Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersApril 21, 2017

A group of more than 40 former Florida Supreme Court justices, and judges, prosecutors and legal officials from throughout the country are filing an amicus brief supporting Orlando’s State Attorney Aramis Ayala in her power-struggle with Gov. Rick Scott, contending that the issues in their court battles are of national importance. “By seeking to remove […]

Scott PowersApril 20, 2017

Five Democratic lawmakers led by Senate Minority Leader Oscar Braynon are preparing to file a brief with the Florida Supreme Court in support of Orlando’s State Attorney Aramis Ayala in her effort to challenge Gov. Rick Scott‘s power to take cases away from her. Braynon, state Sens. Jeff Clemens, Perry Thurston, and Gary Farmer, and state […]

Jim RosicaApril 20, 2017

The state’s highest court on Thursday gave its approval for proposed state constitutional amendments on voter approval of new gambling and restoring voting rights to ex-cons. But there’s a big ‘if’ before either can be placed on the 2018 statewide ballot—both amendments still need hundreds of thousands of signatures. Moreover, Justices Ricky Polston and R. Fred […]

Scott PowersApril 19, 2017

The Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association – which represents the states’s 20 state attorneys including Orlando’s Aramis Ayala – will be filing an amicus brief against her and supporting Gov. Rick Scott‘s power to reassign state attorneys’ cases. The association filed a motion Wednesday morning requesting the chance to weigh in as a friend of the […]

Guest AuthorApril 19, 2017

A lot of people talk about jobs. How to create them, how to save them, or how to move them. No matter what side of the “jobs argument” you are on, one thing is certain. There can be no job without a worker to perform that job. That worker is – normally – a human […]

Jim RosicaApril 13, 2017

Satellite-television service can be taxed at a higher rate than cable TV, the Florida Supreme Court decided Thursday. Satellite companies had challenged the state’s 16-year-old Communications Services Tax (CST), which now taxes cable service at 4.92 percent and satellite at 9.07 percent. Those concerns, led by DirecTV, said that difference was unconstitutional and asked for a refund. But […]

Scott PowersApril 13, 2017

A coalition of groups led by the Advancement Project in Washington D.C. is filing an amicus brief charging Gov. Rick Scott with refusing to recognize voters’ will in the State Attorney Aramis Ayala case in the Florida Supreme Court. The coalition, including Civil Rights, immigration reform and labor groups, is characterizing Ayala as a criminal justice […]

Scott PowersApril 11, 2017

Among material filed Tuesday with Orlando’s State Attorney Aramis Ayala‘s Florida Supreme Court challenge of Gov. Rick Scott‘s executive orders stripping cases from her is a year-old letter from his office affirming her position – that her prosecutorial decisions cannot be overridden. Ayala’s attorneys Roy Austin Jr. of Washington D.C. and Marcos Hasbun of Tampa included the […]

Scott PowersApril 11, 2017

Arguing Gov. Rick Scott had no legal basis to strip murder cases from her jurisdiction, Orlando’s State Attorney Aramis Ayala filed challenges Tuesday morning in both the Florida Supreme Court and federal court. In complaints filed by her attorney, Roy Austin Jr. of Washington D.C., Ayala contends that she legally exercised prosecutorial discretion in deciding not […]

Gary FineoutApril 7, 2017

Florida may end a long-running battle and pay millions to homeowners whose healthy citrus trees were torn down in a failed attempt to eradicate citrus canker. The Florida House has $66 million in its proposed budget to pay lawsuits filed on behalf of homeowners in Broward, Lee and Palm Beach counties. There are also lawsuits […]

Tag: Florida Supreme Court

More than 40 top judicial, prosecutorial officials to file in support of Aramis Ayala

Oscar Braynon, four other Democrats, set to file in support of Aramis Ayala

Supreme Court OKs gambling control, felon voting rights amendments

Florida prosecutors’ group to weigh in on Rick Scott’s side in Aramis Ayala dispute

Danny Burgess: It’s vital Florida workers get care they need

Supreme Court OKs taxing satellite TV higher than cable

Amicus brief to charge Rick Scott with voter disenfranchisement in Aramis Ayala case

Governor’s office affirmed prosecutorial discretion, state attorneys’ independence, in letter last year

Aramis Ayala files challenges of Rick Scott with Florida Supreme Court, federal court

Florida may pay millions to homeowners for lost citrus trees