The original story: "Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz is under fire for what some view as a racist Twitter taunt against two black lawmakers, a sign the House and Senate standoff over health care funding has devolved into personal attacks."

In his Thursday afternoon tweet, Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, singled out Sens. Arthenia Joyner and Dwight Bullard, both of whom are black, out of the 13 Democratic senators who filed an emergency lawsuit challenging the House for ending its session early.

"This lawsuit reads like it was researched and drafted by Sen Joyner......and spell checked by Sen Bullard," Gaetz wrote.

Almost immediately, and through the night, tweets both supportive and angry flew at Gaetz. By Friday morning, he had been chided by fellow Republicans Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, and Rep. Mike Hill, R-Pensacola Beach, who called for a public apology.

House Speaker Steve Crisafulli apologized on his own Twitter account and defended Gaetz as "an agitator, yes, but not a racist." . . .

Gaetz has a reputation in the Capitol for his firebrand personality, put on full display on both the House floor and Twitter. In 2012, he told the Times/Herald that he has fired off a few tweets that he might have reconsidered.

"There might have been a few I wouldn't have sent if I waited 10 to 20 seconds," he said.

But Bullard, who's also chair of the Florida Legislative Black Caucus, said he thinks Gaetz's tweet was deliberate.

"Shameful week in Tallahassee"

John Romano: "Scott has been pathetically absent as a leader. Presumably the top Republican in the state, he has been unable to get his own party to agree on a direction for more than two years. And perhaps that is fitting, since he has twice changed his own mind, conveniently veering toward moderation in the months before an election and then swinging back toward the tea party afterward."

House Republicans have been revealed as political hucksters, more interested in defeating anything associated with the president than actually serving voters.

And Democrats have too often ceded the high road by launching partisan attacks instead of taking advantage of Republican dysfunction to forge a deal.

You often hear that our leaders in Washington are inept, and the policies of the federal government are bad.

Yeah, well, I say Florida is worse.

There's more:

From the Tampa Tribune editors: "The regular session of the 2015 Legislature ended in chaos Friday because House leaders had quit on the session and the people of Florida. It was an ugly meltdown that was completely avoidable." "A shameful display in Tallahassee." The Gainesvile Sun editors: "Cheers and Jeers."See also The Orlando Sentinel editors: "Fla. lawmakers shouldn't drop other priorities."

House violated state constitution

"The decision by House leaders to end their legislative session more than three days early violated the state Constitution, a majority of the Florida Supreme Court said today, while ruling that it was too late to order lawmakers to return to Tallahassee."

The ruling effectively ended the 2015 regular session, which was notable for an unresolved budget controversy that caused widespread dysfunction and sharp exchanges between Republican leaders.

Justices unanimously agreed to reject an effort by Senate Democrats to force the House back into session Friday, which was scheduled to be the last day of the annual session. In their lawsuit, Democrats argued that the House’s unilateral decision to adjourn Tuesday afternoon violated a part of the Florida Constitution that reads: “Neither house shall adjourn for more than seventy-two consecutive hours except pursuant to concurrent resolution.”

But in a concurring opinion joined by four other members of the court, Justice Barbara Pariente rejected House Republicans’ argument that the 72-hour provision does not apply to adjourning “sine die” --- from the Latin phrase for “without day” --- which marks the end of a legislative session.

“That constitutional provision clearly does not permit one house to adjourn in any fashion for more than seventy-two consecutive hours without the consent of the other house,” Pariente wrote.

Rubio strides world stage, flops

The man who can't pay his mortgage, and was once "employed by three separate law firms" from which he drew paychecks, now lectures the rest of us on international affairs: "Rubio says lifting sanctions on Iran would threaten Israel."

The Dean's List

Ed Dean: "Welcome to The Dean's List, an Ed Dean-style look at who Florida's political achievers were (and weren't) in the last seven days. What you see here is strictly my opinion, not necessarily the editor's or the rest of the staff at Sunshine State News." "Jeb Bush, Steve Crisafulli, You 'Done Good'; Ken Hagan, Buddy Dyer -- Not So."

"The governor's audacity is impressive"

Tim Nickens: "The governor's audacity is impressive, his shamelessness is without limits and his disregard for public perception remains strong."

This is the guy who helped build the nation's largest hospital chain, Columbia/HCA. He was the CEO whose empire made $1.5 billion in profit in 1996, awarded big bonuses to top executives and ruthlessly pressured low-performing hospitals to generate more revenue.

And now in the midst of a political stalemate over health care for low-income Floridians, the governor wants to create a commission to investigate hospital profits and health care costs.

This is the former hospital executive who resigned as the Justice Department investigated his company. That company later pleaded guilty to felony charges and paid a record fine for Medicare fraud.

And now the governor says Medicaid is a flawed program and the federal government cannot be trusted.

This is the wealthy lawyer who moved to Florida just seven years before he ran for the state's highest office. He financed his hostile takeover of the state in 2010 with more than $70 million from his tainted health care fortune, and he threw in millions more at the last minute in 2014 when it appeared he might not win re-election.

And now the governor does not want to provide 800,000 low-income Floridians health coverage and is going after hospitals that support accepting federal Medicaid expansion dollars.

So give Scott credit.

As my mother used to say in a certain tone of voice, that takes some nerve.

Payday lending creeps

"President Obama has called for new regulations on the payday lending industry, which consumer advocates call predatory, but Congressional leaders from Florida say the state’s existing laws are working well." "Florida Congressional delegation criticizes proposed rules on payday lending."

The four governors who preceded Bush had better or comparable job creation numbers

Adam C. Smith writes that Jeb Bush would have voters overlook that the

four governors who preceded Bush — Lawton Chiles, Bob Martinez, Bob Graham and Reubin Askew — could boast of better or comparable job creation numbers. We can only speculate whether President George W. Bush would have been able to so easily oversee an 80 percent increase in federal spending were the tea party a political force during his eight years. Or whether criticism of some of Jeb Bush's budget priorities would have been a lot louder at the time. But there's no question Jeb Bush is vulnerable to attacks on his record as a fiscal conservative. Here are four reasons: . . . .

Weekly Roundup

"Weekly Roundup: Everybody's Working for the Wednesday."

Grubbing for dollars

"With a billion-dollar battle forcing the legislative session off the rails, lawmakers are in the unique position of being able to hold political fundraisers just before they meet in a special session to approve the state’s nearly $80 billion budget."

Legislative rules don’t allow lawmakers to raise political money during the state’s two-month legislative session. House members officially ended their session on Tuesday, while the Senate formally adjourned Friday.

As long as the chambers are not in, members can raise money for their campaigns and political committees, which can accept unlimited contributions, up until the point a special session begins. A health care funding fight prevented lawmakers from passing a state budget during regular session. They will return this summer to hammer out a deal before the June 30 end of the fiscal year.

Some lawmakers have urged caution over holding fundraisers leading into a budget vote because it looks bad — some who helped them raise money may return during the special session to ask them to support legislation. But with the rising cost of campaigns and expanding election cycles, many lawmakers are not likely to wait to raise campaign money.

"Clock running down for blackjack"

"Time could be running out to play blackjack in Tampa, Immokalee and at other casinos run by the Seminole Tribe of Florida." "Clock running down for blackjack at state’s Seminole casinos."

Scott likes this federal "handout"

Nancy Smith: "The massive Energy and Water Appropriations bill for the next fiscal year, which passed the U.S. House 240-177 Friday, makes a big winner of the Florida Everglades. It earmarks $123 million for repair and restoration efforts within this national treasure, one of the largest wetlands in the world." "Everglades Scores Big in House Appropriations Bill -- But, Cross Your Fingers."

"Bush's actions are allowing him to effectively flout all campaign laws"

Only when and if Jeb Bush becomes an official candidate will he be able to raise $2,700 "from each donor in 'hard money' for his campaign committee. His super PAC can continue to rake in record sums, but that will be sans Bush, who legally won't be allowed to coordinate with the super PAC (though it is expected to be run by advisers clued into the official campaign's thinking.)"

Even if Bush admitted he was "testing the waters" -- a Federal Elections Commission term for candidates who are gauging support for a future run -- he would still be subject to that $2,700 cap.

But campaign-finance critics and Democrats eager to charge impropriety are shouting that Bush's actions are allowing him to effectively flout all campaign laws. After all, they say, Bush has hired top-level staff, locked down influential donors and volunteer fundraisers, and traveled around the country to deliver policy speeches that surely will resemble the rhetoric spoken when he sheds his coyness.

"If Jeb walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, he should raise money like a duck," said David Donnelly, the president of the pro-reform group Every Voice. "Jeb Bush is remaking campaign finance law before our eyes."

On Monday, the liberal American Democracy Legal Fund asked the FEC to investigate Bush for violating existing law. In March, leading campaign finance groups filed their own complaints against Bush, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and Martin O'Malley, the former governor of Maryland likely to challenge Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nod.

Yet with the FEC stalled by a 3-3 partisan split, few expect it to reach the consensus needed to penalize any candidate.

The burst of 140-character messages slammed hospitals as profit-hungry, blasted Medicaid as a broken system and asserted he was the one standing up for the “working poor” by denying them sub-par health care through Medicaid.

Pro-Choice Republicans

"As Pro-Choice Republicans See It: Abortion Decisions Don’t Belong on a Legislative Agenda."

LeMieux May Want to Return to the Senate

Jeff Henderson writes, "Watch Out for Tough-Customer George LeMieux if He Wants to Return to the Senate."

"Legislative battle of wills"

"Legislative battle of wills means few bills passing." See also "Infighting is turning Florida GOP into a house divided."

"Dodge-style shoot-em-up dividing the Florida Legislature"

Nancy Smith: "Somebody fish Matt Dillon out of the Long Branch. Right now the Dodge-style shoot-em-up dividing the Florida Legislature on Medicaid expansion could use the gun-toting marshal to restore peace and a little common sense." "Fix LIP First, Work Out Medicaid Differences Later."

Pete Williams considering challenging Graham in 2016

"Pete Williams, who lost to longtime State Attorney Willie Meggs by a very narrow margin in 2012, is considering challenging Graham in 2016, sources close to the Leon County Republican tell Sunshine State News. Williams is a prominent figure in Tallahassee, having served as inspector general at both the Florida Department of Education, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation and the Agency for Health Care Administration and having been named as a statewide prosecutor by then-Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist from 2003 until 2007. Before that, Williams was the director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco and worked as an assistant attorney general for economic crimes and traffic homicides." "Pete Williams Mulls Over Challenging Gwen Graham."

"The Obama administration is using similar tactics in Texas, Tennessee and Kansas, threatening to withhold the indigent care money unless those states get on board with expanding Medicaid, part of the president’s plan to provide health care coverage to more people. The Florida Senate supports the idea, but House Republicans and Gov. Rick Scott oppose it." "Health care money divides Legislature." See also "House and Senate Far Apart on Budget as Health Care For Poor Becomes Bargaining Chip."

Scott Maxwell explains that "last week, absurdity went on steroids when Republicans realized that all their screaming about how they don't want no stinkin' federal money might end up with them getting their wish."

This was something they never really expected.

Yes, they want to rant about Obamacare. But they also wanted to keep sucking up federal health-care dollars.

So when the feds finally said: Fine, if you don't want our health dollars, we won't give you our health dollars, they flipped out.

House Republicans weren't sure what to do. So they staged a secret meeting where they passed out talking points for members to parrot. This way, if a pesky constituent asked why they were making such a mess, they could respond with prattle like: "We will continue to listen to new ideas . . ."

But House Republicans simply cannot get past the fact that this is "Obamacare" money. So they want to refuse insurance for others — even while enjoying taxpayer-subsidized plans of their own.

And now things are getting even messier.

See, the federal June 30 deadline for accepting Medicaid money is approaching. And if Florida doesn't take it, we'll also lose existing federal money that subsidizes hospitals around the state — more than $1 billion a year.

"Term limits have shown limited success"

"Term limits, popular among Florida voters, have shown limited success in breaking the cycle of career politicians. Nowhere is that clearer than in Hillsborough County, where one county commissioner is giving some thought to a first-of-its-kind move that could lengthen his total time in office to 20 years." "Hillsborough commissioners exploiting term limits loophole."

"Political pensions"

As folks whine about first responder pensions, perhaps they should consider the"legacy of Miami’s political pensions."

"Unclear why state leaders continued course of inaction for so long"

"There is no arguing, however, that the delay [in resolving the health care funding issue] is holding hostage the fate of health care for hundreds of thousands of working poor Floridians. They make too much money for traditional Medicaid but not enough to take advantage of tax credits under the Affordable Care Act, the 2010 federal health care law championed by President Barack Obama. The stalemate is rooted in ideology."

"The federal government is eager to have states implement provisions under the Affordable Care Act, but the state House and Gov. Rick Scott are resisting what he calls this 'Sopranos'-like coercion. The state Senate, meanwhile, is on board with expanding access to Medicaid. Still unclear is why state leaders continued this course of inaction for so long, knowing as they did that the feds had promised to reduce their contribution to the state’s coffers." "Documents: Many players contribute to standoff on Medicaid expansion."

State Elections Office Tosses Flagler Cases

"Specious and Speculative: State Elections Office Tosses Out Kim Weeks Cases Against 3 Flagler Commissioners."

"Trying to save the state from Scott's failures"

The Sun Sentinel editors: "Gov. Rick Scott went to war last week — on the wrong side."

The governor should have been strong-arming House leaders, demanding that they expand health care coverage to nearly 1 million Floridians. Instead, Scott was threatening members of the Senate, which wants more Floridians to have insurance and is trying to save the state from Scott's failures.