumented immigrants back in […]

Diane RobertsNovember 24, 2015

It’s America’s holiday season, when we’re supposed to give thanks for our blessings, when we gather around tables laden with festive food, commemorating a bedraggled boatload of refugees who just showed up one day on our shores, needing a decent meal and a safe place to crash. The Wampanoag welcomed those undocumented immigrants back in […]

Mitch PerryNovember 17, 2015

The revelation that one of the men involved in the terrorist attacks in Paris entered Europe with a Syrian passport was enough evidence to convince 23 governors (all Republican, with the exception of New Hampshire’s Maggie Hassan, involved in a tight bid for re-election) yesterday to say that they don’t want the federal government to expatriate […]

Mitch PerryNovember 16, 2015

Rick Scott‘s request to congressional leaders that they find a way to stop the funding of several hundreds of Syrian refugees may be playing well with in some quarters on Monday, but the ACLU and the Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR) are blasting him over it. “In these moments of pain and escalated fear, we should […]

Melissa RossNovember 13, 2015

Just as a closely watched U.S. Supreme Court case may strike down Florida’s death penalty sentencing laws, ACLU staff attorney Adam Tebrugge of Bradenton is discussing the death penalty Monday night in St. Augustine at an event sponsored in part by Amnesty International. The high court is reviewing what the New York Times calls Florida’s […]

Melissa RossNovember 6, 2015

A bipartisan summit on criminal justice reform is expected to draw local and national thought leaders to Jacksonville this month. Operation Reform, sponsored by #Cut50, the Ford Foundation and Operation New Hope, will focus on re-entry solutions for people leaving incarceration, and reducing recidivism through employment. This was a major focus of the Jacksonville Journey, […]

Guest AuthorNovember 3, 2015

What in the world is going on? As if our political world isn’t enough to drive us crazy, we seem to be bombarded by a constant barrage of bizarre events that are difficult to comprehend. Nonetheless, the news media insists on producing stories testing our common sense. They would be funny if we knew they […]

Tag: ACLU
Image via AP.

House tees up bill to stop “sanctuary” cities

ACLU calls new proposed abortion restrictions “dangerous”

Group challenges inclusion of prisoners in voting districts

Diane Roberts: Who vetted the guest list?

Diane Roberts: Who vetted the guest list?

Mitch Perry Report for 11.17.15 – No Syrian refugees, please

CAIR, ACLU blast Rick Scott for requesting Syrian refugees not be allowed to settle in Florida

Florida’s death penalty reviewed by U.S. Supreme Court, discussed in St. Augustine

Operation Reform Summit seeks bipartisan approach to criminal justice reform

Tim Bryce: It's getting strange out there