Politics

Ashley Moody formally files to run for her U.S. Senate seat in 2026

Published

3 hours ago

February 25, 2025

U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody has formally filed as a candidate seeking another two years in the Senate in 2026.

The Plant City Republican submitted her statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission. Meanwhile, a political committee that supported Moody’s two successful runs for Florida Attorney General has emptied its coffers and donated nearly $3.85 million to a state committee.

Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Moody in January to replace former U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio after his confirmation as Secretary of State. Moody will hold the seat until the 2026 election, which will determine who serves the remaining two years of Rubio’s term.

In filing for the federal office, Moody established Moody For Florida as her principal campaign committee. The moves formally make the recent Senate appointee a candidate for federal office for the first time.

The committee was formed in January, but takes on new significance now that Moody has filed her candidacy and designated that as her official committee.

A joint fundraising account, the Ashley Moody Victory Fund, was also created in January. That committee can raise funds alongside Florida Leads, a leadership committee also established in connection with Moody’s candidacy, and with the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the fundraising arm for Senate Republicans.

Tampa political accountant Kirsten Quick of Crosby Ottenhoff Group has been named as the committee’s official Treasurer and custodian of records for all the Moody-connected committees. All those committees are keeping deposits at the Chain Bridge Bank in McLean, Virginia.

As Moody turns her attention to her run for federal office, Friends of Ashley Moody, a state committee that supported her previous runs for state office, formally disbanded on Feb. 18. Before doing so, the committee contributed almost $3.85 million to the Protect Florida PAC.

Like Friends of Ashley Moody, the committee is chaired by Melanie Bonanno with Rich Heitmeyer serving as Treasurer.

While the Friends account at one point seemed poised to support a potential run for Governor for Moody, it could not support a campaign for federal office.

Notably, the Protect Florida committee, which was formed in 2023, must focus on state and local races in Florida. Moody had previously filed paperwork allowing her to solicit donations for the Protect Florida committee but withdrew that in January following her Senate appointment. But a website for the committee still says it is associated with Moody.

Expenditures reported by Protect Florida include $17,500 spent with Tallahassee firm Image Management on media consulting and advertising. They also show $5,000 spent with Seneca Strategies, a Virginia firm founded by Tucker Obenshain, who previously worked with DeSantis’ presidential campaign.

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Politics

From Space Coast to west coast, 7 businesses busted for illegal gaming operations

Published

2 minutes ago

February 25, 2025

May Greene

Florida Gaming Control Commission agents nailed illegal gaming activity at seven convenience stores across the state in the past week.

The investigations ended with charges of possession of slot machines and keeping a gambling house filed against the store’s owners and managers. The busts stretched from Florida’s Space Coast to the west coast.

Two of the crackdowns took place in Brevard County. A Sunoco gas and convenience store on Eau Gallie Boulevard in Indian Harbour Beach was raided by investigators who seized three illegal gambling machines and $5,665 in cash. The store manager was issued a notice to appear in court for charges of possession of slot machines and keeping a gambling house.

The Mobil gas and convenience on Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway, also in Indian Harbour Beach, was targeted by investigators who found five illegal gambling machines, with similar charges awaiting the manager in a notice to appear.

There was another illegal gambling raid in Holly Hill, just north of the Space Coast in Volusia County. Four illegal gambling machines were seized at the Speedy Mart on Center Avenue, and the owner of that business was issued a notice to appear.

Two stores in Tampa were also busted for illegal gambling activity. A BP gas station on North Nebraska Avenue had six illegal gambling machines seized, while the Los Amigos Grocery and Meats store on Stuart Street had 13 illegal gambling machines confiscated. Notices to appear were served to managers of both of those stores.

Perry, in Florida’s Big Bend area, was the site of two more busts by illegal gambling investigators. The Perry Fast Mart on South Jefferson Street saw three illegal gambling machines confiscated. Katie’s Kountry Korner on Beach Road in Perry was the scene of another crackdown, where one illegal gambling machine was seized. Notices to appear in court were filed against the manager or owner of both of those stores.

“Standalone illegal casinos aren’t the only ones offering illegal slot machine gaming in this state,” said Florida Gaming Control Commission Acting Executive Director Ross Marshman. “Business franchisees, owners, and managers need to be aware of the law. If someone approaches your legitimate business with an opportunity to make more money that seems too good to be true, it probably is. These illegal schemes will result in criminal charges and hurt the business you worked hard to build.”

That sweep of illegal gambling establishments comes on top of another operation by state investigators recently. Similar busts were executed in Tavares in Central Florida as well.

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Politics

Gov. DeSantis appoints Shevaun Harris and Taylor Hatch to new roles

Published

38 minutes ago

February 25, 2025

May Greene

Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced new appointments in two key state agencies, the latest update in what’s been a series of promotions and job changes among Florida officials.

Department of Children and Families (DCF) Secretary Shevaun Harris is moving to become the Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), DeSantis said. Harris previously served 15 years at AHCA, including as Acting Secretary.

To fill Harris’ position leading DCF, Taylor Hatch, the Secretary of Florida’s Agency for Persons with Disabilities, will take over.

“Both Secretaries Harris and Hatch have been doing a phenomenal job serving the people of Florida in their respective roles, and I know each of them will contribute significantly to their new positions,” DeSantis wrote on Facebook. “Thank you, Shevaun and Taylor, and congratulations!”

The chain of events began when DeSantis named Jason Weida, the previous head of AHCA, to be his new Chief of Staff earlier this month.

James Uthmeier, a longtime DeSantis ally who was previously the Chief of Staff, was sworn in as the next Attorney General to replace Ashley Moody who headed to Washington as a U.S. Senator.

“Harris began her career as a social worker, which led to her true passion — policy and administration in the field of health and human services,” according to her agency bio. “She spent nearly two decades at the Agency for Health Care Administration where she excelled and served in key roles, including Acting Secretary. The majority of her tenure at AHCA was focused on the administration of the multi-billion dollar Florida Medicaid program, impacting millions of Floridians through implementation of sound policy and quality improvement efforts.”

Hatch’s background included working as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Department of Management Services, the state’s real estate manager, and director of workforce services at the Department of Economic Opportunity.

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Politics

Judge gives Donald Trump administration two days to unfreeze funds for U.S. foreign aid

Published

1 hour ago

February 25, 2025

May Greene

It’s the second time a judge has found the Trump administration did not follow a court order.

A federal judge on Tuesday gave the Trump administration less than two days to release billions of dollars in U.S. foreign aid, saying the administration had given no sign of complying with his nearly two-week-old court to ease its funding freeze.

U.S. District Judge Amir H. Ali ruled in a lawsuit filed by nonprofit organizations over the cutoff of foreign assistance through the U.S. Agency for International Development and State Department.

The cutoff followed a Jan. 20 executive order by President Donald Trump targeting what he portrayed as wasteful programs that do not correspond to his foreign policy goals.

Nonprofit groups who receive federal grant money for work abroad said the freeze breaks federal law and has shut down funding for even the most urgent life-saving programs abroad. USAID and State partners say the administration has stiffed them on billions of dollars in money already owed.

It’s the second time a judge has found the Trump administration did not follow a court order. U.S. District Court Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island also found this month that the administration had not fully unfrozen federal grants and loans within the U.S., even after he blocked sweeping plans for a pause on trillions of dollars in government spending.

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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.

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