Archive for October, 2009
DC's abuzz over a report in today's Washington Post about a memo accidentally posted online by the House Ethics Committee. The July memo details how the committee's investigators "have been scrutinizing the activities of more than 30 lawmakers and several aides in inquiries about issues including defense lobbying and corporate influence peddling," according to the Post.
It said "nearly half the members of a powerful House subcommittee in control of Pentagon spending," including Rep. Bill Young, R-St. Petersburg, are under scrutiny. Young's office didn't respond to the paper.
The Post is also reporting today that the committee sought information from Rep. Connie Mack, R-Cape Coral, about a $10 million earmark in his district that connects Coconut Road near Fort Myers to Interstate 75. His office told the Post that the inquiry does not focus on him and that he had no involvement with the project.
New Florida Sen. George LeMieux took to the Senate floor to announce his first piece of legislation: a bill aimed at cracking down on one of South Florida's growth industries — health care fraud.
Among the provisions, LeMieux proposes requiring background checks for health care providers and suppliers affiliated with Medicare and Medicaid, using technology to detect fraud before claims are paid and appointing a Chief Health Care Fraud Prevention Officer within the Department of Health and Human Services – to fight health care fraud nationwide.
"We are losing billions of dollars to criminals – money that would otherwise be used to care for our people,” LeMieux said. "At a minimum, we lose $60 billion every year to health care fraud. Some estimates have this number as high as $226 billion. We might not agree on how to implement healthcare reform but we can all agree to fight waste, fraud, and abuse."
Here's LeMieux on the floor.
Republican Attorney General Bill McCollum, facing the Democratic CFO who wants to be Florida's first female governor, is taking steps to reach out to female voters.
His gubernatorial campaign just announced the formation of “Women for McCollum,” which will have his wife Ingrid McCollum working with co-chairs former Lt. Governor and Senate President Toni Jennings and Republican National Committeewoman Sharon Day. The aim: "to engage women of all ages and backgrounds and from every corner of Florida to elect Bill McCollum as Florida’s next Governor," according to the release just sent to the media.
McCollum is going up against CFO Alex Sink in the 2010 governor's race. Sink is a former Bank of America executive who has already started to portray herself as a working mother and "PTA mom" sympathetic to female voters' needs.
“I’m proud to lend my support to Bill McCollum because I know he’s the right person to lead our state during these difficult times,” said Jennings, who served under Gov. Jeb Bush. “We need solid, tested leadership as we tackle our tough challenges, and Bill McCollum’s unwavering commitment to the people of Florida and his vision for our future are more critical than ever before. Bill McCollum will get the job done.”
“It’s an honor to support Bill McCollum for Governor,” said Day. “During these difficult times in Florida’s history, we need a candidate that we can trust and depend on. Bill McCollum’s leadership has shown us, time and time again, he is the individual we need to lead Floridians to a brighter tomorrow.”
Carolyn Booth, 2nd VP of the Florida Federation of Republican Women of Apopka, will serve as State Chairwoman for Florida Women for McCollum.
“The leadership of this dynamic team of women is a tremendous asset to our campaign and I am humbled by their support,” said Bill McCollum. “I look forward to working with them in the coming months as we share our vision for a better Florida for our kids and grandkids.”
Yesterday McCollum announced a long list of county leaders.
Your supporters are annoying. I didn’t support either candidate in this race — both you and Tomas are nice guys, but I am on the verge of declaring — if you don’t keep your supporters from annoying me. Give it a rest. Supporters: You are not helping your candidate writing crap here and what you are writing cannot be characterized any other way, some I had to dump because it was so bad. Here is
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There is no better Halloween song than The Misfits – Halloween. The Fiend Club will be out in force when the band, featuring Danzig’s brother Jerry Only, and Dez Cadena, and Robo from Blac…
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Although Jewel became commercially successful at the age of 19 after releasing her thoughtful, melodic, and grrrly brand of Americana folk Pieces of You in 1997, she had already atta…
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By the time you reach a non-trick-or-treating age (i.e., whenever the candy-giving adults start asking for your cell number) it’s easy to get all jaded about Satan’s birthday. And why not? …
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Your Miami Dolphins started the week off with a horibly embarrassing loss to the New Orleans Saints, only to get slaughtered by a bunch of angry Japanese people on this week’s South Park. T…
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Last week’s Clemson game got Canes fans’ hearts pumping in fear harder than anything they’re likely to experience on Halloween. After last week’s trick, please, Great Pumpkin, deliver us a …
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Don’t call it a comeback, and rapper JT Money isn’t rising from the dead, but his last hit, “Who Dat,” was in 1999, and he’s back for Halloween weekend — so you can call it a resur…
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