Politics

John Guard no longer being considered for federal judgeship

Published

5 days ago

January 7, 2026

President Donald Trump has pulled former acting Attorney General John Guard from consideration for a U.S. District Court judgeship, according to a new report.

“The nomination of John Guard, senior counselor to the attorney general of Florida, for a Middle District of Florida federal judgeship, has not been renewed for the new session of Congress after he came under scrutiny in a criminal probe regarding a charity connected to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis,” reports Law360 in a post spotlighted by Jim Rosica of the Tallahassee Democrat.

The White House reportedly didn’t want a “nasty confirmation fight” while the issue was in suspense, sources said in October while explaining a pause in the nomination moving forward since June.

However, the federal court’s loss may be the Florida Supreme Court’s gain. Guard, who is the chief deputy AG for the state, interviewed late last year to potentially replace Justice Charles T. Canady.

Guard was among those subpoenaed over his role in the Hope Florida scandal. He signed the controversial settlement with Medicaid insurer Centene, but not before privately raising concerns, according to the Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times, which obtained emails documenting the conversations.

The emails show that Guard removed references to his Office in drafts of the settlement in a series of back-and-forth conversations over the course of 22 days.

Guard said there was nothing in his background that could embarrass the administration should he ultimately be appointed to replace Canady, who left the court to become a director and a tenured professor at the University of Florida’s Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education.

Guard also said his first choice was the state’s high court.

“I think the best legal job is probably to serve on the Florida Supreme Court. And I say that because you’re the head of the judicial branch. You’re kind of responsible for helping with the legitimacy of our core system and maintaining the rule of law,” Guard said.

The ongoing imbroglio revolves around $10 million of Medicaid money from a settlement last year, which allegedly had been diverted to the Hope Florida Foundation, summarily filtered through nonprofits through political committees, and spent on political purposes. The money was part of a $67 million payout from state Medicaid contractor Centene, which DeSantis said was “a cherry on top” in the settlement, arguing it wasn’t truly from Medicaid money.

Guard’s explanation on his application for the state Supreme Court sufficed, as interviewers asked him no questions about Hope Florida during his interview.

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Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics contributed to this report.

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Politics

Former House Speaker Steve Crisafulli joins James Madison Institute

Published

7 minutes ago

January 12, 2026

May Greene

Steve Crisafulli, who was Speaker from 2014 to 2016, will join the conservative think tank in Tallahassee.

A conservative American think tank based in Tallahassee is adding a former Florida Speaker of the House to its roster of academics.

The James Madison Institute (JMI) announced it’s adding Former House Speaker Steve Crisafulli to its roster of Scholars in Residence. The position will be housed in The Durden Center for the Advancement of Liberty at the JMI in the state capital.

Crisafulli was originally elected to the House of Representatives in 2008 for the District 51 seat, which covers parts of the Space Coast and surrounding areas. The Merritt Island Republican went on to advance to the Speaker of the House. He held that position from 2014 to 2016 and served as the state’s 85th Speaker.

JMI President and CEO Robert McLure said the nonprofit organization is eager to have Crisafulli join the institute.

“Steve is a principled leader whose commitment to economic liberty and free-market advancement strongly aligns with JMI’s mission. We are delighted to welcome his insight and passion to our team,” McClure said.

JMI advances conservative ideals of limited government, economic freedom, federalism and individual liberty with the mission to help shape public policy based upon many of those principles.

Crisafulli has deep roots in Florida politics. His late cousin Doyle E. Carlton was the Governor of Florida from 1929 to 1933. His grandfather, Vassar B. Carlton, was Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court between 1969 and 1974.

“For almost 40 years, JMI has been a leading advocate for free-market principles, with a sustained and measurable impact in Florida and across the nation. I look forward to this next chapter of advancing the principles that have made our state what it is today in my role as Scholar in Residence,” Crisafulli said.

Crisafulli operated his own consulting firm, Crisafulli Consulting, which merged with Smith Bryan & Myers in early 2025, and the company became SBM Partners.

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Politics

Liesa Priddy crosses $215K raised for HD 82 bid

Published

38 minutes ago

January 12, 2026

May Greene

Republican Liesa Priddy continues to flex fundraising muscle in the race to succeed Rep. Lauren Melo in House District 82.

Priddy has now raised $216,500 for her campaign, including $65,500 in the most recent quarter, as the race to succeed Melo takes shape.

The fundraising momentum follows recent endorsements from conservative advocacy group Americans for Prosperityand the Associated Industries of Florida, an influential business lobby.

“Liesa Priddy’s distinguished background in business, agriculture, and conservation makes her an exceptional advocate for Florida’s economy and natural resources,” AIF President and CEO Brewster Bevis said in a statement last week. “We know her staunch conservative voice will be an asset to Florida’s business community in the Florida House, and we are proud to endorse her campaign.”

The lifelong Collier County resident has also picked up endorsements from Reps. Adam Botana and Yvette Benarroch, former Reps. Matt Hudson and Joe Spratt, LaBelle City Commissioner Barbara Spratt, Everglades City Mayor Howie Grimm, Everglades City Councilman Mike McComas, Hendry County School Board member Amanda Nelson.

Priddy is one of four Republican hopefuls running for the seat, which covers swath of Southwest Florida, including Hendry County and parts of Collier County. The district is open this cycle because Melo is running for Senate rather than a fourth term.

The current Republican field includes Priddy, Bill Poteet, Drew-Montez Arthur Clark and Hugo Vargas. Poteet’s Q4 report shows $4,525 raised last quarter with $28,372 on hand as of Dec. 31; Clark has raised $12,105 since entering the race in February and finished the year with less than $1,000 in the bank. Vargas’ report in yet available on the Florida Division of Elections website.

HD 82 is a safe Republican seat, with the GOP holding a 15-point registration advantage in the district according to the most recent data from L2. In 2024, Melo cruised with 70% support in a head-to-head with Democratic nominee Arthur Oslund.

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Politics

Uber costs down after Florida tort reform

Published

1 hour ago

January 12, 2026

May Greene

It’s cheaper to Uber in Florida now, the rideshare company announced Monday, attributing the savings to the state’s passage of a new law cracking down on lawsuit abuse.

Uber said it is experiencing lower insurance costs following the passage of House Bill 837 in 2023, which is allowing the company to pass savings on to riders while enhancing earning opportunities for drivers.

The measure, which at the time was a top priority for Gov. Ron DeSantis, then-Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and then-House Speaker Paul Renner, made substantive changes to how lawsuits are filed and litigated in the state, all but eliminating the longstanding statute that allowed a policyholder who successfully sued their insurance company to recoup attorney fees.

The law also modified the state’s comparative negligence system so that a plaintiff found to be more than half responsible for their own injury cannot recover damages. The measure also adjusts Florida’s bad-faith rules so that insurance companies cannot be sued for bad faith if, before a complaint is filed or within 90 days of being notified of the complaint, they tendered the lesser of the policy limits or the amount demanded by the claimant.

The law has saved riders tens of millions of dollars on Uber rides, the company said. As of September, government-mandated insurance represented just 19% of a rider’s Uber fare, a drop of two percentage points from one year earlier. The company said fares have been as much as six percentage points lower year over year than in other states, particularly those with more robust insurance mandates, rigid pay standards, or additional fees.

“Florida’s commitment to addressing lawsuit abuse is delivering tangible results for Uber riders and drivers in the state,” said Javi Correoso, Uber’s Head of Federal Affairs and South U.S. Policy. “While other states continue to see auto insurance rates climb, Florida is moving in the opposite direction. By stabilizing the insurance market, the 2023 tort reform legislation has enabled us to keep Uber rides affordable and accessible across the state.”

Across the country, Uber maintains commercial auto liability insurance on behalf of drivers, including at least $1 million in coverage for property damage and injuries to riders or third parties when the driver is at fault during a trip. While the coverage protects riders and drivers on the platform, as well as others who share the road with them, the high limits have served as a welcome to personal injury litigation, the company said in its announcement.

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