[New post] Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 4.24.23
Peter Schorsch posted: "Good Monday morning. With Gov. Ron DeSantis traveling abroad, it's time to get down to the business of crafting a state budget. House and Senate leaders agreed to top-line spending numbers, known as allocations, for each area of the budget, with both si" Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.
With Gov. Ron DeSantis traveling abroad, it's time to get down to the business of crafting a state budget.
House and Senate leaders agreed to top-line spending numbers, known as allocations, for each area of the budget, with both sides ready to spend $45.4 billion in general revenue in total.
Formal meetings between the chambers to hash out the details of the budget won't start until 9 a.m. today at the earliest and evening meetings won't start later than 8 p.m., according to a joint memo from House Speaker Paul Renner, a Palm Coast Republican, and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, a Naples Republican, sent to members Saturday.
It's budget go-time for Paul Renner and Katheen Passidomo.
"The House and Senate budgets were already aligned on many key issues, making for a smooth allocations process," the memo states. "The … allocations deliver fiscally responsible levels of funding that maintain historic reserves and allow for a record number of meaningful tax relief initiatives, while at the same time respecting the budget goals unanimously passed by each chamber and those identified by the Governor, Cabinet, and state agencies."
The agreements on allocations reflect general revenue spending only and don't consider federal spending or money that comes from trust funds. The total budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1 will likely be more than $115 billion.
During negotiations, conference meetings comprised of members of each chamber will meet, starting at the subcommittee level first. Unresolved issues will then "bump" to the full Budget Committees. A final agreement must be in place by May 2 for lawmakers to finish the Regular Session by its scheduled May 5 end date, due to the constitutionally required 72-hour "cooling off" period before the Legislature can vote on the budget.
Here's a breakdown of the general revenue funds available for each area of the budget:
PreK-12 Education — $14.2 billion.
Higher Education — $5.7 billion.
Health and Human Services — $15.1 billion.
Criminal and Civil Justice — $5.6 billion.
Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development — $1.46 billion.
Agriculture & Natural Resources — $1.6 billion.
State Administration, Technology and General Government — $708.3 million.
From the National Mall, to the Grand Canyon, to our newly-established National Monuments in Texas and Nevada, National Parks and Monuments are the identity of America.
Rumors of @RonDeSantisFL political demise are ridiculous. His appearance in #FITN last weekend was impressive, both on the substance and willingness to engage with voters the New Hampshire way #nhpolitics" Let the games begin. pic.twitter.com/1VMF4SK1MI
—@BryanDGriffin: We get it, @svdate. You're an activist who always puts agenda above journalism. That's why we don't answer your emails. For regular folks: @GovRonDeSantis will ensure FL files the std. paperwork to ensure flood victims can have access to the fed. emerg. relief we all pay for.
—@JaredEMoskowitz: It's time for Term Limits in Congress and the Senate. Can't be too short otherwise all the power will go to the Bureaucracy
— DAYS UNTIL —
DeSantis speaks at the Jerusalem Post and Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem 'Celebrate the Faces of Israel' event — 3; 'White House Plumbers' premieres — 7; 2023 Session Sine Die — 11; 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' premieres — 11; Florida Chamber 2023 Leadership Conference on Safety, Health & Sustainability — 15; Florida TaxWatch's Spring Meeting — 24; 'Fast X' premieres — 24; Martin Scorsese's 'Killers of the Flower Moon' premieres at Cannes — 26; Florida Chamber 2023 Florida Prosperity & Economic Opportunity Solution Summit — 33; NBA Finals begin — 38; 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' premieres — 38; 'The Flash' premieres — 52; 'Secret Invasion' premieres on Disney+ — 58; Florida Chamber 2023 Florida Learners to Earners Workforce Solution Summit — 64; 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny' premieres — 66; 'Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning — Part One' premieres — 81; Florida Chamber 37th Annual Environmental Permitting Summer School — 87; Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer' premieres — 92; 'Captain Marvel 2′ premieres — 99; Beyoncé's 'Renaissance' tour in Tampa — 113; 2023 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum — 182; 'Dune: Part Two' premieres — 196; Ridley Scott's 'Napoleon' premieres — 211; South Carolina Democratic Primary — 277; New Hampshire and Nevada Democratic Primaries — 291; Georgia Democratic Primary — 296; Michigan Democratic Primary — 308; 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' Part 2 premieres — 341; 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' premieres — 396; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games — 459; 'Thunderbolts' premieres — 459; Georgia Tech to face Florida State in 2024 opener in Dublin — 488; 'Blade' reboot premieres — 501; 'Deadpool 3' premieres — 566; 'Fantastic Four' reboot premieres — 712; 'Avengers: The Kang Dynasty' premieres — 739; 'Avengers: Secret Wars' premieres — 928.
That — along with his double-digit lead over his nearest potential GOP rival, DeSantis — makes Trump the clear front-runner in the early race for the Republican presidential nomination.
Despite his legal problems, Republicans stubbornly cling to Donald Trump.
The Republican Party's continued enthusiasm for Trump stands in contrast to an anxious nation's displeasure with how the 2024 race is shaping up. Substantial majorities of Americans don't want Trump or President Joe Biden to run for President in 2024, setting up a potentially divisive and uninspiring General Election rematch between the two men, with Biden expected to launch his re-election bid in the coming days.
And half those who don't want Biden, 80, to run say the President's age is a "major" reason.
Despite the indictment against him and the other investigations into his conduct, Trump leads the NBC News poll's first national trial heat of the Republican presidential race.
Forty-six percent of Republican Primary voters pick Trump as their first choice, while 31% select DeSantis as the 2024 candidate they favor.
— DESANTISY LAND —
"Ron DeSantis seeks federal aid for Fort Lauderdale flood victims" via The Associated Press — DeSantis said Saturday that he will ask the Biden administration to declare Broward County a disaster area due to flooding earlier this month after record rainfall. If granted, the declaration would make Broward residents who incurred damage to their homes and other property eligible for a wide range of loans and other assistance. Local governments would also be eligible. More than 2 feet of rain fell in some parts of the county April 12. The 1-in-1,000-year deluge left some parts of the county with up to 3 feet of water. About 1,000 homes were severely damaged.
"DeSantis faces Republican scrutiny on issues while Trump skates by" via Maggie Haberman of The New York Times — When Trump called Russia's President, Vladimir Putin, "smart" in the days after Putin's invasion of Ukraine, the remark caused a brief media stir and nothing more, another off-the-cuff, provocative statement from someone who is famous for such comments. But when DeSantis painted the fight in far less extreme terms, as a "territorial dispute," the reaction from Republicans in Washington and a range of donors was alarm and anger. A defining characteristic of Trump as a political figure has been that he is graded on something of a curve, his more outrageous comments striking some voters as musings rather than as deeper views on policy.
Republicans, especially donors, hold different standards for Ron DeSantis.
"In Fort Myers, Trump flogs DeSantis for bad poll numbers" via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Trump spent Friday night serving up slams to DeSantis in a county where 69% of people voted for him just last year. At the Lee County Lincoln Reagan Dinner in Fort Myers, dinner was served before the former President spoke, but it was clear that for Trump, DeSantis was the main course. Trump noted he received "1.2 million more votes than your successful Governor's campaign." Then, for the first time at a home state event, Trump launched into a mockery of DeSantis begging for his endorsement. "Sir. I'd love to have your support, sir. I'd love to have your support. I'm down at about 3%. I'd love to have your support."
"FBI and DOJ are not 'independent,' DeSantis says; Republican President must use 'proper oversight'" via Eric Daugherty of Florida's Voice — DeSantis decried the notion that the FBI and DOJ are "independent" governmental agencies, which his campaign described as a "mainstream talking point." The Governor appeared on the Larry P. Arnn Show. "There's always been an assumption, for example, that agencies like the DOJ and FBI are quote 'independent,'" he said. "That's like, Washington speak. 'Oh, these are, these are independent, the President can't be involved in those agencies.'" "What they're saying is they think they should be unaccountable," DeSantis said.
"Benjamin Netanyahu says he will meet with DeSantis in Israel" via Gabe Gutierrez of NBC News — Netanyahu said he'd "of course" meet with DeSantis during a high-profile trade mission as the Florida Governor weighs a presidential bid. "Of course," he said when asked if he'd meet with the Governor. "I'll meet with everyone. Why not? I meet with Republican Governors and Democratic Governors. I'm not avoiding the question, and actually I'm rushing right into it … I think it's my job, and I think it's important for Israel's bipartisan support in the United States. I make a point of it."
"'Utah, like Florida, is where freedom works,' DeSantis tells Utah GOP during keynote speech" via Bryan Schott of The Salt Lake Tribune — A month ago, when he was announced as the keynote speaker for the Utah Republican Party's 2023 organizing convention, DeSantis' political star was rising. Fast forward to Saturday. DeSantis is still expected to run for president next year, but his prospects are significantly dimmer. Polls show Trump has opened up a significant lead over DeSantis, and enthusiasm for DeSantis among donors has cooled dramatically. "I'm not like some of these Republicans who get into office and act like potted plants. We are going on offense. I'm not going to let the left define the terms of the debate. I'm not going to let the media bully me," DeSantis said.
"Trump rolls out 'the real DeSantis playbook'" via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Trump addressed Lee County Republicans Friday night, a speech prefaced by new campaign email critical of DeSantis. "The Real Ron DeSantis Playbook" depicts the "complete and total delinquency and destruction" that allegedly is Florida under the current Governor's watch. "The real DeSantis record is one of misery and despair. He has left a wake of destruction all across Florida and people are hurting because he has spent more time playing public relations games instead of actually doing the hard work needed to improve the lives of the people he represents," said Trump representative Steven Cheung.
"Adam Laxalt to Chair DeSantis super PAC" via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — An old friend of DeSantis will lend a hand to the Governor's 2024 political efforts. Shelby Talcott of Semafor confirms that Laxalt is going to Chair the NEVER BACK DOWN super PAC supporting an expected Presidential campaign from DeSantis. The report was not entirely unsurprising. Laxalt, a longtime friend and former roommate of the Governor, enjoyed the Governor's support in his failed 2022 bid for Senate. Talcott notes that founder Ken Cuccinelli will remain in his role as founder of the PAC, which would seemingly be hard to relinquish. There will be no change to what he does.
"'Steel': DeSantis super PAC ad targets Trump, Dr. Anthony Fauci" via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — A super PAC backing DeSantis for President contrasts the Governor's "steel" with something less impressive from Trump. The 60-second "Steel" hits a number of points but is predicated on a central image: a picture of a White man in a hard hat watching Trump and Fauci talking COVID-19 mitigation strategies. "Steel isn't forged overnight. But after all the mining, blasting and casting is done, it's strong. It lasts," a tough-talking narrator intones.
"New Disney penalties hint at DeSantis' punitive streak" via Emily L. Mahoney of the Tampa Bay Times — DeSantis has promised that Disney won't get the last word. A year into his tangle with one of his state's largest employers, the Governor this week announced new penalties against the company, which defied his attempt to strip some of its self-governing powers. Increased property taxes, more oversight over Disney World rides and even building a state prison near the theme park were all possible, DeSantis said. "Ultimately, we're going to win on every single issue involving Disney," DeSantis said earlier this month at Hillsdale College in Michigan, where he first floated the idea of upping the company's tax burden.
"Why is DeSantis so determined to keep taking on Disney?" via Steven Lemongello and Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel — DeSantis' war with Disney has some fellow Republicans questioning why he's spending so much time battling Florida's biggest name in its tourism industry. The yearlong squabble keeps growing as the Governor's presidential poll numbers plummet, and critics say he didn't react quickly enough to massive flooding and ensuing gasoline shortages in South Florida. DeSantis may be in too deep to stop, said Gregory Koger, a professor of Political Science at the University of Miami. "It's hard for him to back out," Koger said. "It's in his book as something that he's very proud of doing. And to fail at this, having picked this very public fight would really weaken his brand."
"DeSantis' plan to starve college diversity efforts advances in Florida" via Jack Stripling of The Washington Post — Months after DeSantis called for the dismantling of diversity, equity and inclusion programs across the state's public colleges and universities, lawmakers have advanced a pair of bills that would starve the programs of money and significantly restrict how race is discussed in many college classrooms. The legislation has provoked fierce opposition from academics and First Amendment advocates, who see in the bills a flagrant attempt by the state government to encroach on academic freedom. The bills have also spawned an at-times tense and emotional debate among lawmakers about whether the measures reflect a broader effort to silence discussions about racism in the United States.
"Pro-DeSantis group offers to pay for Trump to move from Florida to California" via Joseph Clark of The Washington Times — A political action committee backing DeSantis for a potential 2024 White House bid is offering to help Trump move out of Florida after the former President claimed that the state "continues to tumble into complete delinquency and destruction" under the Republican Governor's leadership. The group Never Back Down said they would cover the costs for Trump to move his Mar-a-Lago estate to California "so he can be close to his good buddy Gavin Newson, whom he loves so intensely and gets along with so well," referring to California's Democratic Governor.
"Florida GOP Chair won't take sides in DeSantis, Trump feud" via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Count Christian Ziegler out of the 2024 Primary fight between DeSantis and Trump. As Trump spoke in Lee County Friday, the Chair of the Republican Party of Florida pledged neutrality in the battle between Trump and DeSantis. "For the commentators: I am neutral in the potential Presidential showdown, but Pro-Florida always. I appreciate and have a great relationship with President Trump and Gov. DeSantis," Ziegler tweeted. "Both men have fundamentally transformed my state & our Republican Party for the better. Y'all can battle it in the Primary. I'll be focused on building the Florida GOP General Election machine for whomever the grassroots voters select and send to us," Ziegler added.
"Trump questions whether DeSantis is a 'good politician'" via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Trump is continuing to question DeSantis' political skills. In a Sunday night Truth Social post, Trump wonders if DeSantis is any good at politics at all, offering familiar support for his argument rooted in political help during the 2018 cycle. "So why would a very disloyal Ron DeSanctimonious be considered even a good politician? He was DONE when he came to see me, losing badly to Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam by insurmountable numbers," Trump said. "Ron was performing poorly as a candidate, getting beaten at every turn, when he asked (begged!) me for my Endorsement, which I gave him," Trump added.
— LEGISLATIVE —
"Fights, camera, action! House panel clashes over film tax breaks" via Gray Rohrer of Florida Politics — A lengthy bill to overhaul and dismantle much of Florida's economic development programs passed through its last House Committee, but most of the debate centered on the move in a separate bill to ax one program: a tax rebate for film and entertainment productions. The main bill (HB 5) would rename the Department of Economic Opportunity as the Department of Commerce, move VISIT FLORIDA, a public-private tourism marketing group, into that agency and eliminate state authority for Enterprise Florida, the state's main public-private economic development organization.
Tiffany Esposito's bill would cause some big shake-ups in economic development programs.
"Florida House OKs bill aimed at curbing hate speech on private property" via Christie Zizo of Click Orlando — In a particularly rancorous Florida Legislative Session, one bill brought everyone in the Florida House together; it was aimed at stopping the growing number of hateful messages being distributed in neighborhoods and projecting onto buildings. The House unanimously passed HB 269 on Thursday, also known as the public nuisances bill. It also had unanimous sponsorship. It prohibits people from distributing any material onto public property to intimidate, threaten or harass people who are wearing anything that identifies their religious or ethnic heritage, and makes those violations hate crimes.
"DeSantis weakens Florida death-penalty rules after Parkland. This is revenge, not justice" via The Miami Herald editorial board — DeSantis signed into law a bill that allows an 8-4 vote of a jury to inflict society's most terrible of punishments. Florida has required a unanimous jury since 2016. And after the Parkland verdict, DeSantis vowed to change the law. The new law leaves in place the ability for a judge to override the death penalty. It's likely to be challenged in court. But its passage cannot be separated from DeSantis and his White House hopes. The outcome of the Parkland case is gut-wrenching. But the answer isn't exacting revenge by lowering the bar in other cases.
— MORE LEGISLATIVE —
"House, Senate reach top-line budget numbers, set to begin spending talks" via Gray Rohrer of Florida Politics — House and Senate leaders agreed to top-line spending numbers, known as allocations, for each area of the budget, with both sides ready to spend $45.4 billion in general revenue in total. Formal meetings between the chambers to hash out the details of the budget won't start until 9 a.m. Monday at the earliest and evening meetings won't start later than 8 p.m. The agreements on allocations reflect general revenue spending only, and don't take into account federal spending or money that comes from trust funds. The total budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1 will likely be more than $115 billion.
"Legislature approves giving charter school students more choice on where to play sports" via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — New terms of engagement for school sports await the Governor's signature as legislation that allows charter school students to play in private school sports and other extracurriculars passed the legislative finish line. Every member of the House voted for legislation (SB 190) that was substituted for the identical House bill (HB 259). If DeSantis agrees, it would allow charter school students across Florida to "develop an agreement to participate at a private school … in any interscholastic extracurricular activity of that school." The bill also allows Florida Virtual School students to do the same.
"House passes bill on Osborne Reef as Senate version heads to floor" via Wes Wolfe of Florida Politics — The House has approved a plan to get some momentum behind the effort to remove hundreds of thousands of tires from the ocean, while its companion bill cleared its final Senate Committee this week. "Members, by pressing the green button, it's not if, but when, you'll visit beautiful District 100 and get into our blue Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Fort Lauderdale in the years to come and enjoy our beautiful coral reefs, like the Osborne Reef, created by God or created by us," Lighthouse Point Republican Rep. Chip LaMarca said.
Florida is hoping to tidy up Osborne Reef.
"Legislature puts a pin in proposal to ban outdoor balloon releases" via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Sen. Jason Pizzo floated it as something of a test for bipartisanship in the Legislature. The response, or lack thereof, may be deflating. Lawmakers this year have given no play to legislation Pizzo sponsored with Rep. Linda Chaney that would have banned the intentional outdoor release of commercially sold balloons. Neither the Senate nor the House version of the measure (SB 1512, HB 91) received a single hearing. Now 45 days into Session, Subcommittees are no longer meeting and bills that have yet to be introduced typically won't be.
"Badly wounded ex-Broward deputy can't get damages claim from Legislature" via Jeffrey Schweers of the Orlando Sentinel — Time has run out this Session for former Broward Sheriff's Deputy Maury Hernandez, who has tried for years to get the state to pay him $10 million for his medical bills and lost wages after being critically wounded during a traffic stop shooting 16 years ago. Hernandez was shot in the head twice, leaving him permanently disabled, partially paralyzed on his left side and unable to work. Hernandez flew up from South Florida earlier this month to meet with the Governor's Office and legislative leaders to drum up support for his case. He came away feeling encouraged that after three previous attempts to get relief, this would be the year he finally got paid for his long suffering.
"GOP lawmaker leading Florida legislature's effort to rein in Disney was a company stockholder until the DeSantis feud" via Kimberly Leonard of Business Insider — A key Florida lawmaker helping DeSantis claw back control of Walt Disney World's special tax district was once a Walt Disney Co. investor, annual disclosures show. The most recently available annual financial disclosure document for GOP Sen. Blaise Ingoglia shows that he held nearly $20,000 in shares of the Walt Disney World Company at the end of 2021. Asked about the stock holding, the senator told Insider that he sold the shares after Disney vowed it would work to overturn the Parental Rights in Education Act.
— MORE FROM CAPITOL —
"Safe buildings start with developers, contractors. DeSantis must veto SB 360" via Jay Roberts for NWF Daily News — Last year, the Florida Legislature passed SB 4-D with the stated purpose of safeguarding the millions of Floridians living in older multifamily buildings. Known as the Condo Safety Law, SB 4-D requires periodic engineering inspections for buildings three stories and higher and mandates that associations reserve funds to pay for ongoing maintenance and repair projects. How did the Florida Legislature this Session pass SB 360, a bill which extinguishes homeowner rights and destroys developer/contractor accountability for the work they perform? The net effect if SB 360 passes will be the imposition of a massive financial burden on the people who are least able to afford it-individual association members.
"Randy Fine reports antisemitic flyer dropped at his home" via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — Rep. Fine reported on Twitter that his son found birthday greetings for Adolf Hitler on his Brevard County driveway in a manner that mirrored similar antisemitic droppings in South Florida neighborhoods that are heavily Jewish. Fine, who regularly references growing up Jewish on the House floor and in Committee, posted a photo of the flyer showing Hitler, his date of birth, April 20, 1889, and a clip art birthday cake. He said it was in a plastic bag weighed down with rocks Saturday morning. "My 11-year-old son found this …" Fine tweeted about the flyer that also said in all caps under Hitler's picture, "Died fighting the eternal enemy, the Jews."
Randy Fine gets another glimpse of the hate that's out there.
"'Terrified': Chinese protesters tell Florida lawmakers bill threatens their 'American dream'" via Douglas Soule and Alaijah Brown of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — There were tears. There were yells. There were more than 100 people who signed up to testify against a bill they say will discriminate against Florida's Chinese community. Most of them, a mix of Chinese Americans and visa and green card holders, came from around the state to protest at the Capitol Wednesday, driving, bussing and even flying in. Echo King, from China herself and an Orlando immigration attorney, says such public demonstrations within her community are rare. It's a testament, she said, to how worried they are over the legislation.
"Florida wants to bar schools from talking about menstruation. What would Judy Blume say?" via Jennifer Weiss-Wolf of The Los Angeles Times — The film "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret," an adaptation of Blume's iconic 1970 book about preteen firsts. A new bill preventing discussion of periods wouldn't just censor health teachers. It would have broad and probably unintended effects across many facets of education, such as literature, history and civics. Even Anne Frank's "The Diary of a Young Girl" could be barred solely for its references to menstruation. Blume herself initially weighed in with a simple tweet: "Sorry, Margaret." She later issued a full-throated rebuke of the politics behind the proposal, wishing Florida lawmakers "good luck" in their attempts to police girls in elementary school.
"Six local officials back Jon Carter for HD 94" via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Staffer-turned-political aspirant Carter now has six locally elected officials formally backing his bid to succeed Rep. Rick Roth in House District 94. Carter's campaign announced the endorsements of Palm Beach County Commissioner Sara Baxter, Pahokee Commissioners Juan Gonzalez and Sara Perez, and Loxahatchee Vice Mayor Robert Shorr. All serve communities in HD 94, which covers a large portion of inland Palm Beach County. Boynton Beach Vice Mayor Tom Turkin and Lake Clarke Shores Council member John Maples, whose municipalities are in House Districts 90 and 89, respectively, also gave Carter a nod.
— House Commerce Committee: Noon, Room 212, Knott Building.
— House Health & Human Services Committee: Noon, Room 17, House Office Building.
— Senate Rules: 1 p.m., Room 412, Knott Building. The agenda includes SB 262 Technology Transparency, SB 298 Telehealth Practice Standards, SB 312 Insurance; SB 376 Automatic Sealing of Criminal History Records and Making Confidential Related Court Records; SB 424 Time Limitations for Prosecution of Certain Sexual Battery Offenses; SB 477 Term Limits for District School Board Members; SB 496 Electronic Monitoring of Persons Charged with or Convicted of Offenses Involving Schools or Students; SB 512 Building Construction; SB 516 Motor Vehicle Liability Policies; SB 564 Interchange Fees on Taxes; SB 568 Assault or Battery on Hospital Personnel; SB 712 Motor Vehicle Sales; SB 718 Municipal Boundaries; SB 760 Wrecker and Towing-storage Operators; SB 994 Public Nuisances; SB 1308 Telephone Solicitation; SB 1310 Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements; SB 1318 Spaceflight Entity Liability; SB 1334 Battery by Strangulation; SB 1586 Residential Tenancies; SB 1648 Public Records/Investigations by the Department of Legal Affairs; SB 1686 Designation of Brevard Barrier Island Area as an Area of Critical State Concern; SB 7064 Human Trafficking
— House Rules Committee: 5:15 p.m., Room 404, House Office Building.
— Senate Special Order Calendar Group: 6:15 p.m., Room 401 Senate Office Building.
— STATEWIDE —
"Agency for Health Care Administration announces leadership shake-up" via Caden DeLisa of The Capitolist — The state Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) announced a series of changes in leadership positions Friday evening, as confirmed by the organization. The agency's leadership team beginning Monday will be comprised of Stefan Grow as incoming Chief of Staff, Brock Juarez as the Assistant Deputy Secretary of Health Care Transparency and Provider Outreach, Kristin Sokolowski as the Deputy Chief of Staff of Medicaid and Procurement, and Sketch Piers as the Director of External Affairs and Provider Outreach. Last March, Juarez was announced as AHCA's Communications Director, joining the agency following a stint with the Florida Healthy Kids Association.
After a major restructuring at the AHCA, Stefan Grow is the new Chief of Staff.
"State issues emergency rule to ease gas crunch in wake of South Florida floods" via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson issued an emergency rule to help ease the fuel shortage caused by South Florida's flooding. A news release the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services issued blamed the feds for the holdup. "Florida finally receives waiver requested by Gov. DeSantis and Commissioner Simpson," the release says. Earlier this month, a meteorological event that is being called a "rain bomb" shattered the state's record for rainfall within a 24-hour period. The deluge closed Port Everglades for 36 hours. The port is the hub for 40% of the state's gasoline distribution.
"Arcturus COVID-19 strain invades Florida. And where did the name come from?" via Chris Persaud of The Palm Beach Post — As COVID-19-positive patients continue leaving Florida's hospitals, the latest viral variant thought to cause pink eye has been spreading in the state. Meanwhile, state health officials have yet to resume weekly reporting of case and death data to the federal CDC. A dozen cases of arcturus, a coronavirus strain that appears to be linked to pink eye infections, have been found in Florida so far.
"Thousands of Florida students are in jeopardy of not graduating. Districts plead with state." via Ana Goñi-Lessan of the Tallahassee Democrat — Florida school districts are pleading with the state to delay an increase in graduation requirements, a move that would fail thousands of students who have suffered from learning loss due to the pandemic. Superintendents have sent letters to the Florida Legislature, asking them to postpone the increase in required SAT and ACT scores, which can be used to meet graduation requirements if the student didn't pass their 10th grade state assessments. Districts have implemented last-minute Hail Mary attempts to hurriedly pass struggling seniors.
"NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell to depart after probe into improper conduct" via Joe Flint of The Wall Street Journal — Shell is departing after an investigation into a complaint of inappropriate conduct, a stunning fall for an executive who pushed for sweeping changes at the media giant as it entered the streaming era. Shell's exit, effective immediately, was announced Sunday by parent company Comcast Corp., where he has worked for roughly two decades. "I had an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the company, which I deeply regret," Shell said in a statement. "I'm truly sorry I let my Comcast and NBCUniversal colleagues down."
"A hurricane kills your power. How do you charge your electric vehicle? FPL has a solution." via Hannah Morse of The Palm Beach Post — If a hurricane causes an extended power outage, most Floridians are able to brave long lines at the gas station to refill their cars and even get fuel to power some home essentials with the help of a generator. Without a home solar system or functioning charging stations, what is an electric car driver to do? Florida Power & Light unveiled its own mobile electric-vehicle charging station to be used during hurricane evacuations, in areas with power outages and in other scenarios. FPL's 39-foot mobile trailer can be sent out into communities to fast-charge up to six cars at a time with a 1.3-megawatt battery, which has the capacity to offer roughly 4,000 miles of range.
— D. C. MATTERS —
"Special forces swiftly evacuate U.S. embassy staff from Sudan" via The Associated Press — U.S. special operations forces carried out a precarious evacuation of the American embassy in warring Sudan on Sunday, sweeping in and out of the capital, Khartoum, with helicopters on the ground for less than an hour. No shots were fired and no major casualties were reported. With the last U.S. employee of the embassy out, Washington shuttered the U.S. mission in Khartoum indefinitely. Left behind were thousands of private American citizens remaining in the east African country.
"In Florida, Kamala Harris announces $562M for climate resilience" via Curt Anderson of The Associated Press — Returning to Florida to discuss climate change, Vice President Harris announced Friday that $562 million will be spent on 149 projects around the country aimed at improving resilience to threats such as rising seas and the kinds of coastal flooding that recently slammed the southeast part of the state. Harris outlined the funding plan during an appearance at the University of Miami, where she also toured a lab immersed in coral restoration work and a hurricane simulator capable of generating Category 5-strength winds of more than 157 mph.
Kamala Harris is touting a major federal investment in climate resilience.
"Supreme Court maintains abortion pill access for now as legal fight continues" via Alice Miranda Ollstein and Josh Gerstein of POLITICO — Access to a widely used abortion pill will remain at current levels for the time being, the Supreme Court ruled Friday in a decision staving off sweeping restrictions ordered by lower courts. The high court's decision keeps the drug, mifepristone, available for now, but the legal battle over the drug, which has become the most common method of abortion nationwide, could drag on for months if not years to come. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented from the Supreme Court's action, which prevents earlier rulings from a Texas-based judge and a federal appeals court from taking effect.
"Marco Rubio claims China bigger threat than USSR was" via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Sen. Rubio is sounding the alarm about China, and what he claims is an inability from the White House to deal with the existential threat. The perennial China hawk again offered grim warnings. "In the history of the world, no country has ever invested so much money so fast in undermining and overtaking the United States. The Soviet Union didn't have that money. No one else has ever done it. This is the biggest challenge we have ever faced," Rubio said Friday night. The Senator noted the warnings are nothing new.
"Rubio warns of a credibility gap at the CDC" via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Rubio worries that Americans may not have faith in the federal CDC in the wake of the agency's response to COVID-19. "When we have hurricanes heading to Florida, and the National Hurricane Center says a hurricane is coming toward Florida, nobody doubts the National Hurricane Center. Imagine if they did, and people didn't prepare," Rubio said. "That's how we need to have the CDC operate."
— EPILOGUE TRUMP —
"Pandemonium erupts when Trump visits DHOP in downtown Fort Myers after speaking event" via Justin Kase and Paul Dolan of WINK — Between the Music Walk, Trump's visit, and the surprise stop at Downtown House of Pizza, downtown Fort Myers was in a frenzy Friday night. Many people are talking about the surprising unscheduled stop DHOP. It was chaotic as people rushed to the Downtown House of Pizza's entrance once they noticed Trump's escort of vehicles pulled up to the front. Over 100 people pushed and shoved closer as Trump exited his vehicle. Everyone was crammed in, standing shoulder to shoulder with phones, ready to get one picture or a short video of Trump.
Trump creates mayhem in Fort Myers.
"Trump defends push to restrict abortion rights after rebuke" via The Associated Press — Trump, stinging from a rebuke by the nation's leading anti-abortion group, used a speech Saturday before influential evangelicals in Iowa to spotlight his actions as Rresident to try to restrict abortion rights. Chief among the accomplishments Trump listed were his nominations of three conservative judges to the U.S. Supreme Court. The appointments paved the way for the overturning last year of the landmark Roe. v. Wade ruling, which had affirmed a federal right to abortion.
"Trump team says DeSantis' Florida 'among the worst' states to work, retire or raise a family" via Zac Anderson of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — "The real DeSantis record is one of misery and despair," Trump representative Steven Cheung said in a campaign email Friday. "He has left a wake of destruction all across Florida and people are hurting because he has spent more time playing public relations games instead of actually doing the hard work needed to improve the lives of the people he represents." The state's affordability crisis is highlighted in the campaign email, along with low teacher pay, a lack of elder abuse protections and low economic opportunity.
— 2024 —
"Why Joe Biden world cares — a lot — about when he announces his re-election" via Christopher Cadelago, Holly Otterbein and Jonathan Lemire of POLITICO — Biden's notorious dithering has again been put on vivid display around the exhaustive questions about the timing of his re-election announcement. But it's not just the President who sees the pluses and minuses of launching a full campaign roughly 18 months out from the November presidential election. Inside the White House, and even among his tight-knit circle, there's been disagreement over when to formally commence.
Joe Biden is planning for his re-election, but when?
"Will Biden face a Democratic challenger?" via Ross Douthat of The New York Times — Right now there's no clear opening for a major rival to replace Biden as the Democratic nominee. But with the President's numbers consistently lousy, with a clear plurality of Democrats preferring that the President doesn't run again, and with Biden scuffling in New Hampshire polling, there is room for somebody with less to lose to try to run the same play as Eugene McCarthy in 1968 or Pat Buchanan in 1992 or, for that matter, Bernie Sanders in 2016, to offer themselves as a protest candidate, to either channel hidden grievances or discover, through their campaign, what those grievances might be.
"Biden should take voters' concerns about age seriously" via The New York Times editorial board — Only 47% of Democrats want to see Biden on the ballot in 2024. That's not because they think he's done a bad job in office. Democrats tend to like Biden and continue to give him good marks on handling the economy and foreign policy. But many Democrats, particularly younger ones, are worried that he will simply be too old to be effective in a second term, which would end when he is 86. "My problem with him running in 2024 is that he's just so old," one Democrat told pollsters.
"Another Biden-Trump presidential race in 2024 looks more likely" via Ken Thomas and Aaron Zitner of The Wall Street Journal — America could be headed for an epic rematch. Biden is expected to announce his re-election campaign this week, putting to rest questions of whether he will seek a second term as the nation's first octogenarian president. At the same time, polls show Trump with a substantial lead in the Republican presidential field despite facing criminal charges in New York and the potential for more legal problems on the horizon.
"In Iowa, Mike Pence draws direct contrast with Trump on abortion" via Dylan Wells of The Washington Post — Pence sought to draw a direct contrast with Trump over abortion, rejecting the idea that laws on the procedure should be left solely to each state as he spoke at an event featuring current and prospective presidential candidates. Pence, who has made moves toward entering the Republican Primary against the President under whom he served, directly referenced Trump in comments about abortion to reporters. "I do think it's more likely that this issue is resolved at the state level, but I don't agree with the former President, who says this is a states-only issue," said Pence.
"Why Trump is beating DeSantis among D.C. Republicans" via Isaac Chotiner of New Yorker — Last week, DeSantis went to Washington, D.C., where he met with a group of Republican lawmakers to try to shore up support. One of them, Rep. Lance Gooden, of Texas, made an endorsement shortly afterward, for Trump. "I reached out to a couple of his emissaries starting back in the fall and basically told them, "I've been a supporter of Trump. I am undecided. I want to really do my due diligence." And I remember one of them saying, "Well, he's going to start taking meetings probably in December or January." And that really rubbed me the wrong way. I thought, Is he a king? Meanwhile, President Trump — I hear from him, he texts, he calls, he says, "If you're in South Florida, let me know. Stop by. I want to see you." He's very warm, and he's very accessible."
"New wave of GOP candidates poised to join 2024 campaign" via Jill Colvin of The Associated Press — The opening phase of the Republican Presidential Primary has largely centered on the escalating collision between Trump and DeSantis. But a new wave of GOP White House hopefuls will begin entering the 2024 race as soon as this coming week after a monthslong lull. They include former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who will formally launch his campaign Wednesday. Former Vice President Pence has said he will finalize his plans in "weeks, not months." He has kept a busy schedule of early state visits and policy speeches as aides have discussed details of an announcement including dates as early as May, but more likely in June. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who has formed a presidential exploratory committee, is expected to join the race in a similar period.
Asa Hutchinson is throwing his hat in the ring for 2024.
"Another 2024 hopeful says DeSantis isn't 'conservative' on Disney" via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Yet another potential 2024 opponent says that when it comes to The Walt Disney Co., Florida's Governor is not truly conservative. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson was the latest likely candidate for President to pillory DeSantis for punitive actions against Disney. "Well, I don't believe whether you're on the left or the right of the political spectrum that we, the government should not be telling businesses what they can and cannot do in terms of speech. And, however you describe it, it appears to me that the Governor did not like what Disney was doing in terms of what they were saying and exercising speech. So, they're being punished," Hutchinson said.
"Cory Mills raises $160K in first quarter as freshman Congressman" via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — U.S. Rep. Mills pulled in almost $160,000 in his first quarter as a sitting Congressman. That comes after he flipped a district red, aided by the redistricting process shifting it to a Republican-leaning jurisdiction. His first quarter haul includes a $50,000 loan put in by the Winter Garden Republican himself. But Mills has good reason to raise capital. He won an open seat representing Florida's 7th Congressional District, defeating Karen Green in November with about 56% of the vote.
"Dan Franzese wants a rematch with Lois Frankel" via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — The Republican who garnered 45% of the vote against one of Palm Beach County's longest-serving politicians in the recent Midterm congressional contest is taking on U.S. Rep. Frankel again as she aims for her seventh term. Business owner Franzese says his performance in 2022, an election that upset a few Palm Beach County Democrats, was the best of any Republican against Frankel in the previous five elections. He's ready to go a second round against Frankel, putting $25,000 of his own money into the campaign over the last quarter. "The career politicians in charge right now don't care about the concerns of ordinary Americans," Franzese said.
"Afroman running for U.S. President" via Celebretainment — Afroman is to run for office in the upcoming 2024 U.S. Presidential election. The 'Because I Got High' rapper has filed paperwork so he can stand as an independent candidate when America goes to the polls next year with TMZ.com reporting the star has named his presidential committee 'Joseph Afroman Foreman for President' and successfully submitted his forms to the FEC ahead of Thursday's deadline.
— LOCAL: S. FL —
"DeSantis criticized for campaigning out of state amid Broward flood recovery" via Stephany Matat and Antonio Fins of The Palm Beach Post — A week in which drivers across South Florida scrambled to find gasoline ended with DeSantis taking heat from partisan rivals for out-of-state political travels, while the state's senior U.S. Senator got roasted on social media for complaining about the scarcity of fuel. Trump's campaign issued a statement on Friday afternoon claiming that "nearly half the gas stations in Miami and Fort Lauderdale are without fuel" and those motorists able to acquire gasoline "will be paying a stiff premium" for it. "While Ron DeSantis engages in a weeks-long shadow campaign for President boasting his playbook, Florida continues to tumble into complete and total delinquency and destruction," the statement read.
"'On life support:' Fort Lauderdale needs new City Hall after epic flood" via Susannah Bryan of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Last week's record breaker of a rainstorm had one more unexpected victim: That eight-story concrete behemoth we call Fort Lauderdale City Hall. Not even the Commission has been allowed back inside. The building sustained such extensive damage, it will likely never reopen, city officials say. In the basement, floodwaters reached 8 feet, destroying the mechanical and electrical equipment that keep the building running. Each and every air handler was ruined along with the vital network of electrical panels placed throughout the building. Keeping the building operating over the next six months will cost taxpayers a staggering $50 million, or $175,000 per day.
After massive flooding, Fort Lauderdale will need a new City Hall.
"Does a Mayor's endorsement help or hurt? Coral Gables voters will decide in runoff election" via Tess Riski of the Miami Herald — An endorsement by Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago, who was re-elected without opposition to a second term, did not help the candidate in the election earlier this month. His political clout will be tested again in a runoff race next week. Residents will cast their votes for Tuesday's election, which could function as a bellwether for public confidence in the current establishment and its ability to address concerns about overdevelopment. Earlier this month, blogger Ariel Fernandez beat lawyer Alex Bucelo 58% to 42% in the race for an open City Commission seat. Bucelo had Lago's endorsement, as well as those of the current City Commissioners and several former Mayors.
"Broward Schools may end controversial Promise program" via Scott Travis of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Broward Schools may soon end its Promise program, an arrest diversion effort that was once touted as a national model but faced a major backlash following the Parkland tragedy. Promise allows students to attend an alternative school to avoid being charged with a misdemeanor for a non-violent offense. Under a district proposal, it would be replaced by a program that's similar but would not involve the school district issuing civil citations. These are non-criminal warnings that law enforcement may refer to when deciding whether to arrest someone for a later crime.
"'Invigorated, educated, inspired': 800 Miami Jews strengthen faith on a visit to Israel" via Daniel Shoer Roth of the Miami Herald — Elie Wiesel, the famous Auschwitz survivor, author and Nobel laureate, once said: "One does not go to Jerusalem, one returns to it. That's one of its mysteries." For a delegation of 800 Jews from Miami, their historic visit to Jerusalem this week — for the 75th anniversary of Israel's independence — has been just that. Not an arrival, but a sort of return. And they are here to uncover that mystery. Among them are 88 people who have never visited Israel. Others have come again and again. The group includes people from all across the spectrum — some practice liberal Judaism, others traditional Judaism, still others are believers with no religious affiliation.
"UF West Palm campus plan is fizzling out, but more "top" schools may be interested" via Alexandra Clough of The Palm Beach Post — Talks are afoot to lure a top, private, out-of-state university in a bid to replace a University of Florida downtown graduate campus as the highly-touted proposal remains stalled with no resolution in sight. West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James said that "conversations are taking place behind the scenes" to possibly bring another university to the city. "We have the land," James said. James would not name any names, nor did he indicate a firm deal was afoot.
— LOCAL: C. FL —
"Blogger must reveal if he was paid to publish posts about former candidate, judge rules" via Annie Martin of the Orlando Sentinel — A Central Florida blogger and Proud Boys associate will have to produce a bevy of records, including evidence of any payment he received during the 2022 campaign from a number of top GOP operatives, including a consultant tied to the 2020 "ghost" candidate scandal, a judge ruled Friday. Liz Cornell, a Republican who lost her August Primary for a Lake County state House seat, is suing blogger Jacob Engels for libel after he published articles on his website accusing her of carrying on an extramarital affair and preying on an elderly client in her financial advising business.
Jacob Engels is forced to show his receipts.
What the Governor's Office wants you to read — "Disney World worker arrested after shooting hundreds of 'upskirt' videos, deputies say'" via Christopher Cann of the Orlando Sentinel — Orange County deputies arrested a man who said he had shot hundreds of videos up the skirts and dresses of female guests at Disney's Hollywood Studios, where he worked for at least six years. On March 31, deputies responded to the park after someone reported employee Jorge Diazvega had recorded an "up skirt video of a female guest" at Dok-Ondar's Den of Antiquities, a Star Wars retail store at the park, the affidavit said. He estimated that he had shot over 500 videos of customers inside the park. He said he would later used the videos for "sexual gratification," an arrest affidavit said. He called the recordings a "guilty pleasure."
— LOCAL: TB —
"2 Pinellas parents head to court over Florida school culture wars" via Jeffrey S. Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times — Blogger David Happe is unabashed about his conservative politics. Pro-choice activist Elisabeth Weinstein is equally intense about her liberal views. They've moved through Pinellas County circles for years pushing their agendas with vigor, but without crossing paths. Now they're at odds in county court, the spillover of the culture wars that have consumed the county, state and nation. Their dispute arose amid their differences over public education and the school district's ban on Toni Morrison's novel "The Bluest Eye." Happe, who has a preteen in the school system, is seeking a restraining order against Weinstein, alleging she cyberstalked him over his views and is intent on doxxing White conservatives.
Pinellas steps into the culture wars, with 'The Bluest Eye' at the center.
— LOCAL: N. FL —
"Politic observers say increase in voter turnout is imperative for mayoral runoff election in May" via Jim Piggott of News4Jax — In less than a month, Jacksonville residents will elect a new Mayor in a runoff election and the latest polls show the race is neck and neck between Republican Daniel Davis and Democrat Donna Deegan. Political observers including the Duval County Supervisor of Elections said the turnout for the general election in March was considerably below what was predicted. Now that the mayoral race is down to two candidates, those same observers predict there might be an uptick in voter turnout. Political Analyst Rick Mullaney pointed out that Republicans showed out in force for the first election in March. Mullaney said voter turnout is "critically important" in the final election.
Daniel Davis and Donna Deegan need people to turn up at the polls.
"Andrew Gillum Trial Day 5: Prosecutors trace money trail from 'urgent request' for $250K" via Jeff Burlew of the Tallahassee Democrat — A top campaign adviser and an official with a nonprofit that served as a pass-through for campaign money to Gillum's gubernatorial political action committee took the stand on Friday, the fifth day of his federal trial. The government called John H. Jackson, president and CEO of the Schott Foundation for Public Education, to testify about a $250,000 donation from Donald Sussman, a South Florida billionaire and major Gillum donor. Jackson, a longtime friend of both Gillum and Lettman-Hicks, also serves on the board of the Opportunity to Learn Action Fund, a grantmaking affiliate of the foundation.
"State Attorney open to reviewing cases, plea bargain rules after 'racism policy' uproar" via James Call of the Tallahassee Democrat — Under mounting pressure after a former prosecutor blew the whistle on what she called a "racism policy," State Attorney Jack Campbell says he will review cases from undocumented immigrants who believe they were denied a plea deal because of their race. He also wants recommendations for how to handle undocumented immigrants without a valid driver's license charged with misdemeanor traffic violations. Campbell said a junior prosecutor had misstated an office policy when he wrote "Hispanic" rather than "undocumented immigrant" in a "cheat sheet" on how to handle plea bargains for people with criminal histories.
— LOCAL: SW. FL —
"Trump continues to pressure DeSantis on home turf, jabbing him in Fort Myers speech" via Zac Anderson of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Trump touted his lead over DeSantis in polls, took credit for the Governor's 2018 victory, jabbed at DeSantis on Social Security and Medicare and said without him DeSantis would just be a lawyer hustling for business, needling the Governor on his home turf during a speech Friday in Southwest Florida. Trump also highlighted the recent stampede by Florida's GOP congressional delegation to endorse him over DeSantis, calling out by name most of the lawmakers who endorsed him in front of 840 people gathered for a sold-out Lee County Republican Party fundraising dinner.
Trump heads to Lee County for a little taunting of Ron DeSantis.
"Manatee County addresses concerns over public library books, but pulls back on crackdown" via Jesse Mendoza of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Manatee County Commissioners are taking steps to address concerns over public library books after DeSantis initiated efforts to purge materials he calls "woke." Commissioners voted unanimously to expand an existing advisory board on library matters by four seats and increase their duties to include the development of the county's library collection. The proposal is a watered-down version of a proposal made by District 2 Commissioner Amanda Ballard. She pitched the creation of a new board, creating a system that labels children's books with LGBTQ, human sexuality, and coming-of-age content.
"Surprise! Sarasota ranked fourth best party city in the U.S. by online survey" via Samantha Gholar of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The city of Sarasota has been listed on a new national ranking, but this time, it's not the usual best places to retire ranking prompting the attention. Instead, Sarasota has earned a spot on a list of the Top 10 best cities in the United States to party. Sarasota cracked the top five, ranking as the fourth-best party city in the country, according to the website's survey of over 100 U.S. cities. Criteria such as the number of live music events, bars, hotels, nightclubs, casinos, adult entertainment venues and late-night restaurants helped to determine the list of 10 hot spot cities.
— TOP OPINION —
"The sound of trumpets" via Joe Klein of Sanity Clause — Trump may have changed not only the substance and demographics of Republican politics, but also the style and nature of it. If so, he has become a figure of extreme significance in American history — right up there with Presidents like Franklin Roosevelt and Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln — the creator of a new brand, a new political coalition.
If so, we should not look to candidates like the Mikes, Pence or Pompeo, or Chris Sununu or Nikki Haley as potential GOP nominees in future races, but to Kari Lake, Matt Gaetz, Marjorie Taylor Greene and, especially, Tucker Carlson.
I'm sure there are Democrats who are thinking: Wow. That's terrific news. Those guys are natural-born losers. Sorry, but it isn't. The stakes are too high; it's just too risky. The new Republican Party represents a fundamental diminution of American public life. And the current corroded state of the Democratic Party, the sheer interest group entropy of it — the very idea of locating their national convention next August in the violent Teachers' Union Satrapy of Chicago — doesn't offer a very exciting alternative. There is nothing exciting or interesting about the Democrats.
In the gerontological sack race of 2024, Biden might stumble past Trump … though given the cleverness of the moves Trump has made so far, I wouldn't bet the house on it. Over the long term, though, Longwell's thesis may reverse the DNA of the parties. The Republicans become charismatic; the Democrats, conventional.
And we, the Sanity Caucus, wander the desert parched and powerless.
— OPINIONS —
"The sickening déjà vu of watching Trump manhandle DeSantis" via Michelle Goldberg of The New York Times — As much as I abhor Trump's opponents, I'm desperate for one of them to prevail. Trump might be easier for Biden to beat, but anyone who gets the Republican nomination has a chance of being elected. DeSantis is deflating before even entering the race. The upcoming Republican Primary race is going to be fought on a limbic level, not an ideological one. It will be about who is weak and who is strong. Trump didn't try to show that he'd be even harder on Disney than DeSantis has been. Instead, he trolled DeSantis by taking Disney's side, taunting the Governor for getting "destroyed" by Disney and speculating that the company would stop investing in Florida.
"DeSantis' puddin' head campaign" via Maureen Dowd of The New York Times — No doubt DeSantis' advisers are getting notes from donors these days with the message, "Make the guy more likable." As David Axelrod told me, the Governor is coming across like "the high school quarterback who throws the geek against the lockers to get a laugh from the cheerleaders — and that's not a good look." He said DeSantis is learning a lesson: "The kind of tricks you use to get elected to other offices don't work in a presidential race because you get scrutinized so closely." Even in a world made crueler by social media and Trump, DeSantis seems mean, punching out at Mickey Mouse, immigrants, gays and women. DeSantis seems contrived with Carlson, weak against Bob Iger, robotic against Trump and inept with potential donors and endorsers.
"DeSantis needs more exciting Disney threats" via Stephanie Hayes of the Tampa Bay Times — This whole Disney thing is embarrassing. Now that DeSantis has started scrapping with the most popular theme park in the world, also a behemoth employer in our fine state, he must come to the bleachers after school and assume a "Street Fighter" stance. DeSantis must step it up to come out of this with the villagers singing a victory song. Here's a smattering of threats for our governor to consider during the next six rounds of the news cycle: Position a medieval catapult outside the park gates. A mandated shutdown of all Dole Whip stands in the parks would show Disney who's boss. No rainbows in the park, obviously.
"It may be time for Disney to sue Florida" via Matthew Belloni of Puck — Many at Disney have been anxiety-ridden for weeks now, with even department leaders in the dark about the fate of teams they interact with constantly. None of that, however, compares to Iger's cold manhandling of Don DeSantis — sorry, Ron — who seems intent on letting this stupid culture-war spat sabotage his mainstream credibility, if not his own presidential campaign. Politics aside, I was curious what DeSantis and his cronies on the Board of the newly renamed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District could actually do to Disney, and whether all these politically driven machinations would ever stand up in court. There's been surprisingly little discussion of that aspect of the fight, probably because when DeSantis bloviates about things like building a state prison next door to Disney World, he tends to dominate the headlines.
"Trump didn't doom the GOP neither would DeSantis" via Ross Douthat of The New York Times — If heartbeat laws, Disney wars and past Medicare and Social Security votes are General Election kryptonite, then it's not like four years of hanging out and waiting for his turn will somehow make them more marketable to swing voters. But the downgrading of DeSantis' chances is connected to the idea that the Republican Party is in some sense barely hanging on to national competitiveness, that it's intensely vulnerable to ideological blunders and demographic changes and that it's easy for a Republican politician to simply cut himself off from the path to a majority. The Republican Party is hardly a juggernaut. It's tied to a variety of unpopular positions; it's often incompetent at policymaking. It is definitely not optimized to win thumping majorities of the Nixon or Reagan eras.
"Florida Republicans undermine state's public records laws again" via the Tampa Bay Times editorial board — If you believe his Republican colleagues in the Florida Legislature, the only way to adequately protect DeSantis as he gears up for an apparent presidential run is to tear up the state's public records laws. Without citing any threats past or present, the lawmakers want to bar any request for records that could show where the Governor is traveling, regardless of who he's with, why he's traveling or if the public is paying for it. In an interesting twist, they have decided to make the unprecedented ban retroactive, presumably to protect the Governor from enemies with time machines.
"Early morning alerts drew an overly hasty response" via the Orlando Sentinel editorial board — It's pretty safe to say that, for more than a few people at Florida's Division of Emergency Management, Thursday was not fun. A series of tests of the state's emergency-alert system somehow managed to go live around 4:45 a.m., sending squawking-loud notifications to shatter the repose of millions of Floridians The agency has already apologized, profusely, repeatedly and sincerely, for the screw-up. In a testing/training environment, a mistake is not the end of the world, and rarely a good reason to go kicking experienced people or vendors off a team. Instead, it's an opportunity for state officials to make improvements. To be as sure as they possibly can that when a child really goes missing, the alert goes out before a villain gets too far away to catch before an innocent life is shattered or ended.
"The anti-abortion messages haunting Florida's highways" via Damon Winter for The New York Times — The billboards were one of the first things I noticed when my family and I moved to Central Florida in 2021. We drove around the state a lot, and as we made our way through the sprawl of the Miami suburbs, across the upper reaches of the Everglades, I was struck by the number of anti-abortion billboards we passed on the roadside. Some are simple messages meant to induce shame, with pseudoscientific statistics and cute baby pictures. Right now, a woman in Florida is about a half-hour drive, on average, from a place where she can get an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, according to research by Caitlin Myers, an economist at Middlebury College. When the bill that DeSantis signed last week goes into effect, that drive will, for most women, take over nine hours, much of it along these very highways. It's a long road ahead.
"Joaquin Phoenix warns to "not take mushroomsbefore watching 'Beau Is Afraid'" via Carly Thomas of The Hollywood Reporter — The Joker star advised people to not take mushrooms before going to see the Ari Aster-directed film. "I was told from someone in college that there was this college thread among friends, a challenge they were going to take mushrooms and go see this movie," Phoenix explained. "And I just wanted to make a public service announcement and say, do not take mushrooms and go see this fucking movie." He then jokingly added, "But if you do it, film yourself. But don't do it!"
Joaquin Phoenix has a warning about the best way to watch his new movie.
"Netflix is winding down its DVD business after 25 years" via Allison Morrow of CNN — Netflix is officially winding down the business that helped make it a household name. This fall, the streaming giant will officially say goodbye to its DVD rental service and all the red envelopes that made it possible. "On Sept. 29, 2023, we will send out the last red envelope," the company tweeted Tuesday. "It has been a true pleasure and honor to deliver movie nights to our wonderful members for 25 years."
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Happy birthday to state Rep. Berny Jacques, Josiah Johnson (happy 21st!), our favorite St. Petersburg City Council member, Ed Montanari, Samantha Pollara, Matt Spritz, and Amanda Stewart of Johnston & Stewart Government Strategies.
___
Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.
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