Tag: florida

Wind & Solar Energy Bankrupting Sunshine State

The State of Florida, long a model of economic growth and conservative fiscal policy, now faces a paradox: while bathed in sunshine and surrounded by natural beauty, it is flirting with energy insolvency. Despite its bounty of natural gas and a history of reliable and affordable electric power, the Sunshine State is increasingly embracing wind and solar energy—two intermittent sources heavily reliant on subsidies, regulatory distortion and taxpayer support.

According to energy analyst Dave Walsh, a speaker at last weekend’s Reclaim Campaign event in Venice, Florida, this green energy shift is not only misguided—it is a direct threat to Florida’s economic sustainability.

Dave Walsh, former president of Mitsubishi-Hitachi Power Americas and a frequent commentator on energy policy, has issued repeated warnings about the consequences of an overreliance on renewable energy. His central thesis is simple: wind and solar power are not financially or technically viable replacements for baseload energy.

Unlike clean coal, natural gas or nuclear—which produce consistent power regardless of time or weather—wind and solar depend on conditions beyond human control. In Florida, that volatility translates into higher costs, increasing grid instability, and growing dependence on backup generation that negates many of the claimed environmental benefits.

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Jeffrey Epstein plea deal is subject of new criminal probe after Florida governor orders investigation into Palm Beach County Sheriff and State’s Attorney offices

The prosecutors who ironed out the non-prosecution deal signed by Jeffrey Epstein in 2008 and the deputies who oversaw the pedophile’s incarceration may soon find themselves facing criminal charges. 

Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida announced on Tuesday that he had ordered the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to take over the investigation of how the Epstein case was handled by state employees.

‘I am requesting a preliminary inquiry into misconduct and allegations that go beyond the reported concerns with Jeffrey Epstein’s work release,’ wrote Governor DeSantis.

At the same time, he issued an Executive Order reassigning the matter from Palm Beach County State’s Attorney Office to the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida.

This move was suggested in some part by Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, who sent a formal request to the Governor on Tuesday stating that FDLE should ‘assume the existing criminal investigation.’

He closed out the request by writing: ‘I believe the public interest would be best be served by an FDLE-led investigation examining every aspect of the Epstein case, from court sentencing to incarceration.’

Bradshaw said that the internal investigation launched by the department last month would continue at the same time. 

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‘Obama Phone’ Scam: Florida CEO Headed to Prison, Must Pay $128 Million Fine After Defrauding Government

The owner of a Florida telecommunications company will spend the next five years in prison and his firm must pay a hefty fine regarding an “Obama phone” scam.

Q Link Wireless LLC and its owner, identified as CEO Issa Asad, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and steal federal funds from the Lifeline program that began in the 1980s, Fox News reported Sunday.

The program offers subsidized cellphone services to lower-income people. In 2012, a video emerged of a protester outside a Mitt Romney event who claimed her neighbors received an “Obama phone,” Breitbart News reported at the time.

When asked why she supported Obama, the woman said, “Everybody in Cleveland low minority got Obama Phone. Keep Obama in President, you know? He gave us a phone, he’s going to do more.”

The clip shows the woman standing with other protesters on the side of a roadway while holding signs. The Breitbart News article speculated that she may or may not have been a paid agitator.

In 2013, Breitbart News reported that opposition to the “Lifeline” program was growing as Tracfone Wireless, “the company that most benefits from the government subsidy, is now advertising on inside-the-beltway news websites in an effort to save it.”

The Fox article said Asad was sentenced to prison and he, along with his company, must pay $128 million in fines.

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Florida School Board Chair Under Fire for Disturbing Social Media Post Following Hulk Hogan’s Death: “Good. One less MAGA in the world.”

Alachua County School Board Chair Sarah Rockwell is under fire after a Facebook post following the news that Hulk Hogan died.

The cultural icon passed away on Thursday at the age of 71.

While people around the globe shared kindness and words of love, Rockwell, a leader in the educational future for school children,  took to Facebook to share a vile, politically motivated comment.

Responding to a post announce Hogan’s passing, she wrote “Good. One less MAGA in the world.”

After her disgusting comments went viral, Rockwell posted the following statement on Facebook, but limited who can comment on the post.

A few days ago, I made a cruel and flippant comment from my personal Facebook account on a friend’s post regarding the death of Hulk Hogan. I deeply regret making that comment and have since removed it. I want to make it very clear that I never have and never will wish harm on anyone regardless of whether we share political views. While I strongly disagree with some of the comments Hulk Hogan made, that is no excuse for my comment.

I also sincerely apologize for the way my comment has eroded confidence in my ability to represent all students, families, and staff in Alachua County. I want to assure all of you that the best interests of our children and our public schools are at the center of everything I do as a board member. I hope I have shown that by my record of advocacy for children, families, and staff members throughout Alachua county.

Again, I apologize for the hurt and distrust I have caused with my insensitive comment. I will continue to do the hard work of putting our children and schools first. I hope that I can earn back your trust.

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Florida Judge Says ‘Hands Are Tied,’ Won’t Unseal Epstein Grand Jury Transcripts

A federal judge has denied the Trump administration’s request to unseal transcripts from Florida grand jury proceedings related to a 20-year-old criminal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, saying her “hands are tied.”

U.S. District Court Judge for the Southern District of Florida Robin Rosenberg wrote in her denial that an unrelated 2020 ruling by the Eleventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals “does not permit” her to unseal grand jury records in instances not covered by the criminal procedure rule, CNBC reported.

“Eleventh Circuit law does not permit this Court to grant the Government’s request; the Court’s hands are tied — a point the Government concedes,” Rosenberg wrote.

President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) petitioned the U.S. District Court in West Palm Beach, Florida, to obtain the transcripts from two grand juries that convened there in 2005 and 2007, respectively.

In its argument for the transcripts, which are normally left sealed in such cases, the DOJ pointed to a “strong public interest in the historical investigation into Jeffrey Epstein,” the convicted sex offender suspected of trafficking minors to other pedophiles.

The DOJ also argued that “many of the rationales supporting grand jury secrecy” no longer apply since Epstein’s 2019 death, which the department claimed was a suicide earlier this month. 

The controversial memo from the DOJ, headed by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, also claimed there was no evidence of a “client list” belonging to Epstein to blackmail people with.

Neither argument provided by the department would qualify as an exception to the rule regarding the transcripts, Rosenberg wrote in her Wednesday decision. 

The Florida judge’s ruling does not impact two other pending requests by the DOJ that seek grand jury transcripts related to the later investigations that led to the 2019 and 2020 New York indictments of Epstein and his accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. 

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Feds Arrest Man Who Vowed to Kill Everyone on Epstein List with Machete

A 31-year-old Florida man has been arrested after allegedly threatening to murder individuals he believed were associated with Jeffrey Epstein’s purported “client list,” following a public outcry over the Department of Justice’s disclosure that no such list exists, as reported by The New York Post.

According to a criminal complaint filed in federal court, Terrell Bailey-Corsey made a series of violent threats on the social media platform X, beginning with a July 15 post in which he said:

“Everyone involved if I see them in real life I will KILL. On sight. With a machete so everyone can see the blood and gore of the moment.”

Bailey-Corsey’s comments reportedly came in response to an exchange he had with Grok, the artificial intelligence chatbot integrated on X.

The interaction followed the DOJ’s announcement that there was no maintained list of Epstein’s alleged associates, despite long-standing speculation and public demand for transparency.

“You can’t fear death so you can’t understand. I will KILL EVERYONE ON THE LIST. ON SIGHT. AND THEY ABSOLUTELY DESERVE IT,” Bailey-Corsey wrote in the same July 15 post, according to court documents.

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Florida Surgeon General Highlights Vaccine Injuries, Calls on NIH to Act

At a press conference at Florida State University in Tampa, Florida, Florida Surgeon General Dr Joseph Ladapo made an urgent call for the NIH program funding to help Americans injured by Covid-19 vaccines and expressed support for the May federal changes in the HHS’s restrictive Covid-19 vaccine recommendations.

On the Ground in Tampa: What Ladapo Really Said

I was invited to Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo’s press conference in Tampa on July 17, 2025. In contrast to how some mainstream outlets later portrayed it, the event centered on a call to recognize and research Covid-19 vaccine injuries, rather than a mere anti-vaccine screed. Dr. Ladapo – a physician and Florida’s top health official since 2021 – emphasized the urgent need to support those suffering adverse effects from mRNA Covid-19 shots. He praised recent federal moves to scale back mRNA vaccine recommendations for certain groups, but went further by asserting that these products “should not be used in any human beings,” given their safety profile. From my front-row perspective, Dr. Ladapo’s tone was measured yet resolute. He recounted how unusual it is, in his experience, to encounter so many post-vaccination issues. “When was the last time that you had a vaccine that literally almost every single person knows someone who had a bad reaction from it?” Ladapo asked pointedly.

Before the Covid era, he noted, he never personally knew a patient who was clearly vaccine-injured. “Now,” he continued, “there are very few people that I run into who either themselves have not had a bad reaction from these mRNA Covid-19 vaccines, or who don’t know someone who’s had a bad reaction.” 

This was a striking report that hung in the air – one supported anecdotally by nods from some attendees sharing their own stories. Dr. Ladapo stressed that adverse reactions have become distressingly commonplace, and he even bluntly called the Covid shots “terrible vaccines” as a result.

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Two Florida Republican representatives push federal bill allowing illegal aliens to legally work

Joined by a group of nine additional Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida is spearheading a federal legislative effort to allow some illegal aliens to remain in the country and work legally for years.

Titled “DIGNITY Act,” the bill allows illegal aliens, which Salazar describes as “undocumented immigrants,” to remain and work in the country who have been here since before 2021.

In order to qualify, they must pass a criminal background check, pay $1,000 per year over seven years in restitution, can receive no federal benefits or entitlements, and have no pathway to citizenship. That process is referred to as the “Dignity Program.”

“Millions have lived in the shadows for decades with no legal path,” the bill’s information pager states. “Deportation of long-term workers would cripple key industries.”

“For 40 years, every president and Congress has looked the other way while millions have lived here illegally, many working in key industries that keep our economy running,” Salazar said. “It’s the Achilles’ heel no one wants to fix. The Dignity Act offers a commonsense solution: certain undocumented immigrants can earn legal status, not citizenship, by working, paying taxes, and contributing to our country. No handouts. No shortcuts. Just accountability and a path to stability for our economy and our future.”

On top of the Dignity Program, the bill’s sponsors say it requires “complete operational control” of the southern border, requires enhanced physical barriers, deploys improved technology to the border, requires nationwide E-Verify, hikes penalties for illegal border crossers, requires DNA testing for family verification, and more.

The bill sponsors say it also ends the practice of “catch-and-release,” expedites asylum processing, and hikes penalties for asylum fraud.

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FDACS removes over 85K illegal hemp products in child safety crackdown

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson announced results of “Operation Safe Summer,” a statewide enforcement effort resulting in the removal of more than 85,000 hemp packages that were found in violation of state child-protection standards.

In the first three weeks of the operation, hemp-derived products were seized across 40 counties for “violations of Florida’s child-protection standards for packaging, labeling, and marketing,” according to a press release from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Simpson said they will continue to “aggressively enforce the law, hold bad actors accountable, and put the safety of Florida’s families over profits.”

The state previously issued announcements advising hemp food establishments on the planned enforcement of amendments to Rule 5K-4.034, Florida Administrative Code, a press release said.

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FBI, Sheriff’s Office Arrest 28 Motorcycle Gang Members In ‘Operation Mongolian Beef’

Over two dozen alleged members of an outlaw motorcycle gang have been arrested and charged in connection with a March shooting at a Florida gas station, the FBI’s Jacksonville office announced on Wednesday.

In total, 28 members of the Mongols motorcycle gang were arrested during a joint operation, dubbed “Operation Mongolian Beef,” which was done in coordination between the FBI Jacksonville Division, the Volusia Sheriff’s Office, and the Seventh Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office, according to a statement, which added that arrest warrants were issued for three other members of the gang, whose arrests are pending.

As the Epoch Times notes further, the individuals have been charged with aggravated rioting in relation to the shooting at a gas station in New Smyrna Beach during Bike Week on March 8, 2025.

Aggravated rioting is when an individual participates in a riot of 25 or more other people, according to the statement. It is a second-degree felony and punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

As part of the operation, the FBI and its law enforcement partners carried out 14 search warrants at multiple properties, including at the Mongols Clubhouse in Edgewater, Florida; four homes in Volusia County; three homes in Brevard County; two homes in Miami-Dade County; one home in Chesterfield County, Virginia; one home in Palm Beach County; and two homes in Polk County.

“The FBI has made a commitment to all Americans that we will crush violent crime across the country,” FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley said in the statement.

“There is no doubt Volusia County and, in fact, the entire state of Florida is safer today with these violent offenders off the street.”

The Mongols motorcycle gang, also known as the Mongols Motorcycle Club, is an international organization that self-identifies as an “outlaw” motorcycle gang, meaning its members define themselves as within the “1 percent” of motorcycle clubs who do not abide by the law, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The group has slogans such as “Respect Few, Fear None” and “Live Mongol Die Mongol,” which the DOJ said illustrate the members’ “cut-throat attitude.”

Its members typically wear vests and patches, or have tattoos identifying their connection to the group, the DOJ said.

Outlaw motorcycle gangs are generally highly structured criminal organizations whose members engage in a range of criminal activities, including violent crime, weapons trafficking, and drug trafficking, according to the DOJ.

The Mongols gang is one of many such outlaw gangs that pose a “serious national domestic threat,” the department said.

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