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Terry Lewis

Joe Henderson: Separation of powers there to keep legislators from running amok

in Statewide by

Politicians have long been outraged – OUTRAGED, I tell you – about so-called “activist judges” who make them follow that pesky thing known as the law. I guess it’s logical, therefore, for frustrated lawmakers to try and beat judges at their own game. FloridaPolitics.com reported that State Rep. Julio Gonzalez, a Republican from Venice, filed two bills to address this issue. If passed, voters would be asked to approve a constitutional amendment to basically allow the state to thumb its…

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Martin Dyckman: Courts failed organizations that won redistricting fight

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

If only the Florida Constitution included a provision like this: (1) Members of the Legislature who vote for measures subsequently held unconstitutional shall be liable jointly and severally for all attorney fees and costs as established by the court. (2) Failure to pay such liabilities within 60 days of final judgment shall constitute disqualification for re-election or election to another office. That is, to be sure, as far-fetched a dream as hitting the Powerball, if not more so. But it’s…

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Pam Bondi goes to Nevada

Drawing on lessons learned after a nightclub massacre last year in Orlando, Attorney General Pam Bondi and members of her

New state Senate seats renumbered

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Staff from the Florida Senate and Auditor General’s office met Tuesday to assign random numbers to districts in the state’s new Senate District map. Here are the results, with the first number being the district number on the map as adopted by Circuit Judge George Reynolds; the second is the new randomly assigned district number. Same numbers means districts stay the same: 1-2 2-1 3-3 4-4 5-5 6-7 7-8 8-12 9-6 10-9 11-10 12-11 13-14 14-13 15-22 16-17 17-18 18-20 19-19 20-16…

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Mitch Perry Report for 12.3.15 — Rahm Emanuel and Chicago are stuck with each other

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

While the news is all about the latest gun shooting in San Bernadino today, let’s focus here on another death that’s been in the news a lot in the past couple of weeks: that being of Laquan McDonald, the black teenager killed by a white Chicago police officer a year ago. In between her campaign and fundraising efforts here in Florida yesterday, Hillary Clinton said she wants a federal investigation about McDonald’s death, putting her directly at odds with Chicago…

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Florida Supreme Court approves new congressional map

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

The Florida Supreme Court approved a sweeping overhaul of the state’s congressional districts on Wednesday, a move that will upend the political landscape ahead of the pivotal 2016 elections. The justices ruled 5-2 in favor of the new boundaries for many of Florida’s 27 districts. The ruling signs off on the map that Circuit Judge Terry Lewis approved earlier this year. The map would likely force Rep. Dan Webster to move districts to remain in office. It also could lead…

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Gwen Graham staying course despite redistricting decision

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

Democratic U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham of Tallahassee on Wednesday said she was “disappointed” by the state Supreme Court’s decision in a redistricting case that could spell the end of her nascent congressional career. But Graham, elected in 2014, said she hadn’t decided which direction her public service will next take. The court approved a map that redraws U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown‘s current Jacksonville-to-Sanford district “in an east-west manner,” stretching it into what is now Graham’s territory in the Big Bend and Panhandle. That eviscerates her Democratic base in…

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Charlie Crist hails Florida Supreme Court’s approval of new congressional map

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

The Florida Supreme Court gave its blessing gave its blessing Wednesday to a congressional districts map that was picked by Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis back in October. The high court had ruled in July that the Legislature gerrymandered eight of the state’s 27 congressional districts in violation of the 2012 Fair District amendments. It ordered lawmakers to come up with a new map within 100 days. However, the Legislature failed to do so, something justices said Wednesday that…

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