Florida's Latest News

Florida to begin statewide appointment system for vaccine

Florida’s director of emergency management said Thursday that a statewide appointment system for COVID-19 vaccinations should be ready within weeks, bringing order to the chaos marking Florida’s rollout of vaccines to its most vulnerable residents.

Director Jared Moskowitz described plans for the online portal in an appearance before a legislative House committee holding hearings on the pandemic in Tallahassee.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has made it a priority to provide coronavirus vaccines to seniors 65 and older, prompting a crush in demand. State health officials mostly left it to hospitals and county health departments to administer the vaccines, and some seniors camped out in long lines outside vaccination sites, only to be turned away when supplies ran out.

Tallahassee mayor asks Gov. DeSantis to call out the National Guard in advance of protests

The mayor of Tallahassee is asking Gov. Ron DeSantis to call out the National Guard in advance of potentially armed pro-President Trump rally this weekend and next week at the Florida Capitol.

“Gov. DeSantis, on behalf of residents and law enforcement in the capital city, I am asking you to do what only you have the power to do – call up and deploy Florida’s National Guard troops now to ensure we do not see a repeat of Jan. 6 right here in Tallahassee,” Mayor John Dailey said at a news conference Friday.

State and local law enforcement agencies in Tallahassee have been bracing for potential protests at the Florida Capitol after the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob.

Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort warned of potential COVID-19 fines after maskless New Year’s Eve bash

Palm Beach County officials issued a stern warning to President Donald Trump’s Mar-a Lago resort in Palm Beach about potential fines for violating COVID-19 regulations after a video circulated on social media showed maskless partiers at a New Year’s Eve celebration.

A letter written Tuesday to Bernd Lembcke, the executive vice president and managing director of Mar-a-Lago, said there was a breakdown in the venue enforcing mask wearing among its guests, leading to an “almost entire room of guests being without masks during the later evening activities,” despite the venue handing out masks to party goers.

Another warning could land the club — where Trump is expected to live at least temporarily after he leaves the White House — a $15,000 fine.

Rick Scott’s rocky start atop GOP Senate campaign arm

Sen. Rick Scott has been chair of the Senate GOP’s campaign committee for all of one week, and some Republicans are already concerned that Scott has dug the party a hole for the 2022 midterms.

Scott officially took over the National Republican Senatorial Committee after the GOP’s two losses in Georgia gave Democrats control of a 50-50 Senate. Scott faced swift backlash from Democrats and private concern among Republicans over his vote against certifying Pennsylvania’s Electoral College votes last week after the deadly riot at the Capitol.

As business leaders pull back from the GOP after the insurrection, some donors and operatives in the party have concerns that Scott’s vote could be an issue for Republicans going into the 2022 Senate cycle, as they seek to win back the chamber after losing their six-year majority. Scott, a wealthy businessman and former governor who has won statewide office three times, is a well-connected and established fundraiser for the party, a major benefit to Republicans next cycle after the committee raised nearly $300 million for 2020.