Open Records – Page 18 – Florida Center for Investigative Reporting

U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, Critical of Government Spending, Doled Out Staff Bonuses

April 1, 2013

Steve Miller: U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, a Republican from Panama City, gave $26,000 in taxpayer money for bonuses to 16 of his staffers as he told the Panama City newspaper that the federal government is "spending money we don’t have."

Inspector General: $20 Million Digital Domain Blunder Could Happen Again

March 29, 2013

Ashley Lopez: An inspector general report found that the process for doling out millions of taxpayer dollars to private companies hasn't changed much since Florida handed $20 million to Digital Domain -- a movie graphics company in Port St. Lucie that filed for bankruptcy and laid off its entire staff.

Experts, Advocates Warn Ethics Reform Bill Too Weak

March 20, 2013

Ashley Lopez: Organizations ranging from tea party groups to the liberal Progress Florida have banded together to oppose a bill intended to improve the state's ineffective ethics rules. The ethics bill doesn't go far enough, these groups say.

Public Money in Private Ventures? We Taxpayers Want to Look at the Books

March 12, 2013

José Javier Rodriguez: As part of Sunshine Week, a state representative calls for greater transparency of Florida's economic development incentives.

Redaction Causes Delays in Accessing Court Files

March 12, 2013

Mark Schneider: A statewide review, directed by the Florida Society of News Editors as part of Sunshine Week, found that new privacy requirements are slowing down public access to court records.

Following Criticism, Jeb Bush’s Lobbyist Withdraws State Registration

March 6, 2013

Steve Miller: Meridian Strategies, the lobbying firm that doubles as the management group for Jeb Bush’s controversial education reform nonprofits, on Monday pulled its lobbying registration following a Sunday news story questioning its role in the Bush operations.