Elected officials should not do the bidding of corporate donors; they should act in the best interests of their constituents. It is often difficult, however, to prove a politician's motivation. A politician can generally claim that an act or omission that benefits a corporate donor is also in the best interest of their constituents. But powerful politicians in Florida are acting in a manner that is extremely difficult to justify.
Is this another example of the Citizens United decision killing us...in this case, literally? My husband almost died as a result of addiction that began with taking this Rx for severe back pain. Turned out he only needed a doctor to actually look for the cause and find that nerve root injections were the correct treatment. By then it was too late and he was basically lost to us for almost 10 years before he found his way back through recovery. I cannot express my contempt for these profiteers making so much money on opiates, and now we see that the circle is wide; the pharmaceutical companies, the so-called healthcare dispensers who fed the disease instead of curing it, the pharmacies who failed to practice any reasonable precaution, and apparently the politicians offering protection because they were bought and paid for. Wonder if there will ever be any justice for the damage done.
Joyce, I’m so sorry for what you and your family have gone through. Many families, mine included, have been seriously impacted by the horrors of addiction.
The money behind Publix, and their ubiquitousness, ensures easy access to opioids AND groceries/basic necessities. It is a way to ensnare, imho. Only one of many examples in FL of the lemming public touting ease, comfort and/or ‘lifestyle’ as a path to their own downfall.
I cut my earlier financial ties and intend to never visit or spend money in Florida again unless/until things change.
For those of us in Florida, just think—DeSantis can't run again. So, guess who will be the number one candidate for governor this year? Gee, it's probably going to be Ashley Moody. She also did absolutely nothing to keep that creep DeSantis from removing local State's attorneys who were liberal Democrats. Yep. Even though a judge said he had no right to do it, the judge couldn't force DeSantis to reinstate those people. The next Dem governor we get in Florida will take care that doesn't happen again. DeSantis is next thing to a dictator.
I am with you on this. Not only will I not spend my dollars there, but I also talked one nephew who is a culinary school trained chef not to take a job in a celebrity restaurant there, and another nephew out of doing his PhD work there, in sustainable aerospace engineering. Instead he is studying sustainable aviation engineering in our home state.
Your reporting has been essential for my efforts to understand what is going on underneath the surface. I will happily continue to support your journalism. You are doing the work for the people. Thank you, Judd. Truly.
Hear hear, Meg! I'm an expat these days, not by choice but through family circumstance. I appreciate PI's finger on the pulse and ground level observations. Hard to view my fatherland from afar these days, harder still, I imagine, to be in it with so much derision. Best wishes all, especially those families affected by addiction, as mine has been. Thanks Judd.
Of course, "Let's follow the money. Between 2016 and 2022, Publix has doled out $10.6 million to Florida politicians." We all know by now that if we don't examine what the rich and powerful do with their finances, we will have no idea of how or why we're being taken advantage of. In this important Popular Information article, we learn how each of these corporations must work "to succeed:" SELL ADDICTIVE MEDS regardless of the huge numbers of deaths caused by them. Talk about blood on their hands!
I wonder about the insurance companies or were people paying for the meds out of pocket too. This started years earlier. Maybe pharma had to change the business model.
It’s nonsense that we can’t use our anti-trust laws to break up these large corporations. Monopolies are not conducive to a free market no matter how much they claim the opposite.
Also, not being able to get (what should be illegal) money these big corporations "donate” OUT of our elections is a problem. It is also a problem we have a remedy for, and that is to revoke Citizens United immediately.
To start, we need to elect people who will take this seriously and address this damaging influence on our elections by voting to end Citizens United and using our anti-trust laws vigorously and effectively restore some integrity and trust in big business.
As long as Citizens United remains as the law there will be no transparency about who and where these wealthy corporations are spending their vast amounts of money. Therefore, trust in our government and the institutions it is responsible for will continue to be damaged and a detriment to public trust in our government and our elections.
We can only hope that this investigation and its findings make it into media that can reach a large audience both in Florida but also nationally. We can also hope that Florida voters become aware of this information. We can also hope that all this matters to voters other than to those who read this Substack. This is an old problem. Money in politics. Voter apathy or fatigue. The good fight has to fought against the corruption and more broadly against the apathy and fatigue that affects so many Americans. The attack on democracy is fulled by voter apathy and at the same time voter outrage about their own personal situation. Unregulated corporations pay big returns to the investor class. The average citizen gets to live with and pay for the consequences. This attack on democracy is MISS DIRECTED.It is not democracy that is broken (yet) but rather Capitalism. Corporations only have profits as their purpose. Not public health. That is the responsibility of democratically elected public officials who have a responsibility to serve , protect, and defend the citizens. Aristotle in his commentary reflected on the formation of the “city-state” and said that it was first to provide safety and security but remained and prospered in order to improve the lives of people. We get parts of our notion of democracy from these ancient texts but “ we the people” have embellished and refined the idea. Now it has been corrupted by averse and hunger for power. Democracy is not the problem.
I understand your concern, but candidates can't run without some kind of financial support. To me, the real issue is that ONLY individuals, not businesses or corporations, should be able to support candidates and there should 1) be a list of all contributors and how much and 2) be a limit to what each individual can give per campaign.
Yes, the wealthy would get around that but it would be harder and it would be public information. The public info part is ESSENTIAL. Any candidate who does not adequately make their donor info available in a timely fashion must return the contribution immediately and third strike "you're out."
These campaigns must not be funded by the public. The government can fund them and determine a certain amount per individual. Individuals would have to provide some type of eligibility to run, and that is a whole other conversation.
But the politicians make the laws, and they are by and large, bought and paid for especially in Florida. No refunds. That office never opened, as it would never have work.
Just think about this for a minute. Fancelli is an election denier and was willing to fork over $3 million dollars to the people planning the January 6th insurrection! She also supports banning books. Listen to Judd and follow the money. Fancelli, and her ilk are hugely wealthy, crazy as hell, and are willing and able to continually drop millions into the pockets of politicians who see things their way! And let’s face it, a large enough donation will make most any politician see things your way! Don’t think for a second that Florida is an exception. Every state has their Moody and a supportive gaggle of rich donors! I will continue to shop at smaller regional grocers until they make me mad! Then I’ll buy some chickens and a milk cow and excuse myself from the grid (or matrix?🤔)
Not surprising. And he loves a loser. He donated $5 million to Nikki Haley (I have better chance of winning the republican nomination) and supports Ron Desantis.🤮
Judd and his team could write a book about Publix. They've settled class action lawsuits for discriminating against women (twice), black & brown people and for sexual orientation (pending). They made a fortune by paying off DeSantis and getting covid vaccines. Their actions are despicable and ongoing.
For Floridians and others in their footprint: STOP GIVING THEM YOUR MONEY! It's not hard. WinnDixie has remodeled a lot of stores, Aldi is a great option, Target, Kroger delivery - EVEN WALMART IS A BETTER CHOICE. The 2 closest stores to me are Publix and Publix. I have no problem driving past them every time I need something. Join me.
Lived in Florida for 40 years except for a 7-year stint in VA. We just moved to NC. (not paradise but a hell of a lot better than FL). We're spending our $$ at Harris Teeter and Wegman's now. Much better.
These stories--this one in particular, as I often shop at Publix--are infuriating. But also frustrating is the sense that there is nothing we can do. Perhaps including a link to the companies' headquarters or PR departments (when possible) would at least let your readers express their outrage (and boycott?) over such bad corporate behavior?
Publix corporate offices could not care less what you think about their political giving. I sent an email complaining about their non-stance regarding Fancelli. I was able to convince several relatives to do the same. They chose not to reply to any of them. They also don't care that you are "infuriated" - as long as you keep giving them your money. They get nothing from me.
They did issue public statements. As I remember the crux of their argument was she was an heir thereby a stockholder & had no part in decision making or the business - nor did they have control over her donations. All true as far as it goes.
Publix, FPL, Duke Energy, Big Sugar, Big Ag, and Big Developers....These deep-pocketed Republican supporting corporations are what makes Florida politics. The people that live here don't have much input.
Is this another example of the Citizens United decision killing us...in this case, literally? My husband almost died as a result of addiction that began with taking this Rx for severe back pain. Turned out he only needed a doctor to actually look for the cause and find that nerve root injections were the correct treatment. By then it was too late and he was basically lost to us for almost 10 years before he found his way back through recovery. I cannot express my contempt for these profiteers making so much money on opiates, and now we see that the circle is wide; the pharmaceutical companies, the so-called healthcare dispensers who fed the disease instead of curing it, the pharmacies who failed to practice any reasonable precaution, and apparently the politicians offering protection because they were bought and paid for. Wonder if there will ever be any justice for the damage done.
Joyce, I’m so sorry for what you and your family have gone through. Many families, mine included, have been seriously impacted by the horrors of addiction.
The money behind Publix, and their ubiquitousness, ensures easy access to opioids AND groceries/basic necessities. It is a way to ensnare, imho. Only one of many examples in FL of the lemming public touting ease, comfort and/or ‘lifestyle’ as a path to their own downfall.
I cut my earlier financial ties and intend to never visit or spend money in Florida again unless/until things change.
Heartbreaking. I am glad you had a good outcome in the end but so much time lost. I am so sorry that happened to your family.
Dreadful to go through that because of greed.
For those of us in Florida, just think—DeSantis can't run again. So, guess who will be the number one candidate for governor this year? Gee, it's probably going to be Ashley Moody. She also did absolutely nothing to keep that creep DeSantis from removing local State's attorneys who were liberal Democrats. Yep. Even though a judge said he had no right to do it, the judge couldn't force DeSantis to reinstate those people. The next Dem governor we get in Florida will take care that doesn't happen again. DeSantis is next thing to a dictator.
I hope your next governor is a decent human being.
Because until they are, I won't spend my tourist dollars in Florida.
I am with you on this. Not only will I not spend my dollars there, but I also talked one nephew who is a culinary school trained chef not to take a job in a celebrity restaurant there, and another nephew out of doing his PhD work there, in sustainable aerospace engineering. Instead he is studying sustainable aviation engineering in our home state.
I hope your next governor is an honest one who will actually care about the citizens of Florida. desantis is a nazi. I empathize with you.
I am from the PNW but try to follow what is happening around the country so I appreciate your insight. Are you on threads?
Your reporting has been essential for my efforts to understand what is going on underneath the surface. I will happily continue to support your journalism. You are doing the work for the people. Thank you, Judd. Truly.
I concur most heartily Meg. An investment in PI pays a fantastic ROI!!!
Just think about all that we may have known nothing about if it weren't for Judd Legum's painstaking and brilliant work!
Precisely! Whether I comment or not, I think about that every time I come to this space for my "daily required!"
Hear hear, Meg! I'm an expat these days, not by choice but through family circumstance. I appreciate PI's finger on the pulse and ground level observations. Hard to view my fatherland from afar these days, harder still, I imagine, to be in it with so much derision. Best wishes all, especially those families affected by addiction, as mine has been. Thanks Judd.
Of course, "Let's follow the money. Between 2016 and 2022, Publix has doled out $10.6 million to Florida politicians." We all know by now that if we don't examine what the rich and powerful do with their finances, we will have no idea of how or why we're being taken advantage of. In this important Popular Information article, we learn how each of these corporations must work "to succeed:" SELL ADDICTIVE MEDS regardless of the huge numbers of deaths caused by them. Talk about blood on their hands!
I wonder about the insurance companies or were people paying for the meds out of pocket too. This started years earlier. Maybe pharma had to change the business model.
https://www.fortlauderdalecriminalattorneyblog.com/from_florida_to_kentucky_the_d/
Moody sounds like a gem….. when will donations like this be illegal?
Imagine if the money was poured into the community.. it’s all prettt gross
Moody gets moody if Publix does not offer cash for the candidate's palate.
Powerful cash-laden corporations paying off / buying politicians. Shocking? Certainly not. Business as usual, especially in Florida.
A) boycott MAGApublix
B) vote only for Democrats
C) overturn Citizens United
D) citizen's group to bring suit against Publix
Lawsuits against Publix slip on the banana peels the stores lay in front of any charging lawyers.
As always, terrific reporting! Hopefully this is widely picked up in Florida.
It’s nonsense that we can’t use our anti-trust laws to break up these large corporations. Monopolies are not conducive to a free market no matter how much they claim the opposite.
Also, not being able to get (what should be illegal) money these big corporations "donate” OUT of our elections is a problem. It is also a problem we have a remedy for, and that is to revoke Citizens United immediately.
To start, we need to elect people who will take this seriously and address this damaging influence on our elections by voting to end Citizens United and using our anti-trust laws vigorously and effectively restore some integrity and trust in big business.
As long as Citizens United remains as the law there will be no transparency about who and where these wealthy corporations are spending their vast amounts of money. Therefore, trust in our government and the institutions it is responsible for will continue to be damaged and a detriment to public trust in our government and our elections.
We can only hope that this investigation and its findings make it into media that can reach a large audience both in Florida but also nationally. We can also hope that Florida voters become aware of this information. We can also hope that all this matters to voters other than to those who read this Substack. This is an old problem. Money in politics. Voter apathy or fatigue. The good fight has to fought against the corruption and more broadly against the apathy and fatigue that affects so many Americans. The attack on democracy is fulled by voter apathy and at the same time voter outrage about their own personal situation. Unregulated corporations pay big returns to the investor class. The average citizen gets to live with and pay for the consequences. This attack on democracy is MISS DIRECTED.It is not democracy that is broken (yet) but rather Capitalism. Corporations only have profits as their purpose. Not public health. That is the responsibility of democratically elected public officials who have a responsibility to serve , protect, and defend the citizens. Aristotle in his commentary reflected on the formation of the “city-state” and said that it was first to provide safety and security but remained and prospered in order to improve the lives of people. We get parts of our notion of democracy from these ancient texts but “ we the people” have embellished and refined the idea. Now it has been corrupted by averse and hunger for power. Democracy is not the problem.
"We can also hope that Florida voters become aware of this information."
Indeed. We have seen how major "content suppliers" will ignore current events that do not fit their agenda.
Precisely why public donations to politicians should be prohibited from individuals, businesses, and corporations alike.
I understand your concern, but candidates can't run without some kind of financial support. To me, the real issue is that ONLY individuals, not businesses or corporations, should be able to support candidates and there should 1) be a list of all contributors and how much and 2) be a limit to what each individual can give per campaign.
Yes, the wealthy would get around that but it would be harder and it would be public information. The public info part is ESSENTIAL. Any candidate who does not adequately make their donor info available in a timely fashion must return the contribution immediately and third strike "you're out."
These campaigns must not be funded by the public. The government can fund them and determine a certain amount per individual. Individuals would have to provide some type of eligibility to run, and that is a whole other conversation.
But the politicians make the laws, and they are by and large, bought and paid for especially in Florida. No refunds. That office never opened, as it would never have work.
YES!!!
Just think about this for a minute. Fancelli is an election denier and was willing to fork over $3 million dollars to the people planning the January 6th insurrection! She also supports banning books. Listen to Judd and follow the money. Fancelli, and her ilk are hugely wealthy, crazy as hell, and are willing and able to continually drop millions into the pockets of politicians who see things their way! And let’s face it, a large enough donation will make most any politician see things your way! Don’t think for a second that Florida is an exception. Every state has their Moody and a supportive gaggle of rich donors! I will continue to shop at smaller regional grocers until they make me mad! Then I’ll buy some chickens and a milk cow and excuse myself from the grid (or matrix?🤔)
We had a big one in Illinois. Ken Griffin. Guess we're he ended up? Yep. Florida. This guy is definitely a turd in the punchbowl.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Ken+Griffin&rlz=1C1AVNG_enUS724US724&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Not surprising. And he loves a loser. He donated $5 million to Nikki Haley (I have better chance of winning the republican nomination) and supports Ron Desantis.🤮
And he was all up in Bruce Rauner's ass while BA was busily destroying Illinois with his "turn around agenda."
Another turd a'swimmin:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Bruce+Rauner&rlz=1C1AVNG_enUS724US724&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Judd and his team could write a book about Publix. They've settled class action lawsuits for discriminating against women (twice), black & brown people and for sexual orientation (pending). They made a fortune by paying off DeSantis and getting covid vaccines. Their actions are despicable and ongoing.
For Floridians and others in their footprint: STOP GIVING THEM YOUR MONEY! It's not hard. WinnDixie has remodeled a lot of stores, Aldi is a great option, Target, Kroger delivery - EVEN WALMART IS A BETTER CHOICE. The 2 closest stores to me are Publix and Publix. I have no problem driving past them every time I need something. Join me.
Wow!!! Had no idea!!! Moved to Florida 2yrs. ago, and found Publix. Thought it was a great store, but no more!!! And, just Shared This on Facebook!
I am going to Spread This Elsewhere as well.
Lived in Florida for 40 years except for a 7-year stint in VA. We just moved to NC. (not paradise but a hell of a lot better than FL). We're spending our $$ at Harris Teeter and Wegman's now. Much better.
I loved Wegman's when I lived in MA. Going to find a decent place nearby me in Orange City. What an eye opener it was reading about publix!
Show me another Corporation who isn't greasing the skids. Until the LAW is changed so Corporations can not Bribe Politicians, it will continue.
These stories--this one in particular, as I often shop at Publix--are infuriating. But also frustrating is the sense that there is nothing we can do. Perhaps including a link to the companies' headquarters or PR departments (when possible) would at least let your readers express their outrage (and boycott?) over such bad corporate behavior?
Publix corporate offices could not care less what you think about their political giving. I sent an email complaining about their non-stance regarding Fancelli. I was able to convince several relatives to do the same. They chose not to reply to any of them. They also don't care that you are "infuriated" - as long as you keep giving them your money. They get nothing from me.
They did issue public statements. As I remember the crux of their argument was she was an heir thereby a stockholder & had no part in decision making or the business - nor did they have control over her donations. All true as far as it goes.
I wasn’t talking about you and your mom complaining. I was talking about trying to build a real boycott.
Publix, FPL, Duke Energy, Big Sugar, Big Ag, and Big Developers....These deep-pocketed Republican supporting corporations are what makes Florida politics. The people that live here don't have much input.