An appeals court Monday tossed out a constitutional challenge to a 2013 law that allows public officials to put their assets into blind trusts, pointing to the “speculative nature” of the case. Jim Apthorp, who served as chief of staff to former Gov. Reubin Askew, filed the challenge last year alleging that the blind-trust law […]
Nickens: Why the Times joined the lawsuit against the governor and Cabinet – Tampa Bay Times
It should not have come to this. Citizens, good government groups and news media organizations should not have to file a lawsuit to force someone to examine whether Florida’s highest elected officials violated the Sunshine Law. Yet last week 14 plaintiffs (including Times Publishing Co., which publishes the Tampa Bay Times) filed an amended lawsuit that […]
Editorial: Government should pay legal fees when it loses public records lawsuits – Florida Society of News Editors
Florida’s open meetings and public records laws aren’t just under attack in the state Capitol. They also face a serious threat at the Florida Supreme Court. The justices heard arguments this month in a case that could set a tougher standard for collecting legal fees in cases where courts rule that public agencies violated public […]