The Buzz on Florida Politics

Florida
Florida’s bank regulator discussed sex, harassed women, investigation says
tampabay.com - By Lawrence Mower
TALLAHASSEE — Florida’s top banking regulator sexually harassed employees and created a hostile work environment in the two-and-a-half months he was …
Mark Walker
Amendment 4: Did a Rick Scott loyalist just force a judge to recuse himself?
tampabay.com - By Lawrence Mower
TALLAHASSEE — The federal judge overseeing a challenge to Republican-backed restrictions to a measure restoring felon voting rights stepped away from …
Florida
Florida has no reported ‘sanctuary city’ violations
tampabay.com - By News Service of Florida
Following President Donald Trump’s promise last week that his administration would make immigration arrests across the nation, Florida Attorney …
Florida
Florida continues fight with environmentalists over conservation spending
tampabay.com - By News Service of Florida
Florida lawmakers defied a voter-approved constitutional amendment by improperly diverting money intended for land buying and maintenance to cover …
Florida International University
Democratic presidential candidates raised $3.8 million in Florida. Guess who raised half.
tampabay.com - By Miami Herald
Joe Biden didn’t win the first presidential debate in Florida but he did crush the 2020 Democratic field in one crucial campaign metric — Florida …
Florida Department of Law Enforcement
State police reviewing CFO Jimmy Patronis for possible violation of state law
tampabay.com - By Lawrence Mower
TALLAHASSEE — State police are reviewing whether Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis broke state law and released a woman’s sexual …
Lawsuits
New lawsuit alleges Florida teachers shorted millions in bonus money by state
tampabay.com - By Emily L. Mahoney
TALLAHASSEE — A former teacher filed a class-action lawsuit on Tuesday against the state, alleging that the Florida Department of Education illegally …
Marco Rubio
Marco Rubio and Rick Scott won’t call Trump’s tweet racist
tampabay.com - By Alex Daugherty
Rubio declined to say whether he thought Trump’s tweet was racist, though he said many people will interpret his remarks as racist. “I don’t read into …
Florida Highway Patrol
Florida Highway Patrol cracking down on speedy drivers this week
tampabay.com - By News Service of Florida
Highway speeders, no matter how little they go over the posted limit, are being targeted as Florida Highway Patrol troopers and transportation …
Democrats
Florida judge weighs Democrats’ challenge to ballot positions
tampabay.com - By News Service of Florida
In a state where razor-thin election margins have become the norm in major races, Democrats are seeking to make inroads by trying to do away with a …
Florida Department of Law Enforcement
USF-led researchers to look for more graves at Florida reform school
tampabay.com - By Associated Press
A former Florida Panhandle reform school known for horrific abuse, where the remains of 55 people were unearthed after the state shut its doors, …
Insulin
PolitiFact: Rick Scott overshoots on how much more insulin costs in the U.S. than in Canada
tampabay.com - By Jon Greenberg
When it comes to brand name prescription drugs, Americans pay more than others. Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott took the story of a group of …
Donald Trump
Donald Trump told U.S.-born congressional Reps. to ‘go back’ to their home countries. Florida’s response?
tampabay.com - By Kirby Wilson
President Trump on Sunday tweeted that four first-term Congressional Democrats should “go back” to the “totally broken and crime infested places from …
Florida International University
No stopping Florida motorists on Winner/Loser of the week in Florida politics: July 14 edition
tampabay.com - By Amy Hollyfield and Michael Van Sickler
Florida drivers. Last week will go down as the moment when state officials cast their weary eyes upon SunPass and said, “Enough.” On Wednesday, two …
Florida
Florida Democrats blast ICE raids: ‘It’s a war against immigrants’
tampabay.com - By Alex Daugherty
WASHINGTON -- Miami Democrats in Congress are trying to raise awareness and prepare their constituents to face immigration raids on Sunday, comparing …
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
At least 55 children separated from parents were held in Homestead facility, report says
tampabay.com - By News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE -- A congressional report released Friday shows at least 55 migrant children separated from their parents by President Donald Trump’s …
Medicaid
260,000 Floridians would enroll in expanded Medicaid program, economists say
tampabay.com - By News Service of Florida
State economists said Friday that about 260,000 low-income, childless Floridians would enroll in the Medicaid program if it were expanded. That figure …
‘Back off’: Former banking regulator says Jimmy Patronis wanted him to drop involvement in case
tampabay.com - By Lawrence Mower
TALLAHASSEE — Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis pressured an agency to drop its involvement in a case against a Miami financial adviser …
Florida House of Representatives
Israel trip: Here’s how much private donors paid for DeSantis, Florida leaders to travel abroad
tampabay.com - By Emily L. Mahoney
TALLAHASSEE — More than a month after their plane touched back down in Tallahassee after returning from a trade mission in Israel, Gov. Ron …
USDOT
Senator wants hearings to investigate SunPass problems
tampabay.com - By Lawrence Mower
State Sen. Annette Taddeo is asking for legislative hearings to investigate why a company so badly botched its takeover of SunPass tolls last year. On …
U.S. Senate
Here’s (more) evidence Bill Nelson suffered from bad ballot design in 2018
tampabay.com - By Langston Taylor
Evidence continues to mount that shows former U.S. Senator Bill Nelson’s race for re-election in 2018 was hampered by a ballot design quirk. Florida …
The City
St. Pete’s District 5 race has five candidates with five points of view.
tampabay.com - By Josh Solomon
ST. PETERSBURG — The five candidates running for the District 5 City Council seat laid out different priorities for the city at a forum this week, …
Ron DeSantis
Remembering Pulse: DeSantis left out LGBTQ in proclamation. Records show another version existed.
tampabay.com - By Steve Contorno
The Florida governor’s office created two versions of a June proclamation marking the three-year remembrance of the Pulse night club shooting, …
North Florida
Florida prisons struggles to brace for more storms
tampabay.com - By News Service of Florida
Nine months ago, Rodrick Fagiole was inside Gulf Correctional Institution when Hurricane Michael blew the roof off of the Panhandle prison. Through a …
CFO Jimmy Patronis wants to fire banking regulator at next Cabinet meeting
tampabay.com - By Lawrence Mower
Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis said he wants to remove the state banking regulator accused of sexual harassment at the next Cabinet meeting. In a letter …
Tallahassee, FL
Doral Rep. Ana Maria Rodríguez enters crowded race for state Senate seat
tampabay.com - By Samantha J. Gross
State Rep. Ana Maria Rodríguez announced her run for state Senate Thursday, saying in a statement that she was “humbled and honored to announce my …
Tampa Bay, FL
All St. Petersburg Housing Authority vacancies are now filled
tampabay.com - By Josh Solomon
ST. PETERSBURG — City Council members confirmed two appointments to the St. Petersburg Housing Authority board on Thursday. C. Knox LaSister, a lawyer …
Medical Marijuana
Smoke medical marijuana? This rule update might affect you
tampabay.com - By Samantha J. Gross
If you smoke marijuana for medical purposes, it’s time to check in with your doctor. Starting Friday, any doctor’s orders for medical marijuana that …
Andrew Gillum
Andrew Gillum shifts campaign cash to a new nonprofit, blocking it from public view
tampabay.com - By Steve Contorno
Andrew Gillum has insisted that fundraising for his new voter registration project wasn’t affected by news that federal authorities are looking into …