Juice: National politics

A political divide? Or a baseball one?

Fri, 25 May 2012 12:27:49 GMT

TALLAHASSEE -- Quinnipiac, which has released polls on the state's political views for the last two days, released a third poll this morning.

This one asks: Who is Florida's favorite baseball team?

The answer: The Yankees.

According to the poll, 20 percent of Florida baseball fans root for the Yankees. The Tampa Bay Rays are next with 18 percent, followed by the Florida Marlins at 15 percent and the Red Sox at 8 percent.

According to the survey, 46 percent of Florida adults are “very interested” or “somewhat interested” in professional baseball. But in comparison, 54 percent of New Jersey adults and 53 percent of Connecticut adults are interested in baseball.

“Florida has only a 19-year tradition with Major League Baseball, so there is less fan interest, with the possible exception of those transplanted New Yorkers and their offspring,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

Quinnipiac surveyed 1,988 Florida adults with a margin of error of +/- 2.2 percentage points from May 15 through May 21.

Read the full poll here.

Friday Morning Reads: FCATs, tourism and racetracks

Fri, 25 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

TALLAHASSEE -- Good morning and happy Friday!

Only a few more hours to a look weekend. We're sure you're as excited about it as we are. So, to get you on your way, here are the top five stories we're reading this morning.

* The Sun-Sentinel reports that 2,700 third graders could be kept back because of poor FCAT scores.

* The Herald/Times reports that a national labor group is claiming that thousands of people are being denied jobless benefits.

* The Herald-Tribune reports that the state is beefing up its tourism marketing.

* The News Service of Florida reports that the care of a pregnant woman has led to a probe of Florida State Hospital.

*AP writes that Gov. Rick Scott possiby committed a faux pas during his meeting with King Juan Carlos of Spain.

Obama, 50, says `tweaks’ can fix Social Security

Thu, 24 May 2012 15:41:48 GMT

President Barack Obama told `AARP The Magazine’ in a recent interview that Social Security is `the linchpin of our social safety net’ and it won’t take much to keep it from going broke.

"Social Security is not in an immediate crisis,” Obama told the magazine. “It's not the driver of our deficits, the way Medicare and our health care programs are. We can easily tweak the Social Security program while protecting current beneficiaries, ensuring that it's there for future generations."

Social Security's financing is especially important to Florida, where one in five residents receive benefits every month.

Obama, who at 50 has reached AARP eligibility age, was remarkably optimistic about the prospects of adjusting a program that is headed for a shortfall. Social Security trustees estimated last month that at the current rate the program will be able to provide only 75 percent of promised benefits by 2033.

The program is burdened by the sluggish economy, which has reduced tax revenue. More significant, the retirement of the huge baby boom generation is draining its resources.

Most experts say Social Security is not sustainable without cutting benefits or raising taxes. But Obama and many Democrats in Congress insist that minor adjustments would do the job.

"It's going to require us not playing politics with Social Security,” Obama said in the Oval Office interview. “We can't privatize it. We don't want it to be subject to the winds in the stock market. We want it there for people over the long run."

The June/July issue of AARP The Magazine containing the interview can be found at www.aarp.org/magazine.

Court documents detail beating death of FAMU drum major

Thu, 24 May 2012 12:34:47 GMT

By Jeff Kunerth, Stephen Hudak, Denise-Marie Balona and David Breen

The beatings began well before the Nov. 19 hazing death of Florida A&M University drum major Robert Champion, according to more than 2,300 pages of documents and 30 audio files released Wednesday by the Orange-Osceola State Attorney's Office.

Champion's death after being pummeled by fellow marching-band members aboard a charter known as "Bus C" culminated a string of violent hazing initiations during the weekend of the Florida Classic football game — a major fundraiser for FAMU and its longtime rival, Bethune-Cookman University, that draws tens of thousands of people to Orlando each year.

The day before the Classic, several members of FAMU's famous band took turns submitting to beatings while huddled under a blanket on the ride to their hotel from the annual Battle of the Bands, a Friday night showcase of university- and high-school band talent that kicks off the Classic weekend.

Read the full story here.

Thursday Morning Reads: PB taxpayer land, TV ads and hurricanes

Thu, 24 May 2012 12:25:51 GMT

TALLAHASSEE -- Good morning and welcome to the morning reads.

Here are the top five stories in politics and government we're reading this morning.

* The private ship by SpaceX will soon reach the International Space Station, the Orlando Sentinel writes.

* The Sun-Sentinel reports that Palm Beach County is considering selling off unused taxpayer land to help with budget shortfalls.

* The Tampa Bay Times reports that millions of dollars are fueling campaign ads in Florida.

* The Florida Current writes that Gov. Rick Scott will have the final say as to whether cancel the GOP convention should a major hurricane hit the state during that time, Lieutenant Gov. Jennifer Carroll said yesterday.

* AP reports that the construction for the 12th university in Lakeland is over budget.

Quinnipiac: Mack leads Senate pack, voters stand their ground

Thu, 24 May 2012 11:57:28 GMT

TALLAHASSEE -- A Quinnipiac Poll released this morning gives U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, R-Fort Myers, a wide lead in a U.S. Senate matchup against former Sen. George LeMieux and Tea Party candidate Mike McCalister.

If the election were held today, Mack would receive 40 percent of the vote compared to 8 percent for LeMieux and 7 percent for McCalister. If the November general election contest is between Mack and current U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., the election is too close to call at 42-41 (There is a margin of error of 2.4 percentage points)

“Although some activists have been critical of Congressman Connie Mack and his campaign, he retains an overwhelming lead in the race for the Republican Senate nomination and is tied with Sen. Bill Nelson,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, in a press release. “It is not clear how the late entrance of former Congressman Dave Weldon into the race will affect the campaign, but Mack’s lead is pretty formidable with three months until the primary.”

Weldon entered the race last week.

The survey also showed a bump in Gov. Rick Scott's approval rating, with him netting a 41 percent approval rating. Though, 46 percent still disapprove.

Scott's office has spent a lot of time trying to improve his public image over the past year. Under outgoing chief of staff Steve MacNamara, who replaced his initial chief of staff last summer, he began going to editorial boards meetings and holding regular press conferences. He also initiated "workdays," where he would work at a different job one day per month.

“Although Gov. Rick Scott’s numbers aren’t that impressive, they are a step up for him – the first time he has gotten his approval rating out of the 30s since taking office,” Brown said.

The final major point of the poll was that voters seem to be standing behind the controversial "stand your ground" law that has been implicated in the Trayvon Martin case.

By 51 – 45 percent, voters oppose stricter gun control laws in the state with a huge partisan split and gender gap.

“Despite the controversy, public opinion seems to be solidly behind ‘Stand Your Ground’ and slightly against stricter gun control,” said Brown.

Read the whole poll here.

Newest Q Poll gives Romney the edge

Wed, 23 May 2012 14:16:56 GMT

TALLAHASSEE -- A Quinnipiac University poll released this morning shows Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney pulling ahead of President Barack Obama in Florida.

The poll shows Romney with a 47 percent to 41 percent lead over the president. The move signals a shift from the statistical dead heat in a poll conducted two weeks ago and one in March that gave the president a 49-42 percent lead.

One reason for the shift could be the president's recent vocal support of same sex marriage. According to the poll 25 percent of voters said his support of the issue made them less likely to vote for him. However, 63 percent said it made no difference.

“While the issue of same-sex marriage looks like it affects only one-third of Florida voters, we know from experience what a few votes can mean in the Sunshine State,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant vice president of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

The poll, which included 1,722 registered Florida voters, has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.4 percent.

Read the whole poll here.

Wednesday Morning Reads: So Fla Senate race, tuition and and voter rolls

Wed, 23 May 2012 13:17:52 GMT

TALLAHASSEE -- Good morning and welcome to the Wednesday morning reads.

Here are the top five stories we're reading this morning.

* UCF is looking at a 15 percent tuition increase, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

* The Tampa Bay Times looks at George LeMeiux's ambition and political prowess over the past few years.

* Democrats say that the race between Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, and Sen. Maria Sachs, D-Delray Beach, is one of their top priorities. The Palm Beach Post has the story.

* The Washington Post catches up with former state Rep. Katherine Harris.

* The AP reports that Gov. Rick Scott initiated the review of the voter rolls.

Rubio proposes help for business startups, immigrants

Tue, 22 May 2012 15:00:24 GMT

In a rare show of bipartisanship, Sen. Marco Rubio teamed up with a couple of Democratic colleagues to propose a bill on Tuesday to help startup businesses and immigrant entrepreneurs create jobs.

Sen. Marco Rubio

The bill would cut taxes and ease regulations. Its most controversial provision would provide visas for high-skilled immigrants to remain in the U.S.

It builds on an earlier bill Rubio, a Florida Republican, introduced with Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware.

Fixing a "broken political system" by passing bipartisan legislation of this kind -- along with provisions in the bill -- may help encourage investment in the U.S. economy, Rubio said at at Capitol press conference.

"I think it’s important for people to see that even in Washington, even with all the big issues that we disagree on, there are still some things we do agree on, and we are still able to do the things we agree on," Rubio said.

Also sponsoring the bill are U.S. Sens. Mark Warner, a Democrat from Virginia, and Jerry Moran, a Republican from Kansas.

The proposed "Startup Act 2.0" is intended to move university-based research from the laboratory to the marketplace more quickly, target changes to the tax code to encourage investments in startup companies and ease rules to help smaller businesses expand.

Here are the main provisions:

Florida university presidents bring in big bucks

Tue, 22 May 2012 13:48:43 GMT

Our colleague Scott Travis has this story on what university presidents in Florida are making.

Florida's universities trail the nation when it comes to state funding and academic rankings, but they do score high in one area: pay for their top leaders.

The median pay for presidents of the eight research universities in Florida was $510,000 during 2010-11 school year, compared to $421,000 nationally, according to an analysis released Monday by the "Chronicle of Higher Education," an academic news journal. Total compensation for the current year isn't available yet for all institutions, since some presidents are still eligible for bonuses.

Read the story here.

Tuesday Morning Reads: FAMU, PIP and Space

Tue, 22 May 2012 13:36:46 GMT

TALLAHASSEE -- Good morning and happy Tuesday.

Here are the top five stories we're reading this morning in politics and government.

* The Orlando Sentinel notes that sovereign immunity may protect FAMU from having to make a big lawsuit payout to the family of Robert Champion.

* State, local and federal emergency management officials began a hurricane drill yesterday with a mock scenario of a hurricane hitting Tampa Bay during a large event such as the Republican National Convention. The Sun-Sentinel has the story.

* State Rep. Rick Kriseman, D-St. Petersburg, said yesterday that the new PIP law has several loopholes, the Tampa Bay Times reports.

* The Palm Beach Post writes about the problems some see with the state's outdated tax system.

* AP reports that SpaceX sent off the first commercial rocket to the International Space Station this morning.

Monday Morning Reads: Money, politics and elections

Mon, 21 May 2012 13:25:21 GMT

TALLAHASSEE -- Good morning and happy Monday.

Here are the top five stories we're reading this morning.

* The Orlando Sentinel writes that some of the biggest spenders on lobbyists are government vendors.

* Advocates say children are still struggling under the Scott administration, the Sun-Sentinel writes.

* The Jacksonville Times-Union reports that a fictional program was created at FAMU to funnel money to two non-profits with ties to two state lawmakers.

* The Palm Beach Post writes that local elections supervisors and the state are trying to negotiate through a strained relationship as they head into the 2012 elections.

* Local governments have to spend on lobbying to get a voice in Tallahassee, the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Romney opposes U.S. visit by Castro daughter

Fri, 18 May 2012 17:52:44 GMT

Mitt Romney on Friday joined a chorus of critics who object to the Obama Administration’s decision to allow the daughter of Cuban President Raul Castro to visit the United States next week.

Mariela Castro Espin gets visa

Romney’s stance, in line with Sen. Marco Rubio and other Florida Cuban-Americans in Congress, sets up another clear contrast with President Obama in the presidential election. The Romney camp says Obama is soft on the Castro regime.

“The Obama administration’s decision to grant a visa to Mariela Castro (Espin), daughter of the Cuban dictator Raul Castro, is a slap in the face to all those brave individuals in Cuba who are enduring relentless persecution for fighting for the universal rights we Americans hold dear,” said Romney’s policy director Lanhee Chen.

“Unfortunately, this decision is part of a larger pattern. For even as the Castro brothers have tightened repression on the island over the past three years, the Obama administration has softened its approach. The United States should be standing up for freedom, not coddling the privileged children of Communist dictators.”

The State Department has not commented on why it issued travel visas to Castro Espin and other prominent Cubans.

Most are academics who plan to attend a conference in San Francisco of the Latin American Studies Association.

The controversy reflects the clash between Obama’s attempt to establish people-to-people educational and cultural ties to Cuba and the more confrontational approach taken by Rubio and many of South Florida’s Cuban exiles.

The Latin American group met outside the United States in past years when former President George W. Bush refused to allow visas to Cuban participants. Obama -- who removed travel restrictions for Cuban-Americans in 2009 and eased restrictions for educational travel to Cuba – also made it easier for Cuban scholars, musicians and some others to come to this country.

The administration did deny visas to some Cuban applicants who work for the government, including the University of Havana and the Cuban culture ministry.

“These are Cubans who are independent thinkers and at the forefront of promoting closer educational and cultural connections with the United States,” said William LeoGrande, an expert on U.S.-Cuba relations at American University in Washington. “The message the Obama administration is sending is that it is partially closing doors that it opened in 2009. And they are doing it for political purposes because it’s an election year.”

The divided result – visas for some but not others – angered Cuban-American Republicans as well as those who favor fewer travel restrictions and closer ties to Cuba.

Romney, Rubio and other Republicans no doubt will keep pressuring the administration to restrict or end its people-to-people policy.

Friday Morning Reads: FAMU, voting rolls and Marco Rubio

Fri, 18 May 2012 12:13:10 GMT

TALLAHASSEE -- Good morning and happy Friday.

I'm sure you're all anxious to start the weekend, so let's get to the top stories we're reading this morning.

* Politico profiles the Rubio family.

* Two FAMU students plead no-contest in hazing a clarinet player, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

* The Florida non-citizen voter list will be vetted against Homeland Security database, the Palm Beach Post reports.

* The News Service of Florida writes that a federal appeals court rejected a challenge to a 2010 law regulating some outside groups that make political ads or send mailers.

* The Florida Current reports on Citizens' discussion of a potential 30 percent rate hike.

Rubio blasts visa for Castro daughter to come to U.S.

Thu, 17 May 2012 18:41:55 GMT

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and fellow Cuban-Americans from Florida chided U.S. officials on Thursday for issuing a travel visa to Cuban President Raul Castro’s daughter, saying it would allow her to “spread the propaganda of her father’s regime.”

Mariela Castro Espin

Calling it “outrageous and an enormous mistake,” Rubio said the visa also “sends a terrible message to the democratic movement in Cuba.”

House members Mario Diaz-Balart, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and David Rivera – Republicans from Miami – also opposed visas issued to Josefina Vidal Ferreiro and Eusebio Leal as well as Mariela Castro Espin, calling them high-level communist operatives.

“The administration’s appalling decision to allow regime agents into the U.S. directly contradicts congressional intent and long-standing U.S. foreign policy,” the Florida House members said. “It is reckless and dangerous to welcome high-level agents from a state sponsor of terrorism with an extensive espionage network to peddle their anti-America propaganda on U.S. soil.”

They accused the Obama administration of “greeting high-level agents of that murderous dictatorship with open arms.”

The State Department had no immediate comment.

Thursday Morning Reads: Jobs, Congress and voters

Thu, 17 May 2012 13:19:38 GMT

TALLAHASSEE -- Good morning and happy Thursday.

Here are the top stories we're reading this morning in politics and government.

* In case you missed it yesterday, Congress passed its Violence Against Women Act after a bitter partisan battled. The Orlando Sentinel has the story.

* The Sun-Sentinel writes that local workforce boards have placed more than 3,500 workers, but they are still ranked low in performance.

* The Palm Beach Post reports that county election supervisors are questioning the list of non-citizen voters that the state produced at a meeting of the supervisors in Tampa.

* The Florida Current writes that Citizens is looking at raising rates nearly 30 percent over existing premiums.

* The Ocala Star Banner reports on Gov. Rick Scott's upcoming trade mission to Spain.

Nelson calls for corporate tax reform

Wed, 16 May 2012 23:20:24 GMT

Sen. Bill Nelson plans to call for a revamp of the nation’s corporate tax laws, in a speech on Wednesday evening to Florida business leaders.

Bill Nelson

Nelson, facing a potentially tough re-election campaign, plans to tell the business crowd what they want to hear: “Our corporate tax is too high and too complex, and it stifles competition.”

In prepared remarks to the Florida Council of 100, a business group that often advises the governor, Nelson said “reforming the corporate income tax would be a good place to start. In many areas, the tax code borders on incoherence.”

Here’s a transcript of his remarks, prepared for delivery:

"Let me begin by saying it's an honor and privilege to serve Florida in the Senate.
Right after the debt-debacle in Congress last year, I remember watching as Standard & Poor’s decided to downgrade America’s credit. It was hard to stomach.

"But there was a lesson in that mess we should never forget: The hyper-partisanship has to stop. If it doesn’t, we really will be on the road to political and economic ruin.

State finds 53,000 deceased still registered to vote

Wed, 16 May 2012 22:52:35 GMT

TALLAHASSEE -- The State Division of Elections said today that 53,000 people registered to vote in Florida are possibly deceased.

The state is currently processing social security data for possible deceased matches, said department spokesman Chris Cate.

The AP reported earlier today that a lawyer for the Department of State told elections supervisors that they had seven days to remove the deceased voters from the voter rolls.

The department is also looking at voters who may be registered illegally. Last week, the department reported that they had found as many as 2,000 people in the state who were registered to vote, but were not citizens of the United States. By the weekend, that number had grown to about 180,000.

Romney endorses Connie Mack in Senate race

Wed, 16 May 2012 18:27:22 GMT

Mitt Romney took sides among Republicans in Florida’s U.S. Senate race on Wednesday by endorsing Connie Mack over his GOP rival George LeMieux.

Romney favorite Connie Mack

Romney, who is visiting the state to raise money for his presidential campaign, is gambling that Mack will win the party primary and help him draw Republicans to the polls and secure Florida’s electoral votes.

The endorsement of Mack rebuffs LeMieux, a Broward County native who filled in as senator from 2009 to 2010 after Mel Martinez abruptly quit the Senate. LeMieux was appointed by his former confidant, then-Gov. Charlie Crist.

The Crist connection left LeMieux with a moderate image, though he had a solid conservative voting record during his brief stint in the Senate and has distanced himself from the former governor.

Mack’s conservative allies blasted LeMieux this week, paving the way for Romney’s endorsement.

“Connie Mack is a friend, a strong conservative and the type of principled leader we need in Washington to restore fiscal responsibility,” Romney said. “By electing Connie Mack, the people of Florida will be sending a clear message to Senator (Bill) Nelson and President Obama that their failed policies have not worked to change the borrow-and-spend ways of Washington.”

The Cook Political Report lists the Florida race as leaning to Nelson, a Democrat.

PPP Poll: 49 percent disapprove of Obama's handling of foreclosure crisis

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:58:27 GMT

TALLAHASSEE -- A new poll conducted by Public Policy Polling on behalf of Campaign for Fair Settlement, a coalition of grassroots groups, found that 49 percent of independent likely voters in Florida disapprove of the way President Obama has handled the housing crisis.

"The president should heed the message independent voters are sending and show stronger leadership on housing," said Nish Suvarnakar, the group's campaign manager. "Obama can help homeowners, his campaign and the overall economy by more aggressively pursuing the banks' criminal acts and supporting meaningful solutions for underwater homeowners."

The poll surveyed 600 voters from April 30-May 1 and has a margin of error of 4 percentage points. They also surveyed voters in Nevada, Arizona, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

Wednesday Morning Reads: Debt, FCATs and Lobbying

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:33:25 GMT

TALLAHASSEE -- Good morning and welcome to the morning reads.

Here are the top five stories we're reading this morning in Florida politics and government.

* The Orlando Sentinel writes that the State Board of Education lowered the standards on the FCAT writing exam after only 27 percent achieved an acceptable score.

* The Sun-Sentinel writes that South Florida has the worst credit ranking in the nation.

* The News Service of Florida reports that lobbying firms got a big payday with an earlier legislative session this year.

* The Palm Beach Post reports on a political appearance by Gov . Rick Scott where the governor, who spent $70 million on his campaign, told a Boca Raton crowd that money won't be the most important factor in this election.

* The Florida Current reports that a new survey says things are looking up in the real estate world.

Scott's next trade mission trip is to Spain

Tue, 15 May 2012 20:59:00 GMT

TALLAHASSEE -- Gov. Rick Scott will make his fourth international trip since taking office later this month when he goes to Spain.

A document on the governor's messaging priorities for the week noted that he would be traveling to Spain from May 20-24 with 60 business leaders. He has previously traveled to Canada, Israel and Brazil on trade missions.

Here's what the governor's office had listed for the trip under its messaging strategy memo for Scott.

********
Business Development Mission to Spain, May 20-24, 2012
• I will be leading a delegation of more than 60 Florida business leaders and economic development professionals to Madrid, Spain, later this month.
• We have two goals for this business development mission:
1 – Promote the 500th Anniversary Celebration in 2013 of the Spanish presence in Florida and further cement our cultural ties.
o Spain is an important source of tourism to Florida, and we hope thousands of additional Spanish citizens will take the opportunity to visit Florida next year to take part in the celebration.
2 – Promote Florida as the ideal location for Spanish companies seeking to do business.
o With well over 300 Spanish companies operating in Florida Spain has been one of the fastest growing foreign investors in Florida in recent years, making our state home to one of the largest clusters of Spanish companies in the world.
o We will discuss the advantages of doing business in Florida with key business groups and investors and meet with senior government officials.
*********

Latino-Black alliance pressures Rubio on DREAM Act

Tue, 15 May 2012 18:45:05 GMT

A blend of Latino and African-American protesters demonstrated outside Marco Rubio’s Senate office building on Tuesday while leading a petition drive demanding he support a full-fledged DREAM Act.

Senator Marco Rubio

Rubio, a Florida Republican, is crafting a variation on the DREAM Act to provide limited legal status to some children of undocumented immigrants. But that’s not enough to satisfy some liberal groups pressing for passage of a full DREAM Act that provides a path to citizenship.

Protesters led by Presente Action, an Hispanic group, claim his positions on immigration and Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, which allows people to use deadly force in self-defense without an obligation to retreat, are “harming communities of color.”

The protesters say they have more than 16,000 signatures on a petition opposing the Stand Your Ground law and more than 12,000 urging Rubio to back the full DREAM Act.

TaxWatch: Government is a top employer in most counties

Tue, 15 May 2012 14:25:18 GMT

TALLAHASSEE -- The business-backed research group TaxWatch released a study today that said government is the top employer in most of the state's 67 counties.

According to the TaxWatch data, in 51 out of 67 counties, government is the biggest employer.

School districts, law enforcement, public health agencies, prisons and state colleges and universities all fall under the umbrella of government employers.

“This analysis shows that public entities are a major employer in nearly every county in Florida,” said Dominic M. Calabro, President & CEO of Florida TaxWatch. “Often, we think of counties with large public institutions—such as prisons, military bases, and universities—as the main government-supported parts of the state, but as this research shows, a significant amount of the public entities in the list of top ten employers are local government entities that touch Floridians each and every day.”

Read the full report here

Tuesday Morning Reads: FCAT scores, FAMU hazing and non-citizen voters

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:52:41 GMT

TALLAHASSEE -- Good morning and happy Tuesday.

Here are the top five stories we're reading this morning.

* The Sun-Sentinel/Orlando Sentinel reports on the stunningly low FCAT writing scores. Fourth graders receiving an acceptable score dropped from 81 percent last year to 27 percent this year.

* The Orlando Sentinel writes that the FAMU Marching 100 will be grounded for an entire year.

* The Tampa Bay Times writes that election supervisors are complaining that the non-citizen voter database that the state has created has flaws.

* The Florida Current has a Q & A with Abe Uccello, head of the Government Efficiency Task Force, who also was the recipient of a no-bid contract arranged by outgoing Rick Scott chief of staff Steve MacNamara.

* The Palm Beach Post looks at the governor's new chief of staff Adam Hollingsworth.