Peter Schorsch
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
A “joint pretrial statement” is due Tuesday in the lawsuit seeking to overturn the state’s ban on smoking medical marijuana.
The statement is supposed to “contain an agreed statement of the case, a listing of the facts and issues of law either (not) contested or no longer in dispute, and a listing of the still disputed issues of fact and questions of law,” according to an order by Tallahassee-based Circuit Judge Karen Gievers.
A one-day trial remains set for May 16, as does a hearing on the state’s motion for summary judgment, which allows parties to win a case without a trial. If Gievers decides not to grant summary judgment, she’ll hear the case without a jury.
John Morgan, of Morgan & Morgan law firm fame, bankrolled the 2016 medicinal cannabis constitutional amendment that was OK’d by 71 percent of voters. He’s also behind the current lawsuit, which seeks a declaratory judgment that the smoking ban runs counter to the amendment’s language.
The suit originally was filed last July by People United for Medical Marijuana, the political committee behind the amendment. The named defendant is the Department of Health, which regulates the drug through its Office of Medical Marijuana Use.
Lawmakers approved and Gov. Rick Scott signed into law implementing legislation for the amendment that does not allow medicinal marijuana to be smoked. But plaintiffs’ attorney Jon Mills has said the amendment’s definition of marijuana implicitly includes the smokable kind.
Evening Reads
“Donald Trump has not decided yet on metals tariff exemptions, Steven Mnuchin says” via Reuters
“Jeff Miller for VA chief?” via Alex Leary of the Tampa Bay Times
“Florida leaders blast White House changes to oil drilling” via The News Service of Florida
“Charlie Crist poised to do something he hasn’t done in 24 years” via George Bennett of the Palm Beach Post
“Parkland students criticize NRA for banning guns at upcoming Mike Pence event“ via Rebecca Morin of POLITICO
“Florida school district’s dress code called unconstitutional by ACLU” via Benjamin Wermund of POLITICO
“BP settlement money starts flowing to the Panhandle” via Jim Turner of the News Service of Florida
“Officers accused of bribing youths to savagely assault 17-year-old detainee” via Carol Marbin Miller of the Miami Herald
“Duck, duck, chlamydia? Parents fuming over Pinellas Co. sex ed program in schools” via Sarah Hollenbeck of WFTS Tampa Bay
“Ex-Bucs RB Mike James leading drive for medicinal marijuana in NFL” via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times
Quote of the Day
“I would say my record on Trump speaks for itself. I’ve publicly declared I won’t vote for him in 2020 and have criticized him & members of his administration. I’ve defended them where warranted too. As have others who were kept. I do not believe this was ideological.” — Writer Sarah Rumpf, on last week’s firings at the conservative RedState website. She said she is still writing for the site.
Bill Day’s Latest
Breakthrough Insights
Wake Up Early?
Voters in state House District 39 and House District 114 will go to the polls in special elections caused by the departures of former Rep. Neil Combee of Auburndale, and former Rep. Daisy Baez of Coral Gables. Republican Josie Tomkow and Democrat Ricky Shirah are running in District 39, which includes parts of Polk and Osceola counties. Democrat Javier Fernandez, Republican Andrew Vargas and unaffiliated candidate Liz de las Cuevas are running in Miami-Dade County’s District 114.
Citizens Property Insurance Corp. claims representatives will hold office hours in Monroe County to answer questions and help policyholders who sustained damage in Hurricane Irma. That’s at 8 a.m., Banana Bay Resort & Marina, 4590 Overseas Highway, Marathon.
Gov. Scott will join Puerto Rico Congresswoman Jenniffer González-Colón for a major announcement in both Kissimmee and Tampa. That’s at 10 a.m., El Cilantrillo Café & Restaurant, 3628 W. Pine St. in Kissimmee and 2:15 p.m., La Casona Restaurant, 5709 N. Armenia Ave. in Tampa.
Florida State University President John Thrasher will take part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Jim Moran Building, which will serve as the headquarters for the university’s Jim Moran School of Entrepreneurship and the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship. That’s at 10 a.m., Jim Moran Building, 111 South Monroe St., Tallahassee.
The University of West Florida Board of Trustees will hold a conference call about the approval of a dining-services contract. That’s at 4 p.m. Central time, University of West Florida, the call originates at Crosby Hall, 11000 University Parkway, Pensacola.
Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz will hold a town hall meeting in Okaloosa County after making a series of other appearances as part of an “Open Gaetz Day.” That’s 6:30 p.m., Crosspoint United Methodist Church, North Campus, 6268 Old Bethel Road, Crestview.
