Peter Schorsch
Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
Will a ruling for Tampa strip club mogul Joe Redner, allowing him to personally grow and make juice of medical marijuana, give a boost to John Morgan’s separate lawsuit to allow it to be smoked by patients?
Redner’s attorney thinks so. The same circuit judge, Tallahassee’s Karen Gievers, presides over both suits.
She found that Redner, who wants to drink raw marijuana juice to keep his cancer in remission, has a right to do so under the state’s constitutional amendment on medicinal cannabis, passed by voters in 2016. The state is appealing that ruling.
“I think that the findings of this court that Amendment 2 does not … tell a patient how they can consume medical marijuana … will be very beneficial to Mr. Morgan,” said Luke Lirot, speaking after a Tuesday hearing in Redner’s case. (“Amendment 2” refers to its 2016 ballot placement.)
“I think this court will find that limiting the smoking of marijuana is also an unconstitutional deprivation,” he added.
Morgan, the Orlando personal injury attorney known for his ubiquitous TV ads and billboards, is suing after lawmakers forbade marijuana from being smoked. Morgan bankrolled and otherwise supported the marijuana amendment’s passage.
The grounds of the suits are similar: That the state shouldn’t get in between doctors and patients as to the best way to get ‘medically efficacious’ results from marijuana.
As for Gievers being on both cases, Lirot added: “Sometimes the random rotation of judges turns out in your favor.”
Evening Reads
“IRS payment system crashes on last tax filing day” via Aaron Lorenzo of POLITICO
“Top GOP super PAC books $48 million in ads for House races” via Mike DeBonis of the Washington Post
“After Parkland shooting: Youth activism is not showing up in voter registrations numbers” via James Call for 10 News
“Neil Combee: I’m running for Dennis Ross’s CD 15 seat” via Nancy Smith of Sunshine State News
“Greyhound owners plan legal challenge of dog racing ban” via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics
“Senators back hospitals on payment challenges” via Christine Sexton of the News Service of Florida
“Leon judge vacates stay on medical marijuana home grow ruling” via Arek Sarkissian of POLITICO Florida
“Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein won’t get a break his 50-year prison sentence, judge rules” via Paula McMahon of the Sun Sentinel
“Coke Florida sues former president for breach of contract” via Margie Manning of the Tampa Bay Business Journal
“Sunshine State added the third most new solar capacity last year” via Tom DiChristopher of CNBC
Quote of the Day
Pam Bondi “was wrong, and a modicum of research would have shown that … She has full access to any kennel in the state. She could see any abuse first hand, but she won’t, because there is none.” — Jack Cory, lobbyist for the Florida Greyhound Association, referring to the Attorney General’s remarks in favor of a dog racing ban during Monday’s Constitution Revision Commission session.
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Wake Up Early?
The Florida Commission on Offender Review will hear numerous parole cases from across the state. That’s at 9 a.m., Betty Easley Conference Center, 4075 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee.
The state Revenue Estimating Conference will hold what is known as a post-session “impact” conference. That’s at 9 a.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.
Gov. Rick Scott, a candidate for U.S. Senate this year, will host a campaign roundtable with business leaders in Jacksonville. That’s at 9:30 a.m., Vak Pak Inc., 1824 Phoenix Ave., Jacksonville.
The state Reemployment Assistance Appeals Commission will meet. That’s at 9:30 a.m., Reemployment Assistance Appeals Commission, 101 Rhyne Building, 2740 Centerview Dr., Tallahassee.
Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Justin Senior, U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, and former state Sen. Eleanor Sobel will take part in a “Congressional Consortium for Safe Seniors” event. That’s at 10 a.m., Hollywood Beach Community Center, 1301 South Ocean Dr., Hollywood.
The Able Trust continues its regional contests for the annual Jeannie Amendola Speech and Research Competition. They are tomorrow at 11:30 a.m, Goodwill of Central Florida, 7531 S. Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, and Thursday at 11:30 a.m., Florida Southwestern State College, Rooms J-103 & 104, 7505 Grand Lely Drive, Naples.
A multidisciplinary health-care board will discuss rules to carry out a newly passed bill (HB 21) that seeks to help curb the state’s opioid epidemic. The conference call is expected to include representatives of the Boards of Dentistry, Osteopathic Medicine, Medicine, Nursing, Podiatric Medicine and Pharmacy. That’s at noon. The call-in number is (888) 670-3525 and the code is 7342425515.
The Agency for Health Care Administration will hold a meeting that will include a discussion with representatives of Medicaid managed-care plans, behavioral-health providers and advocates. That’s at 1 p.m., Central Florida Behavioral Health Network, 8920 Brittany Way, Tampa.
Florida’s Democratic candidates will gather for the first televised debate of the 2018 election for governor. The debate will be recorded at 3 p.m. at the studios of Fox 13 Tampa Bay and streamed live online at fox13news.com/live. At 6:30 p.m., the debate will be broadcast in the Tampa Bay market and streamed once again on the station’s website.
Sen. Denise Grimsley, who is running for state agriculture commissioner, is slated to be among the speakers during a meeting of the Federated Republican Women of North Dade. Other speakers include gubernatorial candidate Bob White and Carla Spalding, a candidate in Congressional District 23. That’s at 6 p.m., 94th Aero Squadron Restaurant, 1395 N.W. 57th Ave., Miami.
