Peter Schorsch
Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics.
By Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Mitch Perry and Jim Rosica.
Florida lawmakers will address two of the year’s most pressing issues in the second week of the annual 60-day Legislative Session.
A House committee to improve the state’s hurricane preparedness, set up in the wake of Hurricane Irma, will pore over 12 pages of recommendations. Proposals include extending a Tampa Bay area toll road to the Georgia border, creating gas reserves, and mandating all health care and assisted living facilities to have emergency power sources. Another suggestion is for gas stations to charge the same amount for all grades of gas during emergencies.
Florida’s worsening opioid crisis is on a Senate committee agenda. The Senate Health Policy Committee will hear SB 8, which requires physicians to prescribe only a three-day supply of opioid-based medications, which can be increased to seven days cases of acute pain. All opioid prescriptions of more than three days would be marked “medically necessary,” and doctors would be required to take additional training for dispensing potentially addictive medicines.
Other bills on the schedule this week include:
— The House Post-Secondary Education Subcommittee will hear a bill Wednesday revamping Florida’s higher education system. Among other changes, (HB 423) would increase state financial for highest-performing Florida students attending state colleges or universities.
— Also Wednesday, the Senate Regulated Industries Committee will consider SB 840, which would legalize fantasy sports in Florida. The legislation would allow “decoupling” — dog tracks can keep poker rooms without the requirement of having live racing.
— A ban on fundraising during Session will be heard by the House Oversight, Transparency and Administration subcommittee Wednesday. Currently, only legislators are banned from raising money during Session. HB 707 would extend that to the governor and other statewide elected officials.
— The same day, the House PreK-12 Quality Subcommittee will hear a proposed constitutional amendment that sets term limits for School board members.
— On Thursday, a pair of gun bills is on the schedule of the Senate Judiciary Committee. SB 1048 would allow guns on a private school campus if the school is run and operated by a church or religious institution.
— Also, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education will consider SB 540 this week, a bill affecting all Florida’s 28 colleges. Among the changes are setting up a new statewide regulatory board and putting enrollment limits on four-year degrees.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
— @StapletonPBPost: #Trump Corp helicopter noticeably absent at #MarALago this weekend after #PalmBeach sends reminder that helipad only for presidential business — which needs to be defined
— @LearyReports: Rep. Frederica Wilson says she will boycott Trump’s first SOTU: “I have no doubt that instead of delivering a message of inclusivity and an agenda that benefits all Americans, President Trump’s address will be full of innuendo, empty promises, and lies.”
— @SenBillNelson: Florida is stronger because of our Haitian community. The president needs to understand that and he needs to start treating others with the respect and dignity they deserve.
— @DeFede: Three days after the Trump Oval Office meeting we are still waiting to hear from the only member of Congress from South Florida in that meeting @MarioDB What did Mario Diaz-Balart hear? And how did he respond? This is now more important than ever because Sunday morning … Republican Senators Tom Cotton and David Perdue, who previously said they don’t recall if President made racist and derogatory comments about Africans and Haitians, now deny he said them. It is incumbent on @MarioDB to come forward and say what he heard.
— @JThalji: #Florida Emergency Alert buttons: Temperatures could drop into the 50s. The Publix deli is out of sub rolls. The #Bucs are attempting a field goal. The manatees have armed themselves and they’re sick of our shit. The Legislature is in session.
— @BiancaJoanie: The Florida DEO sent letters to local housing authorities to analyze the impact of evacuees in the area and find long-term solutions, per @FLGovScott. Housing remains an urgent issue for thousands of families whose temporary vouchers from FEMA weren’t extended.
— @RepStephMurphy: A privilege to honor the life and legacy of Dr. King tonight in #Sanford at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 31st Annual Commemorative Banquet. Thank you to the Sanford MLK Celebration Committee for the invitation to speak. A great event!
— @Unclegrambo: Blake Bortles has now won more playoff games than the entire Detroit Lions franchise has won during my entire lifetime.
— @Rob_Bradley: To understand the mindset of #JagNation, you must understand the disrespect to our region, fans and team that we have collectively endured for more than a decade. But we kept grinding. Now this. Understand that, then you appreciate the joy and swagger of this team and its fans.
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— NOTES FROM THE TRAIL —
Lawmakers to attend Miami MLK Scholarship Breakfast — U.S. Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio, joined by U.S. Reps. Frederica Wilson and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen will appear at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Breakfast held by Wilson’s 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project. Event begins 8:30 a.m. at the Doubletree by Hilton Miami Airport and Conference Center, 711 NW. 72nd Ave. in Miami.
Assignment editors — Tallahassee Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum will appear at civic events honoring the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. At 8:30 a.m., he will visit Congresswoman Wilson’s 5000 Role Models event at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Miami Airport and Convention Center, 711 NW. 72nd Ave. in Miami. At noon, Gillum will attend the Miramar MLK Day Parade and Celebration at Lakeshore Park, 8501 S. Sherman Cir. in Miramar.
Chris King campaigns in Broward — Orlando businessman and Democratic gubernatorial candidate King will attend the MLK Day Parade in Pompano Beach beginning 7:30 a.m. at the Mitchell Moore recreation center, 901 NW. 10th St. in Pompano Beach. Later, King will visit a civil-rights restoration event beginning 1 p.m. at Broward College, 1930 SW. 145th Ave. in Miramar.
Assignment editors – Former Miami Beach Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Philip Levine will attend the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Breakfast for Congresswoman Frederica Wilson’s 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project. The event will begin 10 a.m. at the Doubletree by Hilton Miami Airport and Conference Center, East Hall, 711 NW. 72nd Ave. in Miami.
“Adam Putnam’s bid for governor complicated by citrus industry woes” via Steve Bousquet of the Tampa Bay Times — Putnam‘s candidacy must gain critical momentum at a time when citrus is being hammered by the double whammy of disease and disaster. Its fiercely independent growers are desperate for financial help from the Legislature and Congress that so far isn’t forthcoming. Ravaged by an insect that carries the devastating disease of greening, Florida’s citrus crop had fallen by 70 percent in two decades, and began long before Putnam took office … Then came Hurricane Irma in September … “The citrus industry is facing unprecedented challenges,” Putnam said in an interview. “We will live to face challenges again in the future. I’m not at all writing this industry’s obituary. The citrus industry is here to stay.” Not everyone is convinced. “If it happens on your watch, it’s your problem. The citrus industry has declined on Adam’s watch,” says Jan Barrow, a business executive and president of the Democratic Women’s Club of Lakeland, a political club.
“Sean Shaw expected to announce for AG” via William March of the Tampa Bay Times — Shaw has been considering the race for months. According to sources close to Shaw, he plans to announce his decision in Tallahassee the day after Martin Luther King Day. There are strong clues what decision he’ll announce. Last month, Shaw, who has said financial support from the state’s trial lawyers would be crucial to any Democrat in the race, met with John Morgan. Morgan then tweeted a photo of himself and Shaw, saying, “Sean Shaw is a future national superstar. His father was a legend. @SShawFL is a future legend. National money will pour into this guy.” In addition, a political staffer is now returning reporters’ calls to Shaw, who in the past has routinely returned his own press calls.
>>>Florida Politics first raised the prospect of Shaw running for AG on October 25, had him on record on January 3 saying a decision was coming soon and reported in December about the candidates who were filing for Shaw’s House seat because they expected him to run. In other words, Shaw’s running is far from a surprise.
— SENTIMENTAL —
Two congressional stints could shape the gubernatorial primary for Putnam and Ron DeSantis.
Zach Cohen, who covers governor’s races for the National Journal, argues former Congressman Putnam’s and current U.S. Rep. DeSantis’ history in Congress will help “define this battleground-state primary” in a recent article.
Putnam lashed out early on DeSantis for being a D.C. insider and not being in tune with the state he wishes to lead, something he’ll likely continue to argue the contrasts between him and DeSantis, a member of what Cohen called the “rabble-rousing House Freedom Caucus.” The two’s voting history, policy points and resumes could make the difference in the soon-to-be costly primary.
The Putnam way: “Putnam took a number of moderate votes while in Congress,” writes Cohen. “He supported taxpayer-funded bailouts after the recession, Cash for Clunkers, and aid to undocumented immigrants.” Putnam told Cohen that there are people who work on policy solutions in Congress (likely a nod to himself) and there “are others who I think are content and even drawn to the cable-news food fight,” (likely a nod to DeSantis, who announced his bid on Fox News).
The DeSantis way: DeSantis has aligned himself with President Donald Trump, and has made a name for himself by helping lead a charge that points to a systemic bias against the president.
Congressional cameos: Former U.S. House Speaker John Boehner has aligned himself with Putnam, along with Florida Reps. Ros-Lehtinen, Mario Diaz-Balart and Tom Rooney. Members of the House Freedom Caucus — including Florida Rep. Ted Yoho — will make a decision soon on who to support, though the Freedom Caucus chairman wants that to be DeSantis. Rep. Matt Gaetz is critical of Putnam’s lifelong career in politics and hinted he’s split between DeSantis and Richard Corcoran, who has yet to announce.
— CAPITOL INSIGHT —
Assignment editors — Reps. Tom Leek and Katie Edwards-Walpole will be joined by industry associations for a news conference to roll out an educational campaign relating to ‘drive-by lawsuits,’ which critics call “an abuse of the Americans with Disabilities Act by law firms.” The presser will take place Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., in the House Media Room (333 The Capitol).
Americans for Prosperity mailer urges support for worker rights — Americans for Prosperity-Florida (AFP-FL) launched a new direct mail piece with calls to support House Bill 25 (HB 25), from Republicans Dennis Baxley and Scott Plakon, which expands union accountability and worker freedom. The legislation requires unions to hold regular elections and obtain 50 percent of their actively paying dues members to be certified by the state. AFP-FL state director Chris Hudson said: “Unions need to be accountable and represent the views of their current members. With over 90 percent of workers represented by a union they never voted for, this legislation ensures unions operating in Florida are more transparent and better serve its members. We thank Rep. Plakon for sponsoring this bill and now call on the Florida Senate to pass this bill. AFP-FL will continue to educate citizens on the benefits of empowering workers with more freedom.” The mailer is one of four hitting mailboxes over the first two weeks of 2018.
Here’s the mailer:
— BOTTLENECK —
As Hurricane Irma approached the state, Gov. Scott told nursing home administrators to give him a call if they encountered problems.
The friendly gesture proved to be ill-thought in a recent Associated Press story, showing 120 emergency calls went straight to Scott’s voicemail. Records showed three of those calls came from the Hollywood Hills Rehabilitation Center, where 12 patients died of overheating following a power outage after the storm. Local police now are investigating the deaths as homicides.
“Even with the best of intentions, when you give a single number, you automatically create a potential bottleneck, and it’s almost a guaranteed bottleneck if it’s the governor’s number,” said Richard Olson, executive director of Florida International University’s Extreme Events Institute, via AP.
One out of 29: Of the 29 callers contacted by the AP, only one reported speaking with Scott. Some of Scott’s aides were able to deliver a generator in one case. The one answered call by Scott resulted in another generator for a nursing home from the state. On calls handled by aides, “About a third interviewed said they were satisfied with the help they got from Scott’s office, a third were unsatisfied, and the rest were neutral.”
The blame game: With criticism of the governor brewing over the Hollywood Hills nursing home incident, “Scott, a former hospital executive, says their negligence caused the deaths.” Scott Spokeswoman Lauren Schenone said, “No amount of finger pointing … will hide the fact that this health care facility failed to do their basic duty to protect life.”
A lesson: Don’t make promises you can’t keep. “Those critical of Scott said the governor shouldn’t have implied that he could provide help he couldn’t deliver. Some may have had unrealistic expectations, such as the administrator who called the day before Irma hit seeking scarce plywood to protect his nursing home’s windows.”
— STATEWIDE —
“Donald Trump’s visits increase terrorism risk, Palm Beach County says” via the Tribune News Service — The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is pushing for the federal government to boost its funding for terrorism prevention by designating Mar-a-Lago — Trump’s private club — a “high-risk critical asset” … “Having the president governing from our county in an area bordered on water on each side in a facility never built to offer the level of protection the president requires is a challenge,” Palm Beach County Commissioner Dave Kerner said. “We have to continue to supplement our local response.” When the federal government awards anti-terrorism funds, one factor officials examine is the presence of symbolic targets and landmarks. The money is distributed through the Department of Homeland Security’s Urban Area Security Initiative. Homeland Security gave $580 million in Urban Area Security Initiative funds in the 2017 budget year, including about $5.2 million for South Florida. New York City received the largest grant at $178 million.
“If Florida’s offshore oil rush ever happens, only one side of the state is likely to see it” via Jenny Staletovich of the Miami Herald — Proven and profitable productivity is why the energy industry has pushed for decades to open vast Gulf waters off Florida’s West Coast to exploration and drilling. But it’s far less likely for rigs to rise off Miami Beach, Islamorada, or anywhere else along Florida’s heavily populated Atlantic coast. That was the case even before the Trump administration last week pulled state waters “off the table” after a Tallahassee meeting that seemed intended to boost Gov. Scott’s rumored run for U.S. Senate. There is one big reason why: Money. Even industry experts see little chance of making much of it plumbing the depths of the Florida Straits and Atlantic coast, at least barring the discovery of some unexpected mother lode or a skyrocketing upturn in oil and gas prices.
“Panel approves changes to judicial appointments” via Lloyd Dunkelberger of the News Service of Florida — The Constitution Revision Commission is considering a measure that could settle future disputes over the appointment of Florida Supreme Court justices, but the proposal will do nothing to resolve a constitutional crisis looming early next year. At question is whether Gov. Scott or his successor, the winner of the 2018 governor’s race, will pick the replacements for three justices — Barbara Pariente, R. Fred Lewis and Peggy Quince — whose terms end as Scott’s tenure comes to a close in early January 2019. Scott has asserted the right to appoint the new justices, which could change the ideological balance of the court. The Supreme Court last month dismissed a challenge focused on who has the power to appoint the justices, deciding that it was too early to rule on the issue. A proposal unanimously approved by the commission’s Ethics and Elections Committee would resolve that issue for future appointments by changing the mandatory retirement date for members of the Supreme Court, the five state appellate courts and for circuit and county judges. The measure (Proposal 41), sponsored by Commissioner Bill Schifino of Tampa, would require justices and judges to retire on their birthdays once they reach the age of 75.
“Anti-smoking campaign could be trimmed” via Christine Sexton of the News Service of Florida — By a 3-2 vote, the Finance and Tax Committee of the Constitution Revision Commission backed a proposal that would eliminate from the state constitution a requirement that 15 percent of the funds from a landmark tobacco settlement be used for Tobacco Free Florida. The proposal would instead direct money toward cancer research. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Lung Association and the American Heart Association testified against the proposal, offered by state Rep. Jeanette Nunez, a Miami Republican who serves on the Constitution Revision Commission. Chris Smith, a Constitution Revision Commission member and former state lawmaker … said he didn’t think it was appropriate to place spending requirements for an advertising and education campaigns in the state constitution. Smith said he considers each proposed constitutional amendment by asking himself the question: “Can this be done legislatively?”
Help us get more clicks than Jim Saunders — Peter Schorsch breaks down first-week Session activity and recent scandals in the Legislature during a video interview with Brad Swanson of Florida Internet & Television. Shot outside of Andrew’s Capital Grill & Bar, we discuss upcoming elections, candidate dynamics, and how important this Session is for lawmakers seeking a higher office in 2018.
— OPINIONS —
“Gary Yordon: If you want the Capitol in Orlando, I want Sea World” via the Tallahassee Democrat — In case you haven’t heard, State Rep. Bill Hager, a travel-challenged Republican from Delray Beach, who apparently thinks he was elected to propose failure, has filed a bill in the Legislature to move the state capital from Tallahassee to someplace more convenient for him. It seems the 75 minutes he spends on a plane is wreaking havoc on his personal life … The flaw in Hager’s plan is he seems to think it’s a one-way street. He just wants to take the capital and leave us to re-market our city as Tallahassee, the Bradley’s Sausage Capital of the World … First things first: Do we get to keep the capital building? Because if we can get that, then I’m thinking finally a Costco on the south part of town. The 22nd floor would be a great spot to enjoy the Costco $1.50 hot dog-soda combo. Put a gas station in the Senate wing (even swap) and a liquor store in the House wing (upgrade), and we have the basis for a deal. Now assuming we keep the building let’s start horse trading … I want Sea World. Sea World would clearly jump-start our local tourism industry. We could replace the environmentally challenged Orcas with a couple of trained Wakulla Springs manatees, flapping their tales to the FSU fight song. We just plop Sea World right down in the middle of Cascades Park, convert the Edison into a sushi bar and call it a day.
— MOVEMENTS —
“He’s a Marine, a renegade, a vanquisher of corrupt pols. And now: First Amendment icon.” via Glenn Garvin of the Miami Herald — Perpetual South Florida political gadfly Fane Lozman has an odd effect on people. When he appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court five years ago, the justices were so intrigued by his arguments that his houseboat was a house and not a boat that they ended up arguing about whether the poor wooden puppet-boy Pinocchio was really a boat while he was traveling the ocean after being strategically swallowed by a hungry whale. (Definitive ruling: No! Lozman won, too.) Chief Justice John Roberts later said Lozman’s lawsuit was “my favorite case from the past term.” On the other hand, there’s former Riviera Beach City Commissioner Elizabeth Wade, who when she was in office threatened “to put my foot so far up his behind that he would think my toe is his tonsil.” The Supreme Court will get a second opportunity to offer an opinion next month when it considers another case brought by Lozman: a lawsuit alleging that when Riviera Beach officials had him kicked out of a city commission meeting and arrested 11 years ago, they were using the criminal justice system for payback against a critic who annoyed them … But Fane Lozman v. The City of Riviera Beach, Florida is likely to do much more than establish Lozman as an asterisk in Supreme Court history. More than 30 civil rights and media organizations, including the National Press Photographers Association, have filed briefs in support of Lozman, arguing that local officials routinely use arrests for petty offenses — anything from wearing saggy pants to barbecuing in the front yard — to punish their critics.
“Former lawmakers, others, vie for PSC seat” via News Service of Florida — Three former state lawmakers and a University of Central Florida trustee are among the applicants vying to fill a Public Service Commission seat, according to the News Service of Florida. The position went vacant when Gov. Rick Scott’s appointee, Ritch Workman, withdrew last month following a sexual misconduct allegation. Also applying is the longtime adviser to the last occupant of the $132,000-a-year post. The Florida Public Service Commission Nominating Council is scheduled to discuss the applications on Jan. 18 in the Senate Office Building before inviting finalists for interviews a week later. The council then will submit several names to Scott. Last Friday was the application deadline.
Appointed — Steve Jernigan, Timothy Nolan, Dylan Rivers and Jonathan Toppe to the Florida Board of Architecture and Interior Design; Les Muma and Charlie Tokarz to the University of South Florida board of trustees; Robert Spottswood (reappointed) and Gary Lester to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; Marva Johnson and Andy Tuck (reappointed), and Joe York to the State Board of Education; Kathryn Ballard (reappointed) and Jorge Gonzalez to the Florida State University board of trustees.
— ALOE —
“The $451 million reason this 20-year-old just retired” via Eli Rosenberg of The Washington Post — 20-year-old Shane Missler from Port Richey, a suburb of Tampa, is the winner of the whopping $451 million Mega Millions prize … He has since retired from his job at a local background screening company … Missler bought the quick-pick ticket at a 7-Eleven in town last week; the retailer received a $100,000 bonus, the Florida Lottery said. But it was Missler who went home with the big haul, which was the fourth-biggest in the multistate lottery’s 15-year history. According to the Lottery, Missler elected to receive his payment as a one-time lump sum, which amounted to just over $280 million. That’s about the net worth of Taylor Swift, according to a Forbes article from 2017, but a touch under Judge Judy’s. “If there is one thing I have learned thus far in my short time on this earth it is that those who maintain a positive mindset and stay true to themselves get rewarded,” Missler said, in a statement quoted by the Times. “I look forward to the future.”
“’What a wake-up call’ for FSU tennis team in Hawaii” via Jim Henry of the Tallahassee Democrat — Senior Gabby Castaneda had just waked up and was getting ready for the Seminoles’ team breakfast at the Waikiki Beach Marriott. Minutes later, just after 8 a.m. Saturday, Hawaiian residents and tourists received an emergency alert on their cell phones. It warned them of an imminent ballistic missile attack. Castaneda tried to comprehend the message: “EMERGENCY ALERT: BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.” “It was very scary, and it took me a moment to process it,” Castaneda said during a telephone interview. “We got on our group chat and everyone was asking is this for real?” In Hawaii for a three-day tournament to open their spring season, the Seminoles are thankful the emergency alert – sent by the Hawaii Emergency Agency – was a false alarm. “It was pretty hectic in the hotel; everyone was kind of in a panic,” said Castaneda, who credited Hyde for keeping the team safe and away from the “panic and rush” in the hotel lobby. “It was scary; it was a weird experience. We came here to play tennis, in Hawaii. You would never imagine this could happen. I was worried for my life and the lives of my teammates. “It was a very bad moment.”
What Gary Fineout is reading via Mark Arsenault of the Boston Globe — GateHouse Media, the country’s largest newspaper chain, is one of two bidders seeking to acquire the Boston Herald, the feisty tabloid that declared bankruptcy in December. GateHouse … must first beat out Revolution Capital Group, a Tampa investment firm, and any other would-be buyers that may jump into an auction for the paper scheduled for next month … GateHouse is known for running its papers “pretty lean,” said Rick Edmonds, media business analyst at the Poynter Institute. “They’re trying to get savings and economies of scale and make a big enough profit so they can pay a pretty generous dividend to their shareholders,” he said. The sale of the Herald could affect the Globe financially, as well, because the Globe is paid to print the Herald at the Globe’s Taunton printing plant. A company such as GateHouse, which owns printing presses in New England, could conceivably print the paper itself. Beyond shrinking the staff, it is hard to gauge GateHouse’s plans for the Herald, which is not a typical GateHouse property. “It doesn’t seem to fit their model,” said Dan Kennedy, a media critic and Northeastern University journalism professor. “The idea of buying a distant No. 2 paper in a big city doesn’t match up with what they’ve done.” GateHouse is more widely known for buying dominant papers in smaller markets, he said.
Happy birthday belatedly to Speaker-to-be Chris Sprowls, to our dear friend and a lady who lunches, Erin Ballas of Public Affairs Consultants, Steve Hurm and Claire VanSusteren. Celebrating today are U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn, state Rep. Jake Raburn and Daniel Davis.
