Jason Garcia
@jasongarcia.bsky.social
Investigative reporter covering corporate influence in Florida. Publisher of Seeking Rents, a newsletter and podcast about state politics. https://jasongarcia.substack.com
Reposted by Jason Garcia
Recommended weekend listening: in a growing # of states, education policy reflects the vision of individual billionaires. We head to Florida, where @jasongarcia.bsky.social & @flbaloney.bsky.social help us get to the bottom of a controversial school privatization plan soundcloud.com/haveyouheard...
HY#207 Under the Influence
Have You Heard heads to Florida, where education policy is increasingly being determined by wealthy donors. We meet a billionaire who has been putting big bucks behind a very particular vision for the
soundcloud.com
November 8, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Recommended weekend listening: in a growing # of states, education policy reflects the vision of individual billionaires. We head to Florida, where @jasongarcia.bsky.social & @flbaloney.bsky.social help us get to the bottom of a controversial school privatization plan soundcloud.com/haveyouheard...
Reposted by Jason Garcia
#Florida lawmakers took orders from the lobbyist for a shady landowner, and now the taxpayers are paying $83 million for 4 acres in Destin that do NOT need to be preserved. jasongarcia.substack.com/p/florida-la... via @jasongarcia.bsky.social
Florida lawmakers took instructions from a landowner's lobbyist. Now Florida taxpayers will pay $83 million for four acres.
Records show a lobbyist wrote a law enabling a controversial land deal in which Florida will pay more than $20 million an acre to buy a tiny parcel of property from a politically connected seller.
jasongarcia.substack.com
November 1, 2025 at 3:47 PM
#Florida lawmakers took orders from the lobbyist for a shady landowner, and now the taxpayers are paying $83 million for 4 acres in Destin that do NOT need to be preserved. jasongarcia.substack.com/p/florida-la... via @jasongarcia.bsky.social
In mid-June, just before Florida’s Republican-controlled Legislature finalized this year’s state budget, GOP leaders in Tallahassee slipped a sentence into the spending plan authorizing state officials to acquire a piece of property in the Panhandle through a popular land-preservation program.
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November 1, 2025 at 12:09 PM
In mid-June, just before Florida’s Republican-controlled Legislature finalized this year’s state budget, GOP leaders in Tallahassee slipped a sentence into the spending plan authorizing state officials to acquire a piece of property in the Panhandle through a popular land-preservation program.
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A top Florida politician – a guy who was just endorsed by President Donald Trump – is now pushing a plan to help agriculture companies sue MAHA activists, environmental groups, news organizations, and others who criticize the ag industry...
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October 27, 2025 at 1:57 PM
A top Florida politician – a guy who was just endorsed by President Donald Trump – is now pushing a plan to help agriculture companies sue MAHA activists, environmental groups, news organizations, and others who criticize the ag industry...
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Last September – as Ron DeSantis was spending Florida taxpayer money on advertisements attacking citizen-led constitutional amendments that would have protected abortion rights and legalized marijuana – his administration made a $1.525 million payment for TV commercials.
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October 20, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Last September – as Ron DeSantis was spending Florida taxpayer money on advertisements attacking citizen-led constitutional amendments that would have protected abortion rights and legalized marijuana – his administration made a $1.525 million payment for TV commercials.
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New: Ron DeSantis paid campaign strategists via hidden subcontracts, made rushed payments under misleading pretenses, and took millions of dollars from reserves, in a taxpayer-funded advertising war last fall against abortion and marijuana ballot measures:
jasongarcia.substack.com/p/hidden-con...
jasongarcia.substack.com/p/hidden-con...
Hidden consultants and hurried payments: Records reveal details of DeSantis' campaign against abortion and marijuana amendments
Ron DeSantis employed campaign strategists as subcontractors, bent procurement rules, and took millions from reserves, in a taxpayer-fund ad campaign against two citizen-led ballot measures last year.
jasongarcia.substack.com
October 19, 2025 at 11:59 AM
New: Ron DeSantis paid campaign strategists via hidden subcontracts, made rushed payments under misleading pretenses, and took millions of dollars from reserves, in a taxpayer-funded advertising war last fall against abortion and marijuana ballot measures:
jasongarcia.substack.com/p/hidden-con...
jasongarcia.substack.com/p/hidden-con...
Reposted by Jason Garcia
BREAKING: Grand jury summoned in Hope Florida criminal probe: www.miamiherald.com/news/politic...
Grand jury summoned in Hope Florida criminal probe
In recent weeks, the State Attorney’s Office for the 2nd Judicial Circuit has issued subpoenas for witnesses to appear before a grand jury.
www.miamiherald.com
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 PM
BREAKING: Grand jury summoned in Hope Florida criminal probe: www.miamiherald.com/news/politic...
Reposted by Jason Garcia
#Florida Gov. Ron DeSastrous is helping real estate developers exploit what was supposed to be a hurricane relief law. jasongarcia.substack.com/p/ron-desant... via @jasongarcia.bsky.social
Ron DeSantis is helping real estate developers exploit a hurricane relief law
Florida in Five: Five stories to read from the past week in Florida politics.
jasongarcia.substack.com
September 21, 2025 at 5:23 PM
#Florida Gov. Ron DeSastrous is helping real estate developers exploit what was supposed to be a hurricane relief law. jasongarcia.substack.com/p/ron-desant... via @jasongarcia.bsky.social
Ron DeSantis is helping real estate developers exploit a hurricane relief law:
jasongarcia.substack.com/p/ron-desant...
jasongarcia.substack.com/p/ron-desant...
Ron DeSantis is helping real estate developers exploit a hurricane relief law
Florida in Five: Five stories to read from the past week in Florida politics.
jasongarcia.substack.com
September 21, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Ron DeSantis is helping real estate developers exploit a hurricane relief law:
jasongarcia.substack.com/p/ron-desant...
jasongarcia.substack.com/p/ron-desant...
This is a crazy threat for the DeSantis administration to make.
You have a DeSantis appointee and former chief of staff not-even-subtly hinting that the administration will withhold state funding from a county unless that county bows down to developers.
You have a DeSantis appointee and former chief of staff not-even-subtly hinting that the administration will withhold state funding from a county unless that county bows down to developers.
"If the board chooses to continue down the path, the consequences are inevitable," Kelly wrote
He went so far as to threaten state funding for roads, parks and economic development projects in Manatee County...
He went so far as to threaten state funding for roads, parks and economic development projects in Manatee County...
September 19, 2025 at 4:22 PM
This is a crazy threat for the DeSantis administration to make.
You have a DeSantis appointee and former chief of staff not-even-subtly hinting that the administration will withhold state funding from a county unless that county bows down to developers.
You have a DeSantis appointee and former chief of staff not-even-subtly hinting that the administration will withhold state funding from a county unless that county bows down to developers.
Reposted by Jason Garcia
Last year, Manatee County voters united to force out the developer puppets on the BOCC and elect reasonable people who would not be a rubber stamp. DeSantis has basically been spitting on those (mostly deep red) voters for that "sin" ever since with local state reps going along. Locals are angry.
September 19, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Last year, Manatee County voters united to force out the developer puppets on the BOCC and elect reasonable people who would not be a rubber stamp. DeSantis has basically been spitting on those (mostly deep red) voters for that "sin" ever since with local state reps going along. Locals are angry.
Ron DeSantis is actively helping some of the state's biggest developers – and Ron DeSantis donors – exploit a new state law that was supposed to ensure communities could rebuild after hurricanes...
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September 19, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Ron DeSantis is actively helping some of the state's biggest developers – and Ron DeSantis donors – exploit a new state law that was supposed to ensure communities could rebuild after hurricanes...
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A Republican megadonor and homebuilder in southwest Florida (Pat Neal) has joined one of a several lawsuits that have been filed around the state in which developers are trying to use a new hurricane-recovery law (Senate Bill 180) to kill all kinds of local land-development rules.
September 18, 2025 at 5:24 PM
A Republican megadonor and homebuilder in southwest Florida (Pat Neal) has joined one of a several lawsuits that have been filed around the state in which developers are trying to use a new hurricane-recovery law (Senate Bill 180) to kill all kinds of local land-development rules.
Florida taxpayers are starting to pay the bills on the immigrant prison camp the DeSantis administration built in middle of the Everglades.
The Governor's Office has approved nearly $30 million in payments to 'Alligator Alcatraz' contractors over the past 10 days:
The Governor's Office has approved nearly $30 million in payments to 'Alligator Alcatraz' contractors over the past 10 days:
September 18, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Florida taxpayers are starting to pay the bills on the immigrant prison camp the DeSantis administration built in middle of the Everglades.
The Governor's Office has approved nearly $30 million in payments to 'Alligator Alcatraz' contractors over the past 10 days:
The Governor's Office has approved nearly $30 million in payments to 'Alligator Alcatraz' contractors over the past 10 days:
Reposted by Jason Garcia
#Florida is cutting funding for transit — and exposing the true cost of business tax breaks jasongarcia.substack.com/p/florida-is... via @jasongarcia.bsky.social
Florida is cutting funding for transit — and exposing the true cost of business tax breaks
Florida in Five: Five stories to read from the past week in Florida politics.
jasongarcia.substack.com
September 14, 2025 at 9:25 PM
#Florida is cutting funding for transit — and exposing the true cost of business tax breaks jasongarcia.substack.com/p/florida-is... via @jasongarcia.bsky.social
Reposted by Jason Garcia
More evidence education policy is now being driven by whims of billionaires. Here's Florida, which is about to get a whole lot more Success Academy charter schools because one of its wealthiest residents likes them. @jasongarcia.bsky.social has the receipts jasongarcia.substack.com/p/lobbyists-...
Lobbyists for a billionaire and a charter network pushed Florida lawmakers to expand a school privatization program, records show
Miami billionaire Ken Griffin and New York charter school chain Success Academy lobbied for a new law that dramatically expands Florida's "Schools of Hope" program.
jasongarcia.substack.com
September 12, 2025 at 3:33 PM
More evidence education policy is now being driven by whims of billionaires. Here's Florida, which is about to get a whole lot more Success Academy charter schools because one of its wealthiest residents likes them. @jasongarcia.bsky.social has the receipts jasongarcia.substack.com/p/lobbyists-...
New: A billionaire hedge-fund manager and a New York City charter network lobbied to expand a school-privatization program in Florida, according to records obtained by Seeking Rents.
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September 12, 2025 at 11:41 AM
New: A billionaire hedge-fund manager and a New York City charter network lobbied to expand a school-privatization program in Florida, according to records obtained by Seeking Rents.
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Reposted by Jason Garcia
Lobbyists for a billionaire and a charter network pushed #Florida lawmakers to expand a school privatization program jasongarcia.substack.com/p/lobbyists-... via @jasongarcia.bsky.social
Lobbyists for a billionaire and a charter network pushed Florida lawmakers to expand a school privatization program, records show
Miami billionaire Ken Griffin and New York charter school chain Success Academy lobbied for a new law that dramatically expands Florida's "Schools of Hope" program.
jasongarcia.substack.com
September 11, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Lobbyists for a billionaire and a charter network pushed #Florida lawmakers to expand a school privatization program jasongarcia.substack.com/p/lobbyists-... via @jasongarcia.bsky.social
Deleted a sloppy hot take that served as a good reminder that I’m not the legal expert I like to think I am just because I took a constitutional law class 25 years ago
September 11, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Deleted a sloppy hot take that served as a good reminder that I’m not the legal expert I like to think I am just because I took a constitutional law class 25 years ago
Reposted by Jason Garcia
No, I think the 1DCA is right that Norman has been abrogated by Bruen.
September 10, 2025 at 5:37 PM
No, I think the 1DCA is right that Norman has been abrogated by Bruen.
Reposted by Jason Garcia
This is a bad take. The FL Sp Ct 2017 Norman decision applied an analysis that the US Sp Ct later expressly rejected in Bruen. Bruen's test stinks, but a FL lower court is actually obligated to apply Bruen and not follow Norman, given that it is a federal const right at issue.
September 10, 2025 at 6:25 PM
This is a bad take. The FL Sp Ct 2017 Norman decision applied an analysis that the US Sp Ct later expressly rejected in Bruen. Bruen's test stinks, but a FL lower court is actually obligated to apply Bruen and not follow Norman, given that it is a federal const right at issue.
The state of Florida just updated its list of “persistently low-performing” schools – a key designation that opens to the door for privately managed “Schools of Hope” charters to move into an area and tap into giant public subsidies.
The number of PLPs jumped from 51 to 267.
The number of PLPs jumped from 51 to 267.
September 8, 2025 at 8:53 PM
The state of Florida just updated its list of “persistently low-performing” schools – a key designation that opens to the door for privately managed “Schools of Hope” charters to move into an area and tap into giant public subsidies.
The number of PLPs jumped from 51 to 267.
The number of PLPs jumped from 51 to 267.
Reposted by Jason Garcia
#Florida Gov. Ron DeSastrous' Everglades concentration camp pollutes his own River of Grass legacy with 20A of new pavement, lighting so bright it can be seen 20 miles away & daily shipments of jet fuel & human waste. jasongarcia.substack.com/p/as-the-end... via @jasongarcia.bsky.social
As the end of his tenure draws near, Ron DeSantis risks poisoning his Everglades legacy
Florida in Five: Five stories to read from the past week in Florida politics.
jasongarcia.substack.com
September 7, 2025 at 7:42 PM
#Florida Gov. Ron DeSastrous' Everglades concentration camp pollutes his own River of Grass legacy with 20A of new pavement, lighting so bright it can be seen 20 miles away & daily shipments of jet fuel & human waste. jasongarcia.substack.com/p/as-the-end... via @jasongarcia.bsky.social
Reposted by Jason Garcia
He spent a lot of tax money on Everglades restoration. Now it's like a fancy Lamborghini he paid for, but then put sand in the gas tank.
September 7, 2025 at 8:08 PM
He spent a lot of tax money on Everglades restoration. Now it's like a fancy Lamborghini he paid for, but then put sand in the gas tank.
Ron DeSantis and Joe Ladapo doing some destination marketing for Florida:
"Florida is ending vaccine mandates. What do Canadian travellers need to know?"
www.cbc.ca/news/health/...
"Florida is ending vaccine mandates. What do Canadian travellers need to know?"
www.cbc.ca/news/health/...
Florida is ending vaccine mandates. What do Canadian travellers need to know? | CBC News
CBC News asked doctors what Canadians should know before flying south, in light of Florida's plan to end vaccine mandates.
www.cbc.ca
September 5, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Ron DeSantis and Joe Ladapo doing some destination marketing for Florida:
"Florida is ending vaccine mandates. What do Canadian travellers need to know?"
www.cbc.ca/news/health/...
"Florida is ending vaccine mandates. What do Canadian travellers need to know?"
www.cbc.ca/news/health/...