Latest news with #Patronis'
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
As the insurance crisis spiraled, did Florida bury consumer complaints?
TALLAHASSEE — In an extraordinary criticism of one state agency by another, Florida's Office of Insurance Regulation told legislators that a department led by then-Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis may have buried thousands of complaints Floridians made against property insurance companies. Patronis' office referred 5.2% of the property insurance complaints it received over a five-year period to regulators for possible violations of state law, indicating 'potential underreporting,' Florida's Office of Insurance Regulation wrote in newly disclosed memos obtained by the Times/Herald. That low referral rate made it harder for regulators to police the industry, the memos said. Consumers lodged more than 52,000 complaints against property insurers during the period. The memos, given to legislative leaders, were produced as part of a tug-of-war between two agencies and a bid to consolidate insurance oversight under one roof. Florida is the only state that splits insurance regulation between two agencies. The consolidation push began before this year's legislative session and after Patronis announced he was leaving to run for Congress. He won a special election to the Panhandle seat Tuesday after serving seven years as CFO. 'This bifurcation has hindered the state's ability to adequately protect consumers,' one of the memos says. The memos questioned the training of Patronis' employees, said that his office was missing complaints against pharmacy benefit managers and argued that consolidation would allow the state to better police insurers' use of affiliate companies. House and Senate leaders haven't endorsed the idea of consolidating insurance oversight, and it's not in legislation introduced this session. Spokespeople for House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, and Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, said they were open to the idea, however. On one side is the Office of Insurance Regulation. It handles insurers' rate filings, polices their conduct and determines when companies are insolvent. It's led by the state's insurance commissioner, Mike Yaworsky, who is appointed by the governor and Cabinet. On the other side is the Department of Financial Services. It oversees consumer insurance complaints, regulates insurance agents and takes over insolvent insurers. It's usually led by the elected chief financial officer, but that position is now vacant. The split dates to 2003, and it has rankled insurance commissioners ever since. Yaworsky for one is open to reform. He said he wanted 'a vigorous defense of consumers when they're approaching their state with an insurance problem.' 'I'm hoping that if there is discussion around this, whatever the outcome is, it leads to a really robust framework around ensuring that consumers are protected,' Yaworsky told the Times/Herald. Yaworsky spelled out in the memos the downsides of splitting regulation, saying his office can see what insurers are doing but often doesn't hear about consumer complaints. 'It has hindered the state's ability to evaluate and regulate the entire insurance market,' the memos state. Yaworsky has stepped up enforcement of the industry since DeSantis nominated him for the job in 2023. He's ordered insurers to stop gaming their rate increase requests to avoid public hearings, stopped them from hiring executives of failed companies and asked lawmakers for more enforcement powers. Yaworsky's memos questioned the quality of the complaints his office was being sent by the Department of Financial Services. The department is supposed to send complaints where companies might have violated state law. But of the complaints Yaworsky's office received, nearly half didn't name any violations, the memos said. Such a low rate was a 'likely indicator' that staff in Patronis' office is 'not adequately trained to identify violations,' the memos state. The 'issue is made even more stark,' the memos state, when looking at complaints pharmacists have made about pharmacy benefit managers, health care middlemen that have been blamed for skyrocketing drug prices. In 2024, pharmacists made 142 complaints to Patronis' department about pharmacy benefit managers. The department closed 34 and referred 11 to the Office of Insurance Regulation. It's not clear what happened with the rest. Meanwhile, the memos asserted, the department wasn't capturing complaints made by patients because the department wasn't coding them properly. Consolidating regulation would also give the Office of Insurance Regulation more oversight of insurers' affiliate companies, the office wrote. A 2022 analysis produced by the office and revealed by the Times/Herald last month found that insurance companies claimed to lose money between 2017 and 2019 while their affiliates made billions. The Department of Financial Services did not respond to questions by the Times/Herald about the memos. One reason why so few complaints are being forwarded to the Office of Insurance Regulation could be because Patronis' department doesn't investigate complaints if the homeowner has also sued their insurer. That fact isn't mentioned in the office's memos. Patronis historically took a light touch to the insurance industry. He did not come out in favor of Yaworsky fining an insurance company $1 million for Hurricane Ian violations last year. Patronis also pushed to seal records that would shed light about why insurance companies go out of business. His office was supposed to investigate claims by insurance adjusters who said the companies they worked for manipulated their estimates to lowball homeowners. But Patronis' office never brought charges against the companies and never released the records about his office's investigations. Two Republican state senators vying to replace Patronis said they saw the memos but had different conclusions. Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, called the lack of information-sharing 'very concerning.' 'By withholding some of that information, we're not doing what we are probably supposed to be doing,' he said. 'It's a disservice to the people who are making those complaints.' Ingoglia said he didn't know enough to say whether insurance regulation should be consolidated. Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, said he spoke to Patronis about the idea, who 'thought it was a mistake, really, on numerous fronts.' He said splitting regulation resulted in a 'checks and balances' of oversight. He said the Office of Insurance Regulation was making a 'power move' by trying to assume control. He said the office already had access to the state's complaint data. (Yaworsky said the data is 'problematic' and makes it 'difficult' for his office to find violations of law.) If anything, insurance regulation should be solely under the elected chief financial officer so 'that person can be held accountable,' Gruters said.
Miami Herald
04-04-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Florida insurance regulators question oversight by office run by newly elected U.S. rep
In an extraordinary criticism of one state agency by another, Florida's Office of Insurance Regulation told legislators that a department led by then-Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis may have buried thousands of complaints Floridians made against property insurance companies. Patronis' office referred 5.2% of the property insurance complaints it received over a five-year period to regulators for possible violations of state law, indicating 'potential underreporting,' Florida's Office of Insurance Regulation wrote in newly disclosed memos obtained by the Herald/Times. That low referral rate made it harder for regulators to police the industry, the memos said. Consumers lodged more than 52,000 complaints against property insurers during the period. The memos, given to legislative leaders, were produced as part of a tug-of-war between two agencies and a bid to consolidate insurance oversight under one roof. Florida is the only state that splits insurance regulation between two agencies. The consolidation push began before this year's legislative session and after Patronis announced he was leaving to run for Congress. He won a special election to the Panhandle seat Tuesday after serving seven years as CFO. 'This bifurcation has hindered the state's ability to adequately protect consumers,' one of the memos states. The memos questioned the training of Patronis' employees, said that his office was missing complaints against pharmacy benefit managers and argued that consolidation would allow the state to better police insurers' use of affiliate companies. House and Senate leaders haven't endorsed the idea of consolidating insurance oversight, and it's not in legislation introduced this session. Spokespeople for House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, and Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, said they were open to the idea, however. On one side is the Office of Insurance Regulation. It handles insurers' rate filings, polices their conduct and determines when companies are insolvent. It's led by the state's insurance commissioner, Mike Yaworsky, who is appointed by the governor and Cabinet. On the other side is the Department of Financial Services. It oversees consumer insurance complaints, regulates insurance agents and takes over insolvent insurers. It's usually led by the elected chief financial officer, but that position is now vacant. The split dates to 2003, and it has rankled insurance commissioners ever since. Yaworsky for one is open to reform. He said he wanted 'a vigorous defense of consumers when they're approaching their state with an insurance problem.' 'I'm hoping that if there is discussion around this, whatever the outcome is, it leads to a really robust framework around ensuring that consumers are protected,' Yaworsky told the Herald/Times. Yaworsky spelled out in the memos the downsides of splitting regulation, saying his office can see what insurers are doing but often doesn't hear about consumer complaints. 'It has hindered the state's ability to evaluate and regulate the entire insurance market,' the memos state. Yaworsky has stepped up enforcement of the industry since DeSantis nominated him for the job in 2023. He's ordered insurers to stop gaming their rate increase requests to avoid public hearings, stopped them from hiring executives of failed companies and asked lawmakers for more enforcement powers. Yaworsky's memos questioned the quality of the complaints his office was being sent by the Department of Financial Services. The department is supposed to send complaints where companies might have violated state law. But of the complaints Yaworsky's office received, nearly half didn't name any violations, the memos said. Such a low rate was a 'likely indicator' that staff in Patronis' office is 'not adequately trained to identify violations,' the memos state. The 'issue is made even more stark,' the memos state, when looking at complaints pharmacists have made about pharmacy benefit managers, health care middlemen that have been blamed for skyrocketing drug prices. In 2024, pharmacists made 142 complaints to Patronis' department about pharmacy benefit managers. The department closed 34 and referred 11 to the Office of Insurance Regulation. It's not clear what happened with the rest. Meanwhile, the memos asserted, the department wasn't capturing complaints made by patients because the department wasn't coding them properly. Consolidating regulation would also give the Office of Insurance Regulation more oversight of insurers' affiliate companies, the office wrote. A 2022 analysis produced by the office and revealed by the Herald/Times last month found that insurance companies claimed to lose money between 2017 and 2019 while their affiliates made billions. The Department of Financial Services did not respond to questions by the Herald/Times about the memos. One reason why so few complaints are being forwarded to the Office of Insurance Regulation could be because Patronis' department doesn't investigate complaints if the homeowner has also sued their insurer. That fact isn't mentioned in the office's memos. Patronis historically took a light touch to the insurance industry. He did not come out in favor of Yaworsky fining an insurance company $1 million for Hurricane Ian violations last year. Patronis also pushed to seal records that would shed light about why insurance companies go out of business. His office was supposed to investigate claims by insurance adjusters who said the companies they worked for manipulated their estimates to lowball homeowners. But Patronis' office never brought charges against the companies and never released the records about his office's investigations. Two Republican state senators vying to replace Patronis said they saw the memos but had different conclusions. Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, called the lack of information-sharing 'very concerning.' 'By withholding some of that information, we're not doing what we are probably supposed to be doing,' he said. 'It's a disservice to the people who are making those complaints.' Ingoglia said he didn't know enough to say whether insurance regulation should be consolidated. Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, said he spoke to Patronis about the idea, who 'thought it was a mistake, really, on numerous fronts.' He said splitting regulation resulted in a 'checks and balances' of oversight. He said the Office of Insurance Regulation was making a 'power move' by trying to assume control. He said the office already had access to the state's complaint data. (Yaworsky said the data is 'problematic' and makes it 'difficult' for his office to find violations of law.) If anything, insurance regulation should be solely under the elected chief financial officer so 'that person can be held accountable,' Gruters said.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Around 30K ‘My Safe Florida Home' program applicants still need to complete questionaire
State Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis on Thursday urged homeowners to complete forms needed to receive grants through the My Safe Florida Home hardening program, as more than $100 million remains on the table. A news release from Patronis' office said people have completed home inspections but have not submitted required information about their ages and incomes. 'There's over $100 million in existing My Safe Florida Home funds and about 30,000 inspected properties where the homeowner has not completed the age and income questionnaire,' Patronis said in a prepared statement. 'If you haven't done so already, it's critical to go online and provide this information as soon as possible. This lets the program know how to place applicants and provide grant funding opportunities. If you do not do this, you will not receive a grant.' The program, which prioritizes senior citizens and low-income people, offers inspections and grants up to $10,000 to help residents upgrade homes and qualify for property-insurance discounts. Since 2022, legislators have put about $600 million into the program's hurricane-mitigation grants, inspections and outreach efforts, including $200 million during the current fiscal year. You can find more information on how to apply or your finish your application and questionaire by clicking here. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Politico
14-03-2025
- Business
- Politico
A peek at TV spending for Gaetz's old seat
Presented by Good morning and happy Friday. The race for Florida's 1st Congressional District, the seat former Rep. MATT GAETZ (R-Fla.) vacated for a short-lived confirmation stretch to become President DONALD TRUMP's attorney general, is expected to be a slam-dunk for Trump-endorsed Republican JIMMY PATRONIS. The district is reliably conservative. But there's still been a good chunk of cash spent on TV ads in the Panhandle race set for April Fools' Day, according to data through March 25 from the tracking firm Ad Impact. For House leadership, the election can't come soon enough. Republicans are currently operating under a razor-thin GOP majority, making it difficult to quickly advance Trump's agenda. The data show the super PAC Conservative Future Fund led in spending, of $722,223 — even though the group hasn't spent any money on ads since the 10-way January 28 primary. Federal Election Commission records show $1.5 million was shifted to Conservative Future Fund in December from Keep Florida Free, a state committee previously connected to Patronis. Defend American Jobs, a network of super PACs that's funded by the cryptocurrency industry, bought $192,942 in ad time ahead of the primary. The group tends to fund industry-friendly Republicans. Patronis' personal financial disclosure shows his wife owns between $1,000 and $15,000 in Bitcoin, and he has urged the Florida's Board of Administration to add crypto to the state's pension portfolio. Patronis' campaign has spent $383,109 on TV ads so far, data show. His initial ad of the season, as Playbook reported first, showcased how Trump took to social media to urge him to run. The campaign of his Democratic opponent, GAY VALIMONT, has spent more than Patronis' campaign has on TV ads, totaling $420,717 so far. One of Valimont's ads went after Patronis over high property insurance costs, an issue that consistently ranks at the top of Floridians' concerns. Patronis' most recent ad is a response to that, accusing Valimont of running a 'dishonest, dirty campaign' and of being an 'extreme liberal.' (The ad received scrutiny from the Tampa Bay Times over whether Patronis supported a large fine for an insurance company.) Valimont's other ad of the season highlights the fact that the Panhandle has no VA hospitals despite having a high veteran population — forcing patients to drive to Mississippi for care or to go to a VA clinic that's overwhelmed and facing possible cuts under DOGE. 'The veterans are hurting here, and we are not interested in playing politics with their health care and their benefits,' said Valimont spokesperson KATHERINE JACKSON. 'We are focusing on listening to people, hearing those concerns. Gay's plan is to take them to Washington, DC and bring back real solutions to the district.' Valimont, who has worked in gun safety advocacy and faced family health tragedies, previously challenged Gaetz for the seat in the 2024 election, warning at the time that she didn't think he would serve out a full term if reelected. — Gary Fineout contributed. WHERE'S RON? Gov. DeSantis is holding a press conference at 10 a.m. in Palmetto with state Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget that Playbook should look at? Get in touch at: kleonard@ ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... HOT OFF THE PRESS — Florida Politics has unveiled its latest issue of INFLUENCE Magazine. YOU NEVER GIVE ME YOUR MONEY — State economists are scheduled to draw up new estimates today that will tell Florida legislators how much money the state is expected to have in its main bank account for the coming year. The general revenue fund is culled from several sources but primarily comes from the state's six percent sales tax. The new estimates will be used by lawmakers as they start coming up with a new budget between now and early May. These general revenue estimates can rise and fall based on the relative strength of the state's economy, including the health of the state's real estate market and the tourism industry. In recent years, the actual tax collections have largely exceeded the forecasts, but in January the state reported that general revenue collections were $31 million under, or 0.7 percent below, previous estimates. The new estimates are being drawn up during a period of uncertainty amid trade wars and talk about a potential recession. Legislative leaders have already put rank-and-file members on notice that they anticipate tighter controls on spending in the coming year — in part because Florida has spent down the billions in federal aid it received from Congress during the Covid-19 pandemic. But forecasts also show a need in key areas such as Medicaid and the fund that pays for state worker health insurance. — Gary Fineout TPS REVOCATION NEAR — 'While lawmakers on Capitol Hill try to find a way forward, Venezuelan Temporary Protected Status recipients in Florida and across the country are racing to find solutions before the April 7 expiration date,' reports POLITICO's Isa Domínguez. 'Cuban Republicans representing Venezuelan communities in South Florida have tried to broker a solution with the Trump administration in Congress. But the GOP-led Florida Legislature has not introduced legislation that would provide relief.' MAPMAKER, MAPMAKER — A panel of three federal judges was asked Thursday to toss a lawsuit that contends the Legislature illegally racially gerrymandered state Senate seats in the Tampa Bay area. The lawsuit was first filed nearly a year ago on behalf of a handful of Black and Hispanic residents of the area by the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and is scheduled to go to trial in early June. But during a nearly 90-minute hearing, lawyers for the state Senate and Secretary of State CORD BYRD argued there are multiple reasons the lawsuit should be rejected now. One of the main arguments: Those challenging the districts have not produced facts or evidence that demonstrate the districts were drawn illegally. The legal challenge centers on the district currently held by Democratic state Sen. DARRYL ROUSON, which includes minority neighborhoods in St. Petersburg but also pulls in communities in southern Hillsborough County on the other side of Tampa Bay. There is no bridge that directly connects these areas. The lawsuit contends this was done to lower the number of minority voters in an adjoining district held by a Republican state senator. The Senate's legal filings acknowledge race was considered to make sure that the districts complied with one of the standards that are part of the 'Fair Districts' requirements passed by voters in 2010. But the state's lawyers said Thursday the racial composition of the district was only looked at after the district's configuration was first drawn up. NICHOLAS WARREN, an ACLU attorney, contended the case should still be allowed to proceed to trial and asserted the Senate used race as its main justification for Rouson's district. The three judges did not rule Thursday, but some of their questioning suggests they were skeptical of the need to go to a trial. — Gary Fineout — 'Florida Healthy Kids doesn't work for many medically vulnerable kids, here's why,' by Joe Mario Pedersen of Central Florida Public Media. WATER AGENCY LEGISLATION — A state Senate committee bill would cap Everglades restoration funding about $48 million short of the governor's current budget request, South Florida Water Management District Executive Director DREW BARTLETT told his agency board Thursday. Bartlett also told the board all five of the state's water management districts and the governor's office are 'engaging' on the legislation, FL SB 7002 (25R). 'We want to make sure that — as we have for the last six years — [we] are able to be nimble, to advance projects, deal with changing conditions as we move forward to execute the construction of all these very important projects,' Bartlett said. Brodeur told POLITICO in February the Legislature wants more assurances that the districts are spending state money as intended. He complained about agency requests for projects that had been fully funded and should have been completed already. Brodeur's Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government advanced the bill last week by an 11-0 vote without debate or public comment, although Democrats on the panel raised questions about the bill. — Bruce Ritchie BILLS MOVING THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE … — The bill to preempt local regulations when building a presidential library cleared the state House State Affairs Committee on Thursday with little discussion but without Democratic support. State Rep. ANNA ESKAMANI (D-Orlando) questioned whether the bill took into account the possibility that the president might want to build an 'untraditional' library possibly including a hotel or casino and its sponsor, and state Rep. ALEX ANDRADE (R-Pensacola) replied it was geared only toward regulations on land use. — Kimberly Leonard — A bill filed by state Rep. TIFFANY ESPOSITO (R-Fort Myers) that would allow landlords to deliver notices to tenants through email cleared the House Civil Justice and Claims Subcommittee on Thursday. Opponents to the bill raised concerns that important notices could get lost in a flood of emails or be potentially mistaken for spam. — Isa Domínguez IN MEMORIAM — The Florida Senate convened Thursday to honor the late state Sen. GERALDINE THOMPSON (D-Orlando). Relatives and members of her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, attended as well. Thompson's colleagues recounted memories they shared with her on the floor. 'When I think about what she modeled — you know, whether you agree with her or disagree — she said, 'Never let your voice be silent, and it's a way to say what you got to say,'' state Sen. ROSALIND OSGOOD (D-Tamarac) said. — Isa Domínguez PENINSULA AND BEYOND — 'Tampa Bay Rays announce they won't move forward with stadium deal,' by Colleen Wright of the Tampa Bay Times. — 'Trump travel ban: 'no exceptions' for Cubans, Venezuelans. Other islands may join Haiti on list,' reports Nora Gámez Torres and Jacqueline Charles of the Miami Herald. — 'Venezuela to resume deportation flights from the U.S.,' by the Miami Herald's Antonio Maria Delgado. — 'Miami Beach mayor moves to end O Cinema lease after screening of Israeli-Palestinian film,' reports Lauren Costantino and Aaron Leibowitz of the Miami Herald. — 'NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 launch targets Friday at Cape Canaveral after Wednesday scrub,' reports Florida Today's Rick Neale. TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP TODAY — Former Vice President MIKE PENCE is speaking to the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches at noon at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. — 'Inside the Rubio-Musk relationship — and Rubio's survival strategy,' by POLITICO's Nahal Toosi. DATELINE D.C. ONE LESS FLORIDA MAN — The Trump White House pulled former Rep. DAVE WELDON's nomination Thursday, just before he was set to testify about becoming the next director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His vaccine skepticism contributed to the fact that senators weren't on track to confirm him, report POLITICO's Sophie Gardner, Lauren Gardner and Chelsea Cirruzzo. PUSH FOR NASA HQ — Sens. ASHLEY MOODY (R-Fla.) and RICK SCOTT (R-Fla.) filed legislation to relocate NASA headquarters to Florida's Space Coast. In a statement, Moody wrote the move would 'save taxpayers money, encourage collaboration with private space companies, and tap into Florida's talented workforce to spur further innovation.' For background: Moody and Scott are some of the more recent Florida GOP voices calling for NASA to consider the Sunshine State as its new home. But lawmakers from states such as Texas have also been lobbying for it. — Isa Domínguez ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN BIRTHDAY: Jimmy Loomis, Department of State special adviser and former defense and foreign policy adviser to former Rep. Stephanie Murphy … (Saturday) former state Sen. Audrey Gibson … Rep. Mike Haridopolos ... former state Sen. Chris Smith … (Sunday) Richard Corcoran, New College president and former House speaker … state Rep. Chip LaMarca.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
In TV ad, Florida CFO touts ‘largest' insurance fine that he didn't support
TALLAHASSEE — In a new TV ad for his congressional campaign, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis touts that he's 'the one person fighting for homeowners.' In fact, the ad states, 'he oversaw the largest fine in history against an insurance company.' The video included a Tampa Bay Times headline from last year about state regulators fining Tampa-based Heritage Insurance $1 million for how it treated homeowners after Hurricane Ian. Except, Patronis never explicitly came out in support of that fine when it was issued (and it wasn't the largest). The ad, 'Fighting for Homeowners‚' was for Patronis' race for Congressional District 1 in the western Panhandle. He faces a Democrat in the April 1 special election, which he's expected to easily win. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, not Patronis' Department of Financial Services, levied the fine against Heritage Insurance. The office found that the company was slow to respond to claims, slow to pay claims, used improperly licensed adjusters and kept poor records. The governor and the Florida Cabinet — of which the chief financial officer is a part — oversee the Office of Insurance Regulation. When the fine was announced, the Times/Herald asked Patronis' office for comment. His spokesperson had nothing to say about Heritage's behavior. Instead, he appeared critical the company was fined in the first place. 'Rather than sending more cash to state coffers, if there are more of these types of penalties, the CFO is interested in exploring legislative solutions where money goes back to policyholders through additional rate relief,' his spokesperson, Devin Galetta, said at the time. (The fine would have amounted to a refund of $6.66 for each of Heritage's 150,000 customers.) In 2013, state regulators fined Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Co. $1.3 million for wrongfully denying claims and shifting profits to affiliate companies. Heritage has been a major political donor in Florida, giving at least $2.3 million to Florida politicians and political committees since 2013. It also was a sponsor of DeSantis' reelection inauguration. Its lobbyist, Fred Karlinsky, is reportedly among Patronis' top advisers. At the time, Heritage CEO Ernie Garateix responded to the fine in a statement — sent by Patronis' longtime campaign manager, Melissa Stone. 'Our message to our policyholders is simple: We are committed to excellence and will never stop striving to improve,' Garateix said in the statement sent by Stone. Stone, representing Patronis on Tuesday, couldn't answer why Patronis' office was dismissive of the fine, yet appeared to support it in his television ad. She referred to the closing line of his ad: 'I'm Jimmy Patronis, and I approved this message.'
