Five of today’s top Florida political stories at your fingertips:
Rick Scott enacted single-term high of 12 pro-gun laws: Gov. Rick Scott appears nearly bulletproof right now in the eyes of the National Rifle Association. That assessment of Scott comes as the NRA notes that more pro-gun bills have been signed into law in the past four years than during any other recent single gubernatorial term. The organization sent a message to members applauding Scott for setting the record. Since taking office in 2011, Scott has signed into law 12 gun-related measures backed by the NRA. That total is nine more than former Republican Gov. Charlie Crist approved while enjoying an equally Republican-dominated Legislature between 2007 and 2010. Read more
Ethics complaint: Crist failed to report income, car lease on financial disclosure forms: An ethics complaint filed Wednesday is calling additional attention to Charlie Crist’s finances. The complaint, filed by Sarasota Republican Party chairman Joe Gruters, alleges that the Democratic candidate for governor failed to disclose two liabilities: his leases on a Jeep Cherokee and a St. Petersburg apartment. Crist mentioned both the car and the condo in a June 17 interview with the Herald/Times. “As a result of this failure to substantially comply with financial disclosure obligations, Florida voters do not have an accurate picture of Mr. Crist’s actual net worth,” Gruters wrote in the complaint. Read more
Florida business groups join in push for immigration reform: The Florida Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Florida joined forces with faith-based leaders Wednesday to call for national immigration reform. “Inaction by Congress is not a path forward,” said Leticia Adams, the chamber’s director of infrastructure and governance policy. “The problems with our immigration system have grown and multiplied, and have become a threat to the productivity of key industries in Florida.” The press conference was part of a national “day of action” that included at least 60 other events. Taking part in the national effort: the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Partnership for a New American Economy, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Association of Manufacturers, and Western Growers. Read more
Rubio and Nelson say children at border must be cared for but sent home: Sen. Marco Rubio in an interview today said the children who have shown up at the U.S. border must be turned back. “We do have to treat people the way Americans always treat people, with the highest level of compassion and care,” he said on the Michael Medved radio show. “But they will have to be returned because that is the law. If you don’t apply that, as heart breaking as it may be, you are basically telling another 80,000 people to try to come.” Sen. Bill Nelson, in an interview with the Tampa Bay Times, effectively echoed those remarks, but also said the problem lies in federal budget cuts to drug interdiction that has empowered drug cartels. Read more
Marijuana policy group applying with IRS to keep donors private: Florida for Care, a group casting itself as above the politics of pot, will begin work this summer crafting a set of policy recommendations that lawmakers could put in place if voters approve a constitutional amendment legalizing medical marijuana. The group is applying with the IRS for a specific type of nonprofit status that, if approved, would allow Florida for Care to not disclose the donors fueling those policy discussions or future lobbying efforts. Its policy arm is a “blue ribbon commission” that will hold a series of five meetings to develop recommendations on how the medical marijuana law could be rolled out if it gets 60 percent voter approval in November. Read more
Bonus: Republicans backing away from challenging Patrick Murphy
For more Florida political news, visit BPR’s FLORIDA NEWS page
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The longest-tenured writer at BizPac Review, Tom grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills.
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