Campaigning tonight in Delray Beach, Democratic Senate candidate Kendrick Meek raised the stakes for his debate Sunday against Republican rival Marco Rubio on NBC's "Meet the Press."
"A lot of people running around here with low expectations, 'Oh my God, we need to start praying for Kendrick,' " the Miami congressman told a crowd of about 150 people. "Let me tell you something. You need to start praying for Marco."
The third major candidate in the race, Republican-turned-independent governor Charlie Crist, is taking a pass on the debate.
"The governor decided not to come. No position. No voice,'' Meek said. "That's fine because him and Marco Rubio agree on 96 percent of the issues. So he will be represented there, via Marco Rubio."
He added: "Ladies and gentlemen, I am going to make you proud on Sunday, and I am going to make sure that everyone who ever doubted my candidacy will know that I am there fighting on behalf of people of good will."
In the continuing saga between Florida Power & Light and the Public Service Commission, the Juno Beach-based company has filed a motion today asking that Commissioner Nathan Skop remove himself from any remaining cases in which they are involved.
The motion, filed by Tallahassee attorney Barry Richard, calls Skop's comments to the news media and his comments from the bench "increasingly more hostile and adversarial.'' Skop was not reappointed to a second term after being rejected by the Public Service Nominating Council.
If Skop agrees to recuse himself, the panel will be left with four members, including PSC Chairwoman Nancy Argenziano, who was also rejected for reappointment.
The motion accuses Skop of being adversarial when he accused an FPL lawyer of "blatant disrespect" for opposing Skop's request to bring FPL CEO Armando Olivera before the commission to explain why the company provided the commission outdated data on its nuclear costs. It says that Skop "has reserved his antagonistic behavior for FPL and displayed no similar behavior with respect" to Progress Energy. FPL also objected to Skop's comments when he suggested an FPL witness may have committed perjury and when he accused the company of "spin," "misrepresentations," and "selective discourse."
Richard also cited Skop's statements late last week when he was arguing to bring Olivera before the commission and said:
"I'm a regulator, I do my job, and I've lost my job because I've chosen to do my job. So again, I'm not backing down from FPL in any way. I can back up what I state."
FPL's motion calls those comments "egregiously inappropriate for a quasi-judicial officer." It claims that he "crossed the line from impartial arbiter to zealous adversary and that his personal animosity toward FPL has risen to such a level that he utterly fails to maintain even an appearance of impartiality."
Richard told the Herald/Times that while Skop's behavior had been increasingly adversarial in the past, "the last straw for the company" came during the nuclear cost recovery hearings last week.
Skop would not comment. The nuclear cost recovery hearings will resume Sept. 7, at which time Olivera will testify under a subpoena issued by Argenziano.
The motion may have a chilling effect on other commissioners voicing their opinions about the company's response to regulators. Skop must now decide to remain or remove himself. If he refuses to remove himself, Richard said, the company could appeal it to the First District Court of Appeals, which he expects would rule fairly quickly. Here's the motion.
In a new television ad airing on Florida's Panhandle, Democrat Alex Sink say that while we're fighting the oil spill we "have to diversify our economy starting right now."
She says in the 30-second spot that she has a "detailed plan to develop new business and attract new business for Florida." Judge for yourself how detailed it is here.
UPDATED: In a Leon County courtroom, the Republican Party of Florida made a last minute attempt to remove a tea Party candidate from the ballot in a Central Florida state legislative race. But time was an issue because the ballot gets certified at 5 p.m. Thursday and the circuit judge appeared skeptical about granting an injunction.
Rep. J.C. Planas, a termed-out Miami lawmaker, was hired by the party to argue the case on behalf of a voter in House District 34, Christopher Denion. (Rep. Chris Dorworth, a future House speaker, currently holds the seat.) Planas argued that John DeVries is a bogus tea party candidate and asked Circuit Judge Jackie Fulford to disqualify him for technical issues surrounding his paperwork and a loan from Florida Tea Party leader Fred O'Neal.
"What we have here is the RPOF verses the Tea Party of Florida," O'Neal said in his opening statement. "They are trying to take us off the ballot."
At the end of the day, the judge rejected the RPOF's efforts to get an injunction but Planas said he will push it to trial. He also said he will ask prosecutor Willie Meggs to file a criminal case against DeVries.
Planas said DeVries admitted on the stand writing a worthless check — which if convicted would disqualify him. "We are going to expose the (Florida) Tea Party for what they are," he said.
The group, led by Orlando political consultant Doug Guetzloe, is under fire as a front group for Democrats. (And remember the name "Florida Tea Party" is also a matter of legal dispute.)
Even if Planas won the argument for an injunction — and the judge was incredibly skeptical — it was still likely DeVries name will appear on the ballot, given that the case is ongoing and a decision might not come at the end of the hearing. Not to mention, the Florida Tea Party, as a recognized political organization, can then nominate a replacement.
Planas said the case is a trial balloon, and if successful, will lead to more GOP efforts to remove Florida Tea Party candidates.
In a harshly worded letter to the federal government's BP claims czar Kenneth Feinberg, Senate President Jeff Atwater bascially tells him: don't screw up.
"I have become increasingly troubled by reports of delays in the claims process, artificial and capricious deadlines on filing, and an apparent insensitivity to the very real, long term impacts of this tragic accident on the families and small businesses of Florida,'' Atwater wrote. He then went on to say that he hopes he'll keep the victims in mind.
Yesterday, several members of the governor's oil spill recovery task force expressed similar frustrations.
Here's the letter:
September 2, 2010
Kenneth R. Feinberg, Esq.
Feinberg Rozen, LLP
The Willard Office Building
1455 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Suite 390
Washington, DC 20004-1008
Dear Mr. Feinberg:
Along with many of my fellow Floridians, I was relieved to hear that on June 16, President Obama finally appointed an administrator to oversee the claims process for the Deepwater Horizon accident, and that you, as administrator, had been specifically charged with fairly and equitably disbursing BP funds to the victims of this catastrophe. After many weeks of uncertainty, we took great comfort from the fact that there was now to be an impartial adjudicator in place to address the needs of Floridians impacted by this disaster.
In the intervening weeks, however, I have become increasingly troubled by reports of delays in the claims process, artificial and capricious deadlines on filing, and an apparent insensitivity to the very real, long term impacts of this tragic accident on the families and small businesses of Florida. I was shocked to hear you quoted as suggesting that pictures on television were the best indication that circumstances here in Florida are “fabulous.” Not only do the residents of Florida have to bear the ongoing pain of an uncertain future, but they have now been dealt the further indignity of having their legitimate concerns publicly and cavalierly dismissed by the very individual in whose hands their future economic viability has been placed. The citizens of Florida deserve far better.
To that end, I would respectfully call upon you to commit to three overarching principles as you move forward with this process. First, you will do everything in your power to avoid adding needless layers of bureaucracy to the claims process, providing greater opportunity for Floridians to receive what is rightfully theirs due to the negligence of BP or any other party. Secondly, that there will be no interruption of the claims paying process, nor will you restrict the liability of any claimant, until the full and complete ecological impact of the oil release is understood within the larger scientific community. Finally, the end of the claims process will be determined by the needs of Floridians, not prematurely closed simply for the sake of expediency or to accommodate the wishes of BP. If Floridians are still making legitimate claims, there should be an ongoing and consistent process that recognizes the fluidity of the situation and grants claimants a fair hearing without surrendering any future rights to redress wrongs committed against them.
We cannot afford to compound the magnitude of the BP nightmare with ineptitude by the Federal government. I would expect to hear shortly that you have redirected your efforts towards the victims of this disaster, and that new policy changes will shortly be announced that are designed to quickly and efficiently deliver much needed aid and assistance to deserving Floridians.
Sincerely,
Jeff Atwater
President
Charlie Crist just picked up an interesting endorsement in his bid for U.S. Senate: state Senate Minority Leader Al Lawson
of Tallahassee. Lawson, who just narrowly lost a primary race against
Congressman Allen Boyd, would be the most high-profile Democrat to
endorse Crist's independent bid over Democratic Congressman Kendrick Meek.
Other Democrats include two lawmakers from South Florida, Ari Porth and Maria Sachs, as well as St. Petersburg Rep. Darryl Rouson.
From a Crist campaign statement: "Florida desperately needs an
independent Senator in Washington who will fight for good jobs and
economic opportunity, a quality education for every child, and Social
Security for all of our seniors regardless of what the political party
bosses want," said Senator Lawson. "Charlie Crist will be exactly that
Senator, and I am proud to endorse his candidacy."
“I am honored by the support of Senate Democratic Leader Al
Lawson,” said Governor Crist. “Senator Lawson has been a champion for
working families for his entire career, whether it be fighting for jobs,
the environment, or good schools. I look forward to working with him
when I’m elected to the United States Senate."
The Democrats are likely to lose 47 seats and control of the House of Representatives in November's elections, a top political analyst says in a new forecast Thursday.
Larry Sabato, a political scientist at the University of Virginia, also says that the Democrats are likely to lose eight or nine seats in the Senate, eight governors' offices and 300 to 500 seats in state legislatures.
"The numbers are eye-catching. Republicans are dramatically gaining in all categories," Sabato said in an interview. "It's generated by a rotten economy and a strong conservative reaction against President (Barack) Obama." More here.
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