Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Danny McAuliffeFebruary 22, 2018

The Joint Legislative Auditing Conference released on Thursday a list of 26 lobbying firms that were randomly selected for audits of their compensation reports. The firms selected for legislative lobbying audits are: — The Mayernick Group LLC — Gentry & Associates LLC — Pathfinder Communications LLC — Doster and Associates Inc. — Damon Smith Consulting […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 6, 2018

With a tip of the hat to LobbyTools, here are the latest movements — both on and off — of the legislative merry-go-round. On: Austin Kernan is a new legislative analyst in the Senate Majority Office. Off: Cathy Boyett is no longer a committee administrative assistant for the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee. Off: Administrative support staffer Lindsey Locke is no longer with […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 27, 2017

Last fiscal year, the Duval County School District spent $21 million over budget — leading to requests for a “deeper dive” into the numbers, reports the Tampa Bay Times. Also seeking a “deeper dive” — current State Rep. Jason Fischer, a former member of the Duval County School Board. However, that deeper dive is not welcomed […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 22, 2017

Even as some lawmakers have questioned its necessity, legislative and executive branch lobbying firms were again randomly selected Wednesday for audits of their compensation reports. The firms picked for legislative lobbying audits are: — Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney — Buigas & Associates — David R. Custin & Associates — Ericks Consultants — Hopping Green & […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 16, 2017

Republican lawmakers came to the defense of the state’s beleaguered affordable housing organization during a presentation of audit findings critical of the agency. The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee formally heard the report Thursday; the audit of the Florida Housing Finance Corp. (FHFC), steward of both state and federal affordable housing money, was released in December. Lawmakers focused on lavish […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 15, 2016

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In November a group of legislators reviewing the first-ever audits of lobbying firm income started to wonder why they were doing it. “I don’t understand how the public’s interest is advanced by this exercise,” said state Sen. Rob Bradley, a Fleming Island Republican who sits on the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee. “I just don’t see how this information is relevant” […]

Jim RosicaNovember 2, 2015

A panel of state lawmakers going over the first-ever audits of lobbying firm income on Monday started bringing up a common question: Why are we doing this? “I may be an outlier … (but) I don’t understand how the public’s interest is advanced by this exercise,” said state Sen. Rob Bradley, a Fleming Island Republican who sits on the Joint […]

Jim RosicaNovember 2, 2015

A joint panel of the Florida Legislature will go over the first round of lobbying firm audit reports at its meeting Monday morning. The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee plans to meet, starting at 9:30 a.m. The results of the first-ever audits of lobbyists’ compensation forms were released last month. Auditors found a number of firms either under-reporting […]

Staff ReportsOctober 21, 2015

The state House and Senate have issued legislative calendar changes for the final week of 2015 Special Session C, which is set to end Nov. 6. The session was convened to amend Senate maps, ordered by a Florida Supreme Court judgment that found the upper chamber violated anti-gerrymandering laws. A number of scheduled hearing times […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 11, 2015

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 5 p.m. to include comments from Gary Rutledge. The results of the first-ever audits of lobbyists’ compensation forms are in, with auditors finding a number of firms either under-reporting or over-reporting the money they made in 2014. In another case, auditors couldn’t tell who had paid a particular bill. […]

Tag: Joint Legislative Auditing Committee

State to require audits for 26 lobbying firms

Latest on the legislative staffing merry-go-round

State legislators press for Duval School District audit, as district resists

Firms randomly picked for lobbying compensation audits

GOP lawmakers defend Florida Housing Finance Corp.’s expenses

Bills would delete lobbying-firm audit requirement

Auditing panel muses whether lobbyists should be audited

Legislative panel will discuss recent lobbying audits

Legislative chambers revise schedule for final week of Special Session

Lobbying audit reports find discrepancies big and small