Central Florida Political Pulse

> Photos: Governor, First Lady on scene of Orlando shooting

Joe Burbank — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:00:03 -0500

Governor Charlie Crist, accompanied by Florida First Lady Carole Crist, made an unscheduled trip to Orlando, Friday, after hearing about the shooting in a downtown office building that killed one and wounded five. Crist was in Tampa when he got...

Kosmas on the Orlando shooting

Aaron Deslatte — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:48:15 -0500

TALLAHASSEE -- U.S. Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, D-New Smyrna Beach, had this to say on the orlando shooting: “Today’s shooting is a horrendous and senseless act of violence and my thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of this tragedy...

Newfound SunRail mojo could float troubled South Florida rail system

Aaron Deslatte — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:37:49 -0500

By Josh Hafenbrack, Tallahassee Bureau TALLAHASSEE - Orlando's $1.2 billion SunRail commuter train is grabbing headlines, but there might be another big winner as a special session on transportation issues becomes more likely: Tri-Rail, South Florida's 20-year-old train system. As...

Rubio speaks on Orlando shooting

Aaron Deslatte — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:02:54 -0500

TALLAHASSEE -- Republican U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio just issued a statement on the shooting: “Jeanette and I are saddened by today’s violence in Orlando. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families, the medical personnel caring...

Meek makes a statement on Orlando shooting

Aaron Deslatte — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:52:54 -0500

TALLAHASSEE -- U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, a Miami-Dade Democratc running for the U.S. Senate, just released a statement in response to today’s shooting: “The tragic shootings in Fort Hood yesterday and in Orlando today will forever change the course of...

McCollum on 'terrible tragedy' in Orlando

Aaron Deslatte — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:30:34 -0500

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today issued the following statement on the deadly shootings in downtown Orlando: “A terrible tragedy has occurred in my home town of Orlando, and my heart goes out to the family and friends...

White House says health-care bill good for Florida

Aaron Deslatte — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:25:23 -0500

By William Gibson, Washington Bureau WASHINGTON -- The White House is lobbying hard for passage on Saturday of a sweeping health-reform bill while defending proposed cutbacks to the popular Medicare Advantage program. In an interview today, Nancy-Ann DeParle, director of...

Crist cancels schedule, heads to Orlando after shooting

Aaron Deslatte — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:57:43 -0500

TALLAHASSEE -- Gov. Charlie Crist abruptly scrubbed his public schedule Friday following news of a shooting rampage in downtown Orlando, and his office said he was headed to the area. "Due to the ongoing situation in orlando, the remained of...

Rubio takes his own ad swipe at Crist's non-endorsement

Aaron Deslatte — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:25:37 -0500

TALLAHASSEE -- It's the kind of opening that upstart Republican U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio can't let pass without taking a swing or twenty. Following several conservative groups' own shots, Rubio's campaign has released its own Web spot on Gov....

Putnam campaign giving back Rothstein cash

Aaron Deslatte — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:14:01 -0500

TALLAHASSEE -- Florida Agriculture Commissioner candidate Adam Putnam said Friday his campaign was shedding cash it received from the law firm of Scott Rothstein, the Fort Lauderdale fundraiser under suspicion of funneling millions of dollars from investors. The federal investigation...

Florida gets its own Tea Party

Mark Matthews — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:53:21 -0500

The Tea Party is now official in the Sunshine State, thanks to the efforts of a high-profile Orlando attorney who registered the grassroots movement as a political party with Florida elections officials while proclaiming himself chairman of the new group....

Kosmas says no to health-care bill

Aaron Deslatte — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:01:11 -0500

By Mark K. Matthews, Washington Bureau WASHINGTON -- Congressional Democrats lost a key vote in the health-care debate Thursday, when U.S. Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, D- New Smyrna Beach, said she would go against her party and oppose its $1 trillion-or-more...

House and Senate Democrats try to get out-front on commuter rail

Aaron Deslatte — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:26:24 -0500

TALLAHASSEE -- For most of the last two years, Florida Democrats in the Legislature have been largely opposed to the Central Florida commuter-rail deal -- with the exception of folks from the Orlando area like Reps. Darren Soto, Scott Randolph...

Club for Growth comes after Crist

Aaron Deslatte — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:47:41 -0500

TALLAHASSEE -- The conservative Club for Growth is coming after Gov. Charlie Crist over the endorsement he now says he never gave to the $787 billion economic stimulus package. Crist told CNN yesterday "I didn't even have a vote on...

Hill 'Hottie' backs Grayson GOP Foe Gutierrez

David Damron — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:50:10 -0500

Illinois Congressman and CQ model Aaron Schock will fly political wingman for Armando Gutierrez Jr. in his Republican bid to take on U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Orlando, next year. The youngest member of Congress said he likes Gutierrez's "can-do job...

Supremes punish Volusia judge who tried to help an alcoholic

Aaron Deslatte — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:36:00 -0500

TALLAHASSEE -- The Florida Supreme Court has accepted the recommendation that Volusia County Judge Mary Jane Henderson be reprimanded for giving money, a cell phone and help buying a car to "a convicted felon ... who has a substance-abuse problem."...

Will McBride Drops From List of Potential Grayson Foes

David Damron — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:35:54 -0500

Windermere Attorney Will McBride --one of a trio Republicans favored by Washington to take on U.S. Rep.Alan Grayson next fall -- is pulling out of the running, he said moments ago. McBride was considered to be a late top prospect...

CNN: RPOF 'Drive the Discussion' headliner made a sex tape

Aaron Deslatte — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:12:42 -0500

TALLAHASSEE -- According to CNN, former California beauty queen Carrie Prejean recently abandoned her legal battle with pageant officials over her firing after a "sex tape" surfaced. Prejean, of course, was stripped of her crown in the aftermath of the...

Kosmas aide convicted for bar fight

Mark Matthews — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:38:37 -0500

WASHINGTON -- A spokesman for U.S. Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, D-New Smyrna Beach, has been found guilty of assault for punching a man in the face this summer at a sports bar, according to an article in Roll Call, a Capitol...

House ethics probe presses on with the case against Sansom

Aaron Deslatte — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:14:48 -0500

TALLAHASSEE -- A special House committee tapped to look into ethics charges against former House Speaker Ray Sansom has opted to press on with its work. Sansom, R-Destin, was indicted by a Leon County grand jury last spring on official...

RPOF fires staffer over fake Brevard GOP Twitter page

Aaron Deslatte — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:42:55 -0500

TALLAHASSEE -- In the annals of political dirty tricks, Twitter offers a whole new world of possibilities. Just ask maverick Brevard County Republican Chairman Jason Steele. Steele was one of the party rebels singled out in grievance hearings earlier this...

Dockery gets help from The Hammer

Aaron Deslatte — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:58:44 -0500

TALLAHASSEE -- That would be Marion Hammer, the hard-charging, gun-toting, past president of the National Rifle Association in Florida. On Wednesday, the current executive director of the Unified Sportsmen of Florida sent out an e-mail endorsing state Sen. Paula Dockery,...

G-Fine: Hasner wants Florida's senators to vote against health care reform

Aaron Deslatte — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:48:00 -0500

From Gary Fineout's The Fine Print: Republicans in the Florida House, citing concerns that Medicaid costs are “unsustainable,” will ask the state’s two U.S senators to vote against health reform legislation pending in Congress. House Majority Leader Adam Hasner asked...

Crist distances himself from tainted Rothstein

Aaron Deslatte — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:17:38 -0500

By Josh Hafenbrack, Tallahassee Bureau TALLAHASSEE -- Gov. Charlie Crist called for the Legislature to stiffen anti-corruption laws Wednesday at a gathering of state prosecutors, even as the governor sought to distance himself from disgraced Broward lawyer and fundraiser Scott...

Alexander goes postal on DMS, suggests folding it under Cabinet

Aaron Deslatte — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:07:41 -0500

TALLAHASSEE -- Senate budget chief J.D. Alexander thought he made a simple request when the Legislature passed a directive in last January's special session for the state agency that oversees government property to cough up an inventory. The idea was...