Douglas Soule
@douglassoule.bsky.social
Your Florida government reporter 🎤, working for WUSF, the Tampa Bay area’s NPR station 📻
Can James Fishback stay in Florida's race for governor? A judge is weighing whether the Republican candidate meets the state's seven-year residency requirement after Lt. Gov. Jay Collins challenged his eligibility. Read more: www.wusf.org/politics-iss...
“You would think that… they would have the same courage a 7-year-old would.” A Florida school board deposed its own students in a book-banning lawsuit, including a 7-year-old. Now, those same board members are arguing they shouldn’t have to be deposed themselves. www.wusf.org/courts-law/2...
The Escambia school board deposed students. Now it says its own members shouldn't be deposed
The Escambia County School Board deposed student plaintiffs in a book ban lawsuit, including a 7-year-old who wanted access to a picture book. Now, board members are asking the 11th U.S. Circuit Court...
wusf.org
Florida Democrats believe they can win more seats this election. GOP leaders push back on their enthusiasm. Read more: wusf.org/politics-iss...
A Florida school district that has already removed hundreds of books is questioning whether traditional high school libraries are needed. Read more: www.wusf.org/politics-iss...
After removing hundreds of books, a Florida school district now questions the purpose of high school libraries. An official says there's few checkouts yet an “endless supply of stuff that's totally inappropriate." Advocates worry about fiction's future. My latest: www.wusf.org/politics-iss...
What comes after book bans? One school district questions traditional libraries
After removing hundreds of books, Clay County is debating the purpose of high school libraries. School officials called it modernization. Critics see it as the next phase of the book debate targeting ...
wusf.org
“They are here rigging maps to rig an election in support of Donald Trump.” I interviewed Nixon before her arrest.
“I’ll wait on the governor.” The moment when Florida Rep. Angie Nixon, a Democrat, refused to leave Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office in a protest of the state’s new U.S. House map that creates more GOP-leaning districts. The press got booted out after, but the governor’s office says she’s been arrested.
“The immigrant detention center in the Everglades, which Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, opened last July, may be too expensive to keep operating.” www.nytimes.com/2026/05/07/u...
Federal and State Officials Discuss Closing Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’
nytimes.com
It's done. The Florida Legislature has agreed to scrap its current congressional map, which already gives Republicans 20 of Florida’s 28 U.S. House seats. Instead, it's passed a map erasing four more Democratic-leaning seats, which has huge nationwide implications.
The Florida House has passed Gov. Ron DeSantis’ proposed congressional map that would create four more Republican-leaning U.S. House districts. Now eyes turn to the Senate, which is voting on it today, too.
Notably, @douglassoule.bsky.social reports that DeSantis' new map was published by Fox News before he sent it to the legislature. x.com/DouglasSoule...
Some disappointment in this Tallahassee parking lot when a group realized this was an airplane and not, in fact, Artemis II.
Found an excuse to go to Krispy Kreme: the Artemis II doughnut!
"And Tango Makes Three" costs less than $8 on Amazon. But it's costing a #Florida school board more than $300,000 to keep that children's picture book off school library shelves. www.wusf.org/politics-iss... via @douglassoule.bsky.social
Despite budgetary pressures, this Florida school board spends big bucks on banning books
The Escambia County School Board has spent nearly $1 million on legal fees to keep certain books out of school libraries.
wusf.org
Gov. Ron DeSantis says he’s looking “very seriously” at a new congressional map. The current one already heavily favors Republicans. Here's what to know.
DeSantis 'very seriously' weighing new Florida congressional map in battle for GOP House control
Gov. Ron DeSantis wants an unprecedented mid-decade Census to boost Florida's congressional representation. Even if that doesn't happen, he's looking at how to rework the U.S. House map anyway.
wusf.org
Chuck E. Cheese has been arrested in Tallahassee, Florida.
Chuck E. Cheese employee in mouse costume arrested by TPD for credit card fraud
TPD spokesperson Jerome Maples confirmed the legitimacy of the photos and said that TPD arrested a man on three felonies.
tallahassee.com
With the board overseeing Florida’s public universities set to vote Friday afternoon on whether to create a new accreditor, some say a massive shift is coming to higher education.
Friday vote in Florida could be higher education ‘foundation rocker’
With the board overseeing Florida’s public universities set to vote Friday afternoon on whether to create a new accreditor, some say a massive shift is coming to higher education.
wusf.org
Good overview of First Amendment (religion, speech, press, assembly, petition) issues popping up in this presidential term, and what various 1A groups are saying about them. by @douglassoule.bsky.social ⬇️ www.tallahassee.com/story/news/p...
First Amendment in Trump's second term: 'We're going to be busy,' free speech group says
Trump’s actions and rhetoric have served as a lightning rod of constitutional controversy, drawing concern from First Amendment advocates.
tallahassee.com
#Florida school district meets with blowback for banning LGBTQ+ book www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/p... via @douglassoule.bsky.social
'Anti-trans bias': Florida school district met with blowback for banning LGBTQ+ book
Escambia, Florida's westernmost county, has been a hot spot for book banning.
palmbeachpost.com
Some porn sites now blocked, but others ignore new #Florida law on age verification www.tallahassee.com/story/news/p... via @douglassoule.bsky.social
Porn in Florida: As age verification takes effect, some sites ignore it, some block access
Pornhub, the most popular adult entertainment website in the world, is one of those barring access to those within Sunshine State lines.
tallahassee.com
Florida Attorney Ashley Moody's office says it's already investigating porn websites for not complying with the age verification law that took effect Jan. 1.
Porn in Florida: As age verification takes effect, some sites ignore it, some block access
Pornhub, the most popular adult entertainment website in the world, is one of those barring access to those within Sunshine State lines.
tallahassee.com
A Florida law requiring age verification to visit porn platforms online took effect on New Year's Day, but a number of websites are either just blocking access in the state or not complying at all.
Porn in Florida: As age verification takes effect, some sites ignore it, some block access
Pornhub, the most popular adult entertainment website in the world, is one of those barring access to those within Sunshine State lines.
tallahassee.com
Citing tax dollars spent, judge urges #Florida school district to settle book ban lawsuit www.tallahassee.com/story/news/l... via @douglassoule.bsky.social
Citing tax dollars spent, judge urges Florida school district to settle book ban lawsuit
The Escambia County School Board, meanwhile, has refused to budge.
tallahassee.com
A Florida law requires pornographic websites to have age verification by New Year's Day, but a new federal lawsuit is trying to get that struck down.
Lawsuit filed against Florida law requiring age verification to access porn in 2025
A Florida law requires pornographic websites to have age verification by New Year's Day but a new federal lawsuit is trying to get that struck down.
tallahassee.com
A federal judge is recommending that a Florida school board enter into a settlement with those suing it for book banning, citing how it's spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to cover legal fees.
Citing tax dollars spent, judge urges Florida school district to settle book ban lawsuit
The Escambia County School Board, meanwhile, has refused to budge.
tallahassee.com
Donations have poured into a GoFundMe account for a Lakeland woman, Briana Boston, who has drawn international attention for her arrest last week after she allegedly uttered the phase “delay, deny, depose” on a phone call with an insurance representative.
Lakeland woman accused of threatening insurance company receives donations, words of support
Briana Boston, accused of making a threat during a phone call with her insurance company, has received an outpouring of kind words and money for her defense.
theledger.com
First Amendment or threat? #Florida woman's arrest after CEO shooting sparks online uproar www.theledger.com/story/news/l... via @douglassoule.bsky.social
First Amendment or threat? Florida woman's arrest after CEO shooting sparks online uproar
She said "healthcare companies played games and deserved karma from the world because they are evil," police wrote in a Tuesday arrest affidavit.
theledger.com
The arrest of a Lakeland, Florida, woman accused of threatening her health insurance provider following denied claims has sparked a national debate about when First Amendment-protected speech veers into illegal threats.
'You people are next': Social media reacts to Florida woman's alleged insurance threat
She said "healthcare companies played games and deserved karma from the world because they are evil," police wrote in a Tuesday arrest affidavit.
tallahassee.com