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.
Good morning. The rumor du jour is that Palm Beach billionaire Jeff Greene HAS ALREADY filed to run for Florida governor. That’s what a top Democratic source texted me last Sunday evening. The source says Greene filed with the Division of Elections at 4:59 p.m. on Friday afternoon, so his candidacy will pop onto the system first thing this morning. None of the Democratic consultants I spoke with Sunday evening, albeit briefly, could confirm Greene’s entering the race. In fact, the last any of them heard, Greene was still on the fence about running. So today will either be the first day of the rest of the campaign for the Democratic nomination for Governor or it will be just another day of waiting to learn what Greene — and Patrick Murphy — decide to do this election cycle.
—
Former Vice President Joe Biden will be in St. Petersburg Monday as part of his “American Promise Tour.”
Biden, a Democrat, is expected to be at the Mahaffey Theater at 7:30 p.m. to promote his memoir, “Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose.”
“During his American Promise Tour events, Vice President Biden has discussed the big political moments of his career, the life-altering choices he made, and the key traits that have helped him persevere through challenges,” a news release said.
Tickets were still available Sunday night on the Mahaffey’s website.
“There is also a VIP upgrade available for $250, which includes a photo opportunity with the former Vice President, a VIP lanyard, and a copy of Biden’s memoir,” the site said.
For other dates on the tour, visit that website here. Monday’s stop is the last one in Florida of his book tour.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
—@RealDonaldTrump: As only one of two people left who could become President, why wouldn’t the FBI or Department of ‘Justice’ have told me that they were secretly investigating Paul Manafort (on charges that were 10 years old and had been previously dropped) during my campaign? Should have told me!
—@MarcoRubio: Every day seems to bring a new story of a U.S. company apologizing to #China for something about #Taiwan or #Tibet This means #China now censors corporate speech in America. Unreal.
—@AnaNavarro: Came to Nicaragua to visit my mom. She’s in delicate health. Had surgery yesterday. Pls pray for her. Always struck by this country’s beauty. Sad to see continued killing spree by Ortega thugs. Daily, Nicaraguans wake-up to horrible headlines of more assassinations. #SOSNicaragua
—@Fineout: It’s early yet, but spending on political TV ads in Florida is a bit amazing. Between the U.S. Senate race and governor’s race alone the amount is approaching $30 million. Still 3 months away from the primary. It can be argued this is part of the political legacy of @FLGovScott
—@PollackHunter: Today, is the day my sister has been waiting for. Graduation where she would’ve been getting her diploma and be on her way to attend college. This is a sad day, as I will be walking stage to get her diploma for her.
—@MattGaetz: My previously-defeated opponent criticizing me for voting against legislation that funded planned parenthood. What a shame.
—@AlLawsonJr: When our campaign accounts are hacked and the best they can do is RT Donald Trump on our account. Dirty politics at best
—@RSAConsulting: Congrats to @PepinAcademies Hillsborough Graduating Class of 2018! Thank you to the inspiring keynote speaker @JamesGrantFL & @DanaYoungFL @RepMcClure @Jeff_Eakins @LynnGray88 for watching these incredible students walk across the stage. #PepinPride
—@SenReneGarcia: I’m not sure where I may be going when I die but one things for sure I’m going to make a quick stop in Atlanta. Not a bad place to make a quick stop while the big man decides … Thank you @Delta for making your hub airports a pleasant experience. #keepclimbing
—@JoeGruters: Thanks to @AnheuserBusch and @SJRiverkeeper for cleaning up our watersheds. Important work to keep Floridians healthy and safe.
— DAYS UNTIL —
Democratic gubernatorial candidates debate in St. Petersburg — 5; Democratic gubernatorial candidates debate in Miramar — 7; Time Warner/AT&T merger ruling — 8; 2018 FIFA World Cup begins — 10; Father’s Day — 13; Close of candidate qualifying for statewide office — 18; Florida GOP Sunshine Summit starts — 24; Democratic gubernatorial candidates debate in Fort Myers — 34; MLB All-Star Game — 43; Deadline for filing claim bills — 58; ‘The Race for Governor’ Republican gubernatorial debate — 58; ‘The Race for Governor’ Democratic gubernatorial debate in Miami — 59; Start of the U.S. Open — 84; Primary Election Day — 85; College Football opening weekend — 87; NFL season starts — 94; Future of Florida Forum — 114; ‘Before You Vote’ Florida U.S. Senate debate — 141; ‘Before You Vote’ Florida Governor debate — 142; General Election Day — 155; ‘Hamilton’ comes to the Straz Center — 255; 2019 Legislative Session starts — 274.
— TOP STORY —
“Jobs report raises GOP hopes for midterms, while worrying Dems” via Alexander Bolton of The Hill — The economy added 223,000 jobs in May, a bigger than expected number that was coupled with news that unemployment had fallen to 3.8 percent. It extends the good economic news for Trump and the GOP, which has seen a series of favorable jobs reports this year. Strong top-line economic numbers play into the Republican argument that voters should re-elect them to support Trump’s agenda of lower taxes and less regulation. They believe it cuts into arguments that 2018 should be a “change” election. Democrats are still largely optimistic about their electoral chances in the fall. The president’s party almost always loses congressional seats in the first midterm. At the same time, some acknowledge the economy could help the GOP. “I do think this is the single biggest challenge, by far, faced by the Democrats, and it will determine whether we pick up 30 seats or 50 seats,” Celinda Lake, a Democratic pollster, said of the economy.
“Senate Republicans are newly hopeful about the midterms. For good reason.” via Jonathan Martin of The New York Times — After a turbulent first year confronting friendly fire from President Trump, Senate Republicans are entering the summer before the midterm elections feeling more hopeful about retaining their narrow majority than at any time since the president’s election. And for good reason … Trump is enjoying a modest increase in his approval ratings this year and, as important, is attacking Democrats rather than inciting the internecine feuds that could depress Republican turnout. The economy continues to grow, as demonstrated by an unexpectedly strong jobs report, while unemployment has fallen to levels unseen since 2000. Republicans, already on the offensive thanks to a Senate map that includes 10 Democratic-held seats in states Trump won, have seen nearly every electoral variable turn in their direction in recent months: They have averted disaster in the West Virginia primary, successfully recruited their preferred candidates in North Dakota and Florida, and watched a renegade Republican challenger wane in one of Mississippi’s two Senate races.
— NELSON VS. SCOTT —
“Battle rages between John Morgan, Rick Scott over smokable medical marijuana” via Steve Bousquet of the Miami Herald — Morgan is urging Gov. Scott on Twitter to “put the politics aside” and drop the state’s appeal of a court decision that legalized smokable medical marijuana in Florida. Morgan … already urged his nearly 62,000 twitter followers to call Scott’s office and urge him to drop the appeal. Morgan, a Democrat, sides with Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, Scott’s opponent, who said Friday he supports letting patients with cancer, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS and other conditions smoke medical marijuana in private. Scott appeared on an Orlando TV station and defended the state’s decision to appeal. “This is not about politics. This is about following the law,” Scott said on Fox 35 in Orlando. “We’ve got to follow what the law is.”
“Scott’s outsider image as Senate candidate clashes with Florida reality” via Steve Bousquet and Alex Leary of the Tampa Bay Times — “He’s not the same guy he was in 2010,” says Phil Handy, a Republican business executive in Winter Park. “I consider him much more a part of the establishment, especially in the way he raises money.” Scott has pulled in special interest cash like no governor before him, stocked state government with friends, drawing charges of cronyism, and regularly socializes with top lobbyists … Even allies struggle to find ways that he changed the culture in a capital where he is by far the best-known politician. “It’s a little hard to go full-out populist when you’ve been governor for eight years,” said Patrick Murray, a national pollster at Monmouth University, who noted that Scott does have the benefit of facing an opponent who has been in office since 1972 and can use that to harness anti-Washington feelings.
— “Is Nelson one of America’s most independent senators?” via Allison Graves of PolitiFact Florida
Assignment editors – Nelson joins former Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Rosselló in Central Florida for a major campaign announcement. At 11 a.m., the pair will be with U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor and Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn at Nilsa’s Puerto Rican Bistro, 428 W. Waters Avenue, Tampa. At 2 p.m., they will be at Willer’s Supermarket, 1344 Vine Street, Kissimmee.
— NOTES FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL —
“Vastly outnumbered, Republicans look for boost from Broward in midterm elections” via Anthony Man of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The numbers are daunting. Democrats have 569,000 registered voters in the county. The 319,000 no party affiliation voters are in second place. Republicans are in a distant third, with 245,000 voters. With those numbers, Republicans at the top of the ticket will get crushed in Broward on Election Day. But if they do well enough in the county, Republican-leaning parts of Florida can produce statewide victories for the party’s candidates. “The turnout from Broward County is crucial to the success of our statewide candidates,” Richard DeNapoli, a county party leader, told a packed audience at a recent fundraising dinner. “If we can turn out the vote here in Broward, we can keep Florida a red state with an all-Republican Cabinet and we can make [Gov.] Scott our next senator.”
“Who’s soaring in the Democratic governor primary? Almost everyone. Just ask them.” via Gray Rohrer of the Orlando Sentinel — Three of the four candidates have released polls commissioned by their campaigns with them leading or doing better than other polls by established firms. Some of the surveys have included “informed polling” that showed the candidate doing much better after a positive message about the candidate is read to respondents. It’s a common tactic by campaigns that can help them reach out to voters, gain momentum or raise money, experts say, but such polls aren’t a good guide for determining where the race really stands. “It’s really just a way to test your message and also a great way to boost your numbers to send out to the press,” said Matthew Isbell, a Tallahassee-based Democratic pollster. “But it’s just not in political science a realistic, predictive value.”
“Andrew Gillum meeting with FBI undercover agents took shape during Costa Rica trip with lobbyists” via Jeff Schweers of the Tallahassee Democrat — At the height of an FBI corruption investigation two years ago, Gillum vacationed in Central America with … Adam Corey … Gillum … joined Corey and an entourage of friends and business associates during the first week of May 2016 at an exclusive, $1,400-a-night luxury resort on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. Ethics watchdogs said the trip smacks of the appearance of impropriety, and that the public will never know whether city business was discussed. Gillum’s friends and staff said the trip was personal in nature. But during that Costa Rican vacation, Corey sent a calendar invite to Gillum scheduling a May 16 meetup at the Edison between himself, Gillum and the now infamous undercover FBI agent Mike Miller, according to emails obtained by the Tallahassee Democrat. Even without Corey setting up a business meeting during the trip, ethics watchdogs said the trip blurs the lines between friendship and business, especially given the close ties between Gillum, Corey and Pittman and their dealings with the city,
“Progressive women hear from Philip Levine, Chris King and Gwen Graham on education, guns and Trump” via Steve Contorno of the Tampa Bay Times — Three of the four Democratic candidates for Florida governor made their case to dozens of the state’s most involved woman activists, each establishing how important the female vote will be to their primary chances and to turning the state blue in November. For Miami Beach Mayor Levine and Orlando-area businessman King, that meant talking about the important women in their life. Levine joked his mom is more popular than him for her role in his television ads and boasted his company’s chief operating officer is female. King noted he met his wife in public schools and that his daughter held up a cheeky sign at the Orlando women’s march. “Without Hermione, Harry Potter would’ve died in book one,” he recalled the sign said. “Hashtag girl power.” Meanwhile, former U.S. Rep. Graham fantasized of what it would mean to have Florida’s first female governor in Tallahassee. “The future is female,” she said to applause. All three endorsed Florida ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment, a constitutional amendment that says civil rights may not be denied on the basis of sex. This week, Illinois became the 37th state to do so, putting the country only one state away from a landmark change.
Assignment editors — Levine will meet with South Florida labor leaders at the meeting of the South Florida AFL-CIO Central Labor Council, 7 p.m., 4349 NW. 36th St., Suite 107, Miami Springs.
“Gwen Graham: Florida should ban ‘conversion therapy’” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Graham is now asking the Florida Legislature to ban the controversial practice known as “conversion therapy.” Graham’s call comes on the first day of LGBT Pride Month. Conversion therapy is a process that attempts to “treat” gay people by promoting a transition to a heterosexual lifestyle. As summarized by the Human Rights Campaign, an advocacy group for LGBT rights, numerous medical organizations have denounced conversion therapy, saying it promotes risks among patients and lacks scientific credibility. Graham echoed those concerns in her statement announcing her push for a statewide ban. “Conversion therapy is junk science. It’s hurtful and cruel, and there is no place for it in Florida.” She added, “We need to welcome and love our young people for who they are. Period. Nine states and in 15 municipalities in Florida have banned this horrible practice, and it’s time for it to be outlawed by the whole state.”
“Florida Chamber spending at least $1M for pro-Adam Putnam ads” via Matt Dixon of POLITICO Florida – The political committee tied to the Florida Chamber of Commerce is spending at least $1 million on a new TV ad supporting Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam’s bid for governor. The positive ad talks about Putnam pushing for lower taxes and his efforts to “tackle traffic congestion.” The ad was funded by Securing Florida’s Future, which is chaired by Mark Wilson, the chamber’s President and CEO.
First on #FlaPol — “Campaign will officially kick off to promote dog-racing ban” via Florida Politics — Advocates for a ballot initiative to put an end to greyhound racing say they’ll launch their “Protect Dogs — Yes on 13” campaign Monday, with a news conference at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay. State Sen. Dana Young, a Tampa Republican and “steadfast advocate of greyhound protection issues,” is slated to attend with Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan … Amendment 13, placed on the ballot by the 2017-18 Constitution Revision Commission, would outlaw the racing of dogs and wagering on such races. Amendments need at least 60 percent approval … In Florida, live dog racing is still conducted at 12 tracks. “Greyhound racing is cruel and inhumane,” said campaign co-chair Kate MacFall in a statement.
—“Greyhound racing ban backers start campaign on offense” via Florida Politics
Happening today — The Trump Club of St. Johns County holds a candidate forum for Florida’s 6th Congressional District. Republicans include Fred Costello, Michael Waltz and John Ward. Democrats are Stephen Sevigny, Nancy Soderberg and John Upchurch. Forum begins 7 p.m., Fraternal Order of Police, 5050 Inman Road, St. Augustine.
“No, this Florida Democrat wasn’t hosting a DC fundraiser while Hurricane Irma was battering Florida” via Philip Wegmann of the Washington Examiner — Republican Scott Sturgill is making waves with accusations that Rep. Stephanie Murphy abandoned her constituents and “spent thousands on a campaign fundraiser in Washington as Hurricane Irma passed through Central Florida.” It would be an absolutely brutal gut punch — if it were completely true. For proof, the Sturgill campaign points to a $3,200 payment to Charlie Palmer Steakhouse dated on Sept. 13. But Murphy didn’t host a fundraiser that day. She was busy meeting with President Trump at the White House to discuss federal aid for Floridians rebuilding after the storm. A photo shows her sitting one seat away from the president and, in an official news release, she praised the meeting as an “opportunity to urge the President to support Hurricane Irma relief.” Murphy did host a fundraiser. But it was actually about a week earlier, on Sept. 7.
Met w/@POTUS to raise issues of fed aid to help Fla recover from Irma. Also stressed tax reform, infrastructure & protections for Dreamers. pic.twitter.com/DyDEVcGyCl
— U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy (@RepStephMurphy) September 13, 2017
—“Matt Gaetz comes to Stephanie Murphy’s defense over attack ad” via Florida Politics
“Neil Combee on fake tweets: ‘Wingnutness’ is involved” via William March of the Tampa Bay Times — A fake Twitter account set up in the name of Congressional District 15 candidate Combee is tweeting out scurrilous right-wing material. The account has the handle @neilcombee, formerly Combee’s state House account. But after Combee complained to Twitter, the account name was changed to Fake Real Neil Combee, and a message on its page calls it a parody account, saying, “all tweets are fake.” One recent tweet describes President Barack Obama as “former muslim (and not born in the US and #isis founder)” who “got a #noblepeaceprize for being elected black” and says Trump deserves “a noble prize.” … “I have no idea who it is,” said Combee, whose real account is @realNeilCombee. “I don’t know if it’s a right-wing nut or a left-wing nut, but I know there’s some wingnutness involved.”
“Matt Haggman says ICE should be abolished” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Haggman, a Democratic candidate for Florida’s 27th Congressional District, is now calling for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to be abolished. This comes as Democrats have criticized the Trump administration for numerous policies they deem to be unnecessarily harsh toward undocumented immigrants. The elimination of an entire federal agency may seem like an extreme step; Haggman says otherwise. “Abolishing ICE is not a radical idea,” he argued. “ICE was created in 2003. We’re talking about a 15-year-old agency that has far overstepped its intended, national security function and is sucking up government resources to deport families and detain children.”
“David Richardson releases Spanish-language ad targeting Donna Shalala” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Richardson is intent on getting his message out: Shalala is not fighting for you. That’s the tone of a new Spanish-language television ad released by the Richardson campaign. It is the fourth such ad taking on Shalala, one of Richardson’s opponents in the Democratic primary for Florida’s 27th Congressional District. Like his previous ads, this one highlights Shalala’s changing stance on universal health care. The ad flashes back to 2007 when Shalala was a guest on “The Colbert Report.” Asked by host Stephen Colbert whether she was “one of those universal health care people,” Shalala responded, “No, actually, I’m not.”
Spotted at last week’s fundraiser for Shawn Harrison at the TPepin Hospitality Centre: Steve Anderson, Frank Chillura, Dick Greco, Mike Griffon, Gina Grimes, Blaise Ingoglia, Mel Jurado, Brian Lamb, Chris Ligori, Hung Mai, Lee Moffitt, Michelle Patty, Tom Pepin, Frank Roddick, Andy Scaglione, Mark Sharpe, Dale Swope, Chuck Sykes, and Steve Yerrid.
Victims’ advocate attorney enters HD 83 race — Republican Sasha Dadan is entering the race for House District 83, a seat currently held by term-limited Rep. Gayle Harrell. “It is imperative that we force government to live within its means and pursue the continuation of Gov. Scott’s economic policies that are benefiting economic growth in our state,” said Dadan, the American-born daughter of a Cuban mother and Argentine father. Dadan began her legal career in the Office of the Public Defender in the 19th Judicial Circuit. Afterward, she worked for Safespace and helped establish the first Injunction for Protection (IFP) project in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River Counties. Dadan then continued working to educate law enforcement agencies, the State Attorney’s Office, Clerk’s Office and judges about the new program. The IFP card Dadan helped develop was incorporated into the victims’ rights packets offered by local law enforcement and posted throughout the courthouses on the Treasure Coast.
“Ex-West Palm commissioner: foe’s consultant hid election contributors” via Tony Doris of the Palm Beach Post — Former West Palm Beach City Commissioner Shanon Materio alleged in election complaints that her opponent’s political adviser, Rick Asnani, hid contributor names by having campaign donors give through shell corporations. Materio lost her bid for re-election in March to political newcomer Christina Lambert by 183 votes of a total of 7,483 cast in the District 5 race. That represented a margin of 51 to 49 percent. In three complaints she said she filed to the Florida Elections Commission, Materio alleged that Coalition for American Jobs, Inc., Taxpayers for American Jobs, Inc. and Citizens for Safer Neighborhoods, Inc. collected hundreds of thousands of dollars for political purposes without declaring themselves political organizations, which are required to identify contributors. All three were created and run by Asnani, whose Cornerstone Solutions, Inc. served as Lambert’s political consultant leading up to the March 13 election, the complaints said. The complaints’ intent is to find out who contributed and how much, and how the money was distributed, Materio said.
— STATEWIDE —
Assignment editors — Gov. Scott makes two stops to highlight the disaster preparedness sales tax holiday running through June 7. At 10 a.m., he will be at Shell Lumber and Hardware, 2733 SW. 27th Ave., Miami. At 2:45 p.m., Scott will be at DG Ace Hardware, 600 N. State Street, Bunnell.
“School boards try to speed up education law fight” via the News Service of Florida — School boards and the state are sparring about whether a challenge to a controversial 2017 education law should move quickly to the Florida Supreme Court. Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper on April 17 upheld the law, which is commonly known as HB 7069 and includes a series of steps to boost charter schools. Cooper’s ruling led 11 school boards to appeal to the 1st District Court of Appeal. Last week, 10 of those school boards filed a document requesting that the case be quickly “certified” to the Supreme Court because of the need for immediate resolution. Lawyers for the state responded Friday, arguing that the case should go through the regular appeals process. The wide-ranging law, a priority of House Speaker Richard Corcoran, included changes such as requiring county school boards to share local property-tax revenues with charter schools for building-related expenses. It also set the stage for adding new charter schools — dubbed “schools of hope” — that will serve students whose traditional public schools have been considered low-performing. The school boards contend in the legal challenge that the law usurps their constitutional authority to operate public schools.
“Schools without rules: private schools’ curriculum downplays slavery, says humans and dinosaurs lived together” via Leslie Postal, Beth Kassab and Annie Martin of the Orlando Sentinel — Some private schools in Florida that rely on public funding teach students that dinosaurs and humans lived together, that God’s intervention prevented Catholics from dominating North America and that slaves who “knew Christ” were better off than free men who did not. The lessons taught at these schools come from three Christian publishing companies whose textbooks are popular on many of about 2,000 campuses that accept, and often depend on, nearly $1 billion in state scholarships, or vouchers … educators from Florida colleges and school districts reviewed textbooks and workbooks from these publishers, looking at elementary reading and math, middle school social studies and high school biology materials. They found numerous instances of distorted history and science lessons that are outside mainstream academics. The books denounce evolution as untrue, for example, and one shows a cartoon of men and dinosaurs together, telling students the Biblical Noah likely brought baby dinosaurs onto his ark. The science books, they added, seem to discourage students from doing experiments or even asking questions.
“Florida prisons roll out more for-profit services while weighing visitation cuts” via Ben Conarck of the Florida Times-Union — With the backdrop of a contentious fight over visitation rules, revenue from money transfers used to purchase for-profit services offered inside the prisons has spiked in recent months. The Florida-based company contracting with the department, JPay, offers prison banking and other services in 35 states. The department brought in a record high $350,000 last month in commissions from inmates and their loved ones exchanging funds to purchase everything from bars of soap in the commissary to electronic “stamps” used to send emails that can take several days to get to their recipient. In the last year, the agency received about $3.5 million in commissions … That’s up from about $2.3 million four years ago. With the statewide expansion of multimedia kiosks, the department — which gets $2.75 for each money transfer into an inmate’s private bank account — stands to bring in more cash as inmates will have greater access to email services. Video calling, however, is purchased directly by inmates’ loved ones and will not lead to more commissions for the department.
“Hearing set in smokable medical marijuana lawsuit” via Florida Politics — Circuit Judge Karen Gievers will hear arguments this morning about lifting an automatic stay of a ruling that would allow patients to smoke medical marijuana. Gievers on May 25 overturned part of a law passed last year by the Legislature that barred patients from smoking medical marijuana … The smoking ban quickly drew a legal challenge. The Florida Department of Health, which regulates the drug through its Office of Medical Marijuana Use, appealed Gievers’ ruling on allowing smokable marijuana, which led to an automatic stay of the ruling. The plaintiffs then filed a motion seeking to vacate the stay. Gievers will consider that request at a hearing today at 9 a.m., in the Leon County Courthouse in Tallahassee.
“As marijuana dispensaries open their doors, Florida registers 5,400 new users per week” via Glenn Garvin of the Miami Herald — Slow movement by state regulators on everything from which companies could grow and sell marijuana to how patients could take it kept any weed gold rush in check. (Even the conservative Legislature fired off a letter to the Health Department last month accusing it of dragging its feet.) But by the end of May, the state Health Department’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use said it was registering new users at a clip of 5,400 a week, and the time required to process registrations is down to about two weeks. Many industry analysts believe it will take another giant step forward if appellate courts uphold a Leon County judge’s ruling last month that the state’s ban on smoking medical marijuana is unconstitutional. The Legislature, in writing the law implementing the constitutional amendment legalizing medical pot, said the only forms of it that could be used were oils (which can be vaped as well as eaten or applied topically), tinctures, sprays and edibles.
“Grim upside for the Keys this hurricane season — thanks to Irma, there’s less to lose” via Alex Harris of the Miami Herald — Although Big Pine, one of the hardest hit areas in the storm, still has work to do before the community is fully recovered from Irma, the rest of the Keys appear to be back online and ready for hurricane season. The county promises issues from last year — a fight over debris removal contractors and anger over re-entry procedures — won’t be repeated. Money is trickling in from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the residents in FEMA-subsidized housing are down to a handful. Most importantly, said Martin Senterfitt, emergency management director for the Keys, residents had their storm preparation muscles flexed. “Before Irma 90 percent of the people in the Florida Keys have never experienced a major hurricane. Now 90 percent of people have. Just that institutional knowledge, that right there is an incredible strength. We have a whole community now that gets it.”
“Appeal could prove pivotal to auto-glass litigation in Florida” via Michael Moline of Florida Politics — The outcomes of 18 lawsuits — and potentially many more — rest on State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co.’s appeal of a court order to reveal how it decides on a fair price to replace a shattered auto windscreen. State Farm v. Shazam Auto Glass may be the first test of whether the insurer’s “system pricing” mechanism qualifies as a protected trade secret … But, in a state where auto glass claims have risen markedly during the past decade, the dispute could prove an important test case.
“Lawyer with lupus sues Health Department for discrimination” via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics — A black attorney who has lupus is suing the state’s Department of Health for race and disability discrimination, saying she was wrongly forced to quit. Sharmin Hibbert, 36, filed her lawsuit in Leon County Circuit Civil court on Thursday, court records show, seeking her rehiring. Among other things, Hibbert said her supervisor — current General Counsel Nichole Geary — “reprimanded (her) for not walking to (Geary’s) office” to let her know she was not going to a meeting because of pain from a broken ankle, the suit says.
“Corruption patina can dull Jacksonville image, experts say” via David Bauerlein and Steve Patterson of the Florida Times-Union — City Council members Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown were indicted on charges they used phony invoices to draw money from a loan backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration. They declared their innocence. Reggie Brown did not hesitate when asked if he still can be trusted. “Absolutely,” he told reporters. “There is no reason not to trust me.” But coming on the heels of other high-profile cases brought against elected officials, the indictments bring another wave of scrutiny on government leaders and public trust in them. “I think it hurts perception,” said Matthew Corrigan, a professor in political science at the University of North Florida. “One of the saving graces is that more people have faith in their local government than the state or national level. This type of activity eats away at that.” Details of the prosecutions differ, but taken together, they can cloud a city’s image when “corruption” repeatedly gets mentioned in the same sentence as Jacksonville. For constituents, it can erode confidence in local government. For those outside the city, a reputation for corruption can affect the comfort level of businesses choosing where to steer their investments.
“State investigators found no evidence mayor blackmailed a commissioner in North Bay Village” via Sarah Blakey of the Miami Herald – A criminal investigation into mysterious letters sent to a former North Bay Village commissioner has been closed and there is no evidence that Mayor Connie Leon-Kreps was involved in any alleged blackmail. That’s according to a brief email sent late Friday to the village commission by Village Attorney Norman Powell citing an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and State Attorney’s Office. “Glad to see the SAO has verified what we have known all along. That there was nothing there,” Leon-Kreps responded. “I am glad it’s over and we can move on with the village business.”
“Judge: Fired officer must stand trial for killing black man” via Terry Spencer of The Associated Press — Circuit Judge Samantha Schosberg Feuer rejected fired Palm Beach Gardens officer Nouman Raja’s attempt to use Florida’s “stand your ground” law, saying his statements to investigators after the 2015 shooting of Corey Jones are not supported by an audiotape of the shooting and other physical evidence, such as the location of the bullet casings. She said the evidence shows Raja, who was working in plain clothes and driving an unmarked van, was not truthful when he told investigators about five hours after the shooting that he identified himself as a police officer when he approached Jones’ broken-down SUV or when he said he pulled his gun only after Jones, who had a concealed-weapons permit, pulled his own handgun. Instead, Feuer agreed with prosecutors that Raja never identified himself and approached Jones aggressively with his gun drawn, making Jones believe he was about to be attacked by a stranger.
Worst story you’ll read today — “Youth worker faces molestation charge” via Tom McLaughlin of the NWF Daily News — Lauren Myres, a case manager for the Families First Network in Fort Walton Beach, was arrested and charged with sexually battering a minor over which she had custodial control. Myres, 25, admitted to having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old boy “seven to eight times” between March 26 and May 30, her arrest report from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said. She and the boy had sex at Myre’s homes on Kruse Drive and Pocahontas Drive, both in Fort Walton Beach, the report said. “The defendant stated she knew it was wrong and allowed the sexual relationship to continue,” the report said. “The defendant also told the victim that what they were doing was illegal and the defendant was aware the victim was 17 years old.” Following the arrest, the boy told deputies he did not believe his sex with Myres was wrong because “he was not being raped and was about to be 18.” Myres was fired immediately after Families First Network officials learned of her arrest … Her access to company buildings and equipment was removed.
“Pedestrian struck, killed by Brightline train in Boynton Beach” via Julius Whigham II, Jeff Ostrowski and McKenna Ross of the Palm Beach Post — Marking the fifth death involving the high-speed rail service in Palm Beach County since it began operations in January … Boynton Beach police said that an unidentified man was struck and killed shortly before 11:30 a.m. on the train tracks in the 1600 block of South Federal Highway, just south of Woolbright Road. Brightline officials released a statement about the death … “We continue working with the Boynton Beach Police Department,” spokeswoman Ali Soule said. “The only safe place to cross a railroad is at the designated crossing. Never try to beat a train.”
“FPL wants to keep old reactors running. New sea-rise studies could stand in the way” via Jenny Staletovich of the Miami Herald — This spring when Florida Power & Light asked nuclear regulators to keep its aging reactors along the shore of Biscayne Bay running another 20 years, the utility used its own dated estimates on sea rise rather than the most recent, and far higher, projections by government agencies. But environmentalists and some residents who have long battled the utility over expansion proposals and previous license extensions jumped on the rising risks of sea-rise this week when the Nuclear Regulatory Commission held its first hearing on the request. They don’t see how seaside troubled cooling canals that keep the reactors running — already in the midst of a $50 million fix after tests showed they polluted the bay and threatened nearby drinking water supplies with an underground saltwater plume — can survive.
— TROUBLE IN PARADISE —
The recently-perennial issue of how to regulate vacation rentals will be back in the Legislature next year.
As reported by Arek Sarkissian of POLITICO Florida, one issue in the spotlight is regulators’ — or county governments’ — access to property information. An agreement between 40 counties and Airbnb to let the rental giant remit taxes itself “leaves little recourse to confirm the cash remitted by Airbnb is accurate,” Sarkissian notes.
Meanwhile, access to such information also would allow counties to further enforce regulations against vacation rentals in areas where they are not welcome.
Renter’s honor: “You can’t just collect taxes on the honor system like what Airbnb is doing right now,” Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association President Carol Dover told Sarkissian.
Pending litigation: A lawsuit in Manatee County “would require Airbnb to provide property addresses and owner names for a full-scale audit.” Palm Beach County filed a similar lawsuit in 2014.
Outliers: Manatee, Palm Beach and Monroe counties have not entered into ‘Memorandums of Understanding’ declaring that Airbnb will remit taxes. Instead, renters in those counties pay the county or face hefty fines.
— ‘TOO BIG TO FAIL’ —
A recent newspaper investigation into regulatory actions taken upon the state’s largest network of nursing homes is a must-read, albeit one that will leave the reader uneasy.
Reported by Ryan Mills and Melanie Payne, the investigation revealed that a $347.8 million judgment against Consulate (for fraud, although linked to neglect) was overturned as a result of inaction from state regulators who were limited in their ability to stem wrongdoings of such a large corporation housing so many elder residents.
One source described Consulate as “too big to fail.” Mills and Payne wrote that it “represents a growing trend in the nursing home industry. The homes are evolving into national corporations that funnel profits to wealthy investors.”
Names, faces: Included in the investigative piece are stories of mistreated patients — like Billy Siegler, who overdosed after not receiving therapy — to illustrate how the consumer ultimately is the victim of the inaction.
Oversight: The judge who overturned the settlement placed the blame squarely on Florida’s AHCA and the feds for not exhibiting concern over possible fraudulent Medicare and Medicaid claims.
Untimely at best: Following the judge’s ruling, AHCA informed 53 Consulate homes that the agency would deny their license renewals, followed by another three afterward. Eight of those were later put on improvement tracks.
— PARKLAND —
“Marjory Stoneman Douglas students to embark on summer tour” via Mike Allen of Axios – The students of March for Our Lives, including survivors of the Parkland high school shooting, today will announce a 60-day, 20-state, 75-stop summer bus tour to register young people to vote and to promote gun law reform. … A separate, simultaneous Florida tour will make more than 25 stops in the state, visiting every congressional district.
“Campus monitor tells how he chased Nikolas Cruz before Parkland shooting erupted” via Tonya Alanez, Paula McMahon and Anne Geggis of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The school day was about 20 minutes from dismissal as Andrew Medina, a baseball coach and unarmed campus monitor, rode his golf cart around the Marjory Stoneman Douglas campus unlocking gates. Medina was the first to see Cruz step onto the Parkland campus on Feb. 14. He tuned into the 19-year-old getting out of a gold-colored Uber and striding purposefully toward the 1200 building. “He’s beelining. He’s got his head down. He’s on a mission, you know. He’s on a mission,” Medina later told investigators. Medina radioed ahead to a fellow campus monitor assigned to that building to warn him that a suspicious kid — who Medina did not suspect was carrying a gun in his duffel bag — was heading for the east-side entrance. Cruz broke into a run when he noticed Medina coming his way on a golf cart “kind of chasing him.” Cruz then slipped inside the building. “I’m telling you I knew who the kid was,” Medina, 39, of Coral Springs, told investigators. “Because we had a meeting about him last year and we said, ‘if there’s gonna be anybody who’s gonna come to this school and shoot this school up, it’s gonna be that kid.’”
“More than 1,600 apply for share of Stoneman Douglas donation fund” via Ron Hurtibise of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Thursday was the deadline to submit applications for people affected by the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. The National Compassion Fund plans to verify eligibility of the applicants throughout June and distribute the money beginning July 16. As of Friday, just under $8.8 million has been collected from 36,440 donors. The application period opened on May 1, just after the steering committee overseeing the fund announced that everyone who was on campus during the shootings would be eligible for a share of the donations. The fund, which will be distributed as gifts with no strings attached, was started the day after the shootings by the Broward Education Foundation, the primary fundraising arm of Broward County Public Schools.
“Broward superintendent brushes aside prospect of resignation” via Daniel Ducassi of POLITICO Florida – Amid criticism of his handling of the Parkland shooting, Broward County Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie dismissed the prospect of his resignation in an appearance Sunday on “Facing South Florida” With Jim DeFede. “Have at any point during this time, have you thought about resigning or moving past this district?”” DeFede asked. “No,” Runcie replied. “I believe that the work that we’re doing is the right work in this district, we’ve made tremendous progress in this district.” Runcie pointed to the district’s improving standardized test scores and graduation rates. Runcie has faced criticism, most intensely from conservatives, over a district disciplinary program known as the PROMISE program that aims to divert students who commit minor offenses from entering the criminal justice system.
“David Hogg thanks NRA on Twitter. Here’s why” via Ashley May of USA TODAY — The tweet from Hogg comes as the NRA turned affiliated Twitter, Facebook and Instagram logos orange at the start of Wear Orange Weekend, a movement supporting gun violence prevention organized by activists pushing for stricter gun legislation. The NRA announced the social move by criticizing one of the groups behind the #WearOrange movement, Everytown for Gun Safety, tweeting that the group “has devoted close to no resources to making citizens safer.” The NRA said it “continues to be the world’s leading gun safety organization since 1871,” which is why it’s turning social media channels orange. The group also asked gun owners to send along photos of themselves in orange hunting and NRA apparel. Hogg tweeted a reply to the news, thanking the group for going orange. “Thank you for your support of us! We must work together to promote sensible gun laws and behavioral intervention programs if we want to end this epidemic,” Hogg said.
“What’s next for the March for Our lives movement? We’ll find out (today).” via Kirby Wilson of the Tampa Bay Times — The group provided few details in a release announcing the event — will be held at the City of Parkland Amphitheater at 10 a.m. Monday. But organizers did write that “the students will be harnessing the enormous energy and passion against gun violence displayed by the millions of people at the 800 March For Our Lives events across the country on March 24 and turning it into action.” Hogg was similarly mum on Twitter. “Ok I’m off twitter until after our big announcement tomorrow,” Hogg tweeted Sunday afternoon.
— D.C. MATTERS —
“Neal Dunn tapped to lead the VA health subcommittee” via Colin Breaux of the Panama City News-Herald — Dunn recently was appointed by House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Phil Roe to lead the subcommittee on health. “I’m trying not to just rush in and make a lot of changes,” Dunn said of his role on the health subcommittee. “The first thing to do is take stock of what we’ve got. There’s a lot of numbers. You’re talking about the single largest hospital and health care system in the country.” Legislation introduced by Dunn has become part of the Mission Act, including the Veterans Increased Choice for Transplanted Organs and Recovery (VICTOR) Act, which gives veterans in need of an organ or bone marrow transplant through the VA health care system the ability to seek care at a federally certified transplant center near their home.
“Darren Soto under fire for taped comments about Puerto Ricans acquiring benefits” via Field Sutton of WFTV — Soto can be heard on a recording saying, “You’re going to be asked a question: Do you intend to stay? I urge you to say yes, for now, because otherwise, you’re going to get rejected and then you’re going to find yourself without health care.” If Puerto Rican evacuees do not check that box, they will be automatically denied for Medicare or Medicaid benefits. The congressman is talking about one of a number of federal forms for obtaining Medicare or Medicaid, on which lying is likely criminal. Soto released a statement: “I do not encourage anyone who is planning to leave our state to falsely claim otherwise. Many recently arrived Puerto Ricans have a high probability of staying in Florida … The intent of my statement was to encourage them to err on the side of caution and declare their intent to stay if they are in doubt about their future plans.”
“MSNBC host Joy Reid apologizes for incendiary old blog posts” via Tom Kludt of CNN —” While I published my blog, starting in 2005, I wrote thousands of posts in real-time on the issues of the day,” Reid said in a statement. “There are things I deeply regret and am embarrassed by, things I would have said differently and issues where my position has changed. Today I’m sincerely apologizing again.” … “I’m sorry for the collateral damage and pain this is causing individuals and communities caught in the crossfire,” she added. It was notable what the statement did not include: any mention of the claim Reid made in April that a number of the posts on her blog were written by hackers. Reid offered up that explanation after a Twitter user found a number of anti-gay posts on the blog. It is unclear if Reid is now accepting responsibility for all the material on the blog.
Spotted at the Mavericks Conference in Austin, Texas this past weekend: U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, Andres Asion, Slater Bayliss, Jeb Bush Jr., Andy Gazitua, Brian Graham, Brian Harris, Mart Sarelson, and Nicole Valls.
— OPINIONS —
“Mark Wilson: Consumer protection coalition warns Floridians to beware of AOB abuse this hurricane season” via Florida Politics — Protecting against storms doesn’t end with stocking up on supplies and shoring up property. Hurricanes and significant weather events create opportunities for unscrupulous contractors and their attorneys to take advantage of Assignment of Benefits, or AOB, when dealing with insurance claims. By pressuring consumers into signing an AOB, they take control of an insurance policy, paving the way to inflate the cost or scope of repairs, then file lawsuits against insurance companies that deny the claim. Consumers pay the price in the form of higher insurance rates. The Consumer Protection Coalition, led by the Florida Chamber of Commerce, has worked since 2016 to change AOB laws to curb the abuse. Proposed bills would allow consumers to rescind an AOB without penalties or fines and require contractors to submit written cost estimates for work, among other common-sense provisions. While it’s unfortunate that Florida must endure another hurricane season without AOB reform, we are hopeful lawmakers and incoming Senate and House leaders will see the harmful impact AOB abuse is having on hardworking Florida families and pass meaningful legislation in 2019.
“John Romano: If a law makes sense, then it’s not meant for Florida” via the Tampa Bay Times — A few days ago, officials in Duval County announced a program aimed at getting unlicensed drivers off the road while at the same time keeping them from running up large debts and getting arrested. Yes, the premise is similar to the idea St. Petersburg senators Jeff Brandes and Darryl Rouson have tried for years to turn into a state law. I don’t think the Duval plan is as solid, but it’s better than the alternative. The alternative, in this case, being the same old bureaucratic nonsense. Somewhere along the line, suspending a driver’s license turned into a default punishment in Florida. Not just for poor drivers, but for a whole host of reasons. Now, this wasn’t such a big deal in the 1990s when running a red light might cost you $54. Nowadays, it’s $166. And speeding tickets can top $300. So what we have is criminal justice policy being driven by finances. All Brandes and Rouson want is a more common-sense approach. Their bill does not include people who lose their license for dangerous driving, nor those who are penalized for failure to pay child support. “This is not about unbridled amnesty; it’s about smart justice,’’ Rouson said. “It’s a way to encourage people to get things right with alternative options.’’
— MOVEMENTS —
Appointed — Stephen Douglas to the Lake Shore Hospital Authority; Patrick Labrada and Aaron Castillo to the Monroe County Housing Authority; Eric Schreck and Charles Hart to the Seminole County Housing Authority; Alvaro Hernandez and John Finnerty to the Pasco County Housing Authority; Mark Anderson to the Northwest Florida Regional Housing Authority.
Spotted: Speaker Corcoran at the Apple Store in International Plaza Mall, Tampa.
— ALOE —
“Key West sailboat that showed up in Melbourne after Hurricane Irma to remain beached for turtles” via The Associated Press — Cuki, the beached 45-foot sailboat won’t be removed until nesting season ends on Oct. 31 — at the earliest … the sailboat’s fate is unclear. The owner of the boat is jailed in Key West for charges including sexual assault, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, cocaine possession and 45 counts of possession of child pornography. Irma’s waves and wind gusts apparently tore the sailboat from her anchor, and the unoccupied vessel drifted more than 300 miles up Florida’s East Coast before running aground.
Happy birthday to Julie Fess and Rebecca McLaughlin of Strategic Digital Services. Also, belatedly, to former state Rep. Mike Hill.
