Good morning and happy Monday. Check out Florida’s top political news stories:

Charlie Crist calls for end of Cuban embargo, Gov. Rick Scott responds:  Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, running for the seat again as a Democrat, told HBO’s Bill Maher Friday that he believes the Cuban embargo didn’t work and should be “taken away.”“[Cuba] has been held hostage by a small Cuban community in Florida for a very long time,” Maher said, adding that if politicians had the courage to stand up to the community, college kids would be going there for spring break next month. Crist agreed, saying it was the right thing to do. Read more.

GOP: Crist’s assertion that 6 Floridians die a day because of Rick Scott is absurd: Former Gov. Charlie Crist, the three-parties-in-three-years gubernatorial candidate, is spreading the word on his national book tour that Floridians are dying because Gov. Rick Scott failed to expand Medicaid. Continuing his media appearances to promote his new memoir, Crist appeared on MSNBC’s “Daily Rundown,” where he ripped into Scott. “[Scott] said he was for it, Medicaid expansion, for about 30 seconds. I’m exaggerating a little bit, but not much,” Crist said. “Didn’t lift a finger to get it passed. Read more.

Opponents of red light cameras receive some unexpected ammo: Bribery accusations: RedFlex Traffic Systems, the Arizona-based firm that installed and monitors cameras at 25 intersections in Jacksonville, has been mired in controversy surrounding a $100 million contract it had with the city of Chicago, which has since fired the company. Company officials admitted last year that the contract, one of the largest in the country, was likely the result of a $2 million bribery scheme involving a former Chicago city official who oversaw the red-light camera program, according to the Chicago Tribune. Read more.

Dems, ACLU Protest University Voting Decision: Democrats contend Gov. Rick Scott is “laying roadblocks to voting” because of a state Division of Elections opinion that the student union at the University of Florida can’t be used as an early voting location. Meanwhile, American Civil Liberties Union of Florida Executive Director Howard Simon said Friday his group will determine if a challenge is possible to “this attack on the voting rights” of students. Read more.

New five-year sugar policy becomes law: President Barack Obama today officially signed the 2014 Farm Bill, and with it, continued America’s current sugar policy for another five years. Sugar producers applauded the new law, which overcame tremendous obstacles to ultimately unite leaders from both political parties. Read more.

BONUS: ‘Work is a beautiful thing’: Powerful 60 second video renews Americans’ pride

For more Florida political news, visit BPR’s FLORIDA NEWS page

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Michele Kirk

Michele Kirk is the vice president and senior managing editor for BizPac Review. Michele can be reached at [email protected]

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