The Florida House of Representatives continued to study the benefits and drawbacksof offshore drilling for energy on Monday, even as leaders from both parties in the House the Senate cautioned there was little hope for progress during this session.
Lawmakers and journalists came together Monday to celebrate citizen access to government against a backdrop of calls for greater transparency in state lawmaking.
Questions on port issues, employment and taxes dominated Gov. Charlie Crists town hall meeting Friday at Florida State College at Jacksonvilles South Campus.
Though the governor came to Jacksonville to talk about legislation, he also faced questions about his U.S. Senate campaign.
Im not concerned with the polls, Crist said, when asked about recent polls released by Public Policy Polling and Insider Advantage/Florida Times Union showing him losing to former House Speaker Marco Rubio by more than 30 percentage points.
As he attempts to lead the state during a tumultuous legislative session and prevail in a tight battle for the U.S. Senate nomination, Gov. Charlie Crist is increasingly finding himself isolated from the Republicans who control both houses of the Legislature and whose help, or lack of, could determine his political fortunes.
Three House Democrats wrote letters in support of former House Representative and Broward County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion. Eggelletion was sentenced on Friday for conspiring to launder money. Rep. Perry Thurston, D-Plantation, Rep. Hazel Rogers, D-Lauderdale Lakes, and Rep. Joe Gibbons, D-Hallandale Beach, urged the judge to offer leniency to Eggelletion.
In a speech Thursday to a hundred African American clergy and laity at the capitol, CFO Alex Sink demonstrated how difficult it can be to tell if state office holders are acting as campaigners or government officials.
Sink, the leading Democratic candidate for governor, seemed to be sounding only election themes, speaking on unemployment and education.
As members of both chambers of the Florida Legislature struggled to cut an already lean budget Wednesday, the U.S. Senate passed a measure that extends unemployment benefits and, more important to the state government, provides extra funds to the states for Medicaid.
The measure passed the U.S. Senate 62-36. Fifty-six Democrats and 6 Republicans supported the legislation.
Florida Sen. Bill Nelson voted for the measure; Sen. George LeMieux, against it.
While the recent Public Policy polling numbers are getting a lot of attention for showing Marco Rubio crushing Charlie Crist by 32 points, the poll also offers bad news for U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, the likely Democratic Senate nominee, and U.S. Sen. George LeMieux. Meek has only a 17 percent approval rating compared to a 20 percent disapproval rating.
Ever wanted to give Florida government the business over the hassels it gives you as a business owner?
Well, state government would like to give business the business -- in a good way, of course.
