Staff Reports
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
The leaders of the Florida Jewish Legislative Caucus spoke out Monday against the recently discovered anti-Semitic remarks made by Florida State University Senate President Ahmand Daraldik.
“Students expressing extreme or bigoted views against any segment of a University’s population should not be in a position of authority,” said Democratic Rep. Richard Stark of Weston, chair of the Florida Jewish Legislative Caucus. “FSU Senate President Ahmad Daraldik has made anti-Semitic remarks and social media posts comparing Israel to Nazi Germany, tweeted altered photographs, and used profanity. It is in the best interests of Florida State University for him to step down.”
The call for resignation was echoed by Democratic Rep. Emily Slosberg of Boca Raton, the incoming chair for the caucus.
Slosberg described the comments as “deeply disturbing” and said they demonstrate a “complete lack of character.”
“Part of FSU’s stated mission is ‘to instill the strength, skill, and character essential for lifelong learning, personal responsibility, and sustained achievement within a community that fosters free inquiry and embraces diversity,” Slosberg said. “I struggle to understand how anti-Semitic comments by a member of the University’s student leadership further that mission or create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students. It is time for Ahmad Daraldik to step down.”
Daraldik is a Palestinian and a student member of an anti-Israel group, Students for Justice in Palestine.
He is accused of creating a website that contains hateful rhetoric including comparisons of Israelis to Nazis.
His website leads with the title “The Holocaust never ended, it just moved to Palestine” and the opening paragraph lays the blame for regional unrest on Zionism.
“Although one cannot deny the suffering of the Jewish people and many others in the Nazi German Holocaust, it in no way justifies the contemporary Holocaust imposed upon the Palestinian people, Daraldik wrote.
Coronavirus Numbers
Positive cases:
— 98,047 FL residents (+2,908 since Sunday)
— 2,170 Non-FL residents (+18 since Sunday)
Origin:
— 2,359 Travel related
— 41,295 Contact with a confirmed case
— 2,296 Both
— 52,097 Under investigation
Hospitalizations:
— 13,119 in FL
Deaths:
— 3,173 in FL
Unemployment numbers
As of Sunday:
Total claims: 2,550,218
— Confirmed unique claims: 2,603,376
— Claim verification queue: 106,763
— Claims processed: 2,295,413
— Claims paid: 1,470,576 (+33,547 since Thursday)
Total paid out: $7.14 billion (+$616 million since Thursday)
Evening Reads
“The lapses that let a Saudi extremist shoot up a U.S. Navy base” via Michael LaForgia and Eric Schmitt of The New York Times
“Donald Trump to expand coronavirus-related immigration restrictions” via Stef Kight of Axios
“Trump’s Nicolás Maduro comments create political mess in must-win Florida” via Matt Dixon. and Gary Fineout of POLITICO Florida
“‘We clearly haven’t beat it’: Florida politicians alarmed over coronavirus spike” via Caitlin Oprysko of POLITICO
“Florida coronavirus: Percent testing positive drops 4% as state eclipses 100k cases” via WFLA
“Nikki Fried sends horrible message on domestic abuse” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics
“Call them ‘irresponsible’: Lenny Curry blasts media for COVID-19 coverage” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
“60 Jacksonville firefighters self-quarantining due to exposure to coronavirus” via Florida Times-Union
“Pasco schools superintendent Kurt Browning tests positive for COVID-19” via Jeff Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times
“Clay County Superintendent of Schools race the latest example of how write-in candidates can wreak havoc” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics
“$500M for hurricane recovery distributed amid pandemic” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics
Quote of the Day
“Undoubtedly, enforcement will be a challenge.” — Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said after announcing individuals will now be required to wear masks when out in public in the city of Miami.
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