Attorney General Bill McCollum, currently running a tight contest with health care executive Rick Scott for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, said he did not think Gov. Charlie Crist needed to call a special session of the Legislature to advance a constitutional amendment to ban oil drilling in state waters.

Gov. Charlie Crists call for a special session of the Legislature to forward a proposed constitutional amendment banning oil drilling in state waters is being cheered by House Democrats.

At least one of independent Gov. Charlie Crist's rivals in the U.S. Senate raceis attacking the governor for calling a special session of the Legislature -- U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek who is running in the Democratic primary.

Independent Gov. Charlie Crist has just called for a special session of the Legislature to tackle drilling and is looking to propose a constitutional amendment to ban offshore oil drilling. Crist said he had not found a sponsor yet in the House but that Sen. Alex Villalobos, R-Miami, will be sponsoring it in the Senate. The special session that Crist is proposing will start on July 20 and it could run until July 23.

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Incoming House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, commented on a Leon County Circuit Court judge knocking Amendment 7 -- a redistricting measure backed by the Legislature -- off the November ballot.

"Although there was no written ruling, apparently the court found that the purpose or effect of the amendment was to change the contiguity requirement, said Cannon. I respectfully disagree with the court's decision. There is absolutely no basis for this ruling in the amendment's legislative history or record.

With a Leon County Circuit Court judge in Tallahassee knocking Amendment 7 -- a redistricting measure backed by both houses of the Legislature -- off the ballot, Democratic leaders are praising the ruling. While there have been some prominent exceptions, such as U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown and Senate Minority Leader Al Lawson, D-Tallahassee, most Florida Democrats opposed Amendment 7, backing Amendments 5 and 6 which are being supported by FairDistricts Florida.

The Florida Democratic Party will be holding its annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner on July 17^th in Hollywood and a big-time Democrat from Delaware will be giving the keynote address.

No, not Vice President Joe Biden.

Gov. Jack Markell of Delaware, who is the chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, will be speaking at the dinner, and both he and the party are using the event to push state CFO Alex Sinks gubernatorial ambitions. Sink is a favorite in the Democratic primary over Brian Moore.

Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman is in a rare position in agreeing with Republican gubernatorial candidate Attorney General Bill McCollum -- in beating up on Rick Scotts legal challenge to state campaign-finance laws.

"Rick Scott's frivolous lawsuit once again shows Floridians that he thinks he is above the law, said Thurman on Thursday. "While this arrogance is what we have come to expect from the man whose company committed the largest Medicare fraud in U.S. history, Floridians deserve better and expect more.