Gift ban lawsuit thrown out by federal judge

In a decision that was widely anticipated, a federal judge has thrown out a challenge to Florida's "zero tolerance" gift ban law that bars legislators as well as other state elected officials from accepting any gifts or meals from lobbyists and their clients.

Judge Stephen Mickle on Thursday rejected all the arguments against the law, which took effect Jan. 1, 2006, that were raised by lobbyists Ron Book, Guy Spearman and the Florida Association of Professional Lobbyists. The group contended that the law violated free speech and privacy rights and unfairly treated lobbyists differently from private citizens.

The ruling by Mickle is not a surprise because back in May the judge refused to grant a request to block the law _ which was passed during a special session in December 2005  _ and its requirement that lobbyists file quarterly reports disclosing how much they earn from their clients. In his latest ruling Mickle also rejected some of the technical arguments raised by lobbyists, including that the Legislature did not properly pass the law because it was not read three times before passage.

The decision doesn't end the litigation over the gift ban. Sensing that the federal lawsuit would be tossed out, a different lawsuit against the gift ban was filed in a Leon County court back in September. This second lawsuit, however, was crafted in a way to deal strictly with state constitutional issues so it could be not shifted back to federal court.

Crist revs up fundraising machine

Governor-elect Charlie Crist may have capped donations for his inauguration at $10,000, but his fundraising machine really cranked up in the final days before Crist assumes office. A week ago the inaugural committee had raised just over $610,000. Now the amount is nearly twice that. New totals posted Friday night show that the committee has now raised just under $1.2 million.

Florida's gambling industry continues to help out with Crist's inauguration. The latest report shows that parimutuel facilities, as well as the Miccosukee Tribe of Florida, and the New York developer who helped the Seminole Tribe expand its gambling empire all donated money bringing the total from the gambling industry to $61,000. Other familiar names on the latest report: $10,000 from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, $10,000 from Jacksonville trial lawyer firm Pacjic & Pacjic, as well as $10,000 from Mark Guzzeta, who was the finance chairman for Crist's rival in the GOP primary, Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher.

The Fort Lauderdale law firm of former Senate President Jim Scott kicked in $5,000, while Florida Crystals Corp. donated $10,000 and Hooters Restaurant gave $2,500. And a day after Crist tapped Rep. Holly Benson, a Pensacola Republican, to become secretary of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, his inaugural committee received 18 donations from Pensacola addresses, including money from several Pensacola builders and developers.

Rubio changes leadership spots

House Speaker Marco Rubio reacted quickly to the news that Rep. Holly Benson is leaving to take a job with the administration of Governor-elect Charlie Crist. Rubio announced Friday that Rep. Dennis Ross, a Lakeland Republican who had been tapped as chairman of the important Insurance Committee, will leave that post and take Benson's spot as a chairman of the Safety and Security Council. in Ross's place will be Rep. Ron Reagan, a Bradenton Republican who had been a chairman under former Speaker Allan Bense but did not get a leadership spot under Rubio.

Ross will also pick up spots on two other important councils, the Policy and Budget Council and the Rules and Calendar council, while giving up a spot on the Jobs and Entrepreneurship Council and the Committee on Conservation and State Lands. Reagan is giving up a spot on the Committee on Business Regulation.

Rubio also announced several other committee changes at the member level that you can read Download rubio_changes.pdf   The lone change for South Florida legislators is that Rep. Ron Saunders, the Key West Democrat, will replace Rep. Jack Seiler, a Wilton Manors Democrat on the Legislative Budget Commission, a panel that can make changes to the budget when lawmakers aren't in session.

Jennings losing ground in her bid for Congress

Democrat Christine Jennings, who lost to Vern Buchanan by less than 400 votes in the race for Florida's 13th Congressional district, got a double dip of bad news Friday. A Leon County judge rejected a motion by her lawyers to get access to the secret software, or "source code," used to run the electronic voting machines in Sarasota County. The decision means that Jennings will have a tough time proving that more than 18,000 registered voters bypassed the Southwest Florida congressional race because of machine malfunction. More here.

Likewise, a spokesman for incoming U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that Democrats do not plan to block Buchanan from taking a seat in the new Congress when it reconvenes next week Instead a fellow Democrat plans to make a motion asking that Congress move ahead with a "formal inquiry" and leave open the possibility of future action pending the outcome of Jennings court battle in Florida and an investigation by the House Administration Committee, which is responsible for looking into the election contest filed last week by Jennings.

In a statement Jennings said that residents of the 13th district deserved to have someone representing them while the electoral battle moves forward: 

"I believe that when this process is finished, I will have the privilege of representing District 13 in Congress,'' said Jennings in a statement. "But while this process continues, our district deserves to have representation in Washington. I believe the right thing to do at this point is seat Vern Buchanan temporarily, while we continue gathering evidence and finding the truth about what happened.''

Crist loses one agency head, hires four others

Governor-elect Charlie Crist on Thursday announced that his choice for the Department of Management Services, Kevin Hyde, has asked that his nomination for that post be withdrawn. In Hyde's place, Crist chose Linda South, who is currently serving under outgoing Gov. Jeb Bush as director of the Agency for Workforce Innovation.

Crist also announced that Leroy Collins Jr., the son of one of Florida's most famous governors and who himself ran for the U.S. Senate, would be executive director of the Department of Veterans Affairs, while State Rep. Holly Benson, a Pensacola Republican, would give up her House seat to become secretary of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Crist also named Leo DiBenigno, deputy secretary of the Florida Lottery to take over that agency. DiBenigno is married to Arlene DiBenigno, who worked for the Crist campaign as policy director and has been named as Crist's deputy chief of staff.

Benson's decision to step down will create a need for a special House election in the Pensacola area, although Benson was unsure when she would file her letter of resignation. As for Hyde's departure, Crist said that family and business consideration prompted Hyde to change his mind. Crist said it had nothing to do with the fact that Hyde's law firm is representing Convergys Corp., the company that the Bush administration put in charge of human resources and personnel operations. Convergys has come under fire for its handling of that work, including the fact that a subcontractor sent personnel information overseas.

Crist Tops $600k for inauguration

Governor-elect Charlie Crist scrapped his inauguration ball and capped donations to his inauguration committee, but his team has still collected $610,380 so far to pay the bills. Donations are now capped at $10,000, but that doesn't mean that some people haven't found ways to be generous to the incoming governor.

For example, U.S. Sugar gave $10,000 and two of its citrus companies also each kicked in $10,000, while there are two $10,000 donations from Jacksonville real estate developer Hutson Land Co. Members of the Sembler family of St. Petersburg kicked in $25,000, while the gambling industry has put in $36,000, thanks to donations from the Palm Beach Kennel Club, Jacksonville Greyhound Racing, the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders political committee and Wilbur Brewton, a lobbyist for Calder Race Course.

Other donations of note: A $10,000 check from the FEA Solidarity Fund, an account run by Florida's teacher union, $10,000 from Progress Energy, $10,000 from the Florida Police Benevolent Association and $20,000 from different accounts controlled by the Florida Association of Realtors.

Crist and Bush mourn death of Ford

Gov.-elect Charlie Crist and Gov. Jeb Bush acknowledged the death of former President Gerald Ford this morning with the following statements:

             Crist: "Today we mourn the loss of a great statesman who brought our country together at a time when America was challenged with the struggles of the Vietnam War and Watergate. Florida holds President Ford and his family in our prayers as we join in offering the thanks of a grateful nation."

           Bush: “This morning, Columba and I join Floridians and Americans across the nation in mourning the passing of former President Gerald Ford.

        “President Ford was an honest man with courage and conviction. He provided reassurance during times of uncertainty, and his thoughtful leadership was a guidepost for a nation at war. President Ford will be remembered as an honest steward of the public trust and a beloved family man.
        “Columba and I will keep Mrs. Ford and the entire Ford family in our thoughts and prayers.”

Jeb: Thanks for the memories -- and toiletries

After his official portrait was unveiled yesterday, outgoing Gov. Jeb Bush spoke with reporters and said he’ll not just miss those loyal to him or the chance to make a difference as Florida’s chief executive, he’ll leave behind fond memories of the governor’s mansion.

Especially the perks of the Executive Restrooms.

"What am I going to miss about the mansion? It’s beauty, it’s tradition, the food (chuckles), the hot water. The hot water and the water pressure is unbelievable. I told Charlie, be careful… in Miami, you know, water doesn’t come on that fast and it doesn’t come on immediately hot….

"Fresh towels all you want. I don’t know how it is in your life, but most of the time, you know, most people you take showers, you use towels six or seven times before you put  the next one on. Here, although I’ve been trained to do otherwise, it’s just any time I want I can have many towels."

DCA and DEP appointments

A belated posting from press release:

Governor-Elect Charlie Crist appointed Tom Pelham as Secretary of the Department of Community Affairs and Michael Sole as Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection.

The picks of Sole, a longtime DEP staffer, and Pelham, a longtime lawyer and planner, were hailed by environmentalists.

Merry X-Mas, Charlie, pick a judge

Gov. Jeb Bush said today that he won't try to shoehorn in one last appointment to the First District Court of Appeal on the day he leaves office. Bush had petitioned the Florida Supreme Court to see if he could do just that (he basically can) because Judge Richard Ervin, III, is more than 70 years old and is constitionally required to step down Jan. 1 -- a day before Jeb's successor Charlie Crist takes the helm.

"I talked to the governor about it, gave him that. That's my Christmas present," Bush said.

A good bet of the six finalists for the post: Clay Roberts, deputy attorney general who serves under Crist. More here on the court.

Judge: Rubio isn’t my tool in inquiry

Though newly released emails (as well as friends and family) tie him closely to House Speaker Marco Rubio’s office, First District Court of Appeal Judge Paul Hawkes said he had nothing to do with the Miami lawmaker’s decision to open an inquiry into fellow 1st DCA Judge Charles Kahn.

Hawkes’ son, House Counsel Jeremiah Hawkes, emailed a draft of Rubio’s letter Dec. 4 requesting that the Judicial Qualifications Commission share its investigative files on Kahn, who is the target of an as-yet private complaint. The email was sent to an assistant of Rubio’s staff chief, Richard Corcoran, Paul Hawkes’ former legislative aide and consulting partner.

“There’s this perception out there that I’m Chuck’s nemesis and I’m not,” Hawkes said. “I know Chuck. I like Chuck. He’s one of the more conservative members on the court.”

Rubio has said that, as leader of the legislative chamber in charge of impeaching unfit judges, he launched the “fact-finding mission” after reading a newspaper article concerning Kahn, who stepped down as chief justice of the capitol-based court in October. The last speaker to make a request of information on a judge: Allan Bense on Feb. 22, 2005, the speaker’s office said.

Kahn stepped down as chief justice in October after a meeting that fellow Judge Edward Barfield called to discuss "concerns within the court over leadership and personal relationships within the court," according to an email.

Though the phrase “relationships within the court” could likely point to a some type of problematic office matter, some have speculated that Kahn’s troubles stem from the time his fellow justices overruled him when he sought to throw out the pot-of-money bribery conviction of former Senate President W.D. Childers.

A fellow Escambia County commissioner and witness against Childers apparently recanted testimony but then committed suicide by drinking antifreeze. Kahn is a former law partner with Childers buddy, tobacco-suing trial lawyer Fred Levin.

About the time Kahn stepped down from the bench, Judge Hawkes had a few email exchanges with House attorney Don Rubottom concerning general judicial matters on Nov. 14, an article mentioning judges and recusal cases. Another 1st DCA judge, Brad Thomas, is also in the loop on at least one email exchange. None mentions Kahn.

A few other emails concerning the court were sent by House Judicial staffer David de la Paz, who’s seeking a spot on the bench. De la Paz, a finalist after his interview with the Judicial Nominating Commission, thanked Corcoran in a Dec. 1 email “for your help with the commission members.”

Butterworth supports gay adoption

Bob Butterworth, the former Democratic attorney general tapped by incoming Republican Gov. Charlie Crist to be Florida's child-welfare chief, said today on Jim Defede's radio show that he's a supporter of limited adoptions by gay couples.

Butterworth, reiterating the comments with the Miami Herald later, said a judge should decide the fitness adoptive parents. He said he has not discussed the matter with Crist, who has said he supports the current law in Florida, one of the only states to ban gay adoption. Crist had previously said that he had no opinion on the matter.

"This is just my personal belief," Butterworth later told the Herald. "I'm not going to testify about this to a committee, I'm not pushing to overturn the law."

Butterworth, saying family-court judges are some of the best and most dedicated people, said he held this opinion opposing gay adoption while he was attorney general, a post he held until term limits forced him out in 2002.

Jennings filing election challenge

Democrat Christine Jennings is heading to Washington D.C. today to file an elections protest in Florida's District 13 congressional race. Today's the deadline for the congressional challenge, which comes as teams of lawyers for Jennings, Republican Vern Buchanan, Election Systems & Software, Sarasota County Elections Supervisor and the state grill experts in a Tallahassee court over whether a judge should force ES&S to give up its secret source codes that drive the iVotronic touch-screen voting machines.

Randy Johnson campaign treasuer in hot water

Larry Herring, a certified public accountant from Winter Park, is in deep trouble with the Florida Elections Commission. He is facing at least $12,000 worth of fines for his handling of Citizens for Florida's Future, a defunct committee of continuous existence set up by former Rep. Randy Johnson, who is now on the transition team for Governor-elect Charlie Crist.

Herring has gotten into trouble because he paid thousands of dollars worth of credit card bills racked up by Johnson and which were paid from funds contributed to the CCE. The expenses covered everything from car and RV repairs, to a trip to Washington D.C. where Johnson bought tie pins from the U.S. Senate gift shop. Also included was a check to the Orlando Volleyball Academy, which had purchased airline tickets for Johnson that the CCE reimbursed. Investigators were able to delve into the CCE's affairs even though hurricanes had destroyed many records, opting to subpoena bank records. Click here to read the investigative report: Download herring_recommendation.doc

The elections commission at its meeting in late November found probable cause that Herring had broken several election laws, included one that limits $500 contributions to candidates, a violation which can garner severe penalties. The argument used by the elections commission is that the expenses aided Johnson's 2004 re-election campaign. Click here to view the order:Download herring_probable_cause_order.doc

By taking this action the elections commission is insisting that there are in fact limits on what CCE's can do _ which is different in how others have viewed them. Mark Herron, an attorney for Herring, says his client will fight the charges, including asserting that the commission went outside its jurisdiction to charge his client with charges not raised in the initial complaint. Herron also maintains that there is no proof that expenses paid by the CCE aided Johnson's re-election campaign.

Butterworth to head DCF

Bob Butterworth, former Democratic Florida attorney general and St. Thomas University's law school dean, has been tapped to head the state's troubled child-welfare agency by the incoming Republican governor.

Story here

High-octane Bush creates ethanol board

Gov. Jeb Bush, with family ties to oil and state ties to agribusiness, made one of his final policy announcements Monday when he promoted the use of alternative fuels by establishing the Interamerican Ethanol Commission.

Joining Bush: Roberto Rodrigues, a former Brazilian agriculture minister and head of the nation's agribusiness council, and Luis Alberto Moreno, head of the Interamerican Development Bank.

Crist taps Miami-Dade fireman for Emergency Management post

Gov.-elect Charlie Crist created a new deputy director spot at the Division of Emergency Management to hire Ruben Almaguer, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue's administrative operations chief. Crist also reappointed Craig Fugate to lead the department.

Other appointments: former Crist AG staffer Monesia Brown will head the Agency for Workforce Innovation and Jacksonville City Councilman Kevin Hyde will head the Department of Management Services, where he promised he'd "review" the troubled Convergys human-resources outsourcing contract.

A press release just issued by Crist's team, though, doesn't have what he said he'd give out: Salary information.

From spinning for Jeb to Spinning for Sachs

Alia Faraj, Gov. Jeb Bush's communications director since 2004, is heading to Ron Sachs Communications after Bush leaves office next month.

Voucher guru peeved by story

A letter from venture capitalist turned schools reformer John Kirtley:

Marc Caputo's article on 12/17 stated that school choice programs in Florida have no "scrutiny" because students using the programs don't have to take the FCAT. What he failed to mention is that students in the tax credit scholarship program for low income children must take a nationally recognized standardized test approved by the state, such as the Stanford 10. The tests must be comparable to the FCAT and the scores reported every year to a research group chosen by the state, so that the progress of the students can be measured--including against similar public school students. Of course the schools educating these children face the additional "scrutiny" of empowered parents, who can take the scholarships to a different school if they are unsatisfied--a scrutiny underperforming public schools do not face.

When Caputo stated that "every lower court" found the Opportunity Scholarship Program unconstitutional, he did not mention that the Appeals Court unanimously rejected the grounds used by the Florida Supreme Court to kill the program---that it violated the mandate for a "uniform system of public schools". Your readers should know that the Wall Street Journal called this verdict "the worst by any state court in decades" due to its tortured legal argument and its damage to school reform.

Jeb's furniture store epiphany

Even standing in a furniture store, Jeb Bush couldn't help but think he could
do a better job running the place.

"I found myself in the midst of reorganizing the logistics of a probably pretty successful company," said Bush, who was shopping to furnish the Coral Gables apartment where he will move after leaving office Jan. 2.

Then the truth hit Florida's most powerful governor as he thought of fixing the way the store delivers goods to customers.

"I realized they probably don't give two hoots about my opinion," Bush said chuckling. "So there's going to be a little bit of a learning experience to kind of not try to solve problems for everyone. It may take a little bit of getting used to."   

That's especially true after spending eight years as Florida's self-fashioned policy-wonk in chief, a macro- and micromanager with poll numbers that are the envy of other chief executives -- including his brother, the president.

Now, this extraordinary calm voice in Florida's storms, a conservative icon and luminary of one of the nation's greatest family dynasties, must become more ordinary as he fiddles with his Ipod or gets annoyed in shops and the Post Office.

Story here.

Click the links for pieces on Jeb and the judiciary, schools, outsourcing, One Florida, and his unmet goals.

Ron Klein's IOU

More than 40 percent of the congressional candidates this year spent more than they raised, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Among the debtors: newly elected Democrat Ron Klein of Boca Raton, whose race against Republican Clay Shaw of Fort Lauderdale was one of the most expensive in the country.

Klein's campaign manager, Brian Smoot, said the campaign owes roughly $80,000. One unexpected cost was a last-minute plane ticket for former President Bill Clinton to host a fundraiser.

Smoot said the campaign plans to hit up donors again or hold another fundraiser. "Clinton and his entourage probably won’t be invited this time,'' notes the Center for Responsive Politics.

To read the entire report, click here.

Sink has raised $31k for party

Alex Sink, the incoming chief financial officer, has raised $31,000 for her Jan. 2 inauguration party, according to her new website. The donations include $5,000 from Dixiana Farms in Lexington, Kentucky, $5,000 from Tower Hill Partners, a holding company with links to Tower Hill Insurance, $5,000 from Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida, and $2,500 from the Miami law firm of Lydecker, Lee, Behar, Berga & De Zayas and $2,500 from the Tallahassee law firm of Radey, Thomas, Yon, Clark and $2,500 from the Tallahassee accountant firm of Thomas Howell Ferguson.

Sink has also disclosed how much she spent so far: $7,222, which covers $2,500 for the band that will play at the party and nearly $3,000 for legal advice.

Sink will post names of donors

Richard Swann, the Orlando fundraiser heading up efforts to raise $150,000 for Alex Sink's inaugural party on Jan. 2, said Thursday that the chief financial officer-elect has in fact set up a 527 committee, the Alex Sink Inauguration Committee, to accept donations for the event. Because she is setting up a 527 committee, Sink also plans to launch an inauguration website where she will disclose the names of those who are helping out. Sink has capped donations to her inaugural party at $5,000 each.

Sink's party has become the big event on the night of Jan. 2 since Governor-elect Charlie Crist abruptly canceled his inaugural ball that he planned for the same evening. Sink's event will be held at the University Center at Florida State University and will feature a cash bar, coffee, coffee drinks and desserts only since the party does not start until 9 p.m.

McCain scores a Bushite

Kathleen Shanahan, former Gov. Jeb Bush staff chief and current vice chair for Gov.-elect Charlie Crist’s transition team, was just announced as the newest member of Arizona Sen. John McCain’s 2008 presidential exploratory team.

Crist burnished his reformist credentials on the campaign trail this year with McCain, but has not endorsed him. He also campaigned with other presidential hopefuls, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Shannahan’s appointment brings into sharper focus the behind-the-scenes GOP presidential fight in Florida between McCain and Romney. With McCain having hired U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez’s former spokeswoman Melissa Shuffield. Miami State Rep. and GOP state committee man David Rivera also talked up McCain.

On Romney’s side: former state GOP chair Al Cardenas, former Bush campaign manager Sally Bradshaw and Bush fundraiser Ann Herberger.

Wasserman Schultz picked for key post

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz has been tapped for the influential House appropriations committee, one of the most powerful committees in Congress, responsible for writing the federal budget.

Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the Weston Democrat has "already proven herself to be a leader in the Democratic caucus, highly-respected by all our colleagues for her keen intellect and political savvy."

The decision by the Democratic steering and policy committee must still be ratified by the full House Democratic caucus, but Wasserman Schultz said she looks forward to working with Pelosi and committee chairman Rep. David Obey "as we pursue earmark reform and bring broader transparency to the appropriations process."

Crist announces Browning and Agwunobi as agency heads

Gov.-elect Charlie Crist announced today that Pasco Supervisor of Elections Kurt Browning will be his secretary of state and that Andrew Agwunobi, the brother of Bush appointee John Agwunobi, will head the Agency for Health Care Administration.

Agwunobi, the younger brother of John who looks like a twin, was formerly head of Atlanta's massive public hospital system, Grady Hospital and most recently was chief operating officer of St. Joseph Health system, a 14-hospital Catholic health-care system with hospitals in California, Texas and New Mexico. He is a physician who also holds a Stanford MBA. As a sign this was coming, Agwunobi recently resigned from the board of directors of Tampa-based HMO WellCare Health Plans.

"He will use his experience as an administrator and compassion as a physician to champion accessiblity of health care for the people of Florida,'' Crist said.

John Agwunobi was secretary of the Department of Health under outgoing Gov. Jeb Bush as the state drew national attention during the anthrax scare of 2001. He is now serving as Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Both brothers graduated from the University of Jos in Jos, Nigeria.

Browning, who has been elections supervisor in Pasco County for 25 years and is considered one of the most respected experts in the state, vowed to consider requiring election machines to have a paper trail and make Florida's elections system "the model for the rest of the nation.''

Browning was asked about the disputed District 13 Congressional race in Sarasota County. "Everything was tested out approrpriately,'' he said. "Recounts came out accurately.'' But, he noted, that Sarasota County has voted to require a paper record starting in 2008.

"We need to be open about all technology that's out there,'' he said. "I believe that voters need to have a high level of confidence in their voting systems. If voters don't have confidence in their voting systems, then there's very little to have confidence in. And so if it means whether it's paper trail, whether it's some other method of voter verification, that's something that I will look at as secretary.''

Crist said Browning has "displayed exemplary ethics in his role as supervisor of election in Pasco County'' and "his expertise will be a great advantage for our state and the integrity of our elections, which are very important to us.''

Affirmative action foes expect Crist to keep One Florida intact

Ward Connerly, the anti affirmative action foe who once launched a ballot drive in Florida only to see his efforts struck down by the courts, declared Wednesday that he and his supporters are ready to take their battle to other states during the crucial 2008 presidential election. Connerly announced his group has opened up exploratory committees in nine states and will eventually launch a petition drive in two to five states.

But a spokeswoman for Connerly said Florida is not one of the states under consideration. Diane Schachterle of the American Civil Rights Coalition said the group feels that it does not need to come to the Sunshine State because of Gov. Jeb Bush's One Florida plan, which six years ago ended racial preferences in university admissions and state contracting.

"Florida is not high on our radar right now,'' said Schachterle, who said the decision had nothing to do with the passage of Amendment 3, which requires all future constitutional amendments to pass by 60 percent. She noted an anti-affirmative action amendment in Washington State cleared that higher margin.

But Schachterle added that she hopes that Governor-elect Charlie Crist keeps intact the One Florida plan when he becomes governor. When asked about it on the campaign trail, Crist said he had no plans to alter One Florida _ whose contracting provisions were implemented by executive order.

Ex- GOP chief supports earlier Florida primary

Al Cardenas, the former chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, is weighing in on House Speaker Marco Rubio's proposal to move up Florida's presidential primary in 2008.

In a recent Op-Ed in Diario Las Americas, Cardenas says Florida should have more of a say in picking the nominees, who are typically well established by the time the state's March primary rolls around.

"It makes no sense that we are so important at the time of choosing the president, but we're not taken into account at the moment of choosing the candidates,'' Cardenas wrote in Spanish. "With the end of Jeb Bush's term in Tallahassee, and with President George W. Bush in the final two years of his second term, it is now Florida's turn to compete as an equal with the rest of the states for the attention of the eventual nominees.''

Cardenas, a Miami attorney, says he also supports the state GOP holding a presidential straw poll at its October 2007 convention in Orlando.

Breakfast for the birds, lunch for the govs

After breakfasting at Parrot Jungle during his inaugural celebration, Governor-elect Charlie Crist lunched with former Democratic Gov. Bob Graham in Miami. Crist has said he's actively seeking advice from former governors on everything -- including how to handle appointments made by his predecessor that haven't been confirmed by the Senate.

No word yet on what the two spoke of, nor what or whether Crist (who eats like a bird) actually ate.

Crist asked to let ex-felons vote

During his campaign for governor, Republican Charlie Crist made news when he changed a longheld position and said felons should get their voting rights back after completing their sentences.

Now that Crist is the governor-elect, he's being asked to follow through. The intergovernmental, recreational and cultural affairs committee of the Miami-Dade County Commission passed a resolution today urging the incoming governor to sign an executive order restoring felons' civil rights. The American Civil Liberties Union is also trying to set up a meeting with Crist to discuss the issue.

"We're exploring our options on how to achieve this,'' said Crist spokeswoman Erin Isaac.

Rubio's $2.5 million revamp

The pricetag for House Speaker Marco Rubio's "transformation of government" is in: $2.5 million, most of it for staff salaries. More here.

No Reps from Broward, Dems to chair House committees

House Speaker Marco Rubio just named his committee chair assignments, snubbing Democrats from leading any panels (in contrast to Sen. Ken Pruitt's picks announced earlier today). While no representatives from Broward County were picked, Rubio's hometown supporters won a few leadership posts:

Anitere Flores, R-Miami (Committee on K-12); Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah (Committee on Health Innovation); Marcello Llorente, R-Miami (Committee on Constitution and Civil Law); Julio Robaina, R-Miami (Committee on Urban and Local Affairs); Carlos Lopez-Cantera, R-Miami (Committee on Business Regulation).

One Democrat -- Will Kendrick of Carabelle, -- came close to leading a committee. He recently switched to the GOP, though, and now heads the  Conservation and State Lands committee. House Minority Leader Dan Gelber of Miami said, however, that Rubio has gone out of his way to accomodate Democrats and give them more of a voice.

Other appointees of note: Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, will head the Insurance Committee and Rep. Mitch Needleman, R-Melbourne, will head the Committee on Juvenile Justice. Needleman, who sat on the committees probing the juvenile deaths of Omar Paisley and Martin Lee Anderson, became an outspoken critic of DJJ chief Anthony Schembri last year because of Schembri's "lies" to lawmakers.

Download Committee.pdf

Meek lands key committee post

Miami Democrat Rep. Kendrick Meek was tapped today to serve on the powerful House Ways and Means committee, the tax-writing committee that has broad jurisdiction over the federal government.

Meek will be the only Florida member of the committee.

"This is the most powerful committee in Congress," Meek said, "and I intend to do everything I can to direct this power to help with our pressing issues in Dade Broward counties.."

Those include affordable housing, business growth and development, the creation of new jobs and helping working and middle class families more secure, Meek said.

Meek is close to incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who called him a "rising leader" in the House.

"He knows how to make government work and he will be a great representative of Florida on this key committee, which has power over so many crucial issues," Pelosi said Tuesday.

Crist snags two more from his staff

Governor-elect Charlie Crist is bringing to the governor's office two veterans of the Attorney General's office. Crist announced Tuesday that he is opening an "Office of Open Government" and that Pat Gleason would be the general counsel for the office and director of Cabinet Affairs, while JoAnn Carrin would serve as the director of open government. Both have jobs in the attorney's general. The role of this office will be to ensure full compliance with public records and open meetings law as well as provide training in the stat'es Sunshine Law.

Pruitt hands out committee assignments

Senate President Ken Pruitt handed out his committee assignments today and at first glance there are some big surprises. Top of the list: Sen. Mandy Dawson, who endorsed Republican Attorney General Charlie Crist over fellow Democrat Jim Davis, was named chair of the Health Policy committee. The lead person on the budget? Sen. Lisa Carlton, the Osprey Republican, who led the Ways and Means committee the last two years.

Other top positions: Sen. Jim King, chairman of the Rules Committee and the Oversight and Policy Procedural Calendar Committee; Sen. Bill Posey, chairman of Banking and Insurance; Sen. Alex Villalobos, chairman of the Judiciary Committee; Sen. Jeff Atwater, chairman of Health Regulation and the Economic Opportunities and Policy Calendar committee; Lee Constantine, chairman of Ethics and Elections and Sen. Al Lawson, chairman of the Governmental Operations committee. Sen. J.D. Alexander is chairman of the Agriculture committee and the General Government Appropriations committee.

Lawson and Dawson weren't the only Democrats who won top spots: Sen. Gwen Margolis was named the Senate chair for the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee, Sen. Tony Hill is Senate chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Intergovernmental Relations while Sen. Dave Aronberg is the Senate chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Everglades Oversight. Here's the complete list: Download senate_committee_assignments.doc

Is Phil Handy out the door?

Phil Handy, the Orlando businessman who championed term limits and has been the chairman of the State Board of Education, hinted on Tuesday that he may not be returning to the board. Handy, along with fellow board member T. Willard Fair,  was appointed this fall by Gov. Jeb Bush to a new four-year term on the board to start on Jan. 1.

Initially the campaign of Governor-elect Charlie Crist praised the appointments but recently Crist conceded that his team would review all appointments made by Bush and possibly recall them. (Florida governors have the power to recall any appointments that are subject to Senate confirmation prior to action by the Senate.) Any decision to recall both Handy and Fair could have implications for current Education Commissioner John Winn, who reports to the board and who did not turn in a letter of resignation like other agency heads that report to the governor.

At this morning's meeting of the State Board of Education, Handy gave a short speech talking about his legacy. He prefaced it by saying "This will be my last meeting, certainly as chairman." Handy then talked about he volunteered as chairman of the Board of Education because of his strong belief in education and how every decision he made for the "right reasons, with a good and full heart."

Here's one party that's still on

Governor-elect Charlie Crist may have canceled his inaugural ball, but Chief Financial Officer-elect Alex Sink still plans to hold a inauguration night shindig at the University Club on the campus of Florida State University. Sink's inauguration celebration is expected to cost about $150,000 said Richard Swann, who is leading the fundraising efforts for the party. Sink has already capped donations to her inaugural fund at $5,000 per donor. But Sink does not plan to report these donations until after the event.

Organizers have set up Sink's party as the "wind down" from a full day's worth of events. It's not scheduled to start until 9 p.m. and will feature just coffee, coffee drinks, dessert and a band, said Ruth Wagner, who is the head of the inauguration efforts. As of right now, neither Attorney General elect Bill McCollum or Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson have filed the required paperwork with the state to say that they plan to hold their own inauguration events.

Villalobos to chair judiciary

Miami Sen. Alex Villalobos says he just got a call from Senate President Ken Pruitt informing him he'd be chair of the Judiciary Committee. Villalobos said he has put away his bitterness from the past election -- in which top Pruitt allies and fellow Senators targeted him.

But he won't forget what happened, either. "I don't owe anything to anybody," Villalobos said.

One idea he plans to float this year: Putting everyone under oath when they appear before state lawmakers. By doing just that in 2003 during the medical malpractice special sessions, he earned the enmity of some in the insurance industry.

Kottkamp names chief of staff

Larry Ringers, a close friend of Jeff Kottkamp, will go to work for the incoming lieutentant governor as his chief of staff, the transition office of Governor-elect Charlie Crist announced on Monday. Ringers, an attorney at Henderson Franklin, one of the largest law firms in Fort Myers, was best man at Kottkamp's wedding and was at his side when he battled for his life in 2004.

Mahoney calls for ethics office

Democrat Tim Mahoney, who will replace disgraced Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, is calling for an independent ethics office to oversee Congress.

The recent House Ethics Committee's report found no evidence that any current lawmakers or aides broke any rules in their response to signs of Foley's relationship with underage congressional pages .

"Congress will not reestablish its credibility and trust with the American people until accountability and oversight is established in Washington,'' Mahoney said in a written statement. "The Ethics Committee's refusal to hold House leaders accountable for their negligence in failing to protect Congressional pages affirms that Congress is unable to police itself.''

Mahoney also wants to ban members from accepting gifts, meals, and trips from lobbyists.

Nelson to intelligence

Subject to the approval of his peers, Sen. Bill Nelson will join the Senate Intelligence Committee in January, incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Monday.

Nelson would fill a seat previously held by Sen. Carl Levin, who as incoming Senate Armed Services committee chairman will become an ex-officio member of the committee.

Reid said Levin suggested the change because of the increased demands on his time.

Nelson would be following in the footsteps of former Florida Sen. Bob Graham, a Miami Lakes Democrat who served on the intelligence committee for 10 years and rose to chairman.

Nelson, who is on a congressional trip to Syria and Lebanon, got the news in a telephone call from Reid.

"The security of our country depends largely on accurate and timely intelligence," Nelson said in a statement released by his office. "I take this assignment from Sen. Reid very seriously."

Nelson left Washington on Saturday for a multi-country trip to the Middle East, which includes a scheduled stop in Syria on Wednesday Lebanon on Thursday. His office said he's expected to be the first U.S. official to meet with Syrian President Basher al-Assad since the Iraq Study Group report was released last week. The group's recommendations on stabilizing Iraq included a stepped-up diplomatic effort involving Syria and Iran.

MoveOn won't move on

The liberal leaning organization MoveOn is circulating a petition calling for Congress to intervene in the contested election in Congressional District 13 in Sarasota.

About 18,400 ballots showed no vote for Democrat Christine Jennings or Republican Vern Buchanan. The final tally: Buchanan by 369 votes.

While MoveOn doesn't want Jennings to give up, some newspapers are calling for her to concede.

Click here to sign the MoveOn petition, here to read what members of Congress are saying about the vote,  here to read a Herald column about the controversy, and here to read an St. Pete Times editorial calling for Jennings to give up.

Will Crist tap current and former legislators?

Governor-elect Charlie Crist's transition team has received hundreds of resumes from people, both in and out of state government, who are seeking a job in his administration. Included in the big pile are both current and former state legislators and other officials.

Those who have applied for a job include current State Reps. Holly Benson, a Pensacola Republican, and Rene Garcia, the Miami Republican. Benson has put her name for a job at the Agency for Health Care Administration, which of course is carrying out Medicaid reform, a piece of legislation that Benson helped push in the House.

Others seeking employment: Former State Rep. Gus Barreiro, Former State Rep. Mark Flanagan, former State Rep. Nancy Detert, former State Rep. Sandra Murman and former State Rep. Susan Goldstein, who lost her re-election bid in November. Ben Graber, a former state lawmaker and Broward County Commissioner and a Democrat, has also turned in his resume. Heather Fiorentino, current Pasco County superintendent and one of a handful of Republican legislators who voted against Gov. Jeb Bush's education plan, has also applied for a job.

Crist cancels inaugural ball

Governor-elect Charlie Crist abruptly canceled his inaugural ball on Saturday following a slew of stories that pointed out how the "People's Governor" was asking for large donations, some as much as $500,000, to help pay for the inauguration celebration. More here.

Crist starts rolling in money for inauguration

Governor-elect Charlie Crist released the first list of donors to his inauguration committee on Friday night. Crist's committee reported receiving $275,100 for the inauguration _ which is expected to cost anywhere from $2.5 million to $3 million.

The list of donors includes private prison contractor The Geo Group, which gave $50,000, while U.S. Sugar also kicked in $50,000. Boca Raton aviation company Trigeant Air gave $100,000. Powerhouse Fort Lauderdale law firm Colodny, Fass, Talenfeld, Karlinsky Abate donated $25,000 while Tallahassee law firm Bryant Miller & Olive gave $10,000. Oviedo agriculture giant A. Duda & Sons donated $25,000.

Crist's inaugural committee has pledged to keep releasing the names of its donors on a weekly basis until it files a complete report of all donations and expenses to the state within 90 days of the inauguration events.

Bush still unsure about his next step

Gov. Jeb Bush, whose time in office will come to an end on Jan. 2, sat down with news organizations on Friday and gave extended interviews on his two terms as governor. But while he spoke at length about the past, Bush said he's still not sure about what's next for him after Governor-elect Charlie Crist takes over.

Bush, who has already moved most of his possessions out of the governor's mansion, said he expects the Foundation for Florida's Future, the 501c4 he set up, to continue to advocate for the education changes he pushed as governor. The organization has raised $1.82 million.

But beyond that Bush said he still doesn't know what he will be doing.

"I want to get out of the way to allow Charlie to create his own agenda and lead this state. I want to find a way to stay involved in some fashion in public policy that is not intrusive. I can't do that until I know what I am going to do,'' said Bush.

When asked again about his reluctance to rule out a vice presidential bid in 2008, Bush grew a bit weary of questions about his future: "I thought this was supposed to be a nostalgic look back at the last eight years."

Meek lands key committee post

Rep. Kendrick Meek has landed a spot on the influential Democratic Steering Committee, which appoints Democratic House members to committees.

With Democrats taking control in January, the committee assignment is significant - committee assignments last 2 years and can determine which issues members of Congress wield power over. Members include incoming Speaker designate Nancy Pelosi and several committee chairs.

Steering committee decisions are subject to approval by the full Democratic caucus, but are rarely overturned, Meek's office said.

Pelosi said Meek was an "easy decision

"Kendrick is one of our brightest young members and has a great reputation throughout the Congress," Pelosi said in a statement. "I value his judgement, his experience and his hard work."

Meek, a Miami Democrat, said he welcomed the opportunity to serve with Pelosi, "and to do everything I can to help our caucus provide the leadership we need to move this country in a new direction."

Florida will have two voices on the influential committee: In addition to Meek, Rep.-elect Kathy Castor of Tampa was appointed to the committee as the freshman representative.

Mel is to Phyllis Schlafly?

A group that wants to establish English as the official language of the United States is urging members of the Republican National Committee to reject U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida as chairman.

  The Cuban-born Martinez was tapped as general chairman last month by President Bush,
but his appointment touched off complaints from a conservative base that opposes
Martinez's embrace of immigration reform.

Martinez's appointment must be confirmed by the RNC at its meeting in January, and English
First, a Virginia-based group, has established a website -- wwww.stopmartinez.com --
to register a litany of complaints about his selection.

   "Sen. Martinez is wrong on official English and wrong on amnesty for illegal aliens," said Jim Boulet Jr., executive director of English First. "Asking Sen. Martinez to run the Republican Party is like asking Mrs. Phyllis Schlafly to run Planned Parenthood.

   "Should Martinez win the RNC post, reporters will encourage him to do nothing but
argue with his fellow Republicans about immigration and language issues," Boulet said.

   Martinez sided with Bush and championed a Senate bill that would have extended
citizenship to millions of undocumented immigrants after they learned English and paid
fines and back taxes.

   "Border security only, enforcement only, harshness only is not the message I believe
that America wants to convey," he said after Bush nominated him for the RNC post.

   Martinez, who repeatedly warned during the congressional immigration debate that
Republicans risk losing a fast-growing voting population if they alienate Hispanics, has
suggested that his critics will "get to know me and come to understand that I'm the
kind of person they can work with."

   

Consolation prize

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, whose hope of chairing the House International Relations Committee collapsed with the Republican loss of the House, has won a significant consolation prize.

The Miami Republican announced Thursday she has been elected the committee's ranking member, the top Republican on the panel.

The ''support is most humbling and it shall be rewarded by my working doubly hard to ensure that the message of the GOP in international affairs is strong, determined and rooted in the core principles of our party to protect our nation's security and interests,'' Ros-Lehtinen said in a statement.

Committee chairman Henry Hyde, R-Ill., who is retiring from Congress this month after 32 years, said Ros-Lehtinen brings ``intelligence, leadership and enthusiasm to the important task of guiding the minority on the International Relations Committee.''

Ros-Lehtinen campaigned aggressively to succeed Hyde as chair and was said to be a leading contender even though she was not the most senior member of the committee. The new position means she'll work closely with the committee chairman, Rep. Tom Lantos, a California Democrat.

Her supporters also note that ranking Republican puts the congresswoman in standing to become chair should the GOP regain control of the House.

Florida will have two ranking Republicans on committees: Orlando-area Rep. John Mica was tapped as ranking member of the influential transportation committee. It will be chaired by Rep. James Oberstar of Minnesota.

The distance between Massachusetts and Florida is shrinking

Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts continues to make inroads in Florida as he revs up his 2008 presidential campaign.

His political committee today named three Florida advisors: Lt. Gov Toni Jennings, former Florida House Speaker Allan Bense, and former Florida GOP Chairman Al Cardenas. Sally Bradshaw and Ann Herberger, close allies of Gov. Jeb Bush, have already signed up with Romney.

Expect intense jockeying between Romney, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and other Republican contenders for endorsements from Bush, as well as Gov.-elect Charlie Crist.

Crist will disclose inaugural donors weekly

The inauguration website run by Governor-elect Charlie Crist will start disclosing donors to the 527 committee set up to pay for inauguration events on a weekly basis, a spokeswoman for Crist said Thursday. This is a turnaround from a week ago when initially a spokeswoman for Crist said the names of donors to the inauguration would be reported within 90 days of the series of events. Crist is turning to lobbyists to help pay for the series of events that culminate in an inaugural ball on Jan. 2, the day that Crist will be sworn in.

"In an effort for full transparency we will list the donors and the amounts on our website weekly,'' said Erin Isaac. Isaac said the website would be updated with the names of donors each Friday.

Crist and Bush have tough decision to make

Gov. Jeb Bush and Governor-elect Charlie Crist will have a tough decision to make this morning: Whether to release from prison three women sentenced to life for murder. Bush and Crist and the rest of the Cabinet will meet this morning as the state clemency board. Domestic violence advocates will argue the three women were abused by the men they killed. More