Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryJanuary 25, 2018

Five Democrats have already filed for the Hillsborough County Commission District 5 seat, but there’s no doubt the Party establishment is putting all their chips behind community activist Mariella Smith. Congresswoman Kathy Castor, former Education Commissioner Betty Castor and current County Commissioner Pat Kemp were part of Smith’s kickoff event Tuesday night. An audience of around […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 20, 2018

The Florida Commission on Ethics decided Friday to give Hillsborough County Commission Ken Hagan the opportunity to amend a petition requesting that activist George Niemann pay his legal fees. The decision came after a commission attorney advocated that Hagan’s petition be dismissed. The county paid Hagan’s attorney, Mark Levine, $7,841 last year to defend the District 5 commissioner […]

Mitch PerryNovember 15, 2017

In a move critics called “chilling,” the Hillsborough County Commission voted 4-3 on Wednesday to seek financial reimbursement from four activists who filed a failed ethics complaint against Commissioners Ken Hagan and Sandy Murman. Hagan filed a petition for fees and costs for his attorney, Mark Levine, following the Florida Commission on Ethics’ announcement last month that it found no […]

Mitch PerryOctober 10, 2017

Florida Department of Transportation officials call Tampa Bay Next a “process,” one in which more input from the public is always welcome. That attitude is impressing some of the agency’s critics, after what was widely perceived as a heavy-handed approach with the now-defunct Tampa Bay Express project, the multibillion-dollar proposal that most prominently included adding […]

Mitch PerryMay 6, 2015

The Hillsborough County Commission voted 6-1 on Wednesday to ask the the Florida Commission on Ethics to pursue legal frees from a Plant City winery owner whose ethics complaint against Commissioner Al Higginbotham was deemed to be without merit by that same commission. Joe Keel, owner of Keel and Curley Winery, filed an ethics complaint against […]

Tag: George Niemann

Mariella Smith says facing Victor Crist is like ‘David and Goliath’

Ethics commission delays Ken Hagan’s legal fee case

Hillsborough approves filing reimbursement for complaint against Ken Hagan

Residents, critics speak out on Tampa Bay Next ‘process’

Hillsborough Commissioners want winery owner to pay Al Higginbotham’s legal fees