Bill McCollum: Florida Ruling is Victory for States Rights and Personal Freedom

Yesterday a federal judge ruled in favor of the 26 states challenging the constitutionality of President Obama’s health care law, striking down the individual mandate and the rest of the law with it. I’m proud to have led the original group of 13 states in filing that lawsuit last March in Pensacola. This is the most important lawsuit in my lifetime regarding individual liberty and states’ rights. … Continue Reading

Memorandum – Statewide Grand Jury Makes Anti-Corruption Recommendations in First Interim Report

The Office of Statewide Prosecution today released the first Interim Report
of the 19th Statewide Grand Jury on Public Corruption. The report outlines
legislative changes that are recommended to strengthen existing civil and
criminal laws to combat public corruption in the State of Florida. … Continue Reading

Bill McCollum: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Dear Friends and Supporters,

As Ingrid and I prepare to celebrate Christmas with our youngest son (the Army Captain) and my 95 year-old father, we take time to reflect on the many friends who have supported, encouraged, and been like an extended family to us for so many years. We value your friendship and are grateful to each of you for your support as I served in Congress and as Florida’s Attorney General. My public service has been rewarding and we thank the voters who allowed me the opportunity to represent the people of my beloved Florida.

Please join us in remembering the men and women who volunteer to serve in the defense of our country and their families that remain behind; we pray for their safe return.
… Continue Reading

Attorney General Warns Floridians of Final or Quick Payments from BP

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today issued a consumer
advisory warning Floridians about final or quick payments options from BP.
Gulf Coast Claims (GCCF) Administrator Kenneth Feinberg announced the
GCCF’s next phase which will include three payment options: interim
payments, final payments and quick final payments. Claimants accepting of
either of the final payment options would be required to sign an extensive
release that would bar them from future recovery for damages caused by the
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. … Continue Reading

Florida Attorney General Issues Statement After Hearing in Health Care Lawsuit

PENSACOLA, FL – Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum today released the
following statement after the hearing in federal court in Pensacola,
Florida on the lawsuit challenging the federal health care law: … Continue Reading

CFO Sink And AG Mccollum Send Strong Letter To Feinberg On “Inefficient” Claims Process

TALLAHASSEE – Florida CFO Alex Sink and Attorney General Bill McCollum today called again on Claims Administrator Kenneth Feinberg to improve the claims process for Floridians impacted by the BP oil spill. The Florida Cabinet members noted that of the over 150,000 claims filed by Floridians, only 40 percent have been paid, and that the recently released Protocols for Interim and Final Claims could potentially make it even more difficult for impacted Floridians to be compensated for their losses.
… Continue Reading

Florida Attorney General to Attend Oral Argument for the Health Care Lawsuit

On Thursday, December 16, 2010 Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum will
attend the oral argument for the lawsuit against the Federal Health Care
Act. The argument will be on the motions for summary judgment in the
lawsuit.

Members of the media are invited to attend the oral argument either in the
courtroom or in a jury selection room with closed circuit television.
Laptops, video cameras, recording devices, cell phones and photography are
prohibited within the courtroom. Reporters wishing to use laptops will be
permitted to do so in the jury selection room only. Members of the media
choosing to attend the hearing within the courtroom will be prohibited
from leaving the courtroom once argument has begun. As there will be no
live or recorded coverage of the hearing outside of the courthouse,
members of the media who would like to cover the argument are strongly
encouraged to attend. A copy of the Court’s Press Electronic Agreement is
available online at:

http://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/WF/MRAY-8C5QHY/$file/PressElectronicEquipmentAgreement.pdf

Immediately following the hearing, Attorney General McCollum will be
joined by Alabama Attorney General Troy King, Texas Attorney General Greg
Abbott and Karen Harned, Executive Director of NFIB Small Business Legal
Center for a press conference on the steps of the courthouse to discuss
the oral argument. Because the press conference will take place outdoors,
we are unable to set up a conference line for reporters to call in.

Date: Thursday, December 16, 2010

Times:  Oral Argument 9:00 a.m. CST
Press Conference approximately 11:30 a.m. CST
**Members of the media are strongly encouraged to arrive at the courthouse
by 8:00 a.m. to clear security and secure a seat.

Location: United States Courthouse
1 North Palafox Street
Pensacola, FL 32502

Media Contact: Sandi Copes/850.245.0150
Sandi.Copes@myfloridalegal.com

Florida Attorney General Issues Statement Regarding FP&L Settlement

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today issued the
following statement after the Public Service Commission (PSC) adopted the
settlement entered with Florida Power & Light (FP&L): … Continue Reading

Florida Attorney General Issues Statement After Virginia Ruling in Health Care Lawsuit

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today issued the
following statement after the ruling in the Virginia lawsuit challenging
the federal health care law: … Continue Reading

Florida Attorney General Sues Company for Allegedly Portraying False Associations with Government Agencies

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that his
office has sued Colorado-based Assurity Financial Services for potentially
deceptive practices related to refunds for insurance premiums, escrow
accounts, and other funding sources. The company allegedly used misleading
advertisements that claimed, among other things, false affiliations with
the U.S. Veterans Administration, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development and homeowners’ lenders. … Continue Reading

MEMORANDUM: Pardon of James Douglas “Jim” Morrison

Governor Charlie Crist today during a meeting of the Florida Board of Executive Clemency requested a pardon for James Douglas “Jim” Morrison. The pardon was approved unanimously by the clemency board, which consists of the Governor and the Florida Cabinet. Governor Crist, Attorney General Bill McCollum, Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink and Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson all voted for the measure. … Continue Reading

Attorney General Releases Statement on Fatal Shooting of Orange County Sheriff’s Deputy

TALLAHASSEE, FL — Attorney General Bill McCollum today issued the
following statement regarding the fatal shooting of Orange County
Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Coates: … Continue Reading

Florida Officials File Lawsuit Against EPA Over Federal Intrusion Into State’s Clean Water Program

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, Agriculture
Commissioner Charles Bronson, Attorney General-elect Pam Bondi and
Agriculture Commissioner-elect Adam Putnam today announced that the State
of Florida has filed a lawsuit against the federal Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) over the agency’s intrusion into Florida’s
previously approved clean water program. … Continue Reading

Attorney General Announces $67 Million National Settlement with Bank of America over Bid-Rigging Scheme

~Anticompetitive allegations harmed municipalities, non-profits~

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that Bank
of America will pay $67 million under a multistate settlement for its
involvement in a nationwide scheme to allegedly rig bids and engage in
other anticompetitive conduct relating to municipal bond derivatives that
defrauded state agencies, local governmental entities and not-for-profit
entities. The multistate settlement is part of a $137 million settlement
Bank of America is entering into simultaneously with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC), the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
(OCC), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Federal Reserve. … Continue Reading

Memorandum – States file response to Department of Justice in health care lawsuit

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum and Attorney General-elect Pam Bondi
today announced the States and the National Federation of Independent
Business, which are the Plaintiffs in the health care lawsuit, have filed
their motion in response to the U.S. Department of Justice’s motion for
summary judgment. The motion, which refers to the Department of Justice and
other named parties as the Defendants, first addresses whether the
individual mandate is constitutional. … Continue Reading

Baker County Man Arrested for Child Pornography Possession

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced a Baker
County man has been taken into custody and will be charged with multiple
counts of possession of child pornography. Randall W. Lyons, 43, was
arrested by law enforcement with the Attorney General’s CyberCrime Unit
after investigators discovered Lyons had numerous images of child
pornography in his possession. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office assisted
with the arrest.
… Continue Reading

Volusia County Man Arrested for Soliciting “Parent” for Sex with Child

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that a
Volusia County man has been taken into custody on charges he solicited a
“parent” to allow a child to engage in sexually explicit behavior. Thomas
Winters, 64, was arrested by law enforcement with the Attorney General’s
CyberCrime Unit and the Fort Lauderdale Police Department after Winters
solicited an undercover detective. Winters also sought to expose himself
via a computer online, believing the transmission was being viewed by that
child. The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, the Winter Springs Police
Department and the Broward County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the
arrest.
… Continue Reading

Lifelock To Send Refund Checks To Florida Customers

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that more
than 70,000 checks will be mailed to Florida consumers who have been
customers of Lifelock Inc, a major identity theft prevention company. In
March, the Attorney General’s Office with the FTC and 34 other states,
reached an agreement with Lifelock resolving an investigation into the
company’s allegedly misleading advertising practices. … Continue Reading

Attorney General McCollum and Attorney General-elect Pam Bondi Send Letter to Attorneys General-elect and Governors-elect on Health Care Lawsuit

MEMORANDUM

Date: November 18, 2010
From: Sandi Copes, Attorney General’s Communications Director
To: Members of the media
Re: Attorney General McCollum and Attorney General-elect Pam Bondi send
letter to Attorneys General-elect and Governors-elect on health care
lawsuit

Attorney General McCollum and Attorney General-elect Pam Bondi yesterday
sent a letter to 13 Attorneys General-elect and Governors-elect encouraging
them to join the lawsuit challenging the federal government’s health care
law. The lawsuit was brought by 20 states and the National Federation of
Independent Business and challenges the constitutionality of the law’s
individual mandate. The lawsuit also seeks to defend states’ rights under
the Constitution.

“Having a majority of the States litigating our Constitutional rights is a
powerful message,” wrote McCollum and Bondi. “We feel, as many of you do,
that it is incumbent particularly upon Attorneys General to defend the
principles of federalism under our Constitution. We also share your
concerns about the significant impact that the federal health care law, as
an unfunded mandate, will have on your state budgets.”
… Continue Reading

-Attorney General Warns Consumers of Ponzi Schemes Following Arrest of Botfly Principal

TALLAHASSEE, FL—Attorney General Bill McCollum today issued a consumer
advisory following the arrest of David Lewalski for his alleged involvement
in Botfly, a $30 million investment fraud scheme.  Lewalski was detained by
the U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) last Thursday. … Continue Reading