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On July 16, 1949, a seventeen year old central Florida woman accused four black men of rape.

Two were killed, one by a mob, the other by the Sheriff.

Two others served a dozen years in prison.

Now, Governor Ron DeSantis and the Clemency Board have righted a 70-year-old wrong.

Carol Greenlee first met her father, one of four black men accused of rape, in Florida State Prison.

“He was accused, put in jail, tortured, for something he did not do,” said Greenlee.

Norma Padgett, the now 87-year-old alleged victim sat in the front row, when the first cousin of Samuel Shepherd, the man shot and killed in cold blood by the county sheriff, let sparks fly.

“It never happened Miss Padgett. Family, it never happened. You all are liars,” said Dr. Beverly Robinson.

Padgett told the panel she sticks by her story.

“And I don’t want the pardoned. No I do not and you wouldn’t either,” said Padgett. “I know she called me a liar, but I’m not no liar.”

The State Legislature apologized to the Groveland families in 2017.

So has Lake County, where the injustice occurred.

Governor Ron DeSantis told reporters before the meeting he had read the entire file and was convinced action was needed.

“I think it was a miscarriage of justice,” said DeSantis.

Efforts to get the pardon began in 2014.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said it wasn’t about who was telling the truth.

“Today we were focused on righting a wrong of more than 70 years ago,” said Moody.

Carol Greenlee told us she feels the life sentence she’s been servicing is finally over.

“My father is not a rapist. My father is a christian man,” said Greenlee.

In addition to pardoning he two men who served prison time, the board also pardoned the two who were killed before standing trial.

Federal prison workers protested in front of the State Capitol this morning demanding Congress and the President act to reopen the Federal Government.

The protest was organized by the Union representing prison workers in Tallahassee, where the shut down has already resulted in employees losing part of a pay check.

Friday will be the first full pay check employees will not receive.

Union President Ray Coleman Jr. says the President’s assertion that Federal workers support the shut down is simply not true.

“The general consensus is, hey let’s come together and open the government so we can get paid and you guys can dialogue about that and come to a consensus about whatever we need to do to move forward, but pay us for the jobs we’re doing in the meantime,” said Coleman. “You know we don’t like being political pawns in a political chess match.”

Coleman estimates Florida is home to between three and four thousand Federal prison workers. A total of 800,000 Federal employees nationwide are either working without pay or have been furloughed as a result of the shutdown.

Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela was sworn in to a second term as President Thursday, and about a dozen protesters made their displeasure know in front of the state capitol.

The group Ola Tallahassee hopes to encourage state lawmakers to take more actions to sanction what the group is calling a corrupt regime.

Last year the legislature ordered the state pension fund to sell any investments in the country.

Maria Naceno says families are fleeing the nation because of the corruption.

“Many people don’t know what’s happening in my country. Many people need to know today he’s going to be the President for the next six years again. Many people don’t know this election was a fraud, so that’s why we are here,” said Naceno.

Legislation has already been filed to continue state financial sanctions against the country and to encourage the U.S. government to do more.

Three months after Hurricane Michael caused wide spread devastation in the Florida panhandle, residents there are still in desperate need of help.

The coalition Rebuild 850, named for the area code, is raising money to help pay for unmet needs.

Thursday marked exactly three months since Hurricane Michael tore through Florida’s Panhandle costing billions of dollars in damage to not only homes, but infrastructure, agriculture and businesses.

“Public assistance is needed now more than ever,” said former Congresswoman Gwen Graham.

A bipartisan group led by Graham, former Florida House Speaker Allan Bense and former Florida Emergency Management Director Bryan Koon says the devastation persists.

“A picture that I took Monday,” said Bense. “It’s of a camper that’s overturned four blocks from my house. It’s still overturned. It’s just, it’s ugly.”
The group called Rebuild 850 is partnering with Volunteer Florida to raise money to help in the recovery.

A $250,000 check presented by Bank of America brings the total collection to nearly $400,000.

Rebuild 850 says the money it collects will go towards things like diapers and the every day living costs that state and federal recovery funds don’t address.

“Our commitment is to make sure that the resources are well spent and spent to help people in their lives and recovery and getting back to a more normal existence,” said Graham.

Volunteer Florida CEO David Mica Jr. says every dollar collected will go directly to victims.

“Volunteer Florida doesn’t take salary or benefit dollars out of those donations,” said Mica. “We move those directly through a granting process to our partners.”

Rebuild 850 is also encouraging people to consider vacationing in the Panhandle because it says Tourism dollars help local businesses stay afloat.

To donate to Rebuild 850 click this link.

Four men considered victims of racial injustice could soon have their names cleared.

The Governor and Elected Cabinet will take up the case this Friday at the first meeting of the new clemency board.

In 1949 four black men, now called the Groveland Four were falsely accused of raping a white woman in Florida.

Two were killed, one by a mob and another by the local sheriff in cold blood.

The other two men spent a collective 30 years behind bars.

In 2017 the Florida Legislature issued a formal apology for the atrocity.

Senate Sponsor Gary Farmer says the apology was only intended as a first step.

“That was an interim step to get to the clemency board and get these pardons issued,” said Farmer.

While the previous Governor and Cabinet never took up the case, Governor Ron DeSantis says it will be a priority, putting the case on the agenda for the first meeting of the Board of Executive Clemency set for Friday.

Whether or not the board comprised of the Governor and Cabinet will grant a pardon at the meeting is still up in the air.

“There’s a lot of things that have come to the surface,” said Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. “We’re going to get educated.”

Senator Farmer says it’s his understanding Friday’s meeting will be limited to a discussion only.

“Hope springs eternal and I do believe that if not at Friday’s meeting, at the next clemency board meeting this issue will be taken up for a vote,” said Farmer.

Under the previous administration, clemency meetings were only held four times a year.

If a pardon doesn’t come Friday it could be months before action is taken, unless the new board members agree to meet on a more frequent basis.

The only Democrat on the Executive Board of Clemency, Commissioner of Agriculture Niki Fried has been the most vocal advocate in support of approving a full pardon.

“We have conflicted conversations coming from the Governor’s office. From his opinion we’re going to just have a discussion. I’m going to be pushing that we actually have an action item on Friday,” said Fried.

At the time of the apology some lawmakers suggested repetitions such as free college for decedents of the victims.

Whether that is something the new administration is considering, is not known.

Inaugural festivities got off to an early start this morning at the State Capitol, where, a new governor and state leadership is bringing a new sense of hope to the political landscape.

Doors to the inaugural prayer breakfast opened at 6:45 AM.

“We ask that you bless Governor-elect DeSantis,” said pastor Todd Mullins.

Hours later, a bright sun greeted the 46th Governor.

It was the warmest inauguration since at least 1971.

Snipers on rooftops and police drones added security.

Also on display, newly elected Ag Commissioner Nikki Fried’s nervousness, lifting the wrong hand to swear in, spurring laughter from both Fried and the audience.

At High Noon, it was Ron DeSantis’ turn.

His oath was followed by the tradition salute of cannon fire and a fly over from a group of F-15 jets.

In a relatively short inaugural address, the new Governor made it clear fixing the states water woes was near the top of the agenda.
“It doesn’t just drive tourism. It affects property values. It anchors many local economies,” said DeSantis.

With a nod to his congressional background he sought a partnership with the state legislature.
“As a recovering Congressman, I understand and respect the powers afforded to the legislative branch,” said DeSantis.

It was his son Madison who stole the show when it was over.

Ron DeSantis chose not to for go the traditional parade, baptizing his son instead at the Governor’s Mansion with water they personally brought back from Israel.

The new Governor promised to hit the ground running.

Wednesday he makes the first of three Supreme Court appointments.

During his address, the new Governor also promised to embrace school choice, block sanctuary cities and use his power to remove local officials who haven’t done their job, including officials who he believes botched the election.

The Inaugural Ceremony was hot, both in degrees and emotion.

Passion both for and against the new Governor ran high.

The sun beamed down hot on inauguration day at the Florida Capitol Tuesday morning.

In the low 70s it was the hottest inauguration since Reuben Askew became Florida’s 37th Governor in 1971.

It was a high of 39 when Former Governor Jeb Bush took office in 1999.

As for the rising temps?

“You think this is global warming? It’s definitely warmer,” said Bush.

It wasn’t just the temperature running hot, among the several thousand attendees some showed up to passionately oppose the new Governor.

Some displayed political signs promoting issues they care about like abortion or fracking.

“We want to make sure that high on his list is his promise to ensure that a fracking ban happens this time, this session,” said V Miller with Rethink Energy Florida.

Members of the group Dream Defenders watched from outside the gates.

“We’re here to make sure he’s not playing games,” said Dream Defenders member Rachel Gilmer. “You know, he can’t talk a game that he’s for working people, that he’s for Floridians when he isn’t. So we’re here to actually hold him accountable and make sure that people know that this Governor is not for you.”

Others, including Pastor R.B. Holmes who gave the closing prayer at the ceremony, were more optimistic.

“This is a young Governor,” said Reverend Holmes. “He’s trying to bring this community together, to stick together. I think he can do it, if he continues to reach out and hold out the olive branch and he’s doing that.”

While opinions may have been divided, Governor Ron DeSantis spoke of overcoming the tribalism in the state, saying , “We will see that rising sun.”

The new administration is expected to hit the ground running, with appointments expected throughout the week and the first Clemency meeting is scheduled for Friday.

Commissioner of Agriculture-elect Nikki Fried says she supports dropping the state’s appeal of John Morgan’s ‘No Smoke is a Joke’ Lawsuit.

The suit argues the Legislature overstepped its authority by blocking patients access to whole flower smokable marijuana in the law passed in 2017.

A lower court ruled in 2018 in favor of Morgan, but the state appealed.

Fried, a medical marijuana activist say’s she’s calling on incoming Governor DeSantis to drop the appeal.

“We have not spoken about it, but I think I have made my opinion of the situation pretty loud and clear and so I certainly am going to encourage him to drop the case and if not we are looking forward to actually intervening at some point to make sure the patients and the will of the people is heard loud and clear,” said Fried.

The case is set for a hearing before an appellate court Tuesday. The same day Governor-elect DeSantis and the three other members of the Florida Cabinet will be sworn into office.

Governor-Governor-Elect Ron DeSantis along with the rest of the incoming Florida Cabinet honored the state’s veterans this afternoon in the state’s capital city.

The ceremony included speeches from the incoming Commissioner of Agriculture, Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer, Lieutenant Governor and Governor.

DeSantis presented the organization Operation 300 a check for $125,000.

The group helps families of service members who lost their lives in the line of duty.

“When you have somebody who has made the last full measure of devotion in service of the country we obviously can’t forget what they did for us, but we can’t forget the people that are now left behind,” said DeSantis. “The spouse without a husband, the kids without a father.”

The ceremony concluded with a special performance of ‘God Bless the USA’ by singer Lee Greenwood.

Tuesday morning Jeanette Nunez will be sworn in as Florida’s first Hispanic female Lieutenant Governor.

The Lieutenant Governor-elect and soon to be First Lady were in the Capitol Monday morning speaking about the importance women will play in the new administration.

Governor-Elect Ron DeSantis narrowly beat his Democratic opponent Andrew Gillum by a little more than 32,000 votes.

Speakers at the leadership breakfast gave much of the credit for the victory to women including, Jeanette Nuñez, DeSantis’ running mate

“We depend on her and we always have and the women who have followed her have too because she is a woman who stands for families, she stands for women,” said GOP political activist Cindy Graves.

Nunez is a former healthcare executive and state Legislator.

She was the first hispanic woman to server as Speaker Pro-Iem in the Florida House and once sworn in will be the first hispanic woman to serve as Lieutenant Governor of Florida.

“I’m inspired to pave the way and encourage young girls and women of all ages, in all walks of life to follow their dreams,” said Nunez.

Incoming First Lady Casey DeSantis says she has high hopes for Nunez.

“She’s a wife, she’s a mother, she’s a Legislator and all around role model to women all across this great state,” said DeSantis.

While previous Lieutenant Governors have generally taken a back seat, Nunez says she expects to take a larger role in the incoming administration.

“There are certain issues that obviously I spent a lot of time working on during my time in the Legislature so I suspect that I’ll continue to work on those issues,” said Nunez.

Nunez says healthcare will be a top issue for the administration, but didn’t specify exactly what changes might be made.

“Whatever we push forward for Floridians in terms of healthcare reform is something that’s going to lower costs, increase access,” said Nunez.

Nunez says her other priorities include combating human trafficking, increasing school choice and infrastructure.

Both DeSantis and Nunez will take the oath of office Noon Tuesday.

Governor Ron DeSantis officially becomes Florida’s 46th Governor at midnight.

He will be Florida’s youngest Governor in more than a century, and his first week in office is shaping up to be very busy.

At 40, Governor Elect Ron DeSantis is the youngest man to take the oath of office since Park Tramel did it at 36.

He became governor in 1913, seven years before women got the right to vote.

His children, Madison two, and Mason and not quite one, will also be the youngest children to live in the Governor’s mansion since Claude Kirk brought home his son Erik in 1970.

DeSantis signed this oath of office on December 12, which means he’ll become Governor at midnight.

The oath he will take at noon Tuesday is ceremonial.

Amid tight security at a thought leaders luncheon, DeSantis says he’ll travel Wednesday to appoint the first of three Supreme Court Justices.

“The judiciary constantly usurping more and more legislative power over the years,” said DeSantis. “Well, that ends tomorrow, and we will fix that.”

DeSantis also says he will review 70 lame duck appointments made by outgoing Governor Rick Scott, and that he could suspend some local officials like Broward’s Sheriff plus others by the end of the week.

“We’ll definitely have some actions on a number of different fronts. I think you might be surprised at some of the fronts we’re looking at in that respect,” said DeSantis.

DeSantis was non specific on whether he will stop the state’s appeals fighting expanded medical marijuana, but made it clear he won’t stand in the way of the will of voters.

On Friday, DeSantis and the three Cabinet members will meet to discuss the post humous pardon of four black men known as the Groveland Four, accused of raping a white woman in 1949.

The partial Government shutdown has stretched on for nearly two weeks now.

As a result 400,000 federal employees nationwide continue working without pay.

The missed paychecks have been especially devastating for workers in Florida.

In recent years, Federal prison staff was cut by about 6,000 employees.

The Government shutdown means the remaining 36,000 aren’t receiving paychecks.

“It used to be double the work for half the pay, but now it’s double the work for no pay,” said President of the Tallahassee Chapter the American Federation of Government Employees, Reay Coleman Jr.

Florida is home to six Federal prisons, housing more than 10,000 inmates.

“We were given a message that said come to work or face disciplinary action,” said Coleman. “It was pretty much that blunt.”

He says the shutdown couldn’t come at a worse time for Federal workers in the Panhandle.

“A lot of us are still recovering from Hurricane Michael and all the tragedy that left,” said Coleman. “Specifically Tallahassee and the Mariana area, both which have prisons.”

Union reps say even if a budget deal was struck now, federal prison workers still wouldn’t see a pay check until January 25th at the earliest.

To the dismay of Coleman and 400,000 other Federal employees working without pay nationwide, the now Democratic House’s plan to restore funding for agencies like the Federal Prison System is likely dead on arrival in the Senate.

“We’re being used as pawns in like a political chess game and it’s happened a couple of times before, but this one feels a little different because there seems to be no traction being made,” said Coleman.

While Federal Employees have continued working without pay, Coleman points out the 535 elected officials tasked with crafting a budget along with the President and Vice President, continue to receive their salaries despite shutdown.

There are 2.1 million Federal workers nationwide.

While 400,000 continue working without pay, an additional 380,000 nonessential employees have been placed on leaves of absence.

UPDATE: Monday, January 7, 2019 7:33 AM

Rachel Perrin Rogers, via text, has told us the photo should be credited to her son, not Mary Beth Tyson. Our apologies for any misunderstanding.

Friday is the last day on the state payroll for the woman who publicly accused a powerful Clearwater State Senator of sexual harassment.

Her resignation and the settlement of a lawsuit is costly for taxpayers.

In an agreement signed December 19th, Rachel Perrin Rogers agreed to drop her lawsuit against the Florida Senate.

In exchange, she gets a one time nine hundred thousand dollar payment.

The settlement was signed one year to the day a special master found former State Senator Jack Latvala had sexually harassed the woman.

He resigned the next day, although it was a charge Latvala vehemently denied.

“The things that were described weren’t done and therefor there was no victim,” Latvala said in December of 2017.

The Senate was in Federal court as recently as November 30th seeking to block Perrin Rogers lawsuit from being heard by the Equal Opportunity Commission.

As part of the settlement, Perrin Rogers resigned from her position in the Senate, effective Friday, saying in part, “I feel an immense sadness at this time.”

Her signature carried the the words ‘Me too’.

According to a statement, Senate President Bill Galvano approved the settlement in an effort to “keep the matter from negatively impacting everyone involved.”

Employment lawyer Richard Johnson says the Senate should have settled long ago, and when it didn’t, it drove up the costs.

“They were increasing the amount of emotional stress that she suffered that they had to compensate,” said Johnson. “I can’t put a number on what the settlement would have been if they had done it a year ago, but it would have been a hell of a lot less.”

Perrin Rogers declined an interview.

Before the scandal, Latvala was in charge of an $89 billion budget and was considered a serious contender for Governor.

Smokers may have to find a new place to smoke or cancel their beach plans if a newly filed bill becomes law.

Some Florida lawmakers want to ban all tobacco smoking on Florida’s public beaches.

The weather was hardly ideal for a stroll on Shell Point Beach Thursday morning, but for Maryssa Smith visiting from Philadelphia the cigarette butts littering the sand made it even less pleasant.

“Seeing the butts on the ground, litter, kind of grosses me out,” said Smith.

It’s illegal to litter on the beach in Florida, but smoking is allowed.

A local effort to ban smoking on the beaches in Sarasota county was even overturned by the courts.

Now, a newly elected state Senator from Sarasota has proposed a bill that would ban smoking on all public beaches in Florida.

Aliki Moncrief with the Florida Conservation Voters says the proposed $25 fine or 10 hours of community service beach smokers could face, would help prevent Florida’s white beaches from becoming someone’s personal ashtray.

“Our beaches are for people to go and have fun, for kids to build sand castles, they’re for wildlife. Nobody wants to go to the beach and have their kid collecting cigarette butts instead of seashells,” said Moncrief.

It can take anywhere from 18 months to 10 years for a cigarette butt to fully decompose.

“Because cigarette butts are a form of plastic we’re really excited to see this first step towards getting plastic pollution off of our beaches,” said Moncrief.

As an added bonus, smoke free beaches could also make the coast more attractive to tourists, like Maryssa.

“I’m not a smoker at all so I wouldn’t mind it if people didn’t smoke on the beach,” said Smith.

If the bill becomes Law the beach smoking ban would go into effect July 1st.

So far the bill has only been proposed in the Senate.

A House companion has not yet been introduced.