Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaDecember 26, 2017

Spoiler alert: If you’re a regular of this site, and reading this story, you can guess what the #1 pick is. Otherwise, 2017 still offered a bounty of material to Tallahassee’s reporting ranks. We still chuckle at the uninitiated who ask, “What do you write about when the Legislature isn’t in session?” Without further ado, […]

Phil AmmannDecember 22, 2017

Thanks, but no thanks. Citing unfinished business in the Florida House, state Rep. James Grant is dismissing any talk of running for the Senate seat vacated this week by Jack Latvala, who stepped down after facing multiple allegations of sexual harassment. Grant was responding to a tweet from Peter Schorsch, who was, in turn, answering […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 22, 2017

Donors are demanding their money back from former state Senator (and still current candidate for Governor) Jack Latvala. However, the Fraternal Order of Police still stands by its endorsement of the Pinellas senator whose sexual harassment and intimidation became national news. And the next time the police union may review the decision will be in February — weeks […]

Scott PowersDecember 21, 2017

With state Sen. Jack Latvala‘s ignominious resignation Wednesday afternoon, state Sen. Denise Grimsley quickly announced she is donating money her political committees received from Latvala’s political committees to a domestic violence group. Grimsley’s move sets a challenge to dozens of other elected officials and political groups that have received money from Latvala’s primary financial tools of […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 21, 2017

Sen. Jack Latvala is no longer a factor in Tallahassee; his resignation Wednesday sealed that, ending what accusers in two separate independent reports called “decades” of sexual harassment and quid pro quo coercion. However, Jacksonville politics saw prominent players on both sides of the Latvala scandal – and those players will have to deal with each other […]

Scott PowersDecember 20, 2017

With Republican agriculture commissioner candidate and state Sen. Denise Grimsley‘s decision Wednesday to give to charity the money her political committees received from Jack Latvala, numerous others may also be pondering what to do with the millions of dollars he has donated from his committees. Latvala, who resigned Wednesday afternoon after damning reports emerged from investigations […]

Ana CeballosDecember 20, 2017

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The state’s law enforcement agency is reviewing sexual misconduct allegations against Sen. Jack Latvala outlined in two Florida Senate investigations that concluded he may have violated state corruption laws by offering to support legislation in exchange of “a sexual encounter.” The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said Wednesday it is conducting a “preliminary review” of […]

Jim RosicaDecember 20, 2017

Sen. Jack Latvala used his outsized influence to grope and otherwise sexually harass women in The Process, and intimidate them and others into keeping quiet about it, according to the latest report released Wednesday into misconduct claims against the longtime lawmaker. The report was released just minutes before Latvala’s decision to resign from the Senate […]

Jim RosicaDecember 20, 2017

In the face of two damning reports this week on his alleged serial sexual harassment, state Sen. Jack Latvala on Wednesday resigned from elected office. The 66-year-old Clearwater Republican said in a statement to Florida Politics he “never intentionally dishonored my family, my constituents or the Florida Senate.” He first served in the Senate 1994-2002, […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 20, 2017

Update: Jack Latvala resigned from the Senate Wednesday afternoon. In a resignation letter to Senate President Joe Negron, Latvala wrote: “I have never intentionally dishonored my family, my constituents or the Florida Senate. “My political adversaries have latched onto this effort to rid our country of sexual harassment to try to rid the Florida Senate of […]

Tag: Jack Latvala
Image via AP.

Jim Rosica’s review of top state government stories of 2017

James Grant says ‘thanks, but no thanks’ on Jack Latvala’s Senate seat

Fraternal Order of Police still standing by ‘true champion’ Jack Latvala

Denise Grimsley donates Jack Latvala money to anti-domestic violence group

‘Family is everything’: Will Jack Latvala fallout affect Jacksonville politics?

Jack Latvala’s political committee money await decisions

Law enforcement reviewing Jack Latvala sexual misconduct case

‘Quid pro quo’ mentioned in second Jack Latvala sexual harassment report

The end: Jack Latvala resigns from Florida Senate

Marco Rubio called for Jack Latvala resignation