TALLAHASSEE, Fla. \u2014 President Donald Trump\u2019s national address renewed the debate over election security this week, while newly released intelligence records put a spotlight on publicly available Florida voter-registration data.<\/p>\n
The week also brought major courtroom developments for two state lawmakers, a new fundraising milestone in Florida\u2019s U.S. Senate race and another looming legal fight over the Republican primary for governor.<\/p>\n
WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW:<\/p>\n
Florida politics Re-Cap: Voter data, campaign cash and two lawmakers in court<\/p>\n
Declassified records reference Florida voter data<\/p>\n
\u201cMail-in ballots are inherently corrupt,\u201d Trump said during his Thursday address<\/a>, as he urged Congress to adopt tighter voting restrictions and repeated claims about the 2020 election that have not been substantiated.<\/p>\n Trump did not single out Florida, but records released by his White House did.<\/p>\n One declassified<\/a> report says a Chinese cyber actor downloaded publicly available Florida voter-registration information from commercial websites in 2022. The same actor also obtained records from Colorado, Connecticut, Michigan, Oklahoma and Rhode Island.<\/p>\n Another intelligence record lists Florida among 18 states whose voter information was obtained for possible identity matching and public-opinion analysis.<\/p>\n The distinction is important: The records describe the collection of voter information, some of it publicly available, but do not say Florida ballots or vote totals were altered. The 2022 report also says the actor\u2019s motive was unknown.<\/p>\n The White House characterized the broader collection effort as a major compromise of American voter data. However, an earlier federal assessment of the 2022 elections found no evidence that detected foreign cyber activity prevented voting, changed votes or compromised the integrity of ballots.<\/p>\n Nixon gets September trial date<\/p>\n Back in Tallahassee, Democratic state Rep. Angie Nixon learned she will stand trial the week of Sept. 21 on misdemeanor charges stemming from her May sit-in<\/a> outside Gov. Ron DeSantis\u2019 Capitol office.<\/p>\n Nixon and other protesters occupied the area for several hours while objecting to Florida\u2019s newly approved congressional map, which could help Republicans add up to four seats in the U.S. House. Capitol Police arrested Nixon after she refused an order to leave.<\/p>\n Nixon calls the prosecution political and has incorporated the case into her campaign for U.S. Senate.<\/p>\n \u201cIf they think the threat of a trial is going to make me back down, they picked the wrong woman,\u201d Nixon said following Wednesday\u2019s hearing.<\/p>\n The trial is scheduled after Florida\u2019s Aug. 18 primary, in which Nixon is challenging retired Army Lt. Col. Alex Vindman for the Democratic Senate nomination.<\/p>\n Vindman expands fundraising advantage<\/p>\n Vindman tightened his grip on the Democratic money lead during the second quarter, raising $8.5 million and pushing his total receipts above $16 million.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s safe to say that Republicans woke up this morning with a bit of a panic,\u201d Vindman said. \u201cThere\u2019s no denying that the Florida Senate race is in play.\u201d<\/p>\n Republican Sen. Ashley Moody reported<\/a> raising another $3.6 million. Her campaign also promoted polling showing her leading either Vindman or Nixon in a potential general-election matchup.<\/p>\n Moody was appointed to the Senate after Marco Rubio resigned to become secretary of state. The November special election will determine who serves the final two years of Rubio\u2019s term.<\/p>\n Jury orders Basabe to pay $450,000<\/p>\n Republican state Rep. Fabian Basabe ended the week facing a $450,000 civil judgment<\/a> after a Leon County jury found him liable for sexual harassment, battery and defamation.<\/p>\n The case was brought by former legislative aide Nicolas Frevola, former intern Jacob Cutbirth and Frevola\u2019s mother.<\/p>\n Basabe represented himself despite having no legal training. The trial was repeatedly interrupted by procedural mistakes and violations of the judge\u2019s orders.<\/p>\n \u201cIf an attorney had done half of what you had done, they would have been sanctioned, sir,\u201d Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh told him.<\/p>\n Basabe told jurors he represented himself because he wanted to demonstrate that he had nothing to hide. After the verdict, however, he acknowledged<\/a> that proceeding without an attorney was a mistake.<\/p>\n Basabe continues to deny the underlying allegations. He has not been criminally charged, and an outside ethics investigation conducted for the Florida House previously reached an inconclusive finding.<\/p>\n His political opponents quickly called for his resignation. Basabe is seeking reelection this fall, and the verdict could also renew questions about whether House leaders will pursue disciplinary action.<\/p>\n Fishback\u2019s candidacy heads to court<\/p>\n Next week will bring another political court fight as Republican gubernatorial candidate James Fishback defends his eligibility<\/a> to remain in the primary.<\/p>\n Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, one of Fishback\u2019s opponents, argues<\/a> that records showing Fishback lived and voted in Washington, D.C., mean he does not satisfy Florida\u2019s seven-year residency requirement for governor.<\/p>\n Fishback says he was born and raised in Florida and maintained the state as his permanent home.<\/p>\n A two-day hearing is scheduled to begin Tuesday in Tallahassee. Because primary ballots have already been printed, the judge has said a ruling against Fishback could require election officials to post notices and decline to count votes cast for him.<\/p>\n Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website.<\/a><\/p>\n Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.<\/p>\n Like us on Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n Follow us on\u00a0Instagram\u00a0<\/a>and X.<\/a><\/p>\n