Rick Scott vowed to meet with as many state legislators as possible before becoming governor in January and he continued that effort this weekend. Scott met with members of the Panhandle delegation in Shalimar on Sunday before heading down to Melbourne on Monday to meet with six members of the House.
As the clock ticks down on his tenure as governor of Florida, Charlie Crist continues to shape the future of the state. On Friday, he reappointed five judges -- Henry Harnage, Geraldine Hogan, Douglas Spangler Jr., Kathy Sturgis and Nolan Winn -- to continue to serve on compensation claims courts. The judges were appointed to serve until December 2014 ... While he has less than a month left in his term, Attorney General Bill McCollum continues to focus on the housing crisis including mortgage fraud. McCollum and the Florida Interagency Mortgage Task Force met with the community in Kissimmee on Saturday to discuss the issue with more than 20 loan providers as well as various state and local agencies and organizations
U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney keeps hammering the economic programs backed by the Obama administration and congressional Democrats -- and raising his own visibility. As the buzz continues to grow that the Florida congressman is considering jumping in what could be a crowded Republican primary field to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, Rooney launched his latest attack on Obamas taxation and fiscal policies in an op-ed that ran in the Stuart News on Sunday Speaking of possible Republican Senate candidates in 2012, U.S. Sen. George LeMieux shows no sign of slowing down despite his term ending in a month. He spoke to the Forum Club of Palm Beaches at an event Monday in West Palm Beach One thing to keep an eye on as the 2012 Republican field takes shape: With at least three members of Congress considering running against Nelson -- U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, U.S. Rep. Connie Mack and Rooney -- candidates will be coming out of the woodwork for their suddenly vacant seats, and this could have an impact on redistricting in the Legislature in early 2012 ...
Two Democratic members of the Black Congressional Caucus from Florida did not vote one way or the other on censuring controversial New York Democrat U.S. Rep. Charlie Rangel. Both U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings and U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, who is leaving Congress after placing third in the U.S. Senate race, did not vote on the matter Speaking of Meek, Frederica Wilson, who won the seat currently held by Meek, has backed down and will not be wearing the colorful hats that have become her trademark in her years in Tallahasseee Looks like a bill introduced by Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw and Minnesota Democrat U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum,requiring the federal government to unveil a plan on taking on child marriage across the globe, is gaining some traction. The U.S. Senate passed its version of the bill, sponsored by Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois and Maine Republican U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, last week without opposition
Former Gov. Jeb Bush continues to find himself at odds with the Republican base on the issue of immigration. In Denver earlier in the month, Bush once again criticized the new Arizona immigration law and said Colorado should not implement a similar measure. Bush has also backed the DREAM Act Devine Mulvey, a political consulting firm based in the Beltway, is suing former U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Greene for almost $400,000 for services rendered during his unsuccessful bid for the Democratic nomination. Greenes legal team insists they have a right to challenge some the charges on the bill Devine Mulvey presented the billionaire Former Rep. David Bitners bid to be the next leader of the Republican Party of Florida picked up some support on the Panhandle on Monday when former Rep. Dave Murzin announced that he was backing it As his term as state commissioner of agriculture and consumer services enters its final weeks, Charlie Bronson warned Floridians to investigate health clubs before joining them.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
