Government & Elected Officials
Fearing court action, Rick Scott calls emergency meeting of clemency board
April 27, 2018 -
Gov. Rick Scott called an emergency meeting of the Cabinet for Wednesday in anticipation of a federal court not approving a delay in adopting a new system of granting the right to vote to convicted felons.
Underscoring the emergency action, Scott called a meeting of the Board of Clemency by telephone.
Scott acted in the absence of a decision of the 11th Circuit Court of Ap... Read more
President Trump says Rep. Maxine Waters needs ‘an IQ test’ at Gridiron dinner, she responds
March 5, 2018 President Trump was at the annual Gridiron Club Dinner on Saturday when he said that Rep. Maxine Waters “has to immediately take an IQ test.” The dinner is known for presidential humor and while Trump poked fun at his administration too, he saved some of his sharpest comments for Democrats.
— Guests discover typo on tickets to Trump’s &lsq... Read more
N.A.A.C.P to Missouri: You're No Safe Space (Still)
September 13, 2017 - The N.A.A.C.P. has reviewed and decided to retain its recent advisory urging African-Americans to steer clear of Missouri in the wake of the finding that African-Americans are 75 percent more likely to be stopped by the police than whites and after a new state law that the organization said makes it harder to sue businesses for racial discrimination. The advisory, the... Read more
Rick Kriseman wins re-election for mayor of Saint Petersburg
November 8, 2017 -
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - It was Rick versus Rick for mayor. And the Rick who is currently mayor will remain so. Rick Kriseman defeated Rick Baker with 51 percent of the vote to earn a second term as mayor. Kriseman gained 34,531 votes to Baker's 32,341 votes, according to unofficial county results. County voters approved extending the Penny for Pinellas one-cent tax for 10 m... Read more
Trump To Cut Off Billions In Key Obamacare Payments To Insurers
October 13, 2017 - President Donald Trump plans to halt payments to health insurance companies serving the poorest customers on the Obamacare exchanges, the White House announced Thursday. Trump has threatened to withhold these funds, valued at $7 billion this year, since shortly after his election victory last November. The threats alone have roiled the health in... Read more
LaToya Cantrell becomes New Orleans’ 1st woman mayor
November 19, 2017 -
LaToya Cantrell, a City Council member who first gained a political following as she worked to help her hard-hit neighborhood recover from Hurricane Katrina, won a historic election Saturday that made her the first woman mayor of New Orleans. The Democrat will succeed term-limited fellow Democrat Mitch Landrieu as the city celebrates its 300th anniversary next year. ... Read more
Haitian-American GOP Rep. Mia Love rips Trump, demands apology
January 12, 2017 -
On Thursday, Republican Rep. Mia Love of Utah, the first Haitian-American to be elected to Congress, demanded an apology from President Donald Trump for his comments about Haiti and African countries being “shithole countries.” “The (President’s) comments are unkind, divisive, elitist, and fly in the face of our nation&rsquo... Read more
Who really won black precincts
August 31, 2017 - The Tampa Bay Times reported last night that former Mayor Rick Baker won Midtown precincts by about 340 votes, which gave some the impression that Baker won the city’s black vote in yesterday’s contest (judging by phone calls asking for clarification to my post reporting a dead heat tie between the two Ricks). It is a fact that Baker came ... Read more
This Is Why Democrats Are Losing Support Of Black Women
September 22, 2017 -
The number of Black Women who support the Democratic Party has dropped more than 10 percent in a year.
The Democratic Party is losing its hold on Black women, who used to be their most loyal voters, Politic365 reported. The findings were based on a new survey released during the 9th Annual Public Policy Forum on Wednesday that was organized by ... Read more
Black Democrats “Defect” in St. Pete Elections
September 7, 2017 -
(Lessons from History & for the Next Two Months)
Several media outlets have highlighted the fact that a significant share of St. Pete’s black voters cast their ballot for Republican Rick Baker (above) in last Tuesday’s mayoral primary. The latest coverage was a Tampa Bay Times piece offering graphics depicting that “Baker, a Republican, ac... Read more