The Obama Phenomenon (Manjoo)

True Enough: Learning to Live in Post-Fact Society is an incredibly insightful book that examines the current state of how people's opinions and actions are affected by so many different factors. Author Farhad Manjoo cites specific examples of how reality as we know it is becoming a thing of the past. To further examine two of the examples Manjoo writes about, let's take a look at a monumental time in our nation's history: the 2008 presidential election between Barack Obama and John McCain.

In True Enough, Manjoo explains an interesting theory known as the "hostile media phenomenon." The term was coined by Lee Ross and Mark Lepper, researchers who conducted a study on people's opinions towards bias media coverage. A group of pro-Israeli students were surveyed at the University of Stanford regarding the media coverage of the disputes between Israel and Palestine. Another group of pro-Palestinian students was also surveyed, and their results showed an interesting trend. Pro-Israeli students believed the media was favoring Palestine in its coverage and Pro-Palestinian students believed that the media was being far more favorable to Israel in its news coverage. Most thought that the media was on the other team's side, which was an astonishing discovery.

This same phenomenon is quite evident in today's society. A poll conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press showed that 70% of people thought that the media wanted Obama to win the election, while only 9% thought that they favored McCain. Although the majority of both Republicans and Democrats surveyed shared the same opinion, a staggering 90% of Republicans surveyed thought that the media wanted Obama to win the presidency.

Also, a study by Harvard's Project for Excellence in Journalism concluded that the media bias isn't a myth at all. It says that it was far more likely for media outlets to spin something positively towards Democrats than Republicans during the 2008 elections. This is coming from a university that is considered one of the more liberal schools in the country.

This really isn't groundbreaking news, however. The theory that the media favors Democrats has been an argument of Republicans for years now. Although many Democrats and even Republicans deny this theory, you can't help but wonder. Could the media really have favored Obama over McCain in its coverage? Could they be up to their old antics of pushing a liberal newscast on the public in hopes of persuading them to vote a Democrat like Obama into the White House? Perhaps, but I'd like to offer a different theory for the media's more extensive coverage of Obama.

In today's society, everyone is looking to be entertained. Newspapers are dying because no one wants to read more than a couple paragraphs of news every morning and many flip on their HD TVs to the local news just to catch the top headlines and the weather report. People today need something fun, something that can hold their attention for longer than 20 seconds. Media has had to conform to this and many outlets are offering up "infotainment" instead of hard news. With that being said, could it have been that Obama was just that much more interesting than McCain and that's why the media seemed to favor him? Did news outlets simply need to put stories on the air that captivated viewers and made them want to watch through the commercials? If that was the case, Obama was the obvious choice of the two candidates to report on. He's charismatic and one hell of a speaker. Some would say he had a Dr. Fox Effect on the public.

In True Enough Manjoo writes extensively on the Dr. Fox Effect. In the early 1970's, a young researcher named John Ware decided to play a trick on some of his colleagues. He hired actor Michael Fox and advised him to play the role of Dr. Myron Fox, a warm, charismatic speaker. Fox gave a lecture called "Mathematical Game Theory as Applied to Physician Education," something Fox knew nothing about. During the lecture, Fox said nothing of any real significance and used math jargon to persuade the audience into believing that he knew what he was talking about. When a professor asked what the basis of Fox's conclusions were, Fox simply asked the professor how much work he had done in the field. The skeptical professor had no answer and simply backed down from Fox. When polled, most of the audience said that Fox was well-organized and that Fox presented enough evidence to back his claims. "The suggestion that a person's speaking style could so strongly seduce an audience-that the way you said something might be more important than what you'd said-really makes you look twice at how the public evaluates so-called experts," said Ware.

Ware was astonished and conducted another study by splitting hundreds of students into smaller groups and having different people lecture them on a certain subject. Ware found that expressiveness was more important to students than actual content. Ware also conducted a similar study with patients and their doctors. A doctor who was warm and friendly, but gave bad medical advice was far more trusted than one who was cold but more knowledgeable.

Now let's apply this to Obama. In regards to politics, Obama had very little experience. He spent seven years in the Illinois Senate and only two years in the U.S. Senate. That's about it. Nine years of significant political experience and only two of those were at the national level. To me, no one can be a true "expert" on national politics with only two years of experience as a United States senator. Also, the war in Iraq was a major issue during the election. Obama had plans for Iraq, but, unlike most past presidential candidates, he lacked any type of military experience. Even USA Today reported on his lack of experience and whether or not it would have an effect on the election.

But what's even more astonishing is the fact that his opponent, John McCain, did have the experience. He was elected to the House of Representatives for Arizona in 1982 and served there until 1987. In 1987, McCain won a seat in the Senate, meaning McCain was a senator for over 20 years when he ran for office. He had 10 times more experience than Obama. McCain also sponsored 31 bills that became law, which is given an "exceedingly good" rating by GovTrack. McCain also served several years in the United States Navy and was even a prisoner of war.

The interesting part about the candidates' experience is that the voting public knew that Obama was outmatched. According to the same Pew Research Poll, 73% of voters knew about Obama's qualifications and 78% were aware of McCain's. The public wasn't just uninformed, they simply ignored it. But why did they ignore such a major factor in an election for the leader of their country? How does McCain, a political "expert" and war hero not win the 2008 election? Well, to be honest, he just may not have been interesting enough.

Obama's journey to the presidency really began at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. Obama gave the keynote address at the convention in which he spoke about his humble background as a poverty stricken boy and his story of hope as he graduated from Harvard Law and became a politician. His speech launched him into the public eye. Many saw him as a potential presidential candidate in 2008, even though most Democrats had never even heard of him before the address.

Obama began his run to the White House and gained many iconic supporters, including Oprah Winfrey. His speeches about the need for change and hope for the country captivated audiences everywhere. His charismatic tone and warm smile persuaded many to open up their checkbooks and support their future president. Also, Obama's campaign utilized technology and advertising in a way that had never been seen before. Obama used the internet in particular to target the young demographic of 18-29 year-olds and guess what, it worked. In fact, Obama drew his highest support from that age group. He won 68% of their vote (about 15 million votes), according to a civicyouth.org study. According to a USA Today article, most young voters saw Obama as "cooler" than John McCain and that factor did indeed affect their vote. Obama humanized himself. The public didn't look at him as a scary, deceitful politician, but rather as the guy next store you'd shoot hoops with and invite to your Super Bowl party or book club.

McCain, however, was not regarded as a very charismatic and warm candidate. He wasn't hip or cool like Obama, in fact, he was old. The problem wasn't so much his age, however, it was the fact that he played the part of a 72 year-old. He hardly utilized the internet at all in his campaign and he even admitted to being rather illiterate when it came to computers. His speeches were boring and his debates were just as likely to make the viewer fall asleep.

According to the Pew Research Poll, 66% of viewers thought that Obama did a better job during the debates than McCain, who only received 21% of the vote. Also, Obama raised twice as much money as McCain. The public favored Obama and it showed in the election. Obama won by 192 electoral votes in 2008 and became president, not based on experience, but based on the way he presented himself and his policies. It was genius and it worked. Barack Obama was indeed Dr. Fox. A man who most likely knew far less about being president than his opponent, the cold, yet knowledgeable (but less trusted) medical doctor, John McCain.

Now I'm not saying that the country would have been better off with McCain as president. I'm just presenting a theory on why I think Obama won the election not on his experience, but on his personality. Even hardcore, right wing personality Glenn Beck admitted to Katie Couric that McCain would have been worse for the country if he was elected. But one does have to question the consequences of a president being elected on the basis of his personality.

According to a recent Rasmussen Report, 42% of Americans strongly disapprove of Obama while only 31% strongly approve of the president. This gives Obama an Approval Index rating of -11. When Obama was first sworn into office, his rating hovered around +30. Could it be that Obama's lack of experience is finally catching up to him? Or is it just the case that at this time, with a new health care bill being passed, more Americans are likely to be strongly opposed to any type of change?

Either way, the fact of the matter is that Obama is the president now. He ran a superior campaign and, whether he was elected due to his eloquent speeches and warm personality, is irrelevant to the fact that he's here now, and he's here to stay...well at least until 2012. Is Obama a great president? Would McCain have been better in the White House? We may never know. The question is shrouded in the opinions and biases of Americans everywhere. And, let's face it. I'm no expert, I'm just a third year student at USF trying to pass a class. Can you even trust my sources and information? Can you even trust author Farhad Manjoo and the points he makes in True Enough? I'll leave that one up to you.

A 36 Month Incentive (Trial)

It was noon at the Hillsborough County Courthouse. Unfortunately for me, everyone was out to lunch and all of the courtrooms were empty. So I picked a random courtroom door and took a seat next to it. A family of three was already seated across from discussing the possibility of jail time for one of their relatives.

I entered the courtroom and the first case brought before Judge Vivian Corvo was that of Gilberto Lopez. Lopez had previously been arrested for drug possession and was on probation. One requirement of his probation was a curfew from 8pm to 6am. This would be Lopez's downfall.

Polk County Deputy Curt Walker was there to testify regarding the night he arrested Lopez. On Sunday, February 7th, at around 3am, Walker was patrolling Memorial Blvd. in Lakeland. He noticed a car parked at a local Sunoco gas station, an area well-known for drugs and alcohol. Walker circled around and noticed that the vehicle had its headlights turned off as it exited the parking lot. He began to follow the vehicle and he also noticed a broken left taillight. Walker pulled the car over and saw two men in the vehicle. One of those men was Gilberto Lopez.

Walker asked the men what they were doing out so late and Lopez, the passenger at the time, said that they were just getting gas before going to Tampa where Lopez claimed he had a work project that began at 6am. But this didn't add up to Walker. First of all, the car wasn't parked at a gas pump when Walker first noticed it at the station. Second, Lopez claimed to be headed to Tampa, but the car was traveling east, the opposite direction of the city. Finally, it was around 3am and Lopez claimed his work project began at 6am. Even the slowest driver could make it to Tampa in less than 3 hours.

Walker ran a background check on both men and found that Lopez was on probation and that he was breaking his curfew by being out so late. He was arrested and charged with violation of his probation. But Lopez wasn't done making mistakes yet.

At his court hearing in March, Lopez claimed that Walker lied on his report, causing Judge Corvo to subpoena Deputy Walker. He also made the mistake of calling Judge Corvo "judge lady" instead of the more acceptable "your honor." Lopez later admitted that the Deputy's testimony was indeed true and apologized to Judge Corvo for his remarks.

Judge Corvo was not at all pleased with Lopez. This wasn't his first violation; in fact it was his fourth. "I gave you multiple opportunities," said Corvo, "now it's time to get serious." Judge Corvo offered Lopez a "36 month incentive." One more violation and Lopez will serve 36 months in prison. Also, he was put on 24 months of drug probation and cannot take any prescription drugs unless they are approved by the court. He must also attend two AA meetings a week and obtain a sponsor within 30 days who has been clean for at least 5 years. Judge Corvo also told Lopez that he is not to drink any alcohol whatsoever and that he better not be seen in or around any nightclubs or bars.

As Lopez was sentenced, I looked over and saw those same three family members from the lobby. They had a look of relief on their faces. Lopez was the relative they had been talking about. The emotional toll of his decisions were evident as one of them began to cry.

Lopez was let go, but Corvo warned that he better not be seen in this court under the same circumstances again. She emphasized that whether or not he ended up in prison is now his decision. "The choice is up to you," said Corvo.



To view Lopez's prior criminal history in Hillsborough County, follow the link and type "Lopez, Gilberto" into the inquiry search:

Hillsborough County Arrest Inquiry

To Pray, or Not to Pray (Meeting 2)

The March 18th Tampa City Council meeting began with its usual invocation and I stood up to pray along with everyone else in the room; well almost everyone else. The meeting was scheduled to begin with a time for public comment in which residents of Tampa could speak their minds on particular issues relating to the city council. I eventually found out that those who remained seated during the prayer were atheists who had come to protest the invocation that began every Tampa City Council meeting.

John Kieffer, president of Atheists of Florida, spearheaded that argument against the invocation. He argued that prayer should never take place in a government setting. Kieffer also sited the 1st Amendment is his argument. He said of the amendment, "It not only protects my right to speak, but it also protects my right not to speak." He believes that the invocation forces someone who may come to the meeting for secular business to take part in a religious act. He also says that simply choosing not to stand during the prayer isn't really a legitimate option. He states that by not standing, his fellow community may think of him as a bad person. He says it's not fair to put someone in that type of position. Kieffer believes that the prayer should be replaced with a moment of silence.

Next to speak was Matt Cooper, another member of Atheists of Florida. He argues that the invocation should be removed because it does not cover all religions. He sites that the prayer usually uses the word "Father" which is contrary to atheist beliefs that there is no form of a higher being. He also says that using the word "god" doesn't cover many Hindus because they often believe in multiple gods and goddesses. He finishes his argument by noting that Deists believe in a god that created the earth, but has no involvement in what happens there. By praying for God to be involved in the procedures of the council, Cooper says that this yet again eliminates many people from the prayer.

Some Christian leaders also spoke at the meeting in favor of keeping the invocation. Rev. Ron Sanders of Largo quoted Benjamin Franklin in his argument. According to Sanders, Franklin believed that the hand of God was very involved in the drafting of the United States Constitution. Franklin was also quoted as saying that he wanted a prayer to be prayed before every government meeting in the United States.

This wasn't the first time that atheists had fought against "religious acts" performed by the council. For months, many of these same atheists had been arguing against the invocation as well as the words "under God" spoken in the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of every meeting. At one point, they were even told to stop disrupting the recitation of the pledge. Council Chairman Thomas Scott had become fed up with the disruption of the meetings. He said that it is the right of the people to come and share their opinions at the meetings, but it is not their right to disrupt the meetings.

Council Member Marry Mulhern added the Supreme Court had already made a ruling regarding invocations at government meetings. According to the case, the Supreme Court ruled that an invocation is" not an establishment of religion by the government."

Councilman John Dingfelder then made a motion to reaffirm the practice of the invocation at the start of every meeting. Councilmen Charlie Miranda then stated the he refused to vote "yes" on a policy that needed no reaffirmation. "It's like being married to someone," Miranda said, "you don't have to reaffirm your marriage to them."

The council voted on the motion and it passed six votes to one. The Tampa City Council reaffirmed its stance on keeping the invocation at the beginning of every meeting. Whether or not the Atheists of Florida will continue to fight the policy remains to be seen.

To see more about the atheists' past protests, visit these links:

Atheists told to stop disrupting Tampa City Council meeting

Atheists object again to Tampa City Council prayer

Tampa City Council, atheists fight over Pledge of Allegiance

Learning to Tame the Beast

It's hundreds of pages long. It's made up primarily of numbers and mathematics. It contains words like capital expenses and bond referendums....It's a budget and it's indecipherable, or so I thought until Hillsborough County Tax Collector Preston Trigg taught me how to better understand one of these monsters.

First he explained how all government agents have budgets and that all of them are public record in the state of Florida. Some of these budgets contain facts and even demographic information. Most also contain an executive summary-a quick rundown of the contents of the budget. These budgets, according to Trigg, are the key to uncovering corrupt behavior, because the root of most corruption is money.

Budgets are usually done every fiscal year which, in most cases, starts October 1st and ends on September 30th. They are also made up of two main parts: revenue and expenses.

Revenue is the money that is coming into a business or agency. For government agencies, this usually includes things such as taxes, federal grants and money left over from the previous fiscal year. It also includes things like fees paid from traffic tickets and other violations. Bond referendums are also apart of the revenue section of the budget. These are essentially loans to the government from citizens that are eventually paid back with interest. Trigg says to be aware of large jumps in revenue such as property taxes and water bills. If these jumps are seen, it is the duty of the reporter to make the public aware of the increases. Every normal citizen will want to know if their taxes go up. Many people won't be very happy knowing that they have to pay higher taxes, unless these new taxes can be justified. That's where the expenses portion of the budget comes in.

Expenses is the money going out or being spent by the business or agency. There are typically three areas of expenses on a budget. These include personnel, capital and operating costs. Most budgets show whether the expenses have increased or decreased and by what percentage. Line items for every individual expense are also available in most budgets. Personnel expenses are those that deal with paying people like salaries and health benefits. Capital expenses involve one time purchases of $1,000 or more like a vehicle or a new building. Operating costs are expenses that involve normal monthly bills like utilities and travel. Major increases in the areas of personnel and capital should be looked at carefully. For example, an 18% increase in salaries would be an incredible jump and should usually only be justified by the hiring of more employees. However, some agencies may be trying to give themselves pay raises at the taxpayers' expense. Also, capital purchases like a new private jet for an agency's president is a bit excessive and should be reported.

But Trigg wasn't done with his lesson yet. He also taught me the complex mileage property tax system. All homes are taxed according to what they are appraised at. One mil is equal to one tax dollar for every one thousand dollars a home is worth (1mil=$1 of tax/$1000 of worth on home, 10 mils=$10/$1000, etc.) Many counties set the mil for property tax however, the homestead exemption, which lowers the value of a home for tax purposes by $50,000, has caused these property taxes to decrease dramatically. For example, a home originally worth $100,000 would pay $1,000 in a 10 mil system. With the exemption, that same home would only be taxed for $500 in a 10 mil system. This has hurt county budgets tremendously, according to Trigg.

Overall, budgets are an incredibly useful tool that should be relied on heavily for reporting. These budgets help better inform the public on where their tax money is going and it also helps to expose those who misuse the public's hard earned money.

Every Dog Has Its Day (Meeting 1)

The Tampa City Council Meeting held on March 11th began as usual with roll call, an invocation and The Pledge of Allegiance. But then I looked in the front corner of the room and saw a tail wagging. That's when it was announced that two firefighter paramedics from Tampa Fire Rescue would be receiving commendations today.

Lt. Roger Picard and Lt. Brian Smithey both responded to Haiti immediately after a 7.0 earthquake rocked Port-au-Prince, the nation's capital, back in January. But they didn't go alone. Party Girl, Powder, Cinder and Doak, all four of whom are trained fire rescue dogs, accompanied them on their mission. Picard and Smithey, along with their helpful companions, were a part of a 10 day effort that saved seven lives in Port-au-Prince.

Lt. Smithey spoke to the council and said that he gives the credit to his canines for bringing those seven people out of the rubble and back to their families. "It was a privilege to represent Tampa, the state of Florida and the United States down in Haiti," said Smithey. Although Smithey was brief in his statement, his partner had a rather compelling tale to tell.

Lt. Picard began by telling the council that his recount of the events that occurred in Haiti would not be read from a script, but like his heroic actions, would come from the heart. Picard recalls being taken to a Caribbean market around 9am. The collapsed edifice had been five stories high and it was reported that five people may still be trapped inside. Thousands of pounds of rubble stood between the team and the victims. Picard was in the basement of the building when he saw a hole in the ceiling about 25 feet above him. He and Party Girl climbed a ladder and it was there that he heard something that made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. The voice from above sounded like an angel to Picard. It was a 7 year-old girl who was crying out for help. The girl was rescued, along with four others from that same building.

When Picard and Smithey returned home from Haiti, they were honored at a ceremony at Tampa's Fire Station No. 1. Mayor Pam Iorio told the men that they made her proud to be the mayor of Tampa. But missions like these are nothing new to Picard and Smithey. Both were at Ground Zero after the Twin Towers were hit on 9/11 and both responded to several hurricanes that struck the Gulf Coast. Despite his experience, however, Picard believes that this was his proudest moment. "There has been no greater time ever in my 31 years as a firefighter paramedic that I have been so proud to represent the city of Tampa."

Picard and Smithey received plaques for their efforts and were congratulated and thanked by the entire council, but the dogs weren't forgotten. Party Girl could not contain herself as she jumped for joy when she was handed a gigantic dog bone from her trainer, Lt. Picard. The commendations and the dog bones that were given are just another great reminder of the old saying: every dog has its day.

To know more about this story, follow the links below:

TBO.com Story

St. Pete Times Story

St. Pete Times Video

More Than Just Autopsies

I always thought that the only thing done at a medical examiner's office were autopsies. I was wrong, and Hillsborough County Medical Examiner Dr. Vern Adams helped to explain why my assumption was so off.

Dr. Adams first explained that the main role of the examiner's office is indeed autopsies. They do not examine every dead body in the county, however. The medical examiners only look at bodies of those who may have died under unusual circumstances, like an act of violence. Even though every body isn't looked at, about 1,500 autopsies took place in 2008, and the right to perform these autopsies is protected by law. Although these autopsies are a major function of the HCMEO, it would be wrong to say that it is their only function.

The HCMEO also has nine investigators in its office. These investigators help determine how the cause of death occurred. Many of them are on scene when a body is found that appears to have died of unnatural causes.

Also, the HCMEO has toxicologists who help to determine what substances were in the body at the time of its death. The medical examiner's office has a large toxicology lab with multiple machines and instruments used in this type of testing. One machine allows toxicologists to see if the body had any drugs in it, as well as how much of the drug was in the person's system. They can also test for things like arsenic and carbon monoxide poisoning.

The HCMEO is also responsible for the proper disposal of unclaimed bodies. Many families cannot afford to bury their loved ones and some of the bodies who come through the office don't even have any family to bury them. Most of these bodies, according to Dr. Adams, are cremated unless they are unidentified.

Also, when a dead body comes into the office that is an organ donor, the medical examiners must remove the organs. These organs are then picked up and given to those who need a transplant.

Finally, the HCMEO is in charge of keeping all of its records on file, many of which are public. Records like autopsy reports, transmittal sheets for all evidence, cause of death, and police reports are all public. Some records, however, are not available to the public. Those include autopsy photos and information regarding bodies that are involved in an ongoing investigation. All medical records are required to be kept by the office for 30 years. All of these records are held in a large room and are color coordinated for a more efficient filing system.

Overall, my trip to the HCMEO was a real shock to me, and that's not just because I happened to see a dead body in the main autopsy room. Dr. Adams showed me just how many functions the office has and just how important the office is to the residents of Hillsborough County.

Budget Cuts Hurt Worse Than Paper Cuts

Most of us have jobs and understand the strain and stress that comes from being in a working environment. Few of us, however, can truly understand the stress that Clerk of the Circuit Court Pat Frank is under these days. Imagine that you show up to work and find that your workload has been doubled. Then you realize that most of the people who were there to help share this workload have been laid off. Welcome to Pat Frank's world.




The Hillsborough County Courthouse is a major point of interest in the county. It contains many departments that are relied on heavily by our judicial system. It contains departments that handle civil, domestic violence and felony cases. There are also departments for juvenile court, misdemeanor cases and traffic court. Clerks at the courthouse have to keep records from all these departments, as well as evidence records and all of the minutes for every Hillsborough County Commissioner's meeting. They even keep the commissioners' voting records. Frank also says that she is in charge of investment portfolios for the county that equal around 1.8 billion dollars.

Also, the county has seen a rise in petty theft, domestic violence and home foreclosures. This is due to the current recession and it means more work for the employees at the courthouse. However, the recession is also taking its toll on the courthouse in a different way.

According to Frank, the Hillsborough County Courthouse is looking at a possible 8% cutback in its budget. This would mean cutting employee's salaries or letting some employees go. These cutbacks have forced Frank and the courthouse to prioritize its departments. For example, the felony and domestic violence departments would be less likely to face cutbacks because their cases are a higher priority than say traffic court. The last cutback caused 117 vacancies, and this one would mean even more vacancies and fewer staff to help with all this work.

All of this comes at a crucial time to the courthouse. Frank says that they are currently trying to digitize many of their public records in order to maintain them over time and allow for easier access. Frank says that many of the records are currently held in a wear house that could not withstand 110mph hurricane winds, which can be common to Florida. These records could be destroyed and lost forever. The problem is that cutbacks are causing the digitization process to take much longer. Only 8 million records were digitized in the last 6 months and that pace will become even more sluggish if the 8% budget cutback takes effect this May.

Frank hopes that judges will advocate to the legislature on the courthouse's behalf. If they don't, then the courthouse could be in for a world of hurt.

To search some of the public records at the courthouse, visit the links below.

Clerk of the Circuit Court

Court Progress Docket Search

13th Judicial Court

Official Records Search

Some Food for Thought

Imagine that you are one of the many unemployed citizens in Tampa and you are struggling to find a job and put food on the table for your family. Now imagine that your tax dollars are going to someone who wants to spend $50 on cupcakes and $9 on a slice of cheesecake. I'm sure it would make your blood pressure rise just a bit. Well that's exactly what was being done by some of the top executives at the Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance (TBWA), an agency funded by tax payer dollars to help put people back to work in Tampa Bay. News Channel 8 Senior Investigative Reporter Steve Andrews helped uncover this misuse of money.

Andrews' investigation began when he received a phone call from a current employee at the TBWA who told him that he should look into the alliance and its spending practices. After months of phone calls and investigative work, Andrews was about to give up on his search, until one employee suggested that he looked into what the alliance was spending on food. Andrews made a public records request and found some odd charges for food that were paid for with government money. He made another records request and found a gold mine of information.

An incredible $20,000 was spent on food by the alliance in the past year, according to Andrews' report. Andrews also found that meetings were held at Outback Steakhouse and Stonewood Grill, and tax payers footed the bill. Meetings were even held at TBWA's President and CEO Renee Gilmore's Temple Terrace home, where food was ordered for delivery. These meetings took place outside of the office despite the fact that the government had recently spent thousands on refurbishing it.

Andrews showed his findings to State Senator Ronda Storms, who was infuriated by the expenditures. This sparked a state investigation on the TBWA and it was found that, in total, $130,000 was spent on food by the alliance, and it was all taken out of the pockets of the taxpayers. The state then investigated all work force alliances in Florida and found that $600,000 of government money was spent on food by the work forces. As a result, the state enforced a rule stating that no work force alliance may spend any money on food until July 1st.

As a result of Andrews' investigation, 3 of the 4 Board of Directors at the TBWA resigned. Renee Gilmore took a leave of absence and was eventually fired. This exposure of government money being wasted was due to Andrews' hard work and determination. His relentless pursuit of contacts and records helped expose the alliance and its misuse of tax payer money. Because of Andrews, we can be assured that we are no longer picking up the tab for these government employees.

If you're interested, you can view this story here.

Money Laundering: Drop Your Pants Here

Public records are used every day by journalists in the newsroom at The Tampa Tribune, however, one man stands above of the rest. Political Reporter William "Windy" March utilizes these records more than any other at the Tribune. They are the backbone of his reporting and that is no truer now than it was in 1996.

During this time, President Bill Clinton was raising soft money for the Democratic Party. While reading an article in the New York Times, March noticed something strange. One of the top 10 donors was a man named Mark Jimenez of Miami. March, a seasoned political reporter in Florida, had never heard of this man, so he decided to investigate this mystery donor. March searched public records on a site called sunbiz.org and found that Jimenez owned Future Tech, Inc., a corporation located in Miami. March then began research at the federal level on fec.gov, the Federal Election Commissions website. Here he found a list of employees at Future Tech who donated the maximum of $1,000 to Clinton's campaign. March researched these individuals further and found that none of them had given money to any other political campaign at any other time.

Something was definitely off here, so March auto tracked these individuals. After receiving a large compilation of public records about them, he found that many of the employees lived in cheap houses and condos in shady parts of Miami. He also found that they drove cheap, older model vehicles. This prompted March to make a trip to Miami himself.

Here he found the employees' small, cheap houses and took pictures of them. He also found that Future Tech was run out of a warehouse and not a large office building. He also found, through public records, that most of the employees who donated money either never voted or weren't registered to vote. March wrote an article on these findings and Jimenez was indicted for money laundering.

Public records were vital to March's extensive investigative work on Jimenez and the money laundering scheme. However, it's worth noting that without doing the leg work like traveling down to Miami and finding these records and homes, the story would not have been as compelling or convincing as it turned out to be. Although public records were a major help to March and his investigation, it was the dedication and hard work of March himself that helped put Jimenez and Future Tech out of business.

The Hillsborough County Tax Collector's Office is a Wealth of Public Information

I never realized how much information can be found at the Hillsborough County Tax Collector's Office (HCTCO) until I heard from Director of Administration and Special Projects of the office Preston Trigg. According to Trigg, the office is a gold mind for information about property taxes, motor vehicles and business taxes. But the best part is, most of the information is public record and can be accessed by anyone.

Some of the most valuable information that can be accessed is under the property tax link on HCTCO's website. Here, users can view how much any property in Hillsborough County is worth. Users can search for these properties by owner name or address. Once you've located the property you wish to view, you can see what the property was appraised for and what the taxes are on the property. You can even see if the owner paid those taxes on time. There is also a link to the property appraiser's website. This site shows a map of the property, how much it was sold for in the past and when it was sold. The site even shows the square footage of the property and what the home is made. You can also view a breakdown of how much of the tax money paid goes where. For example, you can see in list form how much of the tax money is going to schools in the county, public libraries, the transit authority and many other government bodies.

Although these records are made available to the public, many people feel that they should be privatized. Many politicians believe that their information should not be available due to their status in the county. Some even use their spouses name as the primary name on the records, making it more difficult for users to find them. However, according to Trigg, it is very important to keep all of these records available for public viewing. He says that this information is very valuable in preventing fraud. Many times, owners' homes are far more valuable than their income, raising suspicions of investigative reporters about how and where their extra money is coming from.

Overall, Trigg helped me realize just how much information is available from the HCTCO and how valuable it can be to a reporter and to ordinary citizens. The information available is a key source for anyone looking to buy or sell a home. It is also vital to any news organization who takes their role as a watchdog seriously.

To see for yourself, visit hillstax.org

Prevent Crime, Tour a Jail

After a recent visit to the Hillsborough County Jail on Orient Road with my classmates, I came to realize two solid reasons to never commit a crime. First, being in jail looks like the worst place to be in the world, and second, everyone is able to find out about it.

Captain Stein and Deputy Addison work at the Hillsborough County Jail and were kind enough to give us an eye-opening tour. We began by going to a large room which was built specifically for DUI suspects. There, suspects are observed for 20 minutes by an officer to see if they show signs of intoxication. I could only imagine how awkward it must be to have someone stare at you for 20 minutes straight with an unobstructed view and take notes of your every move.

While at the jail, we also saw the booking area where newly arrested suspects are taken for processing. There, I noticed that fingerprinting was no longer done with ink, but with sophisticated machinery that copies all fingers and the palm, which creates a more accurate database. Also, any possessions that were on the arrestee are logged and kept in a separate area of booking.

We were also taken into what is called a pod. This is the area where many prisoners await trial or serve their sentenced time. The pod was two stories and had small, one door cells on the outside walls. There was also a small outdoor courtyard where inmates could get fresh air and play basketball. The pods are monitored by officers who, according to Captain Stein, work closely with the inmates and get to know them quite well.

The final part of our tour took us to the public records section of the jail. This area is currently under construction and is being expanded to make room for the huge amount of records available at the jail. This area, as well as Captain Stein, opened my eyes to the fact that everything done in the jail is public record. However, some records can be difficult to obtain because of ongoing cases. Also, records are sent to the Attorney General’s office before there are available to the public, which can make access to the records somewhat difficult.

Overall, the visit to the Orient Road Jail helped me better understand how public records can be utilized by journalists, students and anyone else who seeks them. The visit was also a friendly reminder to continue to follow the law.

The Technologically Advanced Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office

After a visit to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, I realized that the sheriff’s office has an incredible amount of technology that it utilizes every day. Public Information Officer Deputy Larry McKinnon and Cristal Bermudez in media relations helped better explain their use of new technology in regards to public records.

One of the most efficient changes to the public records system at HCSO is how police officers file general offense information. Officers used to have to write out these reports on paper and these thousands of offense reports began to become a hassle to store and find. Deputy McKinnon said that all of these records were once kept in a large storage facility. Upon entering the building, you could see boxes staked all the way to the roof containing hundreds of different offense reports in each box. Officers can now file these same reports electronically on their laptops. This allows multiple people to review the report at the same time and saves thousands of dollars a month in paper waste.

Also, the sheriff’s office posts some of its public records online. Individual charge reports and other records can now be viewed at a click of a mouse. HCSO’s website can also lead you to press releases that media relations have created in order to inform the public of what is going on with their sheriff’s office. Photos of suspects and even videos can be posted to these press releases. These press releases are also an instant way to deliver information to the media. Users can also find links on these press releases that lead to more public records regarding offenders spoken about in the release. The sheriff’s office even has its own You Tube channel. Here you can view uninterrupted press conferences held by HCSO.

The 911 call center at HCSO also has amazing technology that helps dispatchers send help as quickly as possible. Computers there enable call takers to contact different departments, like EMS, just by clicking a single button. These computers, along with GPS, also track the phones of those calling and can show deputies available in the area that can respond to any emergency.

Overall, I was amazed at how HCSO utilizes so many forms of technology. I can’t wait to see what they’ll come up with next.

Chris Davis and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Public records have been a major asset to Chris Davis and other investigative reporters at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. It has allowed them to inform the public about many scandals and fraud cases in the state of Florida. Without them, many of their investigations and findings would have ceased to exist.

According to Davis, the Herald-Tribune uses public records every day. One story that was uncovered almost exclusively by public records was that of flipping fraud. Many people throughout the state would purchase property and have it illegally appraised for more than it was worth. They would then have a friend or relative who would get a bank loan to cover most of the cost of the illegally appraised property. The initial buyer would then sell it to the friend or relative for the illegally appraised amount and keep the leftover loan money, leaving the bank with a foreclosed house and no money back from the loan. Davis and other reporters began to talk to property appraisers in every county in Florida to get a list of sales found in a public records database. They looked for sales of 30% or higher of a price increase that occurred less than 90 days after the original sale of the property. From this information, they were able to develop a list of flippers in Sarasota and post it on their website. The list shows which flippers were directly connected to each other, as well as a spider web map that shows how every single flipper was connected either directly or indirectly. The Herald-Tribune also created a profile for every flipper, including pictures on some. Public records also allowed the Herald-Tribune to create a map of Florida using Google Maps that shows where the fraud occurred and how expensive the flip was. The map can also show which areas were affected the most by the flips according to population.

Public records also helped the Sarasota Herald-Tribune expose teachers who had abused or mistreated students and are still teaching today. Reporters looked at reviews for teachers with such charges, what they were charged, what they plead and if their license was revoked or not. In many cases, the teachers simply switched schools and are still teaching today. Some teachers were accused of having sex with students, sending love letters to students and, in one case, even locking them in bathrooms when they misbehaved. The public records of reviews of the teachers allowed the Herald-Tribune to create a database online where users can search by school, name and type of charge. This database, based primarily on public records, has allowed many parents and students to be informed and warned of potentially harmful teachers they come into contact with every day.

The web pages created by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune have been an incredible way to raise awareness of the public concerning these fraudulent and abusive people. However, these sites would be of no worth if it wasn’t for public records.

USF Library

The library’s website at the University of South Florida is an incredible resource for public records and all kinds of other information. The USF library’s website is a great place to start for anyone needing to create an accurate profile of local public figures.

Coordinator for General Collection and Government Documents Cheryl McCoy helped guide our class through the library’s links and resources. Under resources, one can locate the class link for Public Affairs Reporting. One useful link on the class’ site is idiganwers.com, a website created by Joe Adams. The site shows updates of the Florida Public Records Handbook and even shows you the old laws that were changed. There is also a link on the site to the Florida Sunshine Review, which shows recent news stories pertaining to public records. Many of these stories show violations of public record laws as well as talks of changes in the laws. There’s even an archive that contains news stories about public records going back to 2003.

The library’s site also has a link to the Brencher Center, which is a site dedicated to educating the public about the importance of public records and current public records laws. It also works to expand the laws of public records so that they may be more easily accessible.

The Government in the Sunshine link can also be found on the library’s website. This site also shows changes in the current laws. The First Amendment Foundation is a similar link that can be found, which shows updates and talks of change in public records laws.

One of the best links on the library’s website is that of myfloridacounty.com. This site allows users to search public records databases by county. You can find information such as birth certificates, death certificates, marriage and divorce records, wills and many other public records.

The link to Hillsborough County’s website also shows upcoming public meetings and what’s on the agenda for the meetings. The site also shows happenings of past meetings in the county. There is also an A to Z index link that allows users to easily locate information like property records, building permits, arrest records and budgets.

The library also has a link that allows you to search for a particular news topic in various newspapers around the state like the Tampa Tribune, Orlando-Sentinel and the Miami Herald. You can also expand your search to national newspapers like the USA Today.

Overall, the USF library’s website is an incredible source of information about public records. It is an excellent starting place for anyone who needs to know anything about public records in the state of Florida.

Tim Nickens on Public Records

Public records are an incredible source for just about any type of information. Property records, salaries, building permits and agendas for public meetings are just a few of the many sources open for public viewing. Tim Nickens, editorial page editor for the St. Petersburg Times, helped explain just what public records have done for the public.

The amount of information available through accessing public records allows reporters to uncover unethical behavior by elected officials. Surprisingly, records of building permits and company budgets have unearthed scandal after scandal.

According to Nickens, Representative Ray Samson knows all about how public records can expose elected officials. Through viewing building permits, property records and a community college's budget, it was found that Samson was using 6 million dollars of the public's money to build an airplane hanger for one of his friends. The Board of Trustees at Southwest Florida Community College then held a meeting to rectify the situation, but the meeting took place 150 miles away, ensuring that the public wouldn't be at this meeting. Reporters discovered this through a public record of the meeting.

Public records also helped stop energy companies from raising their rates. The energy companies were proposing a rate increase but it was found, through a public record of the energy company's budget, that the company was going to use part of the profit from the rate increase for a new corporate jet. It was also found that the CEO was going to use some of the money for a private helicopter that would take him to work everyday.

Although public records can help inform the public, elected officials have found some loopholes to the Sunshine Laws. Many officials communicate through e-mail. This means that private and public e-mails must be separated if they are requested by someone. This type of redaction means that someone must be paid to separate the e-mails and whoever is requesting the documents is the one who is charged with the fee.

Despite the ways that officials exploit loopholes, public records are an incredible tool that allow reporters to keep a watchful eye on elected officials. Without them, the public may not have any idea about what their elected officials are doing and what their hard earned tax money is being used for. Public records have saved the public millions of dollars.