Peter Schorsch
Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics.
By Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel McAuliffe, Jim Rosica, and Drew Wilson.
As Florida Politics first reported, House Speaker Richard Corcoran on Wednesday morning will throw his support to Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam’s bid to be the next governor of Florida.
The same political reporters who last week were telling you that Tom Lee would run for Congress and that a Republican would win the special election in House District 114 will now attempt to tell you Corcoran’s decision to back Putnam doesn’t matter.
Don’t buy into that conventional wisdom.
Corcoran dropping out and supporting Putnam matters because three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust is the Polk Republican’s only path to the GOP nomination. He’s not going to be on Fox News each night. Donald Trump isn’t going to call him one of his “warriors.”
No, the only way Putnam holds off U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis is by barbecuing his way to victory. This BBQ strategy involves winning as much institutional support as possible, even in the current drain-the-swamp political environment.
Inch by inch, Putnam has to grind his way to the nomination. Last week, it was receiving the full-throated support of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. This week it’s getting Corcoran’s backing. Next week, it’ll be another endorsement, another fish fry, another fusillade of television ads.
Also, don’t underestimate just how much Team Florida Grown wanted Corcoran out of the race so that it could take on DeSantis one-on-one.
DeSantis own internal polling shows that Corcoran’s lean support goes to Putnam without the Speaker in the race. This is contrary to the easy assumption that Corcoran would have pulled votes from the same right-wing voters with which DeSantis is strong.
Corcoran wasn’t faring well in the polls, but he knows how to create mischief and, just as Andrew Gillum is doing in the Democratic primary, he would have been able to garner earned media and take the focus off the genuine front-runners. He also knows Putnam’s weak spots better than DeSantis.
Putnam’s folks also point to last week’s gubernatorial forum as an example of what the race will look like if its just Putnam vs. DeSantis. Even though the two men were never on stage together, Putnam, who actually outflanked DeSantis on his right, emerged from the Florida Family Policy Council event as the clear winner. Putnam boosters think they can repeat that kind of performance again and again between now and the primary election.
As for what Corcoran does next, that’s still anyone’s guess. Perhaps a glass or two of Caymus and an Oliva cigar will help him make his decision about his future.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
—@BRhodes: Beyond the potentially catastrophic consequences with Iran, Trump’s decision is devastating to U.S. credibility globally. After this, why would anyone trust an international agreement that the U.S. negotiates?
—@HotlineJosh: #FLSEN will be one of the few races where withdrawing from the Iran deal could be a key issue.
—@AlbertBrooks: Breaking News: Trump to back out of Louisiana Purchase.
—@SunshineEmpire: It’s fascinating how the press corp sees Rick Scott’s spending at an “early, aggressive pace,” and Phil Levine’s spending as a gigantic waste.
—@CarlosGSmith: OH MY GAWD! We spent SO MUCH TIME in the House passing unconstitutional bills only to prop up a campaign that never got off the ground?! Somehow, even I feel cheated. How do we get our 2018 session back? 2017 is calling to ask the same thing.
—@PPinesPD: There have been several monkey sightings in the Broward County area over the past two months, including in Pembroke Pines. If you see these monkeys do not attempt to feed them, approach them, or trap them. Report any sightings to the Vervet Project;
—@PatriciaMazzei: Today in a reporter’s struggles in translation: There is no exact English equivalent for “damnificado.”
— DAYS UNTIL —
Mother’s Day — 4; Deadpool 2 release — 9; Solo: A Star Wars Story premier — 16; Memorial Day — 19; Democratic gubernatorial candidates debate in St. Petersburg — 31; Democratic gubernatorial candidates debate in Miramar — 33; Time Warner/AT&T merger ruling — 34; Father’s Day — 39; Close of candidate qualifying for statewide office — 44; Florida GOP Sunshine Summit starts — 50; Democratic gubernatorial candidates debate in Fort Myers — 60; MLB All-Star Game — 69; Deadline for filing claim bills — 84; ‘The Race for Governor’ Republican gubernatorial debate — 84; ‘The Race for Governor’ Democratic gubernatorial debate in Miami — 85; Start of the U.S. Open — 110; Primary Election Day — 111; College Football opening weekend — 113; NFL season starts — 120; Future of Florida Forum — 140; ‘Before You Vote’ Florida U.S. Senate debate — 167; ‘Before You Vote’ Florida Governor debate — 168; General Election Day — 181; ‘Hamilton’ comes to the Straz Center — 281; 2019 Legislative Session starts — 300.
— OTHER TOP STORY —
Gov. Rick Scott has a 4-point lead over U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in the Senate race according to a new poll out from FAU.
There’s only one caveat: Culling the sample down to likely voters puts the second term governor in a statistical tie with Nelson, 45-45.
But, as the saying goes, “it’s not the top-line, it’s the trend.” And there’s a couple trends that likely have Scott supporters feeling dandy and the Nelson campaign feeling like they took a punch to the gut.
First, Scott’s standing has only gone up since FAU’s February survey, when he trailed Nelson 40-38. After a month on the trail and $5 million in ad spending, Scott is surging and Nelson is coming off exactly how the Scott campaign has framed him: Flat.
Second, and possibly more troubling for Nelson, is that Donald Trump might not be as big an anchor around Scott’s neck as Democrats want him to be. Despite increasing coverage of the president’s flaws and foibles, Florida voters like him more by the month — he’s gone from a minus-6 job approval rating last year to a minus-2 today.
That data point will also go over nicely with Ron DeSantis, the Trump-backed Congressman who in the same poll was found with a 1-point edge, 16-15, over Adam Putnam in the Republican Primary for governor.
On the Democratic side, former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine leads former Congresswoman Gwen Graham by the same margin, 16-15, with 42 percent unsure. But the real shocker isn’t Levine being on top — he’s been there for weeks — it’s Chris King.
Poll after poll has shown the Orlando-area businessman on the bottom shelf in the four-way race, but the FAU poll put him in the double-digit club with 10 percent support among primary voters. Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum rounded out the pack with 6 percent support.
Both primary polls showed more than 40 percent of voters are undecided, so there’s plenty of campaign left to do before the Aug. 28 primary election.
—LAMBASTING LEVINE —
It’s never a good sign when a candidate profile begins by detailing a possible case of fraud traced back to said candidate’s company.
That’s how Daniel Rivero’s piece in the Miami New Times on former Miami Beach Mayor Levine begins, setting the stage for a critical but balanced deep dive into the Democratic gubernatorial early front-runner.
The opening anecdote tells of an elderly woman who was ripped off on a cruise trip to Mexico in 2014. Levine’s company, Royal Media Partners, pressured her to buy a used luxury watch. Rivero wrote, “The episode offers a dark glimpse into the world from which Levine emerged.”
The bad: Levine’s company and similar businesses have had a conflict with Alaska’s state government after being accused of using questionable tactics to court local businesses into using their services. Notes Rivero, “If Levine were elected governor of Florida, where the largest cruise companies are headquartered, his new position could pose some conflicts of interest.”
The ugly: Rivero examines Levine’s history of campaigning off climate change. Once elected mayor, he expedited pump projects tailored to fight rising water levels. It’s been reported, however, that those projects helped Levine’s properties, and a report from local universities suggested the pumps could be dumping raw sewage into Biscayne Bay.
The good: Rivero’s piece dedicates a bit of prose to the former mayor’s childhood and early life. While by no means is Levine’s bio a ‘rags to riches’ story, the context shows Levine at least came from humble beginnings and spent a great deal of time in the state he seeks to lead.
— NOTES FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL —
“Deep in the heart of Rick Scott’s Texas connections” via Steve Bousquet of the Tampa Bay Times — Scott has many ties to Texas. He attended law school at Southern Methodist, worked as a mergers-and-acquisitions lawyer in Dallas and co-founded Columbia Healthcare there in 1987 by buying 50 percent shares of two hospitals in El Paso … Others helping Scott raise money in Dallas are Tom Hicks, former owner of the Texas Rangers baseball team (Scott himself was once a minority owner); H. Ross Perot Jr., son of the former third-party presidential candidate; and Dallas businessman Doug Deason. Deason gave $3.5 million to the SMU law school for new criminal justice research, a gift matched by the Charles Koch Foundation that supports an array of conservative causes. The Kochs and their political arm, Americans for Prosperity, have supported Scott despite AFP’s criticism of Enterprise Florida Inc. (EFI) for giving “corporate welfare” to businesses with tax breaks.
“Sarasota Democrat files election complaint against Scott” via Zac Anderson of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Sarasota County Democratic Party Chairwoman JoAnne DeVries has filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission alleging Scott’s U.S. Senate campaign violated federal election law. DeVries alleges Scott’s campaign was raising money before then and did not properly disclose the donations by filing a first-quarter campaign finance report with the FEC. DeVries alleges that Scott’s campaign sent out a fundraising email “at least as early as March 29.” The email asks for checks payable to “Rick Scott for Florida” and notes the maximum contribution amount. “Assuming even one person responded to that ask, Mr. Scott raised over $5,000 on that date, triggering candidacy … Yet Mr. Scott did not file on April Quarterly Report,” DeVries writes.
— “Florida Democrats’ latest attack on Scott is dumb, even for them” via Sarah Rumpf of The Capitolist
“Andrew Gillum’s coal connection starting to raise eyebrows” via Brian Burgess of The Capitolist – …regardless of Gillum’s stated public positions on coal, he is more deeply linked to the coal industry than he’d care to admit. His financial dependence on liberal mega-donor George Soros (yes, that one) or members of the Soros family have given Gillum well over half a million dollars in political contributions so far this cycle. … Then there is Gillum’s moonlighting salary that he’s collected over the years from People for the American Way, a liberal activist group that has also received big donations from Soros. Gillum has collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from the group in salary. … There are other, more shadowy links to Soros as well, including a dark-money PAC called “The Collective,” which took in $70,000 from Soros and is the sister organization to the Collective Future … Gillum’s problem isn’t Soros himself, but rather his dependence on Soros’s investments in the coal industry. … To many Democrats, including Gillum’s opponent in the Democrat primary, it appears that Gillum is ducking the issue.
“PAC for African-American candidates boosts Gillum in $211K ad buy” via Marc Caputo of POLITICO Florida – A national political group dedicated to helping African-American candidates has placed a $211,000 television ad buy to boost Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum’s stalled gubernatorial campaign, the first air support for a Democrat polling in the single digits. The Collective PAC’s ad buy, which is to run in the West Palm Beach broadcast TV market from Thursday through the end of the month, is the latest in a tranche of outside support that’s keeping Gillum’s campaign afloat. The Collective’s affiliated nonprofit political committee, Collective Future has pumped an additional $231,000 into Gillum’s campaign and political committee, Forward Florida. That’s about 30 percent of his March fundraising haul, yet the dark money group doesn’t have to disclose its donors because it’s a political nonprofit. A spokesman for the group couldn’t be reached for comment.
“King pumps up campaign fund with $405,000” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — The April haul, which included $109,623 from individual donors, was split between King’s official campaign account, which took in a total of $416,773 in April, and his political committee, Rise and Lead, which brought in $97,850. King’s total raised to date is $4,626,237, and he ended April with $2,476,895 cash in hand … King had previously contributed more than $1.76 million to his campaign.
Bill Galvano endorses Jimmy Patronis for CFO — Senate President-designate Galvano
Assignment editors — The Florida Chamber of Commerce will make a “special announcement” with Patronis at 10:30 a.m., La Segunda Central Bakery, 2512 N. 15th St. in Tampa.
“’Amendment 2 is for Everybody’ gets another $200K from Florida Realtors” via Florida Politics — The political committee backing a ballot amendment to make a 10 percent cap on annual non-homestead property tax increases permanent brought in another $200,000 in April. Amendment 2 is for Everybody raised that cash with a single contribution from The Florida Association of Realtors, which has now funded the committee to the tune of $660,000 — all but $100 of its total fundraising since the committee was formed in June. The ads rolled out by the committee pitch Amendment 2 as “protecting all Floridians” and “keeping communities whole.”
Greyhound racing ban will be ‘Amendment 13’ on November ballot — Whether you have triskaidekaphobia or not, a proposed constitutional amendment banning greyhound racing will almost certainly be on the fall ballot as “Amendment 13.” Sarah Revell, a spokeswoman for the Department of State, suggested 13 would not be skipped when the department numbers the amendments from the Constitution Revision Commission for ballot position. Revell said there’s no authority in state law or rules to skip a number, referring to a regulation on “Constitutional Amendment Ballot Position” that says, “Revision proposals and proposed amendments shall be assigned designating numbers in consecutive ascending numerical sequence …” That means the proposed dog racing ban, backed by state Sen. Tom Lee, should be “Amendment 13” on the November statewide ballot.
Happening tonight:
“Belinda Keiser files to run for Joe Negron’s state Senate seat” via the Sunshine State News — She will face state Rep. Gayle Harrell in the Republican primary. Negron is backing Harrell to replace him. Keiser is a familiar figure in Tallahassee from her work with the Florida Council of 100, the Florida Government Efficiency Task Force and Workforce Florida which she chaired, on the board of the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Gov. Scott naming her to the board of Enterprise Florida and Space Florida. She also launched the Keiser Mills Foundation to offer “unique scholarship and learning opportunities to students seeking international, entrepreneurial, leadership and civic engagement experiences as part of their college education in Florida and globally.” Last year, Scott named Keiser to the Florida Constitution Revision Commission.
— “Shawn Harrison hits $215K on hand with April fundraising reports” via Florida Politics
— “Berny Jacques posts $13K haul in HD 66 race” via Florida Politics
— “In face of possible challenge, Chris Latvala added more than $43K in April” via Florida Politics
— “Rob Panepinto puts in $50K, raises $50K in Orange County mayor’s race” via Scott Powers of Orlando Rising
— ETHICS —
Forums will be held across the state for judicial candidates to learn about ethical standards in judicial races. The forums are organized by the Florida Supreme Court and The Florida Bar Board of Governors, in conjunction with trial-court chief judges and the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee. All forums will be held at 1 p.m.
— On Thursday: M.C. Blanchard Judicial Building, 190 Governmental Center, Courtroom 501, Pensacola; Duval County Courthouse, Chief Judges Chambers, 501 West Adams St., Jacksonville; Lawson E. Thomas Courthouse Center, 11th-floor Conference Room, 175 N.W. First Ave., Miami; George Edgecomb County Courthouse, 6th-floor Judicial Conference Room, 800 East Twiggs St., Tampa; Palm Beach County Courthouse, Judicial Conference Room, 205 North Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach.
— On Friday: Leon County Courthouse, 301 S Monroe St., Courtroom 3G, Tallahassee; Alachua County Criminal Justice Center, Jury Assembly Room, 220 South Main St., Gainesville; Orange County Courthouse, 425 North Orange Ave., Suite 2310 (Gene Medina Conference Room), Orlando; Broward County Judicial Complex, Courtroom 15150, 15th Floor, 201 SE Sixth St., Ft. Lauderdale; Lee County Justice Center, 2075 Martin Luther King Blvd., Courtroom 4-B, Fort Myers.
— STATEWIDE —
“Marco Rubio challenges Florida schools with Confucius institutes“ via Daniel Ducassi of POLITICO Florida – In a letter to three Florida colleges that operate partnerships through Chinese government-funded programs called Confucius Institutes, Sen. Marco Rubio this week challenged the schools to hold open discussions about ugly truths in the modern human rights history of China. The letter sent this week is a follow-up to a letter Rubio sent in February urging Miami Dade College, the University of North Florida, the University of South Florida, the University of West Florida and Broward County’s Cypress Bay High School to end their programs. “Given China’s aggressive campaign to ‘infiltrate’ American classrooms, stifle free inquiry, and subvert free expression both at home and abroad, I respectfully urge you to consider terminating your Confucius Institute agreement,” Rubio wrote at the time. The University of West Florida responded by noting it had already planned to cut ties due to a lack of student interest.
“Scott loyalists are finding new state government jobs” via Mary Ellen Klas of the Miami Herald — The Florida Department of Revenue has ousted top employees and kept positions vacant for months to make room for many of Scott’s loyal staffers who will be out of their jobs when he leaves office this year, even though none of them have any experience in that department’s main responsibility: tax administration. The shake-up was managed by Leon Biegalski, the governor’s surprise pick to head the Department of Revenue in March 2016, and key jobs were given to former staff at the governor’s Office of Policy and Budget (OPB). DOR is overseen by Scott and three independent Cabinet officers, making it a safer place to guarantee job security than the governor’s budget office, which will get a new chief executive after the November elections. In the last month, Biegalski has replaced most of the division’s top staff with people close to him or the governor. When asked for an explanation, he issued a statement and refused an interview.
Assignment editors — Gov. Scott will attend the annual Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement Memorial Service to honor officers killed in the line of duty. Ceremony begins 8:30 a.m., Malcolm E. Beard Sheriffs Operations Center, 2008 E. 8th Ave., Tampa. Later, the Governor shifts to U.S. Senate candidate mode to highlight the second proposal in his “Make Washington Work” plan, which will require a supermajority vote of two-thirds of each house of Congress to approve any tax or fee increase. News conference begins 3:30 p.m., PGT Innovations, 1070 Technology Dr., North Venice.
Assignment editors — Ag. Commissioner Putnam will deliver the commencement address at Palm Beach State College beginning 2 p.m. at the South Florida Fairgrounds Expo Center, 9067 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach.
“State Cabinet meeting called off” via the News Service of Florida — The Florida Cabinet won’t hold a scheduled meeting May 15, as Gov. Scott plans to attend the funeral of Highlands County Deputy William Gentry … Gentry died a day after being shot while responding to a disturbance between neighbors in Lake Placid. All items on the May 15 Cabinet agenda are now set for a June 13 meeting.
“Court to hear felons’ rights fight in July” via the News Service of Florida — A federal appeals court has tentatively scheduled oral arguments in July in a constitutional battle about Florida’s process for restoring the voting rights of felons. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is expected to hear arguments the week of July 23 in Atlanta … In an order filed late last month, the appeals court said it was expediting consideration of the case, a move that included speeding up deadlines for attorneys to file briefs. The case went to the Atlanta-based appeals court after U.S. District Judge Mark Walker declared unconstitutional Florida’s process for restoring the voting rights of felons who have served their sentences.
“At height of opioid crisis, some Florida treatment programs face deep cuts” via John Kennedy of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The Florida Corrections Department is reducing operating costs and slashing 66 contracts held by 33 community providers to free $50 million it can use for prison health and pharmacy services, which the state is legally obligated to provide. But the state’s balancing act is drawing outrage from many advocates. “This makes absolutely no sense,” said Lori Costantino-Brown, CEO of Bridges of America, which must decide whether to endorse a new contract that cuts 300 beds from substance abuse centers in Jacksonville, Bradenton, Orlando, Pompano Beach and Auburndale. Losing roughly $4 million in DOC contracts — possibly within 30 days — could force several Bridges facilities to close, said Costantino-Brown. More than 200 staff members would lose jobs, she said.
“Lawmakers fire another warning shot over medical marijuana rules” via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics – A legislative panel is again taking the state’s medical marijuana regulators to task, asking whether they are “refusing to modify the rules” governing the drug. Kenneth Plante, coordinator of the Joint Administrative Procedures Committee (JAPC), fired off a letter Tuesday to Department of Health general counsel Nichole Geary. In it, he said the department’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use had failed to address the committee’s prior objections in its proposed rules issued May 1 … Among other things, medicinal cannabis regulators didn’t respond to objections earlier this year over a $60,000 “nonrefundable application fee” to become a marijuana provider, and a provision for “contingent” licenses, saying they weren’t in state law. “I think it is fair to say that the Department’s failure to address the Committee’s objections … is not indicative of a good faith effort” to work with lawmakers, Plante wrote.
“Medicaid official acknowledges opposition to cut” via the News Service of Florida — Beth Kidder, deputy secretary for Medicaid at the state Agency for Health Care Administration, said in a letter that some legislators voiced objections to the proposed $98 million cut, which was contrary to information the state had previously submitted to the federal government. Florida is asking for the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to approve a change to eligibility rules used for the state’s main safety-net health program, resulting in the proposed cut. Kidder wrote the letter after incoming Senate Minority Leader Audrey Gibson slammed the Scott administration for failing to note that Senate Democrats raised questions about the proposed cut during debate over this year’s state budget. “We apologize for the oversight,” Kidder said in the letter, which added that she planned to apologize to the Jacksonville senator.
“Citizens Insurance board OK’s $1 billion-plus reinsurance plan” via Michael Moline of Florida Politics — Citizens Property Insurance Corp. will transfer $1.42 billion in risk to the reinsurance and capital markets — a move its leadership said would leave it with reserves sufficient to cover a major storm. The policy, adopted unanimously during a telephone conference call of Citizens’ board of governors, “will allow us to face the upcoming wind season for the fourth consecutive year with no potential assessment risk in a one-in-100-year storm,” chairman Christopher Gardner said. Notwithstanding $1.8 billion in losses to Hurricane Irma, a “substantial surplus has been accumulated in all accounts to pay for future claims,” according to an executive summary.
“New power plants get key state approval” via the News Service of Florida — The Florida Public Service Commission unanimously backed “determinations of need” for a 1,122-megawatt plant in Putnam County proposed by Seminole Electric Cooperative, Inc., and a 573-megawatt plant in Pasco County proposed by Seminole Electric and Shady Hills Energy Center, LLC. While approving the plans, commissioners expressed a need to be more cognizant of Florida’s increasing dependence on natural gas for its energy needs. Commissioner Donald Polmann said regulators might need to take a wider view of the state’s energy sources, rather than tackling the issue on a case-by-case basis. Receiving determinations of need are key approvals for the new facilities, which are expected to begin operating in Pasco County in December 2021 and Putnam County in December 2022. Seminole Electric contends the new facilities are the most cost-effective way to meet the future energy needs of customers of cooperatives.
“Technology, towers at issue in state radio system bid protest” via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics — Motorola’s bid for a statewide law enforcement radio system is based on an “unknown design,” one that “no one knows what it’s going to look like” and that it “may never be able to deliver,” an attorney for Harris Corp. told an administrative law judge Tuesday. Furthermore, the state’s decision to go with Motorola is “based on an unspecified and unknown true price,” Holland & Knight attorney Karen Walker said — referring to a deal worth in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Lawyers delivered opening statements in a bid protest before Administrative Law Judge J. Bruce Culpepper in Tallahassee. The Melbourne-based Harris is challenging the Department of Management Services’ (DMS) award to Motorola Solutions this March to take over the Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System, or SLERS, which Harris had since September 2000 and lost.
“Gambling rule takes aim a controversial card games” via Dara Kam of the News Service of Florida — A new rule floated by Florida gambling regulators holds a price tag of $50 million a year and could cost hundreds of jobs, according to a lawyer representing several of the state’s card room operators. The regulation in question, proposed by the Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering, would make a number of changes and effectively do away with controversial “designated player” card games that have been lucrative for pari-mutuel facilities across the state … would require designated players to “compete and compare their cards against each other to determine the winner(s) of each game.” It would effectively negate the designated-player games. The new language would “ensure that players compete and compare their cards against each other to determine the winner(s) of each game,” which would end a current practice that allows gamblers to play against a designated player who acts as “the house.”
“Court backs air ambulance firm in ‘PIP’ fight” via Jim Saunders of the News Service of Florida — In a case stemming from a child getting rushed to a hospital after a traffic accident, a federal appeals court backed an air-ambulance firm in a dispute about whether the amount paid for helicopter services should be limited by Florida’s no-fault auto insurance law. A panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the air-ambulance firm, Air Methods Corp., should be able to bill the father of accident victim Lemar Bailey for costs that exceeded limits in the state’s no-fault system. The ruling, which upheld a lower-court decision, said a federal airline deregulation law bars states from restricting prices charged by air carriers. The air-ambulance firm is considered an air carrier under federal law. Florida’s no-fault system requires motorists to carry $10,000 in personal-injury protection, or PIP, coverage to help pay for medical expenses after accidents. As part of the system, medical costs were billed in the Bailey case under a schedule of fees. In such circumstances, medical providers typically are prevented from billing insurance policyholders for excess amounts — an issue known in the insurance and health care worlds as “balance billing.”
“Three years after corruption conviction, this former mayor is finally put behind bars” via David Ovalle of the Miami Herald – For more than three years, ex-Homestead mayor Steven Bateman remained free on bond as his lawyer fought to overturn his conviction for corruption. On Tuesday, with his conviction intact, Bateman had no choice but to surrender to a Miami-Dade court to begin serving a 22-month prison sentence. … Bateman was convicted of using his influence while secretly on the payroll of a company needing his help to build a clinic in downtown Homestead. … First elected in 2009, Bateman had a stormy and scandal-plagued tenure, often clashing with elected leaders and staff at Homestead’s city hall. He was initially arrested and charged in August 2013 as he was running for reelection, a campaign he eventually lost. … After his conviction, Bateman was allowed to remain free on bond while he took his case to Miami’s Third District Court of Appeal. In December, judges upheld the conviction.
“Ex-police chief: Officer’s actions led to motorist shooting” via Terry Spencer of The Associated Press — A former police chief told a judge that a fired police officer’s fatal shooting of a stranded black motorist was “unjustified” and resulted from the officer’s “lazy and reckless” tactics as he approached the victim’s broken down SUV on a darkened highway off-ramp. W.D. Libby, a former Punta Gorda police chief, testified that ex-officer Nouman Raja violated numerous protocols in October 2015 when in plainclothes he drove an unmarked van the wrong way up the off-ramp, exited directly in front of Corey Jones’ SUV and didn’t identify himself as a police officer. Libby said given the circumstances, Jones, who had a concealed-weapons permit, likely thought he was about to be robbed or carjacked and pulled his handgun. Raja told investigators he opened fire when Jones pointed his gun at him. “If I was sitting there (like Jones), I would have had my gun out,” Libby told Circuit Judge Samantha Schosberg Feuer. Libby, now a consultant, testified for prosecutors.
— ULTIMATE TROLL —
“Mitch McConnell campaign taunts Don Blankenship – with a little help from Netflix’s ‘Narcos’” – McConnell is known as a dour all-business Washington power player. But on Tuesday night, McConnell’s campaign landed a gag at the expense of a Senate candidate who has been taunting the majority leader in recent weeks. It had been a day in which West Virginia voters turned out for the Republican U.S. Senate primary, a closely watched race featuring three contestants. Although state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey topped the vote count, earning the right to take on incumbent Democrat Joe Manchin III in November, the candidate who caught the most national attention was Don Blankenship. The former coal-mining executive pitched his campaign — in Trumpian fashion — as an anti-swamp attack on the GOP establishment, fixing much of his rhetoric in speeches and ads on McConnell. Blankenship was already a controversial candidate after spending a year in prison for his role in a deadly West Virginia mine explosion. Following Blankenship’s third-place finish, McConnell’s team fired back Tuesday night. The Team Mitch twitter account, the “Official account of Mitch McConnell for Senate,” posted a meme following the election results. “Thanks for playing, Don,” the text said before tagging Blankenship.
— OPINION —
“Politicos want you to stink up the Florida Constitution” via Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel – If I offered you a lump of cat poo, you’d probably say: Um, no thanks. But what if I offered you a lump of cat poo wrapped in a hundred-dollar bill? Maybe, right? That’s essentially the deal that a bunch of political appointees are offering you this fall. … Take civics classes, for instance … the state’s Constitution Revision Commission drafted an amendment that calls for “the promotion of civic literacy.” Sounds good (if nebulous), right? Except the only way you can vote for “civic literacy” is if you also agree to exempt some publicly funded charter schools from local regulations and accountability. … One thing has nothing to do with the other. Honest brokers would let citizens vote on each issue separately. That way, you could vote for the civics classes (the C-note) and against the anti-accountability policy (the poo). … And that’s just one of several bad examples.
“George Zimmerman proves that he’s an angry man who got away with murder” via Fabiola Santiago of the Miami Herald – … The Trayvon Martin murder case has always been about prejudice and rage – and the deadly results when the two combine. But it was tough to prove beyond a reasonable doubt to a Central Florida jury that George Zimmerman harbored those feelings and acted upon them when he stalked, confronted, and shot to death a teenager minding his own business, being where he belonged, in his father’s neighborhood. … All of these years, Zimmerman has been showing us that he’s an angry, prejudiced man who got away with murder. … He has been involved in road rage and domestic violence acts against the women in his life, who, scared to death, later failed to follow through and charges were dropped. … He stalked Trayvon, and now, he has been charged with stalking and harassing private investigator Dennis Warren, hired by the company Cinemart Productions to track down people to participate in a documentary about Trayvon’s death.
— MOVEMENTS —
“Jacksonville revamps lobbying team, Jordan Elsbury to replace Ali Korman Shelton” via AG Gancarski of Florida Politics — Jacksonville’s director of intergovernmental affairs, Korman Shelton, is leaving her position at the end of next week. Elsbury, a previous “30 under 30 rising star of Florida politics” honoree, will take over for Shelton. Leeann Krieg, the Council assistant for Greg Anderson, and Chiquita Moore, the assistant (and 2015 campaign manager) for Sam Newby, will be moving over as coequal “Council liaison” positions.
New and renewed lobbying registrations:
Kevin Cabrera, Southern Strategy Group: Florida Blue
Leslie Dughi, Fred Karlinsky, Greenberg Traurig: National Health Solutions
Martin Fiorentino, Joseph Mobley, Mark Pinto, The Fiorentino Group: U.S. Security Associates
Kenneth Granger, Capital City Consulting: RELX
Darryl James Henderson: Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce
Alisa LaPolt, Topsail Public Affairs: Alliance Financial Network
Dan McCrea: Florida Voters Coalition, VerifiedVoting.org
Lawrence Sellers, Holland & Knight: Florida Electric Cooperatives Association
— REST IN PEACE —
His death last week marked the loss of a corporate leader, journalist, education administrator, lawyer, civic leader, consultant, volunteer and benefactor. His impact on the Sunshine State, U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen decided, merited a farewell on the House floor, which she delivered Monday night.
Jollivette, 71, was likely best known in political circles for his executive role at Blue Cross and Blue Shield. But his life was filled with other accomplishments.
Miami Times: An Overtown native, Jollivette cared deeply about the Miami area, along with Jacksonville. He spent six years as managing editor of The Miami Times, a highly regarded black newspaper. He also spent nearly a decade producing for Miami television media.
University of Miami: Jollivette dedicated a bulk of his career to serving as executive assistant to UM President Tad Foote and as the school’s vice president for government relations at a time when the school experienced immense growth.
In Jacksonville: His time in Northeast Florida was spent giving back to the community. He chaired the philanthropic Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation, now valued at $250 million, and was involved in numerous charitable groups in the Bold city.
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“SeaWorld showing signs of comeback” via John Gregory of Orlando Rising — Across SeaWorld Entertainment’s parks in Orlando, San Diego and San Antonio, as well as other properties like Busch Gardens Tampa, attendance was up 14.9 percent, or 3.2 million guests overall, compared to the first three months of 2017. Other positive signs were a 16.5 percent increase in revenue, a 10 percent jump in sales of season passes and a 6.4 percent increase for in-park per capita spending, a measure of what guests spend once they’re inside the park. The numbers represent quite the turnaround from the company’s 2017 results, when it reported a 5.5 percent decline in attendance compared to 2016. The fact such results came for the period covering January through March make them even more remarkable. This is typically SeaWorld’s worst quarter since only five of its 12 parks are open during the entire three-month period.
“St. Petersburg chef Edouardo Jordan garners two James Beard award honors” via Carl Lisciandrello of the Tampa Bay Times — Jordan’s love for cooking has taken him from Boca Ciega High School, to the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Orlando, and to fine restaurants in New York, California and Washington State. But it is in Seattle where the acclaimed chef is perfecting his craft, as evidenced by his two historic wins at the James Beard Awards … Jordan, founding chef of JuneBaby in Seattle, became the first African-American to earn the honor of Best New Restaurant … doubled up by being named Best Chef in the Northwest for his first restaurant in Seattle, Salare. JuneBaby also was named Best Restaurant of the Year by Food & Wine magazine this year, and in 2017 was named top restaurant by the website Eater.
“Uber unveils flying taxi prototype ahead of annual Elevate Summit” via Shawn Knight of Techspot — Uber, ahead of its second annual Uber Elevate Summit in Los Angeles, has unveiled a prototype for its autonomous flying taxi of the future … Uber’s prototype looks a lot like the concept sketches the company shared publicly last year. It’s more or less a giant drone with a cockpit for passengers that’ll be powered by a series of rotors and propellers … they’ll fly 1,000 to 2,000 feet above ground and be quieter than a traditional helicopter. Early iterations will be piloted but eventually, Uber aims to let the aircraft fly autonomously. Future skyports will be able to conduct 200 takeoffs and landings per hour, or one every 24 seconds. Uber has partnered with NASA to develop technology to control air traffic and prevent crashes.
