Minority candidates challenge Amendment 6
Two members of Congress on Wednesday sued in federal court in Miami to block a constitutional amendment approved by voters Tuesday to change the way congressional districts are drawn.
Less than a day after Florida voters approved Amendment 6, U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, a Democrat, and Rep Mario Diaz-Balart, a Republican, filed suit to prevent the newly approved proposal from taking effect. Named in the lawsuit are the Florida House and Senate. Ironically, the Republican-led Senate spearheaded efforts to derail the amendment, with its leadership saying it was unworkable.
Brown and Diaz-Balart say Amendment 6 could violate federal election laws that guarantee equal access for minority candidates, though backers deny that. state Senate spokesman David Bishop said leaders were reviewing the suit.
Legislative leaders to talk vetoes Thursday
Incoming legislative leaders plan to talk Thursday about the prospect of overriding some of Gov. Charlie Crist's vetoes, a House spokeswoman said. In winning enough seats Tuesday night to do so without help from Democrats, Republicans are emboldened to move forward with overrides of several vetoes, though theyve said they wont revisit highly controversial bills.
Incoming Senate President Mike Haridopolos has said for weeks that he wants lawmakers to return to some items that were passed easily by lawmakers but vetoed this year by Crist, but would steer away from controversial items the governor rejected, such as the bill linking teacher pay to student performance. Republicans will hold commanding majorities of 28-12 in the Senate and 81-39 in the House following Tuesday night's election. Haridopolos and incoming House Speaker Dean Cannon planned to meet Thursday at 11 a.m., and a House spokeswoman said the vetoes would be the main item on the agenda.
Cannon names top staff
Incoming House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, released the names of his management staff on Wednesday as he prepares for an organizational session and possible special session later this month.
Mathew Bahl, former council director for the Cannon-led Select Policy Council on Economic and Strategic Planning, will become Cannon's chief of staff. Michelle Davila, former executive director of operations for outgoing House Speaker Larry Cretul, will become the deputy chief of staff for administration, while Lynn Cobb, a former director of the House Education Council and a Cretul policy adviser, becomes deputy chief of staff for policy. Todd Reid, formally staff director at the House Majority Office, was tapped by Cannon to become deputy chief of staff for process. Katie Gordon-Betta, whose appointment was previously announced, is the speaker-to-be's communication director.
