Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaApril 24, 2017

Seeing it as the “lesser of various evils” to pass a gambling bill this year, the House may give in to the Senate’s position to legislatively approve new slot machines in counties that passed referendums allowing them, according to those familiar with the negotiations. As of early Monday, the Conference Committee on Gaming was set to meet later […]

Bob SparksApril 23, 2017

According to Sen. Charles Grassley, the U.S. Supreme Court may need to fill another opening this summer. The Iowa Republican, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, did not name names, but rumors are swirling it could be the Court’s swing vote, 80-year-old Anthony Kennedy. If that occurs, President Trump will go back to his list of […]

Jim RosicaMarch 29, 2017

Now that he’s dispensed with the possibility of running for political office again, former GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee says he just wants to be a cultural “preservative.” Huckabee – a Christian minister, former Arkansas governor and now Walton County resident – spoke to reporters before his appearance at Wednesday’s Legislative Prayer Breakfast in Tallahassee. Huckabee ran for […]

Mitch PerryMarch 28, 2017

State lawmakers advanced a proposal Tuesday to allow Florida Power & Light to charge customers for speculative oil and gas investments. After two and a half hours of debate, the Florida House Subcommittee on Energy and Utilities approved HB 1043, sponsored by Sanford Republican Jason Brodeur. The measure would authorize the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) to approve utilities […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 18, 2017

The Florida Education Association (FEA) vented its “frustration” Wednesday after the Florida Supreme Court declined to take up a suit challenging the constitutionality of what’s been called “the nation’s largest private school choice program.” The court decided not to hear a challenge to the Tax Credit Scholarship Program, created in 2001, though – as one former judge noted – its […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 18, 2017

The Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will not take up an appeal on a high-profile school vouchers case. The decision comes as a major setback to vouchers opponents, including the Florida Education Association (FEA), the statewide teachers’ union, but was applauded by school choice advocates. (Separate story on the FEA’s reaction here.) The court denied a request […]

Martin DyckmanDecember 26, 2016

There are some things that only lawyers can explain. This is one of them. But I defy them to make sense of it. Just in time for Christmas, the Florida Supreme Court in two cases last week gave new leases on life to 213 convicted killers but turned down about 173 more. The only difference […]

Jim RosicaNovember 21, 2016

The Florida Channel plans to live stream the interviews of candidates for an opening on the Florida Supreme Court. The interviews are open to the public, but they will be held in Orlando next Monday, instead of Tallahassee. They’ll be at the offices of the GrayRobinson law firm, where Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission chair Jason Unger […]

Jim RosicaNovember 14, 2016

The Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission on Monday voted to interview all 11 applicants for a vacancy on the court. The interviews, open to the public, will be held in Orlando Nov. 28, starting around noon and likely lasting through 7 p.m., said Jason Unger, the commission’s chair. The panel held a brief organizational conference call […]

Jim RosicaNovember 14, 2016

As of the Friday deadline, 11 people had applied to become the next justice of the Florida Supreme Court. The last application received was from Circuit Judge Michael Joseph Rudisill of the 18th Judicial Circuit for Brevard and Seminole counties. There, Rudisill replaced James E.C. Perry, now the justice whose December retirement is creating the Supreme Court vacancy. Besides Rudisill, here […]

Tag: Ricky Polston

Gambling deal may come down to slots question

If another SCOTUS opening occurs, will Charles Canady get a serious look?

Mike Huckabee’s mission: To keep the world from ‘spoiling’

House advances bill allowing FPL to charge customers for out-of-state speculative investments

Teachers’ union: “Who can challenge the Legislature on voucher program?”

Supreme Court throws out school vouchers case

Retiring Justice gives final voice of reason on Florida’s death penalty

Supreme Court candidate interviews will be live streamed

Commission will interview all Supreme Court applicants

11 apply for Florida Supreme Court