Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Staff ReportsSeptember 19, 2016

Floridians may be rethinking their throw-the-book-at-’em approach to crime, a poll released Monday suggests. The survey by The James Madison Institute and the Charles Koch Institute found that 72 percent of Floridians agreed or strongly agreed it is important to reform criminal justice. Seventy-five percent agreed or strongly agreed the prison population costs the country […]

Peter SchorschSeptember 15, 2016

Thomas Griffin, a former chief of staff to state Sen. Rob Bradley, is joining Tallahassee’s Smith, Bryan & Myers lobbying firm. “Tom has earned a reputation as a trusted and respected voice with key stakeholders throughout Florida,” said Matt Bryan, the firm’s president. “We are excited to be growing our firm with up and coming bright minds like his.” Griffin previously […]

Peter SchorschJuly 14, 2016

Trouble in South Florida in the Indian River Lagoon, and the estuary and coastline fed by the St. Lucie River, have many rightfully up in arms. The United States Army Corp of Engineers recently released billions of gallons of water from Lake Okeechobee to protect the integrity of the Herbert Hoover Dike around the lake. While […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJuly 13, 2016

A new report is encouraging lawmakers to study the impact Lake Okeechobee water releases have on the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries. The call for a study was just one of the priorities outlined in a new report released by the the James Madison Institute on Monday. The paper — written by Dan Peterson, director […]

Staff ReportsMay 16, 2016

From the Baxley campaign: Today, the Dennis Baxley campaign announced the support of Allan Bense, former speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. Bense served the Panama City area in the Florida House beginning in 1996 and was Speaker during his final term from 2004 to 2006. Baxley is seeking the District 12 seat in the Florida […]

Mitch PerryMarch 31, 2016

You hear a lot in the news these days about how conservatives are poised to work with liberals on criminal justice. It actually happened a few times during this past Legislative Session in Tallahassee. At Wednesday’s Suncoast Tiger Bay meeting in St. Petersburg, the assembled lawmakers were asked to cite what they thought was the […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 22, 2016

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Travis Keels says he’s leaving the James Madison Institute for the press secretary gig at the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Keels, who’s been JMI’s Director of Public Affairs for the past two years, announced the move Friday. The organization is a “free-market think tank” based in Tallahassee. His time there “allowed me the opportunity to grow […]

Peter SchorschJanuary 21, 2016

A new criminal justice reform organization is holding a kickoff event Thursday in Tallahassee with anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist as featured guest. The Coalition to Advance Justice will hold the invitation-only reception to introduce the organization to key lawmakers and policy influencers. It will be at the James Madison Institute, the Florida-based conservative think tank, and […]

Mitch PerryDecember 16, 2015

Debbie Dooley, president of one of the groups that spearheaded the movement to open up the solar power movement in Florida through a proposed constitutional amendment earlier this year, is blasting the report by the James Madison Institute released earlier on Wednesday. That report said that passage of the amendment sponsored by Floridians for Solar […]

Mitch PerryDecember 16, 2015

The ballot initiative that would increase access to solar power in Florida next year has faced intense opposition from the public utilities and big business all year long. One of those opponents is The James Madison Institute (JMI), a conservative think-tank based in Tallahassee. The group released a report on Wednesday claiming that if the […]

Tag: James Madison Institute

Florida growing friendlier to criminal-justice reform, poll indicates

Personnel note: Thomas Griffin joins Smith, Bryan & Myers

Daniel Peterson: Keeping on track to solve the Everglades riddle

James Madison Institute tackles ‘Everglades Riddle’ in new report

Dennis Baxley picks up endorsement from former Speaker Allan Bense

Mitch Perry Report for 3.31.16 – Pinellas lawmakers reflect on bills likely positive for entire body politic

Personnel note: Travis Keels to DBPR from JMI

New criminal-justice reform group to kick off in Tallahassee

Debbie Dooley calls JMI report that solar amendment would cost over $1 billion to ratepayers “bogus”

Solar power amendment opponent says its passage would cost ratepayers $1.1 billion