DEMS, GOP SPAR ON PROSECUTOR FITNESS

Adding more drama to an already colorful election, Lawton “Bud” Chiles III, son of a Florida political legend who served three terms in the U.S. Senate and two terms as governor, announced Thursday he was leaving the Democratic Party and launching a gubernatorial campaign with no party affiliation.

Shortly after former Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer was arrested Wednesday morning, a flurry of candidates for office and other state political leaders reacted by releasing statements to the media: Here are excerpts from a few of those statements:

The race to replace Rep. Nick Thompson is getting crowded. Realtor Deanna Casalino has entered the race for the Republican nomination, joining Matt Caldwell, Jason Moon and John Schultz who are already in the race.

Having already won the state AFL-CIO's endorsement for commissioner of agriculture, Scott Maddox could breathe a sigh of relief. So, with the heat off, the former Tallahassee mayor offered the union convention a high-octane speech Saturday, tearing full force into Florida Republicans.

Maddox had won the backing of the state AFL-CIO in March for the primary and general elections.

“There’s only one statewide candidate who’s been endorsed,” said Florida AFL-CIO President Mike Williams. “That’s how good a friend Scott Maddox is.”

Florida's investigation into bid rigging in municipal bonds widened this week with reports that several of the country's largest banks may have been involved in a nationwide conspiracy.

According to federal indictments, the CDR Financial Products of Beverly Hills, Calif., gave false information to municipalities and fed information to bankers allowing them to win with lower interest rates than they were otherwise willing to pay.

In slapping down life sentences for teenage offenders in non-homicide cases, the U.S. Supreme Court ended life terms for 77 Florida inmates.

Saying Monday's ruling "will have a significant impact on our state's juvenile justice and corrections systems," Attorney General Bill McCollum said his office, along with the state Department of Juvenile Justice and Department of Corrections, has a lot of work to do.

Adding more drama to what already promises to be a gripping political season in Florida, Lawton “Bud” Chiles III, education advocate and son of the longtime U.S. senator and governor, is seriously considering announcing a run for governor.

Retired Army officer and Republican candidate Allen West, currently looking to take on Democratic Congressman Ron Klein in a rematch from the 2008 elections, is taking swipes at prominent Florida Republicans Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio, saying they should be “ashamed” for opposing Arizona’s new immigration laws… While Rubio

Florida House Speaker Larry Cretul issued a ringing statement Tuesday, accusing Gov. Charlie Crist of unnecessarily wasting taxpayers' money, playing political games and distracting state leaders from solving the state's real problems right now.