This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL © Copyright by Extensive-Enterprises 2025. All rights reserved. STAFF LOGIN State Sen. Jason Pizzo said he was stepping down as the Florida Senate's Democratic leader – because he is quitting the Democratic Party Pizzo, who represents parts of Broward and Miami-Dade counties, made the surprise announcement on the floor of the chamber after the April 24 session For months, he had teased at a run for governor next year when Gov. Ron DeSantis will be term-limited. And Pizzo's announcement came later the same day of news that former U.S. Rep. David Jolly of Pinellas County was moving toward his own run for governor in 2026 as a Democrat It also comes as legislative leadership said they were unable to agree on state budget allocations the large pots of money that go to each budget subcommittee to divvy up to fund various parts of state government That means the current legislative session will almost certainly not end on time on May 2 Comparing "modern partisanship" to "the fall of Rome," he said the Legislature's "constituents are craving practical leaders "Here's the issue: The Democratic Party in Florida is dead," he told fellow senators "There are good people who can resuscitate it but they don't want it to be me." But he added he "will continue to fight incredibly hard for everyone in the state of Florida I am not in this position because of Democrats I got elected because of NPAs (no party affiliated voters) Pizzo is now the third sitting Florida lawmaker to leave the Democratic Party in the last six months Susan Valdes of Tampa and Hillary Cassel of Dania Beach More: Inside Florida Politics: Battles over guns, budget and hope in Florida politics quickly responded by slamming Pizzo as "one of the most ineffective and unpopular Democratic leaders in recent memory." "His resignation is one of the best things to happen to the party in years,” she said in a statement “His legacy as leader includes continually disparaging the party base and chasing his own personal ambitions at the expense of Democratic values “Jason’s failure to build support within our party for a gubernatorial run has led to this final embarrassing temper tantrum I’d be lying if I said I’m sad to see him go but I wish him the best of luck in the political wilderness he’s created for himself.” His analogue in the House – Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell of Tampa – said Pizzo "has been alienating himself from the Democratic Party for a long time now He’s completely distracted by his ambition to be governor and he has clearly lost the ability to lead the Senate Democratic Caucus .. Legislative Democrats will be fine without him." executive director of the Republican Party of Florida "3 elected @FlaDems have left their party this session so far @NikkiFried and her allies have driven the Dem party into the ground Pizzo himself, who didn't speak with reporters in the Capitol after his remarks, finally posted on X Senate Democrats elected Lori Berman of Boca Raton as their new leader Berman will serve out the remainder of the 2024-26 term Tracie Davis of Jacksonville remains the Democratic Leader pro tempore "The caucus thanks former Leader Pizzo for his service," it added Gray Rohrer contributed. Jim Rosica is a member of the USA TODAY Network – Florida Capital Bureau. Reach him at jrosica@tallahassee.com and follow him on Twitter/X: @JimRosicaFL Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page the Senate Democratic leader abruptly announced he is leaving the party in favor of no-party affiliation In a dramatic speech Thursday on the floor of the chamber Jason Pizzo said he had sent in his voter registration change and asked the Senate Democratic caucus to choose a new leader The Democratic Party in Florida is dead,” Pizzo “There are good people that can resuscitate it Pizzo said the Democratic Party today isn’t the party of his father He said that the modern party “craves and screams anarchy and then demands amnesty.” “I think stripping myself of a title of a party designation allows me to run free and clear But when asked today if he would run for governor as an independent “I know the front-runners for the Republican side are cratering and not viable and Democrats don’t have anyone viable either,” Pizzo said Pizzo’s decision comes the same day that former U.S. Rep. David Jolly, who served as a Republican, announced that he had changed his registration to be a Democrat. The news was first reported by Politico Jolly has said he is “very close” to announcing a run for governor in 2026 and said in a statement that he would be “committed to doing my part as a Florida Democrat.” On the Republican side Byron Donalds has said he will run for governor and first lady Casey DeSantis has been a rumored candidate the chairperson of the Florida Democratic Party slammed Pizzo in a statement for being “one of the most ineffective and unpopular Democratic leaders in recent memory.” Fried said that “his resignation is one of the best things to happen to the party in years.” “Jason’s failure to build support within our party for a gubernatorial run has led to this final embarrassing temper tantrum,” Fried said in her statement “I’d be lying if I said I’m sad to see him go but I wish him the best of luck in the political wilderness he’s created for himself The Florida Democratic Party is more united without him.” House Democratic leader Fentrice Driskell also criticized Pizzo Driskell said that Pizzo has been “alienating himself from the Democratic Party for a long time now” and has been “completely distracted by his ambition to be governor.” the chairperson of the Republican Party of Florida said it’s clear Pizzo could “no longer tolerate the direction of the party,” and said that his decision “underscores the radicalization of today’s Democratic Party.” With Pizzo quitting the party, the Democratic superminority in both chambers is squeezed even smaller. Democrats make up 33 seats in the 120-member House. (One seat is vacant.) And in the Senate, with Pizzo out of the party, there are now 10 Democrats out of 40 seats. (Two seats are vacant.) Pizzo’s decision came as a surprise to his fellow Democrats, who did not know he was making the announcement. The outgoing Senate Democratic leader did give a heads-up to Republican Senate President Ben Albritton before announcing his decision. Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens, said he wouldn’t say that the party was “dead,” but agreed that “there is a lot of work to do.” Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, said he thought Pizzo wanted to be “comfortable in his own skin.” Senate Democrats quickly picked Sen. Lori Berman, D-Boca Raton, as their new leader. “The Democratic Party in the State of Florida is not dead,” Berman told reporters about two hours after Pizzo made his announcement. Ana CeballosTimes/Herald Tallahassee Bureau Former Florida Senate Democratic Leader Jason Pizzo announced Thursday he is switching his party affiliation to NPA The move is being blasted by Democrats and comes as he has been signaling he will run for governor in 2026 Pizzo said the Florida Democratic Party is “Our constituents are craving practical leaders We are entrusted to be guided by our conscience And while I suppose it's easier in theory than it is in application even my worst detractors have no valid claim that I can be bullied that I can be bought or even borrowed for a special interest,” he said Pizzo has said before he’s considering a run for governor He’s also been saying for months he believes his party has gone too far to the left nor is it pressing to talk about transgender high school athletes it's all allowed deflection and distraction from actually rolling up our sleeves and taking care of the issues that are most important to families,” he said in an interview with WFSU prior to the 2025 legislative session Pizzo’s change of party came the same day former Republican Congressman David Jolly announced he is registering as a Democrat and considering a run for governor Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried wrote is a statement she thinks Pizzo’s switch is because he failed to build support for a gubernatorial run “Jason Pizzo is one of the most ineffective and unpopular Democratic leaders in recent memory and his resignation is one of the best things to happen to the party in years,” Fried wrote in her statement Jason’s failure to build support within our party for a gubernatorial run has led to this final embarrassing temper tantrum Orange County Democratic Party Chair and DNC member Samuel Vilchez Santiago agrees with Fried’s take While he says the Democratic Party does need work he believes Pizzo’s ambition is what drove his decision when fascism is being spread across this state and across this country the Democratic party is a vessel for positive change,” he said “Whether at the national level or state level by throwing the party under the bus in a way puts his own interests in wanting to be governor ahead what the people and our democracy need in the moment.” One person who has frequently been the focus of Pizzo’s criticisms is Orlando Democratic Representative Anna Eskamani She said the Democratic Party isn’t the place for those who aren’t willing to work collaboratively “And I do think it’s better to not have individuals who are more interested in self-preservation and self-expansion versus the greater good in trying to rebuild the party and carry us into a future that does reflect our diversity that does reflect the values of working-class people and does center on solving problems versus creating chaos,” she said Pizzo’s move comes at a time when there are fewer Democratic state Senators in the legislature than any other time over the last dozen years Leon County Democratic Party Chair Ryan Ray placed a portion of the blame for that on Pizzo for what he believes is a lack of enthusiasm he had in challenging races for his caucus “The lousy shape that the caucus is in is because of his inactions It seems like he's saying that the Senate Democratic Caucus isn't working well and yet he's the one that's been pulling the strings and making these machinations and making these deals,” he said This Democratic Party fighting has made many Republicans happy Republican Party of Florida Chair Evan Power said Pizzo is right that Democrats have gone too far left even inside the Democratic Party know that the fringe that is now leading the Democratic Party is out of step with Floridians and Americans and I think he sums it up correctly when he said the Florida Democratic Party is dead,” he said But Power said he thinks a potential gubernatorial bid from Pizzo is dead on arrival “I don't think there's a future for anyone who's not a Republican to win a statewide race in Florida for probably the next decade,” he said Governor Ron DeSantis beat Democrat Charlie Crist by almost 20 points in 2022 The Republican lead in voter registration lead over Democrats has also stretched to over a million and still growing The man thought by many to be the Florida Democrats’ best chance at retaking the Governor’s Mansion is leaving the party altogether Senate Democratic Leader Jason Pizzo announced that he is resigning from that role and has submitted a form to change his voter registration to no party affiliation (NPA) He said Florida voters are craving practical leaders not “political hacks” restrained from following their moral compass due to party loyalty “I am not in this position because of Democrats “Stripping myself of a title of a party designation allows me to run free and clear Senate Democrats have since selected Lori Berman of Boynton Beach to lead them said members of his soon-to-be former party have grown hostile to him “Here’s the issue: The Democratic Party in Florida is dead but there are good people that can resuscitate it “The Republican Party has a lot of problems that the pendulum is going to swing so far and the gluttony will be so strong and so viscous that it’s going to swing back (But) the party that my dad volunteered for JFK when he was 18 years old in 1960 is not the party today It craves and screams and then demands amnesty The announcement came one day after Pizzo said on the Senate floor that some Democrats had called him a racist for opposing legislation to settle a water services dispute between two Miami-Dade cities one of which — Miami Gardens — is Florida’s largest Black city by population said he opposed the bill because it conflicted with provisions in the Florida Constitution that limit the Legislature’s fiscal impact on local governments “I read the plain reading of the law,” he said “And if anybody’s feelings are hurt and think I’m a racist for my position who is also rumored to be considering a run for Governor and sponsored a failed resolution calling for a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas in “occupied Palestine,” said that if the Democratic Party is dead it’s because Pizzo “had his finger on the trigger.” “He’s been in leadership for the past four years talking down on many marginalized communities,” she told Florida Politics “If you ask if I have direct words for him Nixon added that she doesn’t believe the Florida Democratic Party is dead “And I look forward to us continuing to fight for working families and all Floridians.” a former Chair of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party rejected any intimation that Pizzo is racist “Look at his record as a prosecutor and some of the bills he’s carried including one he co-sponsored this year to compensate a wrongly incarcerated Black man and his support of Amendment 4 to restore the voting rights of felons which disproportionately impacted Black and Brown people Any suggestion that he’s a racist is laughable,” Dempster “When I was Chair of both the Miami-Dade Progressive Caucus and the Miami-Dade Democratic Party we didn’t have a bigger and more generous supporter than Jason Pizzo and it really is a shame that six months after the election Nikki Fried and the Florida Democratic Party are still losing members.” Fried, who won her Chair of the state party after mounting an unsuccessful bid for Governor in 2022 was vitriolic in her response to Pizzo’s departure She called him the most “ineffective” and “unpopular” Democratic leaders in recent memory and his resignation “one of the best things to happen to the party in years.” “His legacy as a leader includes continually disparaging the party base and chasing his own personal ambitions at the expense of Democratic values,” she said in a statement “Jason’s failure to build support within our party for a gubernatorial run has led to this final embarrassing temper tantrum … The Florida Democratic Party is more united without him.” House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell offered more of the same She said Pizzo “has been alienating himself” from the party for “a long time” and that Democrats not solely determined to stop President Donald Trump’s “dangerous chaos should get out of the way.” “He’s completely distracted by his ambition to be governor and he has clearly lost the ability to lead the Senate Democratic Caucus,” she said in a statement “The party needs strong Democrats who are ready to stand up to Trump not big egos more interested in performative outrage than true leadership Legislative Democrats will be fine without him but if it was Jason Pizzo should consider the fact that he has been a party leader and would bear some responsibility.” Last month, freshman Democratic Rep. Jose Alvarez said he was no longer welcome in the Democratic office because he supported a Republican bill He claimed Driskell chastised him after the meeting in front of other lawmakers Alvarez and Driskell disputed who the primary aggressor was in the exchange Senate Democratic Leader Pro Tempore Tracie Davis said in a statement that Pizzo gave her “the opportunity to serve as his partner.” “I will be forever grateful to him,” she said “He was an impassioned leader for this caucus and I wish him nothing but success in all of his future endeavors The Miami-Dade Democratic Party’s current Chair released a lengthy statement also wishing Pizzo well “His departure comes at a pivotal moment for our local Democratic Party With newly elected leadership and a growing coalition of energized volunteers the Miami-Dade Democratic Party is moving forward with purpose and urgency,” Kelley said “We understand the frustration so many feel in the face of political dysfunction in Tallahassee and Washington more Democrats are stepping up than stepping down passionate leaders ready to chart a new course for our country As of March 31, Democrat voters in Miami-Dade outnumbered Republican voters by fewer than 20,000 registrants. Democrats in the county have lost more than 6,400 voters since 2024, state records show Republicans lead Democrats by a more than 1.21 million-voter margin It remains to be seen how Pizzo’s NPA switch affects the 2026 gubernatorial race, provided he runs. He said in January that he wouldn’t do so as an independent Some predict the move would prove beneficial if he changes his mind said the change “will absolutely help” Pizzo if he decides to run “He is too much of a centrist to win a Dem primary, and a credible & centrist NPA candidate (who is capable of self-funding) will provide a much-needed home for moderate Dems and disaffected Republicans,” Roach wrote on X as a centrist who influenced his political outlook After working for the better part of a decade as an Assistant Miami-Dade Prosecutor bipartisan lawmaker on whom his Democratic colleagues could frequently count for legislative and financial support “If you don’t have pride of authorship in this process you can get a lot done,” he told Florida Politics in 2023 said staff estimated the average Senator helped 1,000 people during that time helped “somewhere between 15,000 and 16,000.” In the aftermath of the Surfside collapse he spent weeks at the site providing aid behind the scenes while eschewing the camera according to Democratic consultant Evan Ross “He does what we hope leaders in government would do: make things better,” Ross said “And he doesn’t disappear once the spotlight turns off.” Pizzo indicated Thursday that despite his decision to step down and leave the Democratic Party he has no present intention of quitting public service “Even my worst detractors have no valid claim that I can be bullied that I can be bought or even borrowed for a special interest,” he said “I will return to who I was when I became a young man not consultants will rule my behavior and conduct I will continue to fight incredibly hard for everyone in the state of Florida I’m not going to rule and lead on probation I’m going to follow my heart.” called Pizzo “a good man” who has “become a good friend of mine.” “I hope this allows him to be free,” Albritton said He confirmed Pizzo had asked him in advance for time to make his announcement Pizzo is leaving the Democratic Party with ample time to run for Governor as an NPA State rules require candidates in the 2026 election to switch parties or register without party affiliation by June 8 Florida Politics contacted Pizzo for comment Jacob Ogles and Gabrielle Russon contributed to this report Jesse Scheckner has covered South Florida with a focus on Miami-Dade County since 2012. His work has been recognized by the Hearst Foundation, Society of Professional Journalists, Florida Society of News Editors, Florida MMA Awards and Miami New Times. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @JesseScheckner Maybe I’ve watched “Downtown Abbey” and “Upstairs Hizzoner here is stomping his boots way too loudly on his way out the door and express some Love for your Party of oh-so-many years Reply Reply I still think that the guest-of-honor here could have made more constructive use of the occasion Reply So he’s going to run as an independent One needs a party’s help to successfully run for a major office Reply Reply Reply “The Democratic Party in Florida is dead,” declares the top Democrat in the Florida Senate echoing John Morgan of Morgan & Morgan This is a most entertaining development in Florida politics Trump’s Roger Stone’s longtime House Superminority Leader (Fentrice Driskell) say goodbye and good riddance to another Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Reply The old bromide: “Rats fleeing a sinking ship.” comes to mind Reply The pseudo-Democrat David Jolly comes officially enters the party through one door and the Senate Minority Leader goes out another John Morgan is buzzing around trying to figure out how much he is going to mortgage his jet for so that he is self-financing his third party campaign Hellza-poppin’ in the Democratic Party Reply He’s leaving because Trump’s corrupt DOJ is about to wipe out the Democrat’s small donor funding apparatus Reply Pizzo had my vote even before this announcement The Democrats are idiots if they think they can ride Trump vitriol to victory in Florida Most of their policies are childishly naive created by people with no common sense or stability Reply Ron deSantis has been a disaster for middle class residents of Florida: 👎 Windstorm insurance has increased over 50% and sometimes up to 100% in 3 years👎 he signed legislation to make it almost impossible for suffering homeowners to sue insurance companies and they only pay about 56% of the claims 👎he signed legislation that made condo owners not only virtually homeless but hostages to companies that do the “reserve studies”👎 and he has 3 times reversed popular votes on issues but I don’t understand his huge lack of spine He should have stayed and changed the Democratic party Reply and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Former Senate Minority Leader Jason Pizzo has plenty to say about Democrats in Florida in the wake of his snap decision to renounce not just Caucus leadership but the party itself And his problems start at the top of the party, in the form of Democratic Chair Nikki Fried, who he blasted during an interview with WLRN as an ineffective failed politician who flamed out in a race against Charlie Crist three years ago “We’re headed at the state level by somebody who probably wasn’t feeling confident that they’d win reelection in their own seat and said So let me run for Governor.’ That didn’t end well,” he said about the former Agriculture Commissioner who took issue with his “temper tantrum” on the Senate floor last week But Fried is only part of Pizzo’s problem with his former party “I know there’s a large clutch of angry or shocked people at my decision are ones that are just pissed they can’t hit me up for money this year and next year,” Pizzo said before bemoaning raising big bucks for the flatlined Florida Democratic Party even though he knew there was no point “I fundraised over $5 million for the Senate Democratic Caucus in a declining condition and status of the Democratic Party as a whole I was very honest in my assertion that I didn’t think we were going to pick up any seats which I think is a win based on declining Democratic registrations compared to the delta of Republicans,” he said Pizzo doesn’t even see the FDP as functional If they wanna characterize it as quitting or leaving whatever — there is no party There’s a bunch of sort of disjointed ideas no clear path of leadership whatsoever,” he said calling his former running mates a “bunch of autonomous children in the room at this point that feel impossible to coalesce.” While the language is stronger, it aligns with Pizzo’s original announcement in which he called the Democratic Party in Florida “dead.” A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. His work also can be seen in the Washington Post, the New York Post, the Washington Times, and National Review, among other publications. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski Two Floridian’s that are the top recruiters of new Republican voters Reply Reply The Republican Party in Florida is devastating this state but I am certain the Democratic Party will still be a player Reply the Blue kool-ade is dribbling down your chin again I left the Democrat hellhole that was once my beloved Nutmeg State and came here because of the promise of Ron DeSantis’ revitalization of things but The Free State of Florida emerged from that nightmare so much stronger and any blue State you can name people are moving here (much to my displeasure & chagrin) but that’s because The Sunshine State is setting the tone that honest Pizzo has simply acknowledged that the Blue kool-ade guzzling sheeple are lost Does that mean I would like him or trust him He was a Democrat and he rose to power in that Party That means he knew that his career was based on lies & deception and rats are the first to flee a sinking ship But I can cite his words as proof that the Democrats are done I’m not especially gleeful on that issue But that’s because it’s athe first step to dismantling an organization that objectively does not have the best interest of US citizens as one of its core tenets Reply I wouldn’t hold my breath for that outcome the RPOF is now beating Democrats in devastating fashion at the very games they were once good at Neither party has absolute control over the quality of candidates but both parties have systems to cultivate and train candidates The GOP voter registration delta is approaching 2M more than the Democrats (not trending that direction to overtake the GOP) but they are FAR from a homogenous group of voters spanning the spectrum from uber-liberal to arch conservative and everything in-between they rarely get more than a low single-digit percentage of the votes Reply Things don’t go your way so you take your ball and go home Reply Reply Reply Reply national & state level should be investigated for RICO corruption charges Reply How can you so studiously ignore the corruption going on around Donnie “Pay to Play” Trump Find any element touched by Trump and his avid-a-dollars smudge is everywhere Reply “Or they can choose to sign a document that acknowledges that they were indoctrinated as children and a admit that they were emotionally & intellectually damaged and/or crippled before they reached the age of majority Not even trying to hide anymore behind a thin veil of “patriotism” You do recall they won for awhile and then were blown to sh!t Reply Reply The Italian people weren’t exactly kind to Benitoi in the end There’s something to be said for that Reply Florida Democratic Party leaders were shocked on Thursday when Jason Pizzo, the minority party's leader in the Senate, announced that he was leaving the party and registering as an independent Pizzo represents parts of Broward and Miami-Dade and assumed leadership of Senate Democrats after the 2024 election Pizzo said the party is “dead” and likened the current state of bipartisanship to “the fall of Rome.” In response State Democratic Party leaders torched Pizzo Florida DNC chair Nikki Fried said “his resignation is one of the best things to happen to the party in years.” She also called his announcement a “final embarrassing temper tantrum.” READ MORE: 'Where's Jared?': Democratic organizers frustrated by Moskowitz's absence In his first interview since stepping down Pizzo took a not-so-veiled shot back at Fried who was beaten by Charlie Crist in the Democratic primary for the governor's office in 2022 “We're headed at the state level by somebody who probably wasn't feeling confident that they'd win reelection in their own seat and said So let me run for governor.' That didn't end well,” he said Pizzo told WLRN his move to independent would help give a voice to Florida’s No-Party Affiliated voters and argued that the Legislature has been distracted away from tackling the issues that Floridians worry about "Anyone would have to argue and agree objectively [that] the last decade has been socially divisive very loud distractions from actually resolving and addressing real needs of Floridians," he said WLRN's Carlton Gillespie spoke with Pizzo about the state of the Democratic Party in the state and what's next for him WLRN: You made waves this week with your announcement that you are no longer going to be a part of the Democratic Party you've now changed your affiliation to independent you said the Florida Democratic Party is dead PIZZO: If you look at it from a fundraising and financing perspective we took a precipitous drop after [former President Barack] Obama and then leading into subsequent cycles the DNC raised or put in $49-$50 million and then it whittled down to $1 million And I've participated in artificially resuscitating what was really a terminal case Two other Democrats have switched their party affiliation to Republican this year You went as an independent.  Why that change There's nearly 3.7 [million] — I think it's 3,690,000 registered No-Party Affiliates if they don't believe that there is a huge gaping hole in the center and on the fringes of the left and the right that are just sort of thirsting for just rational and reasonable people anyone would have to argue and agree objectively over the last decade has been socially divisive very loud distractions from actually resolving and addressing real needs of Floridians I think people are just sort of just done with the loud noise from left and right and would just like people to perhaps take the opportunity the limited time that we have on a yearly basis here in Tallahassee — when we're all a captive audience — to perhaps address property insurance and affordability and 'Let's rename this the gulf of something' — it's just all nonsense And you think Democrats don't have the ability to reach those people in the center.  The one sort of plea I made as incoming leader when I was elected by my colleagues certain things only get life because we have breathed some sort of oxygen into them It's a huge opportunity cost lost by being distracted into following and going down rabbit holes of nonsense from the DeSantis on woke and CRT and all of these things that Floridians don't really care about They care about how am I gonna make my mortgage payment Is my kid gonna go to a school that's safe on campus Is there gonna be a job opportunity for them This has happened relatively quickly for you you were tapped as the party's democratic leader after the 2024 elections I think people knew that I was gonna be the leader for a while there's just things that people just don't want to hear about anymore and they don't have a voice for those people I have some empathy for — some sympathy for — my colleagues who have to do what the party tells them that have to do what a lobbyist tells them because they gave him $50,000 or $100,000 for their campaign I know there's a large clutch of angry or shocked people at my decision are ones that are just pissed they can't hit me up for money this year and next year I fundraised over $5 million for the Senate Democratic Caucus in a declining condition and status of the Democratic Party as a whole I was very honest in my assertion that I didn't think we were gonna pick up any seats which I think is a win based on declining Democratic registrations compared to the delta of Republicans I brought back every single Senate Democratic member in the 2024 election No other entity can say that — certainly not the house Debbie Wasserman Schultz made a comment that insinuated that you were quitting on the party What's your response to all of what has been said about your decision There's a bunch of sort of disjointed ideas We're headed at the state level by somebody who probably wasn't feeling confident that they'd win reelection in their own seat and said So let me run for governor." That didn't end well There's a bunch of autonomous children in the room at this point that feel impossible to coalesce my own campaign consultant told me a few years ago that if I had designs on being leader of the Democratic caucus And in my designation speech I said I don't think identity politics is really helpful at this point I think there's probably some people that are disgruntled about that now for those people who have these visceral sort of vehement reactions to me leaving you should have said this last week if you felt this way about me the whole time Do you think that an independent can win the governor's race in Florida?  I think people are done with worrying about party I think people are done worrying about party and I'm not really concerned about the slings and arrows from either side whether it's on a Twitter [X] feed or a TV interview or in a side conversation at a bar tonight — none of them will be able to say with a straight face that I've ever been bullied that I've ever been unduly influenced by anybody else that I've ever been involved in any kind of scandal or unethical behavior whatsoever And the text messages and phone calls yesterday from family and friends on the Republican and the Democratic side are saying you're just the best public servant we've ever known." Will you now run for governor as an independent I'm gonna go run for the golf course and go play a couple holes Fla — Senate Minority Leader Jason Pizzo has announced that he is leaving the Democratic Party Pizzo announced on the Senate floor Thursday and declared he would become nonparty affiliated (NPA) he said the Democratic Party in Florida is "dead." In December, Pizzo, known as a moderate Democrat, sat down with ABC Action News Tallahassee government reporter Forrest Saunders to discuss how Democrats remain relevant after Republicans maintained their supermajorities in the state legislature with historic margins and his resignation is one of the best things to happen to the party in years,” said Florida Democratic Leader Chair Nikki Fried in a statement The Florida Democratic Party is more united without him,” Fried said and I feel like that's part of where the system failed" Henry Betsey Jr. is facing charges for marrying three Florida women in three different counties at the same time. Now saying the system that handles marriage licenses kept them in the dark Report a typo After taking over mid-Session following the resignation of former Senate Democratic Leader Jason Pizzo the caucus’ new leader has named her top lieutenants Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman says Sen. Tracie Davis, a Jacksonville Democrat, will serve as Senate Democratic Leader Pro Tempore for the remainder of this term. Davis is slated to lead Senate Democrats during the 2026-28 term Daryl Rouson for Rules Chair and Boca Raton Sen Rosalind Osgood of Tamarac and Shevrin Jones of Miami Gardens will serve as Democratic Whips “I am thrilled to announce a leadership team that reflects the strength and dedication of our caucus,” Berman said in a statement Thursday announcing the appointments “Each of these Senators brings a deep commitment to public service and a bold vision for Florida’s future Berman took over the position after Pizzo’s surprise decision to leave the Democratic Party and register as an independent Pizzo declared during his explanation on the Senate floor that “the Democratic Party in Florida is dead.” The caucus selected Berman to succeed Pizzo shortly after he resigned. Earlier this week in some of her first public comments following the shakeup she rebutted her predecessor’s assessment despite Republicans earning historic margins of victory the past two election cycles “I take issue with what was said last week,” Berman said fighting bad policy and getting appropriations for projects that impact our districts but we have something just as powerful: a vision rooted in fairness She reiterated that positive messaging Thursday when announcing her leadership team “We are united in purpose and ready to meet the moment,” Berman added “Our caucus will lead with integrity and a fierce commitment to the state of Florida.” “We may not hold the majority.” Did she actually use the modal verb “may” She and her ever‐shrinking phone‐booth caucus is a historically unprecedented superminority She’s just as delusional as the rest of the Democrats Reply There’s nine Democrats in the Senate She had five leadership positions to select including two whips to get the other seven people in line I think the more interesting analysis is what did Carlos Smith Reply The Department of Pathology welcomes Lucilla Pizzo Pizzo joined the Clinical Pathology Division in July of 2024 as an Assistant Professor She also serves as the Medical Director of Cytogenetics and Genomic Microarray at ARUP Laboratories.  which is where she completed her undergraduate and master's studies she was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship for her PhD in genomics of neurodevelopmental disease at Penn State University She began her fellowship in Laboratory Genetics and Genomics at the University of Utah in 2021 and graduated in 2024 Pizzo is fascinated by phenotypic variability of genetic disease and aims to translate insights from her PhD into clinical practice Her focus is on integrating disciplines to understand the combined impact of genetic variants on disease.  Pizzo was drawn to the University of Utah and ARUP because of the clinical experience in a broad spectrum of disciplines spending time with her family and taking her dogs hiking in the beautiful landscapes of Utah she likes visiting the ocean and spending time with her family in Uruguay.  Copyright © 2025 University of Utah Health A year after passing legislation to crack down on deadly stunt driving Jason Pizzo notches another road safety win — this time against “super speeders.” The Senate Democratic Leader from Miami-Dade has successfully passed HB 351 The Senate voted 37-0 on Thursday to steepen penalties for the so-called “super speeders” who put other motorists at risk on Florida’s highways and byways “You can’t drive 50 miles an hour over the speed limit and not think that’s not excessive and dangerous,” Pizzo “You can’t go ahead and pass somebody at 100 miles an hour or in excess (of that) and think that that’s not dangerous and excessive speeding Pizzo substituted HB 351, sponsored by Republican Reps. Danny Alvarez of Hillsborough County and Susan Plasencia of Orlando, for a version of the legislation (SB 1782) that carried even harsher penalties He jokingly called HB 351 the “less good House bill” for its comparative lenience creates a criminal offense for “dangerous excessive speeding” for driving 50 mph or more over the posted speed limit It would also apply to motorists who drive 100 mph or more in a manner that threatens the safety of others or property or in a way that interferes with the vehicle’s operation First-time offenders would face penalties of up to 30 days in jail Conviction for a second offense would land violators in jail for up to 90 days and/or carry a penalty of $1,000 People who violate the “super speeders” law within five years of a prior conviction could lose their driving privilege for up to a year HB 351 also provides that any driver who exceeds the speed limit by more than 50 miles per hour must appear in court Pizzo’s version of the bill would have imposed a 90-day jail sentence on first offenders and a six-month sentence for repeat offenders The legislation follows a measure Pizzo successfully carried in 2024 to help law enforcement address dangerous drag racers stunt drivers and street takeovers that in recent years have led to thousands of arrests and several deaths across Florida said this year’s measure was inspired by a tragedy close to home He recounted the story of 11-year-old Anthony Reznick was struck and killed on a Sunny Isles Beach crosswalk by a driver who had been issued more than two dozen traffic citations and had her license suspended multiple times ordered her to pay a $1,000 fine and court costs and required her to perform 120 hours of community service Pizzo noted Thursday that Anthony Reznick, for whom lawmakers renamed a street was the younger brother of Pizzo’s son Julian’s girlfriend careless driving (legislation) over the last couple of years,” he said one of the things we can control is how many people get killed on the roadways Speeding contributed to about 10% of traffic fatalities in Florida between 2019 and 2023, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles which found that an overwhelming share of the drivers responsible were males aged 16 to 25 Jesse Scheckner has covered South Florida with a focus on Miami-Dade County since 2012. His work has been recognized by the Hearst Foundation, Society of Professional Journalists, Florida Society of News Editors, Florida MMA Awards and Miami New Times. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @JesseScheckner #BREAKING: Sen. Jason Pizzo, Democratic Minority Leader, switches from the Democratic Party to No Party Affiliation"I hope the members of the Democratic Caucus will elect a new leader, for, today, I have FedEx'd my voter registration form to change my party affiliation to No… pic.twitter.com/pq0jIMDp9Q Florida Senate Democratic Leader Jason Pizzo is critical of Republicans for not doing enough to stop illegal immigration by cracking down on employers hiring undocumented workers the Democrat from Sunny Isles Beach is sponsoring a new bill to require all employers to use E-Verify to confirm new hires can legally be employed “Florida Republicans have insisted that we are in an immigration crisis We are,” Pizzo said in a statement late Monday and blowing millions of taxpayer dollars do not make us the ‘toughest in the nation’ on illegal immigration we find ourselves at the end of a third ‘Special Session’ in three weeks because we just can’t seem to get it right.” Any employer, which includes private companies, public agencies, and subcontractors, violating the law would face stricter punishments under Pizzo’s SB 782 The state would revoke or suspend the employer’s licenses for one year and issue a fine up to $10,000 the fine would rise up to $250,000 and all licenses would be permanently revoked If an employer broke the law and an incident happened where somebody died as a result of the undocumented worker’s actions The fines would go to the Florida Highway Patrol to help them enforce immigration laws If the bill is passed when the Legislature convenes March 4 Ron DeSantis said he is supportive of expanding Florida’s 2023 E-Verify law which currently only applies to employers with at least 25 employees DeSantis signed an immigration legislative package last week that makes entering Florida illegally a crime at the state level requires the death penalty for undocumented migrants convicted of capital offenses and gives $250 million to local enforcement to help with immigration enforcement Pizzo called the bills weak as he spoke out during the third Special Session on immigration “We all know that the largest incentive for illegal immigrants to come to United States is earning a living,” Pizzo said when he tried to sponsor an amendment “If we’re going to be tough on illegal immigration … we should be honest with ourselves and require all employers in Florida to use E-Verify.” Senate President Ben Albritton ruled Pizzo’s amendment was “out of order” during the Special Session so the Democrat’s proposal was not allowed to get voted on during the floor “It was ruled out of order because everything we’re doing in this bill was about the infrastructure of state government It didn’t fit within the call,” Albritton said afterward adding he expected the issue to be brought back up during the Regular Session and he is “potentially” open to expanding E-Verify America’s Governor and Florida’s top Democrat in the Florida Senate are in agreement perhaps along with the new Florida Senate President but it’s step in the RIGHT direction for Florida Democrats in the Florida Senate ALL employees should be run through eVerify Suspending an employers license for one year and fining them $10,000 for the first offense is a bit draconian and sure to draw the ire of business lobbyists and most pro-business Republicans (could THAT have been Senator Pizzo’s intention?) Now if you changed it to a $10,000 fine for the first infraction a $10,000 fine and 3-month license suspension for the second and a $100,000 fine and a one-year suspension for the third I think you would have a bill actually designed to pass…and NOT one designed simply to score political points It’s satisfying when someone else points out that Democrats are stupid-mean that allowed me to notice what so many are asleep to and successfully get an e-Verify they earn points and one ‘get out of jail free’ certificate I do think the laws should be draconian to ‘discourage’ employers from hiring illegal aliens But if the law includes an government compliance step Meaning that since the government can’t be ‘fined or suspended’ by the employers it must still yield a suitable penalty for lack of compliance with the law Otherwise this proposed ‘law’ is just another blathering Democrat throwing up smoke & noise It’s time to hold the employers responsible. We seem to be OK with holding junkies responsible for their addiction We should also hold people that are making money off of illegal immigration responsible I think the proposed vines are not high enough time to put these people out of business It’s about America first and not their bottom line Show Breaking News BarCloseThis Week In South FloridaGlenna Milberg South Florida State Senator Jason Pizzo shocked colleagues on the Senate floor by ditching his party He joined This Week in South Florida host Glenna Milberg to discuss and their conversation can be seen at the top of this page Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved Glenna Milberg joined Local 10 News in September 1999 to report on South Florida's top stories and community issues She also serves as host on Local 10's public affairs broadcast TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Closed Captioning / Audio Description Contact Us Careers at WPLG Terms of Use Privacy Policy Public File FCC Applications EEO Report Do Not Sell My Info 1.0 Host Exhibit Copyright © 2025 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC. Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInTALLAHASSEE (WCTV) - The Florida Democratic Party has lost another member from the state legislature announced his party change on the Senate floor Thursday afternoon “There will be a caucus meeting later this afternoon where I hope the members of the Democratic Caucus will elect a new leader I FedExed my voter registration form to change my party affiliation to No Party Affiliation,” the south Florida representative said Pizzo had a clear message to the Democrats But there are good people who can resuscitate it But they don’t want it to be me,” Pizzo said Florida Democratic Chairwoman Nikki Fried issued a statement shortly after the announcement on the Senate floor and his resignation is one of the best things to happen to the party in years,” Fried wrote and chasing his own personal ambitions at the expense of Democratic values.” was announced as the party’s new leader for the remainder of the 2024 to 2026 term in a Thursday evening press release “I am honored and humbled to have the support of my colleagues to serve as the next Leader of the Florida Senate Democratic Caucus,” Berman wrote in a statement “At a time when Floridians are demanding results our caucus is more unified and more determined than ever.” Pizzo is now the third state Democrat to leave the party since the November election. In early December, Rep. Susan Valdés announced on X that she was leaving her party for the Republican Party “I got into politics to be part of the party of progress,” Valdés wrote “I know that I won’t agree with my fellow Republican House members on every issue I will be welcomed and treated with respect.” With just hours left in 2024, another Democrat packed up and crossed the aisle Rep. Hillary Cassel said Florida Democrats are out of touch with voters and that she has a better chance of achieving her priorities from within the Republican Party “I’m constantly troubled by the inability of the current Democratic Party to relate to everyday Floridians I can no longer remain in a party that doesn’t represent my values,” Cassel posted on X Fried called Cassel’s decision “deeply disappointing.” “Now is not the time to back down and walk away it’s time for leadership and self-reflection,” the Florida Democratic Chairwoman said To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky and X (Twitter) Have a news tip or see an error that needs attention? Write to us here Please include the article’s headline in your message Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here to get started crew and observers in total were stationed in front of Kirkwood Hall on Monday for the taping of Angelo Pizzo’s new feature film “Someone Saved My Life.”  The movie, loosely based on his childhood, takes place and is shot entirely in Bloomington The plot focuses on the coming-of-age story of a student at Binford Junior High School The movie stars actors Preston Oliver and West Mulholland Pizzo is best known for writing and producing “Hoosiers” and “Rudy,” both of which are also set in Indiana The crowd in front of Kirkwood Hall included several film students from the Media School who were allowed to observe the taping said they would film another scene a different day at the IU Auditorium.  She said they had previously shot the small-budget film in one of the nearby quarries and at Binford Elementary School which the production staged as a high school said they also shot football scenes near what used to be Binford Junior High School which Pizzo attended and played football at when he was younger They constructed their own field by painting the ground and building goal posts With an estimated budget of $2 million, the film is being produced by Amasia Entertainment and Blue Ace Media. Filming is expected to continue in Bloomington throughout November The Daily Rundown is published Monday through Friday and gives you a quick look at the day's top stories Friday's weekly recap will let you catch up on the most important and most popular stories of the week Find out what the IDS is saying about IU basketball distributed during the IU basketball season Katie Pizzo’s journey to opening her own orthodontics practice hasn’t followed a predictable path faith-driven and ready to reflect Pizzo’s heart for her patients in every corner of her boutique office Originally from a small town in New York – so small Spanish and chemistry at the University of South Carolina she went back to New York for dental school to North Carolina for residency and finally landed in Greenville in 2021 “I worked in private practice for a little bit and just felt like the Lord was really pushing me to do my own thing,” Pizzo says “It was about a 15-month process to find the location Two major life changes were following a parallel path While Pizzo was in the process of preparing to open her office she and her husband were growing their family Perseverance has been a commonality in both endeavors More Women in Business: : Ashlee De Nooy of Body Works Women's Health & Fitness “You can find the right door and the right opportunity I really do feel like the Lord sometimes brings you to a place and you think that you're pursuing the right thing and then you kind of feel like you hit the door.”  Pizzo followed both paths – starting her own practice and becoming a mom and it was a really difficult path to get there,” she says “We ended up going through IVF and just a lot of hard things I got the permit to start construction on my office the day before I gave birth to Ellie All these things were stacking up on top of each other but I really do feel like I’m being pushed through this funnel to say ‘this is really where I'm supposed to be.’”  Pizzo says that the experience has given her new confidence “If there ever a person that I was going to bet on but I'm also so excited to be able to do this and have a family of my own.”  There is even video of Pizzo with a sledgehammer starting demo on her new office the day before her daughter was born Being an orthodontist is both an art and a science “The technology has changed so much that you really can do almost anything with it now,” she says Throughout what Pizzo calls her “small but mighty” office she has been purposeful in creating a calm space She wanted extra windows so there is plenty of light and she is focused on creating joy in the connection she makes with her patients you're going to see there's wallpaper in the X ray room and it's bright and it's vibrant and it's patterned I think that's a reflection of me and my personality and I'm going to be using porcelain mugs for people to have coffee and instead of the throwaway ones I want it to be cozy and feel like a home.”  One staff member in particular is devoted to making patients feel at home is a certified therapy dog and will be available for anyone who wants a little extra comfort Pizzo says it’s all part of her desire to “pour into cups.”  “That's what keeps my heart full,” she says “I love pouring into my family cup and my business cup Learn more at katiepizzoortho.com Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced they worked with local police to arrest around 800 individuals in and around Miami over a course of four days and a former top Democrat in Florida discusses his departure.    Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials announced that agency and state law enforcement in Miami arrested nearly 800 people over four days in a massive multi-agency immigration enforcement crackdown White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt spoke about these arrests “Operation Tidal Wave is a preview of what is what is to come around this country," she said "Large-scale operations that employ our state and local enforcement partners to get criminal illegal aliens off our streets." Ron DeSantis commended the arrests in a post on X saying: “Florida is leading the nation in active cooperation with the Trump administration.” As President Donald Trump nears his first 100 days in office for his second term a new bipartisan poll of more than 1,000 Latino voters across the country finds that the majority of those polled say the country is headed in the wrong direction.  Around 57% of respondents said they believe the country is headed in the wrong direction with 70% saying they believe Trump and his administration are mostly responsible for the direction the country is headed.  “We see a lot of dissatisfaction with the Trump administration and the president is underwater with Latino voters at this point,” said Janet Murgia which calls itself “the nation’s largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization” notes one of the biggest stories of the November election was the Latino vote.  Around 49% of those polled from Florida said they voted for Trump while 47% said they voted for then-Vice President Kamala Harris.  only 53% of those who voted for Trump say they would “certainly” vote for him if the election were held today That’s compared to 83% of those who voted for Harris.   The biggest issue for Hispanic voters is the economy while tariffs and a high cost of living also remain a concern.  that the top priority for voters is the economy," Murgia said with four of the top five priorities centered on the economy including jobs and the affordability of goods services UnidosUS officials say there are plans to conduct a similar poll later this year to see if voter attitudes change.  Mayor Jane Castor said Tampa is not the same city as when she took office Castor discussed what she considers the biggest changes and accomplishments of her tenure “We are not the same city we were six years ago,” Castor said during her address at the Tampa River Center at Julian B Castor said hurricane recovery continues to be a big focus Some improvements before the upcoming hurricane season include investing $94 million in wastewater upgrades and another $350 million in stormwater maintenance and improvements Castor also said that ahead of this hurricane season the city is adding backup generators to pumping stations She also talked about investments and major projects like the PIPES Program the Fair Oaks Recreation Complex in East Tampa the West Riverwalk and the streetcar expansion Castor stressed the back-to-back storms will force the city and its residents to be more prepared and vigilant Geography is both our greatest asset and our biggest challenge We understand that the status quo is not enough Senate Minority Leader Jason Pizzo announced last week that he was leaving the Democratic Party to become registered as No Party Affiliation “There’ll be a caucus meeting later this afternoon where I hope that the members of the Democratic caucus will elect a new leader for today I FedEx’d my voter registration form to change my party affiliation to No Party Affiliation," Pizzo said "Joe Scott should receive that by tomorrow morning at 8 a.m And here’s why: Our constituents are craving practical leaders “We are entrusted to be guided by our conscience and while I suppose it’s easier in theory than it is in application or even borrowed for a special interest," he added I am my mother’s son while she is still alive I will not miss another one of her birthdays and I will return to who I was when I became a young man: independent Pizzo has served in the Senate as a Democrat since 2018 He now becomes the third Democrat to change their party affiliation in the last six months His departure was greeted with sharp words from some members of his party Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried responded to the news as well “Jason’s failure to build support within our party for a gubernatorial run has led to this final embarrassing temper tantrum,” she said The Florida Democratic Party is more united without him.”  He discusses his reasoning for his decision on Political Connections By on April 25, 20256 Comments TALLAHASSEE — In a stunning move less than a week before the scheduled end of the legislative session Senate Minority Leader Jason Pizzo announced Thursday that he has left the Democratic Party and registered as a voter with no party affiliation who was quickly replaced as minority leader by Sen announced his move late Thursday afternoon on the Senate floor before the chamber adjourned for the weekend There are good people that can resuscitate it who became minority leader after the November elections has been an outspoken critic of Democratic Party leaders as Republicans have dominated state politics The GOP holds a large voter-registration edge every statewide office in Florida and supermajorities in the Senate and House Pizzo had been viewed widely as a centrist since his election to the Senate in 2018 and had been speculated as a potential 2026 Democratic gubernatorial candidate An emotional Pizzo said Thursday he had submitted a form to change his voter registration to no party affiliation “Our constituents are craving political leaders crediting independent voters with boosting him into office “I think stripping myself of the title of a party designation allows me to run free and clear Pizzo’s defection is the latest legislative loss for Democrats Two House members — Susan Valdés of Tampa and Hillary Cassel of Dania Beach — switched to the Republican Party following the November elections Democrats now hold 10 of 40 seats in the Senate; two seats are vacant his decision immediately drew harsh criticism from some Democrats and his resignation is one of the best things to happen to the party in years,” Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried said in a statement were more restrained as they quickly regrouped by electing Berman as his successor shortly after the Senate floor session ended noting that Democrats’ policies have gained national traction We’re gonna finish strong here in the Legislature.” Pizzo made the announcement a day after a heated exchange on the Senate floor amid debate over water-services legislation involving Miami Gardens During Wednesday’s debate on the legislation (HB 11) Pizzo noted that he had been called “a racist” because of his opposition to the measure which he said violated constitutional requirements And if anybody’s feelings are hurt and think I’m a racist for my position battled Pizzo on the issue but said he didn’t think the former leader’s comments — which drew criticism on social media from some Black leaders in Miami-Dade County — played a role in his exit from the party “I don’t think that was the reason for it I think that is something that the senator has been thinking about for quite some time He operates independently,” Jones told reporters I don’t think it changes my thoughts or belief about him and how he moves and how he’s led the caucus.” brightest minds in this body,” Jones added During his remarks Thursday on the Senate floor who reported a net worth of more than $59 million in 2023 acknowledged that he’s “been blessed” in life and conceded that he’s been criticized by people on both sides of the aisle “I’ve long had a feeling confirmed … that partisanship holds us back rather than propels us forward Pizzo Exits Party, Leadership Post added by on April 25, 2025View all posts by The News Service of Florida → Berman said the Democrat party wasn’t dead; the follow-up question should haven been “Is the Tallahassee Democrat dead?” Pizzo is STILL a Democrat who supports the left’s twisted agenda He’s just switching to Independant to fool voters into thinking that he’s come to his senses so he can stay on the public’s dime Funny Nikki Fried is talking about “ineffective and unpopular Democratic leaders” “Jason Pizzo announced Thursday that he has left the Democratic Party and registered as a voter with no party affiliation.” …………………… Switching from Democrat to Independent does mean anything It tells me that you are still a Democrat Same if you were a Republican leaving the Republican Party By not going Republican for the Bold Statement you went Independent for the Brownie Points like Matlow did with their Pay Raise He and Porter Voted NO for the Pay Raise KNOWING that Daily Richardson and Cox were Voting For It so they would get the Brownie Point and STILL get the Pay Raise The Democrat Party is the party of Jim Crow and absurd policies like putting tampons in little boy’s bathrooms because one of them might get their period The real news here is Pizzo’s the only one leaving… I bought an ax handle from Lester Maddox in Underground Atlanta he was selling them out of a trash can while sitting in his rocking chair outside his restaurant I paid him extra to sign it with a Sharpie then I told him I was gonna keep it as a reminder just in case I ever thought about voting for a dirty rotten democrat Col. Charles “Tre” Del Pizzo, 49, confirmed to Marine Corps Times he was the pilot who ejected from the F-35B over Charleston, South Carolina, on Sept. 17, 2023, and parachuted into a resident’s backyard Del Pizzo said Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen Eric Smith ordered him to be fired from command of Marine Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 after reviewing the report on the crash investigation The investigation report, which the Marine Corps released Thursday found Del Pizzo’s F-35B malfunctioned and its primary displays and communications cut out as Del Pizzo was attempting to land through rain at Joint Base Charleston the report said its standby flight display and backup communication system “remained basically functional.” Despite the investigation finding Del Pizzo followed the proper procedures and was not derelict in his duties investigators concluded Del Pizzo could have continued flying the jet and his decision to eject was a mistake The investigation concluded that the mishap resulted from pilot error and said Del Pizzo “incorrectly diagnosed an [out-of-controlled flight] emergency and ejected from a flyable aircraft — albeit under extremely challenging cognitive and flight conditions,” the report said The report said Del Pizzo followed the F-35B manual’s recommendations for ejecting from an out-of-control jet but also criticized the manual’s definition of out-of-control as too broad Investigators cleared Del Pizzo and all others involved of dereliction of duty Del Pizzo was qualified and prepared for the flight The electrical malfunction was also not caused by lax maintenance on June 21 — months after the report was completed in January relieved Del Pizzo of command of VMX-1 “for loss of trust and confidence in his ability to execute the responsibilities of his command,” the Marine Corps said John Dirk took over the squadron that same day “As a commander you serve at the pleasure of the commandant,” Del Pizzo said “It was an absolute privilege to have the opportunity to lead the Marines The Marine Corps sent a statement to Marine Corps Times Thursday evening confirming Smith made the decision to remove Del Pizzo from command of VMX-1 “The commandant of the Marine Corps continually assesses matters associated with commanders and their units,” Marine Corps spokesman Lt “Following his detailed review [in September] of the command investigation into the 17 September 2023 F-35 mishap he made the decision to relieve the commanding officer of [VMX-1] VMX-1 is in charge of assessing the Corps’ aircraft and helping develop and refine tactics techniques and procedures to fly them in combat successfully MV-22 Osprey and CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter It is a highly desired leadership role in Marine Corps aviation and some former VMX-1 commanders have gone on to become general officers and assume senior leadership roles in the Corps Del Pizzo pointed to the mishap investigation’s conclusion that he conducted the flight using the proper procedures and was not derelict in his duty He also said a Field Flight Performance Board was convened to review the incident and concluded his decision to eject was justified Del Pizzo said he was restored to full flight status in June “after complying with all board recommendations.” But Del Pizzo’s split-second decision to eject from the F-35 has now cast a shadow over his accomplished career Del Pizzo said he has been offered his choice of follow-on assignments and he and his family are now considering his next steps “We are deeply thankful for the support of our friends and family as we adjust to this unexpected change in assignment,” he said graduating from boot camp at Parris Island in 1993 and serving in the reserves for 3 1/2 years while attending college He earned his commission as an officer in 1997 after graduating from Auburn University and attending the Platoon Leaders Course program and in 1999 became a naval aviator Del Pizzo became an experienced combat pilot with more than 2,800 hours in the cockpit including deployments to support the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and Operation Inherent Resolve against the Islamic State said he was told Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen Eric Smith ordered him to be fired from command of VMX-1 after reviewing a report on his ejection from an F-35B in 2023 Marine Corps)His career included a stint commanding Marine Attack Squadron 231 also known as VMA-231 or the “Ace of Spades,” from 2015 to 2017 Del Pizzo took VMA-231′s AV-8B Harrier attack jets into battle against ISIS as part of Operation Inherent Resolve including the effort to oust ISIS from the key Iraqi city of Mosul Del Pizzo also served as the Marine Corps service deputy at the F-35 Joint Program Office and the tactical air branch head at Marine Corps Aviation the Marine Corps announced Del Pizzo had been selected for his most prestigious assignment yet: command of VMX-1 Del Pizzo climbed into the cockpit of an F-35B from Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 to practice basic fighter maneuvering dubbed “Swede 11,” took off at about 12:45 p.m and carried out an “uneventful” training flight through heavy rain and mist Del Pizzo turned back toward the Charleston base Air traffic control appeared to be trying to direct Del Pizzo and his wingman around the heaviest weather Del Pizzo began using his jet’s instruments to guide his landing through the rain and lowered his landing gear Del Pizzo decided to switch to the F-35B’s short-take off and vertical landing He radioed that instruction to his wingman — but that was the last radio call the wingman heard from him Del Pizzo’s helmet-mounted display started flickering out and back in Del Pizzo told investigators that each time his helmet-mounted display went out his panoramic cockpit display was also not working He decided to carry out a missed approach procedure and began to climb out and accelerate but then realized he had also lost communication with the tower and his wingman Del Pizzo’s helmet-mounted display came back online but multiple warning signs flashed and blared He felt like the jet was not converting back to conventional flight as intended Del Pizzo had at that point lost his helmet display and panoramic display three times and he wasn’t sure what instruments he could trust and decided to eject at an altitude of about 1,900 feet at 1:32 p.m The report notes that the F-35B’s flight manual says that an aircraft is considered out of control if it is not responding properly to the pilot’s inputs and a pilot should eject from such an aircraft if it is below 6,000 feet The report said that given the manual’s definition of an out-of-control flight Del Pizzo “applied an appropriate emergency procedure in response to a perceived loss of aircraft control below 6,000 feet.” But the report immediately criticized the manual’s definition “The F-35B flight manual definition for [out-of-control flight] is too broad and contributed to this mishap,” the report said Del Pizzo’s “decision to eject was ultimately inappropriate because commanded flight inputs were in-progress at the time of ejection standby flight instrumentation was providing accurate data the aircraft continued to fly for an extended period after ejection.” Del Pizzo’s helmet and mask were “ripped off” as he ejected he realized he was over a residential area and became concerned about nearby power lines He released his seat pan and raft to avoid getting tangled in the lines and steered into a safe area Del Pizzo had parachuted into a North Charleston resident’s backyard told the homeowner he was a military pilot and asked the resident to call 911 the homeowner explains that an ejected pilot parachuted into his backyard before taking the phone and repeatedly requesting an ambulance The homeowner said he had no apparent bleeding aside from a few scratches I’m the pilot,” Del Pizzo told the dispatcher Marines assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort search for debris of Del Pizzo's F-35B jet after it crashed Navy)Del Pizzo told the dispatcher he was 2,000 feet in the air when he ejected and that “an aircraft failure” had occurred Apparently believing the dispatcher had not yet sent an ambulance Del Pizzo sighed and his voice took on a sharper tone “So I just rode a parachute down to the ground and its location would remain a mystery for more than a day Civil Air Patrol and the Federal Aviation Administration focused the search in the area north of Charleston Joint Base Charleston even asked the public for tips on possible locations for the jet Headlines about the military’s missing stealth fighter rapidly spread around the world — as did jokes breathless speculation and memes on social media whose district includes the area north of Charleston “How in the hell do you lose an F-35?” Mace posted on X “How is there not a tracking device and we’re asking the public to what The investigation report said the F-35′s transponder failed as a result of the electrical malfunction and the jet had crossed below air traffic control’s radar horizon The military announced the evening of Sept that the crash site of the F-35 had been found in rural Williamsburg County about two hours northeast of Joint Base Charleston The jet had flown for 11 minutes and 21 seconds after Del Pizzo’s ejection the jet banked down and started descending to its right clipping the treetops of a forest along the way before crashing The report said no one was injured by the crash The $100 million jet was shredded into pieces and a total loss the Marine Corps put all its aviation operations on hold for a two-day safety stand down The announcement cited the three recent Class A mishaps and said aviation commanders would hold discussions with their Marines on the fundamentals of safe flight operations maintenance and flight procedures and how to maintain combat readiness Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include a comment from the Marine Corps regarding the commandant’s decision to relieve Del Pizzo of command Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times special operations and air warfare at Military.com He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S Democrats headed into this legislative term in smaller numbers than any time in state history But an explosive rhetorical civil war between Republican legislative leaders and Gov Ron DeSantis may have granted the minority caucus a rare bit of leverage In the wake of DeSantis’ threatened veto of an immigration bill lawmakers passed Tuesday plans to introduce his own legislation on immigration he says will tackle the actual problems caused by criminals who entered the country illegally “I intend to file something that has teeth to it The Senate Democratic Caucus is not opposed (to) cooperating facilitating and assisting in the lawful execution of federal immigration law.” said their primary objection was the inclusion of a repeal of in-state tuition for undocumented individuals who attended high school in Florida for three years it seems unlikely any Democrats would join in a vote to override his veto An override requires a two-thirds vote of both chambers of the Legislature But Pizzo said if another bill were passed without the tuition language it’s possible Democrats could pull together a veto-proof majority in support of a bill can’t say the caucus will join in an immigration bill not one like the TRUMP Act with or without the tuition language But Driskell noted the even smaller Democratic minority in the lower chamber isn’t in the same position as colleagues in the Senate. The House passed the TRUMP Act on an 82-30 vote meaning Speaker Daniel Perez already has two-thirds of representatives in favor of the bill despite DeSantis’ objections “I don’t think they would have needed Dems for that in the House,” Driskell said of a potential override an override of the bill as it currently reads seems difficult because of opposition from the left and the right Six Republicans voted against the legislation voiced concerns about the tuition change and how it would impact her South Florida constituency But most Republicans voicing opposition to the bill objected to a plan to shift immigration enforcement powers from the Governor to Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson DeSantis called such a move unconstitutional Pizzo said he holds little empathy for DeSantis who the last two days also attacked Simpson as soft on immigration enforcement and too sympathetic to agricultural employers exploiting cheap labor a move that generated national publicity but moved just a few dozen non-violent asylum seekers This is (the) very first time there has been a clear kind of break with his directive and some public pushback from legislators and people in the process.” But if the Governor or legislative leadership truly have no concern who authors policy Pizzo said the Senate Democratic caucus can advance a legislative package with broad bipartisan support and that accomplishes many Republican leadership goals including communication between law enforcement agencies and federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement but without poison pills like tuition changes or imposing a mandatory death penalty to certain criminals “An overwhelming majority of us is not opposed to assisting the federal government in the deportation of criminal aliens,” he said has embarked on a new passion project: a coming-of-age film centered around Pizzo’s middle school experience West Mulholland (Roy) and Preston Oliver (Dean) Rachelle LeFevre (Eileen) and Disney starlet The story follows a young prodigy breaking free from his mother’s exorbitant expectations tackling themes of maturation— discovering personal agency and charting one’s own life path I became the go-to boy and piano player at Indiana University theatrical and musical productions I was a little toy puppet with very little agency of my own confident boy in eighth grade who showed me an alternative way of becoming my own person.”  “He gave me the kind of power to individuate from my mother and her clutches When Pizzo started Binford Junior High School in 1962 he met a young boy—the quarterback at his school—who became his ‘mentor.’  “You were either scared shitless of him or you were in awe I knew I wouldn’t be allowed to play football for fear of my hands getting injured ‘has it ever occurred to you to tell your mother to go fuck herself?’”  “I went through an intense rebellion stage going from a straight A kid to walking on the wild side and rejecting everything I stopped piano lessons and even went to school at times,” said Pizzo Pizzo had zero activities listed and graduated in the lower eighth of his class but who was seriously disturbed in his own right The same power he gave me to individuate from my mother was the same strength I needed to walk away from him in ninth grade.” came from enlightened therapy sessions focused on Pizzo’s childhood trauma He began writing the script 12 years ago and shared it with his siblings ‘don’t make the film while mom’s alive.’ I didn’t think about it again until she passed away “There are some intense scenes between characters playing my mom and I and I was nervous to relive that trauma,” said Pizzo “Rachelle [Lefevre] understood the challenge of that role and really humanized her and some people will understand her perspective.”  characters become an “amalgamation” of what was originally intended with actors adding their own personality and quirks and he has a charisma that demands respect wherever he goes,” said Mulholland Stanford film and media studies student acting the part of Roy “He comes from a poor family but doesn’t want anyone to know that This is one reason he’s obsessed with Dean; He wants his life.”  Creating a period film adds additional financial burden it cost $30,000 to rent the vintage football uniforms including a dramatic score from composer Larry Groupé and cinematography from Indiana native brought unique quality and experience to the set “It was a gift to be there from the start of the film assisting the crew behind the scenes gave me a unique perspective playing Roy and as an aspiring filmmaker,” said Mulholland Pizzo was resolute in filming in his Indiana hometown a feat which required personal funding from Pizzo and friends.This also allowed him to have full creative control of the project the film cost $2 million to produce and was filmed in 20 It was a new experience being the bank and financing but I knew I needed to shoot this in Bloomington I renegaded against taking this movie to Netflix but it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.” “I aspire to make films with the kind of production quality I’ve been connected to in my other films; the stories you don’t stop thinking about even if it’s just a particular moment in the film that resonates with the audience.”    Those wondering what’s next on the political horizon for former state Sen Lauren Book didn’t have to wait long to find out She just filed paperwork to run for Senate District 37 The seat won’t be up for grabs until 2028 — unless Pizzo follows through on a potential Governor’s bid in 2026 for which many consider him a strong Democratic contender Book is the first to file for SD 37 a Democratic-leaning district covering South Florida’s coast from Sunny Isles Beach in Miami-Dade to Deerfield Beach in Broward County my work is not done,” Book said in a statement to Florida Politics “As someone who has dedicated my career to advocating for women’s rights and fighting for solutions to Florida’s skyrocketing home insurance costs I am committed to continuing this important work for Broward County The founder and CEO of Lauren’s Kids a nonprofit focused on educating and empowering parents and kids to prevent childhood sexual abuse Book ran unopposed to win the Senate District 35 seat in 2016 She reached term limits in November after serving two consecutive four-year terms Book’s cross-aisle policymaking efforts also helped to pass Florida’s historic gun safety law in the aftermath of the 2018 Parkland massacre expanding Medicaid twice for new moms and babies funding mental health services in schools and strengthening access to mental health care for first responders Book’s party peers elected her Senate Democratic Leader in April 2021 Book was born in Hollywood and grew up in Aventura She now lives in Davie and has headquartered Lauren’s Kids in SD 37 since she founded the organization in 2007 She said residents of the district and across Florida want “strong proven leadership” focused less on divisive culture wars and more on delivering results that improve their day-to-day lives “Residents deserve bipartisan solutions to the real problems our communities face and as one of the most effective Democratic members of the Florida Senate in recent history I have a proven track record of working across the aisle to achieve meaningful results,” she said “I have a lifelong connection to this community and a clear understanding of the issues that matter most to its residents.” Jesse Scheckner has covered South Florida with a focus on Miami-Dade County since 2012. His work has been recognized by the Hearst Foundation, Society of Professional Journalists, Florida Society of News Editors, Florida MMA Awards and Miami New Times. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @JesseScheckner US Dollar 2,000 in a Single Online Day Due to its position the United States va02 offers a plethora of opportunities for those seeking employment it might be difficult to know where to start You may choose the ideal online housekeeping strategy with the tr-20 help of this post Begin here>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Payathome9.Com I guess in a Trump America where the rules mean nothing this grifter will weasel her way back into a senate seat By on April 27, 20254 Comments From town halls in Apopka county and Tampa Bay to caucus powwows in Tallahassee it looks like David Jolly — a former Republican congressman who fled the party due to Donald Trump and has been a commentator on MSNBC for several years — was already campaigning earlier this month for the Florida governor’s seat in 2026 Then he announced Thursday that he changed his voter registration from no party affiliation to Democrat which is a necessary step in that direction the now former Senate minority leader who has also toyed with a gubernatorial run announced that he had changed his registration from Democrat to no party affiliation saying the blue party “is dead.” Is this setting Florida voters up for a gubernatorial race between Jolly and Pizzo and whoever is the Republican nominee Jolly still says he is only “seriously considering” a run for the state’s top job “Exploring,” is another word he uses a lot there are already the inevitable comparisons to Charlie “Turncoat” Crist another former congressman who ran for governor and lost in 2022 against Ron DeSantis there are about 1.2 million more Republican voters in Florida than Dem voters there isn’t a single Democrat elected statewide Florida hasn’t elected a Democratic governor since Lawton Chiles in 1994 Read related: Downtown Miami protest planned Saturday vs Donald Trump policies But if there’s someone who can bridge that gap who can reach out to the middle and get the desilusionado Trump voters that the only way to beat a Republican candidate for governor is to get all the Dems Who can do that better than a desilusionado Republican himself “I’ve considered myself a proud member of the Democratic Coalition for years now,” Jolly told Florida Politics in March “The coalition I would need is essentially the same independents and kind of mainstream Republicans to build a coalition If you do it as an NPA (no party affiliation candidate) or as a Democrat you are still asking if you can change the state.” Jolly left the Republican Party and registered as an independent “I’ve had the pleasure of knowing him for years and I’ve known him to be a brilliant good-faith individual who is truly concerned about the state and the country,” said Fernand Amandi a well-known Democratic strategist who helped Barack Obama win Florida in 2008 and 2012 “He’s always had a congenial willingness to solve problems He reminds me of the great Florida leaders of the past they are shocked at how personable and knowledgable he is,” Amandi told Political Cortadito “When people are exposed to David Jolly they see someone they like and who they trust is telling the truth That is something rare in U.S politics and completely lost in Florida.” Jolly has been described by many as an extremely talented communicator with an analytical mind who doesn’t speak in insider language “He connects very quickly with the concerns of the people,” Amandi said “Not only is he aware of the problem It certainly speaks to his appeal that all he has to do is suggest he’s seeking the Democratic nomination for governor and that scrambles the ambitions that Pizzo may have had switching to NPA rather than face a potential primary with him “If David Jolly had not announced his potential run as a Democratic nominee,” Amandi said “I don’t think Jason Pizzo would have left the party last Thursday.” a former Miami-Dade assistant state attorney first elected in 2018 “good riddance.” Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said he was useless “Jason Pizzo is one of the most ineffective and unpopular Democratic leaders in recent memory, and his resignation is one of the best things to happen to the party in years,” Fried said in a statement Thursday and chasing his own personal ambitions at the expense of Democratic values.” Read related: A red wave rode over the U.S., Florida and Miami-Dade on Election Day Pizzo did not return calls and texts to his cellphone believes that Jolly possibly entering the guv’s race as a Democrat was the last straw “Jason’s failure to build support within our party for a gubernatorial run has led to this final embarrassing temper tantrum,” Fried said “I’d be lying if I said I’m sad to see him go “The Florida Democratic Party is more united without him.” many Dems are concerned that if Pizzo runs he could hurt any chances that Jolly — or whoever ends up being the Democratic nominee — may have to win and I hope and trust he makes the right one,” Amandi told Political Cortadito “But if he decides to barrel forward anyway and run as an independent he’s only going to guarantee that the Republican wins he should probably change his name to Jason Spoiler.”   , , David Jolly, Jason Pizzo switch parties to possibly run for Florida guv in ’26 added by on April 27, 2025View all posts by Ladra → A winter storm forced Florida Senate Democratic Leader Jason Pizzo to change flight plans three times to be in Tallahassee Friday to talk to the Capital Tiger Bay Club The politically irreverent club of Tallahassee insiders consider the South Florida state senator a potential 2026 gubernatorial candidate hasn’t announced his intentions other than a tongue-in-cheek social media post poking fun at Republican former U.S Matt Gaetz's statement that he was thinking of running for governor: "...I will kick his (butt)," he wrote Tiger Bay president Steve Birtman presented Pizzo with a pair of white rubber boots telling him if he was going to campaign in north Florida he would need “Panacea Nikes.”  Capital Tiger Bay Club board member Tim Center cited a list of similarities Pizzo shares with current Republican Gov Pizzo is in town to prepare for a special legislative session that begins Monday DeSantis ordered lawmakers to convene to support President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration The call also includes condominium safety regulations hurricane relief and fraudulent signature-gathering for petitions for constitutional amendments More: DeSantis faces rare showdown with GOP legislative leaders over immigration special session DeSantis made the move without an agreed-upon plan with Senate President Ben Albritton R-Miami – and that leaves Pizzo and others wondering what will happen once the chambers convene Pizzo told reporters he hadn’t heard of any specific proposals When asked whether he expects any bill to pass during the week-long session he responded by saying he didn’t see any scenario where someone doesn’t end up looking bad Both legislative leaders will agree to move some legislation so Republicans don't appear to be “soft and not real MAGA” when called on to support Trump’s agenda how MAGA are you,” Pizzo said about the special session Pizzo was elected to the Florida Senate in 2018 Following the 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside he sponsored bills related to safety and transparency of condo homeowner associations' finances But he said he has been frustrated by one party rule in Tallahassee his expectation was lawmakers worked hard at legislating He thought at the very least they would read bill analyses and be prepared for committee meetings “You really should demand more from us,” Pizzo told the crowd at Tallahassee's Tucker Civic Center and you see it on the floor and in committees Sometimes I ask questions that my Republican colleagues ask if I wouldn’t mind asking on their behalf because they don’t want to be seen as challenging things,” Pizzo said The GOP enjoys two-third majorities in both chambers and can waive rules cut off debate and all but exclude Democrats from the proceedings As a leader of 12 members in a 40-member Senate Pizzo wants his caucus to focus on pocketbook and kitchen-table issues to repair Democrats’ image with the public he said Democrats need to avoid “taking the bait” on culture-war issues When they respond to talking points that were developed by consultants he said they divert attention away from issues that affect everyday Floridians the less we are focused on things that are critically important,” Pizzo said He would rather Democrats talk about economic issues Pizzo wants to stick with the facts to expose what he called the GOP’s disingenuous style of politics When Republicans pushed back at him referring to the 2022 Parental Rights in Education bill as “don’t say gay,” Pizzo explained in floor debate the proposal specially banned discussion of sexuality and that gay was an accepted substitute for homosexuality it does ban the word gay," Pizzo told state Sen He asked the Tiger Bay audience if anyone could name anything the Legislature did last year that improved their lives Had anyone seen their homeowner's insurance lowered Did anyone have a grandchild whose SAT scores improved And in a reference to DeSantis' anti-woke policies Pizzo asked if anyone's child had failed to get a job or admission to college because of affirmative action That's what consumes our time,” Pizzo said about legislative sessions “And insofar as I am standing and breathing James Call is a member of the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jcall@tallahassee.com and is on X as @CallTallahassee speaks to the media in 2023 in the Senate Office Building at the Capitol in Tallahassee Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Charles "Tre" Del Pizzo chats with Post and Courier reporter Tony Bartelme at Del Pizzo’s new rental home near Washington D.C Del Pizzo was the pilot who had mechanical issues with an F-35B stealth fighter jet in September shows a reporter childhood photos at home near Washington D.C Charles 'Tre' Del Pizzo made international headlines ejecting from a failing F-35B over North Charleston On March 30, we published an exclusive special report called “41 Seconds” by Tony Bartelme It quickly grew into one of the most-read stories we’ve ever published and attracted widespread attention on-the-record interview with the highly decorated Marine colonel who made the split-second decision to eject from his malfunctioning F-35B stealth fighter jet in September 2023 as the plane streaked over North Charleston The story provided answers that have been kept from the public since that mysterious day when the F-35B flew off without its pilot after Col Charles “Tre” Del Pizzo ejected — and disappeared from contact before crashing in a field near Kingstree Tony’s story shed important light on the military’s post-crash investigation explored questions surrounding the plane’s history of malfunctions and revealed how the pilot felt betrayed by the corps he dedicated his life to serving Other Marine aviators interviewed by Tony expressed concerns about the repercussions from the Marine Corps’ decision to essentially force the pilot into retirement and whether it created a dangerous precedent that could make pilots hesitate to follow procedures in the future Tony obtained extensive documents that provided never-disclosed details our deputy managing editor for investigations and public service I hope you had the opportunity to read the package. If not, you can find it online at https://bit.ly/41Seconds. It also is available in three parts, beginning on March 30, in the E-Paper I asked Tony to take us inside the reporting for the project How did you end up talking to the pilot in the first place and six months later we still didn’t have an answer to one of the biggest questions: Why did the pilot eject The Pentagon wasn’t saying anything, even though mishap investigations typically take just a few months. Why the delay? Last August, we did a deep dive into those unanswered questions in a story we called “Eject!” But we still didn’t know who the pilot was Then last fall the Marines sent out a press release with the results of what’s known as a “Command Investigation.” This investigation blamed the pilot The Command Investigation said the pilot ejected after an electrical malfunction but we didn’t know the cause of the that malfunction And the pilot's identity still wasn't public But at about the same time the press release came out the commandant of the Marines relieved Del Pizzo from his command of a squadron in Yuma A couple of military beat reporters put two and two together It was Del Pizzo calling to say that we’d gotten most everything right in our coverage What did Del Pizzo tell you that we needed to know I wrote about how the plane was flying close to lightning noting that one version of the F-35 had been restricted in the past from flying near lightning Del Pizzo told me that lightning wasn’t the cause and other investigations later confirmed that one by the Aviation Mishap Board and another by the Field Flight Performance Board These investigations are typically the most thorough reviews of what happened Both said Del Pizzo’s decision to punch out was sound and that he was following established procedures But the results of those reviews weren’t public I kept in touch with Del Pizzo over the following months He couldn’t talk about details because he was still active duty After he retired from the Marines in late February It became clear to me that his story was about more than a mishap Del Pizzo was very transparent about what happened to him and why he wanted to tell his story When we asked for proof of his medals and military record He clearly felt betrayed but also was concerned about the long-term implications for other aviators One of his concerns was that military aviators might not punch out of a failing aircraft in time if they know their careers will be over He talked a lot about the importance of good procedures and how they make aviators more confident and effective in combat If you follow procedures and there’s a mishap At least that’s the way it’s supposed to go That transparency about errors and learning lessons is foundational to aviation's culture the F-35’s procedures call for a pilot to eject when the plane is below 6,000 feet and doesn’t properly respond to a pilot’s controls He was at about 1,000 feet in the clouds with the plane’s electronics were going haywire But the Command Investigation said he was to blame because the plane kept flying another 64 miles before it crashed Del Pizzo told me that shifting blame to the pilot set a dangerous precedent he also was frustrated with his treatment by the commandant the commandant relieved Del Pizzo for a “loss of trust and confidence” related to his ejection nearly a year after the mishap The timing of the commandant’s decision was odd The two main safety investigations cleared Del Pizzo in early 2024 and despite the Command Investigation’s finding top Marine leaders gave Del Pizzo a green light to command a squadron in Yuma That meant Del Pizzo and his family had to move across the country Del Pizzo did a great job in Yuma for six months suddenly relieved him of command last fall This happened at the same time the Marines publicly released the results of its Command Investigation Why give Del Pizzo an important command job in early 2024 overruling his deputy generals for reasons that remain unclear and I know you've written some long ones over the years But was there something you wished you could have added One involved an incident in 1970 that had some loose parallels An Air Force Convair Bomber was flying over Montana when the jet began to spin out of control But the ejection actually made the jet regain its stability Another pilot in the mission reportedly radioed the pilot while he was in his parachute “You’d better get back in it.” Lightness aside the pilot got slammed at first for ejecting until the investigation showed what happened I'm sure readers are wondering: Have the Marines responded to our story Only with silence. At least to The Post and Courier. We gave Marine headquarters ample time to respond to our questions, but they declined to tell us anything. A popular military news site, The War Zone got this statement in response to our story and I’ll leave it to our readers to decide whether it says anything: “The Commandant of the Marine Corps continually assesses matters associated with commanders and their units Following his detailed review last August of the command investigation into the 17 September 2023 F-35 mishap he made the decision to relieve the Commanding Officer of Marine Operational Test & Evaluation Squadron 1 (VMX-1) at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma News tips/online questions: newstips@postandcourier.com Delivery/subscription questions: subserve@postandcourier.com Show Breaking News BarCloseThis Week In South FloridaJanine Stanwood Florida Senate Minority Leader Jason Pizzo co-introduced a bill to study Gov Ron DeSantis’ idea to get rid of property taxes Pizzo joined This Week in South Florida host Janine Stanwood to discuss Janine Stanwood joined Local 10 News in February 2004 as an assignment editor Before moving to South Florida from her Washington home Janine was the senior legislative correspondent for a United States senator on Capitol Hill Jason Pizzo became Florida Senate minority leader began a second term as House minority leader Senate and House Democrats formally elected Pizzo and Driskell to the leadership posts for the next two years The votes came the day before an organization session that will include Sen Republicans maintained super-majorities in the Senate and House during the Nov Pizzo said he regretted “time wasted” and the “opportunity cost” of the Legislature not addressing important issues He said “socially divisive issues consume this limited capacity” of lawmakers Driskell addressed Democratic losses in the Nov but she urged House Democrats to “hold the line” and remain unified “Timidity has no place in the work we will undertake,” said Driskell XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong> Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value" Listen: Environmentalists in Pinellas County are calling for a renewed.. 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Stubblefield Foundation, Inc. | Online Public File Or if you just wanna let our DJ know you’re enjoying their show Signup below to get The Scoop delivered every weekday to your email inbox WMNF advises you to check with the individual venues or event planners listed before heading to anything posted here There is a high likelihood that many events have been or will be canceled or postponed Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" which sits on the University of South Florida Tampa campus is uncertain as the Hillsborough County School District weighs the terms of a new lease agreement that calls for a near tenfold rent increase The lab school is home to more than 900 students and trained USF College of Education majors to be future teachers But the partnership between the district and university might be coming to a close thanks to the end of the teacher professional development program and an untenable rent hike rent for the land is increasing from $60,000 a year to $550,000 a year with a 3% annual increase in subsequent years The district will also have to pay a one-time parking fee of $1,035,000 for 69 parking spaces as well as an annual $25,000 security fee to University Police "They [USF] are walking away from a partnership with us but basically sticking it to us," said board member Patti Rendon the school board approved the new ten-year lease But the contract allows either party to terminate the lease early with two years' notice — though the school district would be responsible for the costs to demolish the building "This board is going to have to approve this [agreement] because we don't have a choice," said Rendon "because we are not going to displace students two months before school starts." said the district was expecting some increase to the cost since the school was established almost 30 years ago USF officials said that the new rent is more in line with current market rates and "more closely aligned with the rates for the university’s other on-campus sublease agreements." unlike fast food restaurants and other private entities on USF's campus the school district doesn't affect revenue "We were treated as a public entity 30 years ago we were treated as a private entity based on the feedback from USF," explained Farkas "We're paying what market value would be for that land on USF campus and that's a huge challenge for a government entity to reach that." was extended an extra year to allow both parties to come to the current agreement "We did not realize it was going to be an adversarial conversation or that it would go on as long as it did," said Farkas Some board members speculated that the university has other plans for the land University spokesperson Althea Johnson said the school has not determined next steps for when the lease expires in 2034 USF also pointed out that the 30-year-old building has "significant deferred maintenance requirements such as a new roof and HVAC upgrades." "As per the terms of the original sublease agreement these repairs are the responsibility of the school district  Rather than undertaking major maintenance requirements the school board elected to demolish the building at the end of the term," wrote Johnson Recent school closures due to low enrollment have rocked Hillsborough families But Farkas said Pizzo's enrollment has remained steady over the years The school serves a predominantly Black and Hispanic student population, according to state enrollment data All students receive free or reduced lunch as well "So it's actually some of our most underserved kids that we're having to displace because of that stance," said Farkas Future plans for the school — whether its relocating the students to another building or redrawing school zones — will have to be determined by the board and superintendent do we want to stay there for 10 years and try to negotiate with it this is not a good use of taxpayer dollars,'" said Farkas Board member Henry "Shake" Washington likened the deal to a family breaking up "It's like being married for 30 years and getting a divorce