Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 2.4.19

Former Florida GOP Executive Director David Johnson could not be more right than when he asks on Facebook: How much better would your Super Bowl Sunday/Sunday night be if we simply celebrated Presidents Day tomorrow, The Monday After the Super Bowl?

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TV reporter Noah Pransky, currently on a round-the-world trip, zinged me last night, “Thank goodness we turn to you for political updates and not sports book advice.” I wrote in Friday’s Sunburn that the Rams +2.5 looked like a safe bet and that it was a lock that Gladys Knight would go over while singing the national anthem. Both of those bets were about as good as my prediction that Andrew Gillum would beat Ron DeSantis by about seven points.

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Check out the front page of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. It’s a blank page that reads: “Super Bowl? What Super Bowl?” Never change, Saints fans. Never change.

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Spotted at Super Bowl 53 in Atlanta: Fred Ridley, father of Southern Strategy Group’s Sydney Ridley and chairman of Augusta National Golf Club; Nick Iarossi and Scott Ross of Capital City Consulting; Desmond Meade and Neil Volz made cameos in a TV ad for voting rights restoration.

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First in Sunburn: Cissy Proctor to join LSN Partners — Proctor will lead the company’s expansion efforts and new Tallahassee office, serving as managing partner. Proctor, recently the Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), has more than 15 years of experience in legal and government affairs. “Re-establishing an office in Tallahassee allows us to better meet our clients’ legislative, regulatory and public policy needs,” said Alex Heckler, co-managing partner. “With a seasoned professional and policy guru such as Cissy leading this new office, we can continue to deepen our firm’s relationships in the state.” Proctor served at the DEO under Gov. Rick Scott for six years as the Deputy Legislative Affairs Director, the Director of Strategic Business Development, the Chief of Staff and the Executive Director. 

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First in Sunburn: Tim Stanfield joins Greenberg Traurig’s Tallahassee office — He’ll be of Counsel to the Government Law & Policy Practice. Stanfield will lobby on behalf of numerous private and public clients before the Legislature, Cabinet, and state agencies. He will concentrate his practice in the areas of sovereign immunity, budget, transportation and highway safety, insurance, law enforcement, education and health care. Stanfield was Assistant General Counsel at the Florida League of Cities, an associate at Colodny Fass, and senior adviser at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney. He is the founding member of the Governmental and Public Policy Advocacy Committee of The Florida Bar.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@GNewburn: Hoping Tony Romo predicts sentencing reform will pass this year.

—@PhillipAKlein: The NFL deserved this awful Super Bowl after robbing the Saints.

—@TheDweck: These teams are playing like they know whoever wins goes to the White House

—@BeyondReasDoubt: Puppy Bowl > Maroon 5

—@RyanEGorman: I still think Ralph Northam had a worse week than @TheBudKnight

—@LearyReports: What will President Trump feed the Pats?

—@madwest45 (A special assistant to the president and director of Oval Office operations): What a disgraceful breach of trust to leak schedules. What these don’t show are the hundreds of calls and meetings @realDonaldTrump takes everyday. This POTUS is working harder for the American people than anyone in recent history.

—@KaleightRogers: I’m an immigrant, and I may lose my visa because I was laid off. VICE didn’t just take away my livelihood, they very well might have effectively deported me.

— DAYS UNTIL —

State of the Union address — 1; ‘Hamilton’ comes to the Straz Center — 8; Pitchers and catchers begin reporting for MLB Spring Training — 8; Valentine’s Day — 10; Federal government runs out of funding (again) — 11; 2019 Legislative Session starts — 29; Tampa mayoral election — 29; ‘Captain Marvel’ release — 32; St. Patrick’s Day — 41; Scott Maddox corruption trial begins — 53; Major League Baseball season begins — 53; Final season of ‘Game of Thrones’ begins — 69; Easter — 76; 2019 Legislative Session ends (maybe) — 88; 2020 Democratic presidential primary debates begin — 123; 2019 General Election — 274; Iowa Caucuses — 361; 2020 General Election — 638.

— TOP STORY —

First on #FlaPol — “Study: Florida Tax Credit scholarships boost college enrollment, graduation rates” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Low-income K-12 students who receive the Florida Tax Credit (FTC) scholarship to attend private schools are more likely to both enroll in and graduate college than their public school counterparts. That’s according to a follow-up study on the FTC program by the Urban Institute, a think tank based out of Washington, D.C. Its newest report, released Monday, shows a six percentage point bump in college enrollment among FTC students who began the program in elementary or middle school. The authors note that some of those students then transition back into a public high school. For students who first participate in the FTC program in high school, the college enrollment boost is even higher, with rates increasing by 10 percentage points.

— THE NEW ADMINISTRATION —

Assignment editors — DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis will hold an event joined by Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, 9:30 a.m. Eastern time, North Florida School of special education, 233 Mill Creek Road, Jacksonville. Later, the Governor, First Lady and Corcoran will join former Senate President Andy Gardiner for an education announcement, 2:30 p.m. Eastern time, Pace Brantley School, 3221 Sand Lake Rd., Longwood.

“Fiscal hawks take aim at DeSantis budget while political foes hold their fire” via Matt Dixon of POLITICO Florida — Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis took his first plunge into the cutthroat world of legislative politics Friday, unveiling a $91.3 billion spending plan that would deliver on key campaign promises. But within hours, the proposal was already running afoul of conservative lawmakers in his own party. During his first few weeks in office, DeSantis, like governors before him, has enjoyed a political honeymoon, but nothing can wear on legislative goodwill faster than an unpopular budget.

“Ron DeSantis backs school ‘guardian’ money” via Ana Ceballos of the News Service of Florida — DeSantis has said he wants to follow most of the recommendations made by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission. Some of those recommendations include expanding the Coach Aaron Feis Guardian program, which allows trained school staff to carry guns in schools. The Governor also wants to keep funding a one-time $500 stipend for school staff who decided to participate in the guardian program. Part of DeSantis’ proposed $91.3 billion state budget includes nearly $99 million in school safety grants meant for improving security at public school buildings. DeSantis also wants lawmakers to approve $1 million to continue evaluating a tool used to help schools identify threats, as well as $3 million for a data repository that taps into information from law-enforcement agencies, the child welfare department, and social media.

“DeSantis goes light on Medicaid cuts” via Christine Sexton of the News Service of Florida — DeSantis’ proposed budget would allocate $29.1 billion to the state Agency for Health Care Administration, with about $112 million going to regulation of health care facilities, ranging from hospices and nursing homes to hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers. The rest of the money is targeted toward Medicaid. DeSantis’s proposed budget includes enough Medicaid money to cover what economists predicted in December would be needed in the coming year if no changes were made in policies. DeSantis’s choice to not make spending reductions in Medicaid distinguishes him from Rick Scott, who … recommended deep reductions in the amount of money Florida spends on hospitals.

“DeSantis promises new SCOFLA won’t side so much with Democrats” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Speaking at the annual convention for the Federalist Society, held this year at the Convention Center at Yacht & Beach Club in Lake Buena Vista, DeSantis slammed Florida’s high court as an activist one. “You have a court that’s constantly gone beyond the bounds of what is judicial into the realm of what is really legislative,” he said. “By the way — is this just a big coincidence?” he said. “Anything that had a political color to it just always happened to be decided in the way of the Democratic Party.” But those at the event celebrated a dramatic shift in the court following DeSantis’ election. The new governor in his first few weeks on the job had the chance to appoint three justices to replace jurists retiring because of age. Legal experts now consider the court a 6-1 conservative body after years of being regarded as a split or liberal makeup. DeSantis earned a standing ovation mentioning his judicial appointments.

Happening today — Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz is the featured speaker at “Summit for a Resilient North Florida,” focusing on Hurricane Michael recovery, 9 a.m. Central time, Rivertown Community Church, 4534 Lafayette St., Marianna.

“Nikki Fried cheers $550K in grants to promote citrus amid tariff war” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — “The coming season looks positive, and these dollars could give growers an added competitive advantage and help fuel Florida citrus success,” Fried said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture this week announced $200 million in new grants through the Agricultural Trade Promotion Program. That includes $550,000 that for the Florida Department of Citrus. U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said the grants seek to level an unfair playing field for U.S. Farmers. It’s part of a larger $12-billion trade mitigation package announced last year by President Donald Trump. The effort combats “unjustified trade retaliation by foreign nations,” federal officials said.

“Fried, Carlos Guillermo Smith to headline LGBTA Caucus conference” via Jacob ogles of Florida Politics — The event serves as the winter conference for the Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus. The event runs Feb. 22 through 24 in Jacksonville. Fried, Florida’s only Democrat holding elected statewide office in Florida will serve as the “Florida Keynote Speaker” and top-billed participant. Guillermo Smith, an Orlando Democrat and openly gay lawmaker, will deliver the Legislative keynote. State Rep. Anna Eskamani, a Democrat whose district includes the site of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting, will also address attendees. A release calls Eskamani the “star of the freshman class” in Florida’s House of Representatives. The Orlando lawmaker sponsored a bill this year to formally repeal Florida’s Defense of Marriage Act.

“Mike Ertel apologizes for blackface photos, blames ‘act of revenge’” via Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel — In a Facebook post on his personal page, Ertel wrote, “I’m a better man than I was fourteen years ago. Yet over the past week, I have been rightfully apologizing for something I did Halloween night, 2005. For those who have not received a personal apology yet — I’m sorry.” While the source of the photos has not been revealed, Ertel implied their release was because of a personal motive. “I did something stupid fourteen years ago, which presented someone from my past with an opportunity for revenge,” Ertel said. “But the opportunity wasn’t just for them. Because while public revenge may be sweet for them, my private redemption, new family, and blessed life have been sweeter.”

— ROAD TO SESSION —

“Bill to exempt school taxes for people 65 and over a slippery slope to chaos” via Lauren Ritchie of the Orlando Sentinel — Senate Education Committee Chairman Manny Diaz, who now says that he plans to amend the bill so that the proposed homestead exemption covers only new taxes rather than existing ones. Diaz’s philosophy behind this tax cut is a deeply flawed plan that is a slippery slope to chaos: He says seniors who don’t have children in school shouldn’t have to pay for future students or improvements. If seniors are exempted from paying for schools, why aren’t they charged double for ambulance service? After all, they’re the ones using it most. And what about paying for the nation’s interstate road system? And police? This user-fee notion is not just bad philosophy — it’s harmful to public institutions that keep society from crumbling. There is one way and one only to improve Florida schools, which are attended by 90 percent of children: Fund them.

“Lauren Book brings back bill to combat human trafficking at hotels” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Sen. Lauren Book has filed a new version of legislation aimed to fight back against human trafficking, particularly at hotels. This time, however, human trafficking victims won’t be allowed to sue hotels and motels where they were trafficked. That portion of last year’s bill led to intense pushback from the hotel industry. And despite passing through every committee with unanimous support, the bill eventually died on the floor. “We’re not trying to create the fights and problems there were last year,” Book said. “We know this is a problem. We know where it’s a problem. And we need to address it.”

“Hillsborough prosecutor joins Texas fight against cash bail. But what about Florida?” via Dan Sullivan of the Tampa Bay Times — Andrew Warren, the chief prosecutor for Hillsborough County, recently added his name to a legal brief supporting the plaintiffs in a Texas case challenging the constitutionality of a money bail system. The brief’s authors call money bail “wealth-based discrimination.” Warren was one of more than 80 lawyers and public safety officials nationwide who joined the brief. But while he supports reform, Warren says he doesn’t see major problems with the bail bond system in Hillsborough County. The Texas lawsuit challenges the use of preset bail amounts in Dallas County. Bail reform hasn’t gained much ground in the Sunshine State. State Sen. Jeff Brandes has sponsored legislation that would allow chief judges to institute a risk-assessment system within their own circuits in Florida. Fierce opposition to these efforts comes, naturally, from the bail bond industry.

“Requiring public schools offer a Bible class? A lawmaker says, ‘Why not?’” via Jeffrey Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times — The state has a bill pending (HB 195) in the Legislature that would require high schools to offer an elective course on the Bible and religion. The rationale for co-sponsor Rep. Brad Drake, a Fort Walton Beach Republican, is clear. “A study of a book of creation by its creator is absolutely essential,” Drake said, suggesting the lessons of kindness and tolerance might help reduce other state problems, such as crime. “So why not?” he asked. “It’s the book that prepares us for eternity, and there’s no other book that does that.”

“Lawmakers take aim at plastic straw bans” via the News Service of Florida — A proposal (HB 603) by Rep. Anthony Sabatini says “a municipality, county, or other local governmental entity may not adopt, enforce, or implement any ordinance, rule, or law that would further restrict a food service establishment from distributing single-use plastic straws to customers.” Plastic straws have become a heavily debated issue, with ban supporters saying the straws end up in landfills or threatening marine life in oceans instead of being recycled. Sabatini’s proposal is identical to a measure (SB 588) sponsored by Sen. Travis Hutson. “The decision to use plastic straws should be made by the citizens — not government; the decision to offer plastic straws should be made by the business owners — not the government,” Sabatini said in a prepared statement.

“House bill would allow Halifax Health to operate hospital in Deltona” via Nikki Ross of the News-Journal — Halifax Heath took another step last week toward ensuring the future of a hospital under construction in Deltona when state Rep. David Santiago filed a bill that would allow the public hospital to build and operate facilities outside its taxing district. … The Deltona hospital has been challenged by former Ponce Inlet mayor Nancy Epps because it is outside Halifax Health’s taxing district. Last year, two Volusia County judges ruled that Halifax Health’s enabling legislation does not allow it to build and operate facilities outside the taxing district. Halifax Health has appealed the rulings to the Florida Supreme Court, which will hear the case Tuesday, Feb. 6.

Happening today — Senate Special Master Dudley Goodlette will hold a case-management conference in an appeal by suspended Okaloosa County Superintendent of Schools Mary Beth Jackson, 11 a.m., 401 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.

Today’s legislative committee meetings

The Senate Criminal Justice Committee meets to consider a series of bills including SB 130, from Orlando Democrat Linda Stewart to eliminate a statute of limitations on the prosecution of sexual batteries when victims are under age 18, 1:30 p.m., 37 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.

The Senate Health Policy Committee will consider SB 182 from St. Petersburg Republican Brandes that would eliminate a ban on smoking medical marijuana, 1:30 p.m., 412 Knott Building, The Capitol.

The Senate Agriculture Committee will receive an update on the Florida Department of Citrus from Director Shannon Shepp, 1:30 p.m., 301 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.

The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee will workshop SB 122, filed by Chairman Doug Broxson, a Gulf Breeze Republican, that would limit attorney fees in cases involving the insurance practice known as assignment of benefits, 4 p.m., 412 Knott Building, The Capitol.

The Senate Judiciary Committee will consider SJR 362, also filed by Brandes, asking voters to abolish the Florida Constitution Revision Commission, 4 p.m., 110 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.

Florida Department of Children and Families Secretary Chad Poppell will appear at a meeting of the Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee, 4 p.m., 301 Senate Office Building, The Capitol.

— STATEWIDE —

Happening today — The Florida Chamber Foundation hold an event in Alachua County to roll out its preliminary “Florida 2030” recommendations, 8 a.m., Cade Museum, 811 South Main St., Gainesville.

“Should Florida level the playing field for university performance funding?” via Lloyd Dunkelberger of the Florida Phoenix — Florida has handed out nearly $1 billion in special ‘performance funding’ to its public universities since the fall of 2014. But Florida A&M University, one of the largest and oldest historically black universities in the country, has received less than two percent of that funding — just $17 million. Compare that to the University of Florida, which has received $214 million in state performance funding since 2014; Florida State University, which got $167 million; and the University of South Florida, which got $157 million.

“Andrew Gillum, in his own words, on ethics allegations: Here’s what we learned” via Jeff Burlew of the Tallahassee Democrat — Gillum first met with a trio of purported businessmen who were actually undercover FBI agents on May 16, 2016, at The Edison. Adam Corey invited Gillum to the meeting while the two of them were in Costa Rica, though Gillum said there was little discussion of the meeting during the vacation. He said when he arrived at The Edison, he noticed then-Leon County Schools Superintendent Jackie Pons wrapping up a meeting with “Mike Miller,” Mike Sweets and another undercover agent who went by “Brian Butler.” Pons confirmed in an interview that he met with the men at The Edison. But he doesn’t recall seeing Gillum. Gillum said he went into “full pitch mode” and told Miller and the others that Tallahassee was a thriving place to do business. Gillum said he didn’t show political favoritism when he supported Corey’s proposal for The Edison. Corey’s idea beat out another proposal by the Ghazvini family, who are prominent local builders and developers and prodigious political donors.

“Parents of 2 Parkland victims want Pulitzer for local paper” via David Bauder of The Associated Press — Two parents who lost daughters in last year’s Parkland school shooting saying the South Florida Sun-Sentinel has stayed on the story to demand accountability long after the national media left. Ryan Petty and Andrew Pollack wrote an open letter to judges who decide the Pulitzer that was posted on the website Real Clear Education in recent days. “If it wasn’t for them, everyone would have just moved on,” said Pollack. The newspaper didn’t know about the letter ahead of time, said Julie Anderson, editor-in-chief of the Sun-Sentinel who called it “very gratifying.” “The work by the Sun-Sentinel’s reporters remind us of what journalism can and should be, and also what is being tragically lost as local newspapers downsize,” their letter said.

Tweet, tweet:

Immediately after the tragedy, it seemed that some folks associated w/Parkland (not Pettty & Pollack) eschewed the local paper at times in favor of national media exposure. The national media left. The local guys stayed, ground it out, kicked ass. Never forget where you came from

— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) February 3, 2019

“Police probing ‘suspicious’ death of person investigating Florida mom’s murder mystery” via Harriet Sokmensuer of People magazine — The unnamed victim was found morning fatally shot in a St. Augustine condo. The victim was in the middle of an investigation into the death of Michelle O’Connell, a 24-year-old Florida mother whose sudden death was ruled a suicide over the objections of her family. Before dying, the victim had requested to view public records regarding O’Connell’s case. On Sept. 2, 2010, authorities say O’Connell fatally shot herself. That evening, O’Connell was found lying on the bedroom floor of the home she shared with her boyfriend, Jeremy Banks, dead from a gunshot wound to the head. The fatal shot came from Banks’ service weapon. Banks denies any involvement in O’Connell’s death and investigators say there is no probable cause to believe Banks was involved. Because the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office handled O’Connell’s case, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office was asked to handle the death investigation to avoid a potential conflict of interest.

“SFWMD attorneys: Consent decree merely a security blanket for environmentalists” via Tyler Treadway of TCPalm — The SFWMD’s latest legal argument contains a couple of comments about the environmentalists who want a federal judge to maintain the so-called “consent decree,” which sets strict limits on pollution, primarily phosphorus, going to the Everglades. The 27-year-old consent decree’s value “is no more than that of a security blanket,” attorneys wrote to the U.S. District Court in Miami this week. Of the environmental groups “desiring the decree’s comfort,” the attorneys wrote, the “ivory tower is occupied by those unaccountable to the state officials they would so casually deprive of legislative and executive powers. “Those who cling to the decree do so without concern for urgent, highly-politicized state priorities — the embodiment of the public’s interest.”

“Some greyhound tracks quit early, breeding slows 2 months after racing ban passes” via Kate Santich of the Orlando Sentinel — Three of the state’s 11 tracks have already gotten out of the business, and greyhound-adoption organizations report that they don’t have enough retired racers for all the people who want them as pets. Despite concerns before the election that thousands of retired greyhounds would overwhelm adoption groups, making it difficult for them to find good homes, so far the opposite is true. “There’s not this large number available like people think,” said Carol Becker, president of God’s Greyts Greyhound Group in Orlando, which works with the kennels to find homes once dogs leave the track. “When Amendment 13 was proposed, the people who were breeding dogs — they just stopped, because their future was in question. So there aren’t a lot of new dogs coming into the system.”

— LOCAL —

“Osceola Commissioner Fred Hawkins enters HD 42 race” via Florida Politics — “I want to bring my passion for quality education, public safety and protecting our natural resources to state government,” Hawkins said in the announcement. “Florida’s best days are ahead of us. I will bring principled leadership to Tallahassee to ensure every Florida family can realize the American dream.” Hawkins, a St. Cloud resident who has served on the Osceola County board for the past 10 years, is seeking the seat currently held by term-limited state Rep. Mike La Rosa. HD 42 is a mostly rural area covering Eastern Osceola County. As a county commissioner, Hawkins has represented communities of St. Cloud, Harmony and the Narcoossee Corridor.

“Tammy McCarus steps up to challenge Geraldine Thompson in HD 44” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — Windermere Republican McCarus announced her campaign for Orange County-based House District 44 on Friday, becoming the second GOP hopeful to sign up for the 2020 cycle. Preceeding her entry was Orlando Republican Frank Edel Blanco, who filed Jan. 15. McCarus is a physician who earned her medical degree from the University of Miami, but health care isn’t the only issue she’s focusing on from day one. “We must protect the health of Florida’s natural resources, its citizens and its future. My entire life, I’ve focused on helping keep people healthy. That’s exactly the experience I will bring to the Florida Legislature,” McCarus said. HD 44 covers southwest Orange County and was held by Republican Bobby Olszewski before he lost to Thompson 51-49 percent in November.

“Donna Barcomb makes it official: She’s challenging Margaret Good in HD 72” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — “Sarasota and all of Florida need to get back to the basics,” said Barcomb, a Sarasota business owner. “We need to improve our public schools, access to quality affordable health care and make sure every Florida family can achieve prosperity.” Already, Barcomb earned the endorsement of former state Rep. Ray Pilon. “Donna has what it takes, she will give Sarasota the clout we need at a critical time,” Pilon said. “She isn’t divisive or partisan and will be fair in representing our community.” Barcomb now holds a seat on the Sarasota County Charter Review Board and previously served on the Sarasota County Public Hospital Board. While those are low-profile public offices, that means she’s won several countywide elections in a row in a county that encompasses all of HD 72.

“Bryan Blackwell signs up to succeed Dane Eagle” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — Former U.S. Marine and Army National Guard Sgt. Blackwell announced he’s seeking to replace term-limited Republican Rep. Dane Eagle in Lee County’s House District 77. Blackwell, a Republican and longtime Cape Coral resident, is the first candidate to launch a campaign for the seat in the 2020 cycle. Blackwell said in a news release: “We need leaders in Tallahassee who’ll fight for what we believe in here, and I am ready to answer that call.” He has lived in Southwest Florida for 28 years co-owns and operates Molloy Financial Group, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial that focuses on comprehensive financial planning, investment advice and estate planning.

“Roger Lolly files to replace Heather Fitzenhagen in 2020” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — Small-businessman and philanthropist Lolly announced he was seeking the House District 78 seat held by term-limited Republican Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen. “As a father of five beautiful children, I could no longer wait for others to take action to safeguard our waterways, protect our quality of life and fight for traditional family values,” Lolly stated. He grew up in Pine Island and his family is deeply rooted in the local fishing community. He is a graduate of Mariner High and went on to pursue his passion for baseball by playing with the South Florida Braves. In 2013, Lolly founded the If I Can Dream Foundation (IICDF) to eliminate barriers to employment, civic involvement, and social inclusion for Americans with life-altering disabilities.

“It’s stealthy now, but the 2020 race for Miami-Dade Mayor is about to get crowded” via Douglas Hanks of the Miami Herald — The race to replace Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez received its first official candidate when former County Commissioner Juan Zapata submitted filing papers 575 days before the first ballots are cast. But the unofficial contest has been underway for months, with contenders prepping what’s sure to be a crowded race for one of the most powerful posts in Florida. Alex Penelas, the former county mayor hoping for a comeback, has recruited Gimenez’s longtime professional fundraiser for a campaign the Democrat could launch in March. Two of Marco Rubio’s top political allies in Miami — former Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera and County Commissioner Esteban “Steve” Bovo — are both acting as undeclared candidates, publicly expressing interest in the race and privately telling supporters they’re running. Shortly after losing his re-election bid to Congress, Republican Carlos Curbelo said he was considering a run in the county’s nonpartisan mayoral race.

“Strange bedfellows: How a South Florida Democrat became the darling of the alt-right” via Sarah Blaskey of the Miami Herald — Self-described Islamophobes, white nationalists, sympathizers of the Ku Klux Klan and members of alt-right factions support an unlikely new ally: Hallandale Beach Commissioner Anabelle Lima-Taub, known until recent weeks as an outspoken feminist and Democrat. Lima-Taub was facing official censure from colleagues on the city commission for a viral Facebook post in which she called Rashida Tlaib, a Muslim congresswoman from Michigan, a “Hamas-loving anti-Semite” who might “become a martyr and blow up Capitol Hill.” The post was denounced as hate speech by numerous Muslim and Jewish human rights organizations, but Lima-Taub remained unapologetic. By digging in and defending her statements, Lima-Taub alienated many of her mainstream supporters nearly overnight. But she also attracted a new group of allies who cheered her on from internet chat rooms and anti-Muslim blogs.

“Former Gulf Breeze Mayor David Landfair accused of offering to pay for sex” via Annie Blanks of the Pensacola News-Journal — Landfair was investigated by the Santa Rosa County School District in October for allegedly sending sexually charged text messages to a former student through a dating website while he worked at the school. During the investigation, records show that Landfair told school district officials he only opened an account on the dating website to investigate rumors of high school girls using the website. But a second woman provided screenshots that showed Landfair met with her, and she claims he paid her $300 to dance nude for him five times, for $1,500. Grace Mallett, a 24-year-old Gulf Breeze woman who graduated from Gulf Breeze High School and counted Landfair’s wife as one of her teachers, went to school officials in October 2018, claiming Landfair had sent her crude and sexually explicit messages after they met on a dating website called Seeking Arrangement.

“Federal officials threaten All Children’s funding, citing problems” via Kathleen McGrory and Neil Bedi of the Tampa Bay Times — The hospital was cited for not meeting federal rules on infection control, quality improvement, how it hires and manages doctors, and its leadership structure, according to a letter the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services sent the hospital. The findings were severe enough to constitute “an immediate or serious threat to patient health and safety.” The agency placed the hospital in a rare status called “immediate jeopardy,” which federal guidelines describe as “a crisis situation.” Federal regulators do not directly control whether hospitals are allowed to operate. But they can cut hospitals off from public funds — a potentially devastating situation that could result in closure. Most hospitals can correct deficiencies and escape immediate jeopardy status before losing the money.

— BUCKHORN SIT-DOWN —

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn recently spoke with McKenna Kelley of Tampa Magazine for a wide-ranging interview on his tenure.

The Mayor talks past, future and present. He reflects on his 1966 Dodge Dart and remains open-minded about his life after exiting office. Ask him what he’s most proud of, and the popular Buckhorn responds meaningfully.

“It’s not a plaque. It’s not a building,” Buckhorn says. “It’s knowing that Tampanians believe in what Tampa’s next chapter is going to be, and they’re empowered and driven to get there.”

Legacy: Development downtown, sure. But what else? Buckhorn points to neighborhoods and parks. “We’ve spent just as much time working on making sure those neighborhoods are strong and vibrant … We’ve probably built more parks, in terms of total acreage, than any other administration ever.”

Regrets: “When you run a big city, there’s always going to be issues of income inequality,” Buckhorn says. “There’s always going to be issues of inequality of opportunities, perhaps. The drugs and the gangs and the violence and the challenges of our inner-city schools, those don’t change.”

What’s next: Buckhorn isn’t predicting another ballot appearance, but says that he’s “not ever going to say never.” He adds: “I had a chance to run for Governor this last cycle. I didn’t, and I knew when I made that decision I was potentially closing the window on my public life. I’m OK with that.”

— D.C. MATTERS —

“Judge considers gag order in Roger Stone case” via Katelyn Polantz of CNN — “This is a criminal proceeding and not a public-relations campaign,” Judge Amy Berman Jackson said in a brief hearing. Jackson cautioned Stone against treating the buildup to the trial “like a book tour” and reminded him he should not argue his case “on the talk show circuit.” She also said that if a gag order is imposed, that wouldn’t limit all of Stone’s public speaking. He and others in the case, Jackson said, could still “discuss foreign relations, immigration or Tom Brady.” “No gag order! I will fight, and the deep state is in panic mode! Onward …,” Stone wrote on Instagram days before the hearing.

“Rick Scott on Meet the Press: Donald Trump must keep emergency wall funding as an option” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Scott said Democrats aren’t negotiating in good faith with Trump about border security. While Scott doesn’t want Trump using emergency powers to build a wall, he said all options should be on the table. “If I was sitting in his position,” Scott said, “I would go out there and say, ‘I’m going to use whatever power I have to solve the problem.’” He said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi “are not negotiating in good faith.” “We have to have border security. We have to take care of the DACA kids,” Scott said. “On top of that, I think we need to have a permanent solution for TPS (Temporary Protected Status).”

To view the interview, click on the image below:

“Marco Rubio, strong majority of Senate call on CMS to protect Medicare Advantage” via Kevin Derby of Florida Daily — The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) unveiled some changes to Medicare Advantage and Part D plans — leading Rubio and almost a supermajority of the U.S. Senate to call on the Trump administration to protect Medicare Advantage. The CMS is offering “proposed changes that will take significant steps in continuing the agency’s efforts to maximize competition among Medicare Advantage and Part D plans” which, it insists, will “increase plan choices and benefits and include important actions to address the opioid crisis.” Rubio and the Senators concluded the letter by urging CMS Administrator Seema Verma and the administration to “implement policies that promote innovation, provide predictable funding to support long-term, value-based arrangements, and ensure that any substantive changes include sufficient time for thorough evaluation and stakeholder engagement.”

“Venezuela crisis resonates loudly in battleground Florida” via Gary Fineout of The Associated Press — Florida has a large number of anti-Nicholás Maduro Venezuelans and Cubans and is also likely to be a critical battleground state in the 2020 race for the White House. “Foreign policy is domestic policy in South Florida,” said Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who lives in Weston, one of the Florida communities that have seen a Venezuelan influx. Florida is home to an estimated 190,000 Venezuelans, many of whom arrived in the past decade as their homeland slid into economic and political crisis under Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chávez. They have found common cause with Cuban-Americans, who see parallels between what has happened under the socialist government in Venezuela and what has gone on under communism in Cuba. Cuban-Americans — a potent voting bloc in Florida — are also angry about Venezuelan support for Cuba over the past two decades.

“Florida congressional Democrats say they were ‘shut out’ of Mike Pence Venezuela event” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — The Florida Democratic Party is pushing back against the White House after Democrats from the South Florida congressional delegation were not invited to a Miami-Dade event dealing with Venezuela. Florida Democratic Party Chair Terrie Rizzo says congressional Democrats who have backed the administration’s vision on Venezuela were shut out. “This shouldn’t be a partisan issue — but Vice President Mike Pence has made it one by shutting South Florida Democrats, including Congresswomen Donna Shalala, Wasserman Schultz, and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, out of his meeting,” Rizzo said. A local GOP official familiar with the organizing process says Democratic lawmakers at the state level were invited to Friday’s event.

“Ted Deutch helps lead congressional group seeking to combat gun violence” via Anthony Man of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The Gun Violence Prevention Task Force includes three-quarters of the Democrats in the U.S. House and all 13 Democrats in the Florida congressional delegation. Deutch, who represents parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties, will be the organization’s chief whip for the Democratic-controlled House. One of the vice chairwomen of the task force is U.S. Rep. Val Demings.

Assignment editors — U.S. Reps. Deutch and Wasserman Schultz will hold a news conference to urge passage of legislation that would make animal cruelty a federal crime, 10 a.m., Animal Care and Adoption, 2400 S.W. 42nd St., Fort Lauderdale.

Assignment editors — U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan joins Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells to discuss legislation that would make animal cruelty a federal crime, 10 a.m., Manatee Humane Society, 10 a.m., 2515 14th St. West, Bradenton.

“Sheila Griffin considers challenging Charlie Crist in 2020” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — Former St. Petersburg City Council candidate Griffin launched an exploratory committee to determine whether to challenge Crist in 2020 for Florida’s 13th Congressional District. “As we look forward … [constituents] deserve to have a leader that is engaged,” Griffin said. “They deserve to have somebody who already has substance, and I am that person.” Griffin is something of an outlier in Pinellas County politics. When she ran for City Council in 2015, she was the lone Republican in the race to replace Wengay Newton.

“Deported to Mexico, wife of Polk County Marine veteran calls life away from U.S. ‘a nightmare’” via Lisa Maria Garza of the Orlando Sentinel — Alejandra Juarez, 39, was deported in August amid Trump’s zero-tolerance immigration policy despite years — and thousands of dollars for lawyers — trying to fix her undocumented status, which was revealed during a 2013 traffic stop. “I don’t think I have quite accepted it yet,” she said. “I just feel like I’m in a dream — a nightmare.” Trying to adjust to her new life in the Yucatán Peninsula, she’s looking for a job as her husband supports two households, but there’s no one she trusts to watch her 9-year-old daughter Estela. In Mexico, Juarez said she has been reluctant to make major purchases for her small apartment, such as a washing machine, hoping the situation is temporary. “I just kept postponing all that,” Juarez said, “thinking I’m gonna get a phone call saying, ‘You can come back now.’”

“Poll shows generational, political divides among Cuban-Americans” via Anthony Man of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The latest Florida International University Cuba poll shows a generational divide. The differences are especially pronounced between older Cubans who fled their country in the first two decades after the late dictator Fidel Castro took power and younger Cuban-Americans who were born outside the country. The divergence between people who left Cuba and came to the U.S. before 1980 and other Cuban-Americans is “a stark, almost seismic division,” said Guillermo Grenier, lead investigator for the survey and chairman of FIU’s Department of Global and Sociocultural Studies. Cuban-Americans remain heavily Republican. “Republicans are still very, very strong,” Grenier said. Overall, pollsters found, voter registration is 54 percent Republican, 19 percent Democratic and 26 percent no party affiliation/independent.

— OPINIONS —

“On abortion, extremism has become mainstream in the Democratic Party” via Marco Rubio for The Stream — Democrats in New York and Virginia have made it clear that, on the issue of life, extremism has become mainstream in the Democratic Party. Gone are the days when Democrats sought to make abortion “safe, legal, and rare.” Democrats are now the party of abortion on demand and at any point in a pregnancy. Their haste to rush left has led them to such an extreme position on abortion that they now openly advocate for it even up to the moment prior to delivery. I recognize that this debate puts two rights in conflict with one another: the right of women to control their bodies, and the right of every unborn child to live. For me, I will always err on the side of life. We must do everything we can to give every human a chance at life. Thankfully, this belief is still alive and well within the Republican Party.

“I’ve been a Senator for three weeks. Washington is worse than you’ve heard.” via Rick Scott for The Washington Post — One year ago, I called on Congress to make a simple deal on immigration requiring both Republicans and Democrats to do two things — compromise and respect the wishes of the American people. This deal is so logical and so easy, even politicians in Washington should be able to grasp it. But, as the events of the past few weeks have shown, they cannot. The truth is, the vast majority of Republicans are ready to make this deal and are ready to provide a route for the Dreamers. But Democratic leaders are not ready to make this or any deal. Sure, the Democrats have voiced support and cast votes for border security in the form of physical barriers in the past, but they won’t do so now because of their hatred of the president of the United States.

“Roger Stone’s dirty tricks helped sway the 2000 Florida recount” via Ion Sancho of the Tallahassee Democrat — Stone has plied his stock-in-trade, the dirty trick for over five decades, so it was no surprise five counts of his seven-count recent indictment concerned making false statements. The two remaining counts reflected threats of physical intimidation, a tactic Stone would employ in the infamous Florida 2000 recount. The 2000 Florida recount is the capstone of Stone’s career. He was not a supporter of candidate George Bush — at the time he was helping Trump’s campaign for the New York Reform Party nomination for president — and only became involved when contacted by Margaret Tutwiler, at the request of recount head James Baker III. In the words of Stone, “The idea we were putting out there was that this was a left-wing power grab by [Al] Gore, the same way Fidel Castro did it in Cuba.”

“It’s time to change the way Florida votes” via Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel — A campaign is quietly taking shape to end Florida’s closed primary system. This idea would end party primaries altogether. Instead, it would place all candidates from all parties on a single primary ballot — and let everyone vote. The top two candidates move on to the general-election ballot in November. It could be two Republicans, two Democrats, one of each or include an independent or Libertarian. Basically, the two finalists would be the two best candidates, as determined by voters, regardless of party affiliation. Think about it: If one party has two good candidates, and the other party has only a nut-job, why should the nut-job be guaranteed a spot in the finals? There are many good reasons to hold elections this way. It combats extremism. It promotes bipartisanship. More voters get influence. It’s financially fair. It limits the influence of special interests.

“Mend, don’t end, Florida’s Constitution Revision Commission” via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board — The commission was a good idea at its inception. It was constructive in 1978 and 1998. It should be mended, not ended. When it comes before the Ethics and Elections Committee, Senators should take the opportunity to attach other reforms, principally how revision commissioners are chosen. The 37-member commission that sent eight amendments to the November ballot — the Supreme Court removed one — suffered from inexperience, inept leadership and the partisan agendas of some of its members. Nobody can foresee what the state’s unmet problems will be in 2037, but human nature and politics being what they are, it’s a safe bet that the Legislature will be unwilling or unable to deal with some of them. The justification for the revision commission remains strong. So does the need to fix what has gone wrong with it.

“Stephen Rowe: Floridians need all the facts before AOB reform can begin” via Florida Politics — The Florida Legislature is looking to make changes this session to Assignment of Benefits (AOB) that would negatively impact both small businesses and homeowners.  Before any changes take place, lawmakers need to get the numbers right by looking at the whole picture when discussing AOB and attorney fee reform.  Which is why the Restoration Association of Florida (RAF) recently submitted a public records request to Citizens Property Insurance Corporation (Citizens Property) for their official claims data to secure a broader picture of their claims handling practices.  Our goal is to advocate for our members, to build a strong network of professionally trained restoration companies, and to educate homeowners regarding Assignment of Benefits (AOB) and their ability to hire an independent contractor of their choice.  Citizens Property is the leading voice against AOBs, providing incomplete data showing an increased number of lawsuits for claims with an AOB. The Florida Legislature should be given the opportunity to review the claims data, so they may clearly understand the property insurance carriers are to blame for much of the increased litigation.

— MOVEMENTS —

Personnel note: Former DBPR Secretary opens own law firm — Jon Zachem, formerly head of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, has opened his law firm in Tallahassee. According to the website, his solo practice specializes in administrative law, rule-making, licensure, and other areas. He’s online at zachemlaw.com. Zachem, appointed in 2017 by then-Gov. Scott, was replaced by the DeSantis administration with former state Rep. Halsey Beshears, a Monticello Republican. Zachem was previously DBPR’s deputy secretary, as well as chief attorney and later director of its Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering. He also has worked for the Prosecution Services Unit of the Florida Department of Health.

Personnel note: Toluse Olorunnipa named White House reporter for The Washington Post — The former reporter for the Times/Herald Tallahassee bureau had spent the last six years at Bloomberg News, first as a Tallahassee-based Florida Correspondent, then as Washington Correspondent. He now will cover “the Trump White House and national politics” for The Post, according to a LinkedIn post. Olorunnipa also “wrote, self-published and marketed ‘The $15,000 Year: The iLifer’s Guide to Riding out the Recession (and Changing the World),’ a 228-page personal finance and social change guide for young Americans.” His undergraduate and graduate degrees in sociology are from Stanford University in California.

— ALOE —

“Kansas City Chiefs early favorites to win Super Bowl LIV next season” via Ben Fawkes of ESPN — The New England Patriots are champions for the second time in three seasons after defeating the Los Angeles Rams, but Las Vegas doesn’t believe they are the favorites to win the Super Bowl again next season. The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook opened odds to win Super Bowl LIV in early January. The Chiefs had the second-best odds at 7-1, with the Rams as the favorite at 6-1. However, in the weeks since, Kansas City has shifted to the 6-1 favorite there and at multiple other Las Vegas sportsbooks. New England, Los Angeles and the New Orleans Saints have the second-best odds at 8-1 at Westgate. No other team has odds in the single digits. “One word: Mahomes,” Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook director John Murray told ESPN, citing why the Chiefs are now the favorite.

“FSU drops Deondre Francois after abuse allegations surface” via the Associated Press — FSU head coach Willie Taggart said in a statement Sunday that he had notified Francois of his decision the night before. Taggart’s decision to drop Francois came the same day the quarterback’s girlfriend posted a video to Instagram alleging abuse by Francois. “As we build a new culture and foundation for FSU football, we have high expectations for all of our student-athletes and we will not shy away from those high standards of conduct,” Taggart said. “We are moving forward as a program.”

Tweet, tweet:

 

The breaking news that @FSUFootball dismissed QB Deondre Francois is not shocking to anyone that spent any amount of time around the program the past few years. Domestic assault charges aside, I cannot recall scouting a QB with more football character red flags than Francois.

— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) February 3, 2019

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Belated best wishes to the legendary Tom Gallagher as well as Monte Stevens better half, Jodi. Celebrating today is former Sen. Dwight Bullard, Dan Barrow, and Nicole Wallace.

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Today’s Sunburn was written by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel McAuliffe, Jim Rosica, and Drew Wilson.