Category: Florida

Florida County Is New Focal Point of Election Integrity Complaints in Pro-Election Security State

Just the News

Orange County, Fla., has become a focal point for election security complaints — from alleged ballot harvesting to unauthorized exposure of protected voter information — despite the state’s new emphasis on election integrity.

The office of the Orange County Supervisor of Elections (SOE), which has been led by Democrat Bill Cowles since he was first elected to his position in 1996, has come under scrutiny as whistleblowers have come forward in recent months to reveal an array of alleged election irregularities occurring on his watch.

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Twitter Exec Pushed to Ban Matt Gaetz’s Account After January 6 Unrest

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Twitter’s former head of Trust and Safety, Yoel Roth, pushed internally for the company to ban Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots, despite messaging another employee that such a decision did not align with the company’s policies, according to the company’s internal documents published by author Michael Shellenberger Friday as part of Twitter CEO Elon Musk’s “Twitter Files.”

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Sen. Rick Scott Praises Elon Musk for Hunter Biden Revealings

The Center Square

Florida U.S. Sen. Rick Scott is giving kudos to new Twitter CEO Elon Musk after Musk and journalist Matt Taibbi released a flurry of “Twitter files” from the company’s archives.

The files documented a pattern of how the social media giant increasingly suppressed free speech over the past few years. This includes nixing the New York Post’s story in October 2020 that exposed Hunter Biden’s business dealings, along with compromising photographs of President Joe Biden’s son.

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DeSantis’ Office: No ‘U-Turns’ on Decision to Strip Disney of Special Status

The Center Square

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has no plans to back down against corporate behemoth Walt Disney Co. after speculation that laws put in place in April to dissolve the company’s self-governing power were going to be scaled back.

In March, then Disney CEO Bob Chapek publicly opposed House Bill (HB) 1557, the “Parental Rights in Education Act,” which was designed to restrict the teaching of gender identity and sexual orientation in public schools from kindergarten through to third grade. The bill quickly became known in the media as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

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Lee County Milestone: Over 4 Million Cubic Yards of Hurricane Debris Collected

The Center Square

Hurricane season may be over, but recovery efforts continue in Florida and in Lee County, which was hard hit by Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 storm that made landfall on Sept. 28.

On Monday, Lee County announced recovery personnel had “reached another milestone with 4 million cubic yards of debris collected, roughly enough material to fill Hertz Arena to the ceiling 10½ times.” The 30-acre 171,000 square-foot entertainment venue, which seats 7,181 people, is southwest Florida’s premier arena that also hosts NHL, NBA, USBL and other sporting events.

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Florida’s Recreational Marijuana Ballot Initiative Lands 50,000 Signatures

The Center Square

Florida could see future changes to its marijuana laws if a petition that has already gathered almost 50,000 validated signatures is put on the ballot in 2024 to legalize the use of marijuana products for adults.

The Smart & Safe Florida political committee and the state’s leading marijuana company, Trulieve, are the driving forces behind the initiative, and thus far, the group has managed to total 49,692 valid signatures.

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Florida AG Moody, Others Warn of ‘Frightening’ New Trends of Fentanyl Distribution

The Center Square

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is continuing to warn Floridians about an unprecedented increase in the number of counterfeit pills flooding the market containing deadly amounts of fentanyl.

On Thursday, she pointed to a recent U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration public safety alert reported on by The Center Square that found that six out of 10 fake prescription pills tested by the agency contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl, up 50% from their testing results last year.

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Florida Mulls Undoing Law That Revoked Disney’s Self Governing After ‘Woke’ Feud with DeSantis

Just the News

Florida lawmakers are reportedly working to reverse a law that stripped Disney of its special tax status in the state after its then-CEO criticized a state law on gender classes in public schools.

The possible change, first reported by the Financial Times, follows Disney replacing CEO Bob Chapek who was in a feud with GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis.

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Florida Takes $2 Billion Away from BlackRock Due to Firm’s Activist Investing Standards

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Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis announced Thursday that the state will begin pulling over $2 billion in assets from large investment manager BlackRock because of the firm’s environmentally and socially motivated investing standards.

Patronis said that BlackRock is choosing to use its money to pursue its ideology rather than secure profits for its clients, according to a press release. Florida’s State Treasury will begin to remove roughly $1.43 billion worth of long-term securities from BlackRock’s control as well as approximately $600 million worth of short-term investments managed by the firm.

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DeSantis Blasts Apple in Dispute over Elon Musk, Twitter

The Center Square

Elon Musk says Twitter may now be removed from the Apple App store, prompting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to defend the social media company.

“Apple has mostly stopped advertising on Twitter. Do they hate free speech in America?” Musk, the billionaire owner of Twitter and Tesla, tweeted Monday. “Apple has also threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store, but won’t tell us why. Who else has Apple censored?”

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Judge Sides with DeSantis, Says Governor Won’t Have to Testify in Lawsuit Brought by Former Prosecutor

Just the News

A federal judge this week ruled that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will not have to testify in a lawsuit brought against him by a prosecutor he dismissed over the summer.

DeSantis made headlines in August when he fired State Attorney Andrew Warren after the latter indicated he would not enforce laws prohibiting sex-change operations for minors. “State Attorneys have a duty to prosecute crimes as defined in Florida law, not to pick and choose which laws to enforce based on his personal agenda,” DeSantis said at the time.

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Judge Blocks Florida’s Anti-Woke Law at Colleges and Universities

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A federal judge on Thursday blocked Florida’s “Stop W.O.K.E. Act,” signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, from being enforced at colleges and universities.

U.S. District Judge Mark Walker ruled Thursday that the legislation, which prohibits faculty from teaching race in a way that might induce “guilt, anguish or other psychological distress,” cannot be enforced at higher education institutions calling it “positively dystopian.” The ruling comes after two lawsuits by a Florida A&M professor and University of South Florida student and professor who argued the act was unconstitutional.

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Numerous Programs Exist to Assist, Recognize Florida’s 1.5 Million Veterans

The Center Square

Calling Florida the “most veteran-friendly state,” Gov. Ron DeSantis says state agencies and partners are committed to caring for its 1.5 million veterans through a range of programs and resources. Throughout Military Family Appreciation Month, Attorney General Ashley Moody is also highlighting the state’s efforts to protect them from scams targeting those in the military.

“Florida’s veterans have made countless sacrifices to protect our freedoms, and in return we are working hard to ensure they have the resources and support they need to be successful and take care of their families,” DeSantis said. “My administration will continue to invest in our veterans in the same way that they made sacrifices to invest in the freedom of our nation.”

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Ron DeSantis Responds to Trump Criticisms: ‘When You’re Getting Things Done, You Take Incoming Fire’

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis responded Tuesday to criticisms from former President Donald Trump, telling a reporter, “When you’re getting things done, you take incoming fire.”

Trump has raised eyebrows by criticizing DeSantis, also rumored to be considering a 2024 run for president, calling the Republican governor “Ron DeSanctimonious,” and describing him as “an average REPUBLICAN Governor with great Public Relations.”

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Florida Files SCOTUS Brief Ahead of Oral Arguments over DHS Not Deporting Violent Criminal Aliens

The Center Square

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of a lawsuit filed by Texas and Louisiana seeking to halt a Department of Homeland Security policy that limited federal agents from detaining and deporting dangerous criminal aliens and instead is allowing them to remain in the U.S.

“Biden’s refusal to enact federal immigration laws passed by Congress is jeopardizing public safety,” Moody said. Earlier this year, Moody and 18 other attorneys general also filed a brief with the court in support of Texas’ and Louisiana’s case.

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DeSantis-Endorsed School Board Candidates Win in Florida

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, won reelection by almost 20 points, and all six of the school board candidates he endorsed have prevailed Tuesday. DeSantis had previously endorsed 24 candidates in school board races, all of whom won.

While school board races are historically nonpartisan, parents’ outrage over critical race theory, transgender activism, and COVID-19 lockdowns in schools have galvanized a parental rights movement that Republicans largely support and Democrats largely oppose. The parents rights group Moms for Liberty also endorsed many of the candidates DeSantis backed.

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National Pro-Life Leader Celebrates Re-Election of Florida’s Ron DeSantis and Marco Rubio: ‘Courageous Pro-Life Leadership Is an Inspiration’

Susan Berry, PhD

The president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America celebrated the election victories of Florida Republicans Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Marco Rubio.

“Governor Ron DeSantis’ courageous pro-life leadership is an inspiration,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser. “He stands unflinchingly with the unborn and their mothers, and tonight Florida voters stood with him and rejected pro-abortion extremist Charlie Crist.”

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DeSantis Blasts Democrat-Run States as More People Flee to Florida

The Center Square

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who leads in all polls heading into Tuesday’s midterm election, has been blasting Democratic-run states on the campaign trail over the past week, pointing out that more people are “voting with their feet” and fleeing from woke leaders “running so many parts of our country.”

He made the remarks as at least nine incumbent Democratic governors’ races are too close to call and are considered “toss-ups.”

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New Campaign Ad Says on the Eighth Day God Made a Fighter: DeSantis

The Center Square

A new campaign ad dropped on Friday describing Gov. Ron DeSantis as one created by God to fight for freedom.

DeSantis is running for reelection to his second term and holds a more than 10-point lead over his Republican-turned-Democratic challenger Charlie Crist.

The governor’s wife, Casey DeSantis, posted the ad on Twitter, saying, “I love you, Ron. On behalf of millions of people, never stop fighting for freedom.”

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DeSantis Sounds Alarm over Chinese Purchase of Florida Land for Primate Breeding Facility

Just the News

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has sounded the alarm over a Chinese research lab’s purchase of land in Florida to establish a primate breeding facility.

JOINN Laboratories CA Inc. purchased 1,400 acres in Levy County, Fla., for a $5.5 million sum, per the Epoch Times. JOINN’s founders have close ties to the Chinese military. The sale is one of the largest Chinese land purchases in the U.S. in recent years. JOINN Laboratories, the parent company of the California lab that bought the land, is a Beijing-based drug developer.

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Joe Biden Misspeaks So Badly During Florida Campaign Events, Even The New York Times Notices

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Joe Biden committed multiple verbal gaffes in Florida Tuesday while rallying Democrat voters against “mega-MAGA” Republicans in the comfortably red state, and his slip-ups were so bad, even the New York Times noticed.

While delivering remarks on protecting Social Security and Medicare and lowering prescription drug costs in Hallandale Beach, Florida, Tuesday afternoon, he once again told the lie that his son Beau died in Iraq.

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Florida Hispanic Students Rank First Nationwide in Reading

The Center Square

Florida’s highest-ever 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress rankings indicate that the state’s students are “well ahead of their peers, especially with younger and educationally at-risk students who were harmed the most from distance learning in other states,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said when announcing the ranking. 

“We insisted on keeping schools open and guaranteed in-person learning in 2020 because we knew there would be widespread harm to our students if students were locked out,” he said, adding that the results “once again prove that we made the right decision.” 

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Florida Medical Board Votes to Ban Transgender Hormone Treatments and Surgeries for Minors Under 18 Years

Susan Berry, PhD

The Florida Board of Medicine has voted to ban puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries such as double mastectomies and castrations – what LGBTQ activists call “gender-affirming care” – for children under the age of 18 in the state.

The move to prohibit the life-altering hormones and surgeries for the treatment of gender dysphoria in children and teens makes the Florida medical board the first in the nation to pursue such a rule, NBC News reported Saturday.

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University of Florida Bans Protests Inside Campus Buildings Ahead of Vote to Appoint Sen. Sasse President

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In response to a recent protest during which students took over a campus building, shouted and banged on doors, University of Florida has pledged to enforce a ban on indoor demonstrations as the Board of Trustees meets next week to appoint Republican Sen. Ben Sasse as president.

Current UF President Kent Fuchs stated in a letter to students that those who violate a long-standing campus regulation that “no demonstrations are permitted inside university buildings” will face disciplinary action under the Student Conduct Code.

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Gov. DeSantis: Nation’s Report Card Scores Show Keeping Schools Open the Right Decision

The Center Square

The 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) rankings indicate that Florida students are “well ahead of their peers, especially with younger and educationally at-risk students who were harmed the most from distance-learning in other states,” the governor said.

“We insisted on keeping schools open and guaranteed in-person learning in 2020 because we knew there would be widespread harm to our students if students were locked out,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said. The results, he said, “once again prove that we made the right decision.”

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Florida Law Enforcement Officers Seize Enough Fentanyl to Kill State’s Entire Population

The Center Square
Fentanyl

 In the past few months, Florida law enforcement officers have seized enough fentanyl to kill the state’s entire 22 million population.

Attorney General Ashley Moody announced massive seizures of illicit fentanyl pouring into Florida after being smuggled across the southern border as her office continues to fight the Biden administration in court over its immigration policies.

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Democrat Blows Whistle on Alleged Ballot-Harvesting Scheme, Florida Opens Criminal Probe

Just the News

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new election crimes unit has recommended state police open a full criminal investigation into a Democrat whistleblower’s detailed complaint of a long-running, widespread ballot harvesting operation in the African-American communities in politically important central Florida.

Former Orange County Commissioner candidate Cynthia Harris filed a sworn affidavit in late August with the Secretary of State’s office alleging that illegal operations to collect third-party ballots have been going on for years in the Orlando area where voting activists are paid $10 for each ballot they collect.

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DeSantis Leads Crist by Double Digits in Latest Florida Governor Poll

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Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida is ahead of his Democratic opponent, former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, by double digits in the state’s gubernatorial race, according to a new survey released on Wednesday.

DeSantis led Crist by 14%, earning the support of 55% of respondents over Crist’s 41%, according to the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab, which conducted the survey. The poll, if correct, would mean a landslide win for DeSantis and a marked increase from his 2018 margin of victory over Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, which was 0.4%.

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‘Truth About Socialism’ Tour Heads to University of North Florida

Peter D'Abrosca

A tour that aims to teach college students about the ills of socialism will stop at the University of North Florida Wednesday. 

“The national ‘Truth About Socialism’ tour, which aims to educate students on college campuses across America about the dangers of socialism ahead of the midterm elections, is coming to the University of North Florida,” according to the press release from the organizers of the event. “This event will be hosted by Turning Point USA in partnership with the Leadership Institute, and members of the press are encouraged to attend.”

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DeSantis Leads Democratic Challenger Among Hispanic Voters

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With two weeks left to go until the 2022 midterms, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) is currently leading Democratic challenger Charlie Crist (D-Fla.) with Hispanic voters in the state.

As reported by The New York Post, the latest poll from Telemundo and LX News shows that 51 percent of Floridian Hispanics would vote for DeSantis, while 44 percent support Crist. Only 4 percent remain undecided, with another 1 percent opting to support someone else in the race.

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DeSantis Suspends Deadlines for Property Tax Payments

The Center Square

Gov. Ron DeSantis is taking several actions to help Floridians impacted by Hurricane Ian, including planning on calling a special session in December to address property taxes and property insurance reform.

He first issued an executive order to suspend property tax deadlines for residents in 26 counties impacted by Hurricane Ian. The order covers personal homes and commercial property that were either destroyed or rendered uninhabitable.

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Data Expert Predicts ‘Homeschool Boom’ After CDC Committee Votes to Add COVID Shot to Children’s Routine Immunizations

Susan Berry, PhD

Data journalist and pollster Rich Baris posted to social media he predicts a “homeschool boom” following the news that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) vaccine advisory committee unanimously voted to add the COVID shot to the children and adolescent immunization schedule, a move that will likely lead many states to require COVID shots for school attendance.

Baris, also known as “The People’s Pundit,” tweeted Wednesday, “Parents will flip the F–k out, with good reason. Homeschool boom.”

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Florida Board of Education Policy Can Revoke Teachers’ Licenses for Teaching Gender Identity to 5-Year-Olds

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The Florida Board of Education unanimously approved a series of policies Wednesday, including one that disciplines teachers who teach gender identity or sexual orientation to 5-year-olds.

Under the policy, teachers could have their license suspended or revoked if they break Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Parental Rights in Education Law, which prohibits lessons on gender identity and sexual orientation from kindergarten through third grade. The board also approved rules requiring schools to alert parents if a biological man will be using women’s bathrooms and locker rooms.

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Charlie Crist Campaign Manager Departs with Less than Three Weeks Until Election

Just the News

Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist’s campaign manager has departed with less than three weeks until the election.

“Austin Durrer has departed the campaign to focus on a family matter,” Crist spokeswoman Samantha Ramirez said, according to Florida Politics. The campaign insists Durrer’s leaving is not the product of Crist’s sagging poll numbers. Sydney Throop will take over the role. Throop previously ran Crist’s congressional campaigns.

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Florida AG Moody Launches 2022 Human Trafficking Summit, Registration Still Open

The Center Square

A Florida-led virtual 2022 Human Trafficking Summit launched Tuesday nationwide, engaging experts from across the country to collaborate on ways to more effectively combat human trafficking. More than 2,300 attendees registered and registration remains open at HumanTraffickingSummit.com.

The summit provides over 16 hours of educational content, which will remain accessible online through March 2023.

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