Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Staff ReportsJune 13, 2018

Retired Florida Supreme Court Justice Major B. Harding has joined the Florida Greyhound Association‘s (FGA) legal team. The addition of Harding, a high court appointee of the late Democratic Gov. Lawton Chiles, was announced Wednesday by association general counsel Jeff Kottkamp. Harding served on the Florida Supreme Court 1991-2002; Kottkamp was Florida’s lieutenant governor from 2007-11 under Gov. Charlie […]

Staff ReportsMay 31, 2018

Supporters of the proposed constitutional ban on greyhound racing have launched a digital campaign to inform voters about the amendment, the Protect Dogs-Yes on 13 group announced Wednesday. “The campaign will communicate to voters via a dedicated website, Facebook page, Twitter feed and Instagram account,” a news release said. The campaign’s website is ProtectDogs.org, the Twitter […]

Jim RosicaMay 17, 2018

Photo above: Greyhounds racing on the track in Bonita Springs. Credit: Van Abernathy. As promised, the group that represents Florida’s greyhound owners and breeders is suing to keep a proposed constitutional amendment to rid the state of dog racing off the November ballot. But a top greyhound racing opponent quickly called the suit “dead on […]

Guest AuthorApril 15, 2018

This week members of the Florida Constitutional Revision (CRC) will meet to examine proposals to amend the Florida Constitution and make recommendations to voters. The constitutional revision process is unique to Florida. No other state has such a body, one that meets every 20 years and takes recommendations for amendments directly to the voters, without […]

Jim RosicaMarch 15, 2018

The lawyer that successfully represented a pig farmer who sued over the state’s ‘pregnant pig’ constitutional amendment now says another proposed amendment to do away with greyhound racing is legally sound. Broad & Cassel attorney M. Stephen Turner, who represented Florida pig farmer Stephen Basford, wrote an opinion letter – provided to Florida Politics Thursday – […]

Jim RosicaDecember 22, 2017

An administrative law judge has struck down the state’s greyhound drug testing program, according to an order released Friday. Judge Lawrence P. Stevenson ruled that state regulators’ use of procedures in a “2010 Greyhound Veterinary Assistant Procedures Manual,” “even after being ordered to cease” doing so, was “invalid” and in violation of state law. The case […]

Jim RosicaDecember 13, 2017

Attorney General Pam Bondi finally explained why she won’t publicly support a proposed ban on greyhound racing in Florida or any other constitutional amendment. Bondi sits on the 37-member Constitution Revision Commission (CRC), which convenes every 20 years to review and propose changes to the state’s governing document. But, as the state’s chief legal officer, she’s also […]

Jim RosicaNovember 15, 2017

State Sen. Tom Lee fired off a tweetstorm Wednesday in support of his proposed constitutional amendment to ban greyhound racing in Florida. Lee—a Thonotosassa Republican, previous Senate president and current candidate for Chief Financial Officer—called dog racing “cruel and inhumane,” and added the “greyhound industry opposes any real reform.” (His tweets are at bottom.) He filed […]

Jim RosicaNovember 9, 2017

A draft of a bill is circulating in the Capitol that would, among other things, expressly legalize steroids and trace amounts of cocaine in racing greyhounds, critics say. One lawmaker made aware of the language on Thursday jokingly asked if it was “written by The Onion.” But an industry representative said the legislation, backed by […]

Jim RosicaOctober 17, 2017

State Sen. Tom Lee, who also sits on the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC), has been gauging support for a constitutional amendment to end greyhound racing, sources told Florida Politics on Tuesday. Lee, a Thonotosassa Republican running for state chief financial officer in 2018, has called some of the state’s dog track owners to “take their […]

Tag: dog racing

Personnel note: Major B. Harding joins greyhound group’s legal team

Greyhound racing-ban supporters launch digital campaign

Greyhound owners sue over proposed dog racing ban

M. Stephen Turner, Leonard Collins, Christine Dorchak: Let Florida voters decide fate of dog racing

Greyhound racing ban passes legal muster, ‘pregnant pig’ lawyer says

Judge strikes down Florida’s racing-dog drug testing program

Pam Bondi explains why she won’t endorse dog racing ban

Tom Lee defends dog racing ban; Pam Bondi noncommittal

Bill would permit trace cocaine amounts in racing dogs

Tom Lee may file constitutional amendment to ban dog racing