He did — for 72 days. On Friday, just over two months after launching a new campaign for his old seat, Rivera has called it quits, at least for now.

But he said it had nothing to do with the FBI probe — which he refuses to discuss — and everything to do with a ruling Thursday from a judge in Tallahassee. . . .

Rivera cited “great uncertainty” following the ruling that invalidated two of Florida’s congressional district boundaries — even though neither of the districts was the one Rivera sought to represent.

The districts specifically invalidated by Leon Circuit Judge Terry P. Lewis are in Central and North Florida and don’t border the 26th Congressional District that Rivera was campaigning for, which extends from Kendall to Key West. In the event that new districts are redrawn, they would likely not take effect until the 2016 election, assuming the case is appealed as expected. . . .

In his letter to supporters, Rivera said he intends to run for the Florida House of Representatives in 2016. “There are just too many issues to solve in Florida — Common Core, Medicaid, economic development and others to sit by and wait for unelected judges to decide the When he filed to run again two months ago, Rivera surprised even hardened politicians and the already crowded field of Republican contenders. Miami-Dade School Board member Carlos Curbelo, Cutler Bay Mayor Ed MacDougall, former Miami-Dade Commission Chairman Joe Martinez and attorney Lorenzo Palomares-Starbuck are running for their party’s nomination in the Aug. 26 primary.

Another sign that Curbelo is considered the establishment favorite: On Friday, the Democratic Party wasted little time on Rivera to instead attack Curbelo.

“David Rivera would have been a horrendous nominee for Republicans in Florida’s 26th Congressional District, but self-interested lobbyist Carlos Curbelo isn’t any better,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman David Bergstein said in a statement.

Curbelo, a political and public relations consultant who is not currently a registered lobbyist, countered that the DCCC “is desperately trying to deflect attention” from Garcia.

Related: "Congressional ringer Justin Sternard, saying he was duped by David Rivera, gets 7 months."

Really? Mario Diaz-Balart blames Dems for failure of immigration reform

"U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., a vocal proponent of immigration reform, was told by the House leadership on Thursday that the matter was done for the year. While he praised the help he got from the other side of the isle, the Florida Republican took shots at the Democratic leadership and President Barack Obama, saying they did little to advance the issue." "South Florida Congressmen Clash on Who to Blame for Immigration Reform's Demise."

"Fiercely partisan practice of gerrymandering"

"Democrats have long claimed that Republicans abused their legislative powers to elect a disproportionate number of U.S. House members. Now a Florida court is lending credence to their complaint. The full impact of the Florida ruling — plus a similar lawsuit pending in North Carolina — won't be known for some while. For now, at least, they shine light on the fiercely partisan practice of gerrymandering, in which state officials draw congressional districts to help their party." "GOP keeps House edge in Democratic-leaning states."

Silly Grade Games

"School Grades 2014: 'A' Schools Up, But So Are 'F' Schools." See also "More Schools Earn Failing Grades As Florida Prepares For Common Core Switch."

"Nan Rich defends viability"

"The lesser-known candidate for the Democratic nomination also has less money, but says she is the lone true Democrat on the primary ballot in August." "Nan Rich defends viability as gubernatorial candidate, rips Crist for not debating."

Weekly Roundup

"Kevin Derby: "Political Bits and Pieces." See also "Arrivals and Departures, July 11, 2014," "Weekly Roundup: Looking for Answers" and "The Week in Review for July 7-11, 2014."

"Lawmakers responded to the public’s desire for honest government with deceit and disdain"

Aaron Deslatte: "Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis's scathing, 41-page decision blasted Republican political operatives for making a 'mockery' of Florida's 'non-political' redistricting process with a 'secret, organized campaign to subvert the supposedly open and transparent redistricting process.'" "Florida redistricting ruling could be felt for decades." See also "Redistricting Round 2 Could Impact Corrine Brown, Dan Webster Big in 2016."

Even the right-wing Tampa Trib editorial board acknowledges that "every Floridian, regardless of whether they supported those [Fair District] amendments, should be alarmed when lawmakers blithely ignore the rule of law to maintain political power."

How much House Speaker Will Weatherford, Senate President Don Gaetz and former House Speaker Dean Cannon knew about the back-room dealings is unclear, though the judge did point to evidence that Cannon’s aide was sending draft copies of the new district maps to a Republican operative.

Legislative leaders are expected to appeal the judge’s ruling to the Florida Supreme Court. That may delay the redrawing of the maps, or even overturn the finding that lawmakers broke the law.

But it can’t conceal the evidence uncovered during the trial that lawmakers responded to the public’s desire for honest and transparent government with deceit and disdain.

Does this mean the public employee pension hysteria will wane? Don't count on it

Aaron Deslatte: "Here's a rare bit of good news brought to you by your state government: remember nearly seven years ago when credit markets crashed, and Florida's investment fund for local governments nearly went belly-up?"

Well, stay calm and read on. Turns out that most, if not all, of the 1,000 Florida cities, counties, school districts and other governmental entities that once had $27 billion in taxpayer cash in what was formerly called the Local Government Investment Pool will come out of the collapse with only a minor haircut.

"Everything from education to missed opportunities to tap federal money"

"The former governor attacked Gov. Rick Scott’s tenure on everything from education to missed opportunities to tap federal money." "Crist speaks to Florida press group in Miami."

"In a highly anticipated ruling, a Leon County [circuit court] judge struck down a map of the state's congressional districts drawn by the Legislature in 2012, potentially throwing the political future of the state into turmoil." "Judge rules Florida Legislature broke law on district maps."

The judge ruled `"that the Legislature allowed for a 'secret, organized campaign' by partisan operatives to subvert the redistricting process in violation of the state Constitution."

Leon County Circuit Court Judge Terry Lewis ruled that two of the state’s 27 districts are invalid and must be redrawn, along with any other districts affected by them, to bring the map into compliance with the state’s new Fair District amendments.

The 41-page ruling, issued late Thursday, invalidates the entire congressional map and raises questions now about whether the map will be redrawn before the November elections or revised later. The case, brought by a coalition led by the League of Women Voters, is expected to be appealed and ultimately decided by the Florida Supreme Court.

Lewis rejected challenges to districts in South Florida and Tampa Bay, but said that District 5, held by Democrat U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown of Jacksonville, and District 10, held by Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Webster of Winter Park “will need to be redrawn, as will any other districts affected thereby.”

The judge agreed with the coalition’s prime argument: that Republican legislators and staffers collaborated with political consultants to create “a shadow redistricting process” that protected incumbents and the GOP. . . .

Lewis said political consultants “made a mockery of the Legislature’s transparent and open process of redistricting” while “going to great lengths to conceal from the public their plan and their participation in it.”

“They were successful in their efforts to influence the redistricting process and the congressional plan under review here,” he wrote. “And they might have successfully concealed their scheme and their actions from the public had it not been for the Plaintiffs’ determined efforts to uncover it in this case.

As one pundit put it, "Elections in the Sunshine State are never easy." "Florida Has To Redraw Its Congressional Districts Because, Florida."

A small crook after all

"Former Indiana Schools Superintendent Tony Bennett has agreed to pay $5,000 as part of a settlement with Indiana's ethics watchdog in which he admits to using state resources for campaign work but is cleared of formal ethics violations in the grade-change scandal that cost him his job as Florida's schools chief last year." "Bennett accepts $5,000 fine in ethics settlement."

Wooing Florida Hispanic Voters

Kevin Derby: "On Thursday, the Florida Democratic Party launched a new television ad in Spanish which will be running in Orlando, Tampa and Miami. The ad attacks Gov. Rick Scott on education." "Gubernatorial Campaigns Look to Woo Florida Hispanic Voters."

Lie down with dogs

"Diaz-Balart blasts Republican leadership on immigration reform," saying "it was 'highly irresponsible' for Congress not to act on the issue."

Murphy in the clear as GOPer "young guns" flop

"Despite winning one of the closest congressional races in 2012, Patrick Murphy is increasingly in the clear for 2014 from Republicans as events of this week clearly show."

Things got even more dreary for the Republicans this week. The NRCC released its final round of “Young Guns” who have the funds and momentum to knock off Democrat incumbents or pick up open seats. None of the hopefuls looking to take down Murphy made an appearance on the list -- a bad sign for what is supposed to be a competitive district.

"His only opposition -- his only enemy -- was himself"

Nancy Smith: "Nan Rich won one Thursday. She didn't even have to be in the Biltmore Hotel's Granada Room. She didn't have to touch a microphone. She won because Charlie Crist addressed the Florida media brain trust unobstructed. In all his egotistical glory. His only opposition -- his only enemy -- was himself." "10-20-Life and Charlie."

Crist on the attack in SoFla

"The former governor attacked Gov. Rick Scott’s tenure on everything from education to missed opportunities to tap federal money." "Crist speaks to Florida press group in Miami."

"Florida can expect a close gubernatorial contest"

"A new poll shows Florida can expect a close gubernatorial contest in November with independents starting to break Gov. Rick Scott's way."

The poll of likely voters from WFLA and Survey USA finds Scott with a small lead over former Gov. Charlie Crist, the favorite in next month’s Democratic primary despite having spent most of his political life as a Republican.

Scott takes 45 percent in the poll of likely voters while Crist takes 43 percent. While 7 percent back other candidates, 5 percent remain undecided. A Survey USA poll released on June 24 had Scott with 43 percent and Crist at 42 percent.

"NRA gives Rick Scott thumbs up"

"More pro-gun bills have been signed into law in the past four years than during any other recent single governor's term, says the National Rifle Association, which sent a message to members applauding Gov. Rick Scott for setting the record." "NRA gives Rick Scott thumbs up for signatures on pro-gun bills."

Meanwhile, "Crist says state should review gun laws."

Rudderless Rubio "demanding religious freedom"

"Rubio, who is a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2016, is using his Reclaim America PAC to gather the petitions demanding religious freedom." "Marco Rubio and Debbie Wasserman Schultz Respond to Hobby Lobby Decision."

Scott accused of misusing cops

"A former Broward County police officer is contending that Florida Gov. Rick Scott violated the state’s election laws. The complaint alleges that Scott broke the law when he had on-duty law enforcement officers stand with him during a campaign event held this week in Tampa." "Complaint filed over Gov. Scott’s use of police in Tampa."

"The Democrats are emphasizing that the complaint was filed by a 'retired Broward County law enforcement professional and former Marine' and downplaying Jeff Marano's role as president of the Broward chapter of the police union Police Benevolent Association." "Democrats, Charlie Crist use Broward police union boss to go after Rick Scott."

Always nice to see the perpetually anti-union Tribune Company using the term "boss" to describe a democratically elected union officer.

Ethics complaint games

"It’s the latest weapon in the fight to win the governor’s seat: Don’t like something your opponent did? File a complaint with a state agency. At least eight ethics- and elections-law complaints have been filed in the past four months, mostly by campaign surrogates." "Official complaints now part of campaign toolbox."

Here's the most recent: "Democratic candidate for governor Charlie Crist failed to accurately report his income on his financial disclosure forms, according to an ethics complaint filed Wednesday. The complaint, brought by Sarasota Republican Party Chairman Joe Gruters, says Crist misrepresented his financial relationship with the St. Joe Company, a Panhandle-based real estate and timber firm that paid Crist to serve on its board. The complaint also blasts Crist for failing to report any income from his own consulting company, Charlie Crist, LLC." "Ethics complaint: Crist failed to disclose income, leases."

A day after Crist launched his first television ad of the campaign, Scott’s team came firing back. The Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) launched a new video ad on Tuesday which offers a response to one Crist unveiled on Monday. Despite spending most of his political life as a Republican, Crist is the favorite for the Democratic nomination to challenge Scott in November.

Rubio "one of the more creative thinkers on the Republican side"

Republican consultant John Feehery is apparently looking for work:

I think [Marco Rubio is] one of the more creative thinkers on the Republican side. And he's certainly no Ted Cruz and he’s no Rand Paul. And he is that mantle of the Republican's Reaganism.

Scott continues to dominate the airwaves

"Democratic candidate for governor Charlie Crist has launched his first TV ad, but incumbent Gov. Rick Scott continues to dominate the airwaves." "Crist campaign debuts first TV spot."

A teacher thing

"Rick Scott and Charlie Crist are using a similar weapon in their battle for the governor’s mansion: teachers."

While the tactics are similar, the strategies are different.

Crist has already snagged the endorsement of the Florida Education Association, the statewide teachers union. Now, he is hoping to get as many teachers and public-school supporters to the polls as possible. Their votes could make a different in a close race.

Florida all aboard constitutional convention crazy train

"A group [of Teabaggers] pushing for a convention of the states to amend the U.S. Constitution hopes to have resolutions before at least 24 state legislatures next year."

Jordan Sillars is a spokesman for the Convention of the States Project. He says three states have passed resolutions calling for a constitutional convention: Alaska, Florida and Georgia.

Supporters see it as a way to push back on a federal government they see as out of control. Critics have questioned the issues singled out for consideration and worry such a convention would devolve into chaos.

She said it

"With seven weeks to go until the primary, the two Democrats running for their party’s nomination to challenge Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi are firing away at her while she continues to look toward November."

House Minority Leader Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, launched a website on Tuesday hoping to chronicle Bondi’s missteps in office.

“Today, we launched Bondisbungles.com,” Thurston informed supporters. “We are calling Pam Bondi out on every mess she has made the last four years in Tallahassee.”

FlaDems Go After Southerland

"This week, U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Fla., drew fire from the Florida Democratic Party for his efforts to stop President Barack Obama’s proposal to limit energy exploration and fishing in 780,000 miles of ocean." "Florida Democrats Go After Steve Southerland for Attacking Obama's Ocean Scheme."

Scott crowd in a dither

Rick Scott cheerleader, Nancy Smith is in a dither this morning: "Jim Greer, expected to conduct his first live radio interview since he was sentenced to 15 months in prison, mysteriously failed to show Tuesday night."

The empty chair left program host Leslie Wimes of Women on the Move to reshuffle her questions for the one guest left, Greer's biographer Peter Golenbock.

The mystery is in Greer's sudden change of plans. They make no sense.

"Since 2010, Florida’s voter roll has expanded by more than 500,000 voters, to 11.7 million, and nearly 90 percent of the growth is in unaffiliated voters. During the same period, the size of the two major parties has remained relatively stagnant."

Combined with voters who belong to minor parties, no-party voters now outnumber Republicans in the state’s big three counties of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach, in addition to Orange, the heart of the I-4 corridor in Orlando.

They account for 3 million voters or one of every four voters in Florida, making them potentially decisive in a close 2014 race for governor — if they vote.

Many unaffiliated voters are young and registering for the first time. Of the 5,000 newly-registered NPA voters in Hillsborough County in the first four months of this year, nearly one-third are 25 or younger. . . .

The growth of no-party voters is most obvious in South Florida.

In Miami-Dade, Republicans now comprise 28 percent of the electorate, compared to 29 percent who belong to no party or a minor party, and 43 percent who call themselves Democrats. . . .

Daniel Smith, a University of Florida political scientist who closely studies voting patterns, said the biggest drop in early voting between the 2008 and 2012 elections in Florida was among voters of no party. He said that’s because the major parties direct political messages at their own voters, not independents.

“They’re not getting steered to cast absentee ballots. They’re not getting mobilized on Election Day,” Smith said. “If you’re registering as an NPA, the two parties are less likely to think that you can be persuaded."

Emails, text messages and documents expose Hollingsworth dealings

"Hollingsworth became one of Scott’s most trusted advisers, a position he used to influence the administration’s rejection of billions in federal high-speed rail money, then later lobby for a rail project that would benefit his employer, emails, text messages and administration documents obtained by the Scripps/Tribune Capital Bureau show. Hollingsworth, through his office, declined to comment." "Scott adviser against high-speed rail lobbies for new employer’s plan."

Weekly Roundup

"Weekly Roundup: Few Fireworks on the Week of the Fourth." See also "Arrivals and Departures" and "Week in Review for June 30-July 3."

Does Crist risk energizing the conservative Cuban exile community?

"When Charlie Crist went to Miami's Little Havana recently, the Democratic candidate for governor stood before a crowd and said what few politicians have in decades of scrounging for votes in the Cuban-American neighborhood: End the trade embargo against Cuba."

In a sign of just how much the climate has shifted, Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton, who backed trade limits when she ran for president in 2008, is now calling for the embargo to be lifted. She described it as "Castro's best friend" and said it hampers "our broader agenda across Latin America."

Overall, polls of the community have confirmed a tilt toward engagement, with the most recent survey by Florida International University finding Cuban-Americans in Miami split over the embargo, which was a near record, and 71 percent saying it had not worked either very well or at all. . . .

But some scholars and political operatives say Crist risks energizing Republicans in the conservative exile community while attracting little support from younger Cuban-Americans and newer arrivals, who tend to be less politically active.

The recent Florida International University poll found that less than one-third of those who have arrived since 1995 are U.S. citizens. Voter registration rates among newer arrivals lag their older counterparts by double digits.

Secret . . . secret

"Scott's secret plan to clean up the environment?"

Same-sex Wedding Industry Boom

"Wedding industry businesses and tourism bureaus in the area are already preparing in case the state's ban on same-sex marriage in overturned." "Same-sex wedding boon expected if Florida's ban falls."

"Outraged" over Common Core

"Laura Zorc, co-founder of the 15,000-member grass-roots group Florida Parents Against Common Core, said the test looks like other Common Core standardized tests the state rejected. 'I’m outraged,' Zorc said." "Common Core foes ‘outraged’ over FCAT’s replacement."

"A Latvala pawn"?

It is no secret that Jack Latvala is floating around the margins of the Ellyn Bogdanoff, Maria Sachs race:

Latvala, a Clearwater Republican whose political committee has collected more than $1 million, has pledged to help Bogdanoff raise money for a battle some insiders estimate could cost between $2.5 million and $5 million for each side. But Sen. Andy Gardiner, who will take over as president after the 2014 elections and has been raising money for Senate races for two years, has decided to keep his cash on ice in the District 34 match, at least until later in the election season, according to sources close to Gardiner and Bogdanoff. Gardiner, R-Orlando, may be prepared to unfold his wallet if Bogdanoff shows she can get within reach of Sachs in late September or October, they said. But for now, Gardiner is unwilling to risk party resources on a seat that seems to him to be a longshot.

In an interview with The News Service of Florida last week, Sachs accused Bogdanoff of essentially being a Latvala pawn.

“Sen. Latvala has a personal interest in the outcome of this race. He came back to be president. Whatever he can do to achieve that end, he will,” said Sachs. “I am a voice for the people in the district, not a vote for any particular person to become Senate president.”

Bogdanoff acknowledges she’s in Latvala’s corner but said that’s not her reason for running. She “absolutely loves public policy” and believes “it’s way cooler to be on the inside” to shape public policy.

“Am I a vote for him? Well, yeah. He’s my friend. Whether he wins or loses, he’s got me as a friend and he’s got me as a loyal supporter of whatever he aspires to do because he has been a loyal supporter of what I aspire to do. That’s what friends do,” she said. “It’s very rare in this process and, when you find it, you don’t let it go.”

Scott's whine backfires

"You could say that in World Cup terms, it was 1-nil, Mr. Scott over Florida gubernatorial challenger Charlie Crist. But take a closer look at the scoreboard." "Scott arrives at Daytona, but Crist shadow lingers."

"Empty political gestures"?

"Florida Gov. Rick Scott has mounted a sweeping campaign to honor one of the state’s most important voting groups: veterans. . . . His critics among the Democratic Party call these moves empty political gestures and challenge the substance of Scott’s work on behalf of veterans." "Scott’s good will to veterans challenged by Democrats."

Why not?

Beth Kassab: "Nan Rich v. Charlie Crist. Why not debate?"

"The toxic for-profit education mess"

Fred Grimm argues that the for-profit education business is "a business plan based on the kind of lowdown ethics that brought us subprime mortgages."

Just as Florida was ground zero when it came to peddling subprime mortgages, we’re up to our ears in the toxic for-profit education mess.

It’s pretty easy to understand why. The Senate report found that many of the for-profit college operations “fail to make the necessary investments in student support services that have been shown to help students succeed in school and afterward.” Senate investigators reported that in 2010, for-profit colleges devoted an average of 22.7 percent of their revenue on “marketing, advertising, recruiting, and admissions” while spending just 17.2 percent on actual education. These operations claimed a bigger chunk of their revenues as profit, 19.4 percent, than they spent on teaching.

The government’s interest in this highly profitable genre of private enterprise is pretty obvious. It’s not so private, given that 15 of nation’s leading publicly traded for-profit college corporations receive 86 percent of their revenues from taxpayer dollars by exploiting federal student loans or Pell Grants or the GI Bill. For-profits enroll just 13 percent of higher-education students, but take 25 percent of the total amount of federal loans and grants distributed each year.

Taxpayers aren’t getting much for their money. Senate investigators claimed that more than 60 percent of the students drop out without so much as a two-year degree. Instead of high-paying jobs, former students often come away from for-profits with only high-interest debts. The default rate on federal education loans among for-profit college students runs five times higher than nonprofit colleges. . . .

These aren’t merely scandalous endeavors, they’re scandalous endeavors financed with public money.