State Rep. Dotie Joseph says she didn’t have a run for governor on her bingo card. Yet, here she is in a crowded field vying against David Jolly for the Democratic nomination.
“Florida Matters Live & Local” guest host Cathy Carter sits down with Joseph to discuss her platform, policy positions and perspective on the challenges facing the state.
Plus, hear about why an organization is helping restore the oyster habitat in the Manatee River. And later, a retired G-man talks about 30 years of investigating organized crime in a new memoir.
Jumping into the gubernatorial race
(0:00) State Rep. Dotie Joseph entered the Democratic primary a day before the filing deadline. The four-term legislator joins the show to talk about her campaign, her policy agenda and how her personal story shapes her approach to leadership. She says Florida's biggest challenges are rising costs, insurance and government accountability. She also addresses TPS and immigration.
GUEST:
- Rep. Dotie Joseph, D-North Miami
The river is their oyster
(21:01) The Manatee River is literally a shell of its former self. Oyster reefs once covered large stretches of the waterway before harvesting and dredging wiped them out. Now, volunteers and scientists are rebuilding that habitat one artificial reef at a time. Leaders of the nonprofit involved in the project explain why bringing oysters back could transform the river for generations.
GUESTS:
- Damon Moore, Oyster River Ecology executive director
- Abby Kuhn, Oyster River Ecology projects coordinator
He carried a badge
(36:03) He spent decades with the FBI investigating organized crime, corruption and healthcare fraud. Now, he’s written a memoir, “A Fortunate Fed: Behind the Scenes in the Life of an FBI agent,” in which he covers many of those experiences, including several Tampa Bay cases and an undercover operation connected to “Donnie Brasco.” He joins us to separate Hollywood from reality and share lessons from a career in federal law enforcement.
GUEST:
- Al Scudieri, former FBI agent
