Latest news with #FloridaPolitics
Int'l Business Times
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
'Just Release It': Trump Pal Ron DeSantis Breaks From Admin on Epstein File Handling
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis broke from President Donald Trump's administration on the handling of the files on sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, calling for top officials to "just release it." DeSantis advocated for the release of the files and a continued push of finding and arresting others connected to the sex trafficking scandal involving Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell during a Sunday appearance on Fox News' "One Nation." "What I would say is release it and let people see. But I think there's a desire for justice because Jeffrey Epstein and [Ghislaine] Maxwell did not just do this amongst themselves. I mean, there were obviously other people involved, and yet no one's been brought to justice," he said. In February 2024, DeSantis signed a bill alongside two of Epstein's victims allowing the grand jury documents from Epstein's 2006 case, which ended with him being spending 13 months in jail after pleading guilty to solicitation of prostitution and solicitation of a minor for prostitution in 2008, to be released to the public, USA Today reported. Epstein was found dead in his cell in August 2019 after being arrested the month prior for federal sex trafficking charges. Maxwell was arrested in July 2020 for similar charges, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2022 after she was found guilty. DeSantis has previously expressed support for releasing the Epstein files, pledging to "do full disclosure" while campaigning for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination in New Hampshire, Florida Politics reported in 2023. "Why do we not know about all the stuff with Epstein? You know, neither Trump or Biden were willing to [or] are willing to do that. I think that's important," DeSantis told the crowd. Epstein's new statement comes after Trump has continued to face intense backlash for his administration's handling of the Epstein files after the Department of Justice and FBI released a memo declaring that Epstein had killed himself and had no client list, going against prominent conspiracy theories. The scrutiny only intensified after the Wall Street Journal published a report alleging that Trump gave Epstein a drawing of a naked woman in a message for his 50th birthday. Trump has repeatedly denied the report and filed a lawsuit against the publication over the weekend. Meanwhile, Democrats and even some Republican lawmakers have continued to push for the release of the files, with some pushing for resolutions while others called for Trump officials to testify about the recent reports. Originally published on Latin Times
Fox News
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Rep. Byron Donalds: Anyone Who Voted For The Craziness In NYC Shouldn't Come To The Sunshine State
Florida Republican Congressman and GOP gubernatorial candidate in the Sunshine State Byron Donalds joins Fox Across America With Jimmy Failla to share his thoughts on the possibility of people fleeing the Big Apple if Zohran Mamdani wins the general election for mayor of New York City this November. 'The number one thing is though, if you voted for the craziness in New York, you can't come here. And we just got to be very clear. No, you can't come because what we've built in Florida has really been built over the last 30 years. Governor DeSantis has done a tremendous job the last six and a half years. And so going forward, we're trying to stay on the track that we are going in Florida. If you want the craziness of over taxation, crime, and all that crazy stuff that goes on up there, you can stay in New York, it's fine, continue to do that. But in Florida, we don't take offense, we follow common sense, we do public policy that makes sense for businesses to thrive, we want people to just be left alone, be free to make their own decisions, and then we have law enforcement who will uphold the law and we follow the law. Like it's a simple recipe, it not that hard, except for New York California and Illinois.' Jimmy and Rep. Donalds also discuss the passage of President Trump's 'big, beautiful bill,' and how this massive piece of legislation will make life better for middle class families. To hear what else they talked about, check out the podcast!
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
LaVon Bracy Davis, RaShon Young win Democratic primaries in special legislative election
LaVon Bracy Davis is one step closer to succeeding her mentor Geraldine Thompson after the sophomore lawmaker won the Democratic nomination for state Senate in Tuesday's special election. Bracy Davis' chief of staff, RaShon Young, also won his special Democratic primary to fill the state House seat she is vacating. The battle to succeed Thompson, a political icon in Central Florida who died in February just months after her reelection, drew some high-profile Democratic names including both Bracy Davis and her brother Randolph Bracy, a former state senator. Former congressman Alan Grayson also made his latest bid to return to office, and personal injury attorney Coretta Anthony-Smith, a political newcomer, made a strong showing. Bracy Davis took in nearly 43% of the vote in the special primary, with Anthony-Smith second with about 28%, Grayson in third with about 17%, and Bracy in last with just over 12%. 'I am humbled and honored to have earned the trust and support of the people of Senate District 15,' Bracy Davis said in a statement. 'I recognize that I am standing on the shoulders of the greats who came before me—especially my mentor, the late Sen. Geraldine F. Thompson,' she said. 'I promise to carry forward her legacy with integrity, courage, and a deep commitment to justice.' Bracy Davis will face Republican Willie Montague in the Sept. 2 special general election. The district, which includes parts of Orlando, Ocoee, Apopka and Winter Garden, leans Democratic with no GOP candidates having vied for the seat in 2022 and 2024. Young defeated former state Rep. Travaris McCurdy with more than 55% of the vote. He will face Republican Tuan Le and write-in candidate Christopher Hall of Tallahassee in the Sept. 2 general election. 'This victory is what constant commitment to leadership and to the people looks like,' Young said in a statement. 'From day one, this campaign was about lifting voices, fighting for justice, and standing in the gap for those too often left behind.' Young added he was 'deeply grateful' to Bracy Davis, 'who not only poured into me as a mentor, but walked alongside me as a champion for this community.' House District 40, which includes parts of west Orlando and Pine Hills, is also a heavily Democratic seat, with Bracy Davis getting 65% and 68% of the vote in her two House wins in 2022 and 2024. The family rivalry between Bracy Davis and her brother was one of the biggest stories of the Senate election, with Bracy — who jumped into the race within days of Thompson's death — saying his sister's bid 'dishonors' their late father, the Rev. Randolph Bracy Jr., 'in every way possible.' Bracy Davis, who was notably endorsed by their mother, civil rights activist LaVon Bracy, consistently said she wasn't running 'against' anyone. On Tuesday, she dedicated her victory to her father. 'I feel his presence in every step I take and every decision I make,' she said. 'His example continues to guide me, and tonight's victory is as much his as it is mine.' The last campaign finance reports filed before the election showed that tens of thousands of dollars had poured into the Senate race this month. Bracy Davis, who as an incumbent lawmaker was barred from raising funds during the extended legislative session, raised more than $50,000 in just three days between the end of session on June 16 and her campaign filing on Thursday. A political committee she chairs, Liberated by Democracy, raised $7,500 earlier this year. Anthony-Smith raised nearly $60,000 and loaned her campaign $175,000, while Grayson's filing last week showed he loaned his campaign more than $242,000, most of it in June. Bracy did not file a report last week, and earlier filings showed he raised about $3,000 and loaned himself another $6,000. In their race, Young took in $42,000 to McCurdy's $8,000 as of Thursday.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida hasn't had a CFO in months. Who will DeSantis pick, and why does it matter?
For nearly three months, Florida has been without a Chief Financial Officer. "Without a CFO in place, who in the hell is doing the business of the people?" asked former CFO Jimmy Patronis in a recent podcast. Patronis left the post on April 1 to replace former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz as Northwest Florida's member of Congress. Susan Miller, who was chief of staff under Patronis, is currently in charge of the Department of Financial Services, but Gov. Ron DeSantis has not officially named her CFO, even on an interim basis. The last press release from the department was in May, according to its website. The vacancy in a high-level cabinet position is unusual — the CFO is third in the line of succession for governor, after the lieutenant governor and attorney general. Especially since Florida also currently has no lieutenant governor: Former Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez left that role in February to be interim president of Florida International University, one of several DeSantis allies in leadership positions in Florida's higher education. (She's since been confirmed as president permanently.) At the first Florida Cabinet meeting since Patronis' absence, every new regulation or rule change was approved unanimously by DeSantis, Attorney General (and former DeSantis chief of staff) James Uthmeier, and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson. DeSantis had said he would appoint a temporary CFO by mid-May, after the scheduled end of the regular legislative session. But the session was extended due to a stalemate over budget talks between the House and Senate. A final budget was approved on June 17 and now awaits DeSantis' review. Now, a CFO choice could be forthcoming. When a choice is made, it may bring more Republican drama. DeSantis is said to favor a staunch loyalist for the position: Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill. At the same time, Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, last year announced his intent to run for the open seat in 2026. He's endorsed by President Donald Trump. It could make for an awkward GOP primary since Ingoglia is expected to also file to run for the seat for a full term. And Ingoglia, if appointed to serve the rest of Patronis' term, technically would have the advantage of being the incumbent. Here's what to know, and why it's important: The Department of Financial Services is powerful, in charge of paying state vendors and overseeing insurance, financial regulators and fire investigations. It was created in 2002 after the Florida Cabinet was overhauled in 1998 by combining the former offices of comptroller, treasurer, insurance commissioner, and fire marshal. "My department serves consumers and taxpayers through its work in 13 different divisions and additional initiatives I set forth," Patronis once wrote for the DFS website. "A world of information and assistance is provided by the department on issues ranging from insurance education and assistance, fire prevention and safety, and even unclaimed cash and property. "I have also established additional priorities to assist Floridians including fighting fraud, consumer protection and fiscal transparency." The DFS is made of the following divisions, each one with a direct impact on Floridians: Accounting and Auditing Consumer Services Criminal Investigations Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services Insurance Agent and Agency Services Office of Financial Regulation Office of Insurance Regulation Rehabilitation and Liquidation Risk Management Treasury State Fire Marshal Unclaimed Property Workers' Compensation State Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, is a long-time Trump ally who has support from Patronis and some influential Trump backers. DeSantis will be making the interim appointment, however, and the two men have had a contentious relationship. 'I don't know where the Governor's going to go with the CFO seat, although I'm pushing hard and I'd like to have it now because I think it'd be better for Florida,' Gruters told reporters in December. He announced his bid for the CFO position in June 2024. Gruters, 47, is a Tampa native with a bachelors' degree from Florida State University and an MBA from the University of South Florida. Previously a CPA for Robinson, Gruters & Roberts PA CPA LLC in Venice, he worked for multiple campaigns and became the chair of the Sarasota Republican Party. Gruters was an early Trump supporter and one of the few GOP leaders who got behind him in 2012. He became Florida co-chair of Trump's 2016 campaign. He won election as a House member in 2016 and moved to the Florida Senate two years later. He was reelected to the Senate in 2022. In 2019 he was elected chair of the Republican Party of Florida and reelected in 2021. In 2023, Trump appointed Gruters to manage the Patriot Legal Defense Fund, his tax-exempt legal defense expense fund. Trump announced in April he was appointing Gruters to vice chair of the White House Homeland Security Council. Gruters and DeSantis clashed back when Gruters was the state GOP chair over Gruters' pay and his organization of a fundraiser for the party. It didn't help when Gruters sided with Trump during DeSantis' campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, and later criticized the governor for spending taxpayer funds to attack an amendment that would have legalized recreational marijuana; Gruters supported the amendment. Gruters is married to Sydney Gruters and they have three children. Sydney Gruters was appointed by Trump in his first term to serve as the state director for Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. After that she worked as district director for U.S. Rep. Greg Steube before being hired as executive director of the New College Foundation during DeSantis' experiment in revamping the liberal arts college along more conservative lines. State Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, is a Queens, New York, native who moved to Florida in 1996 to start a mortgage company and homebuilding company. He became politically active, his bio says, when property taxes skyrocketed, founding "Government Gone Wild" and producing seminars and videos over governmental wastefulness. The 54-year-old was elected chair of the Hernando County Republican Executive Committee in 2009, and then was elected vice-chair of the Republican Party of Florida in 2011. In 2014, he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives and was later chosen chair of the Republican Party of Florida. He was reelected as state chair in 2017. Ingoglia ran for the Florida Senate in 2022 with DeSantis' endorsement and won. As a close ally of DeSantis, described as the governor's "conservative pitbull in the Florida Senate,' Ingoglia has criticized legislative leaders during a rift with the governor over immigration laws. He's sponsored bills in line with DeSantis' agenda, including lowering property taxes and imposing term limits on local officials. Ingoglia has been an official campaign spokesperson for both Trump and DeSantis. This story includes previous reporting by Gray Rohrer of the USA TODAY Network – Florida Capital Bureau. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida Chief Financial Officer pick may come down to loyalties
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats hope to succeed Thompson in Orange state Senate seat
State Sen. Geraldine Thompson's death earlier this year, just weeks before the start of the legislative session, left a huge void in Central Florida politics. Now a stacked slate of candidates is looking to follow her. Tuesday's Democratic special election primary includes two members of a Central Florida political dynasty in state Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis and her brother, former state Sen. Randolph Bracy; a former firebrand congressman in Alan Grayson; and a newcomer in personal injury attorney Coretta Anthony-Smith. The seat, which includes parts of Orlando, Apopka, Ocoee and Winter Garden, is heavily Democratic. Black voters make up 53% of registered Democrats, according to analyst Matt Isbell. Much ink has been spilled and pixels filled about the Bracy siblings facing off against each other, with the Bracys' mother, civil rights icon LaVon Bracy, endorsing her daughter over her son. The focus has irked the other candidates. Anthony-Smith said the campaign sometimes felt less like a Senate race and more like 'running for prom queen,' while Grayson said the primary should be treated as 'a serious choice in a meritocracy, rather than who's going to be captain of the high school basketball team.' Bracy said it was 'disappointing and hurtful' for his sister to run after he announced his bid. Bracy Davis, meanwhile, has been consistent in responding to questions about her opponents, including her brother, by saying she wasn't running 'against any of them, I'm running for the people of Senate District 15.' Anthony-Smith, 54, of Gotha, said her upfront view of the legislative process, after years of meeting with and testifying before legislators, convinced her she could do better. She said insurance executives, in particular, were playing 'some type of shell game' by not paying claims and instead raising premiums. 'There needs to be more accountability,' Anthony-Smith said. 'I feel like a lot of things flow from the insurance crisis. Insurance also affects affordable housing.' She wants to look into measures such as employers loaning money to employees for housing or creating rebates. Anthony-Smith's campaign raised more than $39,000 in contributions. In addition, she loaned herself $175,000, bringing her total campaign resources to more than the other candidates combined. Bracy Davis, 45, of Ocoee, who has served in the state House since 2022, said she is running for Senate to carry on the legacy of Thompson, who died Feb. 13. Last year, she said, Thompson 'told me very candidly that when it was time for her to retire, she wanted me to run for her seat. … She had mentored me, and she basically taught me the ropes, and of course I would be honored to continue her work.' That would include continuing to push for the state Voting Rights Act they co-sponsored, which would allow same-day voter registration and repeal recent GOP-led voter restrictions, increasing pay for public school teachers, and her signature Youth Conflict Resolution bill. Bracy Davis had been hamstrung by a state law preventing direct fundraising by lawmakers during the legislative session, which this year lasted until well into June. She had raised about $10,000 before session began, according to filings, and the committee Liberated by Democracy, which she chairs, had raised $7,500. Randolph Bracy, 48, of Oakland, served four years in the state House and six in the Senate before resigning to launch an unsuccessful bid for Congress in 2022. He lost to Thompson in last year's Democratic primary, which was open to all voters. 'We need someone who knows the landscape in Tallahassee, who's been effective in it, and who can get stuff done,' Bracy said. 'I've been able to bring over $250 million out of the budget back to our communities in Central Florida and around the state.' Bracy raised about $9,000, including a $6,000 loan from himself. Grayson, 67, of Orlando, served two stints in Congress and has since run unsuccessful campaigns for Congress, U.S. Senate and state Senate. 'I'll have a much greater impact, in terms of both legislation passed and money brought home, as well as constituent services,' he said, comparing himself to his opponents. He added his priorities if elected would be affordable housing and better public services. He was known for his incendiary rhetoric in Washington, including saying in 2009 the GOP health care plan was to 'die quickly.' 'When you see this level of evil, you have to do something about it, or you're discrediting yourself by the lack of action,' he said of today's Democrats. Grayson, a hedge fund manager, loaned his campaign $9,000. Tuesday's election comes only a week after the Republican-led Legislature finally broke its budget deadlock, which ultimately included no mention of Gov. Ron DeSantis' plan to reduce property taxes and provide $1,000 rebates for property owners. DeSantis still wants to place a voter initiative on the ballot next year to eliminate all property taxes, which he said was necessary to combat ballooning local budgets. Bracy was the only Democratic candidate for District 15 to say he was open to such a plan. 'I would have to see the details of it, but on the surface, I would consider an elimination of the property tax or a reduction.' The others wouldn't, with Anthony-Smith saying elimination of the property tax was 'not even on the table.' Bracy Davis said DeSantis' plan is 'disingenuous right now when we know that we're in an affordability crisis,' adding it 'may sound good, but we know that's not realistic.' Grayson said he's 'seen nothing that indicates that that proposal would be consistent with a balanced budget.' Another proposal that briefly appeared to gain traction in the Legislature, before being scrapped from the budget deal, was Orlando state Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith's plan to shift more tourist tax revenue away from marketing and towards public infrastructure. Bracy Davis signaled she was supportive of the idea, saying she has 'a very broad definition of tourism.' 'If I was getting flat tires because of the potholes and the bad roads in the state of Florida, I think that would keep somebody from coming back,' she said. 'We should be able to use those tourism dollars for infrastructure.' The other candidates defended the current system. 'If we stop marketing, five or 10 years down the road we're left without that stream of revenue that we've been reliant upon for so many years,' Anthony-Smith said. Bracy said Central Florida 'relies heavily on marketing Orlando to the rest of the world, so I think those funds need to be protected.' Grayson said if revenue 'is raised for a specific purpose of promoting tourism, then it should promote tourism.' He cited the example of his own Travel Promotion Act of 2009, which helped expand promotion of international travel to the United States. With Thompson's death and the defection of former minority leader Jason Pizzo, who became an independent last month, Democrats currently have just 10 seats in the 40-member state Senate, the lowest number for the party since Reconstruction in 1872. Polls in District 15 will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday. The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican WIllie Montague, who had no GOP primary challengers, in the Sept. 2 general election.
