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.
Breaking overnight: John Morroni, a Republican member of the Pinellas County Commission and former state Representative, died Sunday evening. The affable pol, known for his centrist views and his annual awards dinner for emergency personnel, had recently been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, a rare type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow. Morroni is survived by his wife, Eileen, and their son, Mike. Florida Politics will have more on Morroni’s passing throughout the day.
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Before you dive into our lead story, please click and read two longer pieces which demonstrate how the biggest impediment to Florida Democrats riding a ‘blue wave’ to victory this November may be, well, Florida Democrats. In one story, FP documents the growing divide within the Florida Senate Democratic Caucus just as the minority party enjoys its best opportunity in decades to win the Chamber. In the other story, we report on the insurrection brewing within the Floria Education Association, one of the Democratic Party’s key allies. Taken together, these developments reveal a movement that is coming apart long before it achieves its goals of winning this fall’s elections.
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Another month, another poll, another win trumpeted by Philip Levine’s gubernatorial campaign.
A Public Policy Polling survey, shared first with Florida Politics, again shows the former mayor of Miami Beach atop the primary field among Tampa Bay Democrats. Levine’s senior adviser, Christian Ulvert, commissioned the poll.
He’s the pick for a full third of voters, while his three rivals combine to 32 percent support. Former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham accounts for most of that at 19 percent, followed by Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum at 8 percent and Orlando-area businessman Chris King at 5 percent.
At 35 percent, “unsure” reign as the top choice for likely voters remains unbroken, though the share has shrunk by a few points since the last Tampa Bay poll, which showed Levine polling at 32 percent followed by Graham at 18 percent.
The survey showed the South Florida Democrat firmly in the No. 1 spot among men and women, young and old, and in each of the five counties surveyed — Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota and Pasco. Graham was the No. 2 pick in all categories and Gillum was firmly in third. Despite a few ties with King in the crosstabs, he never slipped to the back of the pack.
Though the top-of-page results are nearly identical to last month’s edition, there were some gains that’ll be met with glee at Levine’s headquarters, none more so than name recognition.
As of mid-May, 54 percent of Tampa Bay Democrats have now heard enough about Levine to form an opinion — a 6-point gain from the last poll — and he’s seen in a favorable light by a margin of 45-8. That puts him 17 points ahead of Graham in name recognition and in another league from Gillum and King.
The same number of respondents indicated they’d see one of Levine’s TV commercials, an 8-point gain. Among those who had, he scored plus-53 in favorability, 61-8. That’s certain to be seen as a good return on Levine’s “investments,” which have shown no sign of slowing down and have little reason to with the Aug. 28 primary fast approaching.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
—@RobJGifford: New @CBSNews Nation Tracker Poll: President Trump looks like a positive factor among Republicans during primaries & ahead of midterms, 7 in 10 of whom say they’d prefer candidate he backs — but more Independents say they’re less likely to support a candidate backed by Trump.
—@ChuckTodd: Roger Stone confirms on #MTP this morning that neither he nor his lawyer has been in contact with Special Counsel Bob Mueller
—@Ballotpedia: Spending in Florida Senate race passes $11 million: Term-limited Gov. Rick Scott has spent more than $8 million in the first month of his U.S. Senate campaign; satellite groups have also poured $3 million into the race.
—@AdamPutnam: Florida’s annual job growth rate has outpaced the nation for 72 of the past 73 months. As governor, I’ll continue @FLGovScott’s legacy and support Florida’s job growth with a career-ready and 21st-century workforce.
—@DanaYoungFL: What makes a great night in the 813? Sitting with my favorite Governor @FLGovScott at the Hillsborough REC dinner and the @TBLightning up 3-1 in Game 5! #GoBolts
—@JChristianMinor: Shev (re Shevrin Jones) is one of those guys you can’t help but love. You may not agree with him on every single policy front, but he’s open to the conversation regarding it and loves his community deeply. He “walks the walk” and legislates with his conscience/moral compass.
—@TheRealStanLee: Never give up on your dreams! When I first wrote Spider-Man my publisher said I was crazy because people hate spiders and insects and he was not going to publish it. But I never gave up, until it was published.
— DAYS UNTIL —
Solo: A Star Wars Story premier — 4; Memorial Day — 7; Democratic gubernatorial candidates debate in St. Petersburg — 19; Democratic gubernatorial candidates debate in Miramar — 21; Time Warner/AT&T merger ruling — 22; 2018 FIFA World Cup begins — 24; Father’s Day — 27; Close of candidate qualifying for statewide office — 32; Florida GOP Sunshine Summit starts — 38; Democratic gubernatorial candidates debate in Fort Myers — 48; MLB All-Star Game — 57; Deadline for filing claim bills — 72; ‘The Race for Governor’ Republican gubernatorial debate — 72; ‘The Race for Governor’ Democratic gubernatorial debate in Miami — 73; Start of the U.S. Open — 98; Primary Election Day — 99; College Football opening weekend — 101; NFL season starts — 108; Future of Florida Forum — 128; ‘Before You Vote’ Florida U.S. Senate debate — 155; ‘Before You Vote’ Florida Governor debate — 156; General Election Day — 169; ‘Hamilton’ comes to the Straz Center — 269; 2019 Legislative Session starts — 288.
— TOP STORY —
“Florida’s expensive race for governor highlights lax laws” via Gary Fineout of The Associated Press — So far, at least $13 million has been spent on television ads in the governor’s race that includes two Republicans and four Democrats vying for the job that will be vacated by Gov. Scott. Television ads are poised to play a crucial role in the race since polls continue to show a majority of the state’s voters don’t really know the Republican or Democratic candidates vying to replace him. But the surge of ads highlights Florida’s arcane and loosely regulated campaign finance system. Over the years, the Republican-controlled Legislature has made it easier for candidates and their allies to raise large amounts of money, while at the same time making it harder for the state’s elections commission to go after those who violate the law. “Florida really has no campaign finance laws,” joked Christian Ulvert, a political consultant who is a senior adviser for the campaign of Levine. Adds Mark Herron, an election law attorney based in Tallahassee: “You can do almost anything in Florida if you put it in the right bucket.” Critics say state laws are flouted because the commission is slow to handle complaints and operates under too many constraints placed on it by the Legislature. “They handle nickel and dime cases but overlook the huge problems of unregulated and improper spending,” Herron said. “They will kill you to death if you don’t file a report on time or don’t put a disclaimer on a sign. But to deal with these big issues? It ain’t happening.”
— NELSON VS. SCOTT —
“Rick Scott avoids mentioning Donald Trump again — even at GOP dinner celebrating Trump” via William March of the Tampa Bay Times — Trump was a big part of the Hillsborough County Republican Party’s major annual fundraising dinner — everywhere except in the keynote speech by Gov. Scott, who’s running for the U.S. Senate. Scott didn’t mention him in a brief version of his stump speech delivered to about 400 excited Republicans at the dinner. Most of the rest of the speakers, including both the leading Republicans running to replace Scott in Tallahassee, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, extolled Trump, and the crowd loved hearing his name.
“Scott surprises South Florida Republican audience with dynamic speech” via Anthony Man of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Scott, who’s prevailed in two tough Florida elections but never enjoyed a reputation as a great orator, surprised Broward County Republicans with a late-night speech that heightened their optimism over his attempt to unseat Bill Nelson. Scott delivered a crisp, optimistic vision of conservative policies. He reported the campaign has already knocked on more than 160,000 doors. And he exuded humanity and warmth — something even supporters have said isn’t his greatest skill in public settings — when honoring family members of victims killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre … several people in the audience who’ve heard Scott speak many times over the past eight years said they hadn’t seen this kind of performance before from the governor.
“State worker unions look forward to future, say Scott has been a ‘bad boss’” via James Call of the Tallahassee Democrat — Labor leaders say the state’s 162,000 employees, and wage earners in general, have suffered through eight years of Gov. Scott’s administration. “(Scott’s) legacy is poor for many reasons,” said Marshall Ogletree, executive director of the United Faculty of Florida. “Between him and the Legislature, there is not a good record there — especially in health care but across the board … There hasn’t been a real increase in funding or any funding that supports necessary programs.” A spokesman for the governor’s office countered that Scott appreciates state employees’ hard work and recognizes “their achievements every day.” “Governor Scott was proud to provide raises for state workers both in 2013 and 2017 as well as the pay raises he has championed for Florida’s brave state law enforcement. Under Governor Scott’s leadership, Florida has built the most efficient state government workforce in the nation …” said McKinley Lewis.
“Attention Florida voters: Do you know who this man is?” via Alex Leary of the Tampa Bay Times — You’ve probably heard: Nelson flew to space. Thirty-two years ago. To this day, that’s how many people identify the Florida Democrat — now a three-term Senator, he blasted off on the space shuttle Columbia as a 43-year-old Congressman — underscoring that for all the flamboyance of the mission, Nelson has been long grounded in the vanilla center of politics. Just always there, anodyne even in name — Bill Nelson — one of Florida’s most successful politicians ever and the only current statewide elected Democrat. Yet Nelson suddenly finds that opaque identity under assault by Republican Gov. Scott in what has become the toughest re-election challenge in the 75-year-old senator’s career. A February poll from the University of North Florida showed only 5 percent of registered voters didn’t know enough about Scott to form an opinion. Nelson was at 26 percent.
Must-watch — Bill Nelson shows his stuff this weekend to Clearwater first responders. The 75-year-old three-term U.S. Senator was in town Saturday for the Pinellas County’s Hands Across the Sand, one of over 100 offshore oil-drilling protests nationwide. Nelson popped into Clearwater Fire & Rescue Station 45 to take part in its chin-up challenge — demonstrating how it is done.
To watch Nelson’s pull-ups, click the image below:
— NOTES FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL —
“Young people keep marching after Parkland, this time to register to vote” via Michael Tackett and Rachel Story of The New York Times — The pace of new voter registrations among young people in crucial states is accelerating, a signal that school shootings this year … may prove to be more than ephemeral displays of activism … In Florida, voters under 26 jumped from less than 20 percent of new registrants in January and February to nearly 30 percent by March, the month of the gun control rallies. That ticked down to about 25 percent in April, as the demonstrations subsided, but registration of young voters remained above the pace” before the Parkland shooting.
What Brad Herold is reading — “Trump phones Pam Bondi with Saturday night surprise: ‘we’ll be in Tampa very soon’” via William March of the Tampa Bay Times — Hillsborough County Republicans got a surprise when Trump called into their big annual fundraising event, the Lincoln Day Dinner … For a few minutes, the crowd of hundreds listened raptly as Attorney General Bondi, speaking to Trump on her cellphone, held it up to the mic at the podium. Trump’s message: “I’ll be there fairly soon. We’ll hold a special event there in the near future … We’ll be in Tampa very soon.” … “Pam is fantastic,” he added.
Happening today — Republican gubernatorial candidate Putnam celebrates the opening of a Brandon campaign office, 10 a.m., 1463 Oakfield Dr., Brandon.
What the Chris King campaign is reading — “Gwen Graham vows to get housing money into communities” via Scott Powers of Orlando Rising — Graham accused the Republican-led Florida government of neglecting the needs of affordable housing and vowed to change that with full funding of the state’s Sadowski Affordable Housing Trust Fund and efforts to get housing money quickly into communities. “When I get into office, I am going to take a hard look at where we are spending our resources, and what we need to do. I’m not naive. I know it’s going to be tough. There are going to be a lot of challenges Florida has not faced in a very long time, and housing is one of them,” she said. “We’re going to have to be creative about how we get resources into communities to begin to immediately address these shortages.” Graham stressed the affordable housing crisis in the greater Orlando area, saying it ranked third worst in the nation behind Los Angeles and Las Vegas, adding, “and it’s only getting worse.”
Happening today — Graham will speak at a meeting of the Duval Democratic Executive committee, 6 p.m., IBEW Union Hall, 966 Liberty St., Jacksonville.
—“The importance of North Florida in the Democratic primary for governor” via Dave Trotter of The Florida Squeeze
“Long fight over nearshore oil drilling heads to ballot with campaign spending uncertain” via Bruce Ritchie of POLITICO Florida — Supporters of a proposed constitutional amendment to ban oil and gas drilling in Florida waters are more optimistic than ever that Florida voters will approve the proposal come November, but opponents are neither revealing their strategy nor how much money they may spend to combat it. Advocates on both sides of the drilling issue say they’re not sure how much money or organization will go into their efforts leading up to the November general election. Far more cash money will go into the campaigns for governor and other Cabinet members, U.S. Senate and legislative races. But supporters say Florida is closer than ever to putting the ban in the Constitution. The question is whether the issue will be as divisive as it has been in the past — and whether industry groups will spend millions, as some did in 2014, when a solar energy measure was on the ballot.
“Neil Combee adds Lake County support for CD 15 campaign” via Florida Politics — Joining the dozen or so backers already lined up behind the former state Representative were Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell, Lake County Property Appraiser Carey Baker, Lake County Commissioner Sean Parks and state Sen. Dennis Baxley, who lives in Marion County but represents most of Lake in the Senate. Combee faces Dover state Rep. Ross Spano, Sean Harper, Danny Kushmer, Curt Rogers and Ed Shoemaker in the Republican primary.
—“Darren Soto picks up endorsement from U.S. Rep. John Lewis” via Scott Powers of Orlando Rising
“Two progressive organizations, but different candidates?” via Bill Rufty of Florida Politics — Many political junkies are questioning whether two different entities that support the same goal — a Democrat in Florida’s 15th Congressional District — are backing two different candidates in the primary. Andrew Learned has been a candidate for the post since June and has the advice and help from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and some well-known Democrats like Congresswoman Kathy Castor. Attorney Kristen Carlson opened her campaign May 2 … adding that she had been encouraged to run by local Democrats and Emily’s List. And while Carlson said it was the urging of Emily’s List members that convinced her to jump in the race, she was not listed as being officially recommended among the organization’s 2018 list of 49 women candidates on its website … The DCCC, as its practice, has not openly endorsed Learned, but Castor’s hosting of a fundraiser for him likely would not have occurred without the tacit approval of the campaign committee. One Democratic candidate, Gregory Pilkington, pulled out the primary days before federal qualifying for the ballot, accusing the DCCC of supporting Learned in the primary. Learned said he is being given advice from the committee and others, but only after Republican Dennis Ross announced he would not run for re-election.
“Pam Keith: Democrats rigging Aug. 28 primary for Lauren Baer; DCCC disagrees” via Ali Schmitz of the TC Palm — Pam Keith isn’t quiet. … Now’s she speaking out about how she thinks it’s wrong — and bad for democracy — for Democrats across the country to jump into Florida’s District 18 congressional primary to support her opponent, Lauren Baer. Keith and Baer are vying for the opportunity to oust Rep. Brian Mast of Palm City, to represent Martin, St. Lucie and northern Palm Beach counties. … Keith said she initially reached out to the DCCC for its support last year while she planned to announce her campaign. She mentioned how … she won nearly as many votes as the high-profile campaign of then-Rep. Alan Grayson … The DCCC initially complimented her, then told her it was still actively recruiting candidates for the Nov. 6 race … “The mood and the feel was they had a plan and they were kind of just humoring me,” Keith said … When Baer announced, Keith said she immediately knew it would come down to money. … While Keith’s contributions have come mostly from Florida donors, Baer’s have come mostly from donors who don’t live in District 18, including prominent liberal activists … Keith also criticized the DCCC for showing favoritism toward Baer by naming her to its Red to Blue campaign in February.
“Donna Shalala’s foes finally got to debate her. Here’s how they treated the front-runner” via David Smiley of the Miami Herald — They finally got her in a room Saturday — and treated her with kid gloves. Without having to play much defense, Shalala killed the “she-won’t-debate” line of attack lobbed at her all week and showed she can hold her own against four opponents who’ll need to knock the front-runner back to claim the Democratic nomination in Florida’s 27th congressional district. In the friendly confines of the Maurice Gusman Concert Hall at the University of Miami — where she was president for 14 years — Shalala swatted away skepticism about her enthusiasm for gun-control, went whole-hog on recreational marijuana, and promoted her record on the environment. If anything, where Tuesday’spointed debate highlighted the candidates’ differences … Saturday’s forum reinforced how aligned all the candidates are on most liberal issues.
“EMILY’s List backs Shalala in CD 27 race” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Shalala has scored an endorsement from EMILY’s List, a PAC that advocates for more pro-choice women in government, in her run for Florida’s 27th Congressional District. Said EMILY’s List President Stephanie Schriock. “She is a proven leader who is prepared to take her breadth and depth of experience fighting for others to the halls of Congress. EMILY’s List is proud to stand with Donna and show her the full support of our community to turn this red seat blue.”
Holly Raschein draws Democratic challenger — Islamorada Democrat Stephen Richard Friedman this week filed to run for the House District 120 seat currently held by Key Largo Republican Rep. Holly Raschein this year. He is the only Democrat running for the seat. Democrat Pat Gessel had been running for the seat but shut down her campaign at the end of April. Raschein, currently in her third term, also faces Jose Felix Peixoto in the Republican Primary. As of April 30, she had about $98,000 on hand in her campaign account. Raschein won re-election over Democrat Dan Horton by 15 points in 2016.
—“Geraldine Thompson rolling out bipartisan backing in HD 44 race” via Scott Powers of Orlando Rising
2020 watch — “John Morgan: Lessons from medical pot are helping $15 minimum wage campaign” via Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel — … Morgan is using the lessons he learned from his campaign for medical marijuana as he moves forward with a new cause, a referendum to raise the minimum wage in Florida to $15 an hour by 2026. Morgan’s firm, Morgan & Morgan, has given almost $500,000 to Florida For A Fair Wage, the political committee aimed at collecting enough signatures to get the minimum wage issue on the ballot in 2020. … Morgan said he is taking no chances. “We need 100,000 because some [won’t be] valid,” he said. “We’re closing in on that, we’re almost there.” The plan, he said, “is to collect enough signatures, even with some bad signatures, so we can take it to the [state] Supreme Court and make sure the language is OK. We’ll get enough signatures to review it and I’ll pause … I’m not going to keep spending money if the language is not valid.” … “If they tell me the language is fine, we’ll get the rest of the signatures,” he said. … Morgan said he has learned to schedule ballot measures for presidential elections. His first referendum to approve medical marijuana was held in 2014 and failed to get the required 60 percent. His next attempt in 2016 was successful.
— STATEWIDE —
“Opioid makers gave $1 million to Florida politicians over last 20 years” via Lawrence Mower of the Miami Herald — When she announced her lawsuit against some of the largest makers of opioids, Attorney General Bondi vowed the companies would “pay” for what they’d done … The nine companies and their subsidiaries she’s suing have given more than $1 million to state lawmakers during the opioid crisis, nearly all of it — 89 percent — going to Republican candidates or Republican committees … The amounts to candidates have been relatively meager — the most that anyone has received was $15,250. But the money went far and wide and went overwhelmingly to the Republican Party of Florida ($429,550) and the Republican State Leadership Committee ($225,000). None of the nine companies has given more than Johnson & Johnson, a mega-corporation whose subsidiary, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, sold the opioids Nucynta and Tapentadol and routinely downplayed or ignored their risks of addiction, according to Bondi’s complaint.
“Think you know what’s next for Bondi? You have no idea.” via Steve Contorno of the Tampa Bay Times — “If anyone claims to know what those opportunities are, it is not true because I have not yet even told my best friends or family,” she said in a statement to the Tampa Bay Times. It took nearly a month to get Bondi to volunteer that nugget, the most she’s revealed about the future of one of the most talked about politicians in Florida … with just eight months left in her term, it’s not clear where Bondi will be next year. She’s term-limited and not on the ballot for any other jobs, and even some of her closest confidants and political allies don’t know what’s next for the Republican firebrand.
“The headlines have faded, but the investigation into charges of public corruption against Jack Latvala continues” via John Lucas of The Capitolist — The allegations dominated headlines and led to two special investigations by independent counsel hired by the Senate to look into the charges. Those investigations both determined that Latvala had groped women and made insensitive comments. They also determined that Latvala may have traded his legislative influence in exchange for sexual favors. One of the reports suggested that charges of quid pro quo for sexual favors be forwarded to law enforcement to investigate for possible public corruption. They were. The next chapter in the sexual harassment case against Latvala will be determined once FDLE investigators finish their work and turn their findings over to the local state attorney. It will be up to the state attorney to determine whether the charges against the former senator have enough merit to follow through with charges of public corruption.
“Before massacre, Nikolas Cruz threatened to shoot his brother over a jar of Nutella” via Monique Madan of the Miami Herald — It happened a few months earlier, when their mother brought home the groceries. Nikolas snatched a jar of Nutella, unscrewed the lid, scooped out the gooey contents with his unwashed hand then licked his sticky fingers. Then he dipped into the jar again. Appalled at Nikolas’ manners, Zachary pushed or slapped the jar out of his hands. Nikolas charged upstairs, grabbed a long gun out of his bedroom closet, descended the stairway, sat down, loaded the firearm and pointed it at his brother in front of their horrified mom, according to Zachary. “If you’re gonna shoot me, shoot me!” Zachary shouted. The rage receded. Nikolas bounded back upstairs, stashed the gun and sat down to watch a little TV. “After that day,” said Zachary, “I never messed with him again.”
“School officials once predicted Parkland shooter could be ‘model student’” via Megan O’Matz, Scott Travis and David Fleshler of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Broward Public Schools cleared a path for Nikolas Cruz to attend Marjory Stoneman Douglas High with a December 2015 report saying he’d shown that he “can be a model student.” Documents raise questions about how the school district monitored him once he left the protective cocoon of Cross Creek, a Pompano Beach school for children with severe emotional and behavioral disorders … If Cruz could have been a model student, it would have been a remarkable turnaround. Cruz was sent to Cross Creek as an eighth-grader after a staggeringly troubled experience at Westglades Middle School, where he was suspended at least 67 days over a year and a half. At Cross Creek, he was with other kids like him: hyperactive, defiant, unruly, prone to obsessive compulsions, struggling academically. By the end of his ninth-grade year at Cross Creek, Cruz had shown improvement, but there were still troubling issues, according to a June 2015 assessment of his progress. He grew angry and oppositional when he didn’t get his way. He used racial slurs, was fascinated with guns, lacked impulse control.
“NRA appeals ruling that it must use real names in lawsuit” via The Associated Press — The National Rifle Association is appealing a ruling that required it to disclose the names of two teenagers that it wants to include in a lawsuit challenging Florida’s new gun law. This latest legal move has resulted in a judge putting the group’s lawsuit on hold while the appeal is considered. The NRA is suing to block a Florida law requiring a gun buyer to be at least 21 years old. NRA attorneys wanted to keep the names of the teenagers confidential so that they would not be harassed. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker ruled that parties in lawsuits must use their real names.
“State files to block effect of ‘home grow’ ruling” via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics — The state’s Department of Health says a trial court made an “erroneous conclusion” that Tampa strip club mogul Joe Redner “has a constitutional right to homegrown, juiced (medical) marijuana.” The department filed a response Friday to Redner’s request to the state’s Supreme Court to allow him to immediately pursue growing and juicing his own marijuana. He won a decision, now under appeal, from Tallahassee Circuit Judge Karen Gievers last month that Redner — a 77-year-old lung cancer survivor — has an immediate right to ‘home grow’ … But the state appealed to the 1st District Court of Appeal, which reinstated a delay of the effect of the ruling while the case is under review there.
“Former Flagler elections chief Kimberle Weeks gets 30-day jail sentence, remains free” via Frank Fernandez of the Daytona Beach News-Journal — Former Flagler County elections supervisor Weeks was sentenced Friday to 18 months of probation, with the first 30 days to be spent in jail. But Weeks spent little more than an hour at the Flagler County jail from where she was released at 4:12 p.m. Friday. Her attorney, Kevin Kulik, convinced the judge to allow Weeks to remain free on $25,000 bail pending appeal of her seven felony convictions for illegally recording conversations, including a telephone conversation with the Florida Secretary of State, who asked for jail time. In allowing Weeks to remain free while she appeals, Circuit Judge Margaret Hudson noted that there are legitimate issues to appeal. The case involves crimes committed in a digital age prosecuted with laws from an analog era.
“Brightline’s inaugural West Palm-to-Miami trip draws crowd, celebration” via Kenny Jacoby of the Palm Beach Post — Brightline trains transported riders Saturday from West Palm Beach to Miami, marking the first time in 50 years that the Florida East Coast Railway has been used to bring passengers to the Magic City. The historic trip, capped off by a celebratory grand opening of the MiamiCentral station, signaled a milestone achievement for the Florida company, which has endured a turbulent first four months of operations. Located downtown, MiamiCentral resembles the West Palm Beach station in its modern, Disney-esque design but is much larger. Brightline’s MiamiCentral is three stories tall and features the same café and convenience store as the West Palm Station, but it has added amenities such as a children’s play area and a four-sided video board that extends from the ground floor to the ceiling of the second. Special to the grand-opening festivities were an arcade, solar-powered photo booth, meditation class and mojito bar.
“Construction causes new epidemic on Miami streets” via Linda Robertson of The Associated Press — Miami is plagued by a flat-tire epidemic. Construction debris litters our roadways and parking lots. We’re paying the price to repair and replace punctured tires. “Look at this — it blew a hole in the rim,” said David Gonzalez, twisting a six-inch nail between his fingertips. “The strangest thing we found was a wrench inside a tire.” The shop is averaging about 10 flats per day, double what it used to be.
— DOESN’T ADD UP —
Florida Atlantic University reported to the feds an incorrect tally of women athletes in 2017.
The Palm Beach Post’s Kenny Jacoby uncovered the error. He reports the ‘mistake’ follows the university’s poor female representation in sports standing in 2016.
The error centers on an egregious overreporting of the women’s track roster. FAU reported 98 women athletes, but 43 were listed on the roster online — and 38 were pictured in the team photo.
It gets worse: Corrected numbers show 46 percent of the school’s athletes were women in 2017, but just 36 percent of scholarships went to female athletes. That’s against Title IX standards. The school has since revised that stat without explanation of how it arrived at new numbers.
Meanwhile: “Football players shared 82 full-rides, and men’s basketball players shared another 12.”
Silence is golden: One female athlete told Jacoby that complaints are seldom because athletes fear their careers could be harmed.
— D.C. MATTERS —
“Trump’s personal dentist highlights friendship with president to obtain Florida dental license” via Alexandra Glorioso of POLITICO Florida — Dr. Albert Hazzouri ultimately withdrew his licensing application after receiving significant pushback from the Florida Board of Dentistry, which was concerned that he failed to complete the application properly, a state law requirement. Missing were scores for a written and clinical exam, official transcripts and CPR certification, according to a Feb. 26 letter from Florida Department of Health Executive Director Jennifer Wenhold. At the board meeting, Hazzouri stressed his personal relationship with Trump, according to three people who attended the meeting but did not want to be identified for fear of retribution. “This guy was so arrogant. He was saying you should break all the rules and make an exception for me,” said one attendee. “So basically, he was being lazy and thought that he could just come in and say, ‘I’m the president’s dentist, give me a license,'” said a second attendee. A third person present at the board meeting described Hazzouri’s actions as “bizarre,” noting that he “implied it hard” that Gov. Scott supported him receiving special permission. Scott’s office denied any special treatment.
“Nelson, Levine rip federal response to Puerto Rico” via Scott Powers of Orlando Rising — Speaking at the 9th Annual Puerto Rico Summit in Orlando, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Levine and Democratic U.S. Sen. Nelson ripped the federal response to Puerto Rico’s devastation by hurricanes last fall. Nelson called for statehood for Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló also ripped Washington, but his ire was focused on Congress for including a new excise tax on Puerto Rican businesses in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 passed in December. All three drew at least partial standing ovations, though the crowd was mixed, with Democrats, Republicans and others, including a scattering of elected officials from Central Florida, South Florida and Puerto Rico.
“Hundreds hold hands against offshore drilling on gulf beaches” via Adam Smith and Sara DiNatale of the Tampa Bay Times — Held annually since the Deepwater Horizon explosion in 2010, the “Hands Across the Sand” demonstration was among 119 similar events staged simultaneously in 18 states and seven countries. This year’s demonstration occurred as Trump’s administration seeks to open more of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean to oil exploration. The administration has sent conflicting messages about whether politically powerful Florida would be excluded from that effort. “The threat doesn’t ever seem to go away,” said St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman. “It’s like a vampire that keeps coming back.”
— STONE ZONE —
U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller has subpoenaed an aide of longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone, Reuters reports, the latest sign that Stone is becoming one of the critical targets of Mueller’s investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
John Kakanis, 30, worked as a Stone’s driver, accountant and operative. Florida state records also identify him as the owner of “Citroen Associates.”
During the 2016 GOP primaries, a Stone-linked political action committee paid more than $130,000 to Citroen Associates for “voter fraud research and documentation” and “research services consulting,” according to Federal Election Commission records.
The FBI briefly questioned Kakanis on possible Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange, as well as the hacker or hackers known as Guccifer 2.0.
Mueller has not scheduled a grand jury appearance for Kakanis, Reuters notes.
Earlier this week, Reuters reported that FBI agents working for Mueller delivered subpoenas to Jason Sullivan, a social media and Twitter expert who worked for Stone during the 2016 campaign. Agents told Sullivan that Mueller’s team wanted to question him about Stone and WikiLeaks. Other Trump associates questioned by Mueller include former campaign advisers Sam Nunberg and Michael Caputo.
— OPINIONS —
“CRC panel should have abolished itself” via Bill Cotterell of the Tallahassee Democrat — Looking at the eight amendments put on the ballot by the CRC, it’s hard to see how the public would suffer if the commission had just decided not to revise anything. Or, better yet, it could have taken up one amendment — abolishing itself — and spared us future misadventures like we’ll see next November. The eight amendments produced by the CRC have something for everybody to disdain. One of few CRC proposals not linked to an unrelated issue, abolishing greyhound racing, was challenged in court last week and might get scratched before we get to vote in the fall. Have we ever voted to abolish a business? How would you like it if we had a public referendum on whether your job should remain legal? Maybe the next three to five governors, in the next 20 legislative sessions, could advocate for a constitutional amendment to eliminate the CRC. We could still amend the Constitution, when we need to make amends, through the Legislature or public-initiative petition.
“Scott’s cronyism shows lack of conservative values” via the Pensacola News-Journal editorial board — Over the years, Scott has handed out important, high-paying jobs to inexperienced political loyalists everywhere from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to the Department of Environmental Protection. Such shameless promotion practices might be commonplace in communist regimes, but it shouldn’t be happening at the state of Florida or from self-professed “conservatives” in the Republican Party … Before the top dog leaves elected office and walks out the door, he throws bones out to all the sycophants and yes-men who were panting, political lapdogs during the official’s time in office. And guess who pays for all the puppy treats? Taxpayers. We finance the high-paying perks and state salaries that are used to buy the fawning and the favoritism. Talk about a swamp that needs to be drained. It’s disgusting.
“DOC makes unwise cuts to substance abuse treatment programs” via Mark Fontaine for Florida Politics — The loss of substance abuse inmate programs means a greater likelihood of drug and alcohol relapse and a greater chance for repeat criminal offenders. The loss of therapeutic beds means no more graduated re-entry into society and offenders going back into their communities without critical substance abuse treatment. These programs are integral to rehabilitation; these offenders obtain jobs, pay restitution, child support and fines. The DOC cuts also affect drug courts. Judges’ options to choose a substance abuse diversionary program over a prison sentence will be greatly diminished, thus continuing to crowd Florida’s prison system, and denying treatment to offenders in the community. The loss caused by this action to communities, individuals and businesses is staggering. The Florida Department of Correction cuts to Substance Abuse Treatment Programs (representing just 1.5 percent of the entire FDC’s $2.4 billion budget) should not be happening at all, let alone in the middle of the opioid crisis and the worst drug epidemic the state has ever experienced. Gov. Scott and our state leaders need to fix this problem before it’s too late to turn back.
“Long-stalled campaign for equality deserves more GOP support” via the Orlando Sentinel editorial board — When it comes to legislation prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in Florida, Tallahassee is stuck in a time warp. Bills are introduced in the Florida Legislature every year, and every year they get buried in committee. Yet as far back as 2013, a statewide poll by the Bob Graham Center for Public Service found 73 percent of Floridians supported such legislation. Now some Central Florida Republicans, to their credit, are trying to break the cycle of futility and inequality … an event in Orlando last week organized by a group called Conservatives on the Right Side of Equality was attended by an array of GOP leaders from Orange County: commissioners, mayoral candidates and legislators, including Winter Park Rep. Mike Miller, who is now running for Congress. Supporting the Competitive Workforce Act shouldn’t be a stretch for Republicans. The legislation promotes fairness, opportunity and economic growth — all values that resonate with conservatives. More of them need to take a stand for equality in Florida.
“Florida is leading the pack on autonomous vehicles” via Christopher Emmanuel for the Florida Times-Union — Four factors explain why the Sunshine State is leading the pack: We have a pro-business and pro-autonomous regulatory climate, championed by lawmakers like Gov. Scott and state Sen. Jeff Brandes. Florida has rolled out the welcome mat … Our state has implemented a statewide regulatory framework rather than relying on a patchwork of local government transportation regulations … Our state has recognized the key role that data will play in the operation of autonomous vehicles … to prepare for this coming demand, the Florida Legislature passed a means for the deployment of small cell networks that can bring 5G connections using existing infrastructure … There has been widespread buy-in for autonomous vehicles from state and local transportation professionals. For proof, look no further than the Jacksonville Transportation Authority and its plans for an Ultimate Urban Circulator. Forward-thinking companies are excited to work with forward-thinking communities
— PAYING TRIBUTE —
Current and former law enforcement officers from all over Florida were honored Saturday at the Law Enforcement Officers’ Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Tallahassee.
“The Florida Law Enforcement Officers’ Hall of Fame was created by the 2014 Florida Legislature to recognize and honor law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line for the safety and protection of Florida’s citizens and visitors through their works, service and exemplary accomplishments,” an FDLE news release said.
The 2018 inductees are:
— Robert E. Blackburn, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
— Donald F. Eslinger, Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.
— Ernest W. George, West Palm Beach Police Department.
— Frederick A. Maas, Sunny Isles Beach Police Department.
— James W. Smith, Miami Beach Police Department.
FDLE Assistant Commissioner Jennifer Pritt presided over the ceremony, held at The Capitol.
For bios on all the inductees to date, click here.
— ALOE —
“Local horses shutout in Preakness” via Carlos Medina of the Ocala Star-Banner — Justify broke through the fog on another sloppy track Saturday to take the 143rd Preakness Stakes in Baltimore, winning the first two jewels of the Triple Crown and setting up a possible try for the third in three weeks in New York. Despite battling a sore hoof, Justify broke fast and battled head-to-head with Marion County-trained Good Magic for most of the 1 3/16-mile race. The two colts swapped the lead several times with Good Magic pushing his rival to the limit. But Good Magic, who carried the hopes of Marion County with him, was the first to weaken down the stretch and finished a strong fourth just behind Bravazo and Tenfold, who put in late surges to challenge Justify near the shadow of the finish line. Good Magic and Justify finished just a length apart. Good Magic got his early race training at Stonestreet Training and Rehabilitation Center in Summerfield.
“Hasbro trademarks Play-Doh’s scent: Sweet, slightly musky” via The Associated Press — The United States Patent and Trademark Office has recognized Play-Doh’s distinctive smell with a registered trademark, something rarely issued for a scent. The Pawtucket, Rhode Island-based toymaker describes it as a “sweet, slightly musky, vanilla fragrance, with slight overtones of cherry, combined with the smell of a salted, wheat-based dough.” The Play-Doh brand has been around since 1956. Hasbro applied for the scent trademark last year. The company says the smell “has always been synonymous with childhood and fun” and explains that the trademark allows it to protect “an invaluable point of connection between the brand and fans.”
“UCF nonprofit testing 3-D printing prosthetic arms” via Orlando Rising — A nonprofit that builds prosthetic arms made by 3-D printing for children at the University of Central Florida is collaborating with an Oregon medical school to conduct clinical trials on the arms. Limitless Solutions announced it would team up with researchers at the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland to launch clinical trials. The trials could lead to approval by the Food and Drug Administration, which would allow the prosthetic arms to be covered by insurance. Traditional prosthetics can typically exceed $100,000. The 3-D printing prosthetic arms have a hardware cost of less than $1,000.
Spotted at the Vinoy Renaissance Resort and Spa in St. Petersburg: Ana Ceballos and Matt Dixon.
Happy birthday from the weekend to Sens. Daphne Campbell, Kathleen Passidomo and Greg Steube, Southern Strategy Group’s Matt Brockelman, Anna Eskamani, Tim Heberlein, Data Targeting’s Matt Mitchell, Jim Rosica’s better half, Erin, Tampa City Councilman Mike Suarez, and Steve Uhlfelder. Celebrating today is Sen. George LeMieux, James Blair, and Speaker Tom Feeney.
