Dr. Fauci to be investigated by State of Florida

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier to investigate Fauci

He announced Wednesday that his office is opening an investigation into former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, hours after Fauci repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment during a contentious Senate hearing on the federal government's COVID-19 response.

"Fauci's lack of candor to Congress is unbelievable," Uthmeier wrote on X shortly after the hearing ended.
"My office is launching an investigation into Dr. Fauci. It's past time we get the truth of what happened during COVID."

On his final day in office, former President Joe Biden granted Fauci a full and unconditional pardon covering any federal offenses committed in connection with his government service between Jan. 1, 2014, and Jan. 19, 2025.

While that pardon shields Fauci from federal prosecution for covered conduct, it does not prevent state-level investigations or prosecutions, making Uthmeier's inquiry the first announced by a state attorney general.

Florida AG to investigate Fauci

Florida Deportation Orders

Florida's deportation orders surge in June, following a national trend

Since March, deportations ordered by immigration judges in Florida have increased 18 percent, according to recently released data.

In June, judges issued 5,415 removal orders, a 17.6 percent increase compared to March’s 4,605 removal orders, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), a nonprofit that tracks immigration data.

Florida follows a national trend of an increase in deportation orders, which hit an all-time high of 79,000 in June, the most orders issued in a month so far in President Donald Trump’s second term.

Even though Florida remains one of the top states for overall deportations, it lagged behind an average national surge of 30 percent, as other states saw steeper climbs in the number of people ordered to be deported to their country of origin between the months of March to June.

And while Mexico is the destination country for the largest share of removal orders in the U.S., with 121,001 since last October (the beginning of the federal fiscal year), in Florida the most removal orders were issued to those originally from Guatemala.

With 3,934 detainees, Florida ranks fifth among states. About a quarter of immigrants detained in Florida are housed in a state-run immigration detention facility in Baker County dubbed Deportation Depot. Alligator Alcatraz, a billion-dollar tent facility located in the Everglades that was in operation for nearly a year, closed earlier this month.

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Byron Donalds is the Frontrunner for Florida Governor

Donalds still leads Florida GOP governor’s race

but rivals press him on lawsuit, debates and polling

Byron Donalds remains the Republican frontrunner for Florida governor, but his rivals are trying to make the final stretch of the primary far less comfortable.

The Trump-endorsed congressman is now pushing back against a new civil assault lawsuit filed in Collier County by Kelly Mason, who alleges Donalds threatened and intimidated her during a 2022 confrontation inside Seed to Table, a Naples grocery store.

The complaint claims the confrontation stemmed from litigation involving Donalds’ wife, Erika Donalds, and that Donalds threatened to “crush” or “finish” Mason. Donalds’ campaign dismissed the lawsuit as political.

“This is a baseless, politically motivated attack and shameful publicity stunt designed to damage Byron Donalds in the 2026 election,” said Gates McGavick, Donalds’ campaign communications director. “This individual has a long history of unsuccessful litigation against the Donalds family. Floridians deserve better news coverage than lazy reprints of a tabloid.”

The lawsuit comes as Donalds’ opponents are also trying to force him onto a debate stage. Former House Speaker Paul Renner is calling for another Republican primary debate, preferably on Fox News or another national outlet, after Donalds skipped a recent podcast debate featuring Renner, Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and James Fishback. Axios reported Donalds was still mentioned dozens of times during that debate, even though he did not participate.

“The voters want debates, they deserve debates,” Renner said. “He has to answer the why question: Why should he be the governor and not the other candidates in this race?”

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There is no need for Donalds to debate:
Rep. BYRON DONALDS is out front with 37.5 percent, while Collins has 20.2 percent. Investor JAMES FISHBACK is in third with 9.6 percent. Former state House Speaker PAUL RENNER was at 2.1 percent

Florida Budget 2026-27

DeSantis Signs Final State Budget of His Administration

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed Florida’s $117.6 billion budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, approving a spending plan that he said reduces state spending for the fourth consecutive year.

The final budget comes after nearly $810 million in line-item vetoes and covers the fiscal year that begins today, July 1. It is the final full state budget of DeSantis’ administration.

Some of the highlights:

The plan directs $30 billion to K-12 public schools, raising per-student funding to $9,338, or $150 more than the current year. It also includes $1.56 billion for salary increases for teachers and other instructional personnel, $1.65 billion for early childhood education and $290 million for school safety.

Environmental spending includes $1.2 billion for Everglades restoration and water quality projects. That total includes $665 million for Everglades restoration, $396 million for targeted water quality improvements, $150 million for Florida Forever, $64 million for beach nourishment and $425 million for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program.

For public safety, the budget includes $19.8 million for sworn state law enforcement pay increases, $20 million for the Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Program and $15 million for the State Assistance for Fentanyl Eradication Program.

Read more about Florida's Budget

Gov. DeSantis signs $117.6B Florida budget with tax relief, debt reduction and record reserves, leveraging a robust fiscal position to bring total state reserves to nearly $18 billion. The state's Rainy-Day fund is fully funded at its constitutional limit of $5 billion.

Texas and Florida - Unprecedented Economic Growth

Texas and Florida are leading in tort reform, Boom Belt success

Texas and Florida are leading in tort reform, bringing more business and economic growth to southern Boom Belt states, the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute (TCCRI) and The James Madison Institute (JMI) argue.

TCCRI was founded in 1996 by a group of state leaders determined to implement conservative public policies in state government based on the principles of limited government, individual liberty, free enterprise and traditional values. Florida-based JMI is dedicated to the ideals of limited government, economic freedom, federalism and individual liberty coupled with individual responsibility.

Their new joint report argues, “Texas’ and Florida’s economic dominance is the direct result of multi-decade efforts to create a predictable civil justice environment. These reforms spurred the business investment, population growth, and capital inflows that define the Boom Belt.”

They also argue this competitive edge “is under threat” by trial lawyer organizations. In Florida, the Florida Justice Association is targeting pro-business politicians to unseat in state legislative races, the JMI argues.

In Texas, plaintiff-aligned groups are funding candidates and PACs to weaken reforms the state legislature has implemented, TCCRI argues.

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Alligator Alcatraz undergoing permanent closure

Florida Begins Dismantling 'Alligator Alcatraz'

Florida officials have begun dismantling the migrant detention facility known as "Alligator Alcatraz," marking the likely end of a controversial state-run detention operation in the Everglades that became a focal point of the state's immigration enforcement efforts.

Contractors hired to operate the facility were instructed to begin "full demobilization" of the site, according to reports from CBS News Miami and other outlets.

Florida Division of Emergency Management Executive Director Kevin Guthrie notified vendors that the state expected rapid progress in removing infrastructure from the facility, which was built at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in the Everglades.

The move comes less than a week after federal and state officials transferred the remaining detainees to other facilities, citing safety concerns as the Atlantic hurricane season begins. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that all detainees had been relocated from the site.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said Monday that the facility had fulfilled its purpose. "I think Alligator Alcatraz actually stayed open longer than it was intentionally planned when it was first conceptualized," Uthmeier told reporters.

Organizations like the Friends of the Everglades and the Miccosukee Tribe filed major lawsuits...one of our city commissioners should be very happy.

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Gas prices decline

Florida Gas Prices Fall Ahead of Record Independence Day Travel

Florida gas prices dropped 20 cents last week, offering some relief to drivers ahead of the Independence Day travel period, according to AAA.

The state average fell to $3.63 per gallon Sunday, down from $3.83 a week earlier and $4.51 a month ago. Over the past 11 days, Florida’s average price has declined 32 cents per gallon, reducing the cost of filling an average-size gas tank by nearly $5.

AAA said the decline comes as 4.6 million Floridians are expected to travel for Independence Day, including 4.08 million who are projected to drive. Last year, Florida drivers paid an average of $3.11 per gallon on Independence Day. AAA said prices are unlikely to fall below that level before the holiday but could approach the 2024 average of $3.53 per gallon.

“Florida’s state average is now the lowest since early March,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman for AAA. “Lower gas prices come at an ideal time for summer travel and offer some financial relief for drivers. Still, the outlook remains uncertain. Developments involving the Strait of Hormuz will continue to influence whether prices rise or fall.”

The decrease has been driven in part by lower crude oil prices. AAA said U.S. oil prices fell 16% over the past two weeks amid hopes that an agreement between the United States and Iran would lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

The lower prices come as AAA projects Independence Day travel in Florida to set another record this year, with more than 4.6 million residents traveling at least 50 miles from home between June 27 and July 5.

Read about what pisses off Democrats

Arrive Alive

Florida launches 'Arrive Alive' campaign. What that means for drivers

Florida has launched its Arrive Alive public safety campaign.

The two-month public safety campaign is intended "to keep Floridians safe during one of the most patriotic seasons in our nation’s history," according to a news release from the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

"The data tells us summer is statistically our safest ... but we want to remind you that lower risk is not the same as no risk," the agency said.

"We want nothing more than for every family to enjoy the summer season and arrive at every destination safely,” said FLHSMV Executive Director Dave Kerner.

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Florida CFO Press Conference

PRESS RELEASE: Please feel free to share:

Please join Florida Chief Financial Officer, Blaise Ingoglia for a press conference in Palm Beach County.

Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Arrival Time: 10:30 AM
Program Begins: 11:00 AM

Location:
Palm Beach State College
Humanities & Technology Building (HT-103)
801 Palm Beach State College Drive
Boca Raton, FL 33431

Please RSVP to Lucdwin Luck via email to: lucdwin.luck@myfloridacfo.com
or call (754) 715-1260.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Carl Cascio, Chairman
Republican Party of Palm Beach County

Lowering the tax burden for Florida families

Democrats and their afordability buzz word

"Plenty of politicians talk a big talk on making life more affordable. Democrats particularly use the word a lot, but, charitably speaking, they don’t seem to know what it means. All Democrat policies make life more expensive.

But Florida Republicans are laser-focused on making Florida more affordable for families with very real solutions, not just talk. While inflation is down, living costs remain high across the country from Joe Biden’s crushing inflation rates.

So Florida Republicans have put on the ballot in November a Constitutional amendment that would dramatically cut property taxes for homeowners. If 60 percent of voters approve it, this will be money that stays in the pockets of millions of Floridians. This is not just a slowed increase in costs, but actual, tangible cuts.

This is what conservative leadership looks like — lowering the tax burden on homeowners, and limiting the growth of government and all of its intrusive costs.

We will now be fighting to get it passed in November against some very entrenched interests that are vested in endless gobs of taxpayer money."

Evan Power, Chair of the Florida GOP

DeSantis Puts Florida Homeowners First

DeSantis Offers Historic Property Tax Savings to Florida Homeowners

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis used a Sunday interview to argue for a major property tax break that could leave more money in the hands of homeowners instead of government offices. He said the state is in a strong position because Florida has no income tax, a relatively light tax load, and a budget culture that has kept spending in check.

That may sound almost old-fashioned in today’s political world, where too many leaders treat taxpayer dollars like a free buffet. DeSantis said the goal is simple: make homeownership less of a burden and give families real relief...A Bigger Homestead Exemption Could Mean Real Savings.

The plan DeSantis discussed would raise Florida’s homestead exemption from $50,000 to $250,000, which he said could wipe out property taxes for roughly 60 percent of homeowners. He framed it as a direct win for residents who have watched home values climb while tax bills have followed close behind.

DeSantis also pointed out that local governments have seen huge growth in property tax revenue, rising from $32 billion in 2019 to $60 billion now. That is a big jump by any measure, and it gives the lie to the idea that taxpayers must keep footing the bill forever just because government got used to the money...Spending Discipline Still Matters.

DeSantis said Florida’s state budget will reflect four straight years of spending reductions, and he tied that discipline to the state’s ability to offer tax relief. He argued that if homestead property tax revenue were reduced or even eliminated, local budgets would simply return to around 2021 or 2022 levels, not collapse into chaos as the usual tax-and-spend crowd might suggest.

He also noted that the state has surplus money set aside and wants to create a fund to issue grants to local governments. In other words, Florida is trying something radical in modern politics: spending less, keeping the lights on, and letting taxpayers keep more of what they earn.

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Felony Rioting Charges Are How Florida Stops the Next Teen Takeover

as well as electing James Fishback

James Fishback Drops the Euphemism and Picks Up the Statute Book

Tampa police helicopters circled Curtis Hixon Park while 22 teenagers trashed the waterfront and attacked each other in the street.

That was three weeks ago – and Republican gubernatorial candidate James Fishback just showed up in Tampa with a question the media couldn't answer. He asked them about January 6.

Fishback traveled to Tampa after the May 8 riot and said out loud what law enforcement was too nervous to say.

"It's quite fitting that members of the media, including some here today, had no issue calling the events of January 6th a violent insurrection when in fact no one was charged with insurrection," he told reporters at a press conference surrounded by microphones. "But they're reluctant to call young black teens armed with weapons, carrying illegal drugs, rioting at this place on Friday night something as simple as a 'teen takeover.'"

The reporters didn't have an answer.

Fishback then named the statute – Florida 870.01 – and announced that any participant in a so-called teen takeover would be charged under it as a third-degree felony the moment he takes office.

Under Florida law, rioting carries up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

He didn't stop there--He announced a social media youth disruption unit inside the Florida Department of Law Enforcement – tasked with monitoring incitement on TikTok and Instagram, shutting down coordination before a single teenager shows up, and triggering National Guard deployment when intelligence warrants it.

And he committed to a 90-day task force of law enforcement, business leaders, and church pastors to examine root causes and deliver a report directly to his desk.

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Fishback for Florida Governor

Supreme Court left Florida with "nowhere else to go"

Thomas rebukes Supreme Court for refusing Florida's case against states licensing illegal immigrant truckers

Justice Clarence Thomas accused the Supreme Court on Tuesday of abandoning its constitutional duty after the majority refused to hear Florida's lawsuit alleging that California and Washington illegally issued commercial driver's licenses to illegal immigrants who cannot read English road signs, a policy Thomas linked directly to fatal highway crashes.

Thomas, joined by Justice Samuel Alito, argued the Court had no right to turn the case away. Florida filed its complaint under the Supreme Court's original jurisdiction, the only legal avenue available when one state sues another. By declining to hear it, Thomas wrote in his dissent, the Court left Florida with nowhere else to go.

The case centers on a straightforward claim: federal law requires commercial driver's license applicants to pass a driving test, demonstrate sufficient understanding of English, and show lawful immigration status.

Florida alleged that California and Washington issued CDLs in violation of all three requirements, and that the consequences of those decisions traveled across state lines...An 80,000-pound problem.

Thomas did not mince words about the stakes. In his dissent, he wrote:

"An illegal alien who cannot read English road signs cannot drive an 80,000-pound tractor-trailer."

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"Signed, Sealed and Delivered"

Voting-rights lawsuit challenges new Fla. congressional map

Of course there's a lawsuit...anyone surprised about the opposition?

Equal Ground Education Fund, a voting rights group, and 18 Florida voters filed suit against the new map within hours of it becoming law.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed into law a new congressional redistricting map designed to elect four more Florida GOP Congress members, triggering a voting-rights lawsuit that argues the new map violates the state constitution.

DeSantis posted on X a copy of the new map with the heading “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” in the wake of last week’s special session of the Legislature, which approved the map drawn up by the Governor’s Office.

Republican congressional representatives in Florida currently outnumber Democrats 20 to 8, but the new map creates 24 Republican-leaning districts for November’s midterm elections.

A lawsuit filed in the Second Judicial Circuit Court in Leon County by the Equal Ground Education Fund and several Florida voters alleges that the new map violates the Fair Districts Amendment to the Florida Constitution, which voters approved in 2010.

The amendment contains a ban on partisan gerrymandering and districts that are not “compact,” as well as a provision barring maps that diminish the ability of racial or language minorities to elect representatives of their own choosing.

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Alligator Alcatraz

Eleventh Circuit Appeals Court Just Humiliated the Obama Judge Who Tried Shuttering ​​Alligator Alcatraz

Judge Kathleen Williams ordered Alligator Alcatraz shut down, the illegals transferred out, and the generators ripped from the ground.

That order is now in the trash.

What Judge Kathleen Williams Actually Ordered--

Last August, Williams issued a sweeping injunction against Florida's immigration detention facility in the Everglades. She sided with environmental groups and a Native American tribe that claimed the facility required a federal environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act.

Her order didn't just pause operations. She told the state to ban new transfers, halt all construction, and strip out the generators, fencing, and waste systems within 60 days – effectively ordering the entire facility dismantled.

DeSantis called her an activist judge who had no intention of ruling fairly.

"This is a judge that was not going to give us a fair shake," DeSantis said. "This was preordained, very much an activist judge that is trying to do policy from the bench."

The majority found that Florida, not the federal government, built and controls the facility – which means federal environmental review law simply doesn't apply.

How the 11th Circuit Ruling Dismantled the case

Environmental activists, including Chris McVoy, caused the State of Florida a hell of a lot of money.

Governor Ron DeSantis is not backing down.

Gov. DeSantis Delivers for Florida and America

In the fierce battle for the soul of our nation, one thing remains crystal clear: conservatives cannot afford to sit idly by while Democrats play dirty to seize power.

Just days after Virginia voters narrowly approved a deeply flawed redistricting referendum—paving the way for an aggressive Democratic gerrymander complete with the now-notorious “lobster district” that stretches and contorts to swallow conservative strongholds—the fight has landed squarely in Florida.

Yesterday, Gov. DeSantis released a bold new congressional map that would reshape Florida’s 28 districts, delivering a potential 24-4 Republican advantage. This proposal targets and dismantles several Democrat-held seats, particularly in areas like Tampa, Orlando, and South Florida, where population shifts and voter realities have long been ignored under the old lines.

While Virginia’s map heads to the state Supreme Court amid cries of unconstitutionality, DeSantis is not waiting to find out the outcome. He recognizes that control of the U.S. House isn’t some abstract game—it’s the firewall protecting America from radical leftist overreach.

Make no mistake: a Democrat-controlled House would not waste time on border security, energy independence, or cutting the inflation that’s crushed working families. No, their agenda would be laser-focused on vengeance.

We saw it during the first Trump term: endless investigations, show trials, and an impeachment circus that paralyzed governance while real problems festered. History would repeat itself in spectacular fashion—an “impeachment palooza” designed not to serve constituents, but to harass and hobble a president delivering results for the American people.

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Florida ranks first in Economic Performance

Florida ranks as one of strongest state economies in new report

Florida ranked as one of the country’s highest-performing state economies in the latest “Rich States, Poor States” report, placing first in the report’s backward-looking Economic Performance Ranking and 10th in its forward-looking Economic Outlook Ranking.

Published by the American Legislative Exchange Council, the report measures economic performance using three indicators over the past decade: state gross domestic product growth, non-farm payroll employment growth and absolute domestic migration.

On the backward-looking measure, Florida finished first overall. The state ranked first in absolute domestic migration with a net gain of 2,512,566 residents, third in cumulative state GDP growth at 98.30% and fourth in cumulative non-farm payroll employment growth at 24.49%.

Those results put Florida ahead of Arizona, which ranked second overall, Idaho, which ranked third, Utah, which ranked fourth, and Nevada, which ranked fifth in the performance index.

The report’s data suggests Florida’s top overall finish was driven by strength across all three categories rather than by a single outlier metric, with especially strong in-migration figures distinguishing it from most other states.

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DeSantis signs bill expanding integrity in Voter Registration

DeSantis signs Florida's version of SAVE America Act, draws immediate lawsuit

The GOP governor said, “This bill protects and expands integrity in our voter registration process.”

DeSantis, who has pushed a series of election law changes during his nearly eight years in office, including a stand-alone election crimes office, said, “This bill protects and expands integrity in our voter registration process.”

“Our constitution in the state of Florida says only American citizens are allowed to vote in our elections,” he added. “And so we need to make sure that that is the law.”

It’s already illegal for noncitizens to vote in Florida, and in 2020 the prohibition was added to the state constitution. Florida — which has 13.3 million active registered voters — has found some examples of noncitizens voting thanks to this law.

The new law adds proof of citizenship requirements and increases the role of state agencies to confirm citizenship. Backers of the measure contend many Floridians would not be affected because roughly 99 percent of those with driver’s licenses are already compliant with REAL ID standards that require documentation such as birth certificates.

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Passover Security Briefing

Annual security briefing before Passover

Passover, also called Pasch or Pesach, is a major Jewish holiday and one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals. It celebrates the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.

Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz of the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office led the county’s annual pre-Passover security briefing Wednesday, bringing together federal, state, and local officials to address threats facing the Jewish community ahead of the holiday.

The high-level meeting, held at the agency’s headquarters and coordinated together with Chief Chaplain Rabbi Mark Rosenberg—who also serves as Senior Advisor to the Sheriff and as Chief Chaplain for both the Florida Highway Patrol and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement—drew approximately 160 attendees, including community leaders, law enforcement officials, and representatives from municipalities across South Florida.

This year’s briefing comes at a time of heightened concern, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran and a noticeable rise in antisemitic incidents across the United States.

As we approach Passover, our focus is on visibility, readiness, and partnership. We will act decisively—investigating thoroughly and holding those responsible accountable under the law.

Our own Dave Kerner, Executive Director of the Florida Highway Patrol, was among the featured speakers.

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