Florida's Latest News

Three months after legislative session ends, DeSantis signs 21 bills but not budget

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed 21 bills into law, including measures aimed at better protecting vulnerable children and preventing inappropriate pelvic exams on women.

DeSantis’ office announced the bill signings after 9 p.m., but the list did not include some of the highest-profile measures of the 2020 legislative session, including a new budget and bills that would expand school vouchers and require parental consent before minors could have abortions. The governor will have to act on those issues before the end of June.

One of the bills signed Thursday is dubbed “Jordan’s Law,” after Jordan Belliveau Jr., a 2-year-old boy who was murdered in 2018 in Pinellas County. Jordan’s mother was charged in the murder.

Florida’s top Democrat purges ‘inner circle’ after police escort her fiancé from hotel

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried dismissed three top aides just before midnight Thursday, citing their complaints that her fiancé was “abusive” to her during a weekend argument at a Fort Lauderdale resort where police escorted him off the property.

Fried, the state’s top elected Democrat, told aides by text message late Wednesday that they could no longer be in her “inner circle” but offered to find them “other roles." She said it “breaks my heart” they believed her fiancé was abusive during the incident, which occurred Saturday at the Westin Beach Resort and Spa. No one was hurt.

POLITICO obtained copies of Fried’s texts and the Fort Lauderdale police report.

The FDOT lawyer who admitted forging signatures on official documents has quit

The Florida Department of Transportation’s top lawyer resigned Thursday, amid an inspector general’s report this week that found he forged the signatures of underlings on official documents, a finding that prompted the Florida Bar to open a misconduct probe.

“Today, Erik Fenniman resigned from the position of General Counsel at the Florida Department of Transportation, effective immediately,” the agency said in a statement Thursday afternoon.

The agency’s Office of Inspector General released a report on Monday concluding that Fenniman improperly forged the names of subordinates on documents, including one who had resigned her post weeks earlier. The IG’s conclusions were first reported by Politico, and on Wednesday the Miami Herald reported exclusively that the Florida Bar was looking into the conduct of the top-level government lawyer.

Matt Gaetz and the until-now unknown adopted son from Cuba

Rep. Matt Gaetz revealed Thursday that he has an adopted son from Cuba, a previously unknown fact the Florida Republican kept largely hidden, including from organizations compiling biographical data on him. 

“For all those wondering, this is my son Nestor. We share no blood but he is my life,” Gaetz tweeted. “He came from Cuba (legally, of course) six years ago and lives with me in Florida. I am so proud of him and raising him has been the best, most rewarding thing I’ve done in my life."

Data compiled by CQ Roll Call — and previously confirmed by Gaetz’s office — did not list the congressman as having any children during his two terms so far in Congress or as a House candidate. As recently as July 2019, CQ Roll Call conducted biographical data checks, and Gaetz’s staff did not disclose Nestor Galban as his son when they were asked to confirm basic biographical information. Instead, his office confirmed that Gaetz was single with no children.