By Bill Cotterell Attorneys for the Legislature’s presiding officers asked the Florida Supreme Court Monday to quash a petition seeking to stop Gov. Rick Scott and other political candidates from filing statements of “blind trusts,” instead of detailed financial disclosures, when they qualify for the 2014 elections next month. James Apthorp of Tallahassee, who was the late Gov. Reubin […]
Editorial: Openness required in redistricting fight – Tampa Bay Times
Before a court rules on whether Florida legislative leaders crossed a line when they consulted with Republican political operatives over the drawing of the state’s 2012 congressional districts, the public should also see the facts. The Florida Supreme Court already has ruled the leaders’ legislative privilege doesn’t shield them from being asked about those conversations […]
Scott Kent: Florida’s record on Sunshine getting cloudier – The Daytona Beach News-Journal
By Scott Kent To paraphrase an old political saw, any institution that is not explicitly transparent in its operations will become less so over time. You could see that erosion occurring in the recently completed session of the Florida Legislature. According to Barbara Petersen, president of the First Amendment Foundation, legislators this year passed a record […]