Breathe easy, Rubio lovers, unauthorized bio treats the Senator kindly

Marco Rubio can breathe easier. A soon-to-be released biography of the Republican vice presidential contender turns out to be a nuanced and largely flattering portrait of one of the most exciting figures on the national stage, rather than the hatchet job some Rubio allies had feared.

The Rise of Marco Rubio by Washington Post writer Manuel Roig-Franzia may leave some readers questioning Rubio's political core on issues ranging from immigration to government spending, but it's unlikely to dent Rubio's star power. Nor will it enhance the arguments of those who say Rubio has been inadequately vetted to be seriously considered as Mitt Romney's running mate.

The unauthorized biography explores Rubio's remarkable life story as the son of working-class Cuban immigrants whose extraordinary political gifts and instincts helped him rise to West Miami City Commissioner to the first Cuban-American speaker of the Florida House to a 40-year-old senator overshadowing colleagues with decades more experience.

It's a complex tale thoroughly reported to the point that Roig-Franzia dug up a 50-year-old recording of the immigration hearing of Rubio's grandfather, nearly deported from America a decade before Rubio was born.

The Tampa Bay Times obtained an advance copy of the book, which is scheduled for release June 19. Rubio has his own memoir scheduled for publication at the same time.

For Americans just getting to know Rubio, there is plenty in the book to raise eyebrows — criticism that he used Republican party credit cards and political committees for personal expenses, for instance — though most of that has been detailed by the Tampa Bay Times and Miami Herald. Those allegations did little to damage Rubio's Senate campaign in 2010.

Story here

-- Adam Smith, Tampa Bay Times

 

Fla. Gov. Rick Scott signs Cuba-crackdown bill, but event turns into a public relations fiasco

Gov. Rick Scott began Tuesday morning as the darling of Miami’s Cuban exile community, but by day’s end he was being vilified for the way he handled a bill cracking down on companies that do business with Cuba and Syria.

Shortly after praising their fellow Republican for signing the law at the historic Freedom Tower, Cuban-American lawmakers at the event learned Scott issued a letter that essentially declared the law unenforceable.

The lawmakers — members of Congress, legislators and local commissioners — said Scott blindsided them and undermined the legislation, which prohibits state and local taxpayers from hiring firms that do work in Cuba and Syria. Multi-national firms and the Florida Chamber of Commerce worry about the law’s potential impact.

After a heated telephone conversation with Scott, Congressman David Rivera said he was ready to take the governor to court.

“As a Florida taxpayer who does not want my tax dollars going to companies that do business with terrorist regimes, I am more than willing to sue the governor and the state of Florida to force implementation of this law,” Rivera said.

“I’m sure the governor has been misled by his staff and hope he will reconsider his position so that it does not result in a lawsuit,” said Rivera, who later joined state lawmakers on Spanish-language radio to bash Scott, already a highly unpopular governor.

But Scott’s administration said the governor was clear Tuesday morning about the law when he appeared on a couple of Spanish-language radio stations. He said that, since this state law involves foreign trade, the president and Congress need to expressly authorize it.

“The way it works is, it’s not operative until the federal government passes legislation,” Scott told WQBA-AM (1140) an hour before the bill signing.

More here

Charges coming in hazing death of FAMU drum major Robert Champion

At least five people will be arrested in the November hazing death of Florida A&M drum major Robert Champion, The Associated Press reported today.

From AP: Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings told AP that multiple defendants will be charged in 26-year-old Champion's death, although he refused to say what the charges are.

At least five defendants face a wide range of misdemeanor and felony charges, said Danielle Tavernier, a spokeswoman for the State Attorney's Office in Orlando. She refused to name the charges pending an announcement by prosecutors on Wednesday.

No arrests had been made by Tuesday afternoon. Both Demings and Tavernier said the arrests would likely take place in multiple jurisdictions.

In other news, two FAMU music professors accused of being present during a hazing ritual for band fraternity pledges in 2010 resigned under pressure from the university, AP reports. The professors were not arrested because the statute of limitations for misdemeanor hazing charges had expired by the time Tallahassee police concluded their investigation in March.

Read more here and here.

Wanted: Florida Polytechnic's first trustees

The search is on for the Florida Polytechnic's charter board of trustees.

Florida's Board of Governors, which oversees the state university system, made the announcement Tuesday. It's a nationwide search and a rare opportunity, board members said.

"There are very complex and very real challenges for these charter members as they set a vision and the strategy to break the mold, meet the benchmarks and open the doors," Chairman Dean Colson said in a statement.

Complex indeed. Come July 1, the Lakeland campus will leave the University of South Florida's system and become independent. Gov. Rick Scott approved the split April 20.

As part of the deal, Florida Polytechnic must meet certain benchmarks established by the Board of Governors by Dec. 31, 2016. The Board had voted last year to allow the school to become independent only after meeting those benchmarks, including a minimum enrollment and accreditation, but the bill Scott signed allows the school to break off right away.

Like at other state universities,the Board of Governors doesn't get to make all of the appointments. Of 13 trustees, the board gets five slots. Scott will appoint six more for staggered five-year terms. The two remaining seats are reserved for the student body president and chairman of the school's faculty senate.

Applications are due May 31. More information here.

Putnam on gift ban, term limits and Gov. Scott's re-election

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said Tuesday chances are "nil" that Gov. Rick Scott will face serious opposition within the Republican Party when he seeks a second term in 2014. Such a forecast means that Putnam has again ruled himself out as a candidate for governor in two years.

Putnam said Scott has kept his campaign promises, which the Republican Party base appreciates, and that he has improved relations with the media in Florida. And as he travels the state, Putnam said, he finds Floridians are increasingly optimistic about the economy. "There's a pretty positive buzz out there," he said. 

In an hour-long discussion with the Tampa Bay Times editorial board, Putnam said he would have gone along with Sen. JD Alexander in voting to spin off Florida Polytechnic in Lakeland as the state's 12th university, and that lawmakers have long tinkered with the higher ed system by creating law schools and medical schools. "This is not the first time politics have intervened," he said.

The redheaded Cabinet member saved his toughest criticism for the 2006 gift ban that prohibits lawmakers and state officials, including himself, from taking anything of value from lobbyists or their clients. His remarks came as Putnam was asked to describe how Tallahassee has changed since he left in the mid-1990s to go to Congress.

Calling the gift ban "dumb," he said: "A lot of the camaraderie that allowed solutions to take place ... has been removed from the process." He called the gift ban a "disincentive for fellowship" and said: "You're forbidden from hanging out unless somebody is giving you a check." He also criticized term limits -- which he said he voted against them in 1992 -- saying that an eight-year time frame deprives lawmakers from becoming subject matter experts. 

Putnam arrived by asking a Times reporter if he'd "booked his room at Innisbrook yet," referring to the swanky resort in Palm Harbor that will house the Florida GOP delegation at the party convention in August, 32 miles from the event itself. A proud resident of Bartow in Polk County, Putnam asked: "Who would have thought that Bartow's closer?" 

-- Steve Bousquet

With Stand Your Ground in spotlight, NRA launches campaign to defend it

On the same day that a 19-member task force met to begin discussions surrounding Florida's controversial Stand Your Ground law, the National Rifle Association released a statement in support of such self-defense laws. 

"The National Rifle Association will work to protect self-defense laws on the books and advocate for their passage in those states that do not fully respect this fundamental right," the statement says.

The NRA helped get the law on the books in Florida, and then pushed for it in more than two dozen other states. Now a 19-member task force is taking a look at whether or not the law--which came into play in the Trayvon Martin case--should be changed or scaled back.

Battle for the GOP prez also-rans: Herman Cain goes for George LeMieux, Michelle Bachmann for Connie Mack

In Florida's U.S. Senate Republican primary, the once-hot-now-not GOP presidential contenders are making themselves heard. Herman Cain is backing George LeMieux and Michelle Bachmann backs fellow Rep. Connie Mack (who has the de facto endorsement, by the way, of GOP de facto presidential nominee Mitt Romney).

The press releases:

MIAMI - The Connie Mack for U.S. Campaign today announced the endorsement of movement conservative and former Presidential candidate, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-MN).

Bachmann made the following statement regarding Mack's candidacy:
 
"Connie has been a steadfast fighter for freedom, less government and a fiscal hawk together with me in the United States Congress.  For every good proposal passed out of the House, the liberal Senate under Harry Reid and Bill Nelson have stopped it, including Connie's recent proposal to build the Keystone XL Pipeline without Presidential approval.  Senators like Marco Rubio and Rand Paul need other like-minded conservatives in the Senate to stop the liberals from tearing down our nation.  America needs Connie Mack in the U.S. Senate."


Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – Herman Cain Friday endorsed George LeMieux at the Hernando County Lincoln Day Dinner.

“As of tonight, I am officially endorsing George LeMieux for United States Senate,” said Herman Cain. “This is the type of person that we need in Washington, DC. People who are not afraid to challenge the establishment; people who are there to represent the people and not represent politics; people who understand that it’s time that we stop shuffling the chairs on the deck of the Titanic and start solving stuff. That’s the kind of Senator that he is, that’s the kind of Senator that he will be, that’s why I support you, sir.”

“I am honored to receive Herman Cain’s endorsement of my bid to return to the US Senate,” said George LeMieux. “Cain inspired the people of Florida with his showing at Presidency 5 and I am proud to have his support. This is further proof that our campaign is on the rise in Florida.”

Rick Scott, Republican pols proudly tout Syria-Cuba election-year law that won’t go into effect right now

In the historic Freedom Tower as the television cameras rolled, the political power structure of Miami’s Cuban-American community hailed Gov. Rick Scott as a he signed a new law designed to prevent Florida taxpayers from indirectly subsidizing the regimes in Cuba and Syria.

“Freedom matters,” Scott declared repeatedly before and after he signed the bill. “It’s the right thing to do.”

What he didn’t mention: The bill does nothing at the moment.

Here’s why: Congress has not expressly authorized states like Florida from restricting foreign commerce with Cuba and Syria. Therefore, technically, the law passed this election year conflicts with federal law.

“Because such a conflict may exist, the restrictions will not go into effect unless and until Congress passes, and President Obama signs, a law permitting states to independently impose such sanctions against Cuba and Syria,” Scott said in his signing letter, released after he left the Freedom Tower. “I, therefore, call upon Presient Obama to introduce federal legislation that will permit Florida to go above and beyond the pervasive and overly permissive federal regulations. The Cuban and Syrian regimes are no better than the Iranian and Sudanese regimes, and the federal government should permit the states to impose the same sanctions on each of these dictatorships.”

There was no mention of this conflict during the hour-long event where Republican politician after Republican politician spoke in favor of it. A number of them are seeking election.

State Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, who emceed the event, is running for Miami-Dade property appraiser. He said he was unaware that Scott would say the law wouldn't be enforced. Congressman David Rivera is up for re-election. And Congressman Connie Mack is running for U.S. Senate. Each spoke. None mentioned this potential glitch because, it seems at the moment, none knew that Scott would do this.

Download 5.1.12 HB 959 Transmittal Letter

Florida health centers receive 'Obamacare' funding

Community health centers across Florida will share $21.4 million in funding made possible by the Affordable Care Act, even as the state government continues its fight to invalidate the healthcare overhaul.

The 15 Florida organizations receiving funding are part of a federal network of community health centers that cater to the poor and those lacking private insurance. The money received this year is expected to help the centers serve 41,190 new patients.

In total, $728 million is being allocated nationwide to support renovation and construction projects at community health centers. The federal government has earmarked billions of dollars for thousands fo centers to expand services and reach more patients.

Other provisions of the health care law are also being implemented in Florida even as the Supreme Court considers the state’s motion to have the law declared unconstitutional. Though the Legislature has refused to implement certain areas the act, there are other provisions that don’t require the state to assist with implementation or pass through fund.

Hialeah is Connie Mack country

From a press release:

MIAMI – Republican U.S. Senate candidate, Congressman Connie Mack received the backing of Hialeah Mayor Carlos Hernandez, former Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina, and the entire Hialeah City Council represented by Council President Isis Garcia Martinez, Councilwoman Katherine Cue-Fuente and Councilman Paul Hernandez yesterday with a packed house at the Goodlet Adult Center.  The group presented their endorsement to Mack before a packed room of more than 300 active attendees of the Goodlet Adult Center in Hialeah.  Mack also received the endorsement of City of Hialeah Gardens Mayor Yioset De La Cruz.

Mayor Hernandez said, "Miami is Mack country, and there is no better friend of freedom for the residents of Hialeah than Congressman Connie Mack."  Former May Julio Robaina added, "Securing our freedom starts by not wasting our community's hard-earned dollars on wasteful programs, which Senator Nelson has done time and again.  It is time to retire Senator Nelson and send Connie Mack to the U.S. Senate."
 
Following a discussion of his Penny Plan to balance the federal budget, Mack took questions and thanked the crowd for their support.
 
"The amount of support our campaign has been shown by the Hialeah community and the Miami area, even before we started the campaign, has been overwhelming.  I am grateful for the support of Mayor Hernandez, Mayor Robaina and the entire Hialeah City Council in our fight for freedom."
 
After the event at the Goodlet Adult Center, Mack joined the Mayors and Members of the Council at Casa Marin Restaurant.  Highlights of the endorsement can be seen here: http://youtu.be/zqs3qKNNP9o
 
Earlier this year, key elected federal officials from the Miami area endorsed Mack's campaign for Senate, including U.S. Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Mario Diaz-Balart, David Rivera and Lincoln Diaz-Balart.  On March 1, Mack opened his statewide campaign headquarters at 2103 Coral Way in Miami.