Florida
Obama grand jury convening in Florida would be major boost for Trump
The Department of Justice’s federal grand jury case to investigate Obama administration officials over their 2016 assessment of Russian election interference could take place in Florida, which would likely provide a more favorable legal environment for the DOJ.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has authorized federal prosecutors to investigate statements and testimony from Obama administration officials regarding alleged ties between President Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Russia, directly targeting what Trump has long labeled the “Russia Hoax,” while potentially diverting attention from renewed scrutiny over the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Speculation among legal experts has centered on Florida as a possible location, and the New York Times reported on Tuesday that prosecutors would present the case to a grand jury in South Florida, should the evidence warrant it, citing people briefed on the move who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing investigations.
Newsweek has contacted the DOJ as well as former President Barack Obama’s office via email outside of regular office hours.
Why It Matters
While the venue for the grand jury has not yet been announced, and federal authorities have not indicated when or where jurors will be seated, placing the investigation outside Washington, D.C. would serve as a tactical win for Trump.
Bondi’s move coincides with the Senate’s confirmation of Judge Jason A. Reding Quiñones as the first U.S. attorney of Donald Trump’s second term, and whose appointment fuels speculation centered on the Southern District of Florida as a possible location.
What to Know
Legal experts, such as attorney James Burnham, have called South Florida the “logical” choice for the location of the grand jury, especially in light of setback suffered by the Trump administration in Washington, D.C.
“All eyes on the Southern District of Florida and its newly confirmed US Attorney Jason Reding Quinones, ” he wrote on X on Tuesday.
Trump won the state with 56.1 percent of the vote in the 2024 presidential election. Grand juries are selected from the surrounding community, which in Washington, D.C., means they’re largely drawn from a predominantly Democratic population—Donald Trump received only about 6.6 percent of the D.C.’s vote in the 2024 election.
The Department of Justice has sparred with James Boasberg, the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, who issued a temporary restraining order in March blocking Trump’s use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan nationals—prompting Trump to label him a “Radical Left Lunatic” and call for his impeachment.
The DOJ filed a rare misconduct complaint against Boasberg after he blocked immigration enforcement actions and warned that Trump officials might “disregard federal court rulings,” which the administration saw as evidence of bias.
Trump administration officials are wary to present evidence in a D.C. court that took decisions pertaining to the Russia investigation that began in 2017, The New York Times reported. And having a Trump-appointed U.S. attorney like Quiñones in Florida could significantly influence the process. U.S. attorneys have wide discretion in prioritizing cases, allocating resources, and shaping how aggressively prosecutions are pursued.
Why Florida Could Host the Grand Jury
Federal rules typically require grand juries to operate where the alleged criminal conduct occurred.
For Florida to be the venue, one path could see prosecutors attempt to establish a jurisdictional link between the FBI actions pertaining to the Russia investigation launched under the Obama administration and the search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate for classified documents in 2022.
Prosecutors might argue that actions set in motion in 2016 eventually led to conduct involving classified documents in Florida, justifying the Southern District as the location.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
Who Is Jason A. Reding Quiñones?
Confirmed in a 52-44 party-line Senate vote, Jason A. Reding Quiñones now leads one of the nation’s busiest federal districts.
Quiñones is a Miami native and the son of a Cuban political refugee. He graduated from Florida International University’s law school in 2008, worked in corporate law, served as a U.S. Air Force military lawyer, and later became a Justice Department prosecutor in Miami. Despite early poor evaluations and a dropped discrimination complaint, he transitioned to the civil division and received satisfactory reviews.
What People Are Saying
John Solomon, columnist and journalist, told the Real America’s Voice channel on Tuesday: “This is a major development. We told you last week that Pam Bondi, the Attorney General, had given permission for a strike force to begin. That’s a very specific tool the Justice Department uses on major conspiracies. And we told you then we would know it was getting serious when the grand jury jumped into action.
“We now know that a grand jury will be impaneled—most likely, my sources are telling me, it could be in Florida, where the raid of President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home happened.”
Attorney, James Burnham wrote on X on Tuesday: “All eyes on the Southern District of Florida and its newly confirmed US Attorney Jason Reding Quinones. Given various setbacks in DC during Trump 45, the extraordinarily lopsided beltway jury pool, and the factual connection to Palm Beach–SD Fla is a logical place for DOJ to pursue this incredibly high stakes grand jury investigation.” X
Judge Quiñones told the Miami Herald: “As the son of a Cuban political refugee and a proud Miami native, I am deeply honored by the trust and confidence that President Trump, Attorney General Bondi, and the United States Senate have placed in me. As the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, I will work tirelessly to protect the American people, restore impartial justice, and defend the rule of law without fear or favor.”
What Happens Next
It remains unclear what charges, if any, the grand jury will consider, who will be investigated, or when proceedings will begin.
The Justice Department must first formally convene the grand jury.
Florida
Gas prices rise in South Florida amid U.S. and Israel’s conflict with Iran, as the stock market also reports a dip
Four days into the Iranian conflict, gas prices are rising at many stations in South Florida.
“I’ve traveled all over the United States,” says Stacey Williams. CBS Miami spoke to him as he was gassing up on the turnpike. He paid $66 for 20 gallons of diesel to fill his pickup truck. Williams has noted the fluctuations in fuel as he drives to locations for his work on turbines. He just spent three weeks at the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant south of Miami.
“The salary we get paid per hour does not add up to what we pay for gas, housing, and food,” he says.
Mitchell Gershon is also dealing with the higher gas prices. He has to fill three vehicles constantly for his business—Thrifty Gypsy, a pop-up store at musical venues. He’s back and forth from Orlando to Miami and says fuel is costing him 20% more. When asked how he handles these fluctuations, he said, “Have a little backup cash so you are ready for it.”
The rise in oil prices contributed to a drop in the stock market on Tuesday, which means some retirement accounts dipped, too. CBS Miami talked to Chad NeSmith, director of investments at Tobias Financial Advisors in Plantation, for perspective on the drop.
“We are seeing most of the pullback today. Yesterday was a shock,” he says. He’s not expecting runaway oil prices but says investors should stay in the loop: “Pay attention to your portfolio. Stick to your goals. Have a plan because these things are completely unpredictable.”
That unpredictability has Williams adjusting his budget. “You just cut back, cut corners, all you can do,” he says.
STARKE, Fla. (AP) — A man convicted of fatally shooting a police officer with his own service weapon during a traffic stop is set to be executed Tuesday evening in Florida.
Billy Leon Kearse, 53, is scheduled to receive a three-drug injection starting at 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison near Starke. Kearse was initially sentenced to death in 1991 after being convicted of first-degree murder and robbery with a firearm.
The Florida Supreme Court found that the trial court failed to give jurors certain information about aggravating circumstances and ordered a new sentencing. Kearse was resentenced to death in 1997.
Kearse awoke at 6:30 a.m. He declined a last meal and has remained compliant throughout the day, corrections spokesman Jordan Kirkland said during a news conference. Kearse met with a spiritual adviser during the day but had no other visitors.
This is Florida’s third execution scheduled for 2026, following a record 19 executions last year. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis oversaw more executions in a single year in 2025 than any other Florida governor since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. The highest number before then was eight executions in both 1984 and 2014, under former governors Bob Graham and Rick Scott, respectively.
According to court records, Fort Pierce Police Officer Danny Parrish pulled over Kearse for driving the wrong way on a one-way street in January 1991. When Kearse couldn’t produce a valid driver’s license, Parrish ordered Kearse out of his vehicle and attempted to handcuff him.
A struggle ensued, and Kearse grabbed Parrish’s firearm, prosecutors said. Kearse fired 14 times, striking the officer nine times in the body and four times in his body armor. A nearby taxi driver heard the shots and used Parrish’s radio to call for help.
Parrish was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died from the gunshot wounds, officials said. Meanwhile, police used license plate information that Parrish had called in before approaching Kearse to identify the attacker’s vehicle and home address, where Kearse was arrested.
Last week, the Florida Supreme Court denied appeals filed by Kearse. His attorneys had argued that he was unconstitutionally deprived of a fair penalty phase and that his intellectual disability makes his execution unconstitutional.
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Kearse’s final appeals Tuesday afternoon without comment.
A total of 47 people were executed in the U.S. in 2025. Florida led the way with a flurry of death warrants signed by DeSantis, far outpacing Alabama, South Carolina and Texas which each held five executions.
Besides the two Florida executions this year, Texas and Oklahoma have each executed one person so far.
Two more Florida executions have already been scheduled for this month. Michael Lee King, 54, is scheduled to die on March 17, and the execution of James Aren Duckett, 68, is set for March 31.
All Florida executions are carried out via lethal injection using a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.
STARKE, Fla. (AP) — A man convicted of fatally shooting a police officer with his own service weapon during a traffic stop is set to be executed Tuesday evening in Florida.
Billy Leon Kearse, 53, is scheduled to receive a three-drug injection starting at 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison near Starke. Kearse was initially sentenced to death in 1991 after being convicted of first-degree murder and robbery with a firearm.
The Florida Supreme Court found that the trial court failed to give jurors certain information about aggravating circumstances and ordered a new sentencing. Kearse was resentenced to death in 1997.
This is Florida’s third execution scheduled for 2026, following a record 19 executions last year. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis oversaw more executions in a single year in 2025 than any other Florida governor since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. The highest number before then was eight executions in both 1984 and 2014, under former governors Bob Graham and Rick Scott, respectively.
According to court records, Fort Pierce Police Officer Danny Parrish pulled over Kearse for driving the wrong way on a one-way street in January 1991. When Kearse couldn’t produce a valid driver’s license, Parrish ordered Kearse out of his vehicle and attempted to handcuff him.
A struggle ensued, and Kearse grabbed Parrish’s firearm, prosecutors said. Kearse fired 14 times, striking the officer nine times in the body and four times in his body armor. A nearby taxi driver heard the shots and used Parrish’s radio to call for help.
Parrish was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died from the gunshot wounds, officials said. Meanwhile, police used license plate information that Parrish had called in before approaching Kearse to identify the attacker’s vehicle and home address, where Kearse was arrested.
Last week, the Florida Supreme Court denied appeals filed by Kearse. His attorneys had argued that he was unconstitutionally deprived of a fair penalty phase and that his intellectual disability makes his execution unconstitutional.
Final appeals were pending Tuesday before the U.S. Supreme Court.
A total of 47 people were executed in the U.S. in 2025. Florida led the way with a flurry of death warrants signed by DeSantis, far outpacing Alabama, South Carolina and Texas which each held five executions.
Besides the two Florida executions this year, Texas and Oklahoma have each executed one person so far.
Two more Florida executions have already been scheduled for this month. Michael Lee King, 54, is scheduled to die on March 17, and the execution of James Aren Duckett, 68, is set for March 31.
All Florida executions are carried out via lethal injection using a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.
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