Peter Schorsch
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
Scoop: Carol Gormley, not Jason Rojas, to serve as @RepJoseOliva chief of staff. #FlaPol
— Peter Schorsch (@PeterSchorschFL) November 14, 2018
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As of Last Call’s deadline, Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker was still questioning attorneys in Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson’s lawsuit on ballots with mismatched signatures.
Nelson and the Democratic Executive Committee Of Florida want the deadline extended so voters have more time to fix invalidated provisional and mail-in ballots by proving they voted.
The Democrats’ attorneys are seeking a court order from Walker, telling the state to then accept those late ballots that are “cured.”
A Wednesday hearing expected to last two hours was at four hours and counting by late afternoon, with an increasingly cantankerous Walker throwing off a series of bon mots.
He first corrected his earlier comparison to election-related lawsuits increasing like Tribbles, a reference to an episode of the original “Star Trek” in which small alien creatures reproduce like rabbits.
“I should have said the lawyers are multiplying like Tribbles,” he said.
Later, he got testy when one lawyer tried to make a point that fatigue in election officials results in errors being made: “I can assure you the most tired person in the room is me, let’s move on.”
He referred to parts of Florida election law reminding him of his grandfather’s expression, “like hunting squirrels with a bazooka.”
And after a suggestion that signatures made electronically are the same as those made with pen on paper, he threw up his hands: “I feel like my head’s being shoved into a cow patty.”
Evening Reads
“‘Stop lying’ about Florida recounts, Democrats warn Donald Trump” via David Smith of The Guardian
“Federal prosecutors reviewing altered election documents tied to Florida Democrats” via Matt Dixon of POLITICO Florida
“Bill Nelson needs ‘royal flush’ in court cases, but will likely come up short” via Marc Caputo of POLITICO Florida
“Rick Scott to recuse himself from certifying results” via Gray Rohrer and Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel
“Nelson sues over Florida hurricane victims fax, email voting” via Samantha Gross of the Times/Herald
“Marco Rubio dials down tone in official comment on Florida recount” via Florida Politics
“Third-party gubernatorial candidate rejects ‘spoiler’ argument” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
“Judge Mark Walker is at the center of Florida recount legal fight” via Jay Weaver of the Miami Herald
“Brenda Snipes says invalid ballots ‘were never counted,’ contradicting her attorney” via Martin Vassolo of the Miami Herald
“Palm Beach County ‘in prayer mode’ to finish Senate recount by state deadline” via Kyra Gurney of the Miami Herald
“What happens if elections chiefs can’t make recount deadline? State says keep counting.” via Jenny Staletovich of the Tampa Bay Times
“How the Collective PAC almost brought it home for Andrew Gillum” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
“David Simmons selected Senate President Pro Tempore” via Danny McAuliffe of Florida Politics
“Chris Hudson moves up to AFP national post” via Florida Politics
“More than 30 people didn’t report disturbing behavior by Nikolas Cruz before Parkland massacre” via David Fleshler and Brittany Wallman of the Sun-Sentinel
Quote of the Day
“Andrew Gillum got more votes than any other Democrat in statewide history … Presidential-level support. The Democrats did all we think they could’ve done.” — Quentin James, founder of Collective PAC, dedicated to getting African-Americans elected.
Bill Day’s Latest
Breakthrough Insights
Wake Up Early?
Florida Internet & Television (FiTV) will hold its second annual 2018 Florida Internet & Television Conference, known as “FITConFL.” That’s at 8 a.m., Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, 14100 Bonnet Creek Resort Lane, Orlando.
The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission will continue a four-day meeting in Broward County. That’s at 8:30 a.m., BB&T Center, Chairman’s Club, 1 Panther Parkway, Sunrise.
The Florida Defense Support Task Force, which works on issues related to military bases in the state, will meet in Brevard County. That’s at 9 a.m., Courtyard by Marriott Cocoa Beach, 3435 North Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach.
The Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Retirement Plan Committee will hold a conference call at 10 a.m. Call-in number: 1-866-574-0995. Code: 833028115.
The Florida Supreme Court is expected to release its regular weekly opinions at 11 a.m.
Sen. Aaron Bean, a Fernandina Beach Republican, will take part in an event in which the Fraternal Order of Police and the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation will dedicate 53 automated external defibrillators to local police departments. That’s at 11 a.m., Fraternal Order of Police lodge, 5530 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville.
Capital Tiger Bay Club will host a discussion about the 2018 elections, with panelists expected to include Republican strategist David Johnson, Democratic strategist Steve Schale and Brian Burgess, publisher and editor-in-chief of The Capitolist. That’s at 11:30 a.m., Donald L. Tucker Civic Center, 505 West Pensacola St., Tallahassee.
County elections officials face a 3 p.m. deadline to submit results of machine recounts from the Nov. 6 general election. Those recounts would be required in races where candidates were separated by 0.5 percent or less in preliminary returns.
Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam will be on Capitol Hill to testify about his concerns over the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement’s potential negative economic impact on Florida’s produce industry. That’s at the U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, D.C.
