“The Legislature finds it is in the best interest of the state to document, to the greatest extent practicable, greenhouse gas emissions and to pursue a market-based emissions abatement program, such as cap and trade, to address greenhouse gas emissions reductions.”
That language was part of a 2008 energy bill co-sponsored by former House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, R-Boca Raton, and signed by former Gov. and former Republican Charlie Crist. Hasner’s office touted the legislation at the time as “responsibly addressing global climate change and anticipated national cap and trade legislation.”
Crist
Cap-and-trade is now disparaged as “cap-and-tax” by conservatives, so in his Republican U.S. Senate primary against Mike Haridopolos and George LeMieux, Hasner’s camp says the 2008 legislation actually gutted Crist’s cap-and-trade ambitions.
One of the state capital’s premiere lobbying shops, Smith & Ballard, is changing its nameplate — with founding partner Jim Smith walking away from the high-powered firm.
Smith, a former Florida attorney general as a Democrat and secretary of state as a Republican, is leaving at the end of this month. He and son-in-law Brian Ballard founded the company in 1998 and muscled it up to where state records show that Smith & Ballard took in more than $1 million in payments from clients during the first three months of this year, alone.
The firm, with offices in Tallahassee, Jacksonville and West Palm Beach, will be called Ballard Partners from hereon. Ballard is a brother of former Palm Beach County Commissioner Mary McCarty.
“Our new name is another step moving Ballard Partners forward,” Ballard said in a statement. “I want to personally thank Jim for the unparalleled professionalism and value he has brought to our firm as we’ve advanced into what we are today. Jim will be missed and we wish him well in the future.”
For his part, Smith, 71, plans to continue lobbying. “The last thirteen years as a partner at Smith & Ballard have been rewarding, both professionally and personally,” Smith said.
Smith & Ballard represented close to 100 business interests, governments and associations, including U.S. Sugar, the city of Boca Raton and Bethesda Hospital in Boynton Beach. Ballard also has led John McCain’s 2008 fund-raising effort in Florida, and was a big fundraiser for former Govs. Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist.
Ballard played middle-man on one of Crist’s most ambitious efforts — a bid to buy-out U.S. Sugar’s 187,000 acres in western Palm Beach and neighboring counties for use in Everglades restoration. The deal was later dramatically downsized and has been ridiculed by Crist’s successor, Gov. Rick Scott.
Ballard backed former Attorney General Bill McCollum in last year’s Republican primary for governor, but has since worked to build the firm’s influence with Scott.
Smith’s long political history includes serving as attorney general from 1979-87. He ran for governor as a Democrat in 1986, losing the primary to Jacksonville Rep. Steve Pajcic, following a bitter contest that saw him initially team as running mate to West Palm Beach Sen. Harry Johnston, only to drop out and wage his own campaign.
Smith soon after became a Republican and was appointed Secretary of State by Republican Gov. Bob Martinez, for whom Ballard was chief-of-staff.
Despite differences of opinion, U.S. Senate candidate George LeMieux managed to stay on the air with conservative talk-show host Ray Junior this evening, unlike one of LeMieux’ GOP primary opponents, Senate President Mike Haridopolos.
Junior tossed Haridopolos off his show last week for refusing to answer whether he’s vote for or against U.S. House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan‘s spending plan.
After a long back-and-forth about commuter rail and SunRail, Junior asked LeMieux the same question.
“Should I give you a five minute answer?” quipped LeMieux, who served 16 months as U.S. senator after being appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist to fill a vacancy created by Mel Martinez. “I would have voted for it.”
LeMieux gave a somewhat more rambling response to query about whether or not he supports the Fair Tax proposal that would replace federal income taxes with a national sales tax.
“I think there’s a lot of good things about it,” LeMieux began.
Junior credited LeMieux with knowing enough about Fair Tax to talk about it, and gave him a high grade at the end of the show, but not before putting him on the spot about Charlie Crist, who called LeMieux “the maestro.” The pair’s careers were closely linked until Crist left the Republican party for a losing independent bid for the U.S. Senate last year.
“When did you discover Charlie Crist was a dirtbag?” Junior, who has dubbed himself “America’s loose cannon,” asked.
LeMieux didn’t bite.
“I would not say Charlie Crist is a dirt bag. I would not say anything negative about him,” LeMieux insisted, despite repeated goading by Junior. “Charlie Crist is my friend. I have taken a pledge not to say anything negative about him. I don’t think it’s productive.”
Despite refusing to engage in Crist-bashing, Junior, who also bragged about throwing now-U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster off his show during the 2010 campaign season, gave LeMieux an overall thumbs-up.
“I thought I was going to have to kick him off. He did good. ‘Cause he answered the damn questions,” he said.
With Rick Scott poised to sign into law a new state budget, the focus Thursday morning remains on whether the first-year governor might also be out to set a new state record.
Scott has said — without providing details — that he plans to veto portions of the $69.7 billion spending plan approved earlier this month by lawmakers.
Tea party activists are expected to form a large share of the audience at today’s signing ceremony. And leading lawmakers think Scott could make a political statement by axing hundreds of millions of dollars in proposed spending.
Could he top former Gov. Charlie Crist’s $459.2 million record for vetoes?
“That wouldn’t surprise me,” said Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, chairman of the Senate’s Health and Human Services budget committee. “I think there’s a real possibility that the veto amount exceeds $459 million.”
The budget approved by lawmakers cuts $2.6 billion from schools, health and social service programs, bringing per-pupil funding to its lowest level in six years, while imposing deep cuts to hospitals, nursing homes and HMOs. Some economists warn the spending plan, which takes effect July 1, could slow the state’s recovery by adding more Floridians to the jobless ranks.
But among conservative tea party voters, who helped vault Scott to a narrow victory over Democratic opponent Alex Sink last fall, the Legislature’s spending plan is a failure.
“We were all disappointed that the House and Senate came out with a much higher budget than Gov. Scott proposed,” said Robin Stublen, a leader of the Charlotte County Tea Party, who helped draw supporters to Thursday’s signing event at The Villages, the Central Florida retirement community.
“But I think (Scott) will do what he thinks is right,” Stublen added. “He’s not concerned with his poll numbers or his next election.”
Gov. Rick Scott signed into law today a sweeping property insurance measure (SB 408) hailed by the insurance industry but denounced by consumer groups.
Critics say the new law, which goes into effect immediately, will allow insurance companies to raise rates up to 15 percent and make it harder for Floridians to collect on claims. Proponents contend the law will draw new insurers to the state and increase competition.
“A healthy, stable and competitive private insurance market is critical to the success of Florida, given the hazards we face,” Scott, whose staff helped craft the bill, said in a statement. “I commend the Florida Legislature, especially Senator Richter and Representative Wood, for bringing this important legislation forward.”
The new law undoes many of the changes approved by lawmakers and Gov. Charlie Crist in the wake of the catastrophic 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons.
Among other things, the new law:
- Shrinks from five years to three years the time homeowners have to file claims for hurricane damages;
- Lets insurers make homeowners to pay for repairs before getting reimbursed;
- Permit insurers to raise policyholders’ rates without prior approval from regulators;
Scott’s signature prompted a flurry of accolades from the insurance industry and business groups and a dour statement from Sen. Mike Fasano, who urged Scott to veto the measure.
“For an administration which vowed not to support new taxes or fees, this bill virtually guarantees a 15% premium ‘reinsurance’ increase for Florida policy holders. This is a backdoor tax and fee increase that will hurt most homeowners with a mortgage, consumers and small business owners at a time with very high foreclosure and unemployment rates, all during a fragile economic recovery,” Fasano, R-New Port Richey, said in a statement.
But supporters insist the new law will open up Florida’s insurance market.
“Despite what the critics say, signing this bill into law is the first step toward stabilizing Florida’s property insurance market. It will increase competition by attracting insurance companies that currently do not write property insurance policies in Florida,” said Mark Wilson, president Florida Chamber of Commerce.
Republican Senate rivals George LeMieux and Adam Hasner have both released new web videos this week that have a general-election, pre-Abbottabad feel to them.
Neither video alludes to other GOP primary candidates (state Senate Prez Mike Haridopolos is also seeking the Republican nomination).
Both the LeMieux and Hasner videos take aim at Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson and feature pictures of Nelson appearing chummy with President Obama. That might not be such a bad thing for Nelson if the general election were today. Obama’s approval ratings have climbed since the SEAL Team 6 rubout of Osama bin Laden, but the president remains a popular foil for Republican primary candidates.
A LeMieux video released today blasts “career politician” Nelson on health care, immigration and earmarks. It features a still shot of Obama and a smiling Nelson in a semi-hug reminiscent of the Obama-Charlie Crist stimulus embrace that helped Marco Rubio drive Crist out of the GOP.
Hasner released a video attacking the national debt with unflattering images of Senate Democrats Harry Reid, Charles Schumer and Dick Durbin, a shot of Chairman Mao (because China holds much of the U.S. debt) and a photo of Obama and Nelson yukking it up together.
The Democratic Campaign Congressional Committee began airing radio ads Tuesday targeting Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Young and others in senior-heavy districts nationwide for supporting a budget proposal that could reduce Medicare spending.
Young, 80, is the longest serving Republican in Congress and represents Pinellas County. That’s also home to politician-in-waiting, former Gov. Charlie Crist, an ex-Republican turned independent — oft-rumored to be considering becoming a Democrat.
But in Tallahassee this week for the unveiling of his gubernatorial portrait, Crist downplayed such talk.
“I’ve heard a lot of that speculation,” Crist said of the party-switch scenario. But I’m paying all my attention to (wife) Carole and the rest of my family. And working hard for the people at (Orlando-based trial lawyer firm) Morgan & Morgan. I’m enjoying being an independent, it’s a great place to be.”
Crist also seemed to distance himself from running against Young, or looking to succeed him should the veteran congressman choose to retire. Asked if he might be on the 2012 ballot, Crist replied, “I doubt it.”
Boca Raton resident Hasner, the former state House Majority Leader, has opened an exploratory committee for the race. Former appointed Sen. George LeMieux (derided by Erickson as “George LeCrist” for his past ties to former Gov. Charlie Crist) and state Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, are already in the race for the seat of Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson.
After apparently mulling the decision for months, Gov. Rick Scott didn’t look far in naming a new chief of the state’s road-building agency, which lawmakers look to as a potential job creator in a punishing economy.
Ananth Prasad, an 18-year Florida Department of Transportation veteran, was named the agency’s new secretary Monday by Scott. Prasad rejoined FDOT last July after a two-year hiatus in which he was vice-president of a construction services firm.
The $7 billion agency oversees road-building, land acquisition and highway maintenance, along with port dredging, an area close to Scott, who wants Florida ports better positioned to compete for trade. Prasad had been an assistant secretary for engineering and operations.
Prasad succeeds Stephanie Kopelousos, who left FDOT when former Gov. Charlie Crist’s term expired, andis now with the U.S. House Transportation Committee, under chairman Rep. John Mica, R-Orlando.
Prasad had been recommended to Scott by the Florida Transportation Commission, along with two other finalists, Thomas Conrecode, a vice president of Collier Enterprises; and former Santa Rosa County Commissioner Gordon Goodin.
“Florida is facing challenging times and FDOT plays a significant role in the kind of private-sector job creation that this state desperately needs,” said Bob Burleson, president of the Florida Transportation Builders Association.
Gov. Charlie Crist’s portrait joined those of past Florida chief executives in the Capitol Monday — a full-framed likeness of the state’s 44th governor, noteworthy by what it does not include.
Unlike recent governors who have chosen to include iconic symbols of their time in office, Crist’s portrait is a straight-ahead, formal depiction. Crist is standing next to a Florida flag, his arms by his sides, his left hand holding the back of a chair.
“I think the seal of Florida says it all,” Crist said, following a ceremony at the Capitol, which included the current occupant of the Governor’s office, Republican Rick Scott. “I just love this state and didn’t want to kind of distract with anything else.”
Pensacola artist Jeffrey Bass painted Crist’s official portrait from a photograph taken inside the governor’s mansion last December. Bass was commissioned to paint Crist’s predecessor, Gov. Jeb Bush, whose portrait included such background details as a Blackberry, a family photo, and images of the Bible, Majorie Kinnan Rawlings’ Florida memoir Cross Creek, and the 1899 motivational essay A Message to Garcia by Elbert Hubbard.
Earlier governors also included similar memorabilia. Late Democratic Gov. Lawton Chiles’ portrait includes a racoon, homage to his self-styled ‘he-coon,’ image; former Gov. Claude Kirk is portrayed next toa desktop elephant, marking him as Florida’s first Republican governor of the last century.
Crist said he offered no direction to the artist, but was pleased with the result.
“Not really any at all,” Crist said of any advice given Bass. “But I’d seen some of his work before…I trusted his artistic judgment.”
Florida’s recent political past and present will collide this afternoon, when Gov. Rick Scott joins Charlie Crist at the Capitol for the unveiling of the former governor’s portrait.
The style of Crist’s portrait is expected to remain a secret until its unveiling, during an event scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. But details which could have been included in the likeness of Florida’s 44th governor were mockingly cited during last month’s annual capitol Press Skits.
Crist could be depicted with his finger in the air, and a copy of a Quinnipiac University poll by his side, a line from a faux news broadcast suggested. That would be a homage to the governor’s ability to respond to when, as he once famously put it, “things change.”
But while many saw Crist driven by popularity over principle, Scott is miles from his predecessor on the approval meter. Quinnipiac — in its most recent survey — found Floridians’ dislike for Scott has doubled since February. And while Crist claimed 70 percent approval ratings at this early stage in his term, Scott’s is half that — 35 percent.
So what?
Well, with the Legislature in its final three weeks, Scott’s political mandate could well be tested by lawmakers who so far have shown only middling interest in giving the new administration what it wants.
Former Republican-turned-independent Gov. Charlie Crist gave $1,000 to the congressional campaign of Patrick Murphy, one of the Democrats who has opened a campaign for the seat of U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation.
The contribution, dated March 30, is included in a Federal Election Commission report posted this afternoon by Murphy’s campaign.
Murphy’s political consultant, Eric Johnson, was an adviser to Crist’s failed independent campaign for Senate last year.
Murphy raised $321,087 from contributors and chipped in $31,362 of his own money. His $304,262 in cash on hand means he has more money in the bank than West. West raised $456,873 in the quarter but spent big on direct-mail, leaving him with $242,614 on hand.
Former West Palm Beach mayor Lois Frankel raised $254,605 in the quarter for her Democratic campaign and has $253,899 on hand.
Donald Trump, the billionaire White House waters-tester who’ll headline Saturday’s South Florida Tea Party rally in Boca Raton, isn’t your typical tea partyer.
Trump is allied with the tea party movement in favoring repeal of the health care law and opposing tax hikes. But while exploring a 2000 Reform Party presidential bid, part-time Palm Beacher Trump supported universal health care and a one-time 14.25 percent “wealth tax” on individuals and estates with a net worth of more than $10 million.
But that was more than a decade ago.
More recently, Trump has given campaign contributions to some high-profile tea party foes.
The GOP U.S. Senate primary campaign is heating up as former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner of Boca Raton came out swinging today against former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux.
“Conservatives across Florida and the country shouldn’t just be outraged, we should be insulted. This is the same George LeMieux that once proudly said, ‘I describe myself as a Charlie Crist Republican’ and said he was Crist’s ‘junior partner,’” Hasner said in the fundraising memo entitled “Unbelievable.”
Crist appointed LeMieux to the U.S. Senate to fill in a vacancy created by Mel Martinez, who retired before his term was up. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio now holds the post.
Team Hasner has also launched a “Charlie Crist Republican” website featuring an image of Crist and LeMieux that’s reminiscent of the Crist-President Obama man-hug picture that Marco Rubio used against Crist in the 2010 Senate primary.
Former appointed Sen. George LeMieux announced this morning that he’s seeking the GOP nomination for Senate in 2012. LeMieux launched a campaign website and made a video announcement on the conservative Shark Tank blog, a favorite venue for Marco Rubio during his successful 2010 candidacy.
LeMieux joins state Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, in the GOP primary race. Former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner of Boca Raton is also exploring a run. All are eyeing the seat of two-term Democrat Bill Nelson.
“Bill unfortunately is a big part of the problem, voting for too much spending, out-of-control spending in Washington,” LeMieux says in the Shark Tank video.
LeMieux was a top campaign operative and chief of staff to former Gov. Charlie Crist, then was appointed by Crist in 2009 to a Senate vacancy when former Sen. Mel Martinez retired. LeMieux compiled a conservative voting record in his 16 months on Capitol Hill and, after Crist left the GOP to pursue an independent Senate bid, campaigned against his mentor on behalf of Rubio last year.
The House looks poised to take another swipe at former Gov. Charlie Crist, with Speaker Dean Cannon saying Monday that veto overrides could be coming this week on a couple of bills.
The House is looking to revive legislation killed by Crist that would give party leaders in both chambers enhanced authority over campaign cash they collect. The leadership funds legislation and another vetoed bill, shielding farm land from certain local fees, were both advanced Friday by the House State Affairs Committee.
The House has scheduled lengthy floor sessions Thursday and Friday. A two-thirds vote there would position the measures for similar Senate action.
House Speaker Dean Cannon and Senate President Mike Haridopolos sent memos Monday to lawmakers, noting they could still consider a number of overrides to vetoes made last spring by former Gov. Charlie Crist.
But is the real target here new Gov. Rick Scott?
The memos warning that the Republican-led Legislature is ready to exert its muscle, follows Scott’s decision Friday to freeze at least until July $235 million in contracts for SunRail, the Central Florida commuter rail hailed by Cannon, Haridopolos and most other Orlando-area lawmakers.
The delay threatens the $1.2 billion rail project. And it comes just weeks after the Republican governor antagonized many lawmakers — and was unsuccessfully sued by two of them — after refusing the federal government’s offer of $2.4 billion for high-speed rail linking Tampa to Orlando.
The two leaders’ notes are worded cautiously. But the intent is clear: Scott can mess with lawmakers, but they can mess right back.
” I am directing the committee chairs to evaluate potential veto overrides in their area and, should they find a candidate for an override, to conduct a public hearing on the bill,” Cannon wrote. ” The House will take up any override formally recommended by a committee.”
Haridopolos wrote, “Over the past few weeks, several members of the Senate have also expressed an interest in considering some of the remaining vetoed bills, and it is my desire to be open and inclusive in considering these requests.”
Budget vetoes and slightly more than a dozen bills are eligible for override, the leaders wrote. Included are one measure that would shift the state’s Department of Management Services away from sole oversight by Scott and put it under the authority of the governor and the three independently elected Cabinet officers.
Another would create so-called leadership funds. These accounts would give legislative leaders total control of what typically is millions of dollars in campaign cash they raise but must deposit within the state’s political parties.
Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Ron Klein has joined the powerhouse Holland & Knight law firm, where he’ll be part of a “government advocacy team” that also includes former Republican Gov. Bob Martinez and former Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Davis.
Boca Raton attorney Klein will also be on the same team as Eric Eikenberg, who was chief of staff to former Gov. Charlie Crist and to former Republican U.S. Rep. Clay Shaw — the man Klein defeated in a nationally watched 2006 congressional race.
Klein was defeated last year by Republican Allen West and has not closed the door on the possibility of running for the seat again in 2012.
Klein said he’ll be working primarily from South Florida and will not be lobbying or registering as a lobbyist in his new job. He said he’ll provide clients advice on dealing with government, with an emphasis on health care, financial services and energy policy. Before going to Congress, Klein was a state House member and Senator for 14 years.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Tex., who heads the National Republican Senatorial Committee, tells The Hill he’s spoken twice to MSNBC Morning Joe host and former Panhandle Republican U.S. Rep. Joe Scarborough about running for Senate in Florida in 2012.
“I’d be delighted to talk to him a third time,” Cornyn said.
The Florida Senate approved legislation Thursday that would end tenure and tie teacher pay to student performance — the latest round in a long clash between Republican lawmakers and the state teachers union.
The 26-12 vote split on party lines, with Democrats opposed.
Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, was the lone Democrat to crossover and support the measure; Republican Sens. Dennis Jones of Seminole and Paula Dockery of Lakeland joined Democratic opponents.
The measure (CS/SB 736) is similar to legislation that convulsed Florida last spring, before then-Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed it following demonstrations and letter-writing campaigns by the Florida Education Association.
Crist broke with the Republican Party following his veto; and the FEA endorsed Democrat Alex Sink over the GOP’s Rick Scott in last fall’s governor’s race.
Scott campaigned in favor of the legislation.
“This bill ought to be a teacher’s dream – to be paid for a student’s success,” said Sen. Steve Wise, R-Jacksonville, sponsor of the bill.
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