Floridas top environmental official contends that the federal Clean Water Act conflict-of-interest disqualification does not apply to him, but two environmental groups are calling him on it.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is deciding whether Herschel Vinyard, secretary of Florida's Department of Environmental Protection, must recuse himself from all water permit and standards actions because of his ties to industry.

Florida TaxWatch released its annual list of state budget "turkeys" Tuesday, totaling $203 million in potential savings, but Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, the vice chair of the Budget Committee, has taken issue with the list, labeling it a "fading media gimmick."

With former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas and Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi staying out of the Republican presidential race, the field of candidates to take on President Barack Obama seems a bit shallow in one of the GOPs strongest bases -- the South. Despite a rough start to his presidential campaign this month, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich looked to play up his Georgia roots on Tuesday when he named three veteran politicians from the Peach State to lead his campaign.