la liberté avant tout
By Yaël Ossowski | Florida Watchdog TAMPA — It was the memorandum heard around the world. On Friday, the Department of Homeland Security sent out a letter outlining how young undocumented immigrants, whether enrolled in school or enlisted in the military, should not be subject to deportation proceedings and should be considered for work visas that would allow…
By Yaël Ossowski | Florida Watchdog ORLANDO— Mayors from cities across the United States have traded the heated council meetings and stressful budget negotiations of their respective municipalities for the sunshine and amusement parks of central Florida. But despite the scores of elected municipal leaders attending the 80th annual U.S. Conference of Mayors in Orlando, the official agenda forgoes…
By Yaël Ossowski and Marianela Toledo | Florida Watchdog PEMBROKE PINES — Speaking exclusively to Florida Watchdog, businesswoman Karen Harrington laid out her case for the Republican nomination in the battle for the Congressional District 23 seat against Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz. “The first thing we have to do is not spend more money than we take in,” she…
By Yaël Ossowski | Florida Watchdog TAMPA — During the 2008 Republican National Convention in Minneapolis, more than 10,000 supporters of Texas congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paulgathered at a competing celebration they dubbed the “Rally for the Republic,” complete with speeches, music and campaign flair meant to clash with the official convention across town. The rally was organized…
By Yaël Ossowski | Florida Watchdog TAMPA— While television viewers recover from last season’s ratings bonanza known as the GOP presidential primary debates, voters in Florida learned this week that the next season’s senatorial debates will be aired without the cameo of one of the most important contestants: Cornelius McGillicuddy IV. Two months to the…
By Yaël Ossowski | Florida Watchdog TAMPA— In the state of Wisconsin, it took an $80-million recall election to validate Gov. Scott Walker‘s fiscal reforms on public-sector collective bargaining and pension requirements for state employees. In Florida, where similar legislation has been passed and signed into law, the biggest impediment to Gov. Rick Scott‘s agenda has not been…
By Yaël Ossowski | Florida Watchdog Florida Gov. Rick Scott responds to questions about his voter reforms being blocked by the federal government during an interview Tuesday with Christine Romans, host of CNN’s “Starting Point.” TAMPA— In the past two days, Gov. Rick Scott has been busy on the national airwaves defending his attempts to legitimize voter…
By Yaël Ossowski | Florida Watchdog TAMPA — Florida‘s political season is ready to move full steam ahead. With the statewide primary for the Democratic and Republican parties set for Aug 14, voters in theSunshine State have been presented with a slate of 120 candidates for27 House congressional seats and 11 for the U.S. Senate. Of those…
By Yaël Ossowski and Marianela Toledo | Florida Watchdog TAMPA— In an interview with Florida Watchdog, congressional candidate Joe Kaufman laid out his case for seeking the GOP nomination in Florida’s 23rd district, the newly-drawn seat held by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston. Kaufman is a journalist and activist, concentrating on “combating bigotry and exposing the activities of radical extremist organizations,” according…
By Yaël Ossowski | Wisconsin Reporter MILWAUKEE— The crowd downtown was mum by 9 p.m. at the election night rally for supporters of Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Tom Barrett. Eyes were glued to the large plasma screen television in the corner, where MSNBC host Rachel Maddow was breaking the news that projections from her own news…