The Republican Party of Florida kicked off its quarterly meeting in Tampa on Friday, setting the stage for the selection of a new chairperson for the party. Chairmen and chairwomen from Florida's 67 counties gathered together to get up to speed on the happenings within the RPOF. Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera kicked off the meeting by slamming former Gov. Charlie Crist. "When the state needed leadership, what did Charlie do?" asked Lopez-Cantera. "He focused on Charlie."

A Seattle man imploded on his ill-conceived plot to get even with Florida Gov. Rick Scott and Secretary of State Ken Detzner and finally pleaded guilty Thursday to charges related to sending letters to GOP donors questioning their citizenship and ability to vote in the 2012 election. Ardent Democrat James Webb Baker Jr. pleaded guilty in Tampa federal court to one count each of voter intimidation and identification fraud. He faces a maximum sentence of six years in prison and a $350,000 fine.

Gov. Rick Scott weighed in on VA Secretary Eric Shinsekis resignation, calling it a needed action but insisting more was needed to reform the VA system.

After VA Secretary Eric Shinseki resigned on Friday, U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., the chairman of the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee, praised his record in the Army but insisted his record in the Obama Cabinet will forever be tainted due to poor leadership on VA medical centers.

With VA Secretary Eric Shinseki resigning on Friday, reactions are coming in from across the Sunshine State. U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Fla., praised Shinsekis service in the military but insisted there were serious issues at VA medical centers under his watch.

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki offered his resignation to President Barack Obama who accepted it on Friday. CNN has the details. Shinseki had been under fire after reports emerged across the nation of problems at VA medical facilities including altered waiting lists. Leaders from Florida -- including Gov. Rick Scott, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., the chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., and U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia, D-Fla.

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) on Friday came out swinging at freshman U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia, D-Fla., who is a top target for Republicans. Noting that the U.S. Commerce Department released a report showing the economy shrunk 1 percent in the first quarter of 2014, the NRCC pointed toward something Garcia said at the end of April when speaking to the Upper Keys Democrats.

U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., called for VA Secretary Eric Shinseki to resign on Thursday after an inspector generals report was released earlier this week noting the problems of VA medical centers across the nation.

Florida TaxWatch released a study on Friday focusing on commuter rail efforts in the Sunshine State, namely SunRail in Orlando and All Aboard Florida in the southern part of the state.

With the VA medical facilities under question in recent weeks, U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Fla., who served in the Army and now sits on the U.S.

From his perch on the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw, R-Fla., is doing his best to exterminate a pest plaguing Florida -- the conehead termite. At an Appropriations Committee meeting on Thursday, Crenshaws amendment to the 2015 Agriculture Appropriations bill using federal funds to create a program to eradicate the conehead termite was added and passed.

Let Charlie out of his cage and he's flailing like a lost canary. That was some luncheon speech the Democratic gubernatorial candidate treated trial lawyers to Wednesday at the posh Coconut Grove Ritz-Carlton. Apparently Charlie figured he was among friends at the Miami-Dade Justice Association fundraiser, so who needs to talk policy?

On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., called for VA Secretary Eric Shinseki to resign after a critical inspector generals report focusing on altered wait lists at VA medical centers across the nation. Rubio called for the Senate to pass his bill which would make it easier for the VA secretary to fire or demote problem employees. The House passed a version of the bill, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., earlier in the month.

This week, U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Fla., sent a letter to U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker asking if she can extend red snapper season in the Gulf which is currently limited to nine days.

After the Department of Veterans Affairs inspector general released a report on Wednesday about altered waiting lists at VA medical facilities across the nation, U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla, the chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, called for VA Secretary Eric Shinseki to resign.