FLORIDA POLITICS
Since 2002, daily Florida political news and commentary

 

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Welcome To Florida Politics

Thanks for visiting. On a semi-daily basis we scan Florida's major daily newspapers for significant Florida political news and punditry. We also review the editorial pages and political columnists/pundits for Florida political commentary. The papers we review include: the Miami Herald, Sun-Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, Naples News, Sarasota Herald Tribune, St Pete Times, Tampa Tribune, Orlando Sentinel, the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Tallahassee Democrat, and, occasionally, the Florida Times Union; we also review the political news blogs associated with these newspapers.

For each story, column, article or editorial we deem significant, we post at least the headline and link to the piece; the linked headline always appears in quotes. We quote the headline for two reasons: first, to allow researchers looking for the cited piece to find it (if the link has expired) by searching for the original title/headline via a commercial research service. Second, quotation of the original headline permits readers to appreciate the spin from the original piece, as opposed to our spin.

Not that we don't provide spin; we do, and plenty of it. Our perspective appears in post headlines, the subtitles within the post (in bold), and the excerpts from the linked stories we select to quote; we also occasionally provide other links and commentary about certain stories. While our bias should be immediately apparent to any reader, we nevertheless attempt to link to every article, column or editorial about Florida politics in every major online Florida newspaper.

 

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Previous Articles by Derek Newton: Ten Things Fox on Line 1 Stem Cells are Intelligent Design Katrina Spin No Can't Win Perhaps the Most Important Race Senate Outlook The Nelson Thing Deep, Dark Secret Smart Boy Bringing Guns to a Knife Fight Playing to our Strength  

The Blog for Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Touchscreens Go Down Again

    Under the misleading headline, "Disabled lose again in battle over voting", we read:
    Advocates for the blind suffered another legal setback Monday: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit refused to order Volusia County to immediately purchase disability-accessible touch-screen voting machines for the fall elections.
    In truth, obtaining touchscreen voting would not be a "victory" for the disabled.

Bense to Decide ...

    by the end of the week:
    The events of this week may determine just how heated Republican politics will get before the 2006 elections.

    By week's end, the Republican Party of Florida might know whether it will have to grapple with two top-of-the-ballot primary fights - in the governor's race and for the U.S. Senate.

    Even as U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris quietly builds a campaign team and cash for her attempt to oust incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, other Florida Republicans are getting closer to joining the race.

    After weeks of encouragement from the White House and national Republican leaders who worry about Harris at the top of the state party ticket, Florida House Speaker Allan Bense, R-Panama City, is expected to say later this week whether he will run for the U.S. Senate.
    "GOP faces hot primaries in 2006: Senate seat, governor's race at stake". See also "GOP readies for battle within ranks".

"Out In Left Field"

    Check out a new blog, "Out in Left Field".

"They should be ashamed of themselves"

    "The state wants school districts to end the practice of co-teaching."
    Some school officials suspect sabotage. They think state officials who want the amendment repealed see a chance to force the issue by putting severe financial pressure on local school districts. If so, it amounts to making students suffer for the sake of a political objective. If that's what state officials are up to, they should be ashamed of themselves.
    "Education".

2011 Speaker

    As Peer Review reported yesterday, "House GOP plans ahead for 2011 speaker". See also "Traviesa's bid for top House post fails".

13th Congressional District

    Wallace: "Former State Rep. Mark Flanagan may be close to making a decision on running for the 13th Congressional District.".

Oil Drilling - Where's "Jeb!"?

    "After vowing to protect the ban on oil drilling off Florida's coast, the White House acknowledged last week that it has asked congressional leaders to insert into a massive energy bill a proposal that would extend the Louisiana and Alabama boundary lines into the eastern Gulf of Mexico." "Fight brews over oil drilling". See also "Florida's U.S. senators to skip shuttle launch to fight drilling", "Official Urges Expanded Gulf Drilling" and "Fla. drilling ban likely to stand" ("Congress was expected to reject a White House bid to open more of the Gulf of Mexico to oil drilling.")

    In the meantime, the Orlando Sentinel permits our Mel to bask in the reflected glory of Nelson's fight in "Don't give up now".

Posada - Where's "Jeb!"?

    "Judge denies bond for Cuban militant, seeks Bay of Pigs opinion".

    What is "Jeb!" up to on this? As the Washington Post recently reported, "Jeb!" has a history of helping "terrorists":

    [convicted terrorist Orlando] Bosch was allowed to leave Venezuela not long after then-U.S. ambassador Otto Reich voiced concerns about his safety in a series of cables to the State Department. He flew to Miami in December 1987 without a visa and was promptly arrested. Attorney General Richard Thornburgh described Bosch as an "unreformed terrorist," who should be deported. But Bosch had a powerful advocate in Jeb Bush, who at that time was managing the campaign of Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the first Cuban exile to win a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. In an unusual presidential intercession on behalf of a convicted terrorist, President George H.W. Bush overruled the FBI and the Justice Department and in 1990 approved the release of Bosch, who won U.S. residency two years later.

    Posada is gambling that he will have Bosch's luck and is banking on the same supporters. ...

    [Posada and his confederates] are not the only unsavory characters to be given the red carpet in Miami. Reps. Lincoln Diaz-Balart and Ros-Lehtinen, with the backing of Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, wrote letters on behalf of several exile militants held in U.S. prisons for acts of political violence. Some were released in 2001, including Jose Dionisio Suarez Esquivel and Virgilio Paz Romero, both convicted for the notorious 1976 car bomb-murder of Chilean diplomat Orlando Letelier and his American assistant Ronnie Moffitt, in Washington. Once released, instead of being deported like other non-citizen criminals, they have been allowed to settle into the good life in Miami.
    "Our Man's in Miami. Patriot or Terrorist?"

    So, is "Jeb!" working to assist Posada as well? Has a reporter asked "Jeb!" if he supports Posada's release, like he supported the release of "unreformed terrorist" Bosch and convicted car bomb-murderers Esquivel and Romero?

Remember ...

    a woman's right to choose is protected as part of the Florida Constitution (which has an explicit right of privacy); hence, overturning Roe v. Wade will make no difference in Florida. "Roe v. Wade or no, abortion is here to stay".

Pre-K Flop

    "Pre-K sign-ups start slowly".

GOoPer "Ploy"

    "Democrats said the changes were a ploy by the Republican-controlled Legislature to help the GOP in 2006":
    Thanks to a last-minute, little-scrutinized change, candidates may raise more than three times as much campaign cash as in years past and still tap into public money. So taxpayers could end up helping even the most deep-pocketed contenders in 2006 pay for everything from more campaign mailers to ads. ...

    Critics say lawmakers took a system designed to help poorer candidates compete with richer ones and turned it on its ear.

    "It just completely went against the whole intent of what this public-financing system was meant to do," said Ben Wilcox, executive director of the watchdog group Common Cause Florida.
    "Taxpayers may foot higher campaign bill".

Privatization Follies

    "Two companies running Florida prisons for profit were allowed to overbill the state nearly $13 million and even rebated some money to cover salaries and expenses for the agency policing their contracts, according to a new state audit." "State audit hammers prison panel".

A New Blog

    Check out the brand spanking new "That Florida Blog".

Off Topic: Krugman

    If you haven't read this Krugman column on government run health care, you ought to: "Government health insurance attracts jobs".

"Panhandle law"

    "House Speaker Allan Bense wants lawmakers to discuss why the area doesn't require protection on new homes." "Storms batter Panhandle law".

Freebies for Millionaire Pols

    "Multimillionaire Mayor John Peyton was among the [Jax] City Hall officials who received thousands of dollars in tickets to glitzy Super Bowl parties put on by Maxim, Playboy and ESPN in February." "Mayor took Super Bowl freebies".

Why We Like ...

    the Daytona Beach News-Journal (well one of many reasons).

Stupid

    Last week,
    Palm Beach County school officials learned that the district faces penalties — including potential takeover by private operators — if it again flunks under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The district has failed to make "adequate yearly progress" — the NCLB standard — three years in a row.

    Horrible, right? But then Gov. Bush and state Education Commissioner John Winn announced that Palm Beach County was one of 15 districts statewide to earn an A during the 2004-05 school year. Fantastic, right?

    There are other odd examples.
    "State-federal collision giving schools whiplash".

A Good Thing

    "Orlando develops Hispanic accent".

The Blog for Monday, July 25, 2005

Crist Praises Schiavo Judges

    This post has been promoted to a feature post and is now available here.

Attorney-Client Privilege?

    This from TPMCafe:
    Senator Grassley said on NPR that because Roberts was a legal adviser to Florida Governor Jeb Bush during the fun-filled aftermath of the 2000 election, the attorney-client privilege would preclude him from having to answer questions about his direct role.

    But it's difficult to see how Roberts can wriggle out of sharing his thoughts about the decision itself. That ruling famously stated, "Our consideration is limited to the present circumstances, for the problem of equal protection in election processes presents many complexities." Since the decision in Bush v. Gore was explicitly confined to the peculiar facts in Florida during that episode, the rationale Ruth Bader Ginsburg used for dodging questions about many past cases - that answers might be used as a predictor for future rulings on closely related controversies - wouldn't apply.

    So let's find out from Judge Roberts: Would he have joined the concurring opinion of Rehnquist, Scalia, and Thomas in Bush v. Gore, or, perchance, any of the dissenters?
    "Roberts and Bush v. Gore".

Harris Under Pressure

    A dKos Diary: "FL Sen: Republican Establishment vs. Katherine Harris", with some interesting commentary and links, including this Fox News piece today: "GOP Discourages Harris Senate Run in '06"

    See also "In the End, Harris' Longtime Loyalty May Not Matter to Bushes" (via Interstate4Jamming).

Crist

    Via Florida News, a right wing blog reports that Chain Gang Charlie
    Crist was on hand to honor the ABOTA jurists of the year, Sixth Circuit Court Judge George W. Greer and U.S. District Court Judge James Whittemore of Tampa, the two judges most responsible for the death of Terri Schiavo.
    "AG Crist Keynote Speaker Honoring Schiavo Judges As Jurists Of Year". It is unclear, however, as to whether Crist actually attended the event. He is described as a "Invited" to present the keynote address.

    In any event, the following does appear on the official website of the American Board of Trial Advocates, describing the agenda for its July 13-17 annual meeting of the Florida Chapter in Coral Gables:
    FLABOTA Awards Banquet ...

    Presentation of Awards: ...

    Jurists of the Year - The Honorable George W. Greer and The Honorable James D. Whittemore

    Invited Keynote Address: Honorable Charlie Crist, Attorney General of Florida
    Discuss this over at Florida News.

Over the Weekend ...

    you may have missed: "'Nothing surprising, right?'", about "Jeb!"'s duplicitious behavior in 2000, the silly "GOP 'Fade-to-black strategy'", and "'Jeb!''s Knuckle Dragging ...".

    And, as always, the discussion forums/message boards are online. There is no need to login or register to post articles, announcements or comments.

    Or feel free to discuss the issues of the day here.

Where's "Jeb!"?

    "A White House plan that would give control over drilling in Florida waters to Louisiana, Alabama and oil companies threatened late last week to make its way into the federal energy bill, which could go to a vote in the Senate as early as Tuesday. The plan would be terrible for this state." "Block the latest attempt to open state for drilling".

Sad

    "Urban sprawl restricts black bear habitat".

Court Records

    "A committee set up to examine how Florida courts will enter the digital age seems ready to bring back the quill and scroll. Already late in reporting to the Supreme Court, the committee is fractured by a combination of judicial indignation and Internet phobia that threatens to undermine its very purpose. If it views technology as the arch enemy of privacy, then it might as well order courthouses to throw computers in the trash." "Accessible justice".

"Pre-K letdown"

    "There are only a few weeks left before the voter-mandated pre-K classes begin. And while the state estimated 150,000 would be in the first year of the program for 4-year-olds, only about 75,000 have signed up." "The pre-K letdown".

Privatization Follies

    "Though the company's attorney said she hopes the disagreement can be worked out informally this week, the department suspended the process in the meantime." "Plan to track sex convicts hits wall".

Speaker 2011-2012?

    According to Peer Review, "Rep. Dean Cannon, R-Orlando, has locked up the commitments to secure the House Speakership in 2011-2012." Let's hope Mr. Cannon has been defeated by a Dem by 2011.

The Blog for Sunday, July 24, 2005

"Nothing surprising, right?"

    "Nothing surprising, right?"
    You're the Republican governor of the state that will determine whether your brother goes to the White House, so you speak with a smart Republican lawyer about strategy. Problem is, Gov. Bush said early and often in 2000 that, despite his fraternal instincts, he was stepping back from the legal battle over the state's electoral votes. His staff was helping the Bush campaign, the governor said, but he was just relaying information and letting events unfold.
    And,
    In an attempt to show that he was not using his office to help his brother, Gov. Bush gave up his spot on the state election canvassing board. In his place went Agriculture Commissioner Bob Crawford, a Democrat. The governor then could say that the three-person board was bipartisan.

    But not really. Mr. Crawford had endorsed Gov. Bush in 1998. In return, the Republican Party did not run a challenger against him. Every ruling Mr. Crawford made on the canvassing board favored George W. Bush. And barely a week after the Supreme Court decided the election, a 12-member board of Jeb Bush appointees picked Mr. Crawford to run the Department of Citrus. He had applied the day before. The job paid $246,000 when Mr. Crawford gave it up last year.

    Again, there was nothing original about what Gov. Bush did.
    Here's the clincher:
    But the governor wants to exploit power and look virtuous, which often are mutually exclusive. He touts the benefits of his "privatization," but state contracts seem to be based on who donates to his party. When his daughter was arrested on a drug charge and had to enter treatment, the governor asked the press to respect family privacy. Yet the governor showed no respect for family privacy during the Terri Schiavo case.
    "Roberts talk proves Jeb was no bystander in 2000".

    Update: More from MyDD.

Is the FDLE on the Way?

    "Judge overrules mother's religion-based medical wishes for son".

GOP "Fade-to-black strategy"

    GOP offensive still has a few minefields to clear":
    The number crunchers at the GOP, awash with the very cash Democrats sorely lack, have analyzed the data and figure that if 3 percent to 5 percent more minorities vote GOP, then it's lights out for the Democrats, state and nationwide.

    Signs of the GOP's fade-to-black strategy started becoming apparent in the 2004 election, when national exit polls suggested President Bush picked up 11 percent of the black vote, a two-point increase over 2000. About 13 percent of blacks voted for the president in Florida. Republicans also say they picked up more Hispanic voters.
    "There's much more here". Mike at Florida News thinks this is silly, observing, among other things, that
    the "Fade to Black" strategy is laughable from a party that is likely going to nominate Katherine Harris as their candidate for Senator.
    Good point.

Butterworth for AG Sounds Iffy

    "[Butterworth's longtime friend and aide George] Sheldon said Butterworth will make a decision by summer's end, but 'he would have to be convinced that it really would make a difference in the political landscape if he were to get in.'" [Source]

"Jeb!"''s Knuckle Dragging ...

    continues to adversely affect Floridians - "Back stem-cell campaign to undo governor's harm":
    No Florida law prohibits stem-cell research. But because Gov. Bush came out against stem-cell research at the worst possible moment, during an international biotech convention, there is an effort to change the state constitution to allow stem-cell research.

    It's no coincidence that the leader of this campaign is a Democrat from Palm Beach County - Commissioner Burt Aaronson. The county will suffer if its investment in The Scripps Research Institute doesn't pay off. For the governor to tell biotech researchers to forget about a promising field of research before the first plot of land can be sold does not help the county.
    The Palm Beach Post editorial board asks:
    Is politics a factor? Could be.
    Politics "could be" a factor? It damn well better be. Floridians need to see the impact of "Jeb!"'s knuckle dragging attitudes on the economic development of the State:
    Democrats want to put stem-cell research's potential to cure devastating diseases on the same ballot as the 2006 governor's race. That could force the two leading Republican candidates to address the issue in the primary, when they will appeal to religious conservatives who oppose stem-cell research. The amendment push also could drive Democrats to the polls.
    Democrats and GOopers not in thrall to the "religious conservatives" that presently dominate the Florida GOP.

Trial Lawyer Cash Has Red Tinge

    "Republicans normally love to revile trial lawyers, but the board of directors of the Academy of Florida Trial lawyers appear mighty fond of Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist. Nine of 11 board members wrote $500 checks to the attorney general. Two of them also wrote checks to Democratic candidates Rod Smith and/or Scott Maddox." [Source]

Floridians Get ...

    precisely what they voted for, a brand "new drilling plan" in the Gulf:
    "As I have stated repeatedly — the administration is hell-bent on drilling off Florida," Nelson said in a news release.

    Nelson and other Florida politicians have opposed lifting the moratorium because they are afraid drilling accidents could damage beaches vital to Florida's environment and $50 billion tourism industry.
    Nelson spokesman
    Dan McLaughlin said that would violate the moratorium by opening areas east of the Florida-Alabama state line. ...

    She said the Florida-Alabama line is an artificial boundary that "exists for planning purposes but it is not a legal boundary."

    "The White House is being deceitful," McLaughlin said. "It is a flat-out betrayal."
    "Florida senators: White House is pushing for drilling off Florida".

"Destined to duel"

    "The centuries-old battle is playing out over three recently passed amendments." "Lawyers, doctors destined to duel".

Sink in CFO Race?

    "Most Democratic insiders are no longer asking if Alex Sink will jump into the race for state chief financial officer, but when." [Source]

Privatization Follies

    "Two companies battle to provide the equipment. The state delays the bidding process after one cries foul about the specs." "Who'll track sex offenders? "

"Most politically lopsided race in decades"?

    Tallahassee Democrat editorial page editor Mary Ann Lindley:
    For nearly a decade, a loophole in Florida's campaign-finance laws has allowed candidates to receive money and aid directly from political parties. This loophole means parties simply don't have to be as scrupulously detailed in their give-and-take as individual candidates do. It's wrong and the law should be changed.

    Not that the Democratic Party would get a pass on decadent and indiscriminate party spending. It's just that it doesn't have much money to squander on dirty tricks.

    I predict, though, that as the primary nears the Republican dirty tricks in the governor's race will be mostly intraparty - the top guns trying to bring down each other, not Democrats. It will get ugly and the test will be of who can respond to adversity best.

    By all accounts, it's going to be the most expensive gubernatorial race in Florida history. I can't imagine why since it's also going to be the most politically lopsided race in decades.
    "Pick your person; ax the party".

Medicaid Fraud

    Troxler "Jeb's Drugs is no place for second opinions".

New FlaDem Executive Director

    InterState4Jamming has this on the new executive director of the Florida Democratic Party. Florida News thinks he is "Worth Every Penny".

Harris Unbeatable (at least among GOoPers)

    MyDD: "FL-Sen: Harris a lock in Republican primary".

    Florida News has links and a discussion as well on this.

Florida's Free Market Economy in Action

    "Florida's slave laborers".

Mack's Back

    "Connie Mack, 64, is a busy man, chairing the tax reform commission that by Sept. 30 will recommend an overhaul of the income tax code, and also doing lobbying." "Former Sen. Connie Mack's retirement is anything but".

GOoPers Running Govment Like a Bidness

    "Florida lawmakers are asking how the state agency responsible for the severely disabled let $62 million build up, unspent, in its bank account while thousands waited for help." "Lawmakers seek reason for surplus in fund for disabled".

Thanks to "Jeb!" ...

    it will be more difficult for local government to bring wireless Internet to their cities and towns:
    The industry used its lobbying muscle this spring, convincing Florida legislators to impose new regulations that make it harder for local governments to build more networks.

    A law signed by Gov. Jeb Bush and backed by telecommunications heavyweights -- including Adelphia, BellSouth, Comcast, Sprint, Verizon and others -- raises barriers against cities trying to launch the high-speed networks themselves.
    "Taxpayer-funded Internet access seen as a boon for economic growth".

Political Pedigree

    This is of course silly, but the pundits do wonder about these things: "Does the Bilirakis name or the Castor name have a stronger political pedigree? Based at least on their latest campaign finance reports, state Rep. Gus Bilirakis has the edge over Hillsborough County Commissioner Kathy Castor." "Which pedigree is the strongest?"

Friendly Skies

    "Nearly half of Florida's 160 lawmakers will attend out-of-state seminars this year, with airfare, food and lodging paid by Florida's taxpayers." "Officials Fly Free, But With No Frills".

Dems Visit Clay County

    "Clay is among the 100 fastest-growing counties in America, adding 23,600 people from 2000 to 2004, according to the U.S. Census Bureau." "Democrats seek boost in unlikely county".

The Blog for Friday, July 22, 2005

Harris "donation slump"

    "Harris camp downplays donation slump" (via dKos). dKos discussion here. See also "GOP tries to dissuade Harris".

"White House Imposed Silence"?

    You don't think?
    Whether due to fading memories or a White House-imposed silence, few of those involved recall details about Supreme Court nominee John Roberts' advice to Gov. Bush during the 2000 recount.

    ... Bush doesn't even remember meeting Roberts, or for how long or any specifics about the discussion, a spokesman said Thursday. The office can't figure a date when the two met or who recommended Roberts, then an attorney with the global firm of Hogan & Hartson, to the governor.
    "Roberts' role in recount is fuzzy to Bush". However,
    Sources have told The Herald the meeting lasted 30 to 40 minutes and that Roberts was accompanied by a law professor.
    And who is the mystery law professor ... that ought to shed a little light on the affair.

Who Knew

    "The Senate paid little attention to costs recently when mandating an inventory of offshore petroleum resources, including those in protected areas off Florida's coast." "Offshore Scheme's Sticker Shock".

He Doth Protest ...

    far, far too much, does our Mr. Goodman (seen pictured yelling here at unknown beneficiary of his political wisdom (isn't that a Diaz-Balart?)):
    "There is not an effort to urge her not to run," said Adam Goodman, Harris' campaign manager in response to questions about a story in The Washington Times that said Rove and Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., chairwoman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, "have been trying to talk... Harris out of running for the Senate... but have been unsuccessful thus far."
    However,
    Brian Nick, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, confirmed that Dole met with Harris to discuss polling data before Harris' announcement, but he would not say whether Dole has tried to dissuade Harris from running since then.
    And
    Calls to Rove's office were not answered.
    "Harris camp denies GOP wants her out of race".

Delightful

    "A law firm headed by the former chairman of the Florida GOP [Tew Cardenas] is part of an $18 million campaign blitz supporting U.S. Supreme Court nominee John Roberts and backed by the conservative group that underwrote the anti-John Kerry "Swiftboat Veterans for Truth" ads last year." "GOP-linked Fla. firm helping promote Roberts".

Mel's Growing Influence Among GOoPers

    The other day we noted, in passing, that the Cellophane Man had (apparently) misused the word "imminently" in describing SCOTUS nomunee John Roberts. Congressman Mark Foley has none done the same thing; On Tuesday, Foley issued the following press release:
    "Now that the President has named a highly respected and imminently qualified nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, the spotlight turns to the U.S. Senate focusing on Bill Nelson and his party.
    (Press release via Jeremy Wallace).

    Either our Mel is influencing his fellow Florida GOoPers in previously unimagined ways or the GOoPers are recycling their talking points without even bothering to read them.

Volusia Touchscreen Litigation

    "A federal judge refused Thursday to force Volusia County to provide touch-screen voting machines for the disabled by October, a move hailed as a victory for supporters of paper ballots." "Judge blocks disabled-voters' lawsuit". See also "Judge denies blind voters' request for touchscreen machines".

"Jeb!"'s "One Florida On The Skids

    "The number of black students admitted as freshmen in state universities has dropped by 1,400 from this time three years ago - a nearly 11 percent decrease - according to early numbers released Thursday." "Colleges see black enrollment dropping" ("In 2000, the One Florida initiative stripped universities of their ability to use affirmative action to increase minority enrollments. Instead, high school students graduating in the top 20 percent of their classes are guaranteed admission to a Florida university, and admission officers use other measures such as essays as standards for acceptance.")

Is Higher Education a GOoPer Value?

    Apparently not, at least as far as State education Commissioner John Winn is concerned:
    The board that runs Florida's public universities will ask the state for a $2.46-billion university system budget next year and a 5 percent tuition hike for Florida undergraduates.

    The Board of Governors voted Thursday to recommend the budget and tuition increases to Gov. Jeb Bush, who will decide whether to include them in the budget he proposes to the Legislature. The Legislature has the final say on funding Florida's universities.

    Last year, the Legislature did not give state universities as much as the board recommended. It is unclear whether the Legislature will follow the board's recommendation for an 11.5 percent increase this year.

    State education Commissioner John Winn was the only board member to vote against the recommendation. "It's unrealistic," Winn said later. "It's out of line."
    "$2.46-billion requested for universities in '06".

Florida GOoPers: Running Govment Like a Bidness

    "Florida Department of Transportation officials responsible for building the $1.4 billion Miami Intermodal Center learned important lessons from a project manager who botched his job. Unfortunately, the lessons cost taxpayers $5.5 million in overpayments to a contractor who should have been stopped much sooner." "A $5.5 million lesson in public contracting".

If We Pretend it Never Happened ...

    maybe it will all just go away:
    To some, unused ballots left over from the contested 2000 election are of deep historical significance. To others, they're just stacks of paper in the way.

    But as far as the 1st District Court of Appeal is concerned, the famed butterfly ballots and other unused punch-card ballots are not public records; they can, therefore, be destroyed rather than donated to universities or museums.

    That was the ruling Thursday of a three-judge panel, which denied the appeal of Weston attorney Gary M. Farmer Jr., representing two voters who wanted the ballots saved. Nova Southeastern University was one institution that had shown an interest in obtaining them, according to court records.
    "Court: No protection for ballots".

Hillsborough County Follies

    "Librarians Hit The Books To Oppose County's Ban On Gay-Pride Display".

Doesn't the State Have its Own Lawyers?

    Apparently not, because they had to spend millions on Hogan & Hartson (the refuge of GOoPer lawyers like, well, soon-to-be Justice Roberts)
    A Department of Environmental Protection spokeswoman said Thursday that Hogan & Hartson has received more than $1.2 million in the past two years representing the state in a battle over water rights with the states of Georgia and Alabama. The firm was also recently hired to work on litigation involving the Everglades, although they have yet to charge the state for that work.

    The firm also represents the Scripps Research Institute, which received $310 million in late 2003 to open up a branch in Florida. The contract came by way of Paul Rogers, a former Palm Beach County congressman who sat on the Scripps board and works for the law firm, according to Thomson.

    A Scripps spokesman, Keith McKeown, wouldn't say why the law firm was hired, but confirmed Hogan & Hartson has performed work for the institute for more than a decade.
    "Roberts' role in recount is fuzzy to Bush". It's all ... so ... conveeeenient.

No Smoking

    "They hope to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot to raise money for the youth campaign." "Opponents of smoking want issue put to vote".

Cotterell

    "Fighting words are nothing new in politics".

Off Topic

    Choice Edwards, a former Republican Indiana legislator who lives in Clermont has something to say: "You've lost me, Mr. President".

The Best They Could Do

    Ah yes ... the GOoPer meritocracy:
    Florida utility regulator Rudy Bradley is being investigated for two potential ethics violations, but a nominating council forwarded his name for reappointment Monday after a public inquiry that went essentially like this:
    Nominating council chairman: How's that ethics complaint going?

    Bradley: It's not true.
    Bradley, presumably, is just misunderstood. He is the only current member seeking reappointment, and he got his job as a political payback from Gov. Jeb Bush. Bradley, then a Democrat, endorsed the Republican for governor in 1998, switched to the GOP himself a year later and lost a state Senate race in 2000. But Bush took care of him, appointing him to the $129,000-a-year PSC job.

    Leaving aside the sexual harassment allegations raised by former female aides in his office, Bradley so far has drawn attention mainly for his cheerful obedience to utility companies. His starring role came in an October 2002 PSC hearing, when he performed what amounted to a dramatic reading of a three-page Verizon Communications memo - except that he recited the arguments as though they were his own. Oops. ...

    This is the best Florida can do?
    "A day in the regulatory sun".

The Blog for Thursday, July 21, 2005

Roberts in Florida 2000 Imbroglio

    So now we learn Roberts was doing the GOoPer thing in Florida in 2000. (Is that him, in the lower right hand corner of the picture? (just kidding!)) Actually:
    President Bush's nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge John Roberts, came to Florida during the 2000 presidential election dispute and gave legal advice to Gov. Jeb Bush.
    "High court nominee advised Gov. Bush in 2000 election dispute". And, as related in this St. Pete Times piece today, "Roberts gave advice during Fla. recount",
    The Washington Post reported Wednesday that Roberts gave "private legal advice" to the governor during the recount as a long-standing member of the Republican National Lawyers Association, while others reported that Roberts gave the governor advice on how to declare his brother the winner.
    See also "Record of Accomplishment -- And Some Contradictions". "Jeb!"'s flack denies what is reported in the above passage. So who is telling the truth about what Roberts' role was in 2000?

    Perhaps "Jeb!" can testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee about what Roberts did or didn't do in 2000?

    Feeney Alert: The Palm Beach Post advises that Roberts may have shared his wisdom with Florida's notable Mr. Feeney, speaker of the Florida House in 2000: "'I may have met Mr. Roberts at some point.... Every lawyer and reporter on the planet was there at some point,' Feeney said Wednesday."

    On A Related Note ... has "Jeb!" been caught, perish the thought, lying? "Jeb!"'s flack, Jacob
    DiPietre refused to answer questions on Roberts' role during the recount or why the governor talked to the attorney after his vow to recuse himself from the dispute.
    "Roberts gave GOP advice in 2000 recount".

    Aside: Some of you may find this WP column interesting: "Court Nominee In the Eye of the Blogger Swarm".

Roberts 2000 Reaction

    The Sun Sentinel today:
    "This is a person who had a prominent role in the legal team on the recount and has been active in Republican Party circles," said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston. "I understand the president would nominate a conservative. The Senate should be careful they don't confirm a radical." ...

    The 2000 election, however, raised especially sensitive issues that some observers at the time feared would turn into a constitutional crisis. The Florida Supreme Court's decision to order a partial recount riled President Bush's supporters. And the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to end it left many supporters of Democratic candidate Al Gore with a lasting resentment.

    "Last night, President Bush's nomination of Judge Roberts threw salt on the wounds of the thousands of Floridians whose voting rights were disenfranchised during the 2000 election," said Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Boca Raton. "Judge Roberts worked to ensure that George Bush would become president -- regardless of what the courts might decide. And now he is being rewarded for that partisan service by being appointed to the nation's highest court."
    "Some Fla. Democrats wary that Roberts wouldl bring GOP agenda to Supreme Court".

Wingnuts Keep Their Powder Dry

    "Religious groups in Florida wary about Roberts".

Charlie's Impeccable Timing

    Charlie loves the headlines:
    Florida AG alleges Medicaid scam by generic drug makers
    An interminable "[s]even years after a small Key West pharmacy alerted Florida officials that something was amiss with Medicaid drug pricing, Attorney General Charlie Crist on Wednesday filed the third in a series of lawsuits against generic-drug makers." "State files drug price lawsuit". The Miami Herald, in "State sues 3 drug makers", put it this way:
    On the heels of whistle-blower complaints from a Key West company, state Attorney General Charlie Crist on Wednesday sued three generic-drug makers who allegedly defrauded taxpayers of $25 million by inflating Medicaid drug prices.
    I'm not sure that seven years after the complaints were filed qualifies for an "on the heels of ...."

Keller Challenger

    Scott Maxwell updates his earlier report on Charlie Stuart's fundraising efforts:
    The unveiling of Democrat Charlie Stuart's first campaign report shows that the money he touted as having raised in his bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Ric Keller, R-Orlando, had a caveat: He raised some of it from himself. While his news release said the $141,000 total was evidence of "the strong support my campaign is receiving across Florida," the records show that $41,755 reflected strong support from his own bank account. That's how much he lent his campaign. The amount Stuart collected from others was still impressive for a challenger so early in the 2006 race -- more than Keller's last challenger raised during the entire campaign. And money spends just the same, no matter where it comes from. Still, the prudent pol understates. Stuart on Wednesday said of the loan: "It counts just as much. And it's something that shows I care deeply about this race."
    [Source].

More Siplin

    "More than a third of the $214,000 that state Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, spent on his 2004 re-election campaign went to a Delaware company that had been incorporated by a woman with the same name as his wife, records show." "Siplin paid days-old firm for campaign".

GOoPer Laywers in "Cross Hairs"

    In "Possible leak of ruling probed" we read:
    In the inquiry's cross hairs: Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell, one of Florida's top-flight law firms ... .
    I'm not sure I would call Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell "top flight", whatever that means. They are, as discussed below, well connected. In any event,
    The court's internal inquiry, completed July 8 by Inspector General Ken Chambers, labeled Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell "the most likely recipient" of the information, but didn't rule out the other lawyers in the case. The statement -- and the corresponding suggestion of unethical conduct -- irritated law firm founder Thom Rumberger, who called Chambers' speculation "b---s---."
    Rumberger is a well known GOoPer mouthpiece; from his bio:
    Representing the Republican Party of Florida in 1992, he was instrumental in redrawing the historic district lines during the Florida Redistricting. ... He was Chairman of the Florida Lawyers for President Bush in the 1988 and 1992 Presidential Campaigns, Florida General Counsel for the George Bush Presidential Campaigns of 1988 and 1992, and Florida General Counsel for the Bob Dole Presidential Campaign.
    [source] See also "Florida in election crosshairs again" (Rumberger referred to as "a major fundraiser for Bush").

    Here's what happened:
    In the case in question, the justices had wrangled among themselves for 19 months over whether Rodrigo Aguilera, a Miami warehouse worker, was entitled to sue his workers' compensation insurance carrier for allegedly denying him essential care. Eight days before they ruled 4-3 that he was, the company settled with Aguilera in exchange for his agreement to ask the court to dismiss the appeal without a decision.

    The court insisted on deciding it nonetheless. The reason, it is now clear from the inspector general's report, is that someone had already warned the court that the case would be settled because the probable outcome had leaked. Should that turn out to be true, it would be a serious matter. Aside from the fundamental ethical proposition that no litigant should have a back channel to the court, inside information is the stuff of which windfall profits could be made from timely financial transactions.

    Whether it was tipped or not, the company obviously thought it was better to pay Aguilera than to risk exposure to a damaging precedent and to a trial. The question remains: Why didn't it think so much earlier?"
    Court leaks can't be tolerated". There's something rotten in Denmark.

It Took A Federal Judge

    "A win for the manatees".

Tobacco Money Amendment

    "Saying that state lawmakers have "decimated" tobacco education and halted the decline in teen smoking, health advocates Wednesday launched a petition drive aimed at bypassing the Legislature and amending the state constitution to require more money for the effort." "Petition to target tobacco dollars".

What's Your Point?

    Yesterday, the Tallahassee Democrat issued a puzzling editorial:
    Don Quixote would definitely be simpatico with Florida House Democrats who want to call for a special session to tilt at Gov. Jeb Bush's windmill. ...

    The legislation they want to override would set stronger standards and require more oversight of state contracting and outsourcing so that the very word "privatize" won't become synonymous with "deviously scratching the back of political cronies." ...

    The privatization-standards bill (SB 1146) passed as a result of failures and/or ethical lapses in contracting and/or outsourcing of state jobs and services. The legislation did enjoy broad bipartisan support and it did get more than the two-thirds majorities that are required for an override.

    But passing a bill and challenging the governor so bluntly are two very different things, especially when the House and Senate leaders have said they'd rather work on compromises to the legislation next session. This approach plainly invites pay back from a governor famous for playing hard ball.

    We admire the Democrats' pluck, but this is an impossible approach.
    "Special session".

    So the Dems (and like minded GOoPers should roll over because "Jeb!" might punish them? Is that any way to run a democracy?

Leave It To Beaver Fights Socialism

    Thank goodness a Florida "Congressman works to counter socialist air time" ("37-year-old freshman lawmaker [Connie Mack IV] amended a bill Wednesday to require a federal agency to begin beaming pro-U.S. television and radio broadcasts at the South American nation.")

Fascinating

    "In all, at least 385 slaves fought for their freedom at the outset of the Second Seminole War in 1835, making it the largest slave rebellion in U.S. history, five times larger than the Nat Turner rebellion four years earlier, according to a new historical Web site: www.johnhorse.com." "Web chronicles little-known Fla. slave revolt".

The Blog for Wednesday, July 20, 2005

You Gotta Wonder 'Bout the 14 Percent

    "Equality Florida, the state's largest organization fighting anti-gay discrimination, today released the results of a statewide poll showing Floridians overwhelmingly support passage of a "Safe Schools" bill protecting gay and lesbian students from bullying."
    Other things being equal, if a candidate for office supports anti-bullying legislation to protect all students, including gay and lesbian students are you more likely, to vote for the candidate or against the candidate?

    More likely vote for: 71 percent

    More likely vote against: 14 percent

    No difference: 15 percent
    "Florida Voters Overwhelmingly Support Anti-Bullying Protections That Include Gay Students" ("The poll was conducted by the national polling firm of Lake, Snell, Perry, Mermin and Decision Research from May 21-28, 2005 with 1,200 interviews in English and Spanish and has a sampling error of 2.8 percent.")

    What makes it interesting is that, according to the Equality Florida press release (which is posted in the discussion forum),
    [e]arlier this year, Representative Ken Gottlieb (D-Miramar) sponsored bill 1303 which would have extended basic anti-bullying protections to students. The bill was defeated in a House Education Committee on a 9-2 vote.
    There is a serious disconnect here.

Roberts "Imminently Qualified"

    Here's a shocker, the Cellophane Man is predisposed:
    "I consider him an imminently [sic] qualified jurist. I want to give (his nomination) due diligence. I would anticipate I would be supportive of his nomination," Martinez said.

    Finally, Martinez said he was aware of the argument Roberts made in favor of overturning the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion.

    However, Martinez said he wanted to learn more about what Roberts argued before passing judgment.
    "Martinez supportive; Nelson to wait and see". One suspects that Martinez' analysis will be limited to to assuring himself of Roberts' anti-choice bona fides before he rubber stamps the nomination.

    [Note: As for the "imminently [sic] qualified" remark, I am going to assume that the quote is accurate, particularly from someone with Martinez' record of Bush sycophancy, unless and until the newspaper publishes a correction.]

    See also "Fla. senators to study record before deciding about vote".

    And, if I were Roberts, I'm not sure I would serial bar failure saying this about me:
    Attorney General Charlie Crist called the nominee "a lawyer's lawyer and a judge's judge." Crist, a GOP candidate for governor, said Roberts has been "a brilliant jurist" in two years on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
    Settle down, Charlie ... we understand you want to identify with Dubya and his ilk at every opportunity. In the meantime, I look forward to hearing Gallagher's praise of the brilliant Mr. Roberts (who, as noted above, possesses a sum total of 20 months experience as a jurist).

A Challenge for Charlie

    In the above post Charlie Crist is quoted as saying Roberts is a "a brilliant jurist", which very well may be true - though one wonders how that can be discerned after a whopping 20 months on the bench. In any event, we'll take the State of Florida's chief lawyer at his word, that Roberts is "a judge's judge" and
    "a brilliant jurist" in two years on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
    Again, that may be true. But, knowing Charlie to be a deep thinker who would not jump to conclusions about so serious a matter, we have a challenge for Charlie:

    Please name a single court opinion, legal brief or indeed anything else written by Mr. Roberts that led you to reach your considered opinion that Roberts is a "a brilliant jurist"

    As Florida's most prominent lawyer and a leading light in the profession, we hold you to a higher standard on such things, and both need and respect your opinions about critical issues concerning the quality of nominees to the Supreme Court, a matter important to all Floridians; but we simply wish to be assured that your publicly stated opinions are based on neutral, objective principles, rather than, say ... rank politics.

    So, we ask again, Charlie: Please name a single court opinion, legal brief or indeed anything else written by Mr. Roberts that led you to reach your considered opinion that Roberts is a "a brilliant jurist"
    We're waiting.

Strange

    "The Florida Bar said Tuesday it will look into allegations that secret information was leaked while the state Supreme Court considered a sensitive case last month." "Bar to study suspicion of court leak".

Is Kissimee Next?

    Yesterday we posted "Breaking the GOoPer Hold on Osceola" (more on that today). Now this about the biggest City in Osceola:
    Activists who cooperated with the Justice Department's investigation of Osceola County said Tuesday that Kissimmee should be the feds' next target for a voting-rights suit.

    Of the city's 51,905 residents in 2003, 46.6 percent were Hispanic, according to the University of Florida's Bureau of Economic & Business Research. Yet, the city has never elected a Hispanic commissioner, while the county has elected only one. ...

    A Justice Department investigator questioned Kissimmee officials several months ago about its at-large electoral system but has not given any indication of a lawsuit, City Manager Mark Durbin said Tuesday.

    "It wouldn't surprise me if they do sue us, but they have not notified us yet," Durbin said. "At this point, Kissimmee doesn't feel like we've done anything wrong and if we get sued, we get sued, and we'll have to handle it accordingly."
    "Will Kissimmee be Justice's next target?

No Smoking

    "Health-care advocates tired of the Florida Legislature's failure to adequately fund an anti-smoking program are ready to take their cause to the public." "Anti-smoking groups to push for amendment".

Stem Cells at Scripps

    The Palm Beach Post follows up on yesterday's piece in the Sun Sentinel about stem cell research (our post is here), with this today: "Effort backs stem-cell research at Scripps".

Tip of the Iceberg ...

    in "Jeb!"'s privatizing mess:
    Concerned that the state may be losing millions because it doesn't give all businesses an equal shot at state contracts, a House-Senate panel voted Tuesday to see just how many projects are bid competitively.

    The decision underscores concerns by Republicans and Democrats alike that Florida has made many big-ticket mistakes over the past few years, particularly in outsourcing or privatizing work formerly done by state employees.

    But Rep. Tom Anderson, R-Dunedin, said outsourcing is just "the tip of the iceberg." The state also is lax, he said, in bidding out routine work. His research for legislation he was pushing this spring indicated that as many as 80 percent of contracts aren't put out to bid.

    That accounts for some $30 billion to $40 billion annually in routine contracting compared to about $1 billion in outsourced contracts, Anderson said: "We're talking about a potful of money."
    "State contract scrutiny at issue".

More Florida GOP "Values"

    "Florida farmers lead the nation in pesticide use per acre, yet the state employs only 40 inspectors to monitor compliance with regulations and investigate complaints on 40,000 farms and nurseries." "Serious farm checks for serious protection".

Pigs at the Trough

    Those regulated industries, allways working in the public interest:
    Had you put money in a savings account last year you would have been lucky to earn 3 percent interest. Had you stuck it in a mutual fund tracking the returns of the Dow, you would have enjoyed a return of 3.2 percent. But had you been lucky enough to invest in Progress Energy, a St. Petersburg-based utility whose rates are set by the Public Service Commission, you would have seen a whopping return of more than 13 percent.

    Clearly, the utility's priority is to reward shareholders at the expense of its customers, a practice it is continuing this year by requesting both a surcharge to cover hurricane recovery costs and an increase in its base rate. The increase in the base rate would generate a rate of return of 12.8 percent. ...

    The company is asking for an increase of $3.79 per 1,000 kilowatt hours.
    "Rate increase should be denied".

Raw Political Courage

    Standing tall: "State blocks insurers from canceling Dennis policies".

Osceola Lawsuit

    "U.S. suit says Osceola voting unfair to Hispanics". See also, yesterday's "Feds take Osceola to court over elections".

    The Orlando Sentinel editiorial board observes:
    It was a matter of time before the Justice Department connected the dots between a lack of Hispanic voting power and Osceola's discriminatory at-large system, in which candidates run for elections countywide. On Monday, the Justice Department filed a much-anticipated lawsuit seeking a change to single-member districts. Under a district scenario, Osceola would be carved into geographic regions; candidates would run only in one area, making it easier and less expensive for minorities to run for elective office.

    This is long overdue in Osceola, which is 35 percent Hispanic, and where not one Hispanic holds an elected position, although many unsuccessfully have run for office. The same holds true for Kissimmee, which is 50 percent Hispanic, and where the City Commission recently passed over six Hispanic mayoral candidates to appoint a former city commissioner who was term limited.

    The federal suit plausibly alleges that: At-large districts dilute Hispanic voting strength; commissioners split the Hispanic vote in the 2001 redistricting to avoid creating a majority-Hispanic district; and campaigns for county commissioners have been characterized by racial appeals. The suit states commissioners created a charter-review commission in 1995 to push for a return to at-large districts.

    Osceola boasted single-member districts between 1992 and 1996. The county reverted to at-large voting in 1996 -- not coincidentally in the same election that thrust the first, and only, Hispanic onto the County Commission. Other charter-review commissions have recommended against a referendum on single-member districts. The suit implies this is no accident.
    "Don't fight lawsuit".

Siplin

    Today, with "Legislator's campaign fund transfers being investigated", the AP picks up on this story that appeared in the Orlando Sentinel yesterday.

No New Taxes

    Here's a shocker from "Jeb!"'s PSC:
    Florida Power & Light's average customer will pay an extra $1.68 for 30 months starting in mid-September to make up money the company spent fixing damage from three of last year's hurricanes.

    The Public Service Commission granted part of FPL's request Tuesday, letting it pass on $442 million in hurricane costs to its 4.3 million Florida customers. That was less than the $533 million the company wanted to add to customers' bills — which would have meant an extra $2.09 a month on average.
    "PSC: FPL can charge extra to repair hurricane damage".

Access to Court Records

    "Dissent among committee members trying to figure out how to protect citizens' privacy while ensuring open access to court records has delayed the issuing of a report due this month." "State report on access to court records snagged".

Labor Law ...

    such as it is:
    A decade ago, the U.S. Department of Labor investigated whether a worker was held against her will at a North Carolina camp owned by a farm labor contractor who is facing allegations of wrongdoing at his North Florida camp.

    The earlier case was closed without any violation found.
    "Labor camp owner also faced North Carolina investigation".

Medicaid Fraud

    Oops: "Medicaid to cover children's asthma drug that was left off list".