Florida developers win again in this week’s Winner/Loser in politics

Winner of the Week

Developers and large land owners: We already knew that Florida’s top officials are trying to open up vast swaths of rural land for development possibilities by laying down unwanted toll roads. Now another concession for land owners has emerged. Lawmakers passed House Bill 7103 earlier this year with little fanfare, but it’s quite the gift. The law requires those who sue projects and lose to pay the opposing party’s legal bills, pushing any meaningful challenge out of reach for most. It was reported last week that a group of Pasco residents dropped their challenge to a lime-rock mining operation because of the bill. “No average citizen can afford a lawsuit under this bill,” one deflated resident said.

Loser of the Week

Rick Scott. The freshman senator from Florida visited Israel last week, praying at the Western Wall for “an end to Nicolás Maduro’s evil regime and genocide in #Venezuela.”

We’re old enough to remember when Florida officials would visit Jerusalem and pray for a safe hurricane season in their beloved state. What about it, Sen. Scott?