Peter Schorsch
Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics.
By Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Mitch Perry and Jim Rosica.
With 2017 not yet in the books, the 2018 election cycle has already seen the internet densely populated with professionally produced campaign web videos. With so much content out there, these grand exercises in communicating often gain little traction beyond those who have already pledged support for the video’s subject.
If you have been waiting for a video with viral potential to emerge from the Sunshine State’s political ecosystem, the first contender has just popped up on YouTube.
Mary Barzee Flores, running in the crowded Democratic primary for Florida’s 27th Congressional District, has just released her campaign’s first introductory video and it’s easy to see Democrats from Miami and beyond getting “fired up, ready to go” after viewing just sixty seconds of what this candidate has to say.
The video describes that like many many other women, Barzee Flores has encountered harassment and discrimination in a variety of workplaces. In telling this narrative, the spot weaves together the candidate’s impressive professional bio in a way so powerful it had me hooked within the opening seconds.
Viewers are sure to feel the same as they hear Barzee Flores’ incredible story of starting work at the age of 15 where she went on to serve as a public defender, state court judge, and eventually a nominee to the federal judiciary under President Obama.
This second web spot potently conveys the message to viewers that Barzee Flores has spent her career fighting these forces in the workplace as well as in the courtroom, and is now ready to go to Washington and fight back against them in Congress.
This first, of what I can only assume will be many, videos is yet another example of how Barzee Flores’s candidacy for Congress has acutely tapped into the current pulse of the Democratic electorate.
From this creative use of showing her support for #MeToo (while simultaneously reminding the audience of her public tussle with noted Dem boogie man Marco Rubio no less), to her recent declaration calling for the impeachment of Donald Trump, the Barzee Flores campaign has proved itself effective at rallying a Democratic Party base excitedly ready for bold leadership.
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— NOTES FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL —
“New Andrew Gillum campaign manager has Hillary Clinton past, Bernie Sanders flavor” via George Bennett of the Palm Beach Post — Gillum has tapped former Clinton Pennsylvania political director Brendan McPhillips to manage his campaign. Gillum and former campaign manager Phillip Thompson parted ways in early July. Former Florida Democratic Party executive director Scott Arceneaux and Gillum’s communications director, Geoff Burgan, have been overseeing day-to-day operations for the Gillum campaign since then. McPhillips managed the long shot 2016 Pennsylvania Senate bid of John Fetterman, the mayor of Braddock (near Pittsburgh) who endorsed Bernie Sanders for president and got 19.5 percent of the Democratic primary vote. The Gillum campaign’s release announcing the McPhillips hire links to an article describing Fetterman as the “Bernie-inspired candidate” in the Pennsylvania Senate race.
“Florida GOP avoids whopper elections fine” via Adam Smith of the Tampa Bay Times — From a news release: The Florida Elections Commission (FEC) waived a $110,000 late fine imposed on the Republican Party of Florida relating to its filing of a special election campaign finance report for Florida House District 116. Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) Chairman Blaise Ingoglia issued the following statement: “The Republican Party of Florida takes compliance with election reporting requirements very seriously. We have a track record of compliance, and believe that public disclosure of campaign finance information is extremely important … In this instance, the public was never deprived of any information relating to services provided by the Republican Party of Florida to our candidate in the Special Election for House District 116, since the candidate had publicly reported said information.”
First on #FlaPol — “Voting restoration amendment has 900,000 signatures” via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics — The main backer of a proposed constitutional amendment that would automatically restore some felons’ voting rights after they complete their sentences told Florida Politics his effort now had collected over 900,000 signatures. “Knowing that we set the goal of collecting 1 million, the fact that we are less than 100,000 petitions away from our goal is an amazing attestation to the growing energy, excitement, and support around second chances,” said Desmond Meade, chair of Floridians for Fair Democracy and president of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, in a Tuesday email. The Florida Division of Elections website showed as of the end of Tuesday that the citizen ballot initiative, known as “The Voting Restoration Amendment,” has 442,969 verified signatures. Initiatives need 766,200 valid signatures for ballot placement.
State Attorney Ed Brodsky latest to endorse Ashley Moody for AG — Brodsky, the State Attorney from Florida’s 12th Circuit, said: “What Florida needs in our next Attorney General is someone who has experience prosecuting criminals, a deep knowledge of the law, and the conservative values necessary to ensure the safety and future of our state. In other words, Florida needs Ashley Moody. Ashley Moody’s experience prosecuting crime and defending the rule of law is unique in this race.”
“Spring special election set to replace Neil Combee in House” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — Gov. Rick Scott set a primary election for Feb. 20 and a general election for May 1. That would keep the seat open until after the 2018 Legislative Session, which runs Jan. 9 through March 9. Combee left his seat to take a federal appointment as Florida’s State Director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency. One candidate has filed, 22-year-old University of Florida political science student Josie Tomkow, a Republican, who actually filed for the regularly-scheduled 2018 election but is expected to refile for the special election. Combee is backing Tomkow, even over another potential Republican candidate, Polk County Commissioner John Hall, who expressed interest in running. No Democratic candidates have emerged yet.
— LATEST ON FLA. DEMS. CHAIR RACE —
“Terrie Rizzo keeps early Dem chair race lead with 33 endorsements” via Ana Ceballos of Florida Politics — With a week into her campaign to be the next leader at the Florida Democratic Party, Rizzo has the endorsements of 33 voting members. The Palm Beach County Democratic Chair is one of four women vying for the state’s party chairmanship, a post left vacant on Nov. 20 when Stephen Bittel stepped down in shame. Rizzo holds the early lead in the race with these endorsements, which make up nearly 50 percent of the votes cast by State Executive Committee to elect a new chair on Dec. 9.
— STATEWIDE —
Assignment editors — Gov. Scott will visit Jacksonville to highlight proposed K-12 education funding in his upcoming budget. News conference begins 10:30 a.m. at Englewood Elementary School, 4359 Spring Park Road in Jacksonville. Scott will also visit the Tampa Police Department HQ at 8:15 a.m.
“Plaintiffs pooh-pooh Rick Scott’s bias concern in judicial appointments case” via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics — “There is no there there” in Gov. Scott‘s complaint that Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente is biased against him, say the plaintiffs in a case over his judicial appointment power. The League of Women Voters of Florida and Common Cause Florida responded Tuesday to Scott’s motion for disqualification against Pariente. It was filed earlier this month by Daniel Nordby, Scott’s general counsel. “No Supreme Court Justice should be disqualified for unintelligible comments that — even as interpreted by the Governor — had no possible relevance to the case that had just been heard and expressed no antipathy to any party or attorney in the case,” the latest filing says. Pariente and Chief Justice Jorge Labarga had been caught on a ‘hot mic‘ immediately after a Nov. 1 oral argument in the case.’
“Rosy outlook pushes Florida consumer sentiment up in Nov.” via Florida Politics — After three months of consecutive declines, consumer sentiment among Floridians rose to 96.7 in November, up 1.9 points from October’s revised figure of 94.8, according to the latest University of Florida consumer survey. Consumer sentiment in Florida started 2017 with a record-breaking number and reached its highest level in 15 years during the first half of the year. Despite downturns in the second half of the year, the index is now half a point higher than the current year’s average as 2017 draws to a close. Perceptions of one’s personal financial situation now compared with a year ago rose 2.2 points, from 86.5 to 88.7. However, opinions as to whether now is a good time to buy a big-ticket household item like an appliance dropped eight-tenths of a point, from 102.7 to 101.9. Readings varied across demographic groups without a definite pattern.
“Florida public school enrollment has jumped by 8,000 post-Maria” via Florida Politics — At a State Board of Education Meeting in Lake County, Education Commissioner Pam Stewart said the tally of new pupils included 7,212 Puerto Rican children and 710 from the Virgin Islands and elsewhere. Puerto Ricans and Virgin Islanders are U.S. citizens, and Stewart did not expound on how many pupils hailed from outside the U.S. territories. The bulk of the new students settled into the I-4 corridor, among the most popular destinations for Puerto Ricans migrating to the mainland. Orange County saw the largest bump when it comes to raw numbers with 1,793 new students, which accounts for a 0.8 percent bump in total enrollment while neighboring Osceola County saw the biggest spike proportionally with 1,218 students causing a 2.2 percent jump in total enrollment. Polk County enrollment increased by 1.6 percent with 559 new students, while Dade County added 764 for a 0.2 percent increase. Miami-Dade’s growth mirrors the statewide effect, which Stewart pegged at a 0.2 percent increase for the state’s 2.8 million students enrolled K-12 public schools.
“Supreme Court rejects challenge to open-carry ban” via the News Service of Florida — The U.S. Supreme Court refused to take up a challenge to a Florida law that bars people from openly carrying firearms in public, ending a case that started nearly six years ago when a man was arrested in St. Lucie County … the move effectively let stand a Florida Supreme Court ruling in March that said the open-carry ban did not violate the constitutional right to bear arms. The plaintiff in the case, Dale Norman, was arrested in February 2012 as he openly carried a gun in a holster. Norman, who had a concealed-weapons license, was found guilty of a second-degree misdemeanor, with a judge imposing a $300 fine and court costs, according to court documents.
“DEP secretary rejects judge’s recommendation, denies Everglades oil drilling permit” via Bruce Ritchie of POLITICO Florida — Judge Gary Early in October said evidence from a hearing in May showed the risk to the Everglades, and regional water supplies from oil drilling were insignificant. He recommended the Florida Department of Environmental Protection reverse itself and issue a permit to the Kanter family for an exploratory well west of Miramar. But DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein wrote that his department had not issued a permit for oil and gas exploration in the Everglades since 1967. And he noted the Legislature, in adopting the Everglades Forever Act in 1991, designated the drilling site as being within the boundaries of Everglades restoration. “The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is committed to protecting Florida’s one-of-a-kind natural resources, including the environmentally sensitive Everglades, and administering Florida’s environmental laws,” DEP spokeswoman Dee Ann Miller said. “After careful review and consideration, DEP executed a final order denying Kanter Real Estate’s application for a drilling permit in the Everglades.”
“Florida Chamber Foundation summit focuses on poverty, child care and education” via Richard Danielson of the Tampa Bay Times — How deep is poverty in Florida? How broad? How can business create prosperity that reduces generational poverty? The answers, organizers suggested, could have a lot to do with children and making sure that every family, especially the poorest, can find child care and early-education programs that enable their kids to enter school ready to learn and succeed. “Most people think this is a federal issue,” Florida Chamber of Commerce president Mark Wilson told about 100 people at the foundation’s first “Less Poverty through More Prosperity Summit” at the Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk Hotel. It’s not, he said. “This is a Florida challenge that, if we all banded together, there are some things that we could do to change the trajectory of the lives of, literally, millions of Floridians,” he said. The summit was an outgrowth of the foundation’s once-in-a-decade project to figure out where the state will be — and where Floridians want it to be — in 2030, the year after when today’s kindergartners will graduate from high school. What emerged, Wilson said, was a “Tale of Two Floridas.”
“Flags at half-staff for Jefferson County Sheriff David Hobbs” via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics — Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday announced he had ordered flags at half-staff this Saturday to honor the late David Hobbs, Sheriff of Jefferson County in north Florida. Hobbs, who had cancer, died after being hospitalized Monday. He was 58. According to a news obituary in the Tallahassee Democrat, he was elected sheriff in 2004 after serving as a Florida Highway Patrol trooper, Jefferson County sheriff’s deputy and in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Monticello, the Jefferson County seat, is about 30 miles east of Tallahassee.
— CRC IN FOCUS —
“Business interests lambaste environmental amendment” via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics — Business interests on Tuesday brought out a panoply of former state officials, judges and others to heap criticism on a proposed state constitutional amendment to expand the right to bring environmental-related lawsuits. But one environmental advocate countered there was no potential for a “parade of horribles” to come out of the amendment. The Florida Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Florida opposes the proposal, which was not formally considered Tuesday by the Judicial Committee of the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC). The committee did, however, hear “presentations on environmental rights.” The language was filed by Commissioner Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch, a CRC appointee of Senate President Joe Negron. Both are from Martin County.
“Tom Lee’s proposal to augment CFO duties dies in committee” via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics — A review panel has killed a proposed constitutional amendment that would have added financial oversight duties to the state’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The proposal, filed by Commissioner Tom Lee, died on a tie vote in the Constitution Revision Commission’s Executive Committee on Tuesday as some panel members raised fiscal and legal questions. A parliamentary attempt by Commissioner Don Gaetz to revive the measure later failed. But Lee said he next plans to take his proposal to the full Commission for consideration.
“Mandating E-Verify in state constitution eyed by commissioners” via Ana Ceballos of Florida Politics — A review panel is flirting with the idea of implementing a vexed employment verification system into the state constitution to weed out undocumented immigrants before they enter the workforce. The proposal cleared the Constitution Revision Commission’s General Provisions Committee on Tuesday, following a long stretch of public comment with clashing viewpoints on the federal system, called E-Verify, which critics say is riddled with inaccuracies. Adam Blalock, an attorney with the Florida Farm Bureau, said such a proposal would significantly harm the agriculture business. “We’ve seen in other states, that after implementing it, they saw an exodus of labor in ag,” he said.
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— CAPITOL INSIGHT —
“Richard Corcoran demands accounting on Nathan Benderson Park” via Zach Murdoch of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — … as local officials examine the reported economic impact of the park and this year’s World Rowing Championships there. In early October, Corcoran demanded a series of documents and accounting from Sarasota County and the nonprofit board that runs the park, Suncoast Aquatic Nature Center Associates, of the $15 million in state funding provided to help construct the county-owned rowing facility. Corcoran appeared to reference plans for a not-yet-built boathouse in his letter requesting the information last month. “The Legislature has a duty to ensure taxpayer dollars are used in a fiscally responsible manner. That duty extends to the public funding of the Rowing Center Project,” the letter reads. “It appears the project was not completed, but no funds were returned to the State of Florida. In turn, the House seeks an accounting of all public funds expended on the project, including clear documentation of what actually was constructed with those taxpayer dollars.”
“House, Senate gear up for Session with budget, hurricane scrutiny” via the News Service of Florida — On Dec. 6, Senate Appropriations Committee will receive a presentation about Scott’s proposal for the fiscal year that will start July 1. Seven appropriations subcommittees — dealing with budget issues such as education, health and human services and criminal justice — will meet Dec. 7 to look at Scott’s recommendations for their spending areas. Scott’s proposal is a starting point for lawmakers, who will negotiate a final budget during the Legislative Session that starts Jan. 9. Lawmakers will hold four days of committee meetings next week, the final round of committee meetings before the Session. The House Select Committee on Hurricane Response and Preparedness are slated to meet … Senate committees also have been looking at hurricane-related issues, though the Senate has not formed a special committee on the topic.
— OPINIONS —
“Joe Henderson: Textbook challenge gives school boards more headaches” via Florida Politics — You may remember last summer when state Rep. Byron Donalds successfully pushed to expand the pool of people who can challenge the content in public school textbooks. Rather than trust professional educators to do their jobs (which we all know are best done by those with political agendas), school boards were required to hire an “unbiased hearing officer” so any resident in their district, whether they have kids in school or not, can formally object to what children are being taught. The officer hears the textbook challenge and then makes a recommendation to the board. The board has the final say. And this accomplishes … what? I mean, besides causing more headaches for school board members, as if they don’t have enough? I can almost picture some lawmakers laughing over drinks at the club at the potential chaos they had unleashed. This might be a good time to note that Donalds’ wife, Erika Donalds, wants a constitutional amendment that would eliminate salaries for school board members throughout the state.
“John Romano: Hey, John Morgan, stop dragging my heart around” via the Tampa Bay Times — Clearly, flattery did not work. The folks who supported him in the polls, the crowds that applauded him at multiple Tiger Bay functions, the social media purveyors eager for his latest snark were not enough to persuade Morgan to seek the Democratic nomination for governor. And, God bless him, that’s a perfectly reasonable choice. Running for governor would be a huge disruption in both his personal and professional life and no one can blame him for deciding not to put his family through that hellfire. It was the subsequent messages that were a little harder to reconcile. Morgan has been a big-time fundraiser for Democrats and has clearly looked for their support on pet projects, such as medical marijuana legalization. He’s also spent months flirting with the Democrats while he mulled a potential gubernatorial run. And then he forsakes the entire party in a single tweet? While also continuing his will-he-or-won’t-he teases? Morgan’s burgeoning political career revolves around the idea of calling BS when he sees it, so maybe he can appreciate me saying this latest move seems less “for the people” and more “look at me.’’
— LOBBYING REGISTRATIONS —
Robert Beck, Tanya Jackson, PinPoint Results: Independent Living Systems
Diana Ferguson, Rutledge Ecenia: Women’s Foundation of Southwest Florida
Andrew Ketchel, Capital City Consulting: Memory Garden
Matthew Lettelleir: St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce
Corey Staniscia, TSE Consulting: Code.org
Jennifer Ungru, Jones Walker: Center for Employment Opportunities
— ALOE —
“Nationwide Christmas tree shortage has experts warning: buy early” via Kathryn Varn of the Tampa Bay Times — A tree shortage the National Christmas Tree Association says is a result of the recession a decade ago is driving up prices … “Christmas tree sales were off 10 years ago,” said Doug Hundley, spokesman for the association, which represents growers around the country. “We didn’t harvest as many trees, so they didn’t have the space to plant back young ones.” It takes a tree about seven to 10 years to grow, Hundley said, so “there’s no way to deal with that except patience.” The problem is worsened by this year’s healthy economy, which has consumers wanting to spend money and thus increasing demand. Hundley said those who want a tree should be able to find them, but it will take more preparation this year than in the past. He recommended calling your usual vendor to check on the supply and buying your tree in the first or second week of December. Fraser firs, grown in North Carolina and typically what is sold in Florida, can last for a month or more with the proper indoor care.
“What your Christmas lights will do to your electricity bill” via Christopher Ingraham of The Washington Post — Old-style incandescent bulbs cost a lot more to run — and this is especially true for the larger bulbs. A string of 25 incandescent C9 bulbs — the big plump ones often used outdoors — uses 175 watts of electricity, which works out to a whopping $15.12 to run over a season (assuming 12-hour-a-day operation for 45 days). A comparable string of C9 LEDs, by contrast, uses just 2.4 watts and costs 21 cents to run over the same period. The price differential for the smaller mini-bulbs is less extreme but still significant: 100 incandescent minis will cost about $3.53 to run for one season, while LED minis will cost just 41 cents. So, let’s say you want to run 10 strings of 100 mini-lights this year. Running incandescents will set you back about 35 bucks over the course of the season while switching to full LED will cost just a bit over $4. The real savings come if you’re using the big C9 lights, however. Running four strands of 25 incandescent C9s will cost over 60 bucks for the season. If you swap those out for LEDs, your electricity cost shrinks to a little over 80 cents.
Happy birthday to Freddy Balsera.
