Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 8.24.18

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: George Sheldon, who served as Secretary of the Department of Children and Families under Gov. Charlie Crist and as a member of the Florida House of Representatives, died Thursday. The cause of death is unknown at this time.

Tweet, tweet:

George Sheldon was a FL political legend: A former State Legislator, Dep. Attorney General, Secretary of the Dept of Children and Families (for two states and the federal gov), law school dean, and @OurKidsInc chief. He was kind and selfless. He was my friend. May he #RIP

— Jose Felix Diaz (@josefelixdiaz) August 24, 2018

—

With five days, including today, left in the race for the GOP nomination for Florida Governor, the contest comes down to this …

Do you believe the poll numbers, like those found in this screen grab of Ron DeSantis‘ internal numbers:

Or do you believe the photos, like this one of Adam Putnam meeting with more than 400 supporters at a West Palm Beach rally on Wednesday:

To be honest, we didn’t know what to believe. Especially not after three polls (albeit flimsy ones) suggested that the race was tightening. So we polled the DeSantis vs. Putnam race one more time and here’s what we found:

DeSantis is leading Putnam 56 percent to 33 percent according to a fresh survey by St. Pete Polls. Among those who already voted, DeSantis leads by 27 points.

We don’t know what else to say; either DeSantis will be the nominee or the polls are so very wrong that they can never be relied upon in the future.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@MarcoRubio: The crisis in #Venezuela has evolved into a national security threat to the U.S. that must be addressed. The Maduro regime is an organized crime syndicate that traffics drugs onto our streets, is driving a dangerous migratory crisis & has invited #Putin to open military bases.

—@Fineout: .@AndrewGillum campaign puts out a very misleading news release. Contends that UNF poll shows them with a “double-digit lead” and that they are on the verge of a “historic upset.” The poll was of Democratic likely voters in one congressional district

—@MarcACaputo: While Gillum is generating buzz, the profile of the Democratic voters who have so far cast ballots look pretty favorable for @GwenGraham

—@GoMeteoric: Surge rhymes with dirge. Seems hard to tell the difference more and more every hour closer to Tuesday.

—@MDixon55: No one knows how to lose races in Florida better than Tom Steyer

—@GlennaOn10: Uh-oh. On the way to cover Adam Putnam’s bus tour, I ran into … Adam Putnam’s bus tour. And it’s apparently parked without permission in a @Publix parking lot. This nice guard tells me they are giving them one hour, or else …

—@Fineout: So anyone notice that @PamBondi did rallies in Alabama for an AG candidate there, did an ad for @adamputnam … and what has she done lately for @voteashleymoody who she endorsed months ago? Hmmm …

—@GaryWhite13: OK, forget the endorsements from Joe Biden and Rep. John Lewis. Now @RepDarrenSoto has been endorsed by Jon Bauman, better known as “Bowzer,” the muscle-shirted greaser in Sha Na Na. He’s president of Social Security Works PAC.

—@BSFarrington: So the best bar in Orlando, Wally’s, has closed. I listed it among the 10 best bars in Florida back in my Florida Bar Tab days. There are few things I like about Orlando, and now one fewer.

— LATEST TURNOUT FIGURES —

— DAYS UNTIL —

Start of the U.S. Open — 3; Primary Election Day — 4; College Football opening weekend — 6; Labor Day — 10; Gubernatorial candidates must choose a running mate — 13; NFL regular season starts — 13; First general election mail ballots go out — 29; First day of fall — 29; Future of Florida Forum — 33; FSU vs. UM football game — 43; ‘Before You Vote’ Florida U.S. Senate debate — 60; MLB World Series begins — 60; ‘Before You Vote’ Florida Governor debate — 61; Halloween — 68; General Election Day — 74; 2019 Legislature Organization Session meetings — 88; Thanksgiving — 90; Black Friday — 91; Florida Chamber Insurance Summit — 95; ‘Hamilton’ comes to the Straz Center — 172; 2019 Legislative Session starts — 194; 2020 General Election — 802.

— TOP STORIES —

“Republican playbook for 2018: Tie Democrats to Nancy Pelosi, Medicare for all, and abolishing ICE” via Eliza Collins of USA TODAY — Republican Rep. Dave Brat is running against a far-left Democrat, an all-out liberal. Trouble is, that caricature bears little resemblance to the candidate actually opposing him. … Republicans like Brat, who face surprisingly competitive races across the country, are trying to tie all Democrats to the most progressive wing of the party. Republicans like Brat, who face surprisingly competitive races across the country, are trying to tie all Democrats to the most progressive wing of the party, a faction pushing Medicare for All and advocates abolishing ICE. GOP candidates have accepted they’re linked to President Donald Trump‘s polarizing record regardless of how they campaign, so to offset that burden they are trying to saddle Democrats with their own boogeyman. In this case, a boogeywoman — Pelosi.

“GOP embraces Donald Trump’s hard-line immigration platform as a ‘winner for Republicans’ in November” via David Nakamura and Sean Sullivan of The Washington Post — The aim is to draw a sharp contrast with Democrats over enforcement of border control laws. Republican strategists view immigration as a deeply emotional issue that motivates the conservative base, and they have delighted as liberals push Democrats to the left as a reaction to Trump‘s presidency. “It’s a galvanizing issue among the base,” said Josh Holmes, a top political adviser for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who previously served as his chief of staff. “The Democrats have increasingly migrated to a place on this issue far from where your everyday American is. The contrast is mind-boggling.”

— NELSON VS. SCOTT —

“Jeb Bush, George W. Bush to help boost Rick Scott’s U.S. Senate bid” via Florida Politics — Scott has already had Trump stump for his U.S. Senate bid, and now former Gov. Bush said says more presidential support is on the way. “As a resident and former Governor of Florida, I understand the complexity and leadership it takes to serve as the chief executive of our state and the commitment it takes to bring real change,” Bush said. “I also understand the importance of the election this November and how the outcome will affect the direction of our state and country for generations.” Sharing that view is Bush’s brother, former President George W. Bush. Highlighting his brother’s pre-presidential gig as Texas Governor, Jeb said George also “understands that Rick Scott is the type of leader America needs now.”

Scott releases new video on Bill Nelson’s ‘confusing’ Russian allegations — The Scott for Florida campaign released “Confused,” which highlights Nelson’s “confusing and concerning” allegations of Russian interference in Florida’s election systems noting his inability to back up the claim. “It’s been more than two weeks since Bill Nelson’s bizarre Russia comments, and the only people more confused than Bill Nelson are the people who have to listen to him speak. His constantly changing, incoherent explanation has left watchers across the country and across the political spectrum scratching their heads,” said spokesperson Chris Hartline. “With nearly 1.5 million ballots already cast for the primary next week, Nelson’s attempt to undermine the voters’ confidence in Florida’s elections systems is irresponsible and reckless — and it’s long past time that he provide a full explanation for his confusing claims.”

To view the video, click on the image below:

Assignment editors — Gov. Scott will speak with members of the Latin Builders Association at their monthly luncheon, 1 p.m., 1200 Anastasia Ave., Coral Gables.

“Nelson puts campaign workers on payroll after Free Beacon report” via Brent Scher of the Washington Free Beacon — The Nelson campaign’s latest filing, a pre-primary report covering expenses from July and the first week of August, was the first of the cycle to include payroll disbursements and associated costs, including payroll taxes and worker benefits. Previously, Nelson’s “completely uncommon” campaign structure had allowed the campaign to save big, but led to criticism from his Republican opponent Scott, who labeled the Democrat a “hypocrite.” The new filing discloses that nearly all of the individuals put on the payroll were being paid by the campaign as independent contractors until July 15, two days after the Washington Free Beacon‘s July 13 report showing Nelson to be the only 2018 Senate candidate without any employees.

— NOTES FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL —

First on #FlaPol — “Fading in polls, Jeff Greene pulls remaining TV ads” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — The Palm Beach businessman who barreled into the race in early June and became omnipresent on TV through much of the summer is stepping out of the spotlight for the final push, his campaign is saying. Greene’s campaign is essentially going dark with six days left before the end of primary voting, putting energy into “grassroots” efforts. He is focusing on mobilizing his organization for get-out-the-vote efforts and to get paid staffers and volunteers to lead the way with more intimate messaging on his behalf, while pulling campaign ads and limiting public appearances, according to a campaign spokesman. Greene is running fourth in most polls, well back of the Democratic gubernatorial campaign leaders Philip Levine and Gwen Graham. But there will be no desperate, last-minute mass appeal to Florida Democrats.

“Tom Steyer, George Soros spearhead $650K cash infusion for Andrew Gillum” via Marc Caputo of POLITICO Florida — “He’s a really unusual candidate,” Steyer said of Gillum in an interview. “You can see we don’t often get involved in D-on-D so it must be because we have such high regard for him, for the ideas he represents and what he can do for Florida.” The sudden cash infusion — which coincides with a pro-Gillum $3.5 million get-out-the-vote effort by a coalition of liberal groups — comes five days before the Aug. 28 primary and follows new polling suggesting that Gillum, Tallahassee’s mayor and the only African-American in the race, is gaining the most traction in the five-candidate Democratic field. Gillum currently is polling in about third place, but he’s generating a significant amount of free-media buzz and talk of a “surge.”

“Chris King calls for ‘universal condemnation’ of Joel Greenberg remarks” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — King called for his election rivals to join him in denouncing Islamaphobia and Seminole County Tax Collector Greenberg for promoting it in social media. King, the Winter Park businessman running, in most polls, fifth among five Democratic candidates heading toward Tuesday’s primary election, has turned his attention toward Greenberg this week while pushing his campaign theme of racial and ethnic equality. Greenberg’s comments, King declared, “deserve our universal condemnation.” Greenberg entered the sights of King’s themed campaign stretch-run message Saturday when he posted a comment on Facebook that many took as anti-Muslim, sarcastically contending that Muslims had contributed nothing to civilized societies. Greenberg then engaged in a Twitter storm Monday night defending it, while threatening and insulting others.

Philip Levine continues statewide push for votes — Levine, a former Miami Beach mayor and Democratic candidate for governor, is traveling Friday. Here’s his whirlwind schedule:

— Visit to Levine Jacksonville Regional Office: 12:45 p.m., 519 N. Newman St., Jacksonville.

— Visit to Levine Orlando Regional Office: 3:30 p.m., 646 W. Colonial Drive, Orlando.

— Orange County early voting site stop: 4 p.m., Edgewater Branch Library, 5049 Edgewater Drive, Orlando.

— Hillsborough County early voting site stop: 5:30 p.m., West Tampa Branch Library, 2312 West Union St. Tampa.

— Visit to Levine Tampa Regional Office: 6:15 p.m., 5118 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa.

Assignment editors — Gwen Graham will head into the final stretch of the primary with a series of Workday and get-out-the-vote events, noon, Shepard Park, 600 SW. Ocean Blvd., Stuart.

Happening Saturday — Putnam will hold a campaign barbecue in Hillsborough County, 6 p.m., M&B Products, 8601 Harney Road, Tampa.

National Independent Business group endorses CFO Jimmy Patronis — The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) is endorsing Patronis in his bid for a second term. “Jimmy Patronis has been a steadfast supporter of small business as CFO,” said NFIB’s Florida Executive Director Bill Herrle. “As a small-business owner himself, Patronis is well-versed in the issues facing NFIB’s members, and we are confident that he will work to continue to fight for Florida’s small business owners and make the state an even better place to own, operate and grow a business.”

“Watch the most misleading campaign ad so far this year.” via William March of the Tampa Bay Times — The campaign of Frank White for Florida attorney general appears to have altered the audio and manipulated video from an Orlando television station’s news story to make it appear the reporter rated one of White’s attack ads as “true” when the story actually called it “false.” The situation involved White’s repeated attacks on his opponent in the Republican primary, Ashley Moody, because she was once registered to vote as a Democrat. White has claimed in campaign advertising that Moody “was a lifelong Democrat.” In fact, when Moody initially registered to vote at age 18 while in high school, she registered as a Democrat, but she changed to Republican in January 1998 while in law school. In a “Truth Test” story on a White campaign ad, WESH reporter Gregory Fox called it false, saying, “It is true Ashley Moody was first a registered Democrat. But it is false that she has been her whole life.” The story showed a graphic with a “truth test” meter swinging from “true” to “false.” In a new ad, the White campaign replays the WESH story, but eliminates the word “first.”

To watch the WESH report, click here.

Happening today — Moody will appear at the weekly Café con Tampa, 8 a.m., upstairs at Oxford Exchange, 420 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa.

— NOTES FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, PART 2 —

Democrat Andrew Learned releases final primary ad in CD 15 — “Why I’m Running,” an 84-second digital ad, tells the story of an ill-advised military mission that Donald Trump ordered and how that mission inspired Learned to run for Congress. “I’m running for Congress to hold President Trump and Washington Republicans accountable for their irresponsible actions over the last year and half,” said Andrew Learned. “We deserve elected officials who will take seriously their solemn duties to the American people.”

To view the ad, click on the image below:

 

“David Shapiro anchors outside Vern Buchanan’s office, leads protest against yacht purchase” via Ryan Nicol and Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — Shapiro, a Democratic candidate for Florida’s 16th Congressional District, called for all hands on deck Thursday. Namely, he led a protest against Buchanan‘s receipt of a foreign loan to help him buy a yacht. At today’s protest outside Buchanan’s Sarasota office, Shapiro called for the public release of the terms of that loan. “When was that loan negotiated?” Shapiro asked. “What are the terms of that loan?” While the loan was listed on Buchanan’s financial statements, the terms of the loan were not, making it impossible to know at what rate Buchanan received the loan.

“Javier Fernandez backs Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in CD 26” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Mucarsel-Powell has earned the endorsement of another elected official ahead of her Aug. 28 primary matchup with former naval officer Demetries Grimes. State Rep. Fernandez, who represents House District 114, says he’s supporting Mucarsel-Powell’s bid to challenge incumbent U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo in Florida’s 26th Congressional District. “Debbie is exactly the kind of representative South Florida needs: Someone committed to ending gun violence and standing up for immigrants,” Fernandez said. “Every American deserves to have their voice heard in Washington, and I’m proud to support Debbie on her bid to become the voice of Florida’s 26th district.”

“CD 27 candidate says alien abduction doesn’t define her” via Curt Anderson of The Associated Press — U.S. House candidate Bettina Rodriguez Aguilera has a long list of accomplishments to bolster her campaign in Florida. But she is perhaps best known for claiming that she was abducted by space aliens as a child. Rodriguez Aguilera is a long shot in the race for the Miami-area seat being vacated by retiring Republican Rep. Ileana Ros–Lehtinen. Yet last weekend, the Miami Herald endorsed her for the GOP nomination in the Tuesday primary out of a field of nine candidates. “It has nothing to do with what I have done. It happened when I was 7 years old,” she said. “I am so proud of the Herald and what they did.” Rodriguez Aguilera says she was taken aboard a spaceship as a young girl by blond extraterrestrials who resembled the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro. She says they told her that the “center of the world’s energy is Africa” and that thousands of non-human skulls were once discovered in a cave on the Mediterranean island of Malta. Even if it’s hard to believe there’s a starman waiting in the sky, Rodriguez Aguilera won’t back down. “I stick to my guns when I believe in something,” she said.

“GOP candidate in CD 27 drops out, endorses Donna Shalala” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — A topsy-turvy week of political news just got a bit stranger after Shalala appears to have just pulled in a new endorsement — from a Republican opponent in Florida’s 27th Congressional District. Following comments made to Univision, Stephen Marks has confirmed to Florida Politics that he has stopped campaigning in the CD 27 Republican primary and has endorsed Shalala. Marks will still appear on the primary ballot. But he says his own polling shows him trailing former news anchor for Telemundo and CNN en Español Maria Elvira Salazar and former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Bruno Barreiro by a large enough margin that he doesn’t feel like he has a shot at winning.

“Olysha Magruder launches political committee as questions swirl over outside ads” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — Gainesville Democrat Olysha Magruder opened a new political committee Thursday in the twilight hours ahead of her Senate District 8 primary battle with fellow Democrat Kayser Enneking. The new committee, known as Protect Prepare Provide, is chaired by Magruder, with one of her SD 8 campaign staffers — Kara Jess — serving as treasurer. Though the committee was acknowledged by the Division of Elections on Aug. 22, Magruder and Jess filed the required paperwork to get it rolling on Aug. 7. The delay in getting the committee approved was because of the treasurer appointment form, which was marked incomplete by Division of Elections staff the day it was received.

“Mike Hill wants Trump Hollywood star moved to Pensacola” via Jim Little of the Pensacola News-Journal — Hill announced via a Facebook Live video that he wanted to put the Trump Hollywood star in Pensacola. “Pensacola, the first settlement in America, is also going to be the city that is going to bring the Trump Hollywood star here to Pensacola,” Hill said in the video. “I want you to join me, Pensacola.” Hill made the announcement while holding a life-size photo of the Trump star in front of the Confederate monument in Lee Square in downtown Pensacola with a campaign sign for his state House run placed next to him. The entire video, which had more than 2,000 views Thursday morning, is shot from a smartphone’s front-facing camera, so the letters in the video appear reversed.

“Mikaela Nix files new ethics complaint against Stockton Reeves in HD 47 primary” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — The complaint is the second filed against Reeves on Nix’s behalf. Earlier, it was from an Orange County Republican, who questioned where Reeves’ money was coming from, noting that he lent his campaign $90,000 last year but his personal financial disclosures did not show he had that much available in liquid assets. Reeves has maintained he would clear that up with addendums, which he has not yet filed. He has until the end of the month. The new complaint charges that there appears to be no record in Reeves’ campaign finance filings to cover at least 13 campaign mailers Nix’ campaign says Reeves has sent in recent weeks to voters in Florida House District 47.

“Wife of Florida House 56 write-in candidate David Joseph Patzer says Polk Republican Jeff Mann tricked husband into signing papers to run” via John Chambliss of NewsChief.com — Kailey Patzer said her husband, David Joseph Patzer, who goes by his middle name, looked up to Mann as a father figure and had worked for Mann’s septic tank business for several years in the past. She said her brother-in-law, Jeremiah Ussery, still works for Mann Septic Tank Service. Mann urged Joseph Patzer in June to sign documents several days before qualifying ended, explaining to him that it would “get him some votes,” she said. The couple didn’t know what he had signed until a reporter came to their home to ask about why he was running in the District 56 race, she said. After Patzer, 22, had filed two days before qualifying ended in June, it changed the election between Mann and County Commissioner Melony Bell, who is also a Republican. His filing meant that only registered Republicans could vote in the race, which was scheduled for Aug. 28. Sixty-two percent of the registered voters in the district would not have been allowed to participate in the primary, which would have essentially decided the election. District 56 covers southern Polk, DeSoto and Hardee counties.

“Michael Beltran sues for defamation over HD 57 ‘hit piece’” via Florida Politics — The suit was filed earlier this month in Hillsborough County Circuit Civil court. Beltran, a Harvard Law alum, says Republican opponent Sean McCoy and the newly formed political committee Veterans for Truth are responsible for a “defamatory hit piece” that accused him of helping an illegal immigrant guilty of multiple re-entries into the U.S. to “get out of jail and back on our streets.” Beltran says that’s a lie. He claims the only time he represented an illegal immigrant was when a judge appointed him to represent a former client who faced a life sentence; Beltran allegedly requested a 15-year sentence followed by deportation, which would save taxpayer money. He names consultants Anthony Pedicini and Thomas Piccolo of Tampa’s Strategic Image Management, as well as Veterans for Truth chair Bill Helmich, a Tallahassee lobbyist, as defendants. McCoy is a West Point graduate and U.S. Army veteran.

Florida Medical Association endorses Javier Fernandez for HD 114 — The Florida Medical Association PAC (FMA PAC) is endorsing Democrat Fernandez in his re-election bid. FMA PAC President, Dr. Mike Patete said: “The FMA PAC is happy to endorse Javier Fernandez in HD 114. He’s a leader in his community having been raised in Miami and now raising a family of his own there, we have no doubt he’ll work with us to improve the health care policies to help the patients and physicians of Florida.” Florida’s House District 114 includes parts of Miami-Dade County.

— DOWN BALLOT —

“Case closed: School Board candidate disqualified for using wrong check” via Michael Moline of Florida Politics — An appeals court Thursday agreed with the disqualification of a Madison County School Board candidate who paid his qualifying fee with a cashier’s check, instead of one drawn against his campaign account, as required by Florida law. The 1st District Court of Appeal, in an opinion by Judge James Wolf, wrote that the requirement was clear and unambiguous and must be enforced. Terrence Boatman, the thwarted candidate, argued that the Florida Supreme Court had overturned the disqualification of an earlier political candidate whose bank erroneously bounced a campaign account check … “Here, appellant did not do everything right and the error was wholly within his control,” Wolf wrote.

“Toni Jennings upset Orange school board candidate falsely claimed her endorsement” via Leslie Postal of the Orlando Sentinel — Former Lt. Gov. Jennings is upset that a candidate for Orange County School Board falsely claimed she had endorsed her campaign. Jennings said she never spoke with Heather Traynham — who is running for the board’s District 1 seat in a three-way race — nor gave written permission, as state law requires, for Traynham to use her photo and statement in campaign materials. Jennings said she has not endorsed Traynham or anyone else in any of the Orange school board races. The photo of Jennings and Traynham standing next to each other appeared in a campaign mailer; on Traynham’s website (though it has been taken down) and in an email sent to voters under the headline, “Endorsement alert!” The email went on to say she was “honored” to receive Jennings’ endorsement. “I don’t know anything about this person,” Jennings said. “I never talked with her. Never, never.”

“Campaign treasurer shuffles donations after reporter questions Hernando School Board candidate’s finance records” via Megan Reeves of the Tampa Bay Times — Hernando County School Board Chairman Mark Johnson has collected more money to fuel his re-election campaign than any other candidate … $3,100 can be linked to his campaign treasurer, Greg Myers, a Brooksville accountant and travel agent. Myers donated to Johnson personally and through his two Brooksville businesses, Myers business services and Jo-My travel agency. Myers’ business partner, Earle H. Jordan, also contributed to Johnson’s campaign … contributions from Myers’ businesses — totaling $1,250 each — exceeded the state’s cap. Records show $250 donations from each business on July 24, 2017, and $1,000 donations from each on July 25, 2018. When questioned by the Tampa Bay Times Thursday, Johnson referred a reporter to Myers, who he said also serves as his personal accountant. “I don’t really pay attention to it … He handles all that,” Johnson said. “If he did that, he’s got to correct it.” On Thursday, Myers told the Times everything was fixed.

“Judicial qualifying dispute goes to Supreme Court” via the News Service of Florida — Lucy Ann Hoover, who had sought to run for county judge, is appealing an Aug. 8 ruling by the 1st District Court of Appeal that said Hoover should not be on the ballot. Hoover, who planned to challenge Clay County Judge Kristina Mobley, rushed May 4 to meet a noon qualifying deadline for the race, according to the appeals court ruling. But a required financial-disclosure document was not notarized at the county elections supervisor’s office until 12:12 p.m. — 12 minutes late. The elections supervisor initially qualified Hoover as a candidate on the basis that she was in the supervisor’s office before the qualifying deadline, according to the appeals court. But Mobley challenged the qualification, and a circuit judge ruled Hoover should not be on the ballot. 

— MEDIA NOTES —

“More Americans trust the media than they did last year” via Poynter — There’s good news for journalists: three-quarters of Americans trust their local TV news and local newspapers. Trust is also on the rise for all types of news, despite increased attacks on the credibility of the American press by Trump and others. These findings come from The Poynter Institute’s second Media Trust Survey. The research found 54 percent of Americans have “a great deal” or “a fair amount” of trust and confidence in the media, a five-point increase from Poynter’s first Media Trust Survey published in December 2017 … According to the study’s authors — Jason Reifler of the University of Exeter, Brendan Nyhan of the University of Michigan and Andrew Guess of Princeton University — Republicans and independents are otherwise more distrustful of the media than Democrats.

GateHouse Florida announces launch of ‘Inside Florida Politics’ network — The newspaper chain announced a “statewide digital political reporting network” called Inside Florida Politics, anchored by a weekly podcast of the same name. Combining the reporting of The Palm Beach Post, Sarasota Herald Tribune, Florida Times-Union, Daytona Beach News-Journal, Lakeland Ledger, Gainesville Sun, Ocala Star-Banner and Northwest Florida Daily News, Inside Florida Politics will offer ongoing, in-depth political coverage for the State of Florida, a news release said. The podcast will be hosted by longtime Palm Beach Post political reporter George Bennett who will be joined each week by Sarasota Herald-Tribune political director Zac Anderson and legendary Capitol insider, John Kennedy, who’s in Tallahassee. “This is an all-star lineup of the best political reporters in the business,” said Patrick Dorsey, President of the Coastal Group for GateHouse Florida. The podcast will be released Thursdays, featured on every GateHouse Florida newspaper website, and available on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Spotify and Amazon Alexa.

— STATEWIDE —

“SunPass problems: Here’s who the state isn’t holding accountable for mistakes” via Noah Pransky of WTSP — FDOT announced fines to the contractor in charge of the project, Conduent, this month. But the $800,000 penalty only came after nearly two months of questions to Gov. Scott, and it represents less than a quarter of one percent of Conduent’s $343 million contract. But weeks of 10Investigates questions about accountability for the engineering firms contracted to supervise the system upgrade, HNTB and Atkins went unanswered. This week, for the first time, an FDOT spokesperson said the agency’s legal office would review its contract options. Scott also recently said he would request an inspector general investigation, but no details have been provided about when it would begin, how long it would take, or how broad the scope would be.

“Lake Okeechobee discharges to St. Lucie River increasing, Army Corps says” via Tyler Treadway of TCPalm — Lake Okeechobee discharges to the St. Lucie River will increase Friday to an average of nearly 970 million gallons a day, the Army Corps of Engineers announced. That’s an increase of more than 200 million gallons a day from the current flow. And the flow through the St. Lucie Lock and Dam into the river could be higher some days if there’s significant rainfall runoff in the basin between the lake and the river. Since discharges began June 1, about 55 billion gallons of lake water has poured into the river. Some of the water has contained blue-green algae from a bloom covering about half the lake, according to the most recent satellite images from NOAA.

Happening today — Leon County Circuit Judge Karen Gievers will hear arguments about a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at expanding crime victims’ rights … Amendment 6, on the November ballot. Supporters of the proposal, which has become commonly known as “Marsy’s Law,” argue it would establish a series of rights for crime victims, including the right to be notified of major developments in criminal cases and the right to be heard in the legal proceedings. Arguments begin 1 p.m., Leon County Courthouse, 301 South Monroe St., Tallahassee.

“Florida fire crews heading to Oregon” via the News Service of Florida — The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said Thursday that 20 of the state’s firefighters are going to help battle fires in Oregon. The Friday morning deployment will bring to 132 the total number of Florida Forest Service personnel helping fight fires across the country. “We are committed to protecting lives, homes and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire both at home and across the country,” Ag Commissioner Putnam said in a prepared statement.

What Jimmy Patronis is watching — “Mini Law Lesson: What the heck is blockchain?” via Lexology — “As blockchain continues to reshape business processes, many companies are wondering what exactly is it and how might it apply to their business. In this mini law lesson video, Loeb & Loeb partner Brian Heidelberger teams up with members of the firm’s blockchain team … for a brief overview of this emerging — and disruptive — technology, and exploration of why it matters in today’s dynamic ecosystem.” Spoiler: It’s a form of encoded information, readable by the public and widely used by cryptocurrencies (think bitcoin) that Patronis has said the state needs to watchdog.

“Other states use medical marijuana to curb opioid deaths. Will Florida follow?” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Three states already started to explore how medical marijuana can help opioid users break their addictions. Could Florida be next? … Continued research could prove vital as Florida continues to wrestle with regulation of the burgeoning marijuana industry, which more the moment exists entirely in the health care space. As doctors figure out how to handle a recently-illicit drug, another social plague continues that stems from the use of narcotics long dispensed legally over drugstore counters. The Sunshine State continues to suffer some of the worst pains from opioid abuse, and in 2016 led the nation in the total number of drug overdose deaths according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Florida groups join legal challenge to Census citizenship query” via Florida Politics — Two Florida immigrant rights groups have joined a federal lawsuit challenging the U.S. Commerce Department’s plan to ask people about their citizenship status during the 2020 census. The lawsuit, filed June 6 in the Southern District of New York, alleges that Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross wants to intentionally discriminate against immigrants of color. Additionally, his move violates the Administrative Procedures Act, the suit alleges. The Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC) and the Family Action Network Movement (FANM) now have joined Casa de Maryland, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, ADC Research Institute, the New York Immigration Coalition, and Make the Road New York as plaintiffs.

“Federal judge: Leon County setting unaffordable bail is unconstitutional” via Karl Etters of the Tallahassee Democrat — At the end of a two-hour hearing Thursday addressing a pending federal lawsuit filed against the State of Florida and Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle said detaining a person because they can’t afford bail violates Florida law. “It seems that the state is operating an unconstitutional system in Leon County,” Hinkle said … “If there is no legitimate basis to detain the person, then setting up unaffordable bail is unconstitutional. Unaffordable bail is detention by another name.” Leon County judges were intentionally trying to unconstitutionally detain defendants, Hinkle said, but he believed that they and prosecutors were operating in step with what has historically been done. Hinkle did not make a ruling on the case. Instead, he asked Benjamin Stevenson, attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, to determine by October how many defendants in the Leon County Detention Center remain there because they can’t pay bail and could qualify to be included in the class-action lawsuit.

“After ‘attempted self-castration,’ transgender inmate wins case against state” via Florida Politics — A federal judge in Tallahassee has ruled in favor of a transgender inmate who sued the Department of Corrections two years ago for denying her “hormone therapy and other medically necessary treatment.” Reiyn Keohane is currently incarcerated at the Walton Correctional Institution, according to a news release from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida, which represented her. The 61-page ruling, by Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker of north Florida, holds that it is “medically necessary for Keohane to be able to socially transition in prison, (and) she must be permitted access to the same clothing and grooming standards as other female inmates.” The DOC “will no longer be able to subject her to forced buzz cuts or confiscate her bras and underpants,” ACLU of Florida staff attorney Daniel Tilley said … In his original 2016 filing, Tilley said Keohane had been so distraught, she mutilated her own still-male genitals in an “attempted self-castration,” the complaint said.

— D.C. MATTERS —

Bill Nelson, Marco Rubio file bill addressing algae blooms — Florida’s two U.S. Senators filed a bill Thursday that would have a federal determine the cause of the algal blooms that have wreaked havoc on Lake O and Florida’s waterways and come up with a plan of action to combat them. The legislation, S 3374, comes after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced it would start upping discharges from Lake O into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers on Friday “to slow the still dangerous rise in lake levels.” Earlier this week, Nelson and Rubio proposed an amendment to another bill that would direct $1 million in funding to the Center for Disease Control to study the health risks posed by the algal blooms. Nelson has said the blooms “are choking Florida’s waterways, crippling our economy and making people sick.” He added that the bill he and Rubio introduced Thursday would “provide scientists and researchers the resources they need to understand what’s causing these harmful algae blooms — and what needs to be done to stop them.”

“Dispute over FIU bridge records moves to federal court” via News Service of Florida — Two days after a Tallahassee judge ordered that records related to a deadly bridge collapse at Florida International University be handed over to the Miami Herald, the federal government has had the case moved to federal court. Circuit Judge Kevin Carroll on Tuesday ordered the Florida Department of Transportation to release records related to the March 15 collapse after the Herald sued to obtain the documents. Using Florida’s public-records law, the Herald requested a wide range of documents related to the 950-ton, 174-foot span, which collapsed days after being positioned across an eight-lane road in Miami, killing six people. But state transportation officials claimed they could not comply with the newspaper’s request because of a federal law related to an accident investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.

What Randy Perkins is reading — “Federal contractors made illegal pro-Trump super PAC contributions, complaint says” via Stephanie Akin of Roll Call — A politically connected contractor made a $500,000 contribution this spring to a pro-Trump super PAC the day after it received a payment of almost the same amount as part of a Department of Defense contract, a watchdog group said. The Campaign Legal Center flagged that contribution and a $50,000 contribution from another company to a super PAC supporting Gov. Scott’s Senate campaign, in separate complaints to the Federal Election Commission … The donations represent rare violations of a 75-year-old ban on campaign contributions from federal contractors, said Brendan Fischer, director of the federal reform program at the Campaign Legal Center. “This seems like a brazen violation of well-established law,” he said. “It’s possible that both of these entities are ignorant of the federal contractor ban. But it’s also possible that they expect that they can make large contributions to fed super PACs and get away with it because the FEC has been so reticent to enforce the law.”

— OPINIONS —

— MOVEMENTS —

Personnel note: Vivian Myrtetus hopping aboard Lime — Myrtetus is leaving as CEO of Volunteer Florida to run interference with local governments for Lime, the bike-sharing company. “I’m excited about my new role, and looking forward to promoting multiple transportation options to users across our communities at affordable rates,” Myrtetus said. She accepted the post of community affairs manager for Lime, which operates in several Florida markets recently expanded to Orlando, centering on the University of Central Florida. Myrtetus has extensive experience in local government communications post, including in the governor’s and attorney general’s offices. Lime rents electronic bikes and scooters, as well as regular pedal bikes, in more than 100 locations across the country. The company recently secured $335 million in funding from backers including Uber and GV.

New and renewed lobbying registrations:

John Darby III: Johnson & Johnson Services

Elizabeth Dudek, Greenberg Traurig: Liberty Dental Plan of Florida

Charlie Dudley, Floridian Partners: Bill’s Nursery

Jordan Elsbury: City of Jacksonville

Chris Finkbeiner, The Rubin Group: WeWork

Ken Granger, Dean Izzo, Capital City Consulting: TEKsystems

Tim Meenan, Karl Rasmussen, Joy Ryan, Meenan: Florida Fire Sprinkler Association

— WEEKEND TV —

Facing South Florida with Jim DeFede on CBS 4 in Miami: Set to appear are Congressman Ted Deutch; former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux; state Rep. Shevrin Jones; Nancy Ancrum, editorial page editor of The Miami Herald; Rosemary O’Hara, editorial page editor of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Jessica Fernandez, chair of Miami Young Republicans; and Rich Dally, president of Broward Young Republicans.

Florida This Week on Tampa Bay’s WEDU: Moderator Rob Lorei hosts a roundtable with attorney and professor Tara Newsom from St. Petersburg College; Susan McGrath, chair of the Pinellas County Democratic Party; independent journalist Joe Brown; and Jim Waurishuk, Hillsborough County GOP Executive Committee chair.

In Focus with Allison Walker-Torres on Bay News 9: Pollution from plastic waste has increasingly become a major problem; this week’s show will discuss what is being done to curb plastic pollution in Central Florida. Joining Walker-Torres are state Sen. Linda Stewart, Committee on Environmental Preservation and Conservation; Shannon Gowans, assistant professor of Biology and Marine Science, Eckerd College; former state Rep. Tony Sasso, executive director of Keep Brevard Beautiful; and Satellite Beach City Manager Courtney H. Barker.

Political Connections on CF 13 in Orlando and Bay News 9 in Tampa/St. Pete: This week’s show will discuss the situation with Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen; Florida Democratic Party Executive Director Juan Penalosa will discuss the Democratic gubernatorial race; state Rep. Blaise Ingoglia will discuss the upcoming GOP primary; PolitiFact will rate a claim made by former President Ronald Reagan.

Sunday Morning Politics with Evan Donovan on News Channel 8 WFLA (NBC): Former HD 73 candidate Melissa Howard to explain why she lied to voters and made a fake diploma. Also, Sean McCoy, one of two Republicans running for the nomination for HD 57.

The Usual Suspects on WCTV-Tallahassee/Thomasville (CBS) and WJHG-Panama City (NBC): Host Gary Yordon and Steve Vancore will speak with Dr. Ed Moore.

This Week in Jacksonville with Kent Justice on Channel 4 WJXT: Kevin Hyde, President Florida State College at Jacksonville; Dr. Michael Bender of the University of North Florida Public Opinion Research Lab; and Duval County Supervisor of Elections Mike Hogan.

This Week in South Florida on WPLG-Local10 News (ABC): Co-hosts Michael Putney and Glenna Milberg will focus on the upcoming Florida primary; the powerhouse roundtable will take on the week’s news.

— ALOE —

“FSU interim AD David Coburn hoping to repair relationship with Seminole Boosters” via Wayne McGahee III of the Tallahassee Democrat — Coburn hasn’t been directly involved with the running of the athletic department at FSU and his biggest concern is managing more people than he’s used to and the visibility of the job. He met with the senior department officials and earlier this week and explained to them what he was looking for. “I did my Jimbo impression and told them just to do their jobs,” Coburn said. “But we just got to know each other. I listened. And I told them we were going to work hard, and I was going to communicate, communicate, communicate. That’s what this is going to be about.” Coburn inherits an athletic department that has had some issues recently with the public feud between Seminole Boosters and former head coach Jimbo Fisher. He stated during his meeting with the media that he believes that the relationship between the athletic department and the boosters has “deteriorated a little bit.” But he also believes that he has the ability to get that back on track thanks to his long-standing relationship with Andy Miller, the President and CEO of Seminole Boosters.

Happy birthday to state Sen. Rob Bradley, former state Reps. Dave Kerner and Leslie Waters, as well as Steve Cona of Associated Builders and Contractors, Fred Grimm, TV’s Troy Kinsey, and the brilliant Andrea Reilly. An early birthday shout-out to Gary Fineout.