Politics

Kathy Castor bucks partisanship, congratulates Ashley Moody on U.S. Senate appointment

Published

2 weeks ago

January 16, 2025

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor is congratulating Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody on her appointment by Gov. Ron DeSantis to the U.S. Senate to succeed U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio.

“For the first time in history, a U.S. Senator representing the State of Florida will hail from Tampa/Hillsborough County once Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is sworn into the Senate,” Castor said, nodding to her congressional district. “I look forward to working with Senator Moody on issues that lower costs and improve the lives of Florida families and small businesses.”

Castor is the first woman elected to represent Tampa and Hillsborough County in the U.S. Congress.

“I am eager to work together on bipartisan solutions to improve the lives of Floridians, help us recover from the devastating hurricanes and protect our natural resources for future generations. While the country has yet to elect a female President, I hope that this moment in history — with strong women from Hillsborough County leading the way — will be an inspiration for all who seek to make a positive difference for their community and country,” Castor added.

DeSantis announced on Thursday that he had selected Moody to replace Rubio, who was nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve in his administration as Secretary of State.

Rubio first won election in 2010 and appears on a smooth path to confirmation as soon as next week. Moody enters the national stage as a known quantity to Florida voters, who twice elected her to statewide office.

While Castor called for bipartisanship with a fellow Tampa native on Capitol Hill, Moody promised to support a conservative shift in Congress.

“I pledge to you as United States Senator, supporting the REINS Act, supporting any effort to rein back in our out-of-control federal agencies, make sure politics have pushed out of it, make sure we bring down spending — I am all for that. And I got the backs of the American people, DOGE and President Trump.”

Moody has been a frequent critic of current President Joe Biden’s administration, challenging several of his actions.

“We beat the Biden administration that had continued to keep our cruise lines closed, and we liberated the cruise industry because of her lawsuit,” DeSantis boasted of Moody’s legal actions against federal policies championed by the Biden administration.

“We also beat Biden on the employer vaccine mRNA mandate, which was going to have people lose their jobs if they didn’t take this shot that many people didn’t want. So her efforts were really critical in achieving those successes.”

Moody will take office after Rubio vacates the seat, which must await his confirmation as Secretary of State. That could happen as soon as Monday, the same day as Trump’s inauguration to a second term. DeSantis, who plans to attend the inauguration, said he hopes to see Moody sworn into the Senate on the same day.

Still, Castor remains hopeful that partisanship won’t always be a barrier to progress in both women’s native Tampa Bay. In addition to Castor and Moody serving in Congress, fellow Tampa native and former state Attorney General Pam Bondi has been nominated to serve as U.S. Attorney General in the Trump administration, and U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee represents parts of east Hillsborough, including Brandon.

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Florida Politics staff contributed to this report.

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Politics

Scott Franklin to head House Environment Subcommittee

Published

3 hours ago

January 31, 2025

May Greene

Another Florida lawmaker will have a gavel for one of the U.S. House science subcommittees

U.S. Rep. Scott Franklin, a Lakeland Republican, will chair the House Environment Subcommittee.

House Science, Space and Technology Committee Chair Brian Babin, a Texas Republican, picked the Florida lawmaker for his expertise in the fields and the role the subcommittee would play on policy affecting the Sunshine State.

“I’m excited about our SST Committee assignments for this Congress,” Babin said. “The valuable expertise and diverse backgrounds that each member brings will be instrumental in strengthening U.S. leadership and competitiveness in science, space, and technology. We have a full agenda ahead that will prioritize advancing critical scientific research, fostering technological innovation, leading the world in space exploration, addressing regulatory burdens across industries, and more. Through our shared efforts, I am confident we can achieve our objectives and drive meaningful progress in our scientific endeavors. Let’s get to work!”

Franklin said he was enthusiastic about the assignment.

“I’m eager to tackle environmental research related to weather forecasting and ensuring disaster readiness,” Franklin said. “I thank Chairman Babin for this opportunity and look forward to advancing America First policy priorities to remain at the forefront of innovation and boost job growth.”

Babin praised Franklin’s conservative record on business issues.

“I’m confident Congressman Franklin will provide strong leadership for our Environment Subcommittee this Congress,” Babin said. “He has been a steadfast advocate against burdensome government regulations that stifle innovation and fail to address states’ needs. His perspective will be critical as we consider key weather legislation in the months ahead. I look forward to working with him to advance commonsense environmental policies and legislation.”

The same day, Babin assigned Rep. Mike Haridopolos, an Indian Harbor Beach Republican, to head the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommitee.

“Since the earliest days of our space program, Florida’s Space Coast has been the launchpad for America’s journey to the stars,” Haridopolos said. “From the Apollo missions that first carried Americans to the Moon to today’s groundbreaking private sector launches, our skies have always been at the forefront of space exploration. Space is central to our district’s identity and economy, providing countless high-paying jobs and opportunities.”

He praised Haridopolos’ knowledge of the Space Program.

“Over the past several years, the SST Committee has diligently worked to support and advance our nation’s space endeavors,” Babin said. “As the representative of Florida’s Space Coast, the Congressman brings valuable expertise and leadership that will undoubtedly enhance our efforts to keep America at the forefront of exploration and development. I am excited to work alongside him to propel our space agenda forward.”

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Politics

Disney plans to convert Star Wars hotel into Imagineers’ offices

Published

4 hours ago

January 31, 2025

May Greene

It’s going to be an office far, far, away.

Disney World is converting the shuttered Star Wars hotel into office space for the famous Imagineers who will be designing new lands and projects at the theme parks.

The hotel’s update was reported by The Wrap and confirmed by other media outlets.

Disney closed the hotel September 2023 less than two years after it opened. The company had said it took a $300 million tax write off for shutting down the hotel after it reportedly had low occupancy.

At the hotel near Hollywood Studios, guests who were willing to pay nearly $5,000 for a two-night stay could pretend to be in their own Star Wars story at the hotel. Lightsabers included.

“Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is one of our most creative projects ever and has been praised by our guests and recognized for setting a new bar for innovation and immersive entertainment. This premium, boutique experience gave us the opportunity to try new things on a smaller scale of 100 rooms,” Disney said in a statement when it announced it was closing.

Why did it fail?

YouTuber Jenny Nicholson explained the list of reasons in a four-hour video called “The Spectacular Failure of the Star Wars Hotel” which captured 11 million views. The cost, the marketing, and not fully embracing the cosplay concept all likely hurt the hotel, she said.

The Wrap reported Disney had been considering using the empty hotel for a dinner theater-type experience but Disney ultimately settled on keeping the space closed to the public.

The Imagineers’ new office space comes as Disney World is starting a major expansion across several of its Orlando theme parks. Disney plans to build a Villains land and add “Cars” attractions at the Magic Kingdom as well as “Encanto” and Indiana Jones to Disney’s Animal Kingdom and “A Monsters, Inc.” land at Hollywood Studios. Disney is closing several longtime attractions in the process.

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Politics

Holland & Knight launches National Security & Defense Industry Group

Published

5 hours ago

January 31, 2025

May Greene

D.C.-based partner Jason Klitenic will lead the 100-person team.

Holland & Knight is launching a National Security & Defense Industry Group led by D.C.-based partner Jason Klitenic.

The multinational law firm headquartered in Tampa said it’s taking on the new endeavor due to clients’ increasing demands amidst a complex national security landscape and rising global defense investments.

H&K expects the new practice will benefit from its already-established expertise in the defense, aerospace, cybersecurity and technology sectors. The 100-person team of practitioners led by Klitenic will cater to security and defense clients based the U.S., Europe and Latin America.

“To confront emerging global threats, our clients are continuing to create and fund the development of innovative defense solutions that support the U.S. and its allies around the world,” Klitenic said. “… Our team’s deep government connections in the U.S. and abroad, coupled with our firm’s established reputation for collaborating with government policymakers and operators on meaningful issues, enables us to advise clients on the full spectrum of legal, political and operational issues in this space.”

Klitenic’s background includes serving as General Counsel to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The Industry Group will also include former U.S. Intelligence Community members, high-ranking law enforcement officials and military veterans — Holland & Knight said the team’s diverse expertise will allow it to effectively navigate the intricacies of the national security landscape.

“In the many years that we have represented companies in the national defense and security sectors, we have built a substantial bench of premier practitioners across our geographic platform,” said Holland & Knight Chair and CEO Bob Grammig.

“We are excited to bring all of our global resources — comprising a unique mix of first-rate legal capabilities, a robust public policy and federal lobbying practice, and trusted relationships with U.S. government officials and foreign partners — under the umbrella of this new group. Together, this multidisciplinary team will continue to help our clients advance their strategic objectives.”

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