Kathy Mears

John Thrasher finally free to lobby for FSU

Published on November 18, 2016 in Statewide by Staff Reports

John Thrasher has registered to lobby for Florida State University, two years after his installation as the university’s president. Under state law, former legislators must wait two years before becoming eligible to seek to influence their former colleagues. Thrasher’s registration took effect on Monday, according to state records. Thrasher is a former House speaker who turned lobbyist with Southern Strategy Group before beginning service in the Senate in 2009. He became FSU president in November 2014. Also lobbying for the…

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Personnel note: Kathy Mears heading to FSU

Published on September 12, 2016 in Statewide by Jim Rosica

Kathy Mears, who served as chief of staff to two consecutive Florida House speakers, will become the new top in-house lobbyist for Florida State University. Mears, who confirmed her hiring Monday, said she will take the new role of chief legislative affairs officer. She starts Sept. 19. Mears was chief of staff to Republican House Speakers Will Weatherford (2012-14) and Steve Crisafulli (2014-16). At FSU, she will report to President John Thrasher, another former state lawmaker. It’s a homecoming for…

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House-Senate healthcare fight nastily playing out on the Twitters

Published on June 3, 2015 in Statewide/Top Headlines by Ryan Ray

The intense intra-cameral friction that defined the 2015 legislative session seems not to have dissipated after a few weeks off but rather compounded, culminating in the most antagonistic legislative hearing of the year at Tuesday’s meeting of the Senate Appropriations Committee. There, budget chief Tom Lee led a chorus of indignant senators who excoriated AHCA deputy director Justin Senior for allegedly evading Senate staff and showing favor to the House’s position on the revamped FHIX 2.0 healthcare expansion plan later approved by the committee. Charges of malfeasance,…

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