Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch Former President Donald Trump said Thursday in Urbandale he was confident he will continue to hold his lead in Iowa. “There’s no way I can lose Iowa,” Trump told the crowd. “We’re going to have to do some really bad things to lose at this …
Read More »DeSantis Signs ‘Most Extreme Slate of Anti-Trans Laws in Modern History’
Brett Wilkins, Common Dreams Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday signed a bundle of bills targeting transgender people that one activist condemned as “the most extreme slate of anti-trans laws in modern history.” Surrounded by children at Cambridge Christian School in Tampa, DeSantis—a likely 2024 Republican presidential candidate—signed H.B. …
Read More »DeSantis Signs Bill Defunding Diversity Programs At Florida Colleges
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday held an education-related bill signing ceremony on the campus of New College of Florida in Sarasota. Among the bills, DeSantis signed SB 266 which will prevent Florida colleges and universities from spending any state or federal funding on diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The bill …
Read More »DeSantis Courts Republican Voters In Weekend Trip To Iowa
Jared Strong, Iowa Capital Dispatch Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wooed Iowa Republicans on Saturday by drawing parallels between the two states, especially in regard to newly passed legislation that restricts what can be taught in schools and that prohibits gender-affirming surgeries for minors. “The survival of our American experiment requires …
Read More »Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Signs The Most Restrictive Bill On Illegal Immigration In The Country
Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix Gov. Ron DeSantis signed what both he and his critics agree is the strongest anti-illegal immigration bill passed by any state legislature in the country on Wednesday. Speaking in Jacksonville behind a podium with a sign reading, “Biden’s Border Crisis,” the governor blasted the president for …
Read More »Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Signs Anti-Teachers’ Union Bill
Michael Moline, Florida Phoenix Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a raft of education bills into law Tuesday, including one that makes it harder for teachers’ unions to collect dues and to qualify to represent a bargaining unit. The governor took the occasion of a bill-signing ceremony at a Miami charter school …
Read More »DeSantis Signs Bill Voiding Disney Development Deal
Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix Wasting no time in firing back at The Walt Disney Co. in their continuing feud, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation Friday purporting to void the entertainment giant’s development agreement with the Reedy Creek Improvement District when that special district was still under Disney’s control. The original …
Read More »DeSantis Ramping Up His Campaign Against Disney Over LGBTQ+ Rights
Michael Moline, Florida Phoenix The legal fight between Gov. Ron DeSantis and The Walt Disney Co. broadened Monday when a board hand-picked by the governor voted to countersue the company over its development plans. The move came less than a week after Disney filed a First-Amendment lawsuit accusing the government …
Read More »Disney Sues DeSantis Over His ‘targeted campaign of retaliation’ Against Company
Michael Moline, Florida Phoenix The Walt Disney Co. asked a federal court Wednesday to block Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “targeted campaign of government retaliation” against the company, alleging violations of multiple constitutional rights because it spoke out against the governor’s position on LGBTQ rights. “A targeted campaign of government retaliation — …
Read More »Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Quietly Signs 6-Week Abortion Ban Into Law
Michael Moline, Florida Phoenix Gov. Ron DeSantis has quietly signed Florida’s new six-week abortion ban into law, continuing his trend of approving controversial new laws outside the limelight. Aides issued a news release at 11:26 p.m. Thursday that he’d signed SB 300, the so-called Heartbeat Protection Act, mere hours after …
Read More »Florida Legislature Approves Extreme 6-Week Abortion Ban
Danielle J. Brown, Florida Phoenix In less than a year, Florida has moved from a 15-week abortion ban to the passage of one of the most restrictive bans in the nation — a 6-week abortion ban. The state House approved the legislation after at least six hours of questions, amendments, …
Read More »Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Signs Permitless Carry Bill
Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix With little fanfare, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation Monday making Florida the 26th state in the nation to allow residents to legally carry concealed weapons without having to obtain a permit through the state. The signature came in DeSantis’ office, where he was surrounded by GOP …
Read More »Here’s The Deal With Gov. DeSantis’ Obligations In Any Trump Extradition
Michael Moline, Florida Phoenix A twice-elected public official stands accused of violating his duty to enforce the law, casting doubt upon his legitimacy. No, we’re not talking about Democrat Andrew Warren, removed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as state’s attorney in Hillsborough County for alleged incompetence and neglect of duty for …
Read More »DeSantis, GOP Legislature, Aren’t Really Clear On This Whole ‘freedom’ Concept
Commentary Diane Roberts, Florida Phoenix Why would Ron DeSantis rather destroy Florida universities than allow our students encounter ideas he doesn’t like? What’s he so afraid of? Is it that the preservation of slavery was indeed one important factor in getting the white South to support the American Revolution? That …
Read More »Appellate Ruling Means Professors In Florida Are Free To Teach About Race, Sexism, As They See Fit
Michael Moline, Florida Phoenix College professors can continue to teach hard lessons about race and sexism notwithstanding Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “Stop Woke” act, his attempt to dictate how educators handle these topics. In a terse order issued Thursday, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh …
Read More »