Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryJuly 19, 2017

A day after an attempt by Senate Republicans to repeal the Affordable Care Act crashed and burned, Lakeland GOP Congressman Dennis Ross blasted members of his own party, saying he’s “sick of the excuses.” “The Senate has failed the American people and abandoned voters who were promised that they would repeal and replace the disastrous Obamacare. […]

Peter SchorschJuly 14, 2017

Responding to columns and questions from Florida Politics and other local media, Jeff Vinik confirmed Friday that he is, indeed, one of four “secret lenders” who provided a $12 million loan to the Tampa Bay Times. “I am happy to confirm that I am part of the investor group, FBN Partners, which recently formed to […]

Mitch PerryJune 16, 2017

It was a tough room for House Speaker Richard Corcoran. Speaking before an unfriendly crowd of public school supporters in Tampa, Corcoran doubled down on his support of an education bill that creates a new system of charter schools to replace underperforming public schools. On Thursday, Corcoran stood beside Rick Scott in Orlando as the Governor signed the controversial […]

Mitch PerryMay 22, 2017

tampa-mayor-bob-buckhorn-fires-a-50-caliber-machine-gun-from-a-rigid-hull-inflatable-boat-after-bein_275352_.jpg

Over the course of six years as mayor, Bob Buckhorn has said things that have offended some people, but he has rarely (if ever) been forced to apologize. Until now. Unless you’ve been avoiding local (now national) press over the past couple of days, you know the mayor has been (metaphorically) under fire since the Tampa Bay […]

Peter SchorschApril 4, 2017

During a recent interview with the Tampa Bay Times editorial board, Rick Baker said there were no plans for direct mail or other campaign spending to win a May 2 referendum to negotiate a 25-year lease with the city to expand Al Lang Stadium. That’s because Baker, the former St. Petersburg mayor and president of the Edwards Group […]

Mitch PerryMarch 27, 2017

Legislation that would create a regional transit agency connecting four Tampa Bay-area counties breezed through committees in both the House and Senate last week. The proposed agency would be created in advance of a much anticipated Florida Dept. of Transportation transit study scheduled to be completed next year. “It’s a real project. It’s not just talk. […]

Peter SchorschMarch 1, 2017

A newsprint vendor is suing the Tampa Bay Times, claiming the paper owes more than $340,000 in debt from the acquisition of the Tampa Tribune last year. Emails submitted in the suit show a story of increasing disarray with vendors at the 121-year-old Trib leading up to the May 2016 purchase. In April 2015, the […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 15, 2017

Last week, the Tampa Bay Times quoted two retired hydrology experts who slammed the phosphate giant Mosaic and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection over the massive sinkhole that exploded under a gypsum stack at Mosaic’s New Wales plant in Mulberry last summer, resulting in 215 million gallons of radioactive wastewater released into the Florida aquifer. Don Rice and Mary Hrenda told the Times that […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 10, 2017

Following a report from the Tampa Bay Times’ Craig Pittman regarding the sinkhole that opened up on Mosaic Fertilizer’s property in late 2016, the company sent out a scathing rebuke to media alleging Pittman “continues to provide a platform for false information.” In the report, Pittman interviewed Don Rice, a former hydrologist from the U.S. Geological Survey, who alleges the […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 6, 2017

Tampa GOP state Representative Jamie Grant has filed a bill (HB 647) that would eliminate the controversial Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission. “With new information being made public every day, it becomes increasingly clear that this agency needs to be abolished,” Grant said in a statement. “Everything that has come to light has confirmed what we knew […]

Tag: Tampa Bay Times

Dennis Ross blasts GOP Senate in wake of ACA debacle

Jeff Vinik confirms he’s one of four ‘secret lenders’ to Tampa Bay Times

In Tampa, Richard Corcoran faces hostile crowd angry about school bill

Bob Buckhorn apologies for military conference joke

Poll shows Rowdies soccer stadium referendum cruising to victory

Tampa Bay Partnership on board with Jack Latvala-Dan Raulerson bill creating regional transit agency

Newsprint vendor sues Tampa Bay Times over defaulted $340K debt

Tampa Bay Times’ acknowledges its recent stories on Mosaic spill are inaccurate

Mosaic pushes back hard against Tampa Bay Times over sinkhole reporting

At long last, Jamie Grant files bill to kill Hillsborough PTC