Jeb Bush endorses Gov. Rick Scott for re-election

Here's the news release from the Florida Republican Party:

TALLAHASSEE, FL - Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush today released the following statement regarding the 2014 Florida gubernatorial race, endorsing Governor Rick Scott: 

"I'm pleased to endorse Governor Scott for re-election and look forward to supporting his campaign during the coming year. "It's simple why I'm supporting Rick Scott. He campaigned on a platform of getting Florida's economy back on track, and has delivered on that promise. 

"Governor Scott pledged to reinstate a business-friendly climate that fosters growth and job creation. Since taking office, Florida's unemployment rate has fallen 4.1 percent, more than 365,000 jobs have been created and taxes have been cut for families and businesses. 

"While President Obama and Democrats in Congress are fixated on penalizing success, Governor Scott is pursuing policies to restore prosperity for more Floridians while prioritizing core state responsibilities, including increasing the state's investment in education. 

"Rick Scott demonstrated leadership when Florida needed it most, and he is the best candidate to lead our state for four more years." 

Governor Rick Scott said, "I am grateful to have the support and friendship of Governor Jeb Bush. His time as Governor built a strong foundation for Florida's future by making our education system more accountable and our state's economy more attractive to job creators. His positive vision for Florida continues to inspire us today as we work to cut taxes and get our economy back on track." 

Tea Party group targets Rep. Vern Buchanan, other GOP 'traitors'

Upset with how they voted to end the federal government shutdown, a Tea Party-affiliated group is targeting Rep. Vern Buchanan and other Republican "traitors" for defeat in next year's elections.

The group hopes to recruit someone to challenge Buchanan, R-Sarasota, in next year's Republican primary. So far, only Democrat Mitch Mallett of Bradenton has filed to run against Buchanan.

"Help us fund primaries to oust those who caved. Join the Primaries for Traitors Fund and help us fire the showboat RINOS ("Republicans In Name Only") for good!" the Tea Party Leadership Fund said on its website.

Buchanan and the other lawmakers raised the Tea Party's ire last month when they voted to end the federal government shutdown and to raise the nation's debt limit.

For more, watch this video from Tea Party Leadership Fund:

Rep. Vern Buchanan co-sponsors bill to add oversight to National Security Agency

U.S. Vern Buchanan on Thursday signed on as a co-sponsor of the USA Freedom Act, legislation that he says would end the National Security Agency's "indiscriminate collection" of Americans' personal information.

"The National Security Agency needs to stop invading the privacy of ordinary, everyday Americans," Buchanan, a member of the Congressional Privacy Caucus, said in a news release. "Our strength as a nation flows from the values and freedoms laid out in the Constitution, including the right against unreasonable searches and seizures. The USA Freedom Act institutes the proper reforms to protect the privacy and liberties of the American people."

Buchanan, R-Sarasota, said the legislation, which was introduced by Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., includes the following reforms:

• End the bulk collection of Americans' communications records under Section 215 of the Patriot Act.
• Reform the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court by creating new and more robust reporting requirements to ensure Congress is aware of actions by the FISC and intelligence community as a whole.
• Increase transparency by requiring the government to make annual or semiannual public reports estimating the total number of individuals and U.S. persons that were subject to FISA orders authorizing electronic surveillance, pen/trap devices and access to business records.

In the release, Buchanan citied examples of what he called the NSA's "unprecedented invasion into the personal lives of American citizens," including the collection of hundreds of millions of Americans' telephone records, even though they are not under suspicion or investigation; and the extraction of personal information from Google, Facebook and other Internet companies.