The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 1.22.24
Peter Schorsch posted: "Good Monday morning. We'll get to Gov. Ron DeSantis dropping out of the presidential race, but, first, some paperwork. ___ Melissa Langley Braude has moved up to Partner at the top Northeast Florida lobbying firm, The Fiorentino Group. A Jacksonville " Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.Read on blog or reader
We'll get to Gov. Ron DeSantis dropping out of the presidential race, but, first, some paperwork.
___
Melissa Langley Braude has moved up to Partner at the top Northeast Florida lobbying firm, The Fiorentino Group.
A Jacksonville native, Braude joined the firm in 2014 to lead fundraising operations and quickly advanced to support lobbying efforts in Jacksonville and Tallahassee, becoming a Principal before her promotion to Partner this week.
"We are thrilled to officially welcome Melissa as a Partner," said TFG President Marty Fiorentino. "She has consistently demonstrated the strategic acumen and unwavering commitment to her community that define a Fiorentino Group leader. I have no doubt she'll continue to be an invaluable asset to our firm."
Congrats to Melissa Langley Braude for moving up the ladder at TFG.
Melissa graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. She is also involved in community service as a member of the Rotary Club of South Jacksonville and serves on the Board of Directors for The Allison Brundick Haramis Foundation, also known as Angels for Allison, a nonprofit that works to provide financial support to parents who have lost a child.
"Melissa is an indispensable member of The Fiorentino Group," said Allison Carter, Chief of Staff to House Speaker Paul Renner. "I've watched her career blossom year after year in the legislative process as she has become a trusted adviser to her clients, colleagues and elected officials alike. It's exciting to see her many talents being recognized at TFG, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for her."
___
Spotted at the Bayshore Boulevard home of Robert and Nancy Watkins for their viewing party of the Children's Gasparilla parade: Mayor Jane Castor and Ana Cruz, former Mayor Bob Buckhorn, Sheriff Chad Chronister and his wife Nikki DeBartolo, Hillsborough Co. Commissioner Harry Cohen, Property Appraiser Bob Henriquez and wife Carrie, Liz and Adam Goodman, DPBR Secretary Melanie Griffin and her husband Michael (an INFLUENCE 100 alum), State Attorney Suzy Lopez, VISIT FLORIDA CEO Dana Young, Rep. Karen Gonzalez Pittman, former Attorney General Pam Bondi, former Hillsborough Commissioner Sandy Murman, Stephanie and Reggie Cardoza, Judge Jessica Costello, Melissa and Kevin Dempsey, Jan Gorrie of Ballard Partners, Jennifer Motsinger, Nick Hansen, Joe Lapano, president and CEO, Tampa Airport, Merritt and Rick Lindstrom, Veronica and Preston Rudie, Stephanie Smith,J.D. White. And making their return after a couple of parades off: Anthony Pedicini and the entire Pedicini clan.
A good, wholesome day for all to enjoy. Image via Facebook.
—@PhilipWegmann: (Donald) Trump tells Manchester a story about some people saying not the hit DeSantis "so hard" because "he's a Republican." Trump replied, "I don't give a damn."
—@Susie57: Bye, bye
—@GregTSargent: DeSantis' implosion is more confirmation that anti-woke politics has completely fizzled. DeSantis organized his entire governorship *and* campaign on this theme. Now, Moms for Liberty is losing everywhere, Youngkin failed disastrously and in "Where Woke Goes to Die," Ron is kaput.
—@MikeDrucker: Congratulations to the first political campaign launched on Elon Musk's Twitter!
—@KathleenSWFL: America's Governor @GovRonDeSantisis an exceptional leader and he has a bright future leading our state and one day our nation. I was proud to support his campaign and share with voters his incredible record of success here in the free state of Florida.
—@MarcoRubio: One step closer to getting everyone focused on saving our country by helping Trump beat (President Joe) Biden
—@KyleGriffin1: Ron DeSantis just endorsed the man who mocked, attacked, and belittled him for months on end.
—@JamesUthmeier: I've worked for many public servants, but only one who was truly selfless in his service to country. @RonDeSantisis the real deal. As someone who loves executing good policy to help people, supporting this guy has been fulfilling. We fought the good fight and we aren't done.
—@GregSteube: Glad to see the Governor heading back to the great state of Florida to finish the job he was re-elected to do & avoid an embarrassing 3rd place finish in New Hampshire and South Carolina.
—@AnaNavarro: Drag Brunches and Disney are alive, and the DeSantis campaign is Dead.
—@AGGancarski: I reckon the Florida Legislature will have to name I-95 after Trump to get back on the right side after those endorsements last year.
—@MarcACaputo: New Hampshire will answer 2 big Trump questions that have salience in the general election: 1) Can his campaign replicate its IA turnout machinery in other states? 2) Will he turn out a disproportionate share of people who oppose him?
—@DaveWeigel: Second stop of day, second (Nikki) Haley mention of Trump mixing up her and (Nancy) Pelosi at his speech last night. "He got confused. He said he was running against Obama — he never ran against Obama! Don't put our country at risk."
— DAYS UNTIL —
New Hampshire Primaries — 1; Red Dog Blue Dog 2024 — 2; 'Sexy Beast' premieres on Paramount+ — 3; 'Masters of the Air' premieres on Apple TV+ — 4; federal campaign finance filing deadline — 9; Inter Miami CF 2024 season opener stand-alone — 10; second government-funding deadline — 11; 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' final season premieres on HBO — 13; Nevada Primaries — 15; Nevada Republican Presidential Caucus — 17; Super Bowl LVIII — 20; Ninth Annual Suits for Session begins — 29; South Carolina Republican Primary — 33; Michigan Democratic Primary — 36; James Madison Institute's 'Red, White and Bluegrass' dinner — 37; 'Dune: Part Two' premieres — 39; Michigan/Idaho/Missouri GOP Primaries — 40; Netflix to stream "The Netflix Slam," Rafael Nadal/Carlos Alcaraz faceoff — 41; Trump's D.C. trial on charges related to trying to reverse his 2020 Election loss — 45; Super Tuesday — 43; State of the Union address — 45; last day of Regular Session, if Legislature completes work in 60 days — 46; 2024 Oscars — 48; Georgia Democratic Primary — 50; Arizona/Florida/Illinois/Kansas/Ohio Primaries — 57; James Madison Institute's '2024 Naples Dinner' with keynote speaker Laura Ingraham — 58; '3 Body Problem' premieres on Netflix — 59; Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2024 season — 66; March Madness Final Four (women's) begins — 74; March Madness Final Four (men's) — 75; The Masters begin — 80; 2024 Leadership Conference on Safety, Health & Sustainability — 108; Kentucky Derby — 113; 'Bridgerton' new season (part one) premieres on Netflix — 115; French Open begins — 118; 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' premieres — 121; Monaco Grand Prix — 125; 'A Quiet Place: Day One' premieres — 158; Republican National Convention begins — 175; 2024 MLS All-Star Game — 184; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games on NBC/Peacock — 190; Alien: Romulus' premieres — 207; Democratic National Convention begins — 210; Georgia Tech to face Florida State in 2024 opener in Dublin — 215; Taylor Swift's Eras Tour stops in Miami — 270; 2024 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum — 273; 2024 Presidential Election — 288; Las Vegas Grand Prix — 304; MLS Cup 2024 — 319; 'Captain America: Brave New World' premieres — 389; 'Moana' premieres — 522; 'Thunderbolts' premieres — 550; 'Blade' reboot premieres — 655; 'Fantastic Four' reboot premieres — 655; 'Avatar 3' premieres — 697; 'Avengers: The Kang Dynasty' premieres — 834; Untitled 'Star Wars' movie premieres — 850; Another untitled 'Star Wars' movie premieres — 1,061; 'Avengers: Secret Wars' premieres — 1,201; 'Avatar 4' premieres — 2,160; 'Avatar 5' premieres — 2,882.
— TOP STORY —
"Ron DeSantis drops out of presidential race and endorses Donald Trump" via Nicholas Nehamas, Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Swan and Maggie Astor of The New York Times — DeSantis suspended his campaign for President on Sunday and endorsed the front-runner, Trump, as the Primary race in New Hampshire enters its final 48 hours.
It marked a spectacular implosion for a candidate once seen as having the best chance to dethrone Trump as the Republican Party's nominee in 2024.
The move cements the Republican contest as a two-person race between Trump and Haley, a little less than a week after DeSantis' devastating 30-percentage-point loss to Trump in Iowa.
Haley, the sole presidential candidate on the Sunday morning news shows after DeSantis canceled his planned appearances, continued her recent shift toward more direct and forceful denunciations of Trump, with a focus on his mental acuity and relationship with authoritarian leaders.
"Look, I don't know if he was confused, I don't know what happened, but it should be enough to send us a warning sign," Haley said on CBS News's "Face the Nation," referring to Trump's confusing her on Friday with Nancy Pelosi, the former House Speaker. Trump, she added, is cognitively "just not at the same level he was at 2016."
Tweet, tweet:
According to the International Churchill Society, Winston Churchill never said the words DeSantis cites to end his presidential campaign.
The New York Times: "DeSantis drops out of presidential race and endorses Trump" — "'Will I be using the name Ron DeSanctimonious? 'Trump said after brief remarks. 'I said that name is officially retired.' The crowd cheered." The Associated Press: "DeSantis ends his presidential bid before New Hampshire after falling far short of Trump" — "And now, DeSantis' political future is in question after suspending his presidential bid after just one voting contest. The 45-year-old is term-limited as Florida Governor." Miami Herald: "5 reasons DeSantis' presidential campaign collapsed before the GOP's first Primary" — "DeSantis put his governing record in Florida front and center on the campaign trail, preaching what he called the 'Florida blueprint' to voters nationwide. … Voters shrugged." Daily Beast: "DeSantis drops out, takes shot at Trump, then bends the knee" — "15 months later, after botching his presidential campaign launch, throwing about $130 million down the drain, and sustaining ruthless attacks from Trumpworld, it's brutally clear that DeSantis was on the precipice of a different political fate: hubris." New York magazine: "DeSantis finally puts campaign out of its misery" — "Everything seemed to go wrong for DeSantis, who wasn't helped by his lack of affability with voters." Vanity Fair: "DeSantis drops out ahead of New Hampshire Primary" — "DeSantis never quite landed the political punch needed to become a serious challenger against the former President." ABC News: "DeSantis ends presidential campaign before New Hampshire Primary" — "DeSantis also repeatedly endured cycles of negative headlines over staffing layoffs; infighting with his allied super PAC, which organized much of his campaigning; and his high rate of spending that saw him burn through a significant amount of his huge fundraising." Axios: "How DeSantis' promising GOP candidacy went up in flames" — "Given the intense animosity that developed between DeSantis and Trump supporters — including calls to blacklist DeSantis allies from Republican politics — how Trump handles his rival's exit will be a key test of the GOP's ability to unify." Fox News: "Conservatives celebrate DeSantis dropping out and endorsing Trump: 'Uniting the GOP'" — "'It's clear to me that a majority of Republican Primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance.' he said, adding: 'He has my endorsement because we can't go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear, a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents.'" Daily Beast: "Top Trump campaign staffer taunts old boss DeSantis" — "While the DeSantis demise might delight much of Trumpworld, it is undeniably sweetest for Susie Wiles, who worked for the Florida Governor until a falling out left them bitter enemies." Deadline: "'Fire sale on all DeSantis merch today!' Gavin Newsom, other politicos and celebrities mock DeSantis' exit after a faltering campaign" — "DeSantis was praised by a person who insulted him relentlessly, even before he got in the race — Trump. The former President's campaign said they were 'honored' by DeSantis' endorsement, then went on to attack Nikki Haley, his remaining rival in the GOP race."
"After more than a year of savaging DeSantis, Trump 'honored' to be endorsed by Governor" via Antonio Fins of The Palm Beach Post — Trump's campaign said it was "honored" to be endorsed by DeSantis, who suspended his campaign Sunday. The brief note Sunday was the only comment offered in the immediate aftermath of the Governor's announcement. The statement read: "With only a few days left until President Donald J. Trump's victory in New Hampshire, we are honored by the endorsement from Gov. Ron DeSantis and so many other former presidential candidates." Trump's campaign added that "it is now time for all Republicans to rally behind President Trump." At the moment, Haley remains the only one of the initial close-to-a-dozen Republicans who sought the GOP nomination remaining as a challenger to Trump.
— AUTOPSY —
"A total failure to launch': Why DeSantis was doomed from the start" via Matt Dixon, Dasha Burns, Allan Smith and Abigail Brooks of NBC News — DeSantis came in second in Iowa, but he was still 30 percentage points behind Trump, who captured more than 50% of the roughly 110,000 votes and had a historic margin of victory. Still, DeSantis tried to argue it was a huge win for him — and he has worked to lower expectations in New Hampshire, a state where he was never expected to be a strong competitor.
NBC News spoke to dozens of DeSantis' current and former staffers, as well as other supporters, about where the Governor went wrong. They painted a picture of missteps from the very beginning:
— DeSantis' campaign hired dozens of staffers in the earliest stages of the race, sapping the operation of much-needed early cash. Within the first two months, 40% of initial hires were fired to conserve resources.
Ron DeSantis reads the writing on the wall.
— A cash-strapped campaign elevated the role of Never Back Down, which promised to spend $200 million boosting his bid but ended up mired in infighting that often spun off negative headlines overshadowing the campaign itself.
— A near singular focus on culture war fights cost DeSantis donor support, as many of the biggest anti-Trump GOP donors who originally supported him eventually decided to give to other candidates or sit out the 2024 election cycle.
— DeSantis' decision to wait for six months after his massive re-election win to announce his run for President cost him valuable momentum.
This lack of strategy for dealing with Trump played out early on — even before his presidential launch — when DeSantis commented on a possible Trump indictment in New York.
He criticized the investigation there as politically motivated, but he also repeated the allegations — albeit without naming the former President.
"5 reasons DeSantis' presidential campaign collapsed before the GOP's first Primary" via Max Greenwood of the Miami Herald — DeSantis put his governing record in Florida front and center on the campaign trail, preaching what he called the "Florida blueprint" to voters nationwide. He boasted about his decision to reopen Florida's economy early on during the COVID-19 pandemic, bragged about reducing the state debt and rallied supporters over his ongoing fight with Walt Disney World over the company's special tax district in Central Florida. Voters shrugged. DeSantis and his campaign bet that he could ascend nationally the same way he did in the state: by attacking reporters and stiff-arming most of the press, preferring interviews with friendly, conservative outlets. Last week, he admitted that he should have done more "corporate shows."
— LEGISLATIVE —
"Florida leaders want to ban kids under 16 from Facebook, TikTok" via Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel — The Florida Legislature and social media giants are clashing in a high-stakes battle over whether children should be barred from some of the most popular platforms on the web, a fight that could ultimately land in court. Lawmakers want to stop children under 16 from creating accounts on social media sites like Facebook and TikTok, likening those apps to casino gambling, cigarette smoking and drinking. Speaker Renner cited mounting concerns that social media is hurting the mental health of young people. He accused social media companies of hooking children with addictive features in pursuit of profit. "This is no different from opioids," Renner said. "This is no different from tobacco. It rings very, very similar to me, where companies are knowingly putting forth a harmful product that is taking the lives of young people, and they are doing nothing to stop it. That's why we're going to act."
Florida suggests TikTok is as bad for teens as smoking. Image via AP.
"Back to the future? Senate panel poised to consider caps on medical malpractice lawsuits" via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — A push to alter Florida's medical malpractice laws will have its first stop in the Senate on Monday. Still, it looks like bill sponsor Sen. Clay Yarborough has gone along with a compromise proposed by the association that represents doctors to move the bill forward. Yarborough's initial proposal, SB 248, was aimed at altering Florida's long-standing law that bans adult children from receiving noneconomic damages in medical malpractice lawsuits involving the death of their parents. Florida law also prohibits parents from receiving noneconomic damages in lawsuits involving the death of their adult children. But Yarborough, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, produced an amendment that would place caps on damages that could be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits as part of his legislation.
"Florida House moves to repeal rarely used scholarships for bullied students" via Leslie Postal of the Orlando Sentinel — A controversial and little-used state voucher program that aims to help bullied students should be repealed, Florida House lawmakers say, with those using the program offered scholarships through Florida's other, popular voucher initiatives. Only 538 students are using the Hope Scholarship for bullied students this year, compared with the more than 381,000 using Florida's three other voucher programs, according to the Florida Department of Education and Step Up For Students, the private group that administers most of the state's voucher programs. A bill (HB 1403) with two favorable Committee votes in the House would repeal the Hope program as it also seeks to fix problems, including delayed payments, in the state's bigger voucher programs. Students now using Hope would be awarded one of the state's other scholarships.
Legislation upping penalties for infrastructure penalties advances — The House Criminal Justice Subcommittee OK'd a bill (HB 275) that would make it a felony to intentionally harm or damage critical infrastructure. The bill was filed by Rep. Jennifer Canady in response to the recent emphasis placed on the protection of critical infrastructure by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) due to the targeting of these assets. "Physical attacks on critical infrastructure are on the rise," Canady said. "A recent Wall Street Journal article highlighted more than 100 cases of Chinese nationals trying to access American critical infrastructure. U.S. officials described these acts, including some here in Florida, as potential espionage threats."
"House moves forward with potential MPO consolidation" via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Florida lawmakers this year could reorganize a network of metropolitan planning organizations (MPO) — and redesign the state license plate to boot. The House Transportation and Modals Subcommittee took up a Committee bill (PCB 24-01) that could consolidate MPOs. Rep. Fiona McFarland characterized her legislation as a starting point, not a final product. But she said it's important lawmakers scrutinize how MPOs work at a systemic level and see if they are satisfying the needs of constituents. "There's no incentive for MPOs to consolidate today," she said. "Your municipalities will lose Board seats, you lose, perhaps, having the physical office building in your own district, and it becomes very territorial at the local level. And even for the greatest public servant with the best intentions, there's not a structural incentive for those MPOs to consolidate or, frankly, really, to plan regionally."
"Tom Keen gets Committee assignments, including House insurance panel" via Gray Rohrer of Florida Politics — The newest House member, Rep. Keen, was formally sworn in Thursday afternoon. Keen took his first votes on the floor and, later in the evening, received his Committee assignments from House Speaker Renner. One of them aligns with a major plank of his campaign — reducing insurance premiums for homeowners — as he's landed on the Insurance & Banking Subcommittee. The other three panels he's on are the Infrastructure Strategies Committee, the Agriculture Conservation & Resiliency Subcommittee and the Postsecondary Education & Workforce Subcommittee. "It's a whirlwind. There's so much to learn and so much to do. … The first thing is I need to learn the rules and the process and procedures," Keen said. "Obviously I want to bring the values that I ran on, reproductive freedom and keeping the property insurance crisis in check."
— THE SKED —
— Noon House Appropriations Committee meets. Room 212, Knott Building.
— Noon House Ways & Means Committee meets Room 404, House Office Building.
"Latest poll shows Trump leading Nikki Haley by 19% in New Hampshire" via Marc Fortier of NBC 10 Boston — According to the latest Suffolk University/NBC10 Boston/Boston Globe tracking poll, Trump is at 55%, two percentage points higher than on Saturday. Haley remained at 36%. DeSantis, a distant third, went down one percentage point to 6%. Less than 1% chose someone else, 2% were undecided and less than 1% refused to answer. The survey of 500 likely Republican Primary voters was conducted from Jan. 19-20. The margin of error is 4.4%. When asked for their second choice, 32% of those surveyed chose DeSantis, followed by Haley at 10% and Trump at 8%. Another 21% would choose someone else, 16% were undecided and 13% refused to answer the question.
Now that the race is down to two, Nikki Haley still trails Donald Trump by a lot.
"Haley trounces Trump in super PAC spending in New Hampshire" via Jessica Piper of POLITICO — Three super PACs backing Haley — SFA Fund, Americans for Prosperity and Independents Moving the Needle — have spent more than $24 million across TV, radio and digital ads targeting New Hampshire, according to data from AdImpact, an ad tracking platform. Haley's own campaign has chipped in another $4.7 million. The total spent between Haley's campaign and the super PACs supporting her is nearly double the $15.3 million that has been spent on air by Trump's campaign and his super PAC, MAGA Inc. A super PAC backing DeSantis, Never Back Down, has spent $7.7 million on ads in the state, but most of those funds came last Fall. The group has been off the air since November.
— MORE 2024 —
Joe Biden-Kamala Harris 2024 ad highlights abortion rights 'chaos' on Roe v. Wade anniversary — Biden's re-election campaign has released a new ad highlighting "the chaos and cruelty created by Trump's Supreme Court Justices ripping away reproductive freedom and threatening the health of women all across the country." The 60-second ad, titled "Forced," features Dr. Austin Dennard, an OB/GYN in Texas and mother of three, who was forced to flee her state when she learned that a planned pregnancy she desperately wanted would put her life at risk. In the ad, Dennard tells voters that she would have been forced to carry that pregnancy to term "because of Donald Trump" and his role in overturning Roe v. Wade.
"Dean Phillips floats a No Labels bid if 2024 is Trump vs. Biden" via Reid J. Epstein of The New York Times — Rep. Phillips of Minnesota, a Democrat running a long-shot primary challenge to Biden, said on Saturday that he would consider running on the ticket of No Labels, a centrist group exploring an independent bid, if it appeared the general election would be a rematch between Biden and Trump. "It would have to be a Joe Biden-Donald Trump rematch that shows Joe Biden is almost certain to lose," Phillips said. "That is the only condition in which I would even entertain a conversation with any alternative."
"2024 promises to be contentious — Congress must support election workers, now" via Brian Lemek and Rep. Joe Morelle for The Hill — We've barely rung in the new year, but 2024 is already shaping up to be one of the most contentious, consequential and high-stakes election cycles in our nation's history — and we're not even talking about the campaigns between the candidates. At risk is the well-being of the local election officials, poll workers and volunteers who are tasked with running our free and fair elections, which are the foundation of our democracy. Whether Congress chooses to support these local election workers will be one of its first decisions of the new year, as the deadline to pass appropriations funding is just weeks away. So far, the House majority appears to be failing to meet the moment.
— OTHER STATEWIDE —
"Taxpayers pay 'over and over' to rebuild risky, flood-prone homes in Florida" via Kate Cimini of the Fort Myers News-Press — A new analysis found that thousands of Florida properties insured by the federal government have repeatedly flooded and been rebuilt — to the point that they've cost the nation hundreds of millions of dollars. Some of the properties, which run the gamut from single-family homes to businesses, have been rebuilt more than a dozen times, FEMA data provided by the NRDC shows. One Jacksonville home currently holds the record for federally funded rebuilds at 21 claims. Since the start of the National Flood Insurance Program in 1978, the number of homes qualifying as severe and repetitive flood losses has grown exponentially. Florida alone has seen its numbers increase from 24 in 1982, shortly after Florida adopted the program, to more than 3,000.
The cycle of flooding and rebuilding is far from sustainable, the feds say.
— D.C. MATTERS —
"Floridians could have gotten $120 to help feed their kids. The state wasn't interested" via Alyssa Johnson of the Miami Herald — Over the Summer, needy families around the country will receive debit cards from the federal government to help feed hungry kids. But not in Florida, where the state opted out of a new federal program to provide grocery-store money for low-income families. Under the program, called Summer EBT, families would have been able to apply to receive $120 for each eligible child. Congress approved the program in December 2022 to help feed children who receive free and reduced-price lunches at school during the Summer months, when many campuses are closed or access is limited. Florida was one of 15 states that chose not to participate.
"Biden ally says Benjamin Netanyahu isn't aligned with Mideast peace quest" via Victoria Cavaliere of Bloomberg — Biden's re-election campaign Co-Chair portrayed Netanyahu as an obstacle to peace in the Middle East and suggested he's wrong to reject calls by the U.S. and Arab countries for movement toward a Palestinian state. "This wouldn't be the first time that there is some tension between Prime Minister Netanyahu, his personal, political goals and aims, and the challenges of crafting a positive, peaceful path forward for the Israeli and Palestinian people," Chris Coons, a U.S. Senator from Delaware who's a close ally of Biden, said. Coons' comments also hint at tension between Biden and Netanyahu, who spoke on Friday for the first time in almost four weeks.
Benjamin Netanyahu may not be the seeker of Mideast peace as one would have hoped.
"Congress keeps punting on the hard work, then leaving town for recess" via Paul Kane of The Washington Post — Once the House on Thursday finished kicking the can on government funding until early March, lawmakers did what almost comes naturally at this point. They left town for a 10-day break, not returning until the night of Jan. 29. Exempting half-days that are scheduled for traveling into or out of Washington, the House has only five full legislative days on its calendar before lawmakers leave Feb. 16 for what is slated to be an almost two-week break from the Capitol. The original schedule had lawmakers returning the night of March 5, at which point the House would have already missed the first deadline for funding 20% of the government. On Friday, House GOP leaders announced that they would bring members back to the Capitol a few days early, so they can approve something by the March 1 deadline.
"Election-year politics threaten Senate border deal as Trump and his allies rally opposition" via Stephen Groves of The Associated Press — A politically treacherous dynamic is taking hold as negotiators in Congress work to strike a bipartisan deal on the border and immigration, with vocal opposition from the hard right and Trump threatening to topple the carefully negotiated compromise. Senators are closing in on the details of an agreement on border measures that could unlock Republican support for Ukraine aid and hope to unveil it as soon as next week. But the deal is already wobbling, as House Speaker Mike Johnson faces intense pressure from Trump and his House allies to demand more sweeping concessions from Democrats and the White House.
"'Incredibly stark': Biden aides give lawmakers a grim assessment of Ukraine without more aid" via Monica Alba and Julie Tsirkin of NBC News — Biden's top aides bluntly told lawmakers in a private meeting on Wednesday that if Congress fails to authorize additional military aid for Ukraine in the coming days, Russia could win the war in a matter of weeks — months at best, according to two people familiar with the meeting. National security adviser Jake Sullivan and the Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told the lawmakers that Ukraine will run out of certain air defense and artillery capabilities in the coming weeks, according to the people familiar with the meeting. The grim assessment, which one White House official described as "incredibly stark," was delivered as the future of Ukraine aid has never been more uncertain. It also comes as White House officials are increasingly alarmed at the prospect of Biden failing to follow through with his promise that the U.S. will be there for Kyiv "as long as it takes."
"Wooing Congress: New group uses social media to disrupt immigration compromise" via Stephen Dinan of The Washington Times — Senators trying to power through an amnesty for illegal immigrants in 2007 were met with an avalanche of phone calls and faxes from angry voters, who helped doom the legislation to defeat. The Senate's internet server shut down at one point, and the phone system was overloaded on the day of the vote. NumbersUSA, a grassroots pressure group, said it alone accounted for 1.5 million faxes during the weeks of debate. Fast-forward to today. Congressional offices can ignore faxes, delete emails and send callers straight to voicemail. The one place they can't escape constituents is on social media, and that's where a new immigration pressure group plans to hound them. The Immigration Accountability Project says it wants to help constituents slip into lawmakers' feeds with posts demanding a get-tough approach to border security and to arm voters for in-person conversations with lawmakers at grocery stores and town halls.
— DOWN BALLOT —
"Florida Realtors endorse Rick Scott's 2024 campaign" via Jim McCool of The Floridian — In their endorsement of Sen. Scott, Florida Realtors President Gia Arvin stated, "More people are calling Florida home every day because of the hard work then-Gov. Rick Scott did to turn Florida's economy around. Today, our state is an economic powerhouse because of the policies he fought for during his eight years in Tallahassee, and we appreciate all he now does in Washington to ensure prosperity in Florida."
Realtors give Rick Scott the thumbs-up.
— LOCAL: S. FL —
"Investigators are looking into Miami Mayor Francis Suarez's lucrative side jobs" via Joey Flechas and Sarah Blaskey of the Miami Herald — County investigators are making inquiries into a wide array of Suarez's private business relationships, according to records that highlight the broad scope of an ongoing probe into the Mayor's work outside City Hall. The existence of the investigation was first confirmed last May by Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle. She told reporters at the time that her office was working with the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust to investigate the Mayor's consulting agreement with local developer Rishi Kapoor, who was secretly paying Suarez $10,000 per month at the same time the Mayor's office was intervening to help Kapoor overcome a permitting issue delaying his multimillion dollar Coconut Grove development.
Katherine Fernández Rundle announced her office is looking into Francis Suarez's side hustle.
"A Miccosukee-led plan could finally end new oil drilling efforts in the Everglades" via Alex Harris of the Miami Herald — Miles below Big Cypress National Preserve, land of elegant cypress trees festooned with air plants, there is oil. Not a ton of it, but enough to spark a small domestic drilling industry that continues today. The environmental effects of the drilling, ranging from thousands of gallons of spilled oil to threats to the local water supply, have long prompted buyout offers from the state and federal governments. But a new plan, hatched by the Miccosukee tribe and a nonprofit, might mean the end of future prospecting and drilling on hundreds of thousands of acres of land within Big Cypress, a crucial part of Florida's Everglades. The deal includes an inked agreement with the politically powerful family that holds all the rights to hunt for oil and gas within the preserve's boundaries. And this time, the Miccosukee feels like success is in sight.
"Equality Florida Action PAC backs Eileen Higgins for Miami-Dade Commission re-election" via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Higgins will head into Election Day this year with support from one of the largest LGBTQ rights groups in Florida. Equality Florida Action PAC, a Tampa-based nonprofit, announced that it is backing Higgins' bid for re-election. The group cited Higgins' numerous contributions toward LGBTQ advancement — including the establishment of Miami-Dade's first LGBTQ Advisory Board, legislation designating October as the county's LGBTQ History Month and a declaration last year that March 31 was a countywide Transgender Day of Visibility — as evidence of her allyship. "Equality Florida Action PAC is excited to endorse Eileen Higgins for re-election," Equality Florida Action PC Chair Stratton Pollitzer said in a statement.
"Joel Flores stacks $117K to flip Palm Beach County Commission seat blue" via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Flores last quarter more than doubled the campaign cash he has on hand to flip the District 7 seat on the Palm Beach County Commission blue this November. Between Oct. 1 and New Year's Eve, Flores amassed $117,400 between his campaign account and political committee, Friends of Joel Flores. After just over $500 in spending, all of it on donation-processing fees, he entered 2024 with more than $235,000. His incumbent Republican opponent Michael Barnett, whom DeSantis appointed to the seven-person panel in January 2023, raised less than half what Flores collected in the fourth quarter. By the year's end, his war chest was about 41% the size of his challenger. In a statement expressing "deep appreciation" for the support he's received so far; Flores attributed his comparatively large fourth quarter gains to "widespread enthusiasm" for his campaign.
Joel Flores posts some solid bank to help flip the Palm Beach County Commission blue in 2024.
"Wellington will hold referendum to annex 257 acres along Southern Boulevard, Seminole Pratt Whitney Road" via Valentina Palm of The Palm Beach Post — The owners of the 257 unincorporated acres along Southern Boulevard and Seminole Pratt Whitney Road will vote in March to accept or reject the annexation of their properties into Wellington. The Village Council voted Tuesday, Jan. 16 to proceed with the referendum on annexing the land. If approved March 19 by the property owners, the village's boundary would grow north, crossing Southern Boulevard for the first time. "We should put this to the voters," said Council member Michael Napoleone during the meeting. "If they want to become part of Wellington, which they should, then they'll vote that way. And if they don't, they won't." The land would give Wellington the space to add residences and commercial businesses.
— LOCAL: C. FL —
"Osceola man gets six years in federal prison for lying about support for ISIS" via Amanda Rabines of the Orlando Sentinel — A federal judge sentenced Moad Mohamed Benkabbou to six years in prison for lying to federal agents about his past support for the Islamic State, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida. Mohamed Benkabbou, a 23-year-old from Kissimmee, was indicted by a federal grand jury last year on three counts of false statements to a federal agency related to a terrorism investigation. In a sentencing memo filed in September, prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney's Office said the FBI began investigating Mohamed Benkabbou in Summer 2019 for his possible involvement in international terrorism. Investigators said he was "prolific on online social media groups espousing radical Islamic jihadi views."
Moad Mohamed Benkabbou gets six years for lying about his role in ISIS.
"Hopefully, County Commission will give us venues worthy of Taylor Swift, World Cup" via Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel — The Orange County Commission will decide on Tuesday how Orlando moves forward as an entertainment and sports destination city. Do we want to be world-class or second-class? The reason I bring this up is because the Orange County Commission will decide whether to allot $400 million in tourist development tax (TDT) money to renovate Camping World Stadium and $256 million to update Amway, er, Kia Center. Of course, we need to update our city (and county) venues. When TDT money was originally approved to build the arena and the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts while giving Camping World Stadium a much-needed face-lift, the civic mantra back then was, "Do Them All. Do Them Now. Do Them Right."
"Orlando Museum of Art drops 'Basquiat' owners from lawsuit — but not former director" via Matthew J. Palm of the Orlando Sentinel — Caught in a cash crunch, Orlando Museum of Art will drop its lawsuit against a consortium of owners of artwork once attributed to Jean-Michel Basquiat, the institution announced Friday afternoon, while stressing its case against ex-director Aaron De Groft will continue. The museum also revealed it was served with a fourth subpoena by the FBI in August, about two weeks after filing its lawsuit, causing it to rack up even more unbudgeted legal fees in the fallout from its ill-fated "Heroes & Monsters" exhibition in 2022. The decision to drop its lawsuit comes on the heels of the revelation that the museum has been urgently seeking financial support from supporters, philanthropists and government entities as it faces a budget shortfall this year of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"Florida lab is making a vaccine to live in space. It might help here, too." via the Miami Herald — Traveling by plane isn't always easy on the body. And neither is space travel. Astronauts often experience atrophy, the loss of bone and muscle, during their months living in zero gravity. People on Earth also tend to see their bones and muscles weaken as they age, increasing risk of injuries from falls. Companies like Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin are working to open space travel for more people. And figuring out how to reduce atrophy is on the mind of scientists. At the University of Central Florida in Orlando, researchers have received state funding to collaborate with biotech company Vaxxinity, which moved its headquarters from Texas to Cape Canaveral last year, to develop vaccines that can prevent and mitigate muscle and bone weakening, a common health problem for people experiencing long-term spaceflight — and aging seniors.
— LOCAL: TB —
"What's next for ousted Tampa state attorney after favorable court ruling?" via Dan Sullivan and Sue Carlton of the Tampa Bay Times — Earlier this month, two bombshells dropped in the case of Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren, who was booted from office by DeSantis and has been battling in the courts to win his job back. Warren announced on Jan. 8 that he wouldn't run in November because, he said, DeSantis would likely suspend him again if he won. It sounded like farewell. But two days later, a federal appeals court ruled in Warren's favor, raising the possibility of his return to the office and setting off a flurry of questions about politics, procedure, and what comes next.
So … what's next?
"Religious ads were banned on Tampa buses. Court rules that unlawful." via Olivia George of the Tampa Bay Times — With their annual Hanukkah celebration approaching, Young Israel of Tampa, an Orthodox Jewish synagogue, wanted to place an ad on the local bus network to spread the word. The ad included an image of a menorah and highlighted that there would be ice skating, music and food. However, the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority rejected the October 2020 proposal. Since 2013, the agency has prohibited religious advertising. This month, an appeals court found the ban violated the First Amendment. The agency implemented a policy to reject advertisements that "primarily promote a religious faith or religious organization" because of its "interests in ensuring safe and reliable transportation services," according to court records.
— LOCAL: N. FL —
"Pensacola passes 'public safety' ordinance aimed at panhandlers" via Jim Little of the Pensacola News Journal — The council voted 6-1 in the second of two required votes to pass the new ordinance, with Council member Charles Bare as the dissenting vote. The first vote in December passed unanimously. The panhandling ordinance makes it illegal for anyone to stand in a median without intending to cross the road or engage in any "physical interaction" with a vehicle on the road. Violating the ordinance can mean a fine of up to $500 or 60 days in jail or both. While the ordinance never mentions panhandling directly, the activity described in the ordinance clearly describes panhandling. Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves said in December the focus was to improve public safety and not crack down on panhandling.
"FAMU names two inaugural provost professors with goal of impacting Tallahassee community" via Tarah Jean of the Tallahassee Democrat — Florida A&M University is taking on a new approach to strengthen its university-community partnerships. Provost Professor for Community Outreach, Engagement and Research is now a title at FAMU, and two faculty members were recently named to the inaugural position by FAMU's Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Allyson Watson, effective immediately. The chosen faculty members — associate professor of History and African American Studies Reginald Ellis and associate professor in the School of Allied Health Sciences Gail Randolph — will each serve a two-year term in the role as they act as chief liaisons to Watson to develop and implement ways of addressing important needs in the Tallahassee region.
Allyson Watson represents a new push by FAMU to reach out to the Tallahassee community. Image via USFSP.
"NCAA to investigate UF football a year after Jaden Rashada's failed $13.8 million NIL deal" via Edgar Thompson of the Orlando Sentinel — The Florida football program is under NCAA investigation for potential rules violations, according to documents provided a year after quarterback signee Rashada's failed $13.8 NIL deal spurred public scrutiny and the specter of future infractions for coach Billy Napier's program. UF school President Ben Sasse received a notice of inquiry on June 9, 2023, stating the NCAA enforcement staff had begun to investigate the football program, according to records obtained Friday by the Orlando Sentinel following a public records request.
"James Joanos — retired local lawyer, judge and FSU 'super fan' — dies at 89" via Jim Rosica of the Tallahassee Democrat — Joanos, a local lawyer and later judge who was a Florida State athletics "super fan" and FSU Hall of Famer, died in Tallahassee on Saturday. He was 89. As veteran Tallahassee attorney Don Hinkle put it, "He was what any good judge should aspire to be." Joanos, a Tallahassee native, graduated from Leon High and Florida State University, did three years in the Air Force, then went to Yale Law School, returning to his hometown to practice law. He became a circuit judge and appellate judge, eventually rising to chief judge of the Tallahassee-based 1st District Court of Appeal. He later retired to private practice with the Akerman law firm here.
— LOCAL: SW. FL —
"Sarasota Police forward video voyeurism charge for Christian Zegler, won't pursue rape charge" via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Sarasota Police have forwarded their investigation of Ziegler to prosecutors. Investigators delivered a probable cause affidavit to charge Ziegler with video voyeurism, but not rape. Police in October launched an investigation of the now-former Republican Party of Florida Chair after a woman accused him of rape in a Sarasota apartment. Over the course of a two-month investigation, Ziegler provided police with a video he took of an Oct. 2 sexual encounter with the woman. Investigators said after reviewing the two-and-a-half-minute video, it showed the encounter was "likely consensual," preventing police from charging Ziegler with sexual battery. Ziegler's attorney, Derek Byrd, issued a lengthy statement saying the findings vindicated the embattled political figure.
Christian Ziegler is off the hook on rape charges.
"Longtime South Sarasota Republic club changes name and purpose, causing confusion" via Earle Kimel of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Tom Knight used to make a habit of attending meetings of the Republican Club of South Sarasota County so his attendance at the Jan. 10 meeting of the organization was a logical stop on his campaign to win the Sarasota County Commission District 3 seat now held by Neil Rainford. By the time he got up to speak, Mike Stephenson had been succeeded by Proud Boys activist James Hoel as president of the club, which also resigned its charter from the Republican Party of Florida and adopted the name America First Southwest Florida Caucus. Several other politicians also attended the meeting, which featured Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Ron Turner, including Sheriff Kurt Hoffman and Michelle Pozzie, who is running for the District 74 seat currently occupied by State Rep. James Buchanan.
"Take it higher? City leaders vote 4-1 in favor in first rezoning review for NCH heart center" via Liz Freeman of the Naples Daily News — NCH has cleared a significant hurdle for a five-story heart center on its downtown hospital campus with the Naples City Council approving the first step in a rezoning. The City Council voted 4-1 Thursday on a first reading of a petition for the NCH Baker Hospital campus and its Telford Education Center, encompassing 13 acres, to be rezoned to the city's public services district. The public services district paves the way for NCH to seek approval for the proposed $200 million project at a maximum of 87 feet and not be confined to the 42-foot charter height limit for commercial buildings. City residents approved the 42-foot height by a voter referendum in 2000.
"Cost of critical stormwater project balloons in Naples. Here's what to know" via Laura Layden of Naples Daily News — The price tag for a long-anticipated stormwater improvement project in Naples has ballooned. The city received a new estimate of more than $91 million in December from a general contractor. That far exceeded the "probable cost" provided by the independent engineer, which came in at $32 million. Since getting the new estimate, city staffers have been in discussions with the contractor, Kiewit Infrastructure South Co., on ways to find savings. So far, those discussions have cut the price to about $86.2 million, in part by identifying less expensive materials.
— TOP OPINION —
"Why are voters so upset? Consider the Snickers bar." via Paul Donovan for The New York Times — The United States has just experienced one of the biggest collapses in consumer inflation in modern history. In June 2022 consumer prices had risen 9.1% over the previous year. By December 2023, the rate of increase had slowed to 3.4%. And yet, in survey after survey, voters still declare inflation to be at or near the top of their list of concerns.
Why aren't voters recognizing the decline in the inflation rate? Because voters are humans, and humans don't think about inflation rationally.
To understand why, let's look at a Snickers bar.
More than 12 Snickers bars are sold every second in the United States. That makes Snickers bars a very important part of consumer purchases, so the price of a Snickers bar should be included in the inflation calculation. Yet Snickers bars do not consume a big portion of most families' annual budget (at least they usually don't).
Most of us will spend far more of our budget on something like a television. With $1,500, a consumer could buy a high-end 55-inch television or almost four Snickers bars a day for a year. Because items in the consumer price basket are weighted roughly by how much money consumers spend on that item in a year, television prices are more important than Snickers bars in the calculation of inflation.
However, we probably buy a Snickers bar much more frequently, perhaps even daily. So, we're much more likely to remember the price of the Snickers bar and forget the price of the television we bought last year. Consumers tend to think only about the prices of high-frequency purchases — food for the family and fuel for the SUV.
The different inflation rates for infrequent and frequent purchases is a big part of why consumers mistakenly believe inflation is higher than it actually is.
— OPINIONS —
"I've told my last Trump joke" via David Kamp for The New York Times — Had Trump shuffled off into quiet exile like Richard Nixon, maybe we could continue to find him funny. But he remains his party's leader. He's still spreading the lie that the 2020 Election was stolen. He's ratcheted up his rhetoric, labeling his political opponents "vermin" and promising vengeance. Now is really, really not the time for yet another bit in which Trump is portrayed as a nutty blowhard who overuses the words "frankly" and "many people are saying." I understand that Trump is funny, sometimes not even inadvertently. Let's just hold off on the laughter until he is defeated.
"DeSantis was supposed to save the GOP from Trump, not endorse him" via the Miami Herald editorial board — DeSantis' departure from the Republican Primary, which now leaves only Haley as a serious contender against Trump, marks the end of a political nose-dive for our Governor, once viewed as the strongest candidate who could end the Republican Party's addiction to Trump. He failed. His trademark culture wars, anti-COVID vaccine stance and opposition to government-mandated school closures weren't enough to persuade voters in other parts of the country to back him. With his presidential pitch gone, and Trump's reemergence after his 91 criminal charges, DeSantis became a candidate without a cause. We all wondered: What was the point in staying in a losing race?
"Florida needs a law so nurses don't have too many patients at once" via Sen. Ileana Garcia for the Miami Herald — Nurses are on the front line of delivering and assuring quality care, as they are typically the person that you would interact with most during your time there. While nurses excel at juggling multiple tasks and patients — they seem to be able to do it all — nurses are only human, and they shouldn't have to shoulder an unreasonable number of patients, even as the state faces a workforce shortage. This creates a difficult working environment for our nurses. This is why I filed Senate Bill 376, the Florida Patient Protection Act, this Legislative Session to establish and implement a healthy minimum staffing level for direct care registered nurses at health care facilities. This legislation will lay out a uniform, minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratio across the state.
"Ensuring timely access to innovative, affordable cancer care in Florida" via Michelle Flowers for Florida Politics — During the 2023 Legislative Session, DeSantis and the Florida Legislature made strides to add necessary accountability and transparency to pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). And this year, we applaud Gov. DeSantis for his commitment to improving cancer care — recommending $3M for the Mary Brogan Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program and tripling state funding to $60 million for the Florida Cancer Innovation, as well as continuing to fund other important cancer research programs, including the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program. Florida has an opportunity to join 19 states that have passed legislation to ensure all copays count, regardless of their form, by passing Senate Bill 228 and House Bill 363 by Sen. Tom Wright and Rep. Lindsay Cross. Time is not merely a factor in cancer care; it is a critical determinant of outcomes.
"DeSantis discusses the First Family's chicken 'controversy'" via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Grilled about his favorite fried chicken restaurant, DeSantis told supporters that the choice of bird was a "controversy" among the Governor, First Lady and their three children. "On the chicken thing, you know, this is a source of controversy within our household because we've got three kids that like chicken nuggets and chicken tenders. And so, if you judge it based on the percentage of our annual income that we spend, clearly Chick-fil-A would be far and away," DeSantis said. "Let's just put it this way. Our family's daily rhythms would change if Chick-fil-A did not exist," DeSantis added. "That's probably our kids' favorite thing. And look, it's not like you just do it every day, but when you're going from a baseball game to this or that, to be able to do it's important."
Chick-fil-A keeps the DeSantis family on an even keel.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Best wishes to former Senate President Don Gaetz, Greg Black of Black Consulting, Tim Center, Georgia McKeown, and Dr. Jeff Sharkey of Capitol Alliance Group.
It's not their birthday, but happy anniversary to Debbie and Michael Millner.
___
Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.
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