Anita Dunn has polished the public images of some of the biggest names in Democratic politics: Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, former New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley and Florida's Bob Graham. All three came with obvious assets. Obama has charisma. Bradley brought academic and athletic skills. Graham connected with people in a way that made him one of the state's most popular governors and senators.

But now Dunn, a veteran political consultant and television ad maker, is taking on a client who poses a different challenge: Jim Davis. The Tampa congressman and candidate for governor has never run statewide, is facing a strong challenge from Democratic rival Rod Smith and may lack the millions needed for a sustained TV campaign. He is also widely perceived as the least dynamic personality in the four-man contest.

Speaking of Style

"If you took Gov. Jeb Bush and split him in half, you'd have something that looks like the Republican primary to replace him." "Two GOP candidates for governor have different strengths, styles".

High Fliers

"Dozens of Florida politicians are attending national meetings of state lawmakers this summer on taxpayer-funded trips, including seven House members who are leaving office just months after the meetings." "Term limits don't stop trips".

"Jeb!" Backs Dissembling Schiavo Nurse

"The state health department has asked the Board of Nursing to dismiss a complaint against a nurse who once cared for Terri Schiavo and discussed the brain-damaged woman's medical condition on national TV."

Carla Sauer-Iyer cared for Schiavo at a Largo nursing home in 1995 and '96. She claimed on CNN last year that Schiavo ate pudding and milkshakes, laughed and uttered such words as "mommy," "help me" and "pain."

In doing so, she improperly disclosed confidential patient information, violating state code and federal law, the Florida Health Department said in a complaint filed in May that asked the nursing board to revoke Sauer-Iyer's nursing license.

The health department requested the state's nursing board dismiss that complaint Thursday.

Sorry "Jeb!"

"55 new judges to be elected, not appointed". See also "High court won't block 55 judges' elections", "Florida's Supreme Court denies block to judicial elections" and "High court clears way for judicial elections to proceed".

Harris Fumbles Again

"Katherine Harris gave her campaign more than $3-million to run for Senate, but then took back $100,000 to finish renovating her "historic home in Washington, D.C.," her campaign revealed Friday."

The decision was immediately questioned.

"I have never heard of a candidate taking money out of a campaign coffer like it's an ATM. It absolutely boggles my mind," said former Harris campaign manager Jim Dornan.

Family Man

"Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Gallagher, who is married with one son, seeks to show in this ad that having a family makes him a better candidate for governor. The ad invites comparisons with rival Charlie Crist, who is single and childless." "Ad Watch: Gallagher Focuses On Family".

Harris on Top

"It looks less and less likely that Harris stands a chance against Nelson, but she still could be crowned winner in the battle for the Republican nomination for the race." "Harris Is Under Fire, On Top In GOP Race".

GOoPer Games

"A major donor to the Republican Party whose company has run into trouble with environmental regulators gave $50,000 to the Florida Democratic Party last month."

Why?

State Sen. Rod Smith says it may be aimed at hurting his campaign for governor. Smith has advocated bills that he says Anderson Columbia founder Joe Anderson thinks target him.

Although parties are prohibited by law from earmarking or directing soft-money contributions to a political campaign, Smith said he expects that Anderson's money will wind up helping Davis. Not so, said Democratic Party spokesman Mark Bubriski.

Carl Hiaasen

"Inevitably, rigs will go up somewhere off Florida's coast, but only a dithering fool would believe that the price of gasoline will come down." "Political tide favors Big Oil offshore".

W.D.

"W.D. Childers asked the Florida Supreme Court on Friday to consider an appeal of his bribery conviction and at the same time filed an emergency application to keep him free on bond beyond the July 31 deadline that would put him behind bars." "Childers files for appeal".

"Jeb!" Waddles World Stage

"Bush planned to leave Saturday on a one-week trade mission to England, Scotland and Ireland, with a stop at one of the world's largest airshows." "Gov. Bush headed to UK, Ireland on trade mission".

Privatization Follies

"[T]he larger story of the Clark-Crosby scandal is what it says about the Bush administration's zeal for outsourcing, preferably without competitive bids."

Under Crosby and Bush, the Florida prison system became a privatization laboratory - long on projected cost savings, short on accountability.

First, Aramark secured control of prison food operations. Then came the outsourcing of pharmaceuticals and pill splitting for inmates' prescriptions, a venture begun on Lawton Chiles' watch as governor but expanded greatly under Crosby.

Then, Crosby sowed the seeds of his downfall by outsourcing prison canteen operations to Keefe Commissary Network, which hired lobbyist Don Yaeger in 2004.

As a state audit showed, the Keefe contract generated millions in revenue to the state, but it was another sweetheart deal. Rather than seek competitive bids, Crosby & Co. sought proposals from three firms.

"Mountain of Money"

"The political battle between Republican incumbent Congressman Clay Shaw and his rival, Ron Klein, has a mountain of money behind it now." "Shaw, Klein coffers expand in campaigns for hotly contested District 22 seat".

Door Hanger Storm

"Another hurricane season is bringing another political squall around Democratic state Rep. Irving Slosberg. The nonprofit Area Agency on Aging Palm Beach/Treasure Coast, which plans to distribute 1.2 million brightly colored "Help" signs for seniors to hang on their doors after a hurricane, says Slosberg's state Senate campaign is confusing things by distributing its own post-hurricane door hangers." "Slosberg's door hangers create storm of their own".

Bizzare

"A U.S. Treasury-led panel that investigates whether U.S. companies with ties to foreign investors compromise national security has contacted the Boca Raton parent company of a voting machine supplier whose top executives once had links to the Venezuelan government." "U.S. panel probes voting machine firm" (GOP "Rep. Maloney echoed the concerns of anti-Chávez critics [questions] whether the company is a tool of the Chávez government to influence U.S. elections.")

CD 13 Push Poll

"Democrat Jan Schneider isn’t happy about a National Research Corporation poll being administered in the 13th Congressional District that is loaded with negative questions about her."

Pollsters ask Democratic voters what they think about a candidate who has tax problems, who has threatened to change parties and who was once an agent for a foreign government - a similar charge that U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris, R-Longboat Key, made about Schneider in 2002 during their battle against one another.

“Whoever is doing it, it sounds like the Katherine Harris-lite campaign,” Schneider said this afternoon.

The campaign team for Democrat Christine Jennings wouldn’t comment on the poll. Jennings’ campaign manager Angela Barranco said by rule, they do not discuss campaign strategy.

Nelson Crashes Party

"Domenici looked at Majority Leader Bill Frist, who was already making a face that said, 'Who in the world invited him?' 'You’re joining us?' Domenici asked Nelson, as he approached. Nelson nodded. Martinez, looking half-embarrassed, quickly pulled Nelson into a huddle."

It was supposed to have been an easy news conference during which he and other Republicans, including Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Orlando, touted their new drilling deal without any skeptics. Getting the deal done was hard enough. They didn’t need any other problems.

Now, Nelson was crashing his party.

Go Figure

"State Sen. Rod Smith's proposal to protect the news media against an emerging type of lawsuit was largely ignored in this spring's legislative session and ultimately died. But it may have come back to hurt his bid to become Florida governor. Two prominent developers who have filed lawsuits accusing newspapers of casting their character in "false light" have turned their support to Smith's rival in the Democratic primary, U.S. Rep. Jim Davis of Tampa." "Press protection bill may be costing Smith".

Supporters of the Republican contenders for governor dueled Thursday, an exchange started when 10 Charlie Crist-backers sent letters to Tom Gallagher urging he drop out of the race to avoid leaving a divided party.

The 10 lawmakers, led by Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, said Gallagher should take his sluggish poll numbers as a signal that it's time to fold his cards. But Gallagher's staff quickly fired back, mustering a lineup of 12 supporters who effectively say the Sept. 5 primary contest has only just begun.

"Joe's dead intern"

Katherine Harris' floundering U.S. Senate campaign lost its high-level staff again this week and is groping for a message -- which doesn't surprise Republican insiders who trace the seeds of her trouble to the story of "Joe's dead intern."

This wasn't any old Joe.

It was Joe Scarborough, host of the prime-time MSNBC show Scarborough Country and a former Pensacola Republican congressman who was courted last summer by national Republicans to run against Harris. But before he could announce he wouldn't, Harris called major donors and suggested Scarborough would have to answer questions about the strange death of a former staff member in 2001, according to two former high-level Harris staff members, a GOP donor and Scarborough.

Another Ethics Issue

"The wife of Florida's top highway safety official lobbied for a company that landed a lucrative contract from his agency. State auditors said Thursday the public should have been told about it. The review focuses on Fred Dickinson, the executive director of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. His agency last year awarded a five-year contract to a private company, National Safety Commission, to distribute the Official Florida Driver's Handbook." "Drivers' book deal flunks audit".

Harris In Trouble

"Campaign manager Glenn Hodas - the third to work for Harris - confirmed Thursday that he and four other key staffers are leaving this week, including communications director Chris Ingram, who announced his exit Wednesday. Hodas said field director Pat Thomas and two of her assistants are leaving. Others are rumored about to walk." "More staffers leaving Harris' Senate campaign".

"[T]he description of working for the Republican congresswoman plays like a scene out of 'Mommie Dearest.'" "Deja vu for Harris: Key Senate campaign staff leaves".

Hodas said he left for the same reasons as his predecessors. Harris "hasn't kept any of her promises" regarding her behavior, including promises "not to have tantrums, not to berate staff, not to micromanage and nitpick and not to get flustered on inconsequential details," he said.

"It's all the same old stuff," he said. "None of it has changed. If anything, it's gotten worse."

After six top aides walked out on her campaign in two days, Katherine Harris announced she has hired three new staffers.

In a news release, Harris announced that "Daphne Ricobene will be assuming the role of director of field operations. Eddy Mehnert will be taking on the job of southwest field director, and Jason Wetherington will be the campaign’s new southeast field director. The campaign will soon announce senior level campaign staff."

Latino Vote

"Just over one-third of those surveyed said Democrats have offered the best policy suggestions in the immigration debate. Meanwhile, 16 percent of Latinos said Republicans had a better handle on immigration reform." "Latinos more unified, poll finds".

Jenne

"Jenne to be questioned in Trump lawsuit over Seminole casino".

Ads

"An ongoing look at the candidates' campaign ads".

Will "Jeb!" Get To Appoint?

"The chief judge of the Jacksonville judicial circuit has asked the Florida Supreme Court to quicken its pace in deciding a lawsuit that challenges the election of 55 new state judges." "Judge seeks quick action on judicial elections". See also "Legal dispute over judgeships heats up".

Schiavo

"Gov. Jeb Bush on Thursday sided with a nurse who could lose her license because she discussed Terri Schiavo's medical condition on national TV." Carla Sauer-Iyer "provided an affidavit for the governor's legal team in its defense of Terri's Law, which was ruled unconstitutional. In her affidavit, Sauer-Iyer, who worked for Palm Garden of Largo as a licensed practical nurse while Schiavo was there, claimed Schiavo said 'Mommy' and 'Help me,' told nurses she was in pain and chuckled when Sauer-Iyer told her humorous stories."

Michael Schiavo said Thursday that Bush is trying to protect someone he used.

"This is America. The governor is entitled to be wrong again," he said. "What Carla did is wrong and what the governor is doing to protect her is wrong. Why does he want to help people who lie?"

E Voting

"Electronic voting machines come under legal attack from activists".

Shaw Bucks

"Clay Shaw raised nearly $1.3 million during the past three months, an amount his campaign says tops any Republican running for the House." "Shaw Claims Record".

Too Slow

"The state just classified this former species of "special concern" to a species threatened with extinction. New rules the state will impose to help perpetuate the species likely won't be adopted for a year or more, however." "Setting an example".

Nobody Came

"After only eight people showed up in Orlando for a hearing on State Farm Florida's 79 percent rate hike, the state's insurance regulators decided their public rate hike hearings had to change." "Format revamp set for hearings on insurance rate hikes".

Drilling Deal "Disappointing"

The Sun-Sentinel contends that "It's disappointing that Florida couldn't get a better deal than this one, brokered by the state's junior senator, Republican Mel Martinez." "Energy Bill". The Orlando Seninel, however, thinks Mel can do no wrong: "Unite on good deal". See also "Not one more inch".

And what why was Nelson "left out of brokering" the deal? "Drilling drama".

Family Man

"In a new campaign ad featuring his wife Laura and son Charlie, Tom Gallagher portrays himself as the changed family man." "TG’s Family - Will They Help Him Win?".

Dozier

The Miami Herald: "The Rev. Dozier's re marks ill-serve the African-American community that he purports to represent -- and the good people of that community should let the reverend and his supporters know that they don't condone his brand of religious bigotry any more than they would support racial bigotry." "Bias against Islam".

On the campaign trail and in her literature, U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris boasts that, as a freshman member of Congress, she passed the American Dream Downpayment Act, "enabling 4.5 million low-income workers to own their first home while growing the U.S. economy by $256 billion."

Federal reports indicate Harris' claims are grossly exaggerated.

Family Man

"Charlie Crist's name is never mentioned, but this ad is all about what Tom Gallagher has that bachelor Charlie doesn't: wife and kid. As expected from the Gallagher campaign, wife Laura and son Charlie are now officially front and center in the campaign's electronic effort." " Gallagher's Second Ad Up".

Thurman Profile

"If Florida Democrats are going to end a decade-long free-fall in state politics, it will be up to Karen Thurman to orchestrate it. She is chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party, which makes her the Sunshine State's version of Howard Dean (well, sort of). She's also a former Dunnellon City Council member, state legislator and U.S. congresswoman who spent a decade in Washington representing a district that now includes south Lake County. She lost that job in 2002 to U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Crystal River, after Republican lawmakers redrew it in their party's favor. She took over the state Democratic Party a little more than a year ago, and she chatted recently with Jason Garcia of the Sentinel's Tallahassee bureau." "This week's spotlight: Karen Thurman".

Villalobos

"It's called "Citizens for Ethical and Effective Leadership" and it's spent $46,370 of the $137,000 it's raised with DRC Consulting, the firm owned by Miami lobbyist David Custin, a political consultant and stauch Villalobos ally. ... it's biggest contributor is Florida Education Association ($50,000)." " Committee Helping Villalobos".

"'Childish' campaign tactic"?

"Campaign operatives for Republican U.S. Rep. Clay Shaw and Democratic challenger Ron Klein are jockeying over a schedule of debates or joint appearances for the two candidates in the nationally watched House race. Klein's campaign issued a statement Tuesday calling for a series of debates around the Palm Beach-Broward district. Shaw campaign manager Larry Casey called the statement a 'childish' campaign tactic because Shaw has agreed to appear at an Aug. 11 luncheon to which Klein has also been invited." "Shaw, Klein camps in conflict over debates".

Schiavo

"More than a year after winning a bruising battle to disconnect his brain-damaged wife from a feeding tube in Florida, Michael Schiavo brought his campaign against government intrusion to Colorado Wednesday, demanding an apology from a Republican congresswoman he accused of interfering in his family’s decision. ... He came to Colorado to support two Democratic candidates for the U.S. House, including Angie Paccione, who is challenging Rep. Marilyn Musgrave. Musgrave spoke last year on the floor of the House against allowing Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube to be removed." "Terri Schiavo’s widower takes on politicians in privacy campaign".

Drilling Sellout?

"U.S. Senate leaders announced a compromise Wednesday that would expand oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico by millions of acres but keep exploration at least 125 miles from Florida's western shoreline." "Drilling deal cushions state coast". Here's a slightly more accurate headline: "Senate deal would protect Florida's west coast from drilling -- but not east coast".

The Martinez-Can-Do-No-Wrong crowd at the Orlando Sentinel praises the deal:

In the deal, Florida Sen. Mel Martinez appears to have gained a major concession by moving the buffer zone for drilling farther from his state's coastline than originally planned by Senate Energy Committee Chairman Pete Domenici, R-N.M.

The agreement was announced by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, Domenici, Martinez and lawmakers from other coastal states. Frist, R-Tenn., said it tries to strike a balance by tapping oil and gas reserves in the Gulf of Mexico while also protecting Florida's multibillion-dollar tourism industry.

The deal will "protect our shoreline," Martinez, a Republican, said.

But others were not so sure. Environmentalists are against expanding any exploration in the Gulf. They also note that the Senate plan would allow offshore development in an area of the eastern Gulf known as Lease Sale 181, where government bans have kept drilling off-limits.

While U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., hails the compromise he helped craft as a huge victory, environmental groups are blasting him for what they say is a strategic blunder that risks putting rigs much closer to the coastline than the 125-mile buffer he thinks he has secured.

Rahm Hearts Jennings

"DCCC chief Rahm Emmanuel has added Democratic Congressional District 13 candidate Christine Jennings to its "Red to Blue'' program, funnelling resources to those seen as its strongest candidates to take back Republican seats. "Rahm just called last evening, and I am so excited. It really is a seat we can win,” said Jennings." " Rahm's bullish on Jennings".

Housing Crisis

"Leaders fearful of housing gap push for ideas to a avoid losing workers".

Emergency in Yankeetown

"Bush declared a state of emergency in Yankeetown on Wednesday, granting emergency powers to the town's mayor and the remaining two Town Council members and directing the town to hold a special election within 60 days to fill vacant council spots." "Bush orders election in fractious Yankeetown".

GOoPer Rock Star Tumbles

"In one fell swoop, [Dozier] the pastor of the Worldwide Christian Center in Pompano Beach managed to ignore New Testament teachings of tolerance and denigrate one of the world's major religions."

His comments also dimmed his stature within the GOP. A prominent Republican who advised the president, recruited blacks to the party, and has become a key figure in Charlie Crist's run for governor, Dozier this week had to resign his position on the Broward Judicial Nominating Committee after being asked by officials in Gov. Jeb Bush's office to step down.

The governor apparently wasn't thrilled with Dozier's remarks. The comments also gave Crist's primary opponent, Tom Gallagher, a campaign issue.

Springer in Sarasota

"Jerry Springer speaks at Democratic fundraiser".

SD 10

"Developers and doctors are bankrolling Senate campaigns for District 10's two top contenders, including a Hillsborough County commissioner [Rhonda Storms] who says developers can't stand her." "Builders, Doctors Bankroll District 10".

Jebbie "Double-Cross"

"Jeb Bush has appointed hundreds of judges during his nearly eight years in office, but until the last two years of his tenure, he refused to push for all of the additional judgeships the Florida Supreme Court wanted from the Legislature in order to keep up with the court system's growing case load."

The governor used as an excuse that the state had other obligations and couldn't afford the court's request. But last year the state funded all 110 requested trial judges, and in a deal, lawmakers gave Bush the chance to appoint 55 in 2005 if this year's group stood for election.

But now the governor is reneging. He's siding with the Judicial Nominating Commission of the Miami-Dade County judicial circuit, whose members he appointed, which has filed a lawsuit in the Florida Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of the election.

The lawsuit makes clear what we have long suspected: Bush held back support on a full contingent of judgeships over the years hoping at the end he would get to appoint all of them.

Jebbie's "flavor of the week"

"State prisons chief Jim McDonough scoffed at former Corrections Secretary Jim Crosby's expressions of remorse Wednesday, saying Crosby had been "crying on the way to the bank" with thousands of dollars in kickbacks from a prison contractor."

Steve Andrews, Crosby's attorney, said the fired prison chief's remorse was genuine and that he admitted his drinking was "no excuse" for corruption. Andrews said McDonough "doesn't know what's going on" in the prison system.

"McDonough is Gov. Bush's flavor of the week," Andrews said. "Jimmy Crosby left DOC in pretty good shape. McDonough is high-handed and he's been throwing out lifelong DOC employees."

Busansky Bucks

"Fundraising picked up during the second quarter of this year for Phyllis Busansky, the Democratic candidate running to replace Rep. Mike Bilirakis in Congress. Busansky raised $335,000 while Gus Bilirakis, the Republican frontrunner raised upwards of $265,000." " Busansky raises another $335,000".

Outa Here

"As many as 6 million boxes of oranges may be left on trees by the end of the growing season this month because immigrant labor has left the state." "Labor Shortage Shorts Harvest".

A third-party political committee formed just a month ago to support Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Gallagher has raised $1-million, nearly matching money raised over the past several months by a similar committee backing rival Charlie Crist.

The fundraising success of both groups, spelled out in state campaign finance reports filed Monday, highlights the intense battle between Gallagher, the state's chief financial officer, and Crist, the state's attorney general, to win the primary Sept. 5.

Party Money

"The Republican Party of Florida outraised the state Democratic Party by about $600,000 in the three months ending June 30, even as Democrats made history with their second-quarter figures, the parties reported." "Parties post bountiful quarters". See also "State Democratic Party posts best 2nd quarter figures in history", "GOP remains at fundraising top" and " Dems close the fundraising gap".

There is an explanation for the GOP lead:

Gary Morse, the man behind Central Florida's The Villages retirement community, has long been a Republican Party rainmaker. He has given and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Gov. Jeb Bush and his brother the president, and flown party leaders around on his private jet.

But Morse topped himself last month by handing the Republican Party of Florida $500,000, according to new state records.

His gift matches the largest single contribution the state GOP has ever received, campaign-finance records show.

It also provided most of the difference between the $3.1 million the state Republicans reported raising in the last three months and the nearly $2.5 million reported by the Florida Democratic Party. It was a dramatic falloff for the GOP, and the biggest fund-raising quarter in nearly two years for the Democrats.

UFW

"United Farm Workers, the labor group with more than 135,000 members in Florida, endorsed Jim Davis' campaign for governor [Tuesday]." "Farmworkers for Davis".

"Jeb!" Takes Credit

"But Ronald Akers, a professor of criminology and sociology at the University of Florida, said scholars were uncertain why the crime rate has steadily decreased nationwide since the 1980s. He said tougher sentences for criminals may have kept repeat offenders off the streets, but that demographic factors like an aging population may have played a role." "Local, Florida crime rates dip".

Cellophane Man Weighs In

"Martinez backs Bronson".

GOoPer Fight

"A top Republican Party consultant hired by incoming Senate President Ken Pruitt has mailed out fliers attacking a Republican House member who is suing the consultant for libel."

West Palm Beach-based Randy Nielsen sent out a glossy ad to homes in Charlotte and Lee counties with the huge headline, "IN CASE YOU MISSED IT! Important news about Representative Paige Kreegel." In the return address section is Nielsen's name, work address and the statement: "A public service announcement to keep citizens informed."

said he cannot understand how a party consultant making $30,000 a month as a retainer plus additional payments for mailings can use his money this way. "The Republican Party has paid this guy over $400,000 since the start of the year, and the only tangible thing that he's done is attack a Republican incumbent," Kreegel said.

State records show that the party has paid Nielsen $437,848 this year, which represents more than two-thirds of the $645,102 he has earned in state political races in 2006.

The state Republican Party did not return phone calls on the matter Tuesday.

A Charlotte County circuit judge ruled last month that Pruitt must provide Kreegel's lawyer a deposition in the lawsuit, which Pruitt had attempted to avoid. He did not return phone calls or e-mails.

Nielsen wrote in his e-mail: "Senator Pruitt had no involvement whatsoever with the mailing."

No Apology

"Rev. O’Neal Dozier has two missions, and he has been outspoken about achieving both: saving souls and helping Republicans." "Pastor appointed by Bush won't apologize for remarks on Islam".

No More Rate Hike Hearings

"Florida insurance regulators will no longer hold hearings around the state to listen to what consumers have to say about rate hikes." "Regulators put end to insurance-rate hearings".

SD 16

"Money wins elections -- not always, but often. And in the hotly-contested District 16 state Senate race in Pinellas and Hillsborough, Rep. Kim Berfield of Clearwater has taken a commanding lead." " Berfield's Big Haul".

From The Values Crowd

"A Florida Department of Children & Families supervisor who asked pastors to find 'Christ-centered foster homes' for Palm Beach County children has earned the praise of her boss but criticism from civil- and child-rights groups."

"I'm disappointed that the richest, most diverse county in Florida is incapable of meeting the needs of those most vulnerable -- its children," St. Germain wrote, using her DCF address at the top of the letter. "However, I'm more saddened that we are asking a community to do what we as Christians are commanded to do, which is expose Jesus Christ for the active living Savior that he is and there is no better way than meeting the needs of our children." ...

"This letter says to Hindus, Buddhists, mainline Protestants, Jews and just good folks who may not have your passion to a faith system that they somehow fall short in DCF's eyes," Bill Gralnick, regional director of the American Jewish Committee, wrote to St. Germain last week. "It says rather bluntly that this unfortunate pool of children has no chance without being fostered, or I assume better yet, adopted by born-again Christians."

Jebonomics

"The office supply company plans to use the tax incentive package endorsed Tuesday, as well as $10.2 million expected from the state, to relocate from Delray Beach to a new site in Boca Raton." "Enticed by nearly $11 million in tax breaks, Office Depot plans HQ in Boca".

"Stricter building standard rejected"

"The Florida Building Commission, meeting at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel near Hollywood, voted 15-3 against a measure that would make hurricane shutters or impact-resistant windows and doors mandatory for new construction across a wide swath of the state's Panhandle -- now largely exempt from those requirements." "Stricter building standard rejected".

Sink Cash

"A lack of political experience isn't hurting Alex Sink's fundraising ability. The candidate for state chief financial officer, from Thonotosassa, bested not only her Republican rivals but also every other candidate for a Cabinet-level post in raising money during the second quarter, records show. Sink, former head of Bank of America for Florida, raised $508,586 in cash, bringing her bankroll to $1.24 million. Her campaign says she has $1.12 million in cash on hand. Tom Lee, of Valrico, the outgoing president of the Florida Senate who is seeking the office on the Republican side, raised $298,027 in cash, bringing his total to $1.6 million. Lee said he has $1.4 million in cash on hand. Randy Johnson, a state representative from Celebration who will face Lee in the GOP primary on Sept. 5, raised $117,670 in cash in the quarter, bringing his total to $706,843. He has about $623,000 in cash on hand." "Sink Has Cash Flow In CFO Race".

Drilling Compromise?

"Senate leaders produced a compromise on offshore oil and gas drilling Wednesday that they hoped would satisfy lawmakers in Florida and other coastal areas who fear for their tourist-based economies."

The deal would limit new offshore development -- outside the central and western Gulf of Mexico -- to an area of the eastern Gulf known as Lease Area 181 and protect waters within 125 miles of the Florida coast.

To gain support from states that already allow offshore oil and gas development -- Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama -- it would substantially increase the royalty revenue that would be funneled to those states.

This "will protect our shoreline," said Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., who negotiated the compromise with GOP leaders and had insisted that protection be extended to at least 125 miles off Florida's shore.

But Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said he's not yet convinced and still held open the possibility he would filibuster the legislation, meaning supporters would have to get 60 votes to get it through.

"Florida's probation measures strict enough"

[M]any [legislators] quickly endorsed a knee-jerk reaction that would slam probationers who break the rules back into jail without bail -- no matter how slight their offense, no matter how long they'd been on probation.

Such a solution might sound tempting to the public. Undoubtedly, people are tired of hearing about career criminals. But what about the thousands of probationers -- by far, the majority -- who make it through sometimes lengthy sentences without any major slip-ups? It's important to remember that many violations of probation are relatively minor -- such as a missed appointment or an unpaid fine.

This approach calls for a huge expense -- from $500 million up to $828 million over six years -- with no measurable increase in public safety to justify it. The majority of that burden would be borne by counties, which are already straining under burgeoning jail costs." "Knee-jerk lockups".

Babcock Gamble

"If successful, a Sierra Club lawsuit could destroy the state's plans to buy and preserve 74,000 acres of the Babcock Ranch in Charlotte and Lee counties." "Sierra Club Gambles With Babcock Ranch".

Insufficient Funds

"Before Florida recognized the benefits of smaller class sizes, the Palm Beach County School District was putting more teachers in its lowest-performing schools. When class-size money from Tallahassee arrived, the district continued assigning additional teachers to those schools — even after the district met the state's class-size requirements. Now, faced with a budget deficit in the millions, the luxury is too much to afford." "Class-size rules force teacher transfers".

Insurance Crisis

Jeremy Wallace:

For most of the first half of the year, the candidates for the state Legislature have dealt with a hodgepodge of low-key issues, with no one issue floating to the top of the list.

Until now.

"Legislature drops ball"

"When Floridians asked for help this year with homeowners insurance, the Legislature decided to go bare. So, it's no surprise that Floridians are doing the same thing. As The Post reported Sunday, some homeowners have calculated that they are better off without wind insurance and are dropping coverage before their insurer drops them or because they refuse to pay post-Charley-Frances-Ivan-Jeanne-Dennis-Katrina-Rita-Wilma rates. Others are trying to guess how long it might take to build up a repair fund with money that didn't go for premiums over several years." "Legislature drops ball, so people drop coverage".

West Wing Wexler

"These are nervous times for congressman as the midterm elections approach. Any measurement of public approval becomes a source of concern. Rep. Robert Wexler, whose 19th Congressional District winds through Broward and Palm Beach counties, doesn't have those worries this cycle: The five-term Democratic legislator is running unopposed for the second time. As a result, he has the luxury of checking out a different set of numbers that have no consequence to his political future -- TV's Nielsen ratings. Wexler, D-Boca Raton, and his staff are the subjects of a Sundance Channel documentary series, The Hill, a nonfiction congressional version of The West Wing, which was showcased Tuesday on TV's summer press tour. The series of six enlightening and entertaining half-hours, shot cinema verite style, premieres Aug. 23." "Wexler gets West Wing aura in TV show about his staff".

"Insurers blasted"

"When two of Florida's largest insurers requested huge rate hikes recently, they also asked for profit margins of about 15 percent, much higher than the industry average. That has the state's insurance consumer advocate asking whether the insurers are inflating their rate hikes." "Insurers blasted for profit margins".

A Criminal Too

"Former Corrections Secretary Jimmy Crosby spent three decades keeping watch over criminals in state prisons. In a hushed federal courtroom Tuesday, Crosby admitted he became a criminal, too, and faces prison time as a result." "Ex-chief of prisons pleads guilty". See also "Former prisons chief pleads guilty, apologizes".

Smith Hits Road

"Rod Smith is about the latest candidate for statewide office to take to the highways in a bus tour. The state senator from Alachua and Democratic candidate for governor will launch a four-day, 15-stop "Straight Talk and Real Change" bus tour this Sunday in Gainesville." "On the Road Again".

"The most ethical administration in Florida history"

"His prison boss took bribes. His law enforcement chief compared two black leaders to criminals. The top man at his child-welfare department had cozy ties to lobbyists."

Nearly eight years after promising "the most ethical administration in Florida history," Gov. Jeb Bush has watched several of his leaders become mired in controversies that threaten to blemish his well-polished reputation as a reformer -- the envy of other governors and political opponents alike.

The most recent scandal came Wednesday, when federal prosecutors revealed that James Crosby -- the man Bush tapped to lead the long-troubled Department of Corrections -- admitted his part in a $130,000 bribery and kickback scheme with a snack-bar vendor.

Space Florida

"Space Florida wants chief in six weeks" "Space Florida wants chief in six weeks".

Harris Under Attack

"With polls consistently showing U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris lagging 30 points behind Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, her Republican opponents are stepping up their attacks." "Harris' GOP rivals try to open doors as hers sticks". In the meantime, "Harris takes her campaign to Latino voters".

Gay Clash

"Gays and conservative Christians are expected to clash today when the Orange County Commission considers adding sexual orientation to its fair-housing ordinance." "Gays, conservatives clash in Orlando over fair-housing law".

Troxler

"Ignore the rhetoric - if you pay more, it's a tax hike".

Rice Out

"State Rep. Everett Rice dropped out of the race for state attorney general on Monday, ending a yearlong campaign waged in relative obscurity and beset with money woes." "Rice ends quest for state attorney general post".

"From irresponsible to pathological"

"Not many members of Congress can be described to voters this year as "Rep. B," the unindicted patsy in a federal prosecutor's formal account of bribery and election fraud. But given that the distinction belongs to Florida's own U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris, one would think she might steer clear from the subject of campaign contributions."

Then again, Harris already has advised voters she "cannot be controlled." Toward that end, her attempted smear last Thursday of U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson is Exhibit A.

Harris, it should be noted, won a Republican primary eight years ago with a commercial attacking her opponent for "illegal contributions" from the same Riscorp Inc. insurance executives that also had given money to her. So maybe that's what was going through Harris' mind when she told a Florida Republican Women's meeting in Kissimmee that Nelson had taken $80,000 in illegal contributions from Riscorp.

In point of fact, Nelson received $62,500 from the company in 1994. Riscorp executives pleaded guilty to campaign fraud in 1998 for bundling contributions worth $380,000 to 23 different candidates. But this is where the story goes. One of the other 23 was Katherine Harris.

Dozier Dumped

"Dozier, 57, is a key figure in Republican Charlie Crist's effort to reach black voters in the attorney general's race for governor. Neither Bush nor Crist could be reached for comment. ... Dozier is a prominent black Republican who has recruited blacks to the GOP and advised President Bush. He was nominated to the judicial screening committee in 2001, and Gov. Bush reappointed him two years later. The governor also spoke at Dozier's church on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2003." "Controversial black minister quits Broward judicial committee at request of governor". See also "Reverend's words divisive".

"Record-shattering level of personal financing"

"In what appears to be a record-shattering level of personal financing for a Florida legislative contest, Democratic state Rep. Irving Slosberg of Boca Raton has pumped $629,000 of his own money into his race for a Palm Beach-Broward state Senate seat." "Slosberg's self-financing hits $629,000".

Money Advantage

"If money talks, state Sen. Tom Lee and state Rep. Joe Negron should have some advantages in getting their names known in the final seven weeks of campaigning before Florida's Sept. 5 primary election. Lee has raised more than $1.6 million in his bid to win the Republican nomination for chief financial officer while his chief opponent, Republican state Rep. Randy Johnson, has just under $707,000. Lee raised $298,000 in the quarter that ended June 30 compared to $117,670 for Johnson. Negron, a Republican attorney from Stuart, has raised $1.3 million in the attorney general's race, but just $48,000 last quarter when legislators could not accept campaign contributions during their nine-week session." "Lee, Negron have money advantages".

Environmentalists Slam Putnam

"In Tampa, the full-page ad bought by the groups, appearing in The Tampa Tribune, attacked Rep. Adam Putnam, a rising Republican star and central architect of the House's historic vote to lift the drilling bans. Beneath a large photo of a bird fouled by oil, the ad copy declares that "no amount of cleanup will remove this stain from Adam Putnam's voting record." It attacks him for 'potentially exposing us to devastating spills' and urges readers to tell Putnam 'his loyalty is to the American taxpayer, not big oil corporations.'" "Environmentalists Slam Politicians On Drilling".

GOoPer Cash

"But his cash-on-hand lead over Gallagher slips as the GOP pair wage the costliest gubernatorial primary in Florida history." "Crist wins another lap in fundraising race". See also "Gallagher Grabs $1.1 Million" and "Crist's cash tops Gallagher's in GOP contest for governor".

Gallagher Ad

"Gallagher's Television Ad Portrays Him As Tax-Lowering".

Public Funding

"Candidates seeking public funds" See also "Coffers swell -- but public chips in".

Charlie is "Anti-Murder"

"Governor candidate uses Deltona mass murder as example of need for new 'anti-murder' law" "Crist pledges probation overhaul".

Tough Talk

"Bush on Monday fired a verbal barb at Georgia's use of water from the Chattahoochee River, saying he would like to tell an Atlanta newspaper, 'Quit stealing our water.' "Governor: Georgia can get its water elsewhere".

Noncitizens in Uniform

"In Miami, U.S. senators draw attention to the effect of proposals on about 24,000 noncitizens in uniform." "Immigration hearing highlights military's role".

"Jeb!" Watch

"Gov. Jeb Bush, back after a weeklong vacation in Maine, didn't say no Monday when asked that question. Does that mean the answer may be yes? While the governor has discounted rumors he'll run for president in 2008, he's not said he won't run for vice president." " McCain-Bush 2008 Ticket?". See also "Bush ducks question on interest in being McCain's running mate".

Battle of the Websites

"First came the anti-Charlie Crist web sites, now comes the debut of www.tomgallaghersucks.com." " Not Fond of Tom".

55 Bush Appointments?

"Just weeks before dozens of candidates are set to qualify for 55 new judicial seats statewide, a group of South Florida lawyers is asking the state Supreme Court to invalidate the elections. In a lawsuit filed last week, the Eleventh Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission has asked the high court to halt the election of the judges and instead allow Gov. Jeb Bush to appoint them." "Court to consider election of 55 judges".

Dem Cash

"U.S. Rep. Jim Davis outraised his Democratic gubernatorial challenger by about $90,000 during the second three months of the year, the campaigns reported Friday. Sen. Rod Smith's campaign said it would report raising about $560,000. The Davis campaign said it raised more than $650,000. Smith was unable to raise money for five weeks during the quarter because Senate rules prohibit fundraising for state offices during the legislative session." "Davis reports $90,000 more than Smith in fundraising".

Nothing New

"Since 2000, nearly constant controversy has arisen over contracts the agency has entered into, ranging from problems with food services to an abrupt end of a contract to split and distribute prescription drugs to inmates. And the head of a now-defunct agency that oversaw the operation of private prisons was sent to federal prison earlier this year." "Outsourcing woes nothing new at DOC". See also "State prison scandals seem like familiar tales" and "Repeat prison offenses".

Insurance an Issue

"Both candidates say they are hearing about insurance concerns more often as they campaign. Though the first phase of the campaign was devoted to education, the debate clearly has shifted." "Democratic Governor Hopefuls Take Stance On Insurance Issue". See also "Smith: state should cover part of hurricane insurance", "Davis touts his insurance plans" and "Democratic candidates spar over insurance".

"Speed up getting it right"

"Forgive Floridians, however, if they don't immediately embrace the new Division of Elections under Secretary of State Sue Cobb. Ms. Roberts, who works for Ms. Cobb, is overseeing the state's takeover - under federal rules - of voter registration lists. Previously, the 67 county election supervisors handled their own lists. That made it hard to track people who moved from county to county. Now, a Floridian can register in the Panhandle to vote in South Florida, and vice versa."

Election supervisors are worried that the new voter rolls remain untested entering this fall's elections for governor and U.S. Senate. An audit found that 80,000 names were duplicated, which Ms. Cobb pledges to update.

Still, county supervisors are uneasy with the state's growing role. In the past, people who registered at driver license bureaus complained that their registrations were lost. Now, bureau clerks have direct access to the statewide registration database, and supervisors worry about data-entry errors.

Statewide control, too, has a bad name in Florida. It dates to former Secretary of State Harris' rigid adherence to the deadlines that favored George W. Bush during the contested 2000 election. It includes the felons list that in 2000 identified matches that weren't matches and in 2004 purged legal African-American voters but not Hispanics.

HD 27

"Quickly raising cash to help fuel his campaign, former Ormond Beach Mayor Dave Hood is gearing up to try to unseat state Rep. Joyce Cusack -- the last local Democrat in the Florida House. Hood, who entered the House District 27 race in late March, raised $112,000 during the past three months, giving him a huge fund-raising edge over Cusack, according to records filed with the state. The Republican, who has received backing from some prominent Volusia County businesspeople, is trying to topple Cusack in a heavily Democratic district that stretches from DeLand to Daytona Beach." "Former Ormond mayor raises ante for District 27".

Premature

"State Education Commissioner John Winn's frustration with the continuing low performance of four Miami-Dade high schools is understandable. But Mr. Winn's criticism of Superintendent Rudy Crew's efforts to improve Edison, Central, Jackson and Northwestern senior highs is premature, as is his plan to start monthly state monitoring of the four schools this fall. At the least, the commissioner should shelve monitoring until after the 2007 Florida Comprehensive Aptitude Test." "Premature call to monitor schools".

Sunshine

"The Sunshine State lags behind other states in converting sunlight into energy." "Free electricity? State grants aim to point the way".

"The Net Generation"

"The Net Generation. Millennials. Gen Y. Whatever you call them, young Floridians -- many with an affinity for gadgets and a skeptical attitude about campaigns and candidates -- are making their presence felt in the 2006 race for governor and other statewide elections." "Florida political candidates take note of growing, tech-savvy youth vote".

Paper Trail

"When voters go to the polls in November, they could be voting on how to vote in Sarasota County. A Sarasota group has collected enough signatures to put a referendum on the ballot that, if passed, would require a voter-verified paper trail for all computerized voting machines." "Voting paper trail could be on ballot".

Crist Embarassed?

Is Charlie Crist embarassed of his Sierra Club endorsement?

the Sierra Club on Friday endorsed Davis in the Democratic primary and Charlie Crist in the Republican primary.

Davis put out a news release; Crist didn't.

Could that be because Republican voters might be less impressed than Democrats about an endorsement from an environmental group?

Neck and Neck

See "Davis' Latest Take: $650K" and "And $560K for Smith". See also "Democratic gubernatorial candidates say money reveals growing support" and "Gubernatorial Candidates Davis, Smith Both Claim Fundraising Success".

527 Coordination

"You may not be running out to enlist, but the recruiters are coming to you. This summer, a growing list of stealthy soft-money slush funds with lofty names such as those above, and millions of dollars from wealthy donors and your mailing addresses are jumping into Florida's gubernatorial contest. For now, their glossy mailers are heaping praises on GOP candidates Charlie Crist and Tom Gallagher, but it's only a matter of time before they start using their big bucks to bash the candidates they don't want you to vote for. And once that starts, you might have a hard time discerning hard fact from subterfuge." "Soft money playing hardball".

Ethically Challenged

An AP piece yesterday hi-lighted a few examples of the ethically challenged "Jeb!" administration:

Crosby however isn't the first of Bush's appointments to face questions on ethics, but rather the latest addition to a list of agency heads who haven't made the best choices.

Some examples:

- In 1999, Department of Business and Professional Regulations Secretary Cynthia Henderson said "I didn't use my best judgment" after taking an Outback Steakhouse corporate jet to the Kentucky Derby. She was in charge of regulating restaurants, among other businesses.

- In 2001, The head of the State Technology Office, Roy Cales, resigned after he was arrested and charged with grand theft. Authorities said he forged a letter to secure a $36,600 bank loan on which he later defaulted. The original document, however, was missing and a jury acquitted Cales.

- In 2003, investigators found former Lottery Secretary David Griffin broke ethics codes by accepting gifts of food from companies doing business with the department. Griffin had already left the position before the investigation began.

- In 2004, Department of Children & Families Secretary Jerry Regier resigned after an investigation showed he took favors from contractors.

- In 2005, Bush fired Elder Affairs Secretary Terry White after a sexual harassment allegations were made against him.

- In April, Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Guy Tunnell resigned after accusations that he mishandled the investigation into a death at a juvenile boot camp he created when he served as Bay County sheriff. He was criticized for e-mails he exchanged with the current sheriff about the investigation.

And while not illegal, two former department heads raised eyebrows when they resigned to take jobs with companies they contracted with or regulated.

Former State Technology Office head Kim Bahrami went to work for BearingPoint, a company she awarded a controversial $126 million contract. Former Department of Environmental Protection Secretary David Struhs took a job with International Paper Co. As the department head, Struhs put together a government-financed project designed largely to help bring the company's Pensacola area mill into compliance with pollution standards it had been violating for years.

Rock The Vote

"The most intriguing statement so far about how the 2008 elections are shaping up has come from the Department of Homeland Security, of all places."

According to the department's statisticians, about 12.4 million legal immigrants are eligible to become citizens and then become voters two years from now. This includes holders of green cards and immigrant children who gained citizenship by birth in the United States.

According to research by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, there are 16 states where the number of eligible immigrant voters totals more than the vote differential between George Bush and John Kerry. This number includes Florida and 10 other swing states, among them Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Michigan and Ohio, which the president carried by about 120,000 votes. Had Sen. Kerry won Ohio, he would be president.

Info

"Florida court records should be available to the public on the Internet. With sensible restrictions, access rights and privacy can be balanced." "Information, please".

Copeland

"An unknown Miami attorney and businessman is hoping to unseat Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson, a fifth-generation Florida farmer, by making citrus canker the central issue in their race. Democrat Eric Copeland is trying to persuade voters the Republican incumbent should be held accountable to the state's aborted effort to eliminate citrus canker -- an effort he describes as "a grotesque failure." Both are unopposed for their parties' nomination, so the ag race won't get much attention until after the Sept. 5 primary." "State agriculture candidate targets citrus canker in bid to unseat Bronson".

Hint: Raise Wages

"Industry officials cited the talk of immigration crackdowns for their inability to find Hispanic workers." "Citrus growers short on laborers".

GOoPer Nightmare

"Randy Johnson might be an ideal candidate for Republicans this campaign season. Or he could wind up his party's worst nightmare."

"We've had eight years of Republican leadership, and I think it's something to be proud of," state Rep. Johnson said in a taped Political Connections interview airing today on Bay News 9. "But as Republicans we have also been in charge during this insurance issue, and we have some explaining to do. And guess what? We'd better face the issue head-on in the primary because we're certainly going to have to face it in the general election."

"Jeb!"'s Value System

"The single bill Bush has yet to take action on is the one that will do away with the intangibles tax, a 50-cent-per-$1,000 levy on stocks, bonds, mutual funds and other assets that has been on the books, in one form or another, since 1931."

Not that he and other bill backers are worried. Though critics deride the intangibles-tax cut as little more than a favor for rich folks -- the average payer is a millionaire, and retirement funds such as savings accounts and 401(k) plans are already exempt from the levy -- Bush has made his feelings about the tax plenty clear over the years.

"It's a stupid tax. It's an insidious tax. It's an evil tax. It's a bad tax," he said last spring.

"Financial Spectrum

See "Tom Gallagher: GOP candidates run the financial spectrum" and "Charlie Crist: GOP candidates run the financial spectrum". See also "Davis lives moderately" and "Smith almost a millionaire".

Guns, Green

"The two Democrats who want to succeed Gov. Jeb Bush earned opposite rankings from the National Rifle Association and an environmental group." "Democrats diverge on guns, green".