It’s January 1, 2015 — which means it’s the perfect time to ramp up speculation about the presidential race that’s now only 677 days away! In Florida, of course, that means we’re talking primarily about two Republican heavyweights, the former governor and conservative family dynasty torchbearer Jeb Bush and his…
Rick Scott may be having a scaled-back inauguration this time around, but that doesn’t mean donors aren’t still writing big checks for the event. More than $500,000 has been given to the Republican Party of Florida for the festivities…
In September 2006, the crime that sparked one of the darkest sagas in Miami-Dade Public Schools history happened in a Northwestern High School bathroom. That’s where the school’s star 18-year-old quarterback had sex with a 14-year-old freshman girl. The crime soon began the focus of a mass coverup allegation as…
A federal judge told him to drop the plan. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals told him it was illegal. Then the U.S. Supreme Court refused to listen to his arguments. But despite losing over and over in every court around, Gov. Rick Scott is still fighting for the right…
Jeb Bush has spent the better part of the last eight years denying that he was going to run for president. Now he’s finally confirmed what everyone has long suspected. He’s thinking about making a run. In a Facebook message posted today Bush announced that he will “actively explore the…
There are a few unmistakable signs that a candidate is about to declare his run for the White House. His travel schedule is suddenly peppered with appointments in small-town Iowa and New Hampshire. He’s on Sunday morning talk shows every week trashing the opposition or talking up his narrative. Or…
Finally, some Floridian behavior to celebrate. A new report concludes that Florida has the second lowest smoking rate amongst high school students of every state in the union. In fact, Florida’s efforts to curb youth smoking has been so successful that researchers are actually issuing a “Florida Challenge” to other…
Remember when Florida Senator Marco Rubio was dubbed “the Republican Savior,” and “the GOP Obama?” Yeah, so much for that. Voters in his home state have really, really chilled on the idea of Rubio running for president. Instead, they’re looking back to the past: Jeb Bush…
For the past two years, efforts to legalize beer growlers, the 64-oz. jugs that are container of choice for the craft beer movement, have faltered in Florida’s legislature. One problem is that the change has often been tied up in bills that concern other beer distribution proposals. This year, supporters…
There aren’t many buildings in Miami Beach more iconic than the Blue Diamond Condominium and its sister, the Green Diamond, the tallest structures in town. With a 16,000-square-foot clubhouse, 24-hour valet service, and private tennis courts, the condo is also among the Beach’s most exclusive residences — capped by a…
George W. Bush seemed totally sure that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but he can’t seem to figure out whether his brother Jeb is going to run for president yet. He does however think that the former Florida governor would totally beat Hillary Clinton in 2016 if…
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has become the 18th Republican state attorney general to join a lawsuit against President Barack Obama over his immigration executive order…
More than 35 years after Anita Bryant’s crusade to have gays and lesbians denied basic rights in Miami-Dade and following a more recent political battle that saw a once powerful county commissioner defeated earlier this year, the county’s Human Rights Ordinance now finally protects citizens on the basis of gender…
Back in 1963, Birmingham Commissioner of Public Safety Bull Connor turned firehoses on African-Americans who were protesting his virulent segregationist policies. Those tactics, along with the use of attack dogs on protestors, were considered so violent that they actually helped turn public opinion against segregation and lesser civil rights for…
Charlie Crist won the Cuban vote by four points, according to the day-of Edison Research exit polls used by most of the media. Those polls also showed Crist winning the overall Hispanic vote by 20 points. Rick Scott’s own internal polls, however, claim that he won the Cuban vote by…
Episcopalian Bishop Leopold Frade had some strong words for President Obama last week: “I am asking President Obama to stop being a sodomite!” Now, before jumping to conclusions, know that Episcopalians are totally down with the gays, and in 2012 Frade personally authorized the church’s first recognition of gay marriage…
Rick Scott has a Gmail account. He also has his official state email account. He swore he’d just used the personal Gmail account for private, family matters, telling the press back in August that “if anybody sends me an email to my private account, I do the right thing.” Meaning…
In this week’s Miami New Times, we profile 30 of the most interesting characters in town, with portraits of each from photographer Stian Roenning. See the entire Miami New Times People Issue here. After November’s Republican shellacking at the polls, you’d imagine the few Florida Democrats who emerged unscathed are…
As Joe Garcia desperately fought to hang onto his Congressional office this fall, we described it as the battle for “Florida’s dirtiest district.” After all, Garcia’s predecessor, David Rivera, has faced down repeated investigations from the feds and watched former colleague Ana Alliegro head to prison over an election scheme…
Four years ago, Florida voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment with a simple mandate: Legislators had to stop drawing absurd state congressional districts that virtually ensured the GOP would dominate in Tallahassee forever. Instead, voters wanted fair districts — boundaries that would create actual competitive races instead of Democrat- or…
After a reelection campaign that cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 million total, Rick Scott has decided to scale back traditional inaugural events. Because, you know, he wants you all to know he’s a budget conscious, thrifty guy…
Florida’s public campaign financing laws mean that candidates for governor and the three cabinet offices can qualify to have any donations of $250 or less matched by public money with a few caveats. Charlie Crist received about $2.4 million in public financing during his run against mega-loaded Rick Scott. Attorney…
