Marc Caputo, Miami Herald
Marc Caputo covers state politics for the Miami Herald, in partnership with the Tampa Bay Times.
Email: mcaputo@miamiherald.com
Twitter: @MarcACaputo
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In Trayvon Martin's text messages, talk of marijuana, fights and guns
05/24/13CrimeIn the months and days before his shooting death, Trayvon Martin was getting into fights, getting high on marijuana, getting suspended from school and talking with friends about getting a gun, according to cellphone text messages that defense lawyers for shooter George Zimmerman released Thursday.
Trayvon's chronically misspelled, slang-filled messages — as well as pictures of a semi-automatic pistol, marijuana plants and Trayvon flipping his middle fingers — are all part of Zimmerman's defense plan to put the Miami Gardens 17-year-old posthumously on trial....
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Pam Bondi and 22 AGs to Urban Outfitters: stop 'undermining' war on RX abuse
05/23/13 BlogFlorida Attorney General Pam Bondi and 22 other attorneys general accused Urban Outfitters on Wednesday of "undermining" nationwide efforts to fight pharmaceutical-drug abuse because the store sells a line of drinking novelties that mimic prescription-pill bottles, boxes, pads and syringes.
"These products are not in any way fun or humorous but make light of this rampant problem," the group wrote in a letter addressed to the company's CEO and chairman, Richard A. Hayne. "We invite you to pull these products from your shelves and join with us to fight prescription drug abuse."...
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Pam Bondi says Urban Outfitters' novelty prescription pill items go too far
05/22/13 State RoundupFlorida Attorney General Pam Bondi and 22 other attorneys general accused Urban Outfitters on Wednesday of "undermining" nationwide efforts to fight pharmaceutical-drug abuse because the store sells a line of drinking novelties that mimic prescription-pill bottles, boxes, pads and syringes.
"These products are not in any way fun or humorous but make light of this rampant problem," the group wrote in a letter addressed to the company's CEO and chairman, Richard A. Hayne. "We invite you to pull these products from your shelves and join with us to fight prescription drug abuse."...
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Son of former Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart dies at age 29
05/20/13 BlogLincoln Gabriel Diaz-Balart, son and namesake of a former congressman and nephew of a current U.S. representative, died Sunday at the age of 29.
The family has asked for privacy and time to grieve.
The Diaz-Balart family is, perhaps, the most-politically powerful in Miami's Cuban-exile community.
U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart is a sitting Republican representative. His brother, Lincoln Diaz-Balart retired from congress after the 2010 elections. Another brother, Jose Diaz-Balart is a Telemundo host. A cousin of theirs is son and namesake of Fidel Castro, a prior uncle by marriage. A longtime family friend and virtual sister, U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, expressed her sorrow this morning in a radio interview during which she spoke of the toll of depression and suicide....
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AARP blocks Floridians from entering its contests, blames new gambling law
05/17/13 State RoundupSorry, grandma and grandpa.
The AARP is blocking Florida residents from participating in its Perfect Path to Retirement $50,000 Giveaway and its forthcoming Grandparents Day Photo Contest because, the group says, of a new state law cracking down on gambling.
The law was quickly passed last month after the arrests of 57 people and the resignation of Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll in connection with St. Augustine-based Allied Veterans of the World, which operated a chain of strip mall mini-casinos or so-called "Internet cafes."...
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How Rep. Frederica Wilson spared dad of four from 4 a.m. deportation
05/14/13 BlogThe hour was getting late at the North Miami immigration forum. The four members of Congress were hungry.
But 18-year-old Carlos Rivas had something to say.
“My dad, he was two months ago arrested by ICE. I have my family right here: my mom and my three brothers and sisters. We don’t know what to do,” Rivas said.
“He’s about to be deported tomorrow at 4 a.m.” he said. “And I wanted to know what you could do for us. … What can you do? Is there any help you can try to give us?”...
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Poll: Fla voters back pathway to citizenship
05/09/13 BlogFlorida’s Hispanic voters, the fastest-growing segment of the state’s electorate, are the most likely of any to support candidates who back a path to citizenship for those illegally in the country, a new poll from a Democratic-leaning firm has found.
Seven in 10 Hispanic voters said they’d be more likely to vote for a pro-pathway candidate, compared to 49 percent of African-Americans and 47 percent of non-Hispanic whites who feel that way, the survey from Public Policy Polling shows....
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PPP: FL backs pro-citizenship-path candidates 49-29 percent. GOP voters? Not so much.
05/09/13 BlogFlorida’s Hispanic voters, the fastest-growing segment of the state’s electorate, are the most likely of any to support candidates who back a path to citizenship for those illegally in the country, a new poll from a Democratic-leaning firm has found.
Seven in 10 Hispanic voters said they’d be more likely to vote for a pro-pathway candidate, compared to 49 percent of African-Americans and 47 percent of non-Hispanic whites who feel that way, the survey from Public Policy Polling shows....
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Darryl Rouson leaving Morgan & Morgan
05/07/13 BlogSo much for getting cushy high-paying jobs once you get in the state Legislature.
St. Petersburg Democrat Rep. Darryl Rouson is out of work at the heavy-hitting trial lawyer firm Morgan & Morgan because he needs to focus on politics right now, said John Morgan, the firm’s founder.
“It’s hard to be a trial lawyer if you’re not in trial. It’s hard to be in a Tampa court room if you’re always in Tallahassee,” Morgan said....
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At Rubio's urging, Florida election reform bill ends early presidential primary
05/03/13ElectionsTALLAHASSEE — U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio persuaded state lawmakers Friday to make a last-minute change eliminating Florida's early presidential primary — in which the Republican could be on the ballot.
Rubio's main concern was shared by lawmakers and operatives from both parties: ensuring that Florida's 2016 primary vote counts.
The measure, barely discussed, was tucked into an election-reform bill that passed the Legislature by wide margins Friday. The bill, which Gov. Rick Scott will likely sign, expands early voting hours and sites in order to alleviate long lines at the polls. ...
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Elections bill lingers on Legislature's last day
05/02/13ElectionsTALLAHASSEE — Embarrassed by an elections meltdown, lawmakers headed to the Capitol this year with a pledge to undo a law that helped lead to long lines, angry voters and jeers about "Flori-duh."
But the elections cleanup bill that the House passed on the very first day of the legislative session has yet to pass the Legislature as the last day dawns.
Lawmakers overwhelmingly support the plan to reverse parts of a 2011 election law by expanding the number of sites and days in which early voting is offered. The bill also gives people a chance to correct an absentee ballot they forgot to sign and would make it easier to prosecute people caught possessing multiple absentee ballots....
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Emails show group sought to protect Wasserman Schultz seat in redistricting
05/01/13NationalA liberal group involved in a lawsuit to make Florida's congressional districts less partisan engaged in its own partisan efforts by drawing Democratic-heavy Hispanic seats or trying to "scoop" Jewish voters into a district for U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the Democratic National Committee chair, emails show.
The emails between the leaders and consultants of what's known as the Fair Districts Coalition became a central piece of evidence Wednesday in the Republican-led Legislature's legal defense of the congressional districts it drew in 2012....
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U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart plays powerful role in immigration talks
04/22/13NationalMario Diaz-Balart spoke bluntly to his fellow U.S. House Republicans during a closed-door meeting at Washington's Capitol Hill Club.
"Immigration is the 800-pound gorilla," the Miami congressman told the room of vote-counting whips just seven days after November's election.
"The 800-pound gorilla just punched us in the face."
Indeed, Hispanic voters had turned from Republicans in record numbers, in heavy measure because of the way the party's candidates handled immigration. ...
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Bloomberg-backed group slams Sen. Marco Rubio for vote on guns
04/18/13NationalThe name-calling of Sen. Marco Rubio by a gun control group started by media mogul and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg intensified on Thursday after the Florida Republican helped defeat a congressional measure expanding background checks for nearly all firearm buyers.
The leader of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns group in Rubio's home county of Miami-Dade, Democratic Pinecrest Mayor Cindy Lerner, said at a press conference that Rubio's vote the day before was all about his ambitions for the White House in 2016....
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Top GOP fundraiser Brian Ballard helping Bob Graham's daughter for US House
04/13/13 BlogGwen Graham, the daughter of former Florida Gov. and Sen. Bob Graham, has a high-powered team of Florida lobbyists and insiders hosting an April 23 fundraiser for her Congressional campaign at the Tallahassee home of superlobbyist Brian Ballard. He's co-hosting the $250-per-attendee event with Bob Graham. Maximum contribution: $5,200.
A Republican fundraiser who led Mitt Romney's money-raising team in Florida, Ballard is crossing party by backing Graham over incumbent GOP U.S. Rep Steve Southerland....
