Peter Schorsch
Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
A federal appeals court has ordered oral argument in state Rep. Chuck Clemons’ appeal of a decision not to toss out a lawsuit against the Newberry Republican because he blocked a constituent from his official social media.
Oral argument is set for June 11 in Jacksonville before the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, dockets accessed Tuesday show.
U.S. District Judge Mark Walker in Tallahassee had denied Clemons’ motion to dismiss Morgan Attwood‘s civil-rights lawsuit against him last May. That suit is on hold pending the appeal’s resolution.
Attwood, of Gainesville, had tweeted at Clemons to ask why he voted against a motion to take up debate on a bill to ban assault weapons in the wake of last year’s mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Broward County.
In response, Clemons blocked Attwood from Clemons’ official Twitter and Facebook accounts.
Walker ruled that Clemons wasn’t immune against being sued because he “controlled his Facebook and Twitter accounts. He was responsible for blocking Attwood. Therefore, he was responsible for the challenged action.”
The suit alleges Clemons violated the First Amendment by excluding Attwood from official social media accounts, or “otherwise publicly accessible forums.” Another federal judge ruled last year that President Donald Trump‘s blocking of critics on Twitter is unconstitutional.
But Clemons has said “any legislator, or any citizen, has the right to decide who they will or won’t allow to interact with them online. I would no more allow someone to be hostile or abusive online than I would if they were standing on my front porch. This is still America …”
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In other court news, the 1st District Court of Appeal rejected a request for rehearing after it ruled that Tampa strip club mogul Joe Redner cannot legally grow his own medical marijuana.
A one-page order also denied his request to certify the case to the state’s Supreme Court as one of “great public importance.”
Circuit Judge Karen Gievers, now retired, in April decided that Redner — a 77-year-old lung cancer survivor — has the right to ‘home grow’ under the 2016 state constitutional amendment allowing the use of marijuana as medicine.
His doctor says juiced marijuana is the best way to keep his cancer in remission, and Redner has said he needs to grow his own for the freshest marijuana plant to juice.
Evening Reads
“Space and water take center stage on third day of Florida trade missions to Israel” via Jeff Schweers of the Tallahassee Democrat
“Lots of lobbyists with Ron DeSantis and elected Cabinet on Israel trip” via Michael Moline of the Florida Phoenix
“DeSantis backs lifting Airbnb sanctions” via News Service of Florida
“What’s Nikki Fried up to in Israel? Hint: It involves crops, drones and medical pot” via Jeff Schweers of the Tallahassee Democrat
“First Amendment advocates say they’ll file legal challenge to DeSantis meeting in Israel” via Christine Stapleton of the Palm Beach Post
“Florida’s new voucher program could prompt lawsuit” via Leslie Postal of the Orlando Sentinel
“Blaise Ingoglia: Democrats angling for votes of undocumented immigrants’ children” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics
“Storm season could be met with ‘skittishness’” via Jim Turner of the News Service of Florida
“Privately-funded space race sparks economic liftoff for one Florida town” via The Real Deal
“Aramis Ayala: I will not seek re-election as Orange-Osceola state attorney” via Jeff Weiner of the Orlando Sentinel
“FPL’s CEO says Sun Sentinel is hypocritical and misleads readers” via the Sun Sentinel editorial board
“Really, Miami? Tampa lays rightful claim to the Cuban sandwich” via Sue Carlton of the Tampa Bay Times
Quote of the Day
A planned Florida Cabinet meeting in Israel Wednesday “is a public meeting subject to … the Florida Constitution and the Sunshine Law. By intending to proceed, (the Governor and Cabinet) are willfully violating the law.” — An excerpt from a lawsuit filed in Tallahassee by open government advocates seeking to prevent the meeting.
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Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state Cabinet are scheduled to hold what is being described as a “ceremonial” meeting at the United States Embassy as part of a trip to Israel. DeSantis is expected to sign a bill (HB 741) to combat anti-Semitism. Along with that meeting, the day is expected to include DeSantis giving a keynote address at the 2019 Israel-America Business Summit; ceremonies to sign memorandums of understanding; and a business-development reception. That’s at 8:30 a.m.; a livestream should be available on TheFloridaChannel.org and will be simulcast in the Cabinet Meeting Room, on the lower level of The Capitol.
U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz will host a roundtable discussion with state and local leaders to examine transportation and infrastructure issues in Florida’s 6th Congressional District. Invited speakers include former U.S. Rep. and former chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee John Mica, Anne Reinke of the U.S. Department of Transportation and Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Kevin Thibault. That’s at 8:30 a.m., Daytona Beach International Airport, 700 Catalina Drive, Daytona Beach.
U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, a South Florida Democrat, will visit a migrant detention center in Miami-Dade County. That’s at 10 a.m., Homestead Detention Center, 960 Bougainville Blvd., Homestead.
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott will hold news conferences on hurricane preparedness in Orlando and Miami ahead of the start of the 2019 Hurricane Season June 1. That’s at 10 a.m., Toole’s University Ace Hardware, 3755 Alafaya Trail, Oviedo and 3 p.m., Shell Lumber and Hardware, 2733 SW 27th Ave., Miami.
Democratic Congresswoman Lois Frankel will host a news conference on the Women’s Health Protection Act, which she reintroduced with her colleagues in Congress, to address the “state-based attacks on abortion rights, including the recent bans in Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia.” Joining Frankel will be Laura Goodhue, Executive Director of the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates. That’s at 10:30 a.m., 401 Clematis St., West Palm Beach.
The Leon County Supervisor of Elections Office will test voting equipment in advance of a June 18 special election in state House District 7, which opened when former Rep. Halsey Beshears, a Monticello Republican, was appointed secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Port St. Joe Republican Jason Shoaf and Tallahassee Democrat Ryan Terrell are running in the district, made up of Calhoun, Franklin, Gulf, Jefferson, Lafayette, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, Wakulla and part of Leon counties. That’s at noon, Leon County Election Center, 2990-1 Apalachee Parkway, Tallahassee.
The Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce hosts a Legislative Wrap-up, featuring Senate President Bill Galvano and Florida Politics founder and publisher Peter Schorsch. That’s at noon, Maestro’s Restaurant in The Straz Center, 1010 N. Macinnes Place, Tampa.
U.S. Rep. Greg Steube, a Sarasota County Republican, will hold a town-hall meeting to discuss policy issues related to veterans. That’s at 4 p.m., Suncoast Technical College Conference Center, 4445 Career Lane, North Port.
Sean Spicer, a former spokesman for Trump, is slated to speak during the Brevard County Republican Party’s Lincoln Reagan Dinner. That’s at 7 p.m., Radisson Resort at the Port, 8701 Astronaut Blvd., Cape Canaveral.
