Florida State Wide
Another a big week last week in Florida’s Third Congressional District, we continued our hard work during this holiday week, visiting locations across North Central Florida. This week, we had stops in Alachua, Marion, Baker, Levy, and Dixie Counties, visiting with constituents and hearing from them about the latest infrastructure, agriculture, and health-related projects in our area.
The House is back in session next week, so we’ll have more updates from Washington, D.C. in next week’s newsletter. August recess is coming up soon and we look forward to being back in North Central Florida for more visits, updates, and time with you in a few weeks. Continue reading
This week, my office and the Federal Trade Commission sent more than $540,000 to consumers who fell victim to an illegal robocall scheme, including nearly $50,000 going directly to Floridians.
This is the result of successful joint litigation by my office and the FTC against Life Management Services of Orange County, LLC, and related companies for tricking individuals into paying for interest-rate-reduction and debt-elimination programs that rarely, if ever, provided the results as promised.
The robocall campaign deceived consumers into paying upfront fees of $500 to $1500 for these services. Now, due to our litigation, the defendants are permanently banned from engaging in these deceptive practices. They are also required to pay money and surrender homestead property, luxury cars and more.
Hundreds of Floridians harmed by this deceptive robocall scheme will soon receive their restitution checks averaging $117.
Consumers who have questions about the refunds process should contact the administrator, JND Legal Administration, at 1(877) 381-0342, or visit the FTC website for more information.
My office works hard to protect Floridians and fight fraudsters who take advantage of unsuspecting individuals. But you can also help us combat these schemes.
Check out our Scams at a Glance: Robotexts and Robocalls resource to learn how to avoid falling victim to these types of scams.
You can report robocalls to the FTC by visiting ReportFraud.FTC.gov. Floridians can also report scams related to robocalls by filing a complaint with our office at MyFloridaLegal.com or calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM.
By being on the lookout for deceptive calls and reporting fraudulent activity, you can help us build a Stronger, Safer Florida.
by: Steve Hayes 06-16-2023 Source: FAIRtax
Supreme Court exposes more IRS abusive powers
diegograndi
SUPREME COURT EXPOSES MORE IRS ABUSIVE POWERS
If you’re going to have a federal income tax, there are three things that inevitably come along with it.
First, there are going to be people who try to cheat the system in order to pay less than they actually owe. Consequently, an income tax requires a large, powerful federal agency with broad investigative and enforcement powers in order to identify the cheaters and compel them to comply with the law.
Second, those powers must be precisely defined and delegated to the enforcement agency by Congress. Continue reading
Dear friends,
This month we are continuing our report on the 2023 Legislative Session and all that we accomplished on behalf of Florida’s citizens. Last month we reported to you on some of the big budget items. Over the next few months, our column will focus on reporting on key pieces of legislation that was a priority of the leadership in the Florida Legislature.
HB 837 – For decades, Florida has been plagued by excessive litigation and a legal system that benefitted the lawyers more than people who are injured. Florida families have shouldered the hidden cost of lawsuit abuse. Florida’s litigation environment has cost the state jobs and driven up the cost of goods and services. According to the American Tort Reform Association’s “Judicial Hellhole” Report, lawsuit abuse costs Florida households more than $5000, and costs the state more than 173,000 jobs. HB 837 institutes the most comprehensive tort reform in decades to decrease frivolous lawsuits and prevent predatory practices of trial attorneys that prey on hardworking Floridians. The transformative reforms in this bill will strike the right balance between protecting the rights of Floridians who suffer a loss, while at the same time safeguarding everyone else against the hidden costs of prolonged litigation. Continue reading
On June 16, 2023, in News Releases, by Staff
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that the Florida Hometown Heroes program has provided $100 million in down payment and closing cost assistance to help Florida’s hometown workers purchase homes in the communities they serve. Governor DeSantis announced the launch of Hometown Heroes in June 2022, and since then the program has helped 6,753 veterans, active-duty military members, nurses, teachers, and law enforcement officers purchase homes for their families.
“Florida’s hometown heroes work hard to support our communities, and I am proud that we have supported over 6,700 of them as they purchased their family homes,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Through the Hometown Heroes housing program, we are ensuring that our police officers, firefighters, teachers, nurses, and military members and veterans can afford to buy homes in the communities that they have dedicated their lives to serving.” Continue reading
Florida’s unemployment rate remains lower than the nation’s for 31 consecutive months since November 2020
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Florida’s unemployment rate remains the lowest among the 10 largest states in the nation for the twelfth consecutive month. In May 2023, Florida’s unemployment rate remained at 2.6 percent for the fifth consecutive month. Florida’s statewide unemployment rate of 2.6 percent was 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 3.7 percent. In May 2023, Florida’s private sector employment increased by 17,200 jobs from the previous month, and by 323,400 jobs (3.9 percent) over the year, faster than the nation’s private sector job growth rate of 2.7 percent during the same time period.
“Florida’s unemployment rate has remained the lowest of the 10 largest states for an entire year —further proof that our Freedom First policies have strengthened our economy,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Florida will continue to protect taxpayers, foster new business formations, and maintain a responsible budget.” Continue reading
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is issuing a Consumer Alert warning Floridians about an increase in jury duty scams. In these scams, an imposter will call a target about missing jury duty, then threaten the potential victim with jail time if a fine is not paid. A recent news report from Miami-Dade County states that authorities there are seeing an alarming number of jury duty scams.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “This scam is so troubling because the scammer on the phone will threaten a victim with potential jail time if a fine is not paid. Floridians should know that failing to report for jury duty is not grounds for immediate arrest, and court officials will never demand payment over the phone. By being aware of how to avoid this increasingly common scam, we can build a Stronger, Safer Florida.” Continue reading
ATTORNEY GENERAL MOODY’S STATEWIDE PROSECUTORS CHARGE HUMAN TRAFFICKER FOR COERCING WOMEN AND TEEN INTO SEX TRADE
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution is charging a human trafficker with multiple felonies for coercing women and a teenager into sex work for the trafficker’s personal gain. The Boca Raton Police Department arrested Brandon Gutman on charges of human trafficking of a minor and human trafficking of an adult. According to the investigation, Gutman withheld all money and identification documents from the women, and knowingly trafficked a 16-year-old girl.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “This human trafficker kept women under his control with physical abuse and by withholding all their identification documents. He then forced them into sex work for his own financial profit, including knowingly trafficking a young 16-year-old girl. Thanks to the bravery of the survivors working with authorities and the investigative efforts of law enforcement, this predator will now face my Statewide Prosecutors.” Continue reading
My bill, the REINS Act, passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives. This legislation is a core part of House Republicans’ mission to reintroduce government accountability and to restore Congress’ role to check the regulatory actions of federal agencies. I’m grateful to the overwhelming support of my colleagues on this bill, and now, it’s just one step closer to becoming law.
Additionally, I was proud to host my colleagues on the House Agriculture Committee in Newberry earlier this week for a listening session on the upcoming 2023 Farm Bill. Farmers from across the state gathered by the hundreds to solicit critical feedback about the issues they’re facing in their industries. It was an honor to host the one-and-only listening session for the Farm Bill in the entire state of Florida.
With all that’s happening this Congress, it is my greatest honor to represent you and hear from you about the issues that matter most. You can read below about what we’ve been up to this week, and as always, you can stay up to date with us here, on our website, and on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
For Freedom,
Congresswoman Kat Cammack Proudly Representing Florida’s Third Congressional District
Dear Friends,
We have new day! What an exciting time it is to live in Florida and to be a part of an incredible team in the Senate. We are winning battles that your Senator has long been a part of, and it is very encouraging to see us finally having this much success on so many different fronts.
Just this week, the Florida Senate voted to pass a comprehensive bill that would protect Florida’s youth from dangerous gender altering surgeries and treatments. Specifically, the legislation prohibits harmful and irreversible gender reassignment procedures or prescriptions for children and adolescents in Florida. Additionally, the legislation strengthens doctor-patient consultation requirements for adults who seek these same treatments and prohibits the use of telemedicine to ensure that patients are fully informed on the risks associated with these treatments. Continue reading
