Peter Schorsch
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
First, a program note: Because today was Patriot Day, SUNBURN will not appear Wednesday. The state’s leading morning newsletter on Florida politics and policy will return Thursday.
—
So much for a “Victory Royale.”
A former janitor who cleaned Department of Revenue offices — and was charged with taking external hard drives from the desks of workers — pleaded ‘no contest’ to end the case, court dockets show.
According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Andru Reed, 22, reportedly said he was looking for video games. He was booked in April.
He has since pleaded out to 3rd-degree felony charges of “fraudulent modification of intellectual property” and “taking and damaging computer equipment,” records show.
Circuit Judge Frank Allman sentenced Reed to three years of probation, 500 hours of community service, and $620 in court costs.
Reed worked for a company that provided janitorial services to the department in Tallahassee’s Southwood office complex, an investigative report said.
On March 30, agents spoke with Reed at his Tallahassee home and found four hard drives, which “contained confidential taxpayer information,” according to an FDLE news release.
Reed “connected the hard drives to his Xbox to download video games without knowing what was on (them),” the release said.
Evening Reads
“Donald Trump honors 9/11 victims in Pennsylvania in rare role as consoler-in-chief” via David Jackson and Susan Miller of USA Today
“Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski go to war with Don Jr. over Trump-9/11 analogy” via Matt Wilstein of the Daily Beast
“Bill Nelson not on board with Andrew Gillum’s progressive proposals” via Steve Contorno of the Tampa Bay Times
“Rick Scott touts education accomplishments in new ad” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
“Democrats even with GOP in Florida Senate spending since primary” via Mark Murray of NBC News
“Ron DeSantis takes on Obama” via Mitch Perry of the Florida Phoenix
“DeSantis campaign names Bob Cortes as Puerto Rican outreach chair” Gray Rohrer of the Orlando Sentinel
“Florida AFL-CIO endorses Nikki Fried in Agriculture Commissioner race” via Samantha Gross of the Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times
“Mary Barzee Flores: Mario Diaz-Balart’s health care record is ‘hurting families’” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics
“Florida’s felon disenfranchisement system under intense national glare” via Steve Bousquet of the Tampa Bay Times
“Judge refuses to scuttle NRA lobbyist case” via Jim Saunders of the News Service of Florida
“Sept. 11 also brings thoughts of hurricanes past, future, and climate change” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics
“Another group aims at registering Puerto Rican voters in Central Florida” via Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel
“Hurricane Florence grows in size, tropical depression likely in Gulf” via Kim Miller of the Palm Beach Post
“Alligator called ‘Fat Daddy’ bites man grabbing golf disc from water” via Doug Phillips of the Sun Sentinel
Quote of the Day
“America’s future is not written by our enemies. America’s future is written by our heroes. As long as this monument stands, as long as this memorial endures, brave patriots will rise up in America’s moments of need, and they too will fight back.” — President Donald Trump, speaking at a memorial service on the crash site of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.
Bill Day’s Latest
Breakthrough Insights
Wake Up Early?
Gov. Rick Scott will continue his statewide “Make Washington Work” bus tour. The next stop and rally is 8:30 a.m., Cheney Brothers, 2801 W. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala.
The Enterprise Florida Board of Directors will meet at 9 a.m., InterContinental Miami, 100 Chopin Plaza, Miami.
The VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors is scheduled to meet at 9 a.m., Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate, 1500 Masters Blvd., ChampionsGate.
The Florida Commission on Offender Review will take up parole cases from across the state. That’s at 9 a.m., Betty Easley Conference Center, 4075 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee.
A campaign to educate voters on Amendment 10 launches with a host of locally-elected constitutional officers, such as Sheriffs, Tax Collectors, Clerks of the Court, and Property Appraisers from around the state. That’s at 10 a.m., old Capitol (courtyard-side steps), Tallahassee. [Ed. Note — This ran in error in Tuesday’s SUNBURN; the event is Wednesday.]
The Triumph Gulf Coast Board will tour the Port of Panama City before holding a board meeting. Tour at 10 a.m. Central time, Port of Panama City, East Terminal, 400S East Ave., Panama City. Also board meeting at 1 p.m. Central time, Bay County Government Center, commission chamber, 840 West 11th St., Panama City.
The Florida Workers’ Compensation Joint Underwriting Association will hold an annual membership meeting and a Board of Governors meeting. That’s at 10 a.m., Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport, 9300 Jeff Fuqua Blvd., Orlando.
The state university system’s Board of Governors will hold task-force and committee meetings in advance of a full board meeting Thursday. Meetings start at 12:30 p.m., New College of Florida, Harry Sudakoff Conference Center, 5845 General Dougher Place, Sarasota.
