Christopher Rocco, one of the over 2,000 delegates at Minnesota’s Republican state convention last weekend, called for a 30-second moment of silence for Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of murdering George Floyd in 2020 after kneeling on Floyd’s neck and back for over nine minutes in an arrest over a suspected $20 counterfeit bill. Chauvin is still alive and in prison.
Rights & Liberties
‘I Lied Under Oath to Protect Government Secrets’: The Thin Line Between Mental Illness And Criminal Prosecution
Appearing before Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols Tuesday, David J. Pettit of Bunnell wanted to withdraw the plea that sent him to prison for three years, claiming he was incompetent when he pleaded–that he was lying to protect NSA secrets about telepathic communications. The judge denied the motion. The case illustrates the little extent to which mental illness gets in the way of criminal prosecutions no matter how absurdly an individual behaves, no matter how outlandishly he speaks, no matter how paranoid and violent his past behavior.
How Botched FHP Investigation Led To False Arrest In Deadly I-4 Crash Before State Attorney Stopped Miscarriage of Justice
Court and investigative documents show that the Florida Highway Patrol wrongly arrested 23-year-old Lindsey Brooke Isaacs for the triple-fatality crash on I-4 that claimed the life of former Deputy County Administrator Jorge Salinas based on a deeply flawed and sloppy investigation. Investigators ignored a vital 911 call describing a maroon Durango with matching plate numbers belonging to Alisa Lee Montalvo. The State Attorney’s Office discovered the discrepancies, prompting a specialized reconstruction team to clear Isaacs and charge Montalvo with the fatal hit-and-run.
Deltona Woman Arrested for Triple-Fatality Crash Within Hours of Cleared Charges Against Palm Coast Resident
Authorities arrested Alisa Lee Montalvo of Deltona for a triple-fatality crash on I-4 within hours of the dismissal of nearly identical charges against Lindsey Brooke Isaacs of Palm Coast. Isaacs spent months maintaining her innocence while her vehicle remained impounded. Montalvo faces nine counts including three counts of vehicular homicide. The crash took the lives of former Flagler County Deputy Administrator Jorge Salinas and his wife, Nancy Salinas, and Joaquin Deno of Deltona last October.
FlaglerLive Editor Calls Libel Lawsuit by Former Commissioner Joe Mullins a SLAPP Suit
Former Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins filed a libel lawsuit against FlaglerLive and its editor, Pierre Tristam, over articles documenting Mullins’s controversial public behavior and financial troubles. The lawsuit was filed by attorney Anthony Sabatini. FlaglerLive stands by its documented reporting, labels the case a prohibited SLAPP suit, and maintains that the evidence speaks for itself.
GOP Gerrymandering Is Burying the South’s Black Voters
Republican state legislatures across the South, Florida included, are passing new congressional redistricting maps that systematically divide concentrated Black populations into multiple white-majority districts to neutralize minority voting power and limits political representation. It is a regression to Jim Crow-era electoral suppression.
Saturday in Byblos:
Maupassant’s Colonial Delusion
Guy de Maupassant’s 1884 short story “Châli” explores, against Maupassant’s intentions, the deep moral rot of European colonialism through a French admiral’s disturbing exploitation of a young Indian slave as the narrative highlights how imperial powers disguised systemic violence as benevolent paternalism. The literary self-deception directly mirrors the historical degradation of colonialism defined by Aimé Césaire.
Florida House Committee Issues 1st Reprimand in 20 Years, to Rep. Angie Nixon Over Bullhorn Use
In an exceedingly rare move, a Florida House committee on Thursday reprimanded Rep. Angie Nixon for repeatedly blaring a bullhorn during a contentious fight over congressional redistricting. But the Jacksonville Democrat told reporters she’s unfazed — despite receiving the Florida Legislature’s first official reprimand in more than 20 years.
Florida Immigration Enforcement Costs Shifted from Storm Fund Climb to $460 Million For the Year
The fund was created in 2022 to handle hurricane preparation and response and other natural disasters, allowing Gov. Ron DeSantis to quickly dispense money during states of emergency. Since 2022, the lawmakers have deposited $4.77 billion into the fund. As of a few weeks ago, the fund balance was $199 million.
Victim’s Family Alleges in Lawsuit that FSU Shooter Was ‘Co-Conspiring’ with ChatGPT
The family of one of the victims of last year’s mass shooting at Florida State University have filed a lawsuit against the artificial intelligence chatbot the alleged shooter consulted before the attack. Lawyers representing 45-year-old Tiru Chabba’s estate announced the lawsuit filed Monday in Tallahassee federal court.
DUI Probationer Sent Back to Jail for Refusing to Profess Faith in God in Christian Treatment Program
A Flagler County judge returned 29-year-old Joshua King to jail for a probation violation after the 29-year-old Wiccan refused to profess Christian faith in God at Faith Farm Ministries as part of his court-ordered rehab therapy. He claimed the facility mandated religious conversion for program completion. The judge ruled that King failed to comply with the terms of the specific program he himself selected. He is to be resasigned to a different facility not of his choice.
Florida Democrats Are Getting Giddy. They Should Beware.
Florida Democrats are experiencing rare optimism following competitive polling and recent special election victories as Republican incumbents Byron Donalds and James Uthmeier face scrutiny over controversial statements and legal issues. But the GOP maintains a supermajority and control over the judiciary, and Democrats have a history of failing in critical statewide elections.
Call Israel’s War Crimes and Genocide By Name
Israel’s massacres, systematic destruction of villages and towns and historical fabrications to annex Palestinian and Lebanese lands amount to war crimes and genocide according to the definition of the Geneva Conventions, and are enabled by American military support and media complicity.
Southern Poverty Law Center Pleads Not Guilty To Federal Fraud Charges and Questions Motives
The Southern Poverty Law Center pleaded not guilty to federal charges of fraud and money laundering. The Department of Justice alleges that a discontinued informant program defrauded donors by enriching extremist groups. Defense attorneys labeled the prosecution a political attack.
‘Alligator Alcatraz,’ Too Expensive to Run, May Close
The New York Times reported Thursday morning that “Florida is in talks with the Trump administration” to shut down the facility dubbed by DeSantis’ administration as “Alligator Alcatraz,” adding that the talks are “preliminary but that “officials at the Department of Homeland Security have concluded that it is too expensive to keep operating the center.”
Flagler Beach Planning Board Member Had Explicitly Asked Pastor if He Had Shopping Center’s Permission for Church
When the church was seeking a special zoning exception from the city, a brief exchange between a Flagler Beach Planning Board member and Roderick Palmer, the pastor of Coastal Family Church, all but anticipated the lawsuit Palmer has been battling since January. The board member had asked Palmer explicitly, twice, if he had permission from the shopping center’s property association to run a church at Flagler Square. The answer was non-committal.
With Democrat David Jolly’s Exception, Most Gubernatorial Candidates Oppose Legalizing Recreational Pot
The GOP’s Paul Renner, Byron Donalds and James Fishback all oppose legalizing recreational marijuana. Democrat David Jolly is one exception. He says the fact that a majority of Floridians voted to legalize cannabis in 2024 is why he supports making it legal.
Parents and Florida’s Teachers Union Sue State Over Universal Vouchers, Calling them Unconstitutional
Parents and the Florida Education Association argue in a 39-page filing in state trial court in Leon County that state dollars funding private school vouchers don’t conform to the Florida’s Constitution’s charge requiring “uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high quality system of free public schools.”
Lawsuit Calls Florida’s New Congressional Map ‘One of the Most Extreme Gerrymanders’ in US History
A lawsuit has been filed against the Florida congressional redistricting map signed into law Monday by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Equal Ground Education Fund, a Black-led organization that works to increase Black political power in Florida, filed a 71-page lawsuit in the Second Judicial Circuit in Leon County on behalf of 18 individual plaintiffs who live throughout the state. The suit seeks declaratory and injunctive relief to stop the new map from going into effect.
The Cult of Civics Education Plagues Us Again
Americans have historically demonstrated a profound ignorance regarding their own history and government structures. This lack of academic knowledge did not prevent the nation from thriving or winning wars. Current efforts to mandate civics education often serve as a thin veil for nationalist indoctrination. These movements prioritize submissive obedience over actual empowerment. True American strength relies on cultural dynamism rather than memorizing trivia.
Immigration Sweeps Lead to Tens of Thousands More ‘Collateral’ Arrests of Noncriminals in 7 Months
A quarter of immigration arrests since August were labeled by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as “collateral,” a type of arrest and detention that’s been challenged in court as an end run around civil rights. Public outrage and lawsuits over the arrests may be tamping down the large-scale sweeps that foster them, but tens of thousands were arrested this way between August and early March.
Florida Democrats and Civil Rights Organizations Prepare For Court Battle Over New Redistricting
DeSantis’ redrawn congressional maps sparked immediate threats of legal action from advocacy groups as critics argue the mid-decade changes violate the state’s Fair Districts Amendment. The governor claims a recent Supreme Court ruling justifies the move. Opponents describe the plan as a partisan power grab designed to dilute minority voting power and secure Republican seats before the 2026 elections.
Florida House Approves DeSantis’ Congressional Redistricting Map in 90 Minutes
The Florida House of Representatives on Wednesday morning passed the congressional redistricting map presented to them by Gov. Ron DeSantis, which could give Republicans up to four new congressional districts. DeSantis’s legal team argues that federal law overrides state Fair District Amendments regarding minority representation. Democrats allege illegal partisan gerrymandering designed to aid 2026 midterm goals. The Florida Supreme Court will likely decide the constitutionality of this race-neutral approach.
Florida’s Bold Search For Terrorists Behind Every Bush
Environmentalists, religious groups, and even failing football programs could face state sanctions now that a new law giving Florida’s governor the authority to designate terrorist organizations is on the books. We can only conclude these organizations have been taken over by our enemies to sap our resolve.
Supreme Court Denies Coastal Church’s Emergency Request to Resume Services in Flagler Beach Shopping Center
The Florida Supreme Court denied Flagler Beach’s Coastal Family Church’s request to hold in-person services during ongoing litigation, leaving in place a lower court injunction based on restrictive shopping center covenants. The property owner argues that public assemblies at the Flagler Beach shopping center violate agreements. Pastor Roderick Palmer faces separate legal woes from a credit card debt lawsuit and a foreclosure action involving a local property.
DeSantis Signs Bill Banning Local Governments from Implementing Diversity and Fairness Policies
Soon Florida cities and counties will be banned from funding or promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and enacting net zero policies that cut down on greenhouse gases. SB 1134 prohibits municipalities from funding or passing a resolution in support of programs deemed diverse or inclusive. It also bars cities and counties from having a DEI office or an inclusion officer and gives the governor the power to remove local officials who violate the law.
Can Green Card Holders Be Deported for Committing a Crime? Supreme Court Hears Arguments Wednesday.
The Supreme Court will determine if immigration officials need clear evidence of a crime to treat returning green card holders as seeking admission. Muk Choi Lau challenged his removal after being paroled due to pending charges. The 2nd Circuit ruled in his favor. Now the justices must decide if the government can rely on later convictions or must prove crimes at the border.
How Spain Is Legalizing Undocumented Migrants and Powering Its Economy
With an upcoming amnesty for an estimated half a million undocumented workers, Spain is charting its own course on immigration policy, while also reinforcing its dependence on migrants to fuel economic growth.
Birthright Citizenship Ruling Will Decide Whether America’s 250th Is Celebration or Curtains
A Supreme Court ruling against birthright citizenship is a dangerous stepping stone toward mass denaturalization and the erosion of individual sovereignty. That’s Trump’s endgame. Anything less than a decision demolishing the challenge would disgrace the sestercentennial anniversary we are about to celebrate.
Florida Rule Would Require Proof Of U.S. Citizenship for Admission to State Colleges
The Florida Department of Education proposed a rule barring undocumented immigrants from the state’s 28 colleges and giving schools discretion to reject students based on past misconduct. The move follows various legislative attempts to limit non-resident enrollment and mirrors recent laws targeting students, dissenters and migrants.
Florida Universities’ Collaboration with ICE Is Making Students Less Safe
At least 15 Florida public universities have signed agreements to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, authorizing campus police to perform certain federal immigration functions including questioning and arresting suspected undocumented students. Faculty members report an intensifying climate of anxiety and uncertainty across campuses and a damaged sense of belonging for international students while undermining the role of universities.
Hey, Randy Fine: Muslims Like Me Don’t Threaten Our Way of Life. Your Bigotry Does.
You would think members of Congress, who swear an oath to support and defend the Constitution, would know that the right to freely practice religion is inalienable. Yet many, among them Randy Fine, who represents Flagler and other Florida counties, continue to attack the faith of millions of Muslim Americans, including their own constituents.
Democrats Warn Of Overreach as DeSantis Signs Bill Conflating Terrorism with Muslims
DeSantis signed legislation Monday empowering executive officials to designate domestic terrorist organizations, prohibiting state funding for certain Muslim schools and forbidding state courts from recognizing Sharia law. Critics argue the framework lacks judicial oversight and fear the executive branch could weaponize these labels against political or advocacy organizations.
Why University Presidents Traded Moral Authority for Self-Censorship
Throughout the 20th century, university presidents often spoke out on significant political and social issues with moral authority. Today, facing immense financial and political pressures, many higher education leaders have adopted strict institutional neutrality. This shift replaces direct, principled leadership with vague, lawyer-approved statements and risk management strategies. Critics argue this cautious approach undermines the essential role universities play in fostering community and open discourse.
Florida Attorney General Threatens NFL Over Rule Giving Minorities a Chance
Attorney General James Uthmeier is warning that he won’t stop pushing the NFL to suspend the “Rooney Rule,” which requires teams to interview minorities before they make a hiring decision. He claims it’s a violation of Florida law.
Airport Renaming Aside, Florida Lawmakers Spent Two Months Perfecting Art of the Dither
The Florida Legislature concluded its 2026 session without passing a state budget. Lawmakers prioritized symbolic resolutions and voter suppression over insurance costs, housing affordability, or the climate crisis. Wasted money in the school voucher program and environmental protection were ignored as partisan infighting and petty distractions defined the two-month period.
Uthmeier Claims Ban on State Funding of Religious Education Violates First Amendment
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier won’t enforce part of the state Constitution banning government funding for churches and other religious groups on the theory it violates the First Amendment, he claimed this week.
R.J. Larizza Hosts Former Rivals as Unveiling of 4 State Attorneys’ Portraits Stirs Old Battles and Triumphs
State Attorney R.J. Larizza Friday unveiled a portrait gallery at an event honoring four storied Seventh Judicial Circuit former State Attorneys: Dan Warren, Stephen Boyles, John Tanner and Steve Alexander. Warren’s son Raymond, a former prosecutor and public defender, recalled his father’s role in the summer of 1964, seminal in the state’s civil rights history, and Tanner used the occasion to discuss his 1963 manslaughter indictment by Warren, and subsequent enmity with the state attorney.
Appeals Court Will Decide if Flagler Beach Shopping Center Can Legally Ban Coastal Family Church Services
Coastal Family Church is appealing a court injunction prohibiting services at its Flagler Beach shopping center location. The property management company cites private covenants banning public assembly to justify the restriction. The church argues the ban violates First Amendment rights and constitutes selective enforcement. The high-stakes legal battle pits foundational private property rights against constitutional religious protections.
Voting Rights Groups File Suit as DeSantis Signs Proof-of-Citizenship Law
While Congress remains deadlocked on the SAVE America Act that would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote, that requirement will soon become the law of the land in Florida now that Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed the latest “voting integrity ” legislation. The governor signed the bill (HB 991) into law Wednesday in The Villages following its approval by the Florida Legislature last month. The law requires people who are registering to vote to produce evidence of citizenship, such as a valid passport or birth certificate. It will take effect Jan. 1, 2027.
Supreme Court Appears Likely to Side Against Trump on Birthright Citizenship
Every federal court that has considered a challenge to Donald Trump’s executive order that would end birthright citizenship has struck it down. After just over two hours of oral arguments on Wednesday, before an audience that included (at least for part of the morning) Trump himself, a majority of the Supreme Court seemed likely to do the same.
Thousands Of No Kings Protesters Gathered In Red Florida Counties To Challenge Autocracy and War
Thousands of protesters gathered across Florida cities to demonstrate against Donald Trump during the third No Kings event even in Republican strongholds, including Pensacola, Jacksonville, Lakeland and Flagler County. Veterans joined diverse crowds to criticize foreign policy decisions and domestic immigration enforcement. Participants expressed concern regarding government lawlessness and executive overreach.
Over 1,300 ‘No Kings’ Protesters at 3 Locations in Flagler Beach and Palm Coast Proclaim Diversity of Opposition to Trump
Demonstrators gathered in Flagler Beach and two locations in Palm Coast Saturday to participate in the third set of anti-authoritarian “No Kings” protests, part of some 3,100 such protests across the country. More than 1,300 people voiced opposition to the Trump administration through signs and chants. A small counter-protest emerged at Palm Coast Parkway. Participants expressed concerns ranging from civil rights to immigration issues, but the movement’s political effectiveness ahead of the November election is unclear.
As War and ICE Fuel Momentum, Throngs Expected at No Kings Rallies in Palm Coast and Flagler Beach Saturday
Organizers in Flagler County scheduled three separate No Kings rallies in Palm Coast and Flagler Beach, joining millions expected to participate in over 3,000 demonstrations across the nation and beyond Saturday. The non-hierarchical protests draw on thematic opposition to recent foreign and domestic policies and the president’s authoritarianism.
Limiting Student School Board Members To Cheerleading Scripts Undermines Role’s Original Intent
Flagler County Schools established student board members in 2002 to provide authentic youth perspectives on policy. The students once influenced graduation requirements and infrastructure improvements. Recent trends relegated them to ceremonial duties and prepared scripts. Board members Lauren Ramirez and Janie Ruddy want to restore meaningful participation, Will Furry and Christy Chong don’t. A new policy defining the roles would be pointless if it does not empower students to lead effectively as intended.
Trump’s Iran War Propaganda Is Turning Carnage Into a Gaming Spectacle of Apocalyptic Christian Nationalism
By Henry A. Giroux During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump promised to be an antiwar candidate, boasting that, unlike his predecessors, he would end endless wars and keep the United States out of new military conflicts. Yet the trajectory of his presidency has unfolded in the opposite direction. From expanding military confrontations in the Caribbean […]
Evangelist Challenging “Speech Zone” Wins Supreme Court Battle To Block Enforcement Of Restrictive Ordinance
Law enforcement officers raised concerns about public demonstrations such as Gabriel Olivier’s preaching, prompting city leaders to enact an ordinance that requires protesters and other demonstrators to remain within a designated protest area. Olivier was arrested for violating this ordinance after he left the designated area to move “to the sidewalk fronting the amphitheater” and thereby get closer to the crowds.
She Was in Labor at a Florida Hospital. Then She Was in Zoom Court for Refusing a C-Section.
Cherise Doyley faced a bedside judicial hearing during active labor after refusing a C-section at a Jacksonville hospital. Doctors cited uterine rupture risks, yet Doyley prioritized her autonomy and recovery concerns. The court eventually authorized emergency intervention without her consent in a case that highlights how fetal personhood policies can strip pregnant patients of constitutional rights, leading to forced medical treatments and controversial legal precedents.
Flagler County Sheriff Participation in Federal Immigration Sweeps Raises Questions About Local Taxpayer Costs
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly says local taxpayers will be left bearing no burden for participation in federal immigration sweeps. Signed agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement indicate the county remains responsible for salaries, benefits, training and other costs, and neither the Sheriff’s Office nor federal agencies are providing specific financial data, including about the cost of housing migrants at the county jail as transparency remains elusive.
Florida Attorney General Uthmeier Explains Why Some Felons’ Gun Rights Are More Equal Than Others
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a supplemental brief supporting the Second Amendment rights of nonviolent felons to overturn the conviction of Christopher Morgan for firearm possession. Uthmeier argues historical traditions do not support disarming nondangerous individuals.