Far-right Republican accused of stiffing student debate champion of $8,000

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A far-right Republican candidate in Florida’s governor’s race has been accused of stiffing a high school debate champion over the better part of $11,000 in scholarship money she won from a company he founded. Student Briana Whatley landed the awards as regional and national champion of Incubate Debate, a league-style competition set up by the candidate, James Fishback, to encourage youth to engage in political discourse. A recording posted to Substack by Fishback in May 2024 shows Whatley, now a second-year history student at Florida State University, accepting a $10,000 check for besting seven other finalists in the 2024 Incubate Debate national championship, adding to two $500 area awards she…

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