Free Republic

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday defended a state agency’s involvement with a $10 million donation to a charity founded by his wife as a “cherry on top” deal using funds from a settlement between the agency and the state’s largest Medicaid contractor. State law mandates that money from the settlement be put in a trust fund or a general fund under legislative oversight. DeSantis called the settlement “100% appropriate”

DESTIN, Fla. - The war is on in Tallahassee as Gov. Ron DeSantis went on the offensive on Friday, again going after the Florida Legislature on the contentious issue of illegal immigration. At a news conference in Destin on Friday, the governor railed against the ‘TRUMP Act,’ which state lawmakers passed this week after rebuking the governor's special session and convening their own instead. Battle over immigration legislation Special session rebuked The backstory: Earlier this month, DeSantis called a special session, asking state lawmakers to consider several immigration-related proposals, along with hurricane relief, condo fee reform and the citizen ballot...

TALLAHASSEE Florida Republican leaders on Monday unveiled a sweeping immigration proposal that seeks to strip Gov. Ron DeSantis of much of his authority to oversee immigration — an opening salvo that sets up a showdown between the Legislature and the once overwhelmingly dominant governor. If adopted, the legislative changes — pushed by House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton — would render DeSantis virtually powerless over immigration enforcement in Florida. All that authority would go to Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and his office, which would be armed with more than $500 million to help enforce federal immigration laws...

WICHITA, Kan. – The leader of a Kansas commune that prosecutors say lived off of insurance payouts following the deaths of group members is set to stand trial for murder in the 2003 drowning of one of them — a young mother whose death he allegedly foretold weeks before it happened. Daniel U. Perez, a 55-year-old self-proclaimed seer, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder in the death of 26-year-old Patricia Hughes at the group's compound in the Wichita suburb of Valley Center. Jury selection begins Monday in Sedgwick County District Court. Authorities have investigated several deaths linked to the group,...