Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ana CeballosNovember 6, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott addressed the sexual allegations against Sen. Jack Latvala for the first time on Monday and said they were “disgusting” and that if anybody engages in such behavior they should “get out of office.” “I can’t imagine this, I can’t believe (this),” Scott told reporters in Fort Myers. “Hopefully this is not happening. […]

Joe HendersonNovember 6, 2017

If Jack Latvala is guilty of even some of the tawdry allegations of sexual harassment and miscreant behavior detailed in a damning story about him about him in POLITICO Florida, he should be banished from Tallahassee as quickly as possible. If he is guilty, it’s a given that his career in politics is finished. He should […]

Ana CeballosNovember 6, 2017

A push to make anti-sexual-harassment training mandatory in the Senate gathered momentum Monday after Democratic Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez sent a letter to Senate President Joe Negron urging him for a “more aggressive” sexual harassment policy. The letter comes after six unnamed women accused Sen. Jack Latvala of sexually harassing and groping them, according to a […]

Ana CeballosNovember 5, 2017

After six women anonymously accused Sen. Jack Latvala of sexually harassing and groping them, at least five women who have worked closely with the powerful senator have come to his defense. The allegations against Latvala, a Republican candidate for governor who turned 66 Friday, range from him grabbing a female lobbyist’s buttocks to making unsolicited […]

Ana CeballosNovember 3, 2017

Hours after POLITICO Florida reported that powerful state Sen. Jack Latvala had sexually harassed six women who work in the legislative process, the Clearwater Republican said in a Friday night statement that he “unequivocally den(ied) the allegations.” But the news dealt a stunning blow to the powerful Appropriations Committee chairman and Republican gubernatorial candidate, with House Speaker Richard […]

Jim RosicaAugust 22, 2017

An ex-aide to former state Sen. Maria Lorts Sachs has asked a federal court to drop his sexual harassment case against the Florida Senate. Matthew Damsky’s attorney filed a motion to dismiss Tuesday, asking that each side pay for its own attorneys’ fees and costs. The Senate was named as the defendant because it was […]

Jim RosicaAugust 17, 2017

A federal judge has given an ex-aide to former state Sen. Maria Lorts Sachs till next Tuesday to explain why he shouldn’t provide information in his still-pending sexual harassment case. Matthew Damsky, then 28, had sued the Florida Senate in Leon County Circuit Civil court last year on gender discrimination and retaliation charges. The 68-year-old Sachs, first elected to the Senate in […]

Florence SnyderNovember 21, 2016

For an academic who can’t keep his hands off the co-eds, friends with funds sure do come in handy. That’s the takeaway from the tawdry tale of the University of South Florida’s Herb Maschner. The aptly named anthropologist left his longtime professional home at Idaho State University for USF, bringing with him a long-standing relationship […]

Scott PowersAugust 25, 2016

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Political operative Holly Fussell‘s internet accusations — that Democratic congressional candidate Susannah Randolph had once ignored complaints of staff sexual harassment — has echoed into the campaign of Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Alan Grayson. Brook Hines said Thursday she resigned last week as U.S. Rep. Grayson’s U.S. Senate campaign deputy communications director because she was ethically too uncomfortable with the […]

Scott PowersAugust 25, 2016

Democrat Susannah Randolph’s campaign for the Democratic nomination in Florida’s 9th Congressional District is spending much of its last week before the primary putting out fires from a political equivalent of a Molotov cocktail thrown her way — by a political operative going public with a troubling story involving Randolph. Starting two weeks ago, Randolph, running […]

Tag: sexual harassment

Rick Scott calls Jack Latvala sexual allegations ‘disgusting’

Joe Henderson: The avalanche is building around Jack Latvala

Jose Javier Rodriguez calls for anti-harassment training in the Senate

Jack Latvala allies come to his defense after sexual harassment claims

Jack Latvala denies sexual harassment, says he’ll ‘clear my name’

Maria Sachs accuser seeks to drop harassment case

Senate demands information in harassment lawsuit against Maria Sachs

USF’s Herb Maschner loses title, but not money

Holly Fussell’s accusations affected Alan Grayson’s campaign

The fire-bombing of Susannah Randolph