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Associated PressJune 20, 2016

A divided Senate blocked rival election-year plans to curb guns on Monday, eight days after the horror of Orlando’s mass shooting intensified pressure on lawmakers to act but knotted them in gridlock anyway — even over restricting firearms for terrorists. In largely party-line votes, rejected were one proposal from each side to keep extremists from […]

Jim RosicaJune 20, 2016

Update: Later Monday, the Justice Department released a full text of one of the shooter’s calls, saying it wanted to “provide the highest level of transparency possible under the circumstances.” Click here for the statement and transcript. Gov. Rick Scott Monday called on federal authorities to release more from the 911 calls made by the Orlando shooter. […]

Associated PressJune 20, 2016

Orlando gunman Omar Mateen spoke in Arabic to a 911 dispatcher, identified himself an Islamic soldier and demanded to a crisis negotiator that the U.S. “stop bombing Syria and Iraq,” according to transcripts released by the FBI on Monday. The partial, printed transcripts were of three conversations Mateen had with the police during the worst […]

Anne LindbergJune 16, 2016

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman and police Chief Anthony Holloway met with members of the community and media Thursday to reassure them Pride weekend would go ahead as planned, but with a bit more security. The reassurances became necessary in the wake of Sunday’s shooting at the gay Pulse nightclub in Orlando that left 49 […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJune 15, 2016

Bill Nelson has filed legislation that would require the FBI to be notified if a person under investigation for terrorism ties tries to buy a gun. The proposal, according to the Orlando Democrat’s office, would ensure anyone who is — or has been — investigated for possible ties to terrorism is entered into the National Instant Criminal […]

Martin DyckmanJune 13, 2016

What fools we are. What willful, stubborn, persistent, incurable fools. Americans submit by the millions to the Transportation Security Administration’s multiple indignities and inconveniences. The TSA will cost us $5.1 billion this year. We’ll fill its trash barrels with tons of cosmetics, lotions and bottled water that we can’t carry on board. This is in […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 13, 2016

On Monday, Jacksonville City Councilman Reggie Gaffney issued a press release supporting the FBI investigation of the Vernell Bing Jr. killing. Bing, shot in May after a 3.7 mile car chase through the residential streets of Springfield which ended with a head-on collision between his stolen car and that of a police officer, has become a cause […]

Mitch PerryJune 13, 2016

Bill Nelson says there are a couple of potential legal remedies that should be addressed in the wake of the Orlando nightclub shooting Sunday morning that led to 49 people being killed. Multiple news agencies are reporting that the shooter, Omar Mateen, of Port Saint Lucie, had been a person of interest to federal authorities in […]

Blake DowlingApril 17, 2016

This battle between Apple and the FBI is one of the most controversial technology stories of the year. The FBI, while trying to get into the phone of the two San Bernardino terrorists, took Apple to court. The agency demanded that Apple help the agency get data off the locked phone and then said “never […]

Blake DowlingMarch 30, 2016

The United States Justice Department says it has closed its case against Apple for refusing to help the FBI unlock an iPhone used by the San Bernardino shooters. I wrote a column earlier in the month about the repercussions and legal precedent that would be established if Apple complied with the request. Most citizens were […]

Tag: FBI

A divided Senate answers Orlando with gridlock on gun curbs

Rick Scott to feds: Release the Orlando 911 tapes

911 transcript: Orlando gunman said he was Islamic soldier

Rick Kriseman: ‘I’ll be damned if we’re going to let violence stop us’ from celebrating St. Pete Pride weekend

Bill Nelson files legislation to notify FBI if terrorism suspect buys gun

Martin Dyckman: By electing pro-gun politicians, we are the ally of home-grown terrorists

Jax Councilman Reggie Gaffney lauds FBI investigation of Vernell Bing Jr. killing

Bill Nelson assails the use of assault weapons after Orlando massacre

Blake Dowling: Apple vs. FBI and the bounties for ‘bug hunters’

Blake Dowling: Apple vs. FBI: battle is over, but I doubt the war is