The site for ranting and reporting by John Masters
This is for those posts that we wish to feature here at Deep Sand. It implies that these are a bit extra special.
On Friday, September 6, 2024, former Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren gave a compelling speech at Café Con Tampa, recounting the case of Robert DuBoise, a man wrongfully convicted of murder. Warren’s speech highlighted the importance of justice, the flaws in the criminal justice system, and how his office worked tirelessly to correct an egregious mistake.
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The Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) Played a key roll in the roll back of child labor laws in Florida. They are a conservative think tank based in the United States that focuses on welfare reform, healthcare, and workforce policies along with the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. And yes, they are aligned and have received favorable treatment from the DeSantis Administration in regards to disaster relief.
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In the world of political donations and nonprofit funding, transparency often takes a backseat to privacy, particularly among those who fund conservative organizations like the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA). While public records show that millions of dollars flow into these groups from donor-advised funds (DAFs) and other anonymous sources, the lack of transparency raises a crucial question: Why do contributors choose to remain in the shadows rather than proudly stand by the work they fund?
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There was a brief restaurant review posted earlier this year. The last post before that was a movie review (The Whale). A lot has transpired in my world over the past few months, and I think I am ready to get back to trying to post more or less regularly. The highlight reel looks a bit like this:
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This one is an easy one. I have no reason to think that Cepeda’s candidacy is anything more than an attempt to grab attention and advance some MAGA Christian Nationalist agenda, which Commissioner Smith has demonstrated her understanding of the issues important for a county commission to address, and can build a coalition to get things done. Keep Hillsborough County safe from an unhinged MAGA agenda, and vote for Mariella Smith.
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I had one of the most interesting candidate conversations I think I have ever had around this race. I had a long conversation with Scott D. Levinson, the Republican running for the seat. This is where it got interesting. He seems to be very socially progressive, to the point I eventually said, “Scott, you need not be telling people this. You may get kicked out of the Republican party. But the thing is, Harry gave me an appointment when he was a member of the City Council and heard me out on some contractor behavior issues we were having in the neighborhood.
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During the Primary Election, no one got a majority for this seat, so this contest is between Melissa Black and Eilam “Mike” Isaak. I spoke with Mrs. Black/Cordon during the primary. Mr. Isaak didn’t return the call then. He subsequently did, but I’m still recommending Melissa Black.
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Republican Jay Collins is running against incumbent Democrat Janet Cruz in this contest. This is a pretty easy one, but I gave Mr. Collins a chance. Vote for Janet Cruz for State Senate.
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As you know, I have a personal policy of speaking with candidates for local office before considering them for my vote. I got set back a week from being out of town at a conference, but I am now back on the trail and reaching out. First up is the race for State Representative, District 65.
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I’ve communicated directly with many folks, but I thought I would briefly summarize our Experience with Ian. This one was no fun (not that any of them are), and we avoided a major catastrophe here in the Tampa Bay area, but at the expense of Fort Myers, Port Charlotte, Sanibel, and points south of us. This is kind of my summary of our experience with Ian.
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I keep saying how there are too many things in the Florida Constitution that should be handled by the legislature, but since they won’t, and Florida voters keep electing people based on whom they hate rather than who will work for them, this is how voters get what they want. So here we go. I’m voting “No” to all three.
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