OBAMA UP WITH 2 NEW ADS
Two new Obama campaign ads airing in Florida [Tampa Bay Times] “Two new TV spots by the Barack Obama campaign started airing today across Florida. The first one, “Succeed,” touts the president’s efforts to save the auto industry. The seond one, “Reverse,” points the the economic trends and 26 months of private sector job growth since he took office.” WATCH SUCCEED HERE, WATCH REVERSE HERE.
Affordable Care Act working even before it fully kicks in [Orlando Sentinel Guest Column] “I am a nurse practitioner. One of my roles is to provide free primary care at the Good Samaritan free clinic in DeLand. My work at the clinic has brought me face to face with the reality of people who cannot obtain health insurance because of costs or pre-existing conditions…Beyond these substantial direct benefits of the health-care law, we all have also benefited indirectly from the new law. For example, funding through the health-care law has helped law enforcement to crack down on waste, fraud and abuse in the Medicare system and recover billions of tax dollars.”
Audrey Gibson, Mia Jones to take part in Obama event in Jacksonville [Florida Times Union] “State Sen. Audrey Gibson, D – Jacksonville, and state Rep. Mia Jones, D -Jacksonville, will headline a Thursday event aiming to ‘highlight the importance of President Obama’s economic policies.'”
CONNIE MACK BUSTED Mailer sent by Connie Mack violates House rules [Tampa Bay Times] ” A government mailer sent to voters across Florida by U.S. Rep. Connie Mack violates House rules barring distribution outside his district and raises questions about his U.S. Senate campaign, which features the penny-pinching plan that was the subject of the mailer.”
Expensive Mistake [Tampa Bay Times] “A vendor that handled the taxpayer-funded mailer sent by U.S. Rep. Connie Mack took the blame and today wrote the U.S. Treasury a check for nearly $18,000 to cover the cost.”
Meanwhile…U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson opening campaign HQ in Orlando [Orlando Sentinel] “Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson has planted his re-election state campaign headquarters in Orlando, in the same building as President Barack Obama’s Orlando campaign office, 1516 E. Colonial Dr.”
RUBIO CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT From Politico’s Playbook: “MARK HALPERIN’S TOP 5 FOR VEEP, in order of likelihood, from forthcoming issue of TIME: 1) Rob Portman 2) Mitch Daniels 3) Chris Christie 4) Bobby Jindal 5) Paul Ryan”
ON THE CONGRESSIONAL FRONT — ETHICS INVESTIGATING BUCHANAN: “MAY HAVE BROKEN THE LAW” (AGAIN), FRANKEL’S SEAT LEANS DEMOCRAT
Ethics panel: Rep. Buchanan may have broken law [AP] “A congressional ethics panel has concluded there is substantial reason to believe Rep. Vern Buchanan tried to get a former business partner to lie to the Federal Election Commission in violation of federal law and a House rule.”
Report Casts Harsh Light on Lawmaker’s Fund-Raising [New York Times]
House Ethics Committee Reviews New Rep. Buchanan Allegation [Wall Street Journal]
Ethics Panel Continues Investigation [Politico]
Buchanan mailing expenses tops in Florida again [Herald Tribune] “‘Congressman Buchanan continues to waste taxpayers’ money on perks and privileges for himself rather than working for Suncoast seniors and middle class families,’ Fitzgerald says in the release.”
House Ratings [The Hill] “In Florida, the open seat where Republican Adam Hasner and Democrat Lois Frankel are expected to square off moves from “toss-up” to “lean Democratic” due to Frankel’s strong fundraising and the Democratic leanings of the redrawn district.”
Rep. Allen West On Food Stamps: ‘That’s How You Enslave The American People’ [ThinkProgress] “As if poor people didn’t have enough to worry about, Rep. Allen West (R-FL) has given them one more: enslavement.”
Bill says everything about Republicans’ priorities [Tampa Bay Times Editorial] “Repeating a tired and disappointing script, House Republicans are poised to pass a bill today that would shred the social safety net for struggling Americans in order to protect defense spending.”
OTHER NEWS WE THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Jim Greer’s lawyer: Another witness says RPOF officials knew Greer was taking over fundraising [Tampa Bay Times] “Former Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer has found yet another witness who says party officials knew Greer had taken over fundraising and would be compensated for it.”
Not all Florida university cuts being covered by reserves [News-Press] “The issue has moved to the forefront in recent weeks as University of Florida officials were forced to reconsider plans to slash the Computer and Information Science and Engineering department as part of its plan to deal with reductions.”
A defiant MacNamara defends his record, says he’s not leaving — yet [Miami Herald] “MacNamara said that while the stream of stories may hasten his plans to leave the administration later this year, he is not leaving — yet. ‘This whole thing may just hurry my departure by a few months,” he said.”
Water problems [Gainesville Sun Editorial] “It’s official. Both our regional water managements have figured out that we’re having a water problem.”