Peter Schorsch
Sunburn – The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics.
By Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster, Mitch Perry and Jim Rosica.
AFP COMES TO THE RESCUE
For days, Gov. Rick Scott has toured the state, holding round table discussions with business, tourism and community leaders about Enterprise Florida and Visit Florida. Every stop has been in the district of a House member who voted for a bill to eliminate Enterprise Florida, Visit Florida and a slew of other economic incentive programs.
At each stop, he’s blasted House members for voting to kill the programs, and has racked up plenty of free press along the way, much of which included soundbites of him condemning members of his own party.
Now, Americans for Prosperity-Florida is fighting back, launching a direct mail this week in the districts of all of the Republican and Democratic members of the House Careers and Competition Subcommittee that voted in favor of eliminating the incentive program.
The campaign is meant to educate Floridians which members are standing on “Principles Over Politics,” and encourages residents to call their state representatives to “thank them for fighting against a rigged system.”
Residents living districts represented by Reps. Halsey Beshears, Dane Eagle, Randy Fine, Julio Gonzalez, Roy Hardemon, Shawn Harrison, Mike La Rosa, Alexandra Miller, Paul Renner, and Jay Trumbull should expect to see the advertisement in the coming days.
This likely won’t be the last time Florida voters hear from Americans for Prosperity-Florida as the debate over economic incentives and Visit Florida heats up. It has been vocal in its support of the House proposals, and encouraged supporters to sign a petition asking their representatives to support the bill so “we can finally stop corporate welfare in Florida.”
The conservative organization played a key role during the 2016 Legislative session in blocking Scott’s request for $250 million for economic incentives. Last year the group regularly sent mailers telling Floridians to call their representative to tell them to “keep holding strong.”
In one of those mailers to residents in then-Appropriations Chairman Richard Corcoran’s district, AFP-Florida encouraged voters to call the Land O’Lakes Republican and tell him “to keep saying NO to special interests and YES to fighting for taxpayers.”
They probably won’t need to send that mailer again this year. As Speaker of the House, Corcoran has equated economic incentives to corporate welfare.
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RICK SCOTT CONDEMNS JAY TRUMBULL ON VISIT FLORIDA AND EFI VOTE AT BAY COUNTY ROUNDTABLE via Tiffany Jackson of MyPanhandle.com – Scott was in town hosting a roundtable with local business owners, economic development leaders, tourism leaders, and community members. “This is about making sure everybody in this community has a job. In Tallahassee, there’s some politicians that don’t understand the importance of a job. I am shocked that Representative Jay Trumbull voted to abolish Enterprise Florida and Visit Florida. I appreciate Senator Gainer for his complete support of Enterprise Florida and Visit Florida because it’s about jobs for Florida families,” said Scott.
— “Alex Miller: Vote against Enterprise Florida protects tax dollars” via the Sarasota Herald-Tribune
BOB BUCKHORN MEETS WITH SCOTT OVER JOB INCENTIVES via Jeremy Wallace of the Tampa Bay Times – A day after attending a rally with Gov. Scott, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn was in Tallahassee on Tuesday meeting with the governor yet again. Buckhorn and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, both Democrats, said they met with the governor to offer their help in protecting Enterprise Florida and Visit Florida. “I’d be more than happy to go anywhere and speak to anyone about the importance of these incentives for us to be able to grow our economy,” Buckhorn said after his meeting with Scott.
JIM BOYD CALLS SCOTT’S $618 MILLION IN TAX CUTS ‘A LITTLE BIT AMBITIOUS’ via Florida Politics – Gov. Scott may be overreaching with his plan to cut state taxes by $618.4 million, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee said Tuesday. “I would consider it a little bit ambitious, in light of our current financial situation,” chairman Jim Boyd told reporters. “We certainly share the goal of trying to cut as much as we can in taxes and keep the money in the taxpayers’ pockets,” the Bradenton Republican said. “Six hundred million dollars is pretty strong. … I’d love for his number to be correct, because that means we’re in better shape than we think we are in terms of the money that’s be available to us.”
SCOTT’S BUDGET WOULD RAID AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUNDS via Florida Politics – Scott’s proposed budget would shift nearly 77 percent of the $293.4 million earmarked for low-income housing next year to other state priorities. That works out to $224 million from state and local housing trust funds that won’t go for their intended purpose. “The governor has not been supportive of local and state trust funds in any of his budgets,” said Jaimie Ross, president and CEO of the Florida Housing Coalition and facilitator for the Sadowski Coalition, comprising an array of housing advocacy organizations. Last year, Scott wanted to sweep $237.5 million from the trust funds, of the nearly $276.6 million then available. The Legislature pared back his request, providing around $200 million for housing.
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ANITERE FLORES: ANYTHING SHORT OF FRACKING BAN DOA IN SENATE via Jim Ash of WFSU – This year, Flores is Senate Pro Temp – No. 2 in the political pecking order — and she’s co-sponsoring a statewide ban. She says the message should be clear — any call for further studies, or strict regulations, is dead in her chamber. “This is a bit of a black-and-white issue. And so I don’t really see a majority of the Senate moving backward from anything beyond a ban.” Republican Senator Dana Young, who served as House majority leader last year, is sponsoring the ban. But even though a Republican is sponsoring the House companion, Flores expects a tough fight.
DEMOCRATS TO RICHARD CORCORAN: TERRORISTS IN FLORIDA? PROVE IT via Allison Nielsen of Sunshine State News – House Democratic Leader Pro Tempore Bobby DuBose … sent the House Speaker a letter Tuesday demanding Corcoran release information proving the people of Florida were at risk. DuBose also had concerns over the comments since state lawmakers are scheduled to hear a bill withdrawing Florida from the refugee program this week. “The timely release of this information is vitally important as it could influence how members vote on HB 427,” DuBose wrote. Corcoran’s comments came during a weekend interview with CBS4’s Jim DeFede, who asked Corcoran if he believed some of the 1,200 Syrian refugees escaping to Florida last year were “harboring terrorist views.”
HOUSE PANEL TAKES ON IMPEACHMENT POWER, LOCAL GOVERNMENT ETHICS REFORMS via Florida Politics – The Public Integrity and Ethics Commitee, chaired by Yalaha Republican Larry Metz, OK’d proposals that would increase local officials’ financial disclosure, clamp down on potential conflicts of interest and create a Local Government Lobbyist Registration Trust Fund. Moreover, the committee continues to show an interest in the House possibly exercising its constitutionally-granted impeachment power. Metz had revealed last month he was looking into articles of impeachment against a Jacksonville judge before he quit the bench. His committee also on Tuesday heard a case study of a trial judge under investigation for three years for alleged attorney-ethical lapses before he became a judge. That’s despite a rule of judicial administration that encourages matters to be resolved within 180 days.
BILL FILED TO BAR ACCESS TO RECORDINGS OF PULSE-LIKE ATTACKS via Gray Rohrer of the Orlando Sentinel – Public access to video and audio recordings of someone’s death would be banned under a bill filed in the Legislature, attracting concerns from open government and transparency advocates who say it would squelch oversight of law enforcement. Rep. Chris Latvala … filed HB 661 last week. The bill cites the Pulse nightclub and Fort Lauderdale airport shootings as evidence the law needs to be changed. “The Legislature is gravely concerned and saddened by the horrific mass killings perpetrated at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando and at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The Legislature is concerned that, if these photographs and recordings are released, terrorists will use them to inspire others to perpetrate killings, attract followers, and bring attention to their causes,” the bill reads. The bill also is retroactive, meaning the future release of existing records would be banned.
SHARK-FIN TRADE IN FLORIDA TARGETED IN SENATE BILL via the Orlando Sentinel – A Northeast Florida senator has filed a bill that would crack down on the sale and possession of shark fins and shark tails, considered a delicacy in parts of Asia. The measure (SB 884), filed by Sen. Travis Hutson … would make it a first-degree misdemeanor in Florida to trade or offer for sale shark fins or shark tails. Commercial and recreational fishers found in violation would face a suspension or loss of their licenses or permits. The bill says sharks are critical to the health of the ocean’s ecosystems and calls Florida a market for shark fins.
LAWMAKERS TO UNVEIL TESTING LEGISLATION via Jeffrey Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times – Florida Senate president pro tem Anitere Flores, Florida House PreK-12 Appropriations subcommittee chairman Rep. Manny Diaz, and House Judiciary committee chairman Rep. Chris Sprowls have announced plans to introduce a bill aimed at scaling back state-mandated student testing … The three are calling the bill the “Fewer, Better Tests” act, a nod to the direction of Jeb Bush‘s Foundation for Excellence in Education has taken since Florida’s parents have started fighting back against the state’s high-stakes testing model that Bush promoted while governor … the lawmakers’ goals are to: Improve and enhance state tests; move the exams to later in the year (a goal superintendents set forth weeks ago); Provide better student score reports (something the Department of Education said it did a year ago) and ensure teachers get results from local assessments early enough to inform their instruction (note it’s local, not state, results).
FLORIDA BAR WILL OPPOSE LEGISLATIVE “OVERRIDE” PROPOSALS viaFlorida Politics – The Board of Governors adopted the stance … It also disapproved a companion measure aimed at federal judges who interpret state laws. State Rep. Julio Gonzalez, a Venice Republican, filed the two pieces of legislation (HJR 121, HM 125) in December. Neither has had a hearing in the committee weeks that serve as a run-up to the 2017 Legislative Session that opens March 7. One would create a constitutional amendment to be approved by voters that allows the Legislature to review judicial rulings that declare legislative acts void. That means that if “the Supreme Court, (any) district court of appeal, circuit court or county court” overturns a law, the Legislature could salvage it with a two-thirds vote within five years of the ruling. The second measure urges Congress to propose a constitutional amendment to “deem a law that has been declared void by certain federal courts active and operational.” Such measures, if passed, are non-binding.
LOBBYIST MUSCLE WILL BE MAJOR FORCE IN MEDICAL MARIJUANA FIGHT via Michael Auslen of the Tampa Bay Times – More than 150 lobbyists are registered to represent more than 100 different interest groups, according to lobbying disclosure data published for the first time this year by the Florida House … that means the loudest voices in setting cannabis policy are likely to be those of lobbyists and the groups they represent. Chief among them, six of the seven nurseries that currently hold licenses to grow and sell cannabis in Florida have lined up significant lobbying muscle. The dollar figures of these contracts are not yet available but expect big money to be spent lobbying the implementation of Amendment 2. This list does not include the many other interests at play: Patient groups, organizations for doctors and other medical professionals, cities and counties that want zoning and regulatory power under the new laws, and plenty of growers, dispensaries and testing facilities that lost out in the existing system.
ASSIGNMENT EDITORS: The Florida Society of Clinical Oncology will host a Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer Luncheon at 11 a.m., Wednesday on the 22nd floor of the Capitol. The event will include treatment and care-focused presentations from various cancer specialists from the Mayo Clinic Florida, Florida Cancer Specialists, and Tallahassee Memorial Cancer Center.
LEGISLATIVE STAFFING MERRY-GO-ROUND via Legislative IQ powered by Lobby Tools
On and off: Tiffany Harrington has replaced Heather Williamson as House staff director of the Joint Select Committee on Collective Bargaining.
On: Natron Curtis is the new district secretary for Gainesville Democratic Rep. Clovis Watson.
Off: Melissa Ullery is no longer legislative assistant for Panama City Republican Sen. George Gainer.
Off and on: George Fossett is the new legislative assistant for Miami Gardens Democratic Sen. Oscar Braynon. Previously, Fossett served as district secretary for sunrise Democratic Rep. Katie Edwards.
Off and on: Patrick Steele replaced Riley Baldree as legislative assistant for Melbourne Republican Sen. Debbie Mayfield.
On: Marilyn Barnes returned from retirement to become legislative assistant for Tallahassee Democratic Sen. Bill Montford.
On: Debra Booth is the new legislative assistant for Kissimmee Democratic Sen. Victor Torres.
On: Paula Rigoli is now district secretary for Delray Beach Democratic Rep. Emily Slosberg.
On: Luis Callejas, previously district secretary, is now legislative assistant for Miami Democratic Rep. David Richardson.
On: Lindsay Graham is now district secretary for Orlando Republican Rep. Mike Miller.
On: Sharon Stewart is the new district secretary for Vero Beach Republican Rep. Erin Grall.
On: Nadie Charles is now legislative assistant and Elizabeth Casimir is district secretary for Fort Lauderdale Democratic Rep. Patricia Williams.
On and on: Rebecca McLaughlin is legislative assistant and Kathy Johnson, who was previously district secretary, is now legislative assistant for Orlando Republican Rep. Eric Eisnaugle.
Off and on: Charles Smith, who was previously district secretary, is now legislative assistant for Fort Lauderdale Republican Rep. George Moraitis.
On: Dennis Ragosta is the new district secretary for Ocala Republican Rep. Charlie Stone.
On: Mikhail Scott is now legislative assistant for Cutler Bay Democratic Rep. Kionne McGhee.
On: Nancy Bowers is the new district secretary for The Villages Republican Rep. Don Hahnfeldt.
On: Rebecca Zizzo is district secretary for House Speaker Richard Corcoran.
On: Jack Harrington is legislative assistant for Miami Republican Rep. Michael Bileca.
Off: Janine Kiray is no longer legislative assistant to Clearwater Republican Rep. Chris Latvala.
Off: Constance Baker is no longer district secretary for Jacksonville Democratic Rep. Kim Daniels.
On: Leota Wilkinson is district secretary for Palatka Republican Rep. Bobby Payne.
Off and on: John Love has stepped down as House administrative assistant for the Joint Select Committee on Collective Bargaining. Lisa Larson is replacing love.
Off and on: Lindsey Locke is replacing Michelle McCloskey as House administrative assistant for the Joint Committee on Public Counsel Oversight.
Off and on: Patricia Gosney is replacing Joel Ramos as legislative assistant in the Tallahassee district office for Democratic pro tem leader Sen. Lauren Book.
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AIF WORKERS’ COMP FIX WOULD MAKE EMPLOYEES PAY THEIR OWN ATTORNEY FEES via Michael Moline of Florida Politics – Associated Industries of Florida released its fix for rising workers’ compensation rates … proposed legislation would make injured employees responsible for their own attorney fees. The draft bill stipulates that “a claimant is responsible for payment of her or his own attorney fees” for litigation arising from a claim. “A judge of compensation claims may not award attorney fees payable by any carrier or employer,” the draft says. Compensation judges would have power to approve such fee agreements “as consistent with the Florida Bar’s rules of professional conduct … if any party should prevail in any proceedings before a judge or compensation claims or court, there shall be taxed against the nonprevailing party the reasonable costs of such proceedings, not to include attorney fees” … “This legislation will allow Floridians to avoid unnecessary, costly and time consuming litigation and to get benefits into the hands of injured workers as soon as possible,” AIF president and CEO Tom Feeney said.
FLORIDA LOSES APPEAL IN WATER WARS FIGHT – DESPITE SPENDING $98 MILLION ON LAWYERS via Mary Ellen Klas of the Tampa Bay Times – A special master appointed by the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Florida and in favor of Georgia in the 16-year water war over water rights to the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee and Flint River Basin. The ruling by Ralph Lancaster, Jr., a civil attorney from Portland, Maine, concluded that Florida failed to prove that new limits on Georgia’s water consumption were needed. He made the ruling after five weeks of hearings last summer and more than $98 million in attorney’s fees spent on the case by the state of Florida. The Florida House … has called into question the cost of the litigation as authorized by Gov. Scott, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Office of the Attorney General. It found that in the last two years, after Florida asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene and the court appointed a special master to resolve the dispute, the state spent $54.4 million on legal help from four law firms.
TAMPA BAY TIMES ACKNOWLEDGES ITS RECENT STORIES ON MOSAIC SPILL ARE INACCURATE via Mitch Perry of Florida Politics – Don Rice and Mary Hrenda told the Times that a full year before the incident, monitoring wells around the stack showed a sinkhole was developing, and that both Mosaic and the DEP should have been aware of the sinkhole at the time. The information was also presented at a news conference with environmental groups in Manatee County. “They should have seen this 2016 sinkhole coming,” Rice told the Times. “Alarm bells should have been going off — danger, danger!” Now the Times acknowledges that Rice and Hrenda have retracted their statements. “News organizations routinely cover disputes between two credible sides, and that’s what we did in our original story,” says Jennifer Orsi, managing editor of the Times, in an email. “Mosaic, which declined to discuss the allegations for that story, responded the next day, and we covered that as well. Now, the hydrologists quoted in our original story have retracted their findings and expressed regret, which we will cover in a story on the front page of Wednesday’s Tampa Bay Times. Stories evolve, and we routinely cover those steps as they happen.”
PROPUBLICA HIT PIECE WILL DELIVER ‘INACCURATE, UNTRUTHFUL’ ATTACK ON ORLANDO CHARTER SCHOOL via Florida Politics – One such target of journalistic bias is Accelerated Learning Solutions (ALS), an Orlando charter school program servicing at-risk Orange County students who have, for a variety of reasons, fallen off‐track for graduation … the ALS-run Sunshine High School … has found itself in the crosshairs of ProPublica, the New York-based investigative newsroom that seeks to produce deep-dive journalism in what they proclaim as the “public interest.” in the instance of Sunshine — which has been both transparent and forthcoming with ProPublica reporter Heather Vogell — such public interest may have fallen by the wayside, traded for a decidedly anti-charter agenda. A Jan. 26 letter from ALS President Angela Whitford-Narine lays it out in no uncertain terms. “Based on lines of questioning and statements to us and to Orange County District staff … we are expecting her story to be an inaccurate and inappropriate reflection of our schools and of our relationship with Orange County Public Schools … I am particularly disturbed that Ms. Vogell has totally misrepresented what the students said to her … that she failed to seek parental consent in speaking with and quoting minor students and refused to inquire about the success the students were having at our schools.” Feedback from 10 students interviewed by Vogell shows several factual inaccuracies, including one where the reporter cites a student by which no record exists showing neither enrollment nor attendance.
***The quality of nursing home care is better in states like Florida that use a certificate of need process. You can help protect Florida’s most frail seniors by urging legislators to keep CON for Florida’s outstanding skilled nursing centers. Learn more from the Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) here.***
DOUBTS AMONG DEMOCRATS BEDEVIL BILL NELSON AGAINST SCOTT IN 2018 via Marc Caputo of POLITICO – Democratic concerns about 2018 — which Nelson backers dismiss as fanciful and ridiculous — can be heard among grassroots activists as well as during candid moments with Democratic insiders from Miami to Tallahassee to Washington. Nationally, Democrats are relying on Nelson to hold his own in the expensive state as they defend 23 seats in a narrowly divided Senate that Republicans barely control. Not only are Democrats worried that the 74-year-old Nelson might be out of step with the times, they fear the low-key centrist won’t be able to fire up progressives and grassroots activists if he ends up facing Gov. Scott and the tens of millions of dollars the independently wealthy Republican will spend if he runs. A faction of the Democratic Party … have become increasingly vocal about the need to campaign on more liberal values. But they haven’t yet been successful. … “Democrats are now using the tea party playbook and, yes, it worked for Republicans,” said Democratic consultant Eric Johnson, who advised Murphy in his Senate race. “But what Republicans did was primary their members and pull the GOP to the right. That would bring the house down if it happens on our side. What it will do is get rid of the people who want to get along.” Democratic fundraiser Ben Pollara, who ran a 2012 super PAC backing Nelson, said it’s “insane” that Democrats would want to challenge a tested incumbent in a year when they need to save their money and fight Republicans in open-seat Florida races for governor, attorney general, state chief financial officer and agriculture commissioner.
— “Florida Democrats announce Janet Reno Grant panel” via Adam Smith of the Tampa Bay Times
FLORIDIANS DELIVER VALENTINE’S DAY CARD TO MARCO RUBIO CALLING ON HIM TO DEFEND OBAMACARE — Central Floridians signed and delivered a card to Sen. Marco Rubio on Tuesday with the message “Republicans are red, Democrats are blue, we all support ACA, and so should you.” The Valentine’s Day card was meant to encourage the Miami Republican to hold town hall meetings about the Affordable Care Act and hear from his constitutes on the issue. Republicans have vowed to repeal and replace President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law.
TONIGHT, RUBIO, DONALD TRUMP DINE AT WHITE HOUSE via the Palm Beach Post – Trump and first lady Melania Trump will host Rubio and his wife, Jeanette Rubio, for dinner at the White House tonight. The official White House schedule released Tuesday night says the dinner will be at 6:30 p.m. in the Blue Room.
TRUMP’S VISITS TO FLORIDA COSTING SHERIFF $1.5 MILLION IN OT via The Associated Press – Trump‘s visits to his South Florida estate since he was elected president have cost the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Department $1.5 million in overtime costs. Sheriff Ric Bradshaw is confident the money his department has spent while assisting the Secret Service will be reimbursed by the federal government. “I do hope he is correct,” said Palm Beach County Administrator Verdenia Baker. The county sent letters to federal officials in December seeking reimbursement for the overtime security costs from Trump’s five-day visit to the estate called Mar-a-lago in November. Those costs were originally estimated at $250,000, but Bradshaw said the total will be closer to $300,000. Based on the revised number, the sheriff said told the newspaper the security costs are amounting to about $60,000 a day during Trump’s visits to the county.
A TRUMP PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY RIGHT HERE? IT’LL BE THE BEST. BELIEVE ME. via Frank Cerabino of the Palm Beach Post – The long-awaited Donald J. Trump Presidential Library opened today on the former site of the Palm Beach Jai-Alia fronton in Mangonia Park … Construction had been slowed for years due to work stoppages by unpaid contractors, the lack of willing labor after years of deportation sweeps in Florida, and a lawsuit by Trump against Palm Beach County over the flight path of planes over the museum. The 82-year-old former president, flanked by his fourth wife, Svetlana, a 25-year-old former supermodel from Uzbekistan, was on hand for the ribbon cutting. “People are telling me that this is the best presidential library in the history of presidential libraries,” the former president said. “That’s what I’m hearing.” Historians, architects and pundits already have had much to say about the Trump library, which features a removable roof, a Hall of Tweets, and an entire wing of courtroom depositions.
— “Jason Chaffetz wants Trump to answer questions about Mar-a-Lago security” via Alex Leary of the Tampa Bay Times
TRUMP TAPS THREE PALM BEACHERS FOR AMBASSADORSHIPS via Jose Lambiet of Gossip Extra — President Donald Trump has offered ambassadorships to at least three friends from Palm Beach … Robin Bernstein, a long-time Trump friend whose Palm Beach-based insurance agency has done business with the billionaire for years without suing him; Patrick Park, the heir of an Ohio fortune who bankrolls several black-tie fundraising galas a year; and Brian Burns, another philanthropist who has hosted the Palm Beach Police Foundation Ball at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago. Bernstein is said to be getting the Dominican Republic job while Park told friends he’s getting Austria and Burns is first in line for the Ireland gig.
IVANKA TRUMP POSTS PHOTO OF HERSELF BEHIND OVAL OFFICE DESK via The Associated Press – Ivanka is getting a strong reaction online after posting a photo of herself seated at the Oval Office desk while her father, President Donald Trump, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, stood on either side of her. The first daughter posted the picture on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook with the message, “A great discussion with two world leaders about the importance of women having a seat at the table!” While the picture earned Trump plenty of kudos from supporters of her father on social media, others said she hadn’t earned the right to sit behind the desk.
ON MSNBC, DAVID JOLLY WONDERS HOW SERIOUS DONALD TRUMP IS TAKING THE PRESIDENCY via Mitch Perry of Florida Politics – On his latest appearance on MSNBC’s The Last Word (with guest host Joy Reid), the former (and possibly future?) congressman from Florida’s 13th District called Trump’s first month in office “his JV moment,” specifically referring to Stephen Miller’s performance on the Sunday morning shows. Miller is the 31-year old senior adviser to Trump who is reported to be working alongside Steve Bannon in crafting the president’s messaging. “The first month of the Trump administration has been his JV (junior varsity) moment,” Jolly said on MSNBC. “Get the 31-year-old sweaty kid off the TV, and bring in the steady senior hand” … “We will see turnover, and frankly, this 31-year old should not have been the voice of the president on Sunday morning TV when we’re in such a pivotal moment,” Jolly said.
UNIONS, OTHERS URGING DISNEY CHAIR BOB IGER TO QUIT TRUMP via Scott Powers of Florida Politics – Organizers, who include Disney’s UNITE HERE union Locals 737 and 362 and Organize Florida, will announce the presentation of a petition with more than 300,000 signatures calling for Iger to step away from the White House and renounce immigration policies announced by Trump, said Local 737 President Jeremy Cruz-Haicken. The groups are part of a national campaign targeting the policy forum members. “This is an initial step in asking, along with the community, for Iger to do the right thing for the values of cast members, the values of the community and the values of the company,” Cruz-Haicken said.
STATE WIPES OUT INDEPENDENT PARTY OF FLORIDA via Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel – The Independent Party of Florida, founded in 1992, was stripped of its official status because it didn’t use a certified public accountant to audit its finances in 2014. Ernie Bach, chair of the party based in Largo, vowed to reapply with the state Division of Elections and have its status returned. But even if that happens, the party will have to rebuild its base of more than 260,000 members entirely from scratch. The Independent Party of Florida, which originally grew out of Ross Perot’s run for president in 1992, is a “middle of the road” party, Bach said. It most recently made headlines in Florida by trying to get Evan McMullin, an independent conservative presidential candidate, on the ballot in Florida. Gov. Scott denied McMullin a spot, leading the party to ultimately endorse Hillary Clinton based on a survey of its members.
FLORIDA INSIDER POLL: AND THE NEXT CFO IS… via Adam Smith of the Tampa Bay Times – Who will Scott appoint as chief financial officer to succeed Jeff Atwater as he steps down … Results of the unscientific survey (Rounded to nearest whole number): Pat Neal, 22 percent; Carlos Lopez-Cantera, 15 percent; Tom Grady, 15 percent; Joe Gruters, 12 percent; Tom Lee, 11 percent; Other: 8 percent; Lenny Curry, 7 percent; Jack Latvala, 6 percent; Will Weatherford, 4 percent; Jeff Brandes, 1 percent and Teresa Jacobs, 1 percent.
***The 2017 Florida Blue Foundation Community Health Symposium and Sapphire Awards are coming to Kissimmee April 19-20 at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center. The two-day event – with the theme “Creating a Culture of Health” – will feature several Florida-based, regional and national health professionals. The symposium will give attendees an opportunity to learn more about health care culture, purpose built communities and communities of health. Discussions will center on health issues, policy, reform and engagement. Network with 400+ executives from a range of private sector, government, universities, nonprofit organizations and more. To view agenda and register, click here***
APPOINTED: Peter Matthew Brigham to the Fifth Judicial Circuit Court.
APPOINTED: James Ferrara to the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court.
APPOINTED: Fabienne Fahnestock and Yael Gamm to the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Court.
NEW AND RENEWED LOBBY REGISTRATIONS
John Ariale, Ariale Strategy: Turbocombustor Technology, Inc. d/b/a Paradigm Precision
Brian Ballard, Sylvester Lukis, Monica Rodriguez, Ballard Partners: Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD
Keith Bell Jr., Clark Partington Hart Larry Bond & Stackhouse: Peaden Brothers Distillery of Florida
Marsha Bowen, Robert Levy & Associates: Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce; Rails to Trails Conservancy
James Boxold, Capital City Consulting: Martin County; Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office
Kevin Cabrera, Southern Strategy Group: Florida Association of Court Clerks & Comptrollers; Town of Medley
David Custin, David R. Custin & Associates: Kaycha Holdings, LLC
Christopher Dawson, GrayRobinson: Florida Distillers Guild, Inc
Mark Delegal, Holland & Knight: Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America
Nelson Diaz, Southern Strategy Group: Well Child
Davison Frey Dunlap III, Dunlap & Shipman: Brandt Information Services, Inc
Thomas Griffin, Smith Bryan & Myers: MorphoTrust USA
Paul Hawkes, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney: Vertical Bridge Holdings, LLC
Nick Iarossi, Andrew Ketchel, Christopher Schoonover, Capital City Consulting: Spinal Associates d/b/a Michael W. Reed, MD, P.A.
Frank Mayernick, Tracy Mayernick, The Mayernick Group: International Franchise Association
Jeff Littlejohn, Littlejohn Mann & Associates: Florida Drycleaners Coalition
Jim Magill, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney: National Strategies, LLC on behalf of American Kratom Association
James McFaddin III, Southern Strategy Group: Concordia Care dba Concordia Behavioral Health
Mark Timothy Pruitt, The P5 Group: Charlotte Behavioral Health Care; Florida Association of Local Housing Finance Authorities; Florida Atlantic University Foundation, Inc.; Florida Crystals Corporation; Jupiter Medical Center, Inc.
Mary Ann Stiles, Quintairos Prieto Wood & Boyer: AmTrust Financial Services; AmTrust North America of Florida, Inc.; AmTrust North America of Florida, Inc.
Alan Suskey, Suskey Consulting: Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers
Jennifer Wilson, Adams and Reese: American Coatings Association
PERSONNEL NOTE: JOHN KENNEDY NOW WITH FLORIDA CHANNEL via Florida Politics – More evidence that you can’t keep a good man down: Kennedy, formerly The Palm Beach Post’s capital correspondent, is now The FLORIDA Channel‘s newest on-air reporter. “We are very pleased that John’s solid, well-tested reporting skills will continue to help Floridians understand the workings of state government and the decisions made in Tallahassee,” Beth Switzer, its executive director, said Tuesday. Kennedy started this week.
PERSONNEL NOTE – MERCURY HIRES BRIAN SWENSEN AS SENIOR VP via Florida Politics – Swensen comes to the firm following his role as deputy campaign manager for the successful re-election of Sen. Marco Rubio, the latest in a series of key political victories in Florida and Louisiana … In his new role, Swensen will bring extensive experience in the political arena to provide solutions and winning strategies for the firm’s clients. He will be based in Mercury’s Miami office. Mercury Florida, now in its fourth year of operation, is led by partner Ashley Walker. Previously, Swensen managed the successful campaign of Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, which helped set the tone for Florida Republicans in the 2016 cycle. Mercury provides a suite of services including federal government relations, international affairs, digital influence, public opinion research, media strategy and a bipartisan grassroots mobilization network in all 50 states.
HAPPENING THURSDAY – FCTA HOSTS OPEN HOUSE — The Florida Cable Telecommunications Association will host an open house at 5:30 p.m. at its newly renovated office, 246 E. 6th Avenue in Tallahassee. RSVP to [email protected].
HERALD TRIBUNE SERIES FINALIST FOR SELDEN RING AWARD via the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The Herald-Tribune’s December investigative series “Bias on the Bench” was a finalist for the 2017 Selden Ring Award for Investigative Reporting from the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School of Journalism. … “Bias on the Bench,” which has sparked proposed state legislation, found judges throughout Florida sentence black defendants to harsher punishments than whites charged with the same crimes under similar circumstances. In recognizing the Herald-Tribune as a finalist, the Selden Ring judges wrote, “The Sarasota Herald-Tribune, for ‘Bias on the Bench,’ a data-driven series proving what many have always suspected — that race figures heavily in sentencing in Florida criminal courts, keeping African Americans behind bars for substantially longer than whites who commit similar crimes.” … Judges included Dean Baquet, executive editor of The New York Times; Robin Fields, managing editor of ProPublica; Wesley Lowery of The Washington Post; Kevin Merida, editor-in-chief of ESPN’s The Undefeated; and 2015 Selden Ring winners Audra D.S. Burch and Carol Marbin of The Miami Herald.
ON THIS WEEK’S EDITION OF THE ROTUNDA — On Trimmel Gomes’ latest episode of The Rotunda, the bitter feud among top Republican lawmakers is already threatening to derail the upcoming legislative session. At the center of all the controversy is House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R- Land O’Lakes. Gomes talks Florida Times-Union Statehouse bureau chief Tia Mitchell about her exclusive interview with Corcoran, and his intentions of shaking up the way business is done in Tallahassee. Gomes also talks with Senator Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, about his plan to run for Governor in 2018.
GOVERNORS CLUB WEDNESDAY MENU – Wednesday’s Governors Club buffet menu comes from the Pacific Northwest with Washington State salmon bisque; Washington trio apple salad; spinach pear salad; seasonal green salad; Oregon herb rubbed tri-tip beef; California drunken chicken; potatoes & wild mushroom au gratin; lime asparagus; broccoli & cauliflower au beurre and peach cobbler for dessert.
