Daily Clips for September 20, 2010

FEATURED STORIES GOP investigation puts party misspending on Charlie Crist, Jim Greer By Adam C. Smith St. Petersburg Times Related: Crist says bill proves he paid for Disney trip, calls audit a sham Related editorial: GOP plays politics with party audit When the families of Charlie Crist and Jim Greer spent four days vacationing together at Disney World last year, donors to the Florida Republican Party picked up the $13,400 tab. Money matters follow Rubio By Zac Anderson Sarasota Herald-Tribune Marco Rubio took the stage in front of 2,000 cheering supporters in Sarasota earlier this month and delivered a stark warning: Government debt is destroying America. Political rivals split on immigration issues By Beth Reinhard Miami Herald No clear winner emerged from the first televised standoff among the major U.S. Senate candidates, leaving Republican front-runner Marco Rubio on steady ground after Friday's debate hosted by Univisión, the nation's largest Spanish-language television network. New Florida governor will face more conservative Legislature By Catherine Whittenburg Tampa Tribune Republican Rick Scott and Democrat Alex Sink both promise to shake up state government if elected governor. Columbia/HCA reports warned Rick Scott of potential legal problems By Marc Caputo and Scott Hiaasen St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Rick Scott has said he would have immediately stopped his former hospital company from committing Medicare fraud — if only "somebody told me something was wrong." BP well sealed, but gusher of uncertainty remains By Richard Fausset Los Angeles Times With a thick shot of cement plugging the last worrisome part of BP's troubled well, government officials were one final pressure test away from declaring the source of America's worst offshore oil spill dead as early as Sunday. EDITORIAL CARTOON OF THE WEEK By Jim Morin Miami Herald FLORIDA POLITICS GOP audit finds $381,000 was misspent by party officials By Aaron Deslatte Orlando Sentinel Related: Will GOP audit scandal stick to Crist? Auditors have found indicted former Florida Republican Chairman Jim Greer and others racked up $381,000 in improper spending on cell phones, self-portraits, meals and "joint" family vacations with Gov. Charlie Crist to Walt Disney World and the South Florida home of Crist's wife. GOP says audit shows 'wasteful' spending of party money by Crist By William March Tampa Tribune Related: Audit raises flags for Crist and GOP The Republican Party of Florida says an audit of its finances shows former Chairman Jim Greer and Gov. Charlie Crist were guilty of "lavish and wasteful personal" spending of party money in 2007-2009, but clears top GOP figures including Marco Rubio, Crist's U.S. Senate race opponent. Highlights from the Republican Party of Florida financial audit By Cooper Levey-Baker Florida Independent Related: Republican Party releases financial audit The long-awaited financial audit of the Republican Party of Florida, released by the party this morning, makes for fascinating reading, and we highly suggest you download and look through the entire thing on your own. Incoming leaders promise more conservative Florida Senate By Adam C. Smith St. Petersburg Times For all the drama surrounding Florida's statewide campaigns, it's easy to overlook a major political development in Florida that's already a done deal: the sharp rightward shift of the Florida Senate. Disney becoming more generous with political contributions By Jason Garcia Orlando Sentinel Mickey Mouse appears to be quite fond of state Rep. Dean Cannon. Crist's last PSC appointments could face rough road to confirmation By Julie Patel South Florida Sun-Sentinel Gov. Charlie Crist this week will name two members to the state Public Service Commission, the board appointed to keep Florida's utilities affordable and dependable. Once more, with feeling: Make judges move out of the 'Taj Mahal' By Howard Troxler St. Petersburg Times Well? Have they done anything about it yet? 'Milk Party' could make a difference Editorial Daytona Beach News-Journal Milk Party Florida's new "Milk Party" is crusading on behalf of a constituency with no self-declared political enemies: the children. Where's the sunshine? Editorial Gainesville Sun Gov. Charlie Crist wants legislative leaders to authorize the release of $31 million in federal stimulus funds for use as rebates for Floridians who install solar panels and energy efficient heating and air conditioning units. POLITICAL RACES Rubio breaks with Meek, Crist on immigration, English-as-official-language in Univision debate By George Bennett and Ana M. Valdes Palm Beach Post Florida's three major U.S. Senate candidates met for the first time and found little common ground in a one-hour debate taped today at Spanish-language Univision. Fla's Senate hopefuls offer 3 distinct choices The Associated Press Tampa Tribune It was appropriate that Gov. Charlie Crist stood between Democrat Kendrick Meek and Republican Marco Rubio during their first Senate debate Friday since he was getting hit from both sides. Conservatives see 'right values' in Rubio By Susan Page USA Today If Christine O'Donnell reflects the political risks of the Tea Party, Marco Rubio represents its potential promise. Sink releases her tax returns By Mary Ellen Klas Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau Florida Democratic candidate for governor Alex Sink released five years of tax returns Friday, revealing little details about family assets unless you note Sink's husband's penchant for poker. On Web, Florida governor's race takes nasty turn By Bob Rathgeber Ft. Myers News-Press Alex Sink asks "What is Rick Scott hiding?" Scott and Sink parry over state prison costs By Lloyd Dunkelberger Sarasota Herald-Tribune Rick Scott and Alex Sink touted some of their law-and-order endorsements in the governor's race this week. Scott 'gets to work' on trail with Jindal By Carlton Proctor Pensacola News Journal Flanked by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, GOP nominee Rick Scott brought his gubernatorial campaign to Pensacola Friday, promising to quickly turn around the state's flagging economy. Bobby Jindal adds Louisiana hot sauce to Rick Scott's GOP campaign swing By Steve Bousquet St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Rick Scott brought his campaign for governor to a North Florida stronghold Friday accompanied by a folk hero to many conservative Republicans: Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. Who is better for business? By Mary Ellen Klas St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Related: Stimulus created private-sector jobs in Florida, unlike Scott claimed In an election year tilting Republican, with the two major candidates for governor who have spent more time in the boardroom than in politics, it should be a dream-come-true year for Florida's business interests. Will Rick Scott's business background help or hurt him in governor's race? By Michael C. Bender Palm Beach Post Rick Scott could not look away from the TV on his campaign bus as a cheetah blurred across the screen, sprinting after a panicked gazelle. Observers: Not Clear What Next Governor Can Do for Foreclosure Crisis By Kyle Kennedy Lakeland Ledger Carla Rollins hasn't been keeping up with the Florida governor's race. Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate Snitker may decide race By Jim Stratton Orlando Sentinel You have to hand it to Alexander Snitker. The Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate is almost unknown, has little money — $1,861 cash on hand as of June 30 — and even less chance of winning. Gelber leads Bondi in AG fundraising race By Laura Kinsler Tampa Tribune Democratic nominee Dan Gelber continues to hold a substantial fundraising edge on Republican Pam Bondi in the race to become Florida's next attorney general, and he's hoping to take in more dollars in her home base in Tampa. GOP moving to get House in order By Steve Bousquet St. Petersburg Times This year marks the effective 10-year anniversary of term limits in Florida. Two veteran legislators battle for coastal Senate seat By Scott Wyman South Florida Sun-Sentinel Two veterans of the Florida House are fighting for an open state Senate seat representing coastal areas of Broward and Palm Beach counties. At Florida tea party rally, fervor and fight for victory By Steve Bousquet Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau Thousands of determined tea party activists converged in a park in America's oldest city Saturday and heard a succession of Republican candidates promise to heed their demands for less government and lower taxes. Worried about national debt, older Florida voters may turn against Democrats in elections By William E. Gibson Orlando Sentinel Many older voters who grew up in the shadows of the Great Depression have turned against President Barack Obama and Democrats in Congress this election year, partly because of fears that the government will bury younger generations under a mountain of debt. Thousands of felons and dead people still registered to vote in Florida By Sally Kestin, John Maines and Dana Williams South Florida Sun-Sentinel Less than two months before the general election, Florida's voter registration rolls still include thousands of dead people and felons who by law should have been removed. In endorsing Rick Scott, Florida Chamber of Commerce puts party above sense Editorial St. Petersburg Times The board members of the Florida Chamber of Commerce must have whiplash. BALLOT INITIATIVES Ballot to address legislative districts By Paul Flemming Florida Capital News In 1812, the governor of Massachusetts signed into law the boundary lines for legislative districts in his state. Corrine Brown to help roll out campaign against redistricting amendments By Matt Dixon Florida Times-Union U.S. Reps. Corrine Brown, D-Jacksonville, and Mario Diaz-Balart are holding a Tallahassee press conference Monday to help roll out the NO on amendments 5 and 6 campaign. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Cement plug brings end to BP oil spill The Associated Press Pensacola News Journal Related: Oil spill woes live on for local residents A permanent cement plug sealed BP's well nearly 2.5 miles below the sea floor in the Gulf of Mexico, five agonizing months after an explosion sank a drilling rig and led to the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history. EPA nutrient standards could save the St. Johns and, according to industry reps, break the bank By Virginia Chamlee Florida Independent The St. Johns River Summit, which spanned two days and consisted of a series of lectures and panel discussions on problems plaguing the river, revealed tensions between many of the agencies charged with protecting Florida water bodies. PSC's Skop refuses to withdraw from Florida Power & Light Co. cases By Bruce Ritchie FloridaEnvironments.com Florida Public Service Commissioner Nathan A. Skop has refused Florida Power & Light's request to remove himself from all cases involving the utility. Nuclear energy: Gambling with money and lives By Anthony Orlando South Florida Sun-Sentinel Aren't you tired of all the surprises? Don't you wish, just once, we could prevent a crisis instead of reacting to it? LGBT How should schools handle transgender kids? By Denise-Marie Balona Orlando Sentinel When most little girls draw themselves, they draw pictures of young ladies, often in fancy dresses and high heels. Crist shouldn't drop state challenge to adoption ban Editorial Palm Beach Post Gov. Crist has flipped so much over the past few months that he could try out for the Olympic gymnastics team. EDUCATION For-profit schools fund influential lawmakers' campaigns By Sharona Coutts Miami Herald Several South Florida lawmakers received campaign contributions this year from for-profit schools and their lobby groups while co-signing three letters against proposed regulation that the industry says could close many of its schools. Ed Dept: Lift a community, raise a school The Associated Press Tampa Tribune Tesheda Mansfield grew up in the protective walls of Sunland Park Elementary, participating in beauty pageants and field day, and walking home from school in the afternoons. Parents are demanding that Florida educate its children By Kathleen Oropexa Florida Times-Union Recently, history was made in Florida. Flat-rate tuition system weighed By Michael Vasquez Miami Herald Florida's state university system is mulling a one-size-fits-all tuition structure for full-time students -- an idea that could lead some to graduate sooner, but also carries the risk of students biting off more than they can chew. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY Risk won; taxpayers lost By Sydney P. Freedberg St. Petersburg Times Related: Questions go unanswered Three years ago, the state of Florida made bad investments that lost hundreds of millions in value. August jobless rate up slightly By Jim Ash Florida Capital News Florida's unemployment rate climbed slightly to 11.7 percent in August, with more than 1 million Floridians still out of work, according to figures released Friday by the state Agency for Workforce Innovation. Healthcare helps prop up Florida's job market By Douglas Hanks Miami Herald In Florida's depressed and depressing job market, one bright spot consistently shines through: healthcare. White House cites 3 Florida stimulus projects The Associated Press Tampa Tribune The White House has cited three Florida stimulus projects as part of a push back against critics of the $814 billion program. Program could reinvigorate Florida film industry The Associated Press Tampa Tribune From "Flipper" to "Miami Vice," from "The Yearling" to "Bad Boys II," Florida has a long history in film and television. HEALTH AND SENIORS Health Reform is here: More coverage for kids, free physicals among changes that take effect this week By Stacey Singer Palm Beach Post A variety of consumer-friendly health reform rules will go into effect this week, promising to make life easier for young adults, parents, children with pre­existing conditions, people with chronic diseases, and people appealing claims that have been denied. State investigating hospital billings By Jim Saunders Health News Florida The Florida attorney general's office is investigating 18 hospitals, including some of the state's largest, on suspicion of improper Medicaid billing for emergency-room services. Florida Republicans are foolish to fight against to health care reform Editorial St. Petersburg Times Florida's top Republican candidates — Marco Rubio for U.S. Senate, Rick Scott for governor and Pam Bondi for attorney general — are whipping up supporters by promising to fight health care reform to the death. CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES Immigrants’ DREAM to Face U.S. Senate Reality This Week By Gina Presson Public News Service Florida Undocumented students organized by Florida Students Working for Equal Rights (SWER) created a human billboard in Miami Beach on Sunday, and they are holding a rally today at Miami-Dade College. They're urging the U.S. Senate to make their dreams come true by passing the DREAM Act this week. DREAM Act supporters form human billboard on Miami Beach By Luisa Yanez Miami Herald A group of 50 undocumented immigrant students from South Florida who support the passage of The DREAM Act gathered on the sand on Miami Beach Sunday to form a human billboard that read: “Dream Act Now!” The DREAM Act The Progress Report Think Progress This week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced that he will move a defense authorization bill next week that includes the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, along with a measure that begins the process of repealing the military's Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT) policy. JUSTICE AND THE COURTS Bar election survey gives Fla. judges high marks The Associated Press Tampa Tribune A Florida Bar survey of lawyers gives high marks to all four state Supreme Court justices and most of the 27 appeal court judges who will be on the Nov. 2 ballot.