After a months-long investigation, looking over thousands of emails and conducting more than 60 interviews, The New York Times released a report saying Gov. Charlie Crist's Everglades deal seems to really only be a good deal for U.S. Sugar... and Crist's long-time friend, George LeMieux. Sunshine State News interviewed Crist Monday afternoon for his reaction and he dismissed the extensive research and reporting of The New York Times as a "hatchet job."

Its not every day that you see a tractor bedecked in American flags driving down Monroe Street in Tallahassee. But then its not every day you meet Randy Hatch, the former commissioner of Suwannee County who is now running to be state agriculture and consumer services commissioner. In front of the old statehouse, Hatch met with the press to talk about his campaign. Pointing to a crack in the sidewalk, he pointed out that he got his start in politics there when he parked his tractor in front of the capital during the farm strike in 1977.

U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Pensacola, isn't mincing words about the increasingly nasty Senate battle between Marco Rubio and Charlie Crist. In an op-ed in the Miami Herald, which Miller also excoriates, the congressman from Florida's First District, stated: "Let us be clear: This entire AmEx story is a ridiculous sideshow; a distraction manufactured by Gov. Charlie Crist's campaign in an attempt to smear Rubio. Crist has fallen far behind in the polls. His staff is starting to quit his campaign. And there's even talk of Crist himself quitting the Republican Party. He is getting desperate. And he's on the attack. "Marco's American Express statements had to have been taken from the Republican Party of Florida by former RPOF Chairman Jim Greer and likely leaked to The Miami Herald by the Crist campaign. "What the statements show is that Rubio worked hard to advance the goals of the Republican Party, and he did it as frugally as possible. He spent less in two years than Crist's handpicked RPOF staff spent in one month...

Loranne Ausley, the favorite to become the Democratic CFO candidate, jumped into the race late, and she is starting her campaign fundraising with an event at Chez Pierre in Tallahassee on Tuesday. She is also starting to go on the offensive by taking shots at the GOP frontrunner, Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach. Ausleys campaign website is clearly taking Atwater to task for his involvement in the RPOF fundraising and the credit card scandals. Yesterday, at her website, the campaign asked:

When Janet Cruz, D-Tampa, won the special election for the 58th district House seat, during the victory party, incoming Democratic House leader Ron Saunders, D-Key West, promised that he would try to put her on an appropriations committee. Saunders delivered. House Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, named Cruz to the Government Operations Appropriation Committee as well as to the Elder & Family Services Policy Committee and the Governmental Affairs Policy Committee.

Led by U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, Floridas congressional delegation sent a letter to President Barack Obama assailing the administration's proposed 2011 budget for NASA. The lawmakers' letter expressed concern that the plan NASA has laid out fails to provide a manageable transition of the workforce and is likely to repeat the mistakes that plagued Florida at the end of the Apollo program which resulted in the loss of thousands of jobs and serious adverse economic hardships for the state. There's been no love lost between the president and the Brevard County Republican, who's been branded a "birther" for his early, persistent questioning of Obama's birth certificate -- or lack thereof. Posey has introduced legislation that would require all future presidents to submit a verified copy of their birth certificate as a condition of taking office.

Today Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R-Melbourne, led a workshop allowing reporters and editorial staff from the papers to give redistricting a shot. In mid-February, Ellen Freidin, chairman of FairDistricts Florida, told law makers lines could be drawn that would avoid giving incumbents and political parties an advantage, and also avoid hurting minority representation. Its not rocket science, she said, but failed to give specific answers on exactly how to do it.

Sunshine State News is venturing into the wild world of Twitter, and we hope readers on the lookout for breaking news updates will join us. Our Twitter account, called SSNAlerts, will provide quick updates of news that is of importance to you. Our links will direct you to interesting stories and features on our Web site as well as interesting info to be found around the Internet.

A constitutional amendment that gives schools a little wiggle room on meeting class-size requirements passed through the Policy and Steering Committee on Ways and Means just before noon today. Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Destin, got his proposal passed with a 15-8 vote, with all Republicans and one Democrat voting for it. A 2002 constitutional amendment set the limits at 18 per class in kindergarten through third grade, 22 fourth through middle, and 25 in high schools.

Playing to populist, Tea Party roots, Republican gubernatorial candidate Paula Dockery endorsed a trio of state's rights bills today. The state senator from Lakeland issued a statement, declaring, I am proud to announce my support today for three legislative efforts that I have co-sponsored to fight the federal governments attempts to turn the 50 sovereign states into puppet states.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry cruised to victory this week in securing the Republican nomination for a third term. Garnering an outright majority -- 51 percent -- in a three-way race that featured popular U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Perry provided more fuel for the anti-Washington mood that prevails across the country. Perry's success also stands in stark contrast to the diminishing fortunes of Florida Gov. Charlie Crist.

Did Charlie Crist have class warfare on his mind when he appointed Adora Obi Nweze "Special Advisor to the Governor on Minority Affairs"?

The two Democratic candidates running for Attorney General are not doing the Republican field any favors on gun issues. Both Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, and Sen.

This morninga group of legislators held a press conference on the fourth floor lobbyof the House promoting legislation sponsored by Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, to offer tax breaks and other incentives to develop the entertainment industry in Florida and lure new jobs to the state.

Sunshine State News sources say Gov. Charlie Crist was in Palm Beach this past Saturday meeting with his closest supporters. The purpose of the meeting? To decide whether he should exit the Republican Party and run as an Independent. When confronted with this claim, Crist flatly denied it. Decide for yourself. Watch the video and read the transcript below: Reporter: Governor you've said that you are not considering leaving the Republican Party, but we have a source that tells us you were in Palm Beach on Saturday discussing with some of your closest supporters--