Politics & Law
The price tag for DeSantis inauguration is in the millions
From a black-tie inaugural ball to a prayer breakfast, legislative luncheon and other activities in the state capital and elsewhere in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis’s inauguration will end up costing several million dollars, though the final tally is not complete. The initial budget was about $3.5-million — and is expected to come in under that, […]
FL Gov. DeSantis is for smokable pot for sick people; pushes Legislature to quickly fix the medical marijuana law
Saying “We need to have the people’s will represented,” Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday pushed the Florida Legislature to quickly fix the state’s medical marijuana law to allow smokable pot for sick people. He also said he’s filing a motion with the First District Court of Appeal, requesting a stay of opinion on a key lawsuit […]
Entire Florida Democratic Congressional delegation backs raising federal minimum wage to $15 an hour
One of the central tenants of the Democratic Party nationally and in Florida over the past several years has been to raise the minimum wage, and this week every Florida House member signed on as a co-sponsor of a measure that calls for raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024. The […]
Changes may come today on the medical marijuana front
Last summer, marijuana activists came to the state capital and called on then-Florida Gov. Rick Scott to drop the state’s challenges over certain lawsuits related to medical marijuana. Scott didn’t take action. Now, there’s a new governor in Florida, Ron DeSantis, and he appears to differ from his predecessor’s views. Numerous news outlets throughout the […]
Messing with Amendment 4 — automatic voting rights for felons — is a “political minefield”
On Tuesday, January 8, we registered 105 Florida felons who had served their sentences to vote at the Leon County Supervisor of Elections office in Tallahassee. It was a day when these felons became returning citizens. Damn, it felt good! Our historic day was due to Florida Constitutional Amendment 4, which was approved by 64 […]
Could changes be in store for felons who finally can vote?
Felons who have done their time flocked to supervisors of elections offices last week, eager to register to vote after Constitutional Amendment 4’s passage last November. But changes could be in store if the Legislature gets involved – even though nearly 65 percent of Floridians approved allowing voting rights for certain felons who have completed […]
From Florida’s U.S. Senators: Scott surprised about dysfunction; Rubio calls D.C. meltdown “terrible predicament”
Florida’s GOP senators are frustrated by the ongoing government shutdown and the meltdown in political negotiations in Washington, D.C. In interviews with the Florida Phoenix today, Sens. Rick Scott and Marco Rubio both slammed the standoff between the White House and Congressional Democrats that led to the shutdown. Meanwhile, they’re both calling for beefed up […]
FL lawmakers in D.C. pressuring Justice Department to investigate U.S. Labor Secretary
Weeks after an explosive news report revealed U.S. Labor Secretary Alex Acosta arranged a lenient plea deal for a Palm Beach County millionaire accused of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls, a Florida lawmaker is renewing her call on Capitol Hill for a federal probe into Acosta’s actions. So far, the Justice Department hasn’t responded […]
Should Florida open up primary elections? New poll says yes.
A new poll says there’s substantial support for opening up Florida’s primary elections to independent voters. Why does it matter? Right now, if you’re not a registered Democrat or Republican, you are locked out of voting in primary elections. The survey of 615 voters in Florida taken by Public Policy Polling says that 70 percent […]
Confusion reigns over Marsy’s Law: Critics and supporters agree it’s going to need more clarity
Killearn Estates residents in the northeast part of Tallahassee were concerned and confused about a news blackout regarding a death that closed down traffic in their neighborhood for several hours this past Saturday morning. What was going on? After an initial press release announced an accident had occurred, it took more than 48 hours before […]
City Commissioner under fire for saying Muslim member of Congress might “blow up Capitol Hill”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations is calling for Hallandale Beach Commissioner Annabelle Lima-Taub to resign following her Facebook post accusing newly elected Democratic U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan of plotting to “blow up Capitol Hill.” The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported on Monday night that Lima-Taub had written alongside a Facebook petition to remove Tlaib […]
Upheaval continues over dismissals at Broward County sheriff’s office
Just days after Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Broward County’s Sheriff in connection with the deaths at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, another longtime law enforcement leader has been dismissed and other sheriff’s officials have turned in paperwork to resign or retire, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel. New Gov. DeSantis launched what has become […]