Tuesday, February 03, 2015

Our digest of, and commentary on today's Florida political news and punditry follows.


ProtoTeabagger Trails Hillary in Florida, and it will only get worse for him

Jeb is within the margin of error, but nevertheless trails Clinton in his home state:

A Quinnipiac University poll released Tuesday shows former Gov. Jeb Bush and former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a virtual tie in a hypothetical 2016 presidential race in Florida. The poll gave 44 percent to Clinton and 43 percent to Bush.
"Poll: Bush-Clinton an even match among Florida voters."

These numbers are only going to get worse for Jeb. Everyone knows Hillary, but many new Floridian voters are unaware of Jeb's protoTeabagger record as governor.

One reporter recently wrote about those who believe Bush is some sort of a moderate: "For those of us who covered Jeb’s two terms in Tallahassee, this is beyond mind-boggling. On issue after issue, Jeb’s track record in Florida pushed conservatism’s envelope to the breaking point." Another observes that, "during his first run for Florida governor in 1994 cheerfully called himself a head-banging conservative, a hang-’em-by-the-neck conservative . . . who during his second run for Florida governor in 1998 had to craft for himself a more compassionate persona so as not to scare off independent voters . . . that Jeb Bush has come to be viewed with suspicion by the uber-conservative, Tea Party wing of his Republican Party?"

Among many other things, Jebbie

ended affirmative action by executive order, signed the “Stand Your Ground” gun law that drew national attention after the Trayvon Martin shooting, instituted faith-based prison reforms, cut billions of dollars in taxes, and created a school voucher program. He opposed embryonic stem cell research and thinks the jury’s out on man-made climate change.
"Jeb Bush was a severely conservative governor."

Wait till Florida's post-Jeb electorate gets a load of this extremist (Teabaggerish) record.


Scott vigorously fighting request to disclose information on his trust accounts

"Florida Gov. Rick Scott, a wealthy former businessman who put up millions of his money to help his two campaigns, is refusing to hand over detailed financial information that could answer whether he is violating a state ethics law."

Lawyers for Democratic candidate George Sheldon sought the information as part of their ongoing lawsuit that contends Scott is failing to report his actual wealth as required under the state’s financial disclosure requirements. Sheldon, who mounted an unsuccessful campaign for attorney general, filed the lawsuit last October.
"Court filings show lawyers hired privately by Scott are vigorously fighting a request to turn over information on trust accounts maintained by Scott and his wife, first lady Ann Scott. Sheldon’s attorney is also seeking information on a financial advisor handling Scott’s money."
Dunbar has asked a circuit judge to throw out of the lawsuit because he argues that any complaint about Scott’s financial disclosure should be handled by the state ethics commission and not in court.
"Gov. Scott refusing to disclose financial information."

Of course, the majority of the Florida Commission on Ethics is appointed by Scott, with the remainder appointed by the House Speaker and Senate President.


All that hard work pays off

"The holding company of Sunshine Bank has appointed former state House Speaker Will Weatherford to its board of directors. . . . The Wesley Chapel Republican served as speaker of the Florida House of Representatives from 2012-2014." "Former state House Speaker appointed to Plant City-based bank board."