Democrat Nan Rich says no, the Charlie Crist people haven't approached her to give up her run for governor in exchange for an appointment to head the Department of Children and Families -- and if they do, that's not what she wants.

Gov. Rick Scott has suspended a Port St. Lucie councilman following charges he violated the state's open meeting laws.

Ron Bowen, serving his ninth year on the City Council -- 1992-2000, then elected again in 2012 -- is accused of discussing business outside a scheduled public meeting with another elected official in connection with the dismissal of former City Manager Greg Oravec.

Two rulings by a Sacramento Superior Court judge Monday left the future of California's high-speed rail project hanging in the balance.

Florida gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist, who has promised to revisit high-speed rail if elected, might want to take notice.

Not only is Alex Sink getting a Nancy Pelosi-led fancy Washington, D.C., fundraiser to bulk up her coffers, now she's got EMILY's List pitching its 3 million members to save her from Republican lobbyist-opponent David Jolly in her quest to win the late C.W. Bill Young's congressional seat.

With Executive Order 13-328, Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday suspended Idella Glendora Scott, mayor of the Panhandle city of Monticello.

Mayor Scott, no relation to the governor, turned herself in for arrest Thursday night on one count of forgery, one count of grand theft and one count of uttering a forged instrument.

Florida Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, has been named 2013 Philanthropist of the Year by the Nature Coast Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

In its announcement, the AFP said, "In 2011, Wilton Simpson and his wife Kathryn made an unprecedented $250,000 gift to the Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Foundation that resulted in the naming of the breast health center at Florida Hospital Zephyrhills."

A tirade by Democratic CFO candidate William Rankin was instrumental in getting Tamarac Talk reporter Brooke Knight and attorney Marc Reiner banned from Tuesday's AFL-CIO meeting in Riviera Beach.

Reince Priebus took the lead from his Democratic counterpart, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who has vowed that during midterms, all her candidates will run on the health-care law, amid its series of problems.

Priebus will hold Democrats feet to the fire on their pledge to do just that in 2014. In a press conference at the Republican National Committee headquarters Tuesday, he invited those Democrats to make their case directly to their constituents.

Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) has recognized Sen. Dorothy L. Hukill, R-Port Orange, as a 2013 Legislative Champion for SB 796, her 2013 bill calling for the use of ignition interlock devices to be used in vehicles operated by convicted drunk drivers.

Ignition interlock devices have been proven to be highly effective in reducing repeat drunk-driving offenses as well as providing a better solution to license suspension alone for convicted drunk drivers.

A story that probably won't rise to the top of the pop charts in government cities like Tallahassee is news of a study conducted by researchers at Harvard and Penn, who have found that cheating students are more likely than others to want government jobs.