Tag Archives: Ron DeSantis

The Miami Herald reports: When he abruptly resigned from his post last week, the top attorney for the Florida Department of Health suggested in a resignation letter that he was uncomfortable with decisions taken by the state agency, which days earlier had threatened to prosecute television stations over political advertisements. “A man is nothing without his conscience,” John Wilson wrote. …

The Florida Phoenix reports: A federal judge temporarily barred the DeSantis administration from intimidating and coercing television stations that air ads in support of the proposed Amendment 4, which would bar government interference in abortion. The ruling stops Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo as the head of the Florida Department of Health from acting against broadcasters the department has already threatened …

Via press release from the AARP: Recent statistics reveal concerning shifts in migration patterns, and since this data reflects 2023, it predates the peak of the property insurance crisis, the recent challenges posed by new homeowner association rules, the aftermath of two major hurricanes and the rising cost of housing in our state. In 2023, the Census reports, Florida’s net …

Florida Politics reports: A Fort Myers TV station acquiesced and stopped playing pro-abortion rights ads after a Department of Health (DOH) lawyer threatened Florida TV stations with criminal prosecution. It’s a revelation in a new First Amendment lawsuit as the political committee supporting the Amendment 4 abortion rights initiative sued a pair of state officials Wednesday in federal court. Floridians …

The Tallahassee Democrat reports: Gov. Ron DeSantis’ latest attempt to defeat the abortion rights ballot measure, known as Amendment 4, emerged in a report from the office of his elections chief, alleging a host of violations involving the campaign’s petition signature-gathering. The 348-page report comes from the office of Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd, a Republican former state House …

Politico reports: Florida’s public universities are purging the list of general education courses they will offer next year to fall in line with a state law pushed for by Gov. Ron DeSantis targeting “woke ideologies” in higher education. The state’s involvement in a curriculum process — which has historically been left to universities — is riling academics and students who …

Politico reports: Ron DeSantis skipped meeting with Joe Biden on Sunday, the second time in as many weeks that the Republican governor did not meet with the outgoing Democratic president while in Florida touring storm damage. Biden traveled to the state to survey the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, which wreaked havoc on Florida earlier this week. Biden told reporters before …

The Daily Beast reports: Florida’s Democratic chairwoman posted footage alleging hurricane debris was deliberately being placed behind an area where the Florida governor was set to hold a press conference. DeSantis was visiting Treasure Island–a community that weathered both Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton–when Nikki Fried posted footage of what appeared to be workers piling debris from the aftermath directly …

Salon reports: In a last-minute effort to kill a proposed ballot amendment that would restore abortion rights in Florida, state officials are accusing a group that gathered signatures to get the amendment on this year’s ballot fraud. Florida Deputy Secretary of State Brad McVay claimed in a 348-page report released on Friday night that Floridians Protecting Freedom paid out-of-state petition …

“People had their property. They have a right to do with what they want to do with it. And it is tough when you have two back-to-back storms. No question. “The reality is people work their whole lives and work hard to be able to live in environments that are really, really nice. “And they have a right to make …

Florida Politics reports: Despite the massive onslaught of tornadoes from this late-season storm, DeSantis noted that it is “kind of normal” with each storm and “to be expected” that with “every hurricane we have a lot of tornadoes spun off,” as “things churn off with these weather systems.” And climate change or global warming? Nothing to do with it, said …

Florida Politics reports: Another hurricane brings another unambiguous assertion of Floridians’ right to self-defense from the state’s Governor. “If you think you’re going to go in and loot, you got another thing coming,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a briefing at the state’s Emergency Operations Center. “If you go into somebody’s house after the storm passes, think that you’re going …

“It’s not about you, Kamala. It’s about the people of Florida. My focus is exactly where it should be. And I can tell you this. I’ve worked on these hurricanes under both President Trump and President Biden. Neither of them ever tried to politicize it. She has never called on any of the storms we’ve had since she’s been vice …

NBC News reports: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is not taking calls from Vice President Kamala Harris about storm recovery just over a week after Hurricane Helene hammered parts of his state. A source familiar with the situation said he was dodging the Democratic presidential nominee’s calls because they “seemed political,” according to a DeSantis aide. “Kamala was trying to reach …

The Meidas Touch reports: Since the abortion ballot initiative was first announced (Amendment 4), Ron DeSantis has been on a crusade to put the thumb on the scale to defeat it. The problem is that he continues to use the power of the state to do it. Now, DeSantis has taking his fascistic leanings to the next level. The Florida …

The Tallahassee Democrat reports: Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency ahead of Hurricane Milton, which could bring Category 3 winds and surge, or worst, to the Florida peninsula. Areas at the greatest risk are communities still reeling from last month’s Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Ian in 2022. Milton is expected to rapidly intensify over the next 36 …

Florida Politics reports: Did striking dock workers get back to work because they knew Ron DeSantis wouldn’t back down from their demands? The Governor isn’t saying no, telling a friendly radio show host that he used his “megaphone” to effectuate desired results when it came to the recent work stoppage from the International Longshoremen’s Association. “I knew we would be …

Florida Politics reports: Florida’s Governor is launching a potential end-run around a work stoppage by the International Longshoremen’s Association, saying cargo ships bringing imports that aren’t being offloaded can bring their goods to Florida. “There are ships that have nothing to do with these negotiations. They may need a place to be able to come and we just want to …

Jacksonville’s NBC affiliate reports: A day after declaring a state of emergency in 41 Florida counties, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced at a news conference Tuesday at the Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee that he had increased the number to 61, including all counties in Northeast Florida. The only four counties not currently under a state of emergency are in southeast …

Tampa’s CBS affiliate reports: Governor Ron DeSantis issued a state of emergency on Monday for most of Florida’s 67 counties ahead of potential impacts from what’s forecasted to become Hurricane Helene. Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Sarasota counties are all listed under the governor’s state of emergency. The National Hurricane Center is currently monitoring Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine, …