Staff Reports
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
On Monday, Attorney General Ashley Moody called attention to state resources aimed at protecting veterans from fraud.
Moody’s office has prepared a tip sheet, “Scams at a Glance,” to help veterans and their families keep apprised of new scams and inform them about programs they can use if they fall victim to fraud. Moody launched an awareness campaign in recognition of National Veterans and Military Families Month and Veterans Day.
“As we observe National Veterans and Military Families Month, I encourage all Floridians to take the time to thank and honor our service members and veterans, as well as their families, who sacrifice so much daily,” Moody said.
“I believe we have a duty to protect the more than 1.5 million veterans and service members who call Florida home from scammers aiming to exploit their courage and service. This Patriot Protection Week, we aim to educate our military and veteran families with helpful resources, tips and information on how to avoid scams that target our patriots.”
To avoid common scams, Moody recommends veterans watch out for photos and language insinuating a connection between business and the military; verify the authenticity of an email or text that appears to be from a military branch; ensure that any military charity asking for donations is registered with the state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and place a free active-duty alert on credit reports.
Coronavirus Numbers
Positive cases:
— 832,525 FL residents (+6,619 since Sunday)
— 11,372 Non-FL residents (+201 since Sunday)
Origin:
— 7,674 Travel related
— 316,912 Contact with a confirmed case
— 8,617 Both
— 499,322 Under investigation
Hospitalizations:
— 50,489 in FL
Deaths:
— 17,333 in FL
Evening Reads
“Donald Trump privately discussing 2024 run” via Jonathan Swan of Axios
“Trump mulls 2024 run. Where would that leave Florida Republicans?” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
“Even in defeat, the embers of Trumpism still burn in the Republican Party” via Robert Costa, Phillip Rucker, and Josh Dawsey of The Washington Post
“Trump got beat; we have saved our democracy” via Diane Roberts of The Florida Phoenix
“Trump says Defense Secretary Mark Esper has been fired” via Amanda Macias of CNBC
“The Trump presidency is ending. So is Maggie Haberman’s wild ride.” via Ben Smith of The New York Times
“Pressure mounts on federal agency to affirm Joe Biden victory” via Alex Thompson of POLITICO
“Mike Pence takes Florida vacation as Joe Biden formulates virus strategy” via The Associated Press
“HUD Secretary Ben Carson tests positive for coronavirus” via Kevin Breuninger of CNBC
“Alvin Brown to lead HUD? Here’s what Jacksonville insiders think” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
“Disney, Universal, SeaWorld stocks skyrocket as Wall Street rallies on vaccine news” via Mark Skoneki of the Orlando Sentinel
“Trio of Central Florida Democrats pushed for Biden administration” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics
“Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it’s deadly” via Mary Ellen Klas and Ben Conarck of the Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau
“COVID-19 in Florida: Hospitalizations up 43% in three weeks” via Cindy Krischer Goodman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel
“A $15 minimum wage? Here’s how Miami business leaders are responding” via Yadira Lopez, Rob Wile and Carlos Frias
Quote of the Day
“I wonder if that’s not going to become a more permanent part of the way we do elections in this country. Hopefully, we’ll get a little bit better at it. Hopefully, more states will be able to do what Florida was able to do, which is count those ballots before (Election Day) so we don’t have this long period of waiting as those finally get counted after the election.” — Eugene Robinson, describing Florida as a vote-by-mail model for the nation.
Bill Day’s Latest
Breakthrough Insights
