Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiDecember 15, 2015

Ahead of the final Jacksonville HRO “Community Conversation.” the Jacksonville Coalition for Equality held a press conference spotlighting business community support for a fully inclusive HRO. Over 274 names long, and growing. The names: not surprising. Steve Halverson of the Haskell Co., an HRO supporter the first time around. Audrey Moran, the former mayoral candidate […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 3, 2015

This week a Dallas-based website launched a purported attempt to crowdfund 10 votes in favor of expansion of Jacksonville’s Human Rights Ordinance. On Wednesday afternoon, the Jacksonville Coalition for Equality released a statement condemning “in the strongest terms possible any unethical or illegal attempt to influence the outcome” of the HRO vote. Coalition Legislative Director […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 22, 2015

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The Ku Klux Klan, arguably the first domestic terror group, has weighed in on Jacksonville’s community conversations on HRO expansion. Weighed in literally, according to reports, putting flyers from “the Loyal White Knights of the KKK” in bags and throwing them, mixed in with rice, in people’s yards. This is on the heels of a bomb threat just […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 5, 2015

Arguably the most monumental election of Tuesday night, for those in Northeast Florida, wasn’t the St. Johns County Sales Tax referendum, but half a continent away: Houston voters rejected their city’s equal rights ordinance. The margin wasn’t close: 61 to 39 percent. The issue had been into a so-called “bathroom ordinance,” with opponents somehow reducing […]

Melissa RossNovember 4, 2015

In the wake of last night’s defeat of an anti-discrimination ordinance in Houston, activists with the Jacksonville Coalition for Equality say they’re going to work overtime to educate the public – and prepare to do battle against any potential scare tactics that could be mounted to defeat an expanded HRO in Duval County. Prop. 1, known […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 30, 2015

As the saying goes, “promises made; promises kept.” On Friday, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry announced three long-promised “community conversations” on the need for expanding the city’s Human Rights Ordinance to LGBT citizens. Reaction from activists was positive. “We’re pleased to see Mayor Curry keep his campaign promise to lead a series of community conversations about discrimination. […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 21, 2015

One of the more positive developments, in terms of the revived effort to expand the Jacksonville Human Rights Ordinance to LGBT members of the community, was the enlistment of Southern Strategy Group to lobby for the effort. As I wrote in my column for Folio Weekly, now on racks throughout Northeast Florida: I like a […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 28, 2015

Florida Politics has learned that Kerri Stewart, chief of staff for the Lenny Curry administration, and representatives for the Jacksonville Coalition for Equality are slated to have a meeting in the near future regarding expanding the Human Rights Ordinance to the LGBT community. On Monday, Jimmy Midyette of the JCE emailed Stewart. “Leaders of the Jacksonville Coalition for Equality […]

Melissa RossAugust 21, 2015

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Florida attorney Roger Gannam, who spoke out against adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the Atlantic Beach human rights ordinance in 2014, is now involved with the defense of a Kentucky county clerk who has religious objections to marrying same-sex couples. On Monday, U.S. District Judge David Bunning ordered Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis to issue […]

Melissa RossJune 29, 2015

With reaction continuing to pour in after the Friday Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage, Jacksonville LGBT activists say they’re ready to take another crack at updating the city’s human rights ordinance. “We’re trying again,” says Jacksonville attorney and activist Jimmy Midyette, who chairs the Northeast Florida LGBT Leadership PAC, and thinks the climate is now a […]

Tag: Jimmy Midyette
Image via AP.

Jacksonville Coalition for Equality makes its business case for HRO

Jacksonville Coalition for Equality condemns Dallas website HRO vote-buying scheme

The KKK flyers and the Jax HRO

Despite fall of Houston HERO, “fully inclusive” Jax HRO push is full steam ahead

After Houston, Jax LGBT activists say they’ve got their work cut out

Lenny Curry announces Jax HRO “community conversations”

Southern Strategy Group no longer lobbying for Jax HRO

HRO meeting imminent between Jax Coalition for Equality, Lenny Curry administration

Florida’s Liberty Counsel reps Kentucky clerk in same-sex marriage standoff

With same-sex marriage now legal coast to coast, Jax activists eye city’s HRO once again