Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Melissa RossMay 6, 2015

Cooler heads will likely prevail as the Florida House and Senate troop back to Tallahassee in June. So says influential Jacksonville lobbyist and consultant Marty Fiorentino. “I think the Legislature will come back in Special Session and create a budget that’s good for Florida,” he said. “The leadership of both the House and Senate will […]

Diane RobertsMay 6, 2015

OCCUPIED TALLAHASSEE – Which is worse: stupid and evil or smart and evil? It’s a thought experiment: you can apply it to, say, George W. and Jeb Bush, Rick Scott and Adam Putnam, the Florida House and – Jesus, those idiots don’t deserve to be in the same paragraph as the word “thought.” But while […]

Jac VerSteegMay 4, 2015

Politicians who disagree with Supreme Court rulings frequently point out that the justices are “unelected.” That’s true on both the federal and state levels. Florida House Speaker Steve Crisafulli echoed that disdain with comments after a majority of Florida Supreme Court justices agreed with an opinion written by Justice Barbara Pariente, who wrote that the […]

Jac VerSteegMay 4, 2015

Politicians who disagree with Supreme Court rulings frequently point out that the justices are “unelected.” That’s true on both the federal and state levels. Florida House Speaker Steve Crisafulli echoed that disdain with comments after a majority of Florida Supreme Court justices agreed with an opinion written by Justice Barbara Pariente, who wrote that the […]

Peter SchorschMay 3, 2015

By way of both a disclosure and a jumping off point for this post, I need to make it clear that for two of his previous campaigns, I served as a political consultant to Rep. Matt Gaetz. The expertise I offered, for whatever it was worth, was in the area of social media, including advice on […]

Daniel TilsonApril 30, 2015

So, conservative extremists disabled our Florida Legislature this week. House Speaker Steve Crisafulli rocked the ship of state and shocked many of his GOP colleagues when he abruptly adjourned the 2015 session several days early. This, with a state budget and much important legislative work still undone. This, because of an iron-clad commitment by Gov. […]

Martin DyckmanApril 30, 2015

Florida Gov. Rick Scott continues to build a record that no successor should be allowed to emulate. None should even want to. But you never know. Twenty-one times now, Scott has rejected lawyers recommended by the Florida Bar for seats on some of Florida’s 26 judicial nominating commissions. The latest such act was on April […]

James CallApril 28, 2015

Florida’s impasse over the state budget has rubbed nerves raw, throwing lawmakers and lobbyists’ plans for May and June into chaos. On Tuesday, the Legislature quickly deflated the party atmosphere that usually engulfs the end of the annual 60-day session. The House adjourned unexpectedly Tuesday and is in recessed, in the words of Speaker Steve Crisafulli “until […]

Peter SchorschApril 27, 2015

During a story arc of the third season of 30 Rock, Jon Hamm plays Drew, the boyfriend of Tina Fey’s character Liz Lemon. In the episode “The Bubble,” Fey begins to notice that people treat Hamm differently because of his good looks. After watching a traffic cop rip up a ticket for Drew, and fashion […]

Guest AuthorApril 27, 2015

While the Florida Legislature debates health care on many fronts, an important health care measure that has been in the works for several years and takes significant steps to better protect one of Florida’s most vulnerable populations, our state’s seniors, is now ready for final passage. That measure is assisted living reform. The assisted living […]

Tag: Florida Senate

Marty Fiorentino: June Special Session should get results

Diane Roberts: The unavoidable subject of stupid

Jac Wilder VerSteeg: “Unelected” high court chides House for unelecting itself

Jac Wilder VerSteeg: Unelected Supreme Court chastises House members for unelecting themselves

Peter Schorsch: Matt Gaetz tweets highlight generational and maturity gap between House and Senate

Daniel Tilson: Florida should shun radicalism of Gov. Scott, House Republicans

Martin Dyckman: Gov. Scott's contempt of court must be stopped

Sine Die 2015: No joy in Tally tonight

Peter Schorsch: When will Speaker Steve Crisafulli's bubble burst?

Gail Matillo: Legislature finally could OK needed assisted living facilities reform