For months, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration has dismissed the Hope Florida scandal as a “hoax,” maintaining that “nobody did anything wrong.” Yet at the same time, state agencies have quietly shelled out thousands of dollars to high-powered law firms that were hired to keep an investigation of the saga out of public view.
Ron DeSantis
Ex-Senate President Who Put Amendment 3 on Ballot Is Voting Against It
Kathleen Passidomo voted with the Senate majority in June to send the property tax measure to the Nov. 3 ballot. The vote was 30-9. She said she voted “yes” because voters should get to decide. She’s voting No.
DeSantis Withdraws Death Warrant for Sick Inmate Who’d Been Refused Care
Gov. Ron DeSantis has withdrawn the death warrant for William Lee Thompson, who was scheduled to be one of two inmates executed on Tuesday.
DeSantis didn’t state a reason for the change in his Thursday afternoon letter to Florida State Prison Warden Randall Polk, but it comes as Thompson’s counsel and opponents of the death penalty have reported the 74-year-old inmate has several health issues including dementia and heart failure
Memory Hole: Court Erases Hope Florida Grand Jury Report, Silencing Anyone Who’d Defend It
The grand jury report that put Attorney General James Uthmeier at the center of a “sophisticated scheme” to move $10 million from a Medicaid settlement into his political committee was erased Wednesday by a state appeals court, in an appeal in which no one was allowed to argue in defense of the report, the court’s own opinion shows.
DeSantis Signs 2nd Death Warrant in a Week for Record 20th Execution of Year
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed his second death warrant within a week, putting the state in position to exceed its modern-era record for executions in a single year set in 2025. DeSantis on Monday signed a warrant for Jesse Guardado, 64, to be executed Nov. 5 at Florida State Prison for the murder of a Walton County woman in 2004.
Florida Association of Realtors Vastly Outspending Opponents of Amendment 3
A report shows that the campaign working to see Amendment 3 on the statewide ballot win approval in November raised $18 million through Sept. 25. All of that financial support came from the Florida Association of Realtors. The two political committees opposing Amendment 3, Floridians for Shared Prosperity and Vote No on 3 Florida, have raised a combined $537,357. That’s a ratio of more than 33:1.
The Ideological Sack of Florida’s New College
DeSantis is aggressively dismantling traditional university governance across Florida by installing political loyalists, suppressing speech, and imposing rigid ideological curricula. Students and filmmakers are fighting back through protests, legal challenges and documentaries, exposing institutional decline, rising costs, and plummeting academic rankings.
In Rush to Judgment, DeSantis And Cabinet Bypass Legal Rulemaking To Target Advocacy Groups
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the cabinet circumvented statutory rulemaking requirements by implementing emergency procedures to designate targeted advocacy organizations as domestic terrorist groups without public transparency or required legislative oversight.
Average Tax Bill On a Single Rental Apartment Unit Could Rise by $406 if Amendment 3 Passes
When Floridians vote in November on whether to raise homestead exemptions through Amendment 3, they may also be voting to shift more of the property tax burden onto renters, a new analysis by the center-right Tax Foundation finds.
Governor Orders Flags at Half-Staff for Former Flagler Beach Mayor Alice Baker on Remembrance Day
Gov. Ron DeSantis has ordered the American and Florida flags to be flown at half-staff at the State Capitol and in Flagler Beach Saturday in honor of Alice Baker, the former Flagler Beach mayor. Baker died on July 15 at her home in Georgia. She was 95. The honor coincides with Saturday’s Alice Baker Remembrance Day organized by former City Commissioner Jane Mealy at the Flagler Woman’s Club in Flagler Beach.
As Governor, Donalds Might Retain Surgeon General Ladapo. Jolly Would Fire Him.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds reiterated Tuesday that he remains open to reappointing Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo if he wins the Nov. 3 election. That marks a clear distinction with Democrat David Jolly, who has vowed to fire Ladapo on his first day in office.
Angie Nixon Will Pay $250 Fine to Settle Charge of Sit-In at DeSantis’s Office
Florida Democratic Senate candidate Angie Nixon will pay a $250 fine and provide 15 hours of community service to settle her case with Leon County after she was charged with two misdemeanors for holding a sit-in at Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office in the Florida Capitol on May 15.
Alligator Alcatraz Used Small Cages to Confine Migrants
When federal investigators showed up unannounced at the sprawling pop-up prison in the Florida Everglades in January, they found something they had never seen at any other immigration detention center in the country: Detainees at “Alligator Alcatraz” were being held for up to nearly two hours in small metal cages roughly the size of a phone booth.
DeSantis and Uthmeier Can’t Shake Hope Florida Sleaze
$10 million in taxpayer funds from a Medicaid settlement intended for children were secretly diverted into political action committees by state officials to finance campaigns, sparking a grand jury investigation, intense legislative backlash, and severe political fallout for Republican candidates across Florida ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. DeSantis and Uthmeier are throwing hissy fits as a defense.
Florida Kills Daniel Conahan Jr. for 1996 Murder of Richard Montgomery in 43rd Execution on DeSantis Watch
Daniel Owen Conahan Jr. was put to death by lethal injection Thursday at Florida State Prison for the 1996 strangulation of 21-year-old Richard Allen Montgomery in Charlotte County. Conahan is the 15th inmate killed this year by the state after a modern-era record 19 in 2025. It is the 43rd execution on Gov. Ron DeSantis’s watch.
Florida Attorney general Uthmeier Sues Netflix, Claiming It Targets Children
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a lawsuit against Netflix today, claiming it violated state law by telling consumers it wouldn’t track and sell their data to advertisers, and that it’s keeping targeting children to keep them “tethered to the screen.”
Undocumented Students Now Banned from All Florida Colleges and Universities
Students must be lawfully in the United States to attend Florida’s universities, the board that oversees the university system voted Thursday. The measure received no debate or discussion, except from members of the public during public comment. The Board of Governors approved the measure, on the consent agenda, after receiving preliminary approval during a meeting in June.
Florida Kills Harold Lucas for 1976 Bonita Springs Murder of Jill Piper, 16
Harold Gene Lucas was put to death by lethal injection Tuesday evening at Florida State Prison, 50 years after killing 16-year-old Jill Piper at her home in Bonita Springs.
DeSantis Warns of ‘Surveillance State’ as Several Florida Sheriffs Drop License Plate Readers
Flock Safety in particular has come under torrents of criticism over its technology, which includes broad location data collection and sharing. There have been several publicized incidents demonstrating how local law enforcement officers have abused the technology, as such as the police officer accused in Polk County earlier this month of using Flock technology to track his estranged wife’s vehicle 717 times over a 21 months.
Sullivan Uthmeier v. New York Times
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is a busy, busy bee, darting from human trafficking prosecutions to going after shoplifting gangs to trying to outlaw drag queen Christmas shows to accusing Microsoft of anti-Christian bias to cheerleading book bans. His current obsession is The New York Times. The AG blames the Times for manifold transgressions and is demanding six years-worth of board documents, information on editorial decisions, and internal communication records.
Grand Jury: DeSantis ‘Misappropriated’ $10 Million to Wife’s Hope Florida Charity and Political Allies
A state grand jury report found Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration “misappropriated” funds by diverting Medicaid money to a nonprofit, eventually ending up in political committees supporting the governor’s agenda. But the report didn’t find enough to pursue criminal charges against anyone.
Florida Wants To Abolish 4 Vaccine Requirements for Schoolchildren
The state of Florida wants to remove four immunizations from entry requirements for PreK-12 public and private schools. The Florida Department of Health is proposing a rule to remove Hepatitis B, varicella (chicken pox), Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines for public school attendance, a move that has been in play for almost a year after Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced his intent to get rid of all vaccine mandates in the state.
Kevin Guthrie Is Out as Emergency Managent Director After 2-Day Stint as Collins Running Mate
Florida Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie resigned Tuesday, one day after becoming Lt. Gov. Jay Collins’ running mate in his run for governor. Guthrie’s stint as Collins’ running mate lasted less than 48 hours: Collins came in second, with 25 percent of the vote, to Byron Donalds’s 48 percent in the 11-way Republican primary race for governor.
Toned Down Homestead Amendment Ballot Language Removes Ideological Claim of ‘Excessive Property Taxes’
In the new version, the title “Save our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes” has been replaced by, “Increased Homestead exemption; Lower Cap on Increases in Non Homestead Property Assessment.” The ballot summary would now make clear the measure would increase the homestead exemption for all non-school taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028 and adjust for inflation thereafter.
The Forgotten Racial History of Alligator Alcatraz
The newly closed Alligator Alcatraz migrant detention center in Florida faces severe criticism for alleged inhumane conditions and environmental damage. The facility’s sensational name revives a disturbing legacy of racial stereotyping. For generations, white supremacists used alligators in dehumanizing imagery targeting Black Americans, making this modern political branding a grotesque repetition of racist historical symbolism.
DeSantis Signs 43rd Death Warrant, for Daniel Owen Conahan Jr., the ‘Hog Trail Killer’
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday signed the death warrant for inmate Daniel Owen Conahan Jr., who was known as the “Hog Trail Killer” and who was convicted of a 1996 murder in Charlotte County. It is the 43rd death warrant of DeSantis’s tenure.
Byron Donalds Attacks Nonpartisan Revenue Estimating Conference
Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds is questioning whether advertised impacts of this year’s property tax amendment are exaggerated.
Byron and Erika Donalds’ Gospel of ‘School Choice’ Would Turbocharge Vouchers and Privatization
Byron and Erika Donalds are leveraging their political influence and billionaire donations to drastically transform the public education system in Florida. The couple envisions a lucrative free-market educational economy prioritizing universal voucher programs and private charter schools. Critics argue their aggressive privatization agenda unconstitutionally drains essential taxpayer funds from struggling traditional public school districts.
Appeals Court Upholds Florida Ban on Children at Drag Shows
A federal appeals court has upheld a Florida law banning children from attending drag shows, a measure put in place with the support of Gov. Ron DeSantis. In an 8-5 opinion handed down Tuesday, the majority ruled the law was constitutional, while those on the dissenting side criticized the measure as overreach.
Calling Homestead Amendment Ballot Measure Misleading Political Rhetoric, Judge Orders Rewrite
The title and summary of a property tax cut proposal to be placed on the November ballot contain political rhetoric and are misleading, and must be redrafted, a Leon Circuit Court judge ruled late Monday. “Voters are entitled to a fair, clear, accurate and non-misleading ballot statement to assist them in making their critical determination,” Judge David Frank wrote in his 18-page ruling.
A Desperate Renner Takes on Fauci and Donalds in Final Weeks of Primary
Former House Speaker Paul Renner is attempting to climb up the polls and drag down U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds in the Republican gubernatorial primary, but he’s also trained his sights at Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Florida’s Property Tax Amendment: Trade-Offs and Higher Costs for Some
Florida voters in November will decide on Amendment 3 to significantly increase homestead property tax exemptions. Reducing local revenue by nearly $12 billion annually forces trade-offs across the state. Local governments may raise sales taxes, commercial rates, and utility fees or cut essential services like fire, police, and public parks to bridge massive budget gaps.
Florida Kills Two Inmates in One Day, Raising DeSantis-Ordered Body Count to 40
The state of Florida executed 80-year-old Dominick Anthony Occhicone Tuesday evening, making him the oldest prisoner executed in Florida’s modern history. He was convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend’s parents in 1986. Occhiocone was the 12th inmate Florida to be executed this year and the second executed Tuesday, an event so rare that it hasn’t happened in Florida since 1964. Earlier in the day, Florida killed James Aren Duckett, 68, Tuesday for the 1987 rape and murder of 11-year-old Teresa McAbee.
Florida Department Of Health Warns Against Prescribing Psychotropic Medications To Children And Teens
Florida health officials issued new guidelines discouraging doctors from prescribing psychotropic medications to children aged five to 17 for conditions like anxiety, depression, and ADHD. Aligning with federal Make America Healthy Again priorities, the state recommends therapy and behavioral intervention as primary treatments. Medical organizations like the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry are opposed.
A Rare Florida Victory for ‘The Right To Tell People What They Don’t Want to Hear’
Judge Britt C. Grant described the DeSantis “Stop Woke Act” a breathtaking assertion of power aimed at banning unpopular ideas. Academic freedom requires open debate rather than state-mandated silence while suppressing critical discussions regarding race, gender, and history undermines the core educational mission of public universities across the state.
Say What? Florida Surgeon General Suggests Measle Outbreak Could Be Tied to Abortion Opposition
Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo suggested Friday that opposition to abortion could have helped fuel a measles outbreak in Florida since many cases are tied to a private Roman Catholic college where students may be opposed to the vaccine.
Florida Disaster Fund Spent More on Immigration than All 2025 Missions Combined
The DeSantis administration spent nearly two-thirds of Florida’s emergency fund last fiscal year on fighting illegal immigration, dwarfing spending for severe weather, international rescues, and other emergency missions for which the fund was created.
DeSantis’ Latest Death Warrants Slate Two Executions on the Same Day, a First For Florida in 62 Years
James Aren Duckett, 68, and Dominick Anthony Occhicone, 80, are scheduled to be executed on June 28. Occhicone will be the oldest inmate killed by the state since modern records of executions have been kept starting in 1924. The last time Florida executed two inmates on the same day was on May 12, 1964.
Florida Kills Dennis Sochor, 74, for 1981 Murder of Patty Gifford, 29th Execution in Two Years
Dennis Michael Sochor was executed Tuesday evening for the death of 18-year-old Patricia “Patty” Gifford in Broward County 44 years ago, becoming the oldest person put to death by the state since executions were revived in 1977, and the 29th person the state has killed in two years. DeSantis has signed the warrant for the 30th.
DeSantis’s Terrorist Designation of the Council on American-Islamic Relations Is On Hold
Nearly two weeks after Gov. DeSantis announced a recommendation from the state’s chief’s chief of domestic security to designate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Muslim Brotherhood, and Antifa domestic terrorist organizations, that recommendation has yet to go into effect, and there is no clear timetable when it will be, according to a filing in federal court on Monday.
DeSantis Blames Court for Calling Out His Overreach on Woke Act
Gov. Ron DeSantis called the 11th Circuit’s blocking of the “Stop WOKE Act” a “clear and unfortunate example of judicial overreach,” reacting to the second ruling this week against his anti “woke” agenda.
29th Inmate to Be Executed in 19 Months in Florida Wants DeSantis to Attend His Killing
Dennis Michael Sochor, convicted of strangling an 18-year-old woman he met at a New Year’s celebration in a Broward County bar 44 years ago, is scheduled to die by lethal injection Tuesday at Florida State Prison. His last wish? To have Gov. Ron DeSantis personally observe his execution up close and personal.
Florida Intentionally Keeping SNAP Error Rate High to Slash Eligibility and Reduce Beneficiaries, Democrats Say
If Florida doesn’t lower its SNAP error rates, the state could have to pay as much as $1 billion to continue to participate in the federal food security program. Florida Democratic Party Chair Chair Nikki Fried says the high error rate might not be due to mundane mistakes but rather a tactic to limit participation in the federal benefit, formally called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Florida’s ‘Stop WOKE Act’ at Universities Ruled Unconstitutional in Blunt Decision by Trump Appointee
A federal appeals court decisively ruled Florida’s Stop WOKE Act unconstitutional in public university classrooms. The Eleventh Circuit panel affirmed that the First Amendment protects academic freedom, preventing viewpoint discrimination by the state government. The ruling blocks Florida from restricting diverse classroom discussions regarding Critical Race Theory and marks a major constitutional legal defeat for the DeSantis administration’s efforts to control higher education classroom speech.
‘Harmful’ and ‘Likely Illegal’: Immigration Groups Decry Florida Ban of Undocumented Students at Colleges
Florida’s pro-immigration groups blasted a new rule banning undocumented students from state colleges as “cruel” and potentially illegal. On a Zoom meeting, the coalition of legal entities and advocacy organizations called on the DeSantis administration to reconsider this week’s education change, which outright outlawed state colleges from enrolling undocumented students.
CAIR Florida, the Muslim Advocacy Organization, Sues State Over ‘Unprecedented’ Terrorist Designation ‘Regime’
Immediately after Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the state would soon designate the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) a domestic terrorist organization, the Muslim civil rights advocacy group filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging that designation as unconstitutional and are calling for an injunction to halt its enforcement.
Paul Burns Appointed Interim Education Commissioner
The Florida Board of Education appointed Paul Burns as interim education commissioner on Tuesday. Burns, a Department of Education senior chancellor, was unanimously approved to step into the role of commissioner as Anastasios Kamoutsas exits to become president of Polk State College.
Miffed That He Didn’t Get His Way, DeSantis Won’t Campaign for Tax Amendment
Gov. Ron DeSantis has spent more than a year boosting a proposal to eliminate or substantially reduce property taxes for Floridians, but because the Legislature’s version doesn’t reach as far as his own plan, he now says he doesn’t intend to campaign for the proposal that will go before the voters in November.
DeSantis Vetoes More Than $800 Million from $114.5 Billion Budget, a 26% Increase Since 2020
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed his eighth and final budget (HB 5001E) of his tenure Monday, vetoing more than $800 million from a $114.5 billion spending plan. The move came two days before the fiscal year was set to begin, after lawmakers’ battle over the amount of spending led to a stalemate that required a special session in May to settle.
Alligator Alcatraz Is Shutting Down
One year after it opened, Alligator Alcatraz, the detention center used by Florida and the federal government to house undocumented immigrants, is shutting down.