Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryOctober 23, 2017

Advocates supporting issuing civil citations to youth instead of arrests hailed a report issued Monday showing there were 3,000 fewer arrests for “common youth” misbehavior in 2016. And while approximately one-quarter of those arrests came from just three counties — Orange, Hillsborough and Duval — all three have seen a leadership change that could diminish […]

Mitch PerryOctober 13, 2017

In one of the highest profile appearances since her election in July as chair the Hillsborough County NAACP, Yvette Lewis took a shot at some of the most prominent establishment names in Tampa. During Friday’s Cafe Con Tampa at the Oxford Exchange, Lewis shared brutally honest thoughts on several topics: A lack of diversity at the University […]

Peter SchorschAugust 14, 2017

The political committee backing a ballot initiative to automatically restore voting rights to nonviolent felons brought in over $500,000 last month. “Floridians for a Fair Democracy” received $250,000 of the July haul from the American Civil Liberties Union, with another $150,000 coming from the The Advocacy Fund, a San Francisco-based group that funds a variety […]

Mitch PerryAugust 3, 2017

No one in Florida has worked harder than Desmond Meade to expand felons’ voting rights. Starting in 2015, Meade and his organization, the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, have blanketed the state, collecting signatures to place on the ballot an initiative that would overturn the automatic ban on felons voting. Although the group fell short for the […]

Scott PowersApril 21, 2017

Friends of the court are beginning to crowd into the Florida Supreme Court case pitting Orlando’s State Attorney Aramis Ayala and Gov. Rick Scott, with families of homicide victims siding with Scott, and the ACLU and House Minority Leader Janet Cruz siding with Ayala on Friday. Several filings Friday are loading the case with friends. Also Friday, a group […]

Mitch PerryMarch 27, 2017

A bill that would increase the penalties for certain violent offenses if the defendant is an undocumented immigrant advanced in a Florida House Committee on Monday. The legislation, sponsored by Cape Coral Republican Rep. Dane Eagle (HB 83), would upgrade penalties for five different violent crimes committed by undocumented immigrants, including sexual battery, aggravated assault with a […]

Scott PowersMarch 17, 2017

A group of church and civil rights leaders joined mothers of slaying victims from Florida and Central Florida Friday outside the office of State Attorney Aramis Ayala. They were there to send a message to her and the community. “We stand with you, State Attorney Ayala,” proclaimed Christine Henderson of Equal Justice USA of Florida. She and a […]

Scott PowersMarch 15, 2017

The Consul of the Mexican Consulate in Orlando and several groups blasted a Florida senate bill Wednesday that would make one set of criminal codes for undocumented immigrants and another for everyone else. Mexico Consul Juan Sabines Guerrero called Senate Bill 120 “condemnable by society as a whole” as he and representatives of the ACLU and […]

Mitch PerryMarch 10, 2017

ACLU executive director Anthony Romero and author/actress/talk-show host Padma Lakshmi will be among the participants at an ACLU town hall meeting scheduled for Saturday afternoon on the University of Miami campus focused on resisting President Trump’s immigration policies. “The Resistance Training: An ACLU Town Hall” will feature PeoplePower.org, the civil liberty group’s new grassroots mobilization platform launched to […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 14, 2017

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A federal case on the state’s new abortion law has taken another twist with a filing from Attorney General Pam Bondi‘s office. Late Monday, her office notified the court of proposed rules related to the law that could affect Senior U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle‘s consideration of a pending request for a preliminary injunction. The controversy in question involves part of the law […]

Tag: ACLU
TALLAHASSEE, FLA. 4/18/25-Candles and remembrances are left near the Unconquered statue a few hours after the Florida State University Gathering of Unity Vigil held Friday to honor victims of the recent mass shooting. COLIN HACKLEY PHOTO

‘Bad Boys’ no more: Juvenile arrests decrease, report says

Hillsborough NAACP head Yvette Lewis takes on the establishment at Cafe Con Tampa

Committee backing felon voting rights amendment adds $500K in July

ACLU plans to spend millions on campaign to restore felons’ voting rights surprised Desmond Meade

Families of homicide victims, ACLU, Janet Cruz join filers in Aramis Ayala case

Bill that would increase penalties for undocumented violent offenders advances in Florida House

Church, Civil Rights leaders, slaying victims’ mothers rally for Aramis Ayala

Mexico Consul, ACLU, Civil Rights groups blast immigrant crime bill

Anthony Romero, Padma Lakshmi and MILCK to participate in ACLU Resistance Training town hall in Miami on Saturday

Pam Bondi steps into federal case over state’s abortion law