Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryDecember 4, 2015

Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission (PTC) Chairman Victor Crist says that Jeff Brandes’ recent inquiry on whether the PTC should be allowed to hire lobbyists was simply a ploy “to try to stir the pot” in advance of next week’s Hillsborough County Legislative Delegation meeting. “This is a publicity stunt by Sen. Brandes to stir […]

Mitch PerryDecember 4, 2015

First off, I want to wish the best for Brendan McLaughlin, who will be departing as a news anchor at ABC affiliate WFTS in a couple of weeks after 21 years in the market. Like yours truly, Brendan hails from the San Francisco Bay Area (Marin County, actually, I believe). Folks, there ain’t that many […]

Mitch PerryDecember 3, 2015

(UPDATED) The Florida Attorney General’s office has decided it’s up to the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission to decide whether it wants to hire lobbyists. The decision came at the request from St. Petersburg GOP state Sen. Jeff Brandes for an opinion on the issue. In a letter to Brandes on Thursday, Assistant Attorney General […]

Mitch PerryDecember 3, 2015

Earlier this summer, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that defendants who use the controversial “Stand Your Ground” controversial legal defense — rather than the government — have the burden of proving it should shield them from prosecution. The ruling upset the National Rifle Association, and prompted GOP lawmakers to say they would address the issue in […]

Mitch PerryDecember 3, 2015

Wednesday’s mass gun shooting in San Bernadino is just the latest such incident in America, and Yolie Capin has had enough. The Tampa City Councilwoman was given the opportunity to address the audience who gathered at City Hall on Thursday for the council’s weekly meeting, and she used it to denounce the lack of gun control […]

Mitch PerryDecember 3, 2015

While the news is all about the latest gun shooting in San Bernardino on Wednesday, let’s focus here on another death that’s been in the news a lot in the past couple of weeks: that being of Laquan McDonald, the black teenager killed by a white Chicago police officer a year ago. In between her […]

Mitch PerryDecember 2, 2015

Tampa Bay area U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor is the latest Democrat to ask House Speaker Paul D. Ryan to disband the select committee investigating Planned Parenthood. She argues in a letter addressed to the speaker that GOP-rhetoric-incited anger toward the group led in part to Friday’s deadly shooting at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado […]

Mitch PerryDecember 2, 2015

Mark Bircher has filed paperwork to run for the 13th Congressional District seat in 2016, becoming the first Republican to do so. He’s the retired Marine Corps Reserve brigadier general who finished third in the district’s Republican primary in early 2014 to succeed the late Bill Young. The 62-year-old Seminole resident and commercial airline pilot […]

Mitch PerryDecember 2, 2015

The Florida Supreme Court gave its blessing gave its blessing Wednesday to a congressional districts map that was picked by Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis back in October. The high court had ruled in July that the Legislature gerrymandered eight of the state’s 27 congressional districts in violation of the 2012 Fair District amendments. […]

Mitch PerryDecember 2, 2015

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A bill that would create a new regulatory framework in Florida for the controversial practice known as fracking passed a House panel Wednesday, despite overwhelming public testimony against it. The House Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee approved the bill (HB 191), filed by Estero Republican Rep. Ray Rodrigues and Rep. Cary Pigman, an Avon Park Republican, on a 9-3 […]

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Tensions about Hillsborough PTC build as legislative delegation meeting approaches

Mitch Perry Report for 12.4.15 – on Jeb, Ted and Kobe

Pam Bondi’s office says PTC can decide whether to hire lobbyists

Stand Your Ground revisions pass thru Florida Senate committee

Yolie Capin kicks off Tampa City Council meeting by saying “we are in a gun out of control state”

Mitch Perry Report for 12.3.15 – Rahm Emanuel and Chicago are stuck with each other

After Colorado Springs killings, Kathy Castor calls on Paul Ryan to disband Planned Parenthood probe

Mark Bircher becomes the first Republican to enter CD 13 contest

Charlie Crist hails Florida Supreme Court’s approval of new congressional map

Bill that would regulate fracking in Florida advances in state House