Crist signs bill to tighten restrictions on Cuba travel

Ignoring the pleas of dozens of Cuban families and their travel agents, Gov. Charlie Crist signed a bill Monday that will impose tough new regulations and penalties on companies that arrange travel to Cuba.

The bill, sponsored by Miami Rep. David Rivera and Eustis Sen. Carey Baker, would increase the licensing fees and bond requirements of companies licensed by the U.S. State Department to provide travel services to Cuba and "any other terrorist nation."

Travel companies brought a busload of families to Tallahassee last week for a rally to urge the governor to veto the bill. They complained that the requirement to raise their annual registration fee from $300 to $2,500 a year, and the mandate that they post a bond of up to $300,000, will increase their costs and make it unaffordable for many financially strapped families with relatives in Cuba to pay for the trips.

''There is nothing in this bill that protects you as a consumer," said Tessie Aral of ABC Charters Travel in Miami, who organized the protest in the state capital. "It is basically a witchhunt from people who have their own political agenda." Her company flies 20,000 visitors to Cuba a year on flights that operate five days a week.

Rivera countered by alleging that the travel companies were acting in cooperation with the Cuban government, which could lower the price of travel by lowering its fees.

"If somebody has asked for political asylum in the United States, they have no business returning to the country which they were supposedly fleeing," he said.

 

State House candidate picked up on DUI charges

A candidate vying to represent a large section of Miami and Miami Beach in Tallahassee was arrested over the weekend on a charge of driving under the influence, according to Miami-Dade County corrections records.

Christopher Norwood, 35, an attorney and community activist running for the state House seat in District 109, was booked into the county jail Sunday morning after he was stopped by police as he drove north in the 300 block of Ocean Boulevard in Golden Beach, officials said. More here.

Drilling pushback: Sansom and Buchanan oppose it

The first sign of GOP pushback to Gov. Charlie Crist and John McCain's call for oil drilling off the Florida coast: Incoming House Speaker Ray Sansom and U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan say they oppose it.

Both should care. Geologists speculate the mother lode of natural gas lies beyond Sansom's House district in his coastal, development-dependent Panhandle region and others say that the only oil in the eastern gulf off Florida may be medium to heavy grade somewhere near Sarasota, near Buchanan's voters.

On Wednesday, Sansom, a Fort Walton Beach Republican, said he understands why the governor has changed his tune and now supports drilling off Florida's coast -- at least to determine what lies below. But Sansom is not ready to do the same. "I don't shift my views on these issues quickly,'' he told reporters. "At this point, I don't support drilling for oil off state waters.''

Buchanan, a Longboat Key Republican, told reporters that he, too, is concerned about the environmental impact coastal drilling would have on the state.

Sansom acknowledges that public opinion may be more open to domestic oil drilling and "gas prices could change the way people perceive this, but I still think there are other places in the country where the resources are more available."

Nonetheless, Sansom believes the debate will continue long beyond November and, if it does, he will create a committee to "take a very thorough review of what does this really mean and if exploring for oil off the coast of Florida will really lower the price of fuel."

Sansom predicts this much: "This will be a very, very defining moment for Florida, depending on what position we take."

Budget turkeys, pork and greens (by county)

The House just sent out this helpful election-year county-by-county spending list; a reminder that, despite $5b in cuts over a year, the budget for next year still has more than $62b in spending. At least for now.

Download bacon.pdf

Note: "Turkeys" is Tallahassee-speak for hometown-spending projects, which is known as "pork" in the federal budget.

Sansom: Miami-Dade lawmaker will be budget chief

As part of his bid to secure enough pledges to becoming the next House Speaker, Rep. Ray Sansom made a pledge to Miami-Dade Republicans: He would name one of them as chairman of the budget committee in the House.

"The deal was that Miami-Dade would have the chair of appropriations," said Rep. Julio Robaina, a South Miami Republican. "Which member it is, that would be up for him to decide. I think that's powerful to have one of our own serve in the position."

While Rep. David Rivera, a Miami Republican, characterized Robaina's account as "meaningless speculation" it turns out that Robaina is right.

Sansom confirmed he made the promise and he said this week he intended to keep it.

"I want to always honor my word,'' said Sansom.

His only caveat: He may change the current structure in the House where all substantive and all budget legislation moves through the Policy and Budget Council. But Sansom said any final decisions on structure and chairmanships will be made after the 2008 election cycle.

Sansom also promised that Miami-Dade lawmakers, especially those first elected in 2002, would have significant positions once he becomes House speaker. ‘‘All of them will have very significant roles because I trust them,'' he said. "Miami is going to be well represented."

Health politics behind the scenes: Staff vs. staff. Jeb plan vs. Crist plan

A break in the logjam over an affordable health-insurance plan began out about three weeks ago, following a somewhat tense meeting in House Speaker Marco Rubio’s conference room with Rep. Aaron Bean, Rep Juan Zapata and a number of staffers.

And it was clear two staffers -- the House's Carol Gormley and the Governor’s David Foy -- swere destined to clash.

“You could feel the tension in the room between the two. Call it a clash of philosophies. It was apparent,” Zapata said. Foy had worked for the Office of Insurance Regulation before and Gormley had help construct Jeb Bush’s Medicaid reform plan. Quickly the battle was cast as consumer protection v. over-regulation.

And Foy was “aggressive,” Zapata said. “It was like he was on the attack. He was out there. He did not pull any punches. At the same time, though, he was boxing his own shadow – it wasn’t major stuff they wanted. These were minor issues. And they were pretty good ideas, too. But he was tough about them,” Zapata said.

About that time, the governor’s office blindsided the House by releasing a memo to the press detailing its concerns. And Gov. Charlie Crist stepped up the pressure, saying lawmakers would have it tough this election season if they killed his plan. He bashed potential opponents by suggesting their “egos” might be getting in the way, but then started to make himself the face of the plan.

Crist publicly was chilly to the House plan but privately poured on the charm. “The governor did not stop calling me all weekend long,” Bean once said, according to Zapata. Said Zapata: “The governor really knows how to put on a full court press.”

Zapata acknowledged that some of the governor’s tough negotiating style was a natural result of last year’s failed property-tax talks that led to a little mistrust on both sides.

Seiler says good-bye

The House said goodbye to Rep. Jack Seiler, who during his eight years in Tallahassee has developed a reputation as one of the most influential and knowledgeable Democrats in the Legislature.

Seiler, a Fort Lauderdale Democrat who came to Tallahassee right after the state's upside down presidential election, was named Broward's delegation chairman this year. And he spent a lot of his time in 2006 guiding the county's large crop of freshman Democrats.

But Seiler's speech was characterized by his trademark humility. And he spent most of his time praising his staff, his fellow Broward legislators and current and former House leaders rather than talking about his accomplishments.

"One thing I realized is this process is bigger than any one of  us as place holders," Seiler said. "We are just holding these seats for however many years we hold them."

Seiler leaves his legislative post for one a little closer to home. He is running for Fort Lauderdale mayor as one of several candidates who hope to replace outgoing mayor Jim Naugle, who leaves office next year because of term limits.

Webster gets a room named after him

Sen. Daniel Webster, the veteran Winter Garden Republican who became the first GOP speaker since reconstruction back in 1996, will get a room named after him. The House voted to name 212 Knott Building, one of the largest committee rooms in the entire Capitol, after Webster as of Nov. 4. when he ends his lengthy legislative career. The House also gave him a lengthy standing ovation as both Senate President Ken Pruitt and Sen. Lisa Carlton watched.

Webster joins other legislative veterans, including former Senate President Toni Jennings, who now has a room in the Capitol named after him.

""He is the power of a good example and a life well lived,'' said Rep. Dean Cannon, an Orlando lawmaker who is in line to become House Speaker in 2010. Cannon said Webster's example inspired him to run for the Florida Legislature.

House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber praised Webster for debating Democrats "without animus or judgment."

Webster himself told House members that he was totally surprised by the honor, saying that Cannon tricked him and told him to come to the House chamber "immediately."  "This is really awesome,'' said Webster. Webster, who was in the minority when he entered the Legislature in 1980, said his goal when he was speaker was "let every member" be part of the process and that he thought he had achieved his goal.

(UPDATE: The Senate this afternoon also honored Webster by approving the resolution.)

Rubio shuts down voucher debate

House Speaker Marco Rubio abruptly shut down discussion on a school voucher bill as Rep. Trey Traviesa was in the middle of trying to explain who exactly he was referring to when he criticized comments coming from the "peanut gallery."

Rep. Curtis Richardson, a Tallahassee Democrat who has traded barbs with Traviesa previously this session, demanded that the Tampa Republican apologize for the remark. Traviesa began to apologize, when Rubio bounded up the stairs to the House dais, slammed down the gavel and postponed action on the bill. Rubio immediately went back to his office and Traviesa followed him.

The bill would expand the state's corporate income tax scholarship program by $30 million, which would allow 5,000 more students from low-income families to get vouchers to attend private schools around the state.

(UPDATE: After a few minutes, the House took the bill back up and began debating it.)

House toilet troubles and the good loo-tenant, Lopez-Cantera

House Republican leader Adam Hasner of Delray Beach had put the word out: Kill the Democrats so-called "toilet paper" bill. And Miami Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera and his fellow Republicans on the Business Regulation Committee responded in kind.

Oops. Turns out, Tampa Democrat Betty Reed had a Republican sponsor in the Senate, Tampa's Victor Crist, for her bill. And he was annoyed with the "arrogant" way Lopez-Cantera and his committee killed it March 20. So he said he started to bottle up some House bills in his justice appropriations committee.

House Democrats were even more bothered and, weeks later when they gridlocked the chamber (story here), they pointed to Reed's bill as one of the first examples of Republican election-year games that helped push them over the edge. Not only were Dems puzzled by the death of the bill, so was Crist. After all, who could be against making sure restrooms are clean and sanitary?

"I was told by the majority leader: The bill needed to die," Crist said Lopez-Cantera told him. Crist said he asked why? "And he said, 'I don't know, you'll have to take it up with him. I'm a good lieutenant. I follow my orders.' "

Said Crist: "Lopez-Cantera is a good guy and has a bright future, but he needed to learn some humility." Crist said he told Lopez-Cantera that Reed "didn't deserve to be treated as poorly as you treated her."

Reed couldn't be reached and Lopez-Cantera said he didn't want to comment on the conversation with Crist, but said the bill was an example of over-regulation and that the Legislature should focus on more important things.

Hasner gave a similar response: "The most important thing we can do right now is focus on the issues that are most important to the people of Florida.. getting the economy back moving again and helping make Florida affordable again. And issues like the toilet paper bill are a distraction from what's important to that goal."

Hasner said "on policy grounds alone, the bill was wanting" and that the members of the committee killed it of their own accord. Asked if he polled members about it, he said "I don't poll members." Did he ask them to kill it? "I could have said flush, but I didn't."

Democrats finally get their bills approved

Three Democratic bills that were stripped from last Friday's agenda were brought up out of committee and voted out on Tuesday afternoon by the full House. The move is intended to finally put an end to the tension that was created during last week's standoff between Democrats and Republicans.

GOP lawmakers stripped the bills from the agenda on Friday after Democrats insisted on reading each bill after Republicans blocked debate on an amendment to an education bill.

Be good Democrats and you will get your bills back

Rep. David Rivera, the House Rules chairman, said Monday that the House may take up three Democratic bills that were removed from the floor last Friday in a moment of pique provided that Democrats on Tuesday agree to allow the agenda to move in an "orderly fashion."

Rivera made his comments after being asked by Rep. Dan Gelber, the House Democratic Leader, about the future of the three pieces of legislation were poised to go to Gov. Charlie Crist, including one that changes the Bethune Cookman license plate to include the word "university." Republicans sent them to Rivera's committee after Democrats used a procedural move to slow down the pace of Friday's session. Democrats were angry that Republicans blocked consideration of an amendment that they wanted added to one of House Speaker Marco Rubio's top priorities.

Earlier during the House Policy and Budget Council meeting Republicans voted in favor of a stand-alone bill that included the identical language that Democrats wanted to add last week.

"This just demonstrates that Gelber's temper tantrum was much ado about nothing,'' said Rivera right after the vote.

Gelber response to Rubio's j'accuse

Since we posted the full text of Marco Rubio's thoughts on the shutdown, we need to do the same for Dan Gelber. From his blog:

"Friday afternoon and into early Saturday morning the Florida House came to a near standstill. Through use of a rarely deployed but constitutionally protected right, we demanded that every bill (no matter its length) be read in full on the floor of the House. For nearly 17 hours we refused to relent. Our decision was one of principle. Here is how and why it happened.

Friday morning, while the House was debating an education bill, the Republican Majority moved to end debate in order to preclude even the bringing up of an amendment authored by my colleagues Representatives Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall and Shelly Vana. The amendment was actually the substance of a bipartisan proposal that had previously passed out of the Florida Senate and that would dramatically reform Florida’s FCAT grading system. The House Republican’s motion to close down debate is an extremely hostile motion because it has the impact of stopping even the consideration of an issue or amendment. In fact, no one could even remember the last time that motion was employed by the Majority to gag discussion of an issue or amendment."

Clever GOP move caps 16 hours and 14 minutes of gamesmanship

A toxic combination of partisan rancor and muscle-flexing by an empowered Democratic caucus erupted into an all-day and all-night feud of parliamentary one-upsmanship in the Florida House of Representatives that kept lawmakers in their seats well into the morning hours Saturday.

But Republicans came up with a craft solution late in the game: Use new computer software to speed up the reading of bills to short-circuit Democrats' demands that all legislation be read in full on the House floor.

Full story here

The 101st great idea: Don't lose eight House seats

With all the stalling Democrats have inflicted on House Speaker Marco Rubio's chamber, it's probably a given that he'd love to have not lost eight seats to the minority party while he flew about the state and held idea raisers in support of his 100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future.

True, the eight-seat swing was more the result of political dynamics and candidates' skill levels, but the result is clear: 43 seats for Democrats -- three more than they need to ensure every bill is read in full on the House floor.

House nastiness. Rubio: Sit down, shut up, don't surf the net. Gelber: Read the bills in full. Don't drink water.

Annoyed that Republicans are using procedural moves to squelch debate, Democratic leader Dan Gelber and the Democrats successfully moved a procedural plan of their own: Read every bill in full. Full story here

House Speaker Marco Rubio told the sergeants to lock the chamber and find the members who aren't there. "We're going to be here a long time," Rubio said, saying that members could miss their planes for home, especially Jewish members who went to get home before Pesach.

With that, Miami Rep. Julio Robaina's 86-page condominium bill (HB 995) was up.

"I hope you guys like condominium law," Rubio said.

Gelber then told members: "Nobody drink water" so that they don't have to go to the restroom.

When the talking on the floor got so loud that it began to drown out the reader, and angry Rubio gavelled the House into a semblance of silence. He said if members didn't keep quiet, then he would order the sergeants to ensure "all the members are in the chamber and in their seats throughout the entire reading."

Rubio at 11:42 a.m. then gavelled the House quiet again, ordered everyone to take their seats and said he ordered the segeant to shut off Internet access. They haven't done it yet because they're trying to figure out how to do it without interrupting service throughout the House.

Haridopolos tribunal on tax swap begins

Two senators, both with hopes of being a future senate president, sit today in judgment of the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission decision to put a tax swap on the ballot at a hearing on the issue. The message of Sens. Mike Haridopolos and Jeff Atwater: It's an evil tax increase.

Haridopolos called the hearing after three letters to the TBRC refused to elicit the desired response and the commission members. They didn't answer his call for them to detail where they want legislators to come up with the money to replace the lost school property taxes that would be cut if the voters approve the plan in November.

"Show me the money,'' he said. "This still leaves us almost $7 billion and where would you fill that hole as we move forward.''

The line-up of presenters include people who fear the inevitable tax on some services that is likely to occur under the proposal: business owners, business lobbyists and a former legislator, and Winston Gardner, the president of TLC Engineering for Architecture in Merritt Island. Gardner was one of the legislature's tax chairman during the services tax debacle in 1987 and 1988.

His warning: think of the politics. "To cut property taxes 30 percent is pretty doggone popular but theyre' (voters) going to lose sight of that when they have to vote on the people who voted on the replacement revenue.'' He then ticked off a list of legislative leaders who were not re-elected after the services tax was enacted and repealed: Bob Martinez, Sam Bell, John Vogt, Dempsey Barron.

More bad news for poor and sick: deeper cuts to come

House Health Care Council Chairman Aaron Bean convened an impromptu meeting of the House budget conferees late Thursday to tell them the latest bad news: the House budget must drop another $83 million for health care programs, and another $100 million or so in additional cuts with the loss of federal matching money.

Bean said they would work to find more places to cut, on top of the $1 billion they've already eliminated from the state's social services budget. Mental health programs have been cut 10 percent, he said. Hospitals: cut 10 percent. Developmentally disabled programs cut 8 percent. "Everybody is screaming, so who do we go hit again?'' he wondered.

Bean admitted to being worried. The chronically ill, considered "medically needy," have already been cut and if they cut more from them "these folks are going to be out there with no place to go.''

Miami Republican Rep. Rene Garcia urged the group to "hold the line" against reducing Medicaid eligibility. Cut optional services before going there, he urged.

Find new money, implored Rep. Jim Waldman, Coconut Creek Democrat. "We need to look at alternate sources of revenue. We need to look at the cigarette tax." The $1 per pack cigarette tax is not even been considered by House leaders, but he believes it should be because many Republican legislators and Democrats have told him they'd support it -- to raise $1 billion a year in new revenue.

Bean said House and Senate leaders told him that raising taxes and tapping trust funds were not an option. "My focus now and my mission is to bring the House a bill that brings the reduction across the health care footprint,'' he said. "It's not my intent to close a group home for developmentally disabled but to make them tighten their belt.''

Webster: Lease Alligator Alley and use toll $$ to pay back endowment

How's this for out-of-the-box and into the swamp thinking? Senate Republican Leader Dan Webster wants to lease Alligator Alley, but not back to a private vendor but to the state -- in the form of the the Lawton Chiles Endowment Trust Fund.

The health care endowment would invest in the toll road by leasing it for $500 million and then use the toll revenues to pay for the health care needs. The big winner would be the DOT trust fund, which would get the additional $500 million. Webster says it could be a better return on investment than the stock market -- which as been tanking big time lately.

Republican incumbents, Senate candidates top fundraisers for Broward state seats

An economic slowdown and the legislative session's fundraising blackout didn't stop Broward's Republican legislators from adding huge sums to their campaign warchests during the first three months of 2008.

Topping the list for all of the county's legislative races is state Sen. Jeff Atwater, a North Palm Beach Republican and future Senate president, brought in a staggering $546,579 for his re-election battle with Democratic challenger and former state Sen. Skip Campbell.

Not far behind Atwater is Majority Whip and Republican state Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, of Fort Lauderdale, who raised almost $67,000 in the first quarter of 2008, roughly 12 times more than her Democratic challenger Christian Chiari.

The county's two open state Senate seats are also bringing in plenty of campaign cash. Former Democratic state Reps. Eleanor Sobel, Tim Ryan and Ken Gottlieb raised a combined $75,800 this quarter for their primary battle to replace state Sen. Steve Geller, who leaves this year because of term limits.

And the four Democrats vying for the seat state Sen. Mandy Dawson, D-Fort Lauderdale, will leave open because of term limits, brought in a combined $56,065 during the first three months of the year.

Some Broward's top individual fundraisers:

• Atwater: $546,600
• Campbell, $179,700
• Bogdanoff: $67,000
• Sobel: $31,300
• Ryan: $27,100
• State Rep. Marty Kiar, D-Davie: $25,100
• State Rep. Franklin Sands, D-Weston: $23,500
• Chris Smith, candidate for Dawson's state Senate seat: $21,700
• Hazelle Rogers, candidate for state Rep. Matt Meadow's soon-to-be-open seat:$21,200
• State Rep. Evan Jenne, D-Dania Beach: $20,200

Juan Zapata's booty call

As legislators scramble for cash in the worst budget crisis they've ever faced, tens of millions of dollars in treasure lies just within their reach outside the Capitol.

This is real treasure -- the kind hauled up from sunken Spanish ships. The state has one of the world's largest publicly owned collections of colonial Spanish doubloons and reales, as well as a few gold and silver ingots and chains.

Much of it lies safe and hidden in a vault, known only to a few, and occasionally loaned out to museums around the country.

But now Rep. Juan Zapata of Miami (who learned of the stash from lobbyist Bill Helmich) wants to crack it open and sell a little treasure to help fill some holes in the proposed $66 billion budget, which is more than $4 billion smaller than this year's spending plan. And the Republican is accusing the Florida secretary of state's office of throwing him off the scent and hiding the booty.

More here

Meatloaf-munching lawmakers miss Randolph's outrage

While most lawmakers were out eating meatloaf and tuna salad, Rep. Scott Randolph, an Orlando Democrat, openly questioned whether the $65.1 billion budget about to approved by the House was immoral.

"God will be the final judge of our deeds,'' said Randolph, who then proceeded to quote from the Gospel of Matthew and the Epistle of James, including this passage: "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Randolph went on to say: "How will God judge us when we tell him the rich and powerful are more important to us than the poor and elderly?"

Haridopolos plan: punt to gov on new tax plan

Here's the next punt in the budget debate: the Senate Finance and Tax Committee is scheduled to take up an amendment to a shell bill on "taxation" filed by Chairman Mike Haridopolos that will require the governor to come up with recommendations on how to revise the state's tax system, in the wake of the work of the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, anything the Legislature passes, and in light of the amendments voters may or may not pass in November.

The TBRC had expected that would be the job of the legislature. Crist's deadline: Feb. 1, a month before the legislature comes back into town. Here's the amendment and plan.

Senate agrees to pay Crotzer

The state Senate just voted 35-5 33-5 to give Alan Crotzer (left, after his 2006 release) $1.25 million as an apology for locking him up for 24 years for two rapes he did not commit.

Crotzer, flanked by his wife and two stepchildren, cried as the full Senate gave him a standing ovation moments before their vote.

"They know it was wrong and they admitted to it and they apologized for it in their own way," Crotzer said.

Read the web story here - a more complete version will be in tomorrow's paper.

House Budget Council in for long haul

After an hour and 45 minutes, the House Budget and Policy Council has made it through two bills of a 28-bill agenda.

Rep. Ray Sansom, the Fort Walton Beach Republican who leads the council, warned members to hunker down for a long day.

The budget meeting, which is supposed to end at 2 p.m., is going to take much longer -- possibly into the evening, Sansom said.

Guns at work bill passes with no debate

While 42 lawmakers voted against the legislation, no one debated against a House measure that being pushed by the NRA that would prohibit businesses from taking action against employees who bring guns to work, provided the guns are kept out of sight in the employees car.

The vote was not a strict party-line vote as five Republicans, including Rep. J.C. Planas from Westchester voted no. Four Democrats - including Rep. Ron Saunders from Key West - voted in favor of the bill. Newly elected Rep. Tony Sasso was also one of the Democrats who voted yes.

One state agency whose days may be numbered

As it has done several times in the last few years, the Florida House is once again targeting the Parole Commission for extinction. But this year's proposal is a bit different than past attempts. Instead of completely blowing up the commission and farming out its jobs to various state and local agencies, the House proposal calls for changing the commission to the Parole Board and housing it within the Department of Corrections.

Even though House staff said the proposal does not envision the cutting of any positions, Monica David, the chairman of the commission expressed alarm over the proposal. But Rep. Dick Kravitz, after taking questions for a few minutes, called on members to vote the legislation out of the Safety and Security Council, which they did by a largely party-line vote.

More pro-gaming bills in anti-gambling House

Another gambling whodunnit/whydunnit is brewing in the Florida House now that the Policy and Budget Council pulled from last week's agenda a measure to help the Palm Beach Kennel Club have more greyhound racing offsite and transfer the racing credits to have more simulcast betting and card games.

Problem is: No one's quite sure what it does. Is it the biggest expansion of gambling, or just a technical fix to help the kennel club be competitive with other pari-mutuels to the south and the Seminoles.

The bill was amended May 13 in the Jobs & Entrepreneurship Council by Republican Chair Ron Reagan of Bradenton to lower the tax rate on its racing handles. But the doozy (or dove, depending on whom you talk to) came from Miami Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, who said he thought he was just amending the bill to allow dormant jai alai permits to be converted to greyhound race track permits within 30 miles of the original facility.

Opponents (read: other gambling groups) said the amendment allowed for loads of other gambling facilities to crop up, including a South Beach cardroom. That's not apparent from the amendment. But then, nothing's apparent when it comes to the backstabbing world of the gambling lobby.

Lopez-Cantera said he wasn't trying to expand gambling beyond making the situation fair for the kennel club. Kennel club lobbyist Brian Ballard said the amendment went beyond what was intended, but wasn't sure of specifics. No one is.

"This is so complicated that the best thing to do now is nothing," Lopez-Cantera said.

Who is "somebody" and why did Hasner help him kill Hannah Montana bill?

Just before House Republicans voted along party lines to kill the so called Hannah Montana bill (more here on all that), House Republican chief Adam Hasner said he called a few of the members to get their thoughts on the measure. Hasner said an unnamed "somebody" requested he do it.

But Hasner is shocked! Shocked! If anyone asked if he were lobbying members to kill the bill -- especially to send a message to House Democratic leader Dan Gelber, who carried the bill. Hasner called questioning about his activities ''insulting'' because the bill was ''dumb'' and ``laughable.''

Hasner said the "somebody" just wanted a vote count, and that the measure was going to die anyway because Republicans already viewed it as anti-business. Democrats say it's a pro-consumer bill. Etc.

Hasner also noted that he doesn't whip votes, Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff does that.

House pizza. Hold the sunshine.

It seems the chairs of the various House Councils met last night for pizza without any pesky notice during Sunshine Week, when the news media celebrates the government-in-the-sunshine law.

Was the law broken? No, says Rules Chair David Rivera, R-Miami, who said pending legislative business wasn't decided. The members just gave each other legislative updates, he said.

Apparently, some members were alerted via Blackberry PINs, an effective way to communicate because it's not only instantaneous, it doesn't yield a public record.

Who was there? Rivera wouldn't say.

What kind of pizza did he eat? Rivera doesn't remember.

Who paid for it? Rivera doesn't know.

"Ask Marty," he said, referring to Rep. Marty Bowen, the Haines City Republican and House Speaker pro-tem.

Newbie Dem says he returns to legislature as a "servant"

The last time Oscar Braynon II stepped foot on the floor of the Florida House of Representatives he wore a blue jacket with a circular patch -- his uniform as a page for political up-and-comer Rep. Kendrick Meek.

Thirteen years later on Tuesday morning, a career came full circle for Braynon. The 31-year-old legislator was sworn in as Miami-Dade's newest lawmaker, representing District 103, which covers areas of North Miami-Dade and parts of Miramar.

One of the first to greet him with a hug and handshake was Meek, now a U.S. congressman.

''It seemed like it was so far away,'' Braynon said of his early start in politics working for Meek. ``I never thought one day that I would be here. I knew I wanted to serve the community, but I never knew that I would get an opportunity like this.''

Braynon, a Miami Gardens Democrat, was elected in February to fill the post vacated by Rep. Wilbert ''Tee'' Holloway. Holloway, who was facing his last year in office due to term limits, left when he was appointed to the Miami-Dade School Board.

Braynon will fill the remainder of Holloway's term and plans to run for the seat again during the November general election.

In a speech to his fellow representatives, Braynon recounted his first trip to Tallahassee to work as Meek's page, a temporary job given to middle and high school-aged students who fetch files and meals for legislators while they are in session.

'One of my friends said to me, `What are you going to do up there?' '' Braynon recounted. 'I said, `I'm going to take him some juice, water, carry around some files.' ''

He said his friend questioned why he wanted to be somebody's ``servant.''

Braynon said his whole perception of politics changed after he watched Meek interact with other lawmakers and answer constituents' questions during the week. He returned home and told his friend, ``I wasn't a servant, I was a helper. The people who were elected, those are the real servants.''

Aside from working closely with Meek, Braynon is the former vice mayor of Miami Gardens.

Meek said he was proud of his former aide: ''I knew he was a leader,'' he said.''From serving orange juice to now serving the residents of House District 103, this is just a very emotional moment,'' he said.

Braynon's parents and wife Melissa -- pregnant with the couple's first son -- attended the ceremony. Braynon looked at the name plate on his new desk on the House floor and soaked up the moment: ''It just sends chills up the spine,'' he said.

Gelber tells warns Dems to "hang together'' or be divided

Buoyed by the addition of one more Democrats to their ranks, House Democratic Chairman Dan Gelber sent out a warning to the 43 Democrats in the 120-member chamber just before they convened session that that their rising numbers make it increasingly important that they resist attempts by Republicans to divide them.
        "They will be coming to you as often as possible,'' he said. "The only reason you're important to them is because you're colleagues are not going to move. Please stay and hang tough. It's not just the numbers. The issue we're fight for are more important than ever. They are going to eviscerate things.''

Republicans swore in two new Republicans -- Reps. Chris Dorworth of Lake Mary and Matt Hudson of Naples  -- and the Democrats swore in two new Democrats, Reps. Oscar Braynon II of Miami Gardens and Tony Sasso of Cocoa Beach.

Greer to Sasso: We are coming after you in 8 months

Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer on the win by Democrat Tony Sasso in the special election to fill the seat once held by Rep. Bob Allen: "We look forward to the opportunity to win this seat back when Tony Sasso's eight months are up."

Greer, echoing the comments of House Speaker Marco Rubio, said that Sasso "campaigned as a fiscally conservative, pro-gun Democrat in an effort to connect with the mainstream majority" in House District 32. "Tonight the question for Tony Sasso is this: During the next eight months as a state representative, will you keep your campaign promises to the people of HD 32? Or will you revert back to your old ways of voting on nearly every tax increase that crosses your desk.?"

Rubio: Sasso won by embracing conservative ideas

House Speaker Marco Rubio said that the victory of Democrat Tony Sasso in House District 32 over Republican Sean Campbell on Tuesday night is not some sign of impending doom for the GOP.

In a rejoinder to Rep. Dan Gelber, whose latest blog entry uses the Sasso victory to mock House Republican leaders as out of touch with the mainstream, Rubio points to the fact that Sasso himself received a top rating from the National Rifle Association and that his own website says that Sasso is in favor of "real property tax reform" and that he supports "conservative budgeting and a fair tax structure that protects homeowners from inequitable tax increases and encourages businesses to expand and create jobs."

"You may think this is a statement from me, right?" said Rubio in an e-mail. "No, it is actually right off the Tony Sasso website. It proves that the path to victory for Democrats is to embrace the fiscal conservative principles the House leadership has been espousing. We congratulate Rep. Sasso on his election and welcome him to the ranks of fiscal conservatives with open arms."

Rubio also added: "Lower taxes and the Right to Bear Arms? He sounds like my kind of Democrat."

Gelber: House leaders have presided over a complete collapse

House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber wasted little time on Tuesday gloating about the apparent victory of Democrat Tony Sasso over Republican Sean Campbell and used it to urge moderate Republicans to stop following House Republican leaders "over the cliff."

In a piece that is already up on his blog, Gelber states that House GOP leaders "have presided over a total collapse of their party's dominance,'' citing the fact that Democrats have picked up nine seats in the last two years (although the net is only eight since Will Kendrick switched parties after the 2006 elections.)

Gelber credits the victory in the seat held formerly by Rep. Bob Allen to Sasso and the Democratic political team but he also states "We couldn’t have done it without my Republican House colleagues who have proven they are simply out of step with Florida’s mainstream. During this election cycle, they circumnavigated the state with Newt Gingrich in tow offering power points celebrating right wing Republican orthodoxy, instead of sensible candidates who speak to the aspirations of their constituents and the real challenges of our state."  More here.

House Democrats pick up GOP seat

With just five precincts left to be counted, it appears that House Democrats have a good shot at winning a special legislative election going on in Brevard and Orange counties.

If this holds, this will be the ninth GOP seat that Democrats have picked up since Marco Rubio became speaker designate. Democrat Tony Sasso right now holds a slim 409 vote lead over Republican Sean Campbell to win the House seat that had been held by former Rep. Bob Allen, the Merritt Island Republican who resigned in disgrace after he was convicted of trying to solicit a male policeman for oral sex in a park bathroom.

The seat held by Allen was heavily Republican and voted overwhelmingly for President Bush in the 2004 election although Bill Nelson defeated Katherine Harris in the district in the 2006 Senate race. But maybe the GOP knew things weren't going to go their way last week: Gov. Charlie Crist had planned to campaign for Campbell but at the last minute the event was canceled.

UPDATE: With just one precinct left, Sasso has maintained his lead. UPDATE TWO: It's over--Sasso won.

House to begin formal inquiry into SBA

House Speaker Marco Rubio has ramped up a formal inquiry into problems with the Local Government Investment Pool, which nearly collapsed last fall. Rubio announced on Monday that the House is hiring "two national experts" in asset management and securities.

One of those that Rubio has signed on is Thomas Tew, a partner with law firm of Tew Cardenas, the place where Rubio once worked as a young attorney fresh out of law school. The other is Tanya Styblo Beder, chairman of SBCC, a New York based firm that provides investment advice.

Beder will be charged with examining the operations of the pool and to ensure there are statutory measures in place to prevent future problems. Tew, who has a background in securities law, will provide legal advice.

GOP Legislator: Stop using lottery money on Bright Futures

During an afternoon budget session where lawmakers peppered Lottery Secretary Leo DiBenigno with questions, Rep. Stan Jordan began asking whether or not it was right for money from lottery ticket sales to be used for Bright Futures Scholarships. Nearly $400 million out of the $1.2 billion provided to education is used for the college scholarships.

The Jacksonville Republican said it appeared to him that students were using Bright Futures to pay for tuition, and then turning around using the money from their pre-paid tuition plans to buy "BMWs." Jordan acknowledged that it would be hard to end what he called an "entitlement" but he said he was "K-12 guy" and that the money should be going "those in greatest need."

Jordan's comments were sparked by a conversation of where increased money from Lottery sales will be used and whether or not it truly will be spent as an "enhancement" of education spending and not supplanting other state tax dollars. A constant refrain in the 20 years of the Lottery is that the money is not going where it was intended - which was a result of the Legislature in the early '90s using the Lottery to balance the budget instead of cutting education spending further. When Republicans took control of the Legislature they made the decision to spend lottery money on Bright Futures as a way to keep the promise of the Lottery.

Rep. Frank Attkisson, chairman of the House council that oversees the Lottery Department budget, continued to be skeptical about how much the Lottery could generate and he wondered if during a time of "recession" it was right for government to ask people to turn back more of their discretionary money to government.

DiBenigno told Attkisson that he viewed Lottery ticket sales as "entertainment" spending and that he certainly would not want to do anything that would convince people to spend less on items needed for their family and use it on the Lottery.

Depressing signs of a recession

More signs of troubles in Florida were just given in the House Safety and Security Council by Belvin Perry, chief judge of the 9th Judicial Circuit and chair of the Trial Court Budget Commision. Perry argued against broad cuts to the judiciary, including the elimination of 125 mediators, by noting the following court-load increases:

Mortgage foeclosures: 97 percent the past 12 months

Property crimes: 14 percent increase from state fiscal year 05 to 06

Drug crimes: 9 percent increase from state fiscal year 05 to 06

Divorces: 9 percent increase from state fiscal year 05 to 06

Dependency cases: 6 percent increase from state fiscal year 05 to 06percent

County court civil filings: 10 percent increase from state fiscal year 05 to 06

County criminal cases: 9 percent increase from state fiscal year 05 to 06

Afterward, prosecutors, child porn investigators and state law enforcement officers all bemoaned cuts to their budgets as the crime rate increases and state tax collections decrease.

Evolution "theory" debate could come to Capitol

Top state legislators say they're ready to join the fight over putting the word ''evolution'' in Florida's public school science standards to ensure that it's taught as just a theory and not as fact.

Rep. Marti Coley, future House Speaker Dean Cannon and state Sen. Stephen Wise, all Republicans, say they're considering filing legislation this spring that would specifically call evolution a ''theory'' if the state Board of Education approves the proposed science standards Feb. 19 as currently written.

For the first time in state history, the standards would clearly call on all science teachers to instruct middle- and high-schoolers about evolution and natural selection.

The proposed standards just say ''evolution,'' not ``theory of evolution.''

Though Wise says biblical creationism should be taught alongside evolution, Coley said she doesn't want to go that far with evolution.

''It's technically a theory. Let's present it for what it is'' Coley told The Miami Herald on Tuesday.

Coley's proposal concerns backers of mainstream science because they fear the word ''theory'' could be easily manipulated to cast doubt on evolution, a pillar of biology.

An Arza on the no-slots campaign. How about the other one?

Two of disgraced Hialeah Rep. Ralph Arza's closest political allies -- cousin Hugo Arza and Rep.Stan Mayfield -- are working with the anti-slot machine campaign called Truth for Our Community and were photographed recently by the Miami Herald standing beside the campaign's leader, Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina.

So is the former Rep. doing any work for the group?

"No," said Robaina. "Ralph is a friend, but he's not working for us."

Despite a well-placed source who said the Rep. is working for the campaign -- getting legally paid through his cousin -- Robaina said he hadn't heard that.

Arza pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge last year after he and his cousin teamed up to make threatening calls to another Rep., Gus Barreiro, who was one of a number of people to complain that Arza repeatedly used the "n" word to describe Miami-Dade schools chief Rudy Crew. Arza repeatedly called Barreiro a "bitch" in the recorded messages left on Barriero's phone, while his cousin was far more explicit and threatening.

Before pleading out, incoming House Speaker Marco Rubio met with Arza at his home and asked him to step down to spare the Florida House any troubles, but Arza -- with Mayfield standing by his side -- refused at first. Mayfield, of Vero Beach, lives far away from Miami-Dade, which will exclusively decide Jan. 29 whether to approve the measure.

In the picture of Robaina speaking below, Hugo Arza stands at the left edge in a pink tie and Mayfied stands two spots to the left of Robaina behind a woman in red:

 

Dinner and a (drag) show to raise money for LaFontaine

Mark LaFontaine, who hopes to become the first openly gay member of the Florida Legislature by winning the seat about to be left open by state Rep. Jack Seiler, is getting a little help from a current openly gay elected official.

U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, a Massachusetts Democrat and openly gay member of Congress, will help LaFontaine raise money at two events on Jan. 13.

Frank, who serves as the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, will appear at a closed-door fundraiser at a Wilton Manors home that morning. But for the evening event, the campaign was looking for something "a little more off-beat," said Stephen Gaskill, LaFontaine's spokesman.

Their choice? Lips, a bar and restaurant in Oakland Park, known for "drag dining."

"We thought it would be something that people would turn out for," Gaskill said. "There are always fundraisers for $100 or $150, where you get the same thing. We thought it would be fun to have dinner and a show at an unusual location."

Definitely not your typical campaign fundraiser. Check out info here.

Sweet Niblets again! Gelber locked out of Montana shows

House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber joined thousands of other parents on Saturday morning trying to get tickets for the Hannah Montana show scheduled for late January. And once again he got nowhere. Despite trying on both the phone and the Internet, Gelber was too late. Despite touring this fall in Florida, Montana has added shows in Orlando, Miami and Jacksonville.

"Of course I didn't get any tickets,'' said the Miami Beach Democrat.

Gelber has filed legislation for the 2008 session that would crack down on the ticket brokers who scoop up all available tickets and resell them at a hefty profit. As a result of this latest failed attempt to get tickets, Gelber said he is now planning on amending his bill to also require that giant ticket companies such as Ticketmaster tell consumers how many tickets they actually have available to sell.

Gelber said once he announced he was going after the brokers he has been offered tickets by radio stations and ticket brokers. He told he couldn't accept them because of Florida's gift ban, but then he was offered the tickets at face value. But Gelber refused, saying that would be wrong as well.

"It's wrong to accept something that the public can't get,'' said Gelber.

The family that raises money together stays together

Next week state lawmakers return to Tallahassee to conduct legislative committee meetings and at the same time raise a lot of money.

Among the slew of fundraisers on tap next is this one: Sen. Larcenia Bullard, a Miami Democrat, is holding a joint fundraiser with her son, Dwight Bullard, who is running for the House seat now held by his father, Ed Bullard. Campaign records show that another Democrat in the race Tony Crapp Jr. has already raised more than $22,000 for the race compared to just $2,100 that Bullard has raised.

Allen resigns

State Rep. Bob Allen has resigned from the Florida House, a spokeswoman for House Speaker Marco Rubio just announced. The Merritt Island Republican resigned just days after he was convicted of solicitation. He allegedly offer $20 to perform oral sex on a male police officer in Titusville. His resignation takes effect on Feb. 15, or when a replacement can be selected through an election.

Here's a copy of his letter: Download Rep.Allen.pdf

Former Byrd staffer picks up endorsements

Rafael Perez, a former aide to House Speaker Marco Rubio and deputy chief of staff for Speaker Johnnie Byrd, has picked up the endorsements of U.S. Reps. Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart for his bid to take the House District 111 seat now held by Rubio. Rubio is leaving office due to term limits.

"Their endorsement comes as a pleasant surprise,'' said Perez. "I am honored to have my key local Congressmen come on board and support our campaign."

Rubio: We will take steps against Allen

House Speaker Marco Rubio says the House will now take action against Rep. Bob Allen, who was convicted on Friday of charges of soliciting a police officer for an oral sex act.

"The crime Rep. Allen has been convicted of is serious,'' said Rubio in a statement. "The House has reserved action on this matter to allow Rep. Allen the right to conduct his defense and to ensure that all the facts were made available. This conviction makes it impossible for Rep. Allen to represent responsibly the citizens of his district. Furthermore, it is my personal belief that it harms the reputation of the Florida House of Representatives. We will now take appropriate steps."

Rep. David Rivera, the Miami Republican and chairman of the panel that could be responsible for taking any action against Allen, would not say what the House might do. He said that he expected Allen would resign instead of waiting for any sanctions from the House.

"Before appropriate steps are necessary, I expect Bob Allen will do what is right for the people of the state of Florida,'' said Rivera.

 

Is FSU putting a legislator on its payroll?

Florida State University President T.K. Wetherell has scheduled a 12:30 p.m. media availability to discuss his selection of a new interim athletic director to fill in for Dave Hart, who is leaving at the end of the year.

Several sports reporters have said the likely candidate is Rep. Bill Proctor, a Republican legislator from St. Augustine and the former president of Flagler College who played football for FSU in the '50s and was briefly an assistant coach. Wetherell, a former House speaker himself, played football at FSU in the '60s.

Proctor, who is currently chancellor of Flagler College, sits on both the House Committee on Postsecondary Education and the Schools and Learning Council, which is the panel that crafts the annual budgets for public schools, community colleges and the state's 11 public universities.

(UPDATE: FSU has made it official. They are hiring Proctor as "special assistant to the president for athletics," a newly created temporary position that will start Nov. 5. Proctor will then become interim athletic director in January. One of the conditions is that Proctor cannot be a candidate for the permanent job.)

And now back to our previously scheduled fundraiser

Oops. It appears that the fundraiser set for this afternoon's Florida State University-University of Miami game in Tallahassee will still go on as planned. Rep. Franklin Sands, when asked about it earlier this week, said that the Saturday fundraiser had been scrapped because of the death of his mother. But Sands called back and said he was talking about a different fundraiser that had been scheduled in Broward County.

So the House Democrats fundraiser at the game, which required a minimum contribution of $1,000 to the Florida Democratic Party, is still a go. Sands, however, said no House members planned to attend today's event. Fundraising during special sessions is prohibited _ but House lawyers have recently said that members could go to party fundraisers as long as the members name was not on the invitation.

Gambling industry rolls the dice, and money, with GOP

Florida's ailing gambling industry, betting on the Republican-led Legislature to come to the rescue, has anted up $800,000 to the state party in the past three months, most of it at House-sponsored fundraisers.

The checks, some as large as $100,000, came from owners of parimutuels from Miami to Jacksonville, Tampa and West Virginia and account for 17 percent of the $4.71 million the state GOP raised during over the quarter that ended Sept. 30.

Nearly $600,000 of the GOP haul was delivered to the party within one week in late July, the same time House Republicans held ''Havana Nights'' fundraisers in Coral Gables and Miami Beach. The events featured a yacht cruise, salsa lessons, dinner at the former Versace mansion and personal concierges available 24/7. More here.

The closest Rivera gets to a 10

Republican Rep. David Rivera is now an environmentalist. You can thank former model and star of 10, Bo Derek for that.

When the '80s sex symbol came to Miami to raise awareness about illegally trafficking in wildlife, the House Rules Chairman made sure to show and get a pic.

  "Bo Derek is a species that I hope will never be endangered, a combination of beauty, brains, and compassionate conservatism," Rivera said.  "I applaud her passionate work on behalf of endangered species around the world."

House lawmakers for rent?

The upcoming annual Florida Chamber of Commerce meeting in Destin, Fl. will include a unique twist on the fundraising circuit: A simultaneous fundraiser for both the Republican Party of Florida, and a committee of continuous existence run by the Florida Chamber.

It turns out that both the party and the Chamber have invited people to play golf with House leaders at the first annual Sand Dollar Classic Golf Tournament at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in exchange for a donation. The invitation for the Oct. 23 event from the Chamber says that sponsors can get one "senior House leadership member" in exchange for a $10,000 donation to the Chamber CCE and one legislator for a $5,000 donation.

The chamber invitation says that Rep. Ray Sansom and Rep. Marti Coley are among those hosting the "golf tournament and legislative reception." By contrast, the invitation from the Republican Party lists Coley, Sansom as well as Rep. Dean Cannon and Rep. Will Weatherford.

Doug Wheeler, vice president of grass roots advocacy and PAC development for the Chamber, said those who were invited directly by the Chamber are the only ones who will make contributions to its CCE. He said that only about 400 people received the invitation from the Chamber and he's said it was unlikely anyone would even make a $10,000 donation. He said more people were likely to be invited to the event by the Republican Party.

When asked about the event this past week, Sansom, who joked that he's not much of a golf player, said he got involved to help the party.

"Anything I raise is for the party,'' said Sansom.

Bid to name center after Ronald Reagan scuttled by GOP

Rep. Ron Saunders, a Key West Democrat, saying he was trying to avoid all the ongoing controversy with the Johnnie B. Byrd Sr. Alzheimer's Center and Research Institute tried to rename it after President Ronald Reagan, the Republican icon who suffered from the disease in the later years of his life. The amendment was soundly defeated by a 36-67 vote, with most Republicans voting against the name change.

Three Republicans, however, did vote for the name change: Bob Allen, Thad Altman and David Simmons. Simmons, however, told the House clerk later that "accidentally pushed the wrong button" and that he thought he was voting on something else.

Saunders tried to attach the name change to a bill that would slash state funding for the center by $7.5 million. The Senate is proposing only cutting the funding by $1.5 million. The center is named after the father of the controversial former House speaker who presided over the House in 2003 and 2004. Rep. Rich Glorioso, the Plant City Republican who replaced Byrd, told members to vote against the proposed name change. Glorioso told members that the Reagan family has previously told backers that they did not want the center named after the late president.

PIP passes, Miami glitch fixed

The House just passed the PIP bill 105-4. The nay votes are all Republicans: Carlos Lopez-Cantera of Miami, Aaron Bean of Fernandina Beach, Don Brown of Defuniak Springs, Will Kendrick of Carabelle.

In the yes column: Rep. Ronald Reagan, R-Bradenton, who amended the no-fault insurance bill yesterday to limit attorney fees. The language, which Senators said they won't take up, was struck this morning on the floor.

In  other glitch-fix news, Lopez-Cantera's bill to put Miami on a list of the state's most egregious tax and spenders sailed out unanimously. The bill suggests Miami cut its rollback tax-rate by 9 percent more. Miami won't.

More here and here (at the end) on all that.

Smile, lawyers, Ellyn changes PIP bill to close deal. Again

Now that Rep. Ronald Reagan's jobs council scotched a PIP deal with the Senate by capping lawyer fees, Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff is ready to scotch Reagan's scotching and return the bill to much of its original form.

And she could do one better: Codify the right for lawyers to multiply their fees in egregious no-fault auto injury cases, according to one draft of a bill the Fort Lauderdale lawyer is working on to strike all of the changes that Reagan and Rep. Don Brown (both home-insurance agents) made to the benefit of State Farm.

If she succeeds and the bill clears the floor, Sen. Bill Posey said it's a good chance the bill could clear his chamber as well, perhaps in a day. But all bets are off until the votin's done.

Bogdanoff said she understood that the changes made to her bill today was a last-ditch effort by House conservatives to send a message to negotiate with the Senate.

"I did, and they said: 'No.' Well, three strikes and you're out. So let's get this done," she said.

One of the greatest beneficiaries: House Speaker Marco Rubio. He wrote a letter to Gov. Charlie Crist asking him to use his "leadership" to put PIP and property taxes on the agenda. Crist met him halfway with PIP. So if the deal blew up in Rubio's House, he'd have some political explaining to do.

Story here.

More partisan sniping over the budget

Well that didn't take too long. About 90 minutes after House Democrats unveiled a placard at a Capitol press conference criticizing Republicans, Republicans fired back. In a release titled "Fact Check" the House Majority Office says that Rep. Dan Gelber "didn't bother to check his facts, or his votes -- since four out of the six bills Gelber ranted against were approved overwhelmingly with the support of House Democrats."