Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaNovember 29, 2017

The “hot mic” has gone cold. In a one-sentence order, the Florida Supreme Court denied Gov. Rick Scott’s request to disqualify Justice Barbara Pariente from a pending case over his judicial appointment power. “The respondent’s motion to disqualify Justice Pariente is hereby denied,” it said, without elaboration. Scott “expects all judges to be fair and impartial,” […]

Jim RosicaNovember 20, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott is moving to remove Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente from a legal challenge to his judicial appointment power, saying she’s biased against him. Daniel Nordby, Scott’s general counsel, filed a motion for disqualification Monday. Scott’s decision follows Pariente “making disparaging remarks after the conclusion of the oral argument in this case on […]

Jim RosicaNovember 14, 2017

A conservative watchdog says it’s filed a public records request for emails from Justice Barbara Pariente and Chief Justice Jorge Labarga after what it calls “the justices’ overt political bias.” The D.C.-based Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) late Monday released a copy of its request to the Florida Supreme Court. It asks for copies of […]

Jim RosicaNovember 7, 2017

An attorney for Gov. Rick Scott has filed a public records request with the state Supreme Court over last week’s ambiguous “hot mic” conversation between Chief Justice Jorge Labarga and Justice Barbara Pariente. But Scott stopped short Tuesday of saying whether he will ask the two justices to recuse themselves from further involvement in a case over […]

Jim RosicaNovember 4, 2017

“Izzy Reyes is on there, he’ll listen to me.” That’s what Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge Labarga can be heard saying to Justice Barbara Pariente right after Wednesday’s oral argument in a lawsuit over the governor’s judicial appointments power. A lawyer named Israel U. Reyes is a member of the Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC). The […]

Jim RosicaOctober 27, 2017

A proposed constitutional amendment would ensure that future governors could appoint new judges and justices up to their last day in office. But John Stemberger, the member of the Constitution Revision Commission who filed the amendment Thursday, said he was temporarily withdrawing the proposal to correct a drafting error. The amendment would make certain that judicial terms […]

Jim RosicaAugust 25, 2017

The Florida Supreme Court will hear oral argument in the case against Gov. Rick Scott over whether he has the authority to appoint three new justices on the last day of his term. The court on Friday set argument for 9 a.m. Nov. 1. For now, the matter will be heard by the court’s seven justices, […]

Jim RosicaJuly 31, 2017

The progressive groups suing Rick Scott will get till next Thursday to respond to his request to toss out a lawsuit that aims to stop the Republican governor from appointing three Supreme Court justices on his last day in office. The Florida Supreme Court gave the League of Women Voters of Florida (LWVF) and Common Cause till Aug. 10 […]

Mitch PerryJuly 5, 2017

In one of his first public statements since he announced his candidacy last month, Democratic Attorney General candidate Ryan Torrens says he’s strongly opposed to Rick Scott’s attempt to replace three members of the Florida Supreme Court on his last day of office in 2019. “In 2014, Florida voters had an opportunity to approve a constitutional […]

Jim RosicaJune 22, 2017

The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday granted Gov. Rick Scott‘s request for 14 extra days to respond to a lawsuit claiming he doesn’t have authority to appoint three new justices on the last day of his term. Scott general counsel Daniel Nordby filed the request Wednesday, asking to move the deadline to July 19. “Multiple extensions […]

Tag: R. Fred Lewis

Barbara Pariente to stay on Rick Scott judicial appointments case

Rick Scott moves to throw Barbara Pariente off judicial appointments case

Right-leaning watchdog now wants judicial emails after ‘hot mic’

Rick Scott won’t say if he’ll seek recusals over Supreme Court ‘hot mic’ incident

Supreme Court justices caught on ‘hot mic’—but about what?

Proposal would assure governor’s power to name justices

Supreme Court orders argument in judicial appointments case

Groups get more time to respond in suit over Supreme Court justices

Attorney General candidate Ryan Torrens calls out Rick Scott for attempt to pack Supreme Court

Rick Scott gets more time to respond to judicial appointments lawsuit