Tag Archives: Florida

CNN reports: An appointee to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new oversight board in control of Disney’s special tax district called homosexuality “evil” last year and shared a baseless conspiracy theory that tap water could be making more people gay. On Monday, the Republican governor appointed Ron Peri, an Orlando-based former pastor. “So why are there homosexuals today? There are any …

NBC News reports: It’s going to cost a lot to get Ron DeSantis to show up in person to collect political checks: about $1 million. That’s the aggressive goal set to draw the Florida governor and likely 2024 presidential candidate to travel out of his way for fundraising events, according to three Republicans involved in efforts to raise cash for …

Tampa’s NBC affiliate reports: A Florida resident died after being infected by a rare amoeba last week, health officials say. According to a WFTX report, Charlotte County health officials said the unidentified male patient likely contracted Nagleria fowleri after rinsing out his sinuses with tap water. Eric Milbrandt, director of the marine laboratory at the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, said the …

Tampa’s NBC affiliate reports: Florida Sen. Jason Brodeur (R-Lake Mary) wants bloggers who write about Gov. Ron DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody, and other members of the Florida executive cabinet or legislature to register with the state or face fines. Brodeur’s proposal, Senate Bill 1316: Information Dissemination, would require any blogger writing about government officials to register with the Florida …

Florida Politics reports: Florida’s Governor may have courted Donald Trump’s endorsement five years ago, but now he’s not sure it means much. That’s the takeaway from comments Ron DeSantis made on Fox News. “I don’t know,” DeSantis told host Bill Hemmer, who asked how much Trump’s endorsement “matters” in 2023. “I mean, I think our voters always make their own …

Vice News reports: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ handpicked board of trustees voted to shutter New College’s diversity, equity, and inclusion office on Tuesday, the latest step in its hostile takeover of the school and a harbinger of what Florida’s entire university system could look like in a few months. The board, which has a majority of DeSantis appointees, voted 9 …

Miami’s ABC affiliate reports: A Broward County pastor has been arrested on multiple charges after he defrauded a church to support his drug habit, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced Wednesday. According to the FDLE, James Edward Smith II, 49, of Lauderhill, was the pastor of the New Jerusalem Baptist Church in Pompano Beach. Agents began investigating him last …

Law & Crime reports: A 72-year-old man in Florida was arrested last week after authorities say they recovered so many images depicting child sexual abuse that the total weight of the printed photos tipped the scales at more than 2,600 pounds, well over one ton. Paul Stephen Zittel was taken into custody on Thursday and charged with 25 counts obscene …

Politico reports: The “medical freedom” movement, mostly known for its opposition to vaccine requirements, was long consigned to the fringes of libertarian and left-wing politics. Then came Ron DeSantis. The Florida governor and likely presidential candidate has secured a place for the movement in the conservative mainstream. And as a sitting governor, he has the opportunity to distinguish himself from …

Newsweek reports: A security guard asked supporters of former President Donald Trump to leave as they were protesting outside a book signing event for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Tuesday. Far-right conspiracy theorist and failed congressional candidate Laura Loomer shared videos to Twitter of herself and other Trump supporters being confronted and asked to leave by a man wearing a …

Tampa’s ABC affiliate reports: Florida lawmakers introduced legislation to prohibit someone describing themselves or others with pronouns besides the ones they were born with, at least in the context of the Florida education system. It also expands bans on sexual orientation and gender identity topics in schools from kindergarten to third grade, as set up by Florida’s “Parental Rights in …

Florida Politics reports: Sen. Blaise Ingoglia is sponsoring the “Ultimate Cancel Act,” which would eliminate all political parties that once used slavery as part of its platform. While “Democratic Party” isn’t mentioned in the bill, Ingoglia said that’s his target. “For years now, leftist activists have been trying to ‘cancel’ people and companies for things they have said or done …

Florida Politics reports: The Governor was asked yet again Tuesday on Fox & Friends if he intended to run for President, and the response stopped short of a full-bore commitment despite a new book seemingly timed with the launch. “We’re going to do some stuff on the book, tell the story of Florida, and then deliver a lot of victories. …

Playbook reports: It’s no big secret that former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is a fan of current Gov. Ron DeSantis. He wrote about DeSantis for Time Magazine. And Bush was the lone former governor to attend DeSantis’ inauguration in January. Bush was also effusive with praise of the governor in a “Fox Nation” special released last week. Bush said DeSantis …

Tampa’s ABC affiliate reports: An arrest warrant was issued for rapper and Florida native, Kodak Black, who authorities said violated his bail conditions when he failed a drug test earlier this month. According to the Broward County Clerk of Courts, Kodak Black, whose legal name is Bill Kapri, violated the conditions of his pretrial release after he failed to submit …

From the New York Times’ review: As governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis has been casting himself as a Trump-like pugilist. But the overall sense you get from reading his new memoir is that of the mechanical try-hard — someone who has expended a lot of effort studying which way the wind is blowing in the Republican Party and is learning …

The Associated Press reports: DeSantis spent the weekend huddled behind closed doors at a south Florida luxury hotel for a “Freedom Blueprint” retreat with more than 100 donors, elected officials and conservative influencers. The attendees included former Trump chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton and Texas-based donor Roy Bailey, a former member of …

“There are people in public life that are kind of ‘check the box’ politicians, and then there are others they want to serve, and Governor DeSantis is one of those. He’s been a really effective governor. He’s young. I think we’re on the verge of a generational change in our politics– I kind of hope so. I think it’s time …

The Florida Phoenix reports: Gov. Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis held a reception at the Governor’s Mansion Friday to honor Black History Month, just days after civil rights advocates marched to the Capitol and college students walked out of classrooms in Tallahassee to protest the DeSantis administration’s handling of a college-level African American studies course for Florida high …

Forbes reports: If the Lee County Republican Party has their way, the state of Florida will be banning the use of Covid-19 vaccines. Yes, you heard that correctly. Based on a majority vote, the Party has passed a so-called “Ban the jab” resolution that will now go to the desk of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) for his consideration. And …