Peter Schorsch
Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
Today’s news in the world of Tallahassee lobbying: A big ‘get,’ and a new practice opens.
Joe McCann, a former House Democratic Office staff director, has joined the Pittman Law Group as Senior Policy Director, the firm announced Wednesday. McCann will work alongside attorney Sean Pittman to direct the firm’s lobbying efforts.
McCann was a founding member of Ballard Partners, where he served as senior executive vice president.
“We are very excited about Joe McCann joining our team,” Pittman said in a statement. “Joe was instrumental in helping to grow one of Tallahassee’s most successful firms, and we look forward to him bringing that experience and expertise.”
Also Wednesday, lobbyist Richard Reeves announced the opening of his new shop, RLR Consulting.
“I have a proven track record of working successfully with individuals and issues across the political spectrum, and I look forward to promoting good public policy before the legislative and executive branches,” Reeves said in a release.
He originally was with Dean Cannon’s Capitol Insight, which merged with GrayRobinson. Reeves became GR’s Senior Director of Government Affairs in Tallahassee after the merger.
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ICYMI — Gird yourself: The House is currently scheduled to hold over 30 committee and subcommittee meetings in what will now be its first committee week, Oct. 9-13. And those meetings are all Tuesday-Thursday. The first committee week, Sept. 12-15, was canceled because of Hurricane Irma. Among panels meeting will be the newly-formed Select Committee on Hurricane Response and Preparedness. The first day of the 2018 Legislative Session is Jan. 8.
Evening Reads
“Marco Rubio, Bill Nelson urge Trump administration to help Puerto Rico” via Alex Daugherty of the Miami Herald
“Here’s why Irma wasn’t an even worse disaster” via Nathaniel Lash and Neil Bedi of the Tampa Bay Times
“Gov. Scott ordered ‘freeze on any and all’ insurance rate hikes. But it’s not that simple” via Ron Hurtibise of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel
“Nursing home challenges moratorium, Medicaid cutoff” via Jim Saunders of the News Service of Florida
“PSC enters hurricane readiness debate” via Florida Politics
“Tenants of public housing evacuated because of Irma now live in the parking lot” via Catalina Parra of the Miami Herald
“Flood of trial lawyer money to Richard Corcoran may help shape GOP governor’s race” via Matt Dixon of POLITICO Florida
“Polk and Volusia counties flip from Democrat to Republican” via Nancy Smith of Sunshine State News
“DEO wants staff shift to avoid ‘shadow’ IT work” via Matt Dixon of POLITICO Florida
“How Hurricane Irma affected college football in Florida” via Andrea Adelson of ESPN
Quote of the Day
“This is not a Republican or Democratic issue. This is the spirit of America.” —U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan in Jacksonville Wednesday, on a tour of Irma damage in Florida.
Bill Day’s Latest
Breakthrough Insights
Wake Up Early?
Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam will visit a grade school in Jacksonville to serve breakfast to students. That’s at 8 a.m., Beauclerc Elementary School, 4555 Craven Rd W., Jacksonville.
The offices of state Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio will help open a disaster recovery center and “insurance village” for people affected by Hurricane Irma. That’s at 8 a.m., Lee County Veterans Park Recreation Center, 55 Homestead Road South, Lehigh Acres.
The Florida Defense Support Task Force will meet in Bay County, at 9 a.m. (Central time), Holiday Inn Panama City, 2001 Martin Luther King Blvd., Panama City.
The South Florida Water Management District Governing Board is scheduled to meet and hold a hearing on a tentative 2017-2018 budget. It begins at 9 a.m. (with the budget hearing set for 5:15 p.m.) at the district’s headquarters, 3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach.
Associated Industries of Florida will hold a “Florida Water Forum,” featuring Noah Valenstein, secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Moderators of sessions are slated to include Republican Sen. Denise Grimsley, and GOP Reps. Dane Eagle and Bobby Payne. It’s at 1 p.m., Loews Royal Pacific Resort, 6300 Hollywood Way, Orlando.
Sen. Tom Lee, a Thonotosassa Republican, will discuss legislative issues and the upcoming 2018 Session with the Plant City Republican Women’s Club Federated at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is at 1901 James L. Redman Parkway, Plant City.
