Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaAugust 12, 2016

It’s a homecoming for Matt Ubben in his new job. Ubben, who has been president of Floridians for Better Transportation (FBT), will be the next executive director of the Florida Transportation Commission, according to a Thursday press release. He was its public affairs director in the late 1990s. Ubben now replaces Brad Swanson as administrative head of the commission. The […]

Jim RosicaAugust 2, 2016

Glenn Sutphin, now the agency’s interim head, will become the next permanent director of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet made the hire at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting. The 67-year-old Sutphin, himself a National Guardsman for over 30 years, was the only person interviewed for the position out of more than 300 applicants. He […]

Jim RosicaJuly 21, 2016

It’s a certainty these days: An opening for a top job in Florida state government always attracts the widest variety of job candidates. More than 300 applications now have been turned in for the open position of head of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs, records show. The application deadline was last Friday. Gov. Rick […]

Guest AuthorJune 24, 2016

The Department of Veterans Affairs was created, in Lincoln’s moving prose, to care “for those who shall have borne the battle.” Yet in a departure from well-established VA policy and medical protocol, the agency recently announced its intention to remove physician anesthesiologists from surgery and replace them with nurses lowering the standard of care for […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 28, 2016

Of late, the Twitter account of Rep. Lake Ray. a Republican candidate in Florida’s 4th Congressional District, has been laden with veterans-friendly messages. Yet one since-deleted and revised Tweet from Saturday morning (which also shows up on his Facebook page) seems to have run afoul of a clearly-defined rule set forth by the federal Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Cemetery Administration. […]

Mitch PerryMay 23, 2016

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You might have missed it this weekend, but Pasco County-based Congressman Gus Bilirakis addressed the nation to say reforms at the Department of Veterans Affairs over the past two years have been ineffectual, at best. The Congressional District 12 Republican was chosen to give the GOP response to President Obama‘s Saturday-morning address, and spent three minutes addressing the crisis at the […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterApril 8, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott has nominated Lt. Col. Glenn Sutphin to be interim executive director of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Sutphin has been chief of staff and legislative affairs director for the Department of Military Affairs since 1999. He served in the Florida National Guard as an Army officer and a Field Artillery Officer for […]

Guest AuthorNovember 9, 2015

It’s Veterans Day on Wednesday and I’m even more excited than usual. In researching this column, I learned that as a Vietnam veteran I may be eligible to collect VA disability benefits because I have diabetes – even though I’m sure my tedious year at Phu Cat Air Force Base has nothing to do with […]

Guest AuthorNovember 8, 2015

It’s Veterans Day on Wednesday and I’m even more excited than usual. In researching this column, I learned that as a Vietnam veteran I may be eligible to collect VA disability benefits because I have diabetes – even though I’m sure my tedious year at Phu Cat Air Force Base has nothing to do with […]

Associated PressNovember 6, 2015

Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton on Friday makes her first appearance in a negative advertisement funded by the wealthy Republican donors tied to billionaires Charles and David Koch. A 30-second ad aimed at Internet users in South Carolina and Florida shows headlines about the number of veterans who have died while awaiting health care. […]

Tag: Department of Veterans Affairs
OK … now we want to see their take on the MJOLNIR MPAA Mk IV. Pls and TY. Image via LinkedIn/Point Blank Enterprises.

Personnel note: Matt Ubben to Florida Transportation Commission

Glenn Sutphin appointed state vets’ agency head

Veterans’ agency opening brings range of applicants

Dr. Steven Gayer: VA proposal will endanger our nation’s veterans

Memorial Day mistake: Did Lake Ray violate Department of Veterans Affairs’ rules?

In GOP Saturday address, Gus Bilirakis blasts lack of adequate reforms at VA

Rick Scott picks Glenn Sutphin as interim head of Department of Veterans Affairs

Tom O’Hara: Don’t thank me for my service, just send my disability check

Tom O’Hara: Don’t thank me for my service, just send my disability check

Hillary Clinton targeted in ad from group tied to Koch brothers