Free Republic

Florida Rep. Perry Thurston failed to disclose $11,000 in donations from gambling interests when he blasted Gov. Rick Scott last week on gaming issues. A subsidiary of a Malaysian-based casino company donated the money to a political action committee listing Thurston as its sole “associated legislator.” Thurston, a Democratic candidate for Florida Attorney General, issued a scathing press release Thursday attacking Scott for failing to finalize a new gambling agreement with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Scott and other Republican lawmakers have said a new agreement with the Seminoles must be completed before passing new gambling legislation that might allow...

TALLAHASSEE -- With the furor surrounding the Trayvon Martin case and the stand-your-ground law showing no sign of a let-up, Sen. Chris Smith, D-Fort Lauderdale, announced Tuesday that he has formed his own task force to study the impact of the law. "Florida is in crisis mode," Smith told reporters. (snip) Smith said his task force will include the state attorneys from Broward and Miami-Dade, plus the public defenders from those two counties and Palm Beach County. Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Frank Adderley, former Democratic state Sen. Dan Gelber, and incoming House Minority Leader Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, will also...