So Senate President Jeff Atwater's spokeswoman said Sen. Ronda Storms was taken off the transportation and economic development committee as part of a larger reshuffling of assignments that happened in October after Sens. Joe Negron and John Thrasher got elected.

Storms begs to differ. She told the Times/Herald she never asked to be taken off the committee, which is a critical stop today before the proposed commuter rail legislation goes to the Senate floor for a vote. Nope, she's pretty sure she lost the post because Atwater knows she's opposed to the rail bill -- and could have killed it in the transportation committee before it ever got to the full chamber. Storms helped defeat the SunRail proposal in the 2009 regular session, and she's poised to try and defeat it for a third time.

"Of course I didn't ask, and I did wonder if it was payment for my position last (session)," she said Tuesday, minutes before the six-member transportation committee met. "I was assured that was not the case, and I saw through dark-colored glass. And now I see clearly. I know that's what this is about, and I see it's probably for this (committee) vote.

"I'd be naive to think any differently," said Storms, R-Valrico. "But you know, this is a tough sport, and I can catch a few elbows. And I can give back."

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