Howard Goodman: Gov. Rick Scott’s task force, convening to review Florida’s expansive self-defense law, looks all set to fire blanks.

Howard Goodman: Rep. Allen West’s smear of Democratic members of Congress continues to reverberate in Florida and nationwide.

Alyson Klein: After two years, questions remain about the federal program providing billions of dollars to help states and districts close or remake some of their worst-performing schools.

Howard Goodman: A liberal group is urging Florida lawmakers to sever ties with the American Legislative Exchange Council, the organization that helped spread Stand Your Ground and voting-restriction laws to dozens of states.

Howard Goodman: Republicans have noticed that they aren’t scoring all that well with Latinos — and before the fastest-growing segment of the electorate slips away from them altogether, they’re trying to recover lost ground.

Jacob Kushner: Hundreds of Haitian immigrants currently in ICE custody do not have criminal histories or have committed non-violent crimes.

Howard Goodman: Congressman Allen West is saying he “has heard” that some 80 Democratic members of the House of Representatives are Communist Party members.

Howard Goodman: Gov. Rick Scott’s communications team slapped a fake headline on an image of a recent Miami Herald front page.

Howard Goodman: Since Florida passed its new election law last year, almost 81,500 fewer people have registered to vote than in the same period during the 2008 election cycle.

Howard Goodman: Unlike some cities that have balked at pouring taxpayer money into new stadiums, Miami decided to let the public finance most of the cost, which exceeds $600 million.