Florida's Latest News

Matt Gaetz appears to run afoul of House ethics rules

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz has privately engaged in several spending practices in his nearly four years in office that appear to be in conflict with the House’s ethics rules, a POLITICO investigation has found.

Gaetz, a close ally of President Donald Trump from Florida’s Panhandle, improperly sent tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars to a limited liability company linked to a speechwriting consultant who was ousted from the Trump administration, in direct conflict with House rules.

In another possible violation, a private company installed a television studio in the Florida Republican’s father’s home in Niceville, Fla., which Gaetz uses when he appears on television. Taxpayers foot the bill to rent the television camera, and the private company that built the studio — which Gaetz refuses to identify — takes a fee each time he appears on air, his office said. It’s unclear how much it cost the private company to construct the studio.

Florida sees record-high coronavirus hospitalizations Tuesday

Florida saw a record-high number of hospitalizations from coronavirus on Tuesday, adding 518 admissions, according to data from the Florida Department of Health.

On Tuesday 136 deaths from the virus was announced, bringing the total number of people statewide who have died from coronavirus up to 5,319. Florida’s coronavirus death rate is higher than any other state, including Texas, which has about 25 percent more people, according to the Associated Press.

The Tampa Bay area added more than 1,000 new cases, with Pinellas County seeing the most new deaths and Hillsborough County seeing the most new cases.

Florida university system fights fee refunds case

The state university system is asking a Leon County circuit judge to toss out a potential class-action lawsuit in which students are seeking partial refunds of fees they paid for the spring semester.

The lawsuit, filed in May, stems from universities shutting down their campuses because of the coronavirus pandemic and moving to online classes.

The plaintiffs argue they should receive partial refunds of such expenses as activities fees, athletics fees and transportation fees.

But in a motion to dismiss the case filed last week, attorneys for the university system’s Board of Governors argued, in part, that the system’s fee structure is established in state law.

Need a driver’s license? Appointments are a month away, and it’s now an election issue.

It’s hard to provide great service when social distancing restricts how many customers you can see.

Still, there are better ways to do it, say candidates running for Hillsborough County Tax Collector.

Since May 4, you can only do business with the office by appointment — and the next available appointment is usually 30 days out. Walk-ins are possible, but only when someone doesn’t show up. That leaves a number of people driving around with expired driver’s licenses and vehicle tags.

What’s more, you have to wait outside to be called in for your appointment — a sticky prospect during the Florida summer.