Peter Schorsch
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz has started acknowledging that Joe Biden won the presidential election.
Gaetz, one of President Donald Trump’s so-called “warriors” in Congress, hasn’t started referring to Biden as President-elect. But he recognizes that Biden will be President — in fundraising emails, at least.
“With Joe Biden and Kamala Harris headed toward the White House, we don’t have a lot of time before Democrats take power and try to change America into a socialist wonderland,” Gaetz wrote in a Tuesday email to supporters.
A call for contributions quickly follows the surrender — the campaign is apparently not hitting its mid-month goals, and needs “Patriots” to “STAND UP TO THE FAR-LEFT DEMOCRATS.”
The fundraising ask continues: “We are falling behind the power-hungry Democrats as they race our country toward socialism. We don’t have the option of coming up short, as Nancy Pelosi and her far-left caucus are determined to force their radical policies on the American people.”
Gaetz’s email doesn’t mention Trump, nor does it make far-fetched claims of election fraud or theft. Just regular old fearmongering about “socialist” Democrats.
Maybe this is a sign — not that things are getting back to normal, necessarily, but that Republicans have realized it’s hard to fundraise off being a sore loser.
Here a few other notes:
— Even the prediction market knows it’s over: It took betters on the PredictIt market until this weekend, just before electors were slated to cast their votes for President Monday, to finally acknowledge what most did long ago — that Biden indeed would be the next President. Before the weekend, various questions on the election still had shares signaling hope for Trump lingering above 10 cents. By Sunday, they had all plummeted to 6 cents or less.
— Florida is the Grinchiest of all states: Florida ranked dead last in a recent GetCenturyLink.com analysis of holiday spirit in all 50 states. The study looked into Google searches for gingerbread houses and Christmas movies, online shopping for Christmas-related products, Christmas music streaming, charitable giving, tweets about Christmas and the number of Christmas tree farms per capita. The analysis gave Florida a stocking-full-of-coal rating. Bah humbug.
— Best wines of 2020: Bloomberg’s Elin McCoy tested more than 2,000 wines over the course of 2020, a sampling that rivals other wine-filled years. Normally, the wine connoisseur has a tough time narrowing down the Top 10, but not this year. This year’s top vintages elicited memories of better times and ranged from the top champagnes of the world to a $23 bottle of white. Find out which wines made the cut here.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
—@PeteButtigieg: This is a moment of tremendous opportunity—to create jobs, meet the climate challenge and enhance equity for all. I’m honored that the President-elect has asked me to serve our nation as Secretary of Transportation.
—@GovRonDeSantis: I will always protect the right of Floridians to work and provide for their families. I enjoyed meeting with restaurant employees and small-business owners today to discuss the importance of safeguarding the right to earn a living. I’ve got your back!
—@AnnaForFlorida: Says the Governor who only allocated $50M to the emergency small business bridge loan program* while he refunded the top 1% of corporations $543 million! *Which only 1,000 small businesses out of 38,000 even received.
—@ChrisSprowls: The Florida House launched the 1st State-initiated investigation into China’s coordinated effort to access our Universities & research. Next year, we will propose new legislation to make Florida the national leader in protecting our research institutions.
—@ShevrinJones: President-Elect @JoeBiden couldn’t have picked a more qualified individual. Congratulations to you @PeteButtigieg
—@Mdixon55: @GovRonDeSantis says he’s not going to go “negative” on @JoeGruters bid for reelection as chair of the @FloridaGOP, so he says that’s functionally an endorsement. Didn’t praise him, but said he won’t take out knives or back someone else.
—@CaitMcVey: During newser late this afternoon, @GovRonDeSantis said next two weeks of Pfizer vaccines slated for Florida have been put on hold, totaling about 450k doses. “We don’t know whether we will get any or not. And we’re just going to have to wait,” DeSantis said. @BN9 #bn9covid19
—@RT_Dailey: .@GovRonDeSantis says today he anticipates feds could give Moderna vaccine emergency use authorization as early as Friday, giving the vaccine a good shot of getting to the state for distribution next week
—@VolunteerFla: Today, @VolunteerFla was recognized as a recipient of the 2020 @FloridaTaxWatch Productivity Awards for Volunteer Connect, Florida’s official volunteer opportunities platform. Congratulations to all of the winners and we thank @FloridaTaxWatch for this honor!
—@AndrewLearned: Not usually one to brag but … I have a Wikipedia page now and I feel like I’ve officially made it in this world.
Tweet, tweet:
Hello, Florida Senate. pic.twitter.com/FY65ck0ppU
— Kathy Mears (@MearKat00) December 15, 2020
— DAYS UNTIL —
NBA 2020-21 opening night — 6; “The Midnight Sky” with George Clooney premieres on Netflix — 7; “Wonder Woman 1984” rescheduled premiere — 9; Pixar’s “Soul” premiere (rescheduled for Disney+) — 9; Greyhound racing ends in Florida — 15; Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association human trafficking compliance training deadline — 16; Georgia U.S. Senate runoff elections — 20; WandaVision premieres on Disney+ — 30; the 2021 Inauguration — 35; Super Bowl LV in Tampa — 53; Daytona 500 — 60; “Nomadland” with Frances McDormand — 65; Children’s Gasparilla — 115; “No Time to Die” premieres (rescheduled) — 117; Seminole Hard Rock Gasparilla Pirate Fest — 122; “A Quiet Place Part II” rescheduled premiere — 128; “Black Widow” rescheduled premiere — 142; “Top Gun: Maverick” rescheduled premiere — 197; Disney’s “Shang Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings” premieres — 215; new start date for 2021 Olympics — 219; “Jungle Cruise” premieres — 227; St. Petersburg Primary Election — 251; St. Petersburg Municipal Elections — 321; Disney’s “Eternals” premieres — 325; “Spider-Man Far From Home” sequel premieres — 327; Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” premieres — 359; “Thor: Love and Thunder” premieres — 423; “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” premieres — 476; “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” sequel premieres — 657.
— DATELINE TALLAHASSEE —
“Pete Antonacci named chief administrative law judge of Florida” via Jim Turner of The News Service of Florida — Receiving praise for his handling of the 2020 election, Antonacci was appointed Tuesday to serve as chief judge of the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings. DeSantis and two state Cabinet members supported appointing Antonacci, who also has held high-level positions such as general counsel for former Gov. Rick Scott. DeSantis and the Cabinet also interviewed five other finalists for the chief judge job. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the only Democrat on the Cabinet, voted against Antonacci. Besides being Scott’s general counsel, Antonacci drew appointments to be Broward’s Supervisor of Elections, Palm Beach County State Attorney, South Florida Water Management District executive director and Enterprise Florida executive director.
“Matt Willhite bill urges Congress to fund suicide prevention for veterans” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — Rep. Willhite filed a bill Tuesday urging Congress to recognize the veteran suicide epidemic and to fully fund suicide prevention efforts at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill, HM 71, is a memorial bill. If passed, copies of the bill urging action would be delivered to the President, Vice President, the Speaker of the House, and each member of Florida’s congressional delegation. “The time is past due that our country work more aggressively to protect at home the brave men and women in the military that protect and defend our country and our democracy,” said Willhite, a Wellington Democrat. The 2020 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs found 6,435 veteran suicide deaths in 2018 or 17.6 veteran suicides a day.
— CORONA FLORIDA —
“Florida adds 9,411 coronavirus cases, 94 deaths Tuesday” via Natalie Weber of the Tampa Bay Times — Florida added 9,411 coronavirus cases and 94 deaths Tuesday, bringing the death total to 20,365, according to the Florida Department of Health. There have been more than 1.1 million people infected statewide since March. The state has reported 10,003 cases and 105 deaths per day on average this week. It can take officials up to two weeks to confirm and report a COVID-19 death, meaning the number of deaths added does not necessarily reflect the number of people who died the previous day. According to health department data, the state averaged a positivity rate of 8.36% over the past seven days. Over the past two weeks, daily positivity rates ranged from 7.38% to 9.64%.
“About 1.16 million vaccinations expected in Florida by end of December, Ron DeSantis says” via Wendy Rhodes of The Palm Beach Post — DeSantis on Tuesday said he hopes to have 1.16 million vaccinations against COVID-19 delivered to Florida by the end of December. DeSantis held a news conference at Okeechobee Steak House in West Palm Beach, where he discussed vaccines’ status. He said he expects the Moderna vaccine to receive FDA clearance on Friday and begin to ship either by Saturday or Sunday, and that Florida is expecting 370,000 doses next week and 163,000 doses the following week. DeSantis said he expected 205,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine next week and 267,000 doses the following week, but Pfizer has run into production issues and might not be able to deliver.
“Florida plans to get COVID-19 vaccines to more than 150 hospitals by next week” via Ben Conarck of the Tampa Bay Times — The Florida official in charge of coronavirus vaccine distribution said Tuesday that the news of Moderna’s likely federal authorization puts the state on a timeline to vaccinate front-line healthcare workers at more than 150 hospitals within the next two weeks. By Tuesday morning, about 100,000 doses of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine had been delivered to the five hospitals in the state’s pilot program, according to Jared Moskowitz, the director of the state’s Division of Emergency Management. As those hospitals inoculate their workers and those at 25 additional hospitals this week, the state is preparing plans for next week, when it expects to receive 300,000 to 400,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine, which could be authorized as early as Friday.
“Despite White House Task Force advice, DeSantis says restaurants stay open” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — On Sunday, news broke that a White House Coronavirus Task Force report for Florida recommended stricter measures for stopping the virus, including mask-wearing at all times in public, increased physical distancing by reducing capacity or closing indoor spaces at restaurants and bars and limiting gatherings outside of immediate households. States like California are reimposing restrictions in the face of rising cases, but Florida has waitresses, cooks, and family-owned businesses covered, the Governor said. “We just want to send the message, some may want to shut you down, we want to pull you up,” he said Tuesday during a news conference with several restaurant industry workers.
“DeSantis will ‘stand in the way’ if local leaders try to shut down restaurants” via WFLA staff reports — DeSantis stood with restaurant owners and employees at a Florida steakhouse Tuesday, assuring them he will not allow them to be shut down amid the pandemic. The news conference took place at Okeechobee Steakhouse in West Palm Beach. A reporter asked DeSantis what he would say to local leaders who feel they’re “hobbled” by the Governor’s executive order restricting action against businesses that violate mask mandates or other coronavirus safety measures. DeSantis said he hasn’t seen a single business owner or employee acting like the virus isn’t real. Meanwhile, indoor dining restrictions were reinstated indefinitely in New York City, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday.
“Jimmy Patronis to FEMA: Utility workers need COVID-19 vaccine before hurricane season” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics — Patronis wants the Federal Emergency Management Agency to ensure that utility workers can access the COVID-19 vaccine before the 2021 hurricane season. Presently, utility workers are classified as “1b essential workers,” meaning they’re ranked second in line to health care professionals and long-term care facility residents. In a letter to FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor, Patronis encouraged the agency to prioritize utility workers with the White House Coronavirus Task Force and the CDC. Hurricane season begins June 1, leaving health officials roughly five months to vaccinate the nation’s lineworkers.
“The pandemic is hitting Florida families harder than those elsewhere. Food is scarce.” via Yadira Lopez of the Miami Herald — Children in Florida are faring worse than the national average, according to a new report that examined the pandemic’s impact on families in all 50 states. Housing stability, in particular, appears grim for Florida families with children. Nearly a quarter of households — 23% — indicated slight or no confidence to make the next rent or mortgage payment on time, compared to 18% nationally. According to the KIDS COUNT report published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation Monday, Florida families with children also fared worse in food security and healthcare. The report drew data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey. Data for the KIDS COUNT report takes a snapshot for a one-month period between mid-September and mid-October.
“A mysterious gap in COVID-19 deaths appeared in Florida before the presidential election” via Cindy Krischer Goodman and David Fleshler of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — An astonishing pattern has emerged in Florida’s COVID death tally — one that suggests the state manipulated a backlog of unrecorded fatalities, presenting more favorable death counts in the days leading up to the 2020 presidential election. With minor exceptions, Florida quit including long-backlogged deaths in its daily counts on Oct. 24, 10 days before the Nov. 3 election, and resumed consistently including them on Nov. 17, two weeks after the election. The result: The daily death numbers Floridians saw during that time were significantly lower than they otherwise would have been. The change came just three days after the DeSantis administration announced it would conduct an additional review of every suspected COVID death before adding it to Florida’s count.
“Yes, snowbirds will be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Florida” via Lois K. Solomon of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — When it comes to the vaccine for COVID-19, snowbirds are equal to the rest of us. Senior visitors spending the winter in Florida, along with seniors who live in the state full-time and those with medical conditions, can get the vaccine here sometime in the coming months, Division of Emergency Management spokesperson Jason Mahon said. They’re scheduled for the next round of inoculations after health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities. The CDC makes it clear in its “Florida Interim COVID-19 Vaccination Plan” that you don’t have to be a full-time Floridian to get your inoculation: “The goal of the Florida COVID-19 Mass Vaccination plan is to immunize all Floridians and visitors who choose to be vaccinated.”
“Florida’s ‘Grim Reaper’ lashes out at DeSantis’ attempt to sanction him over COVID-19 lawsuit” via Steven Lemongello of The Orlando Sentinel — Florida’s beach-roaming “Grim Reaper” said DeSantis is trying to intimidate him by asking a court for sanctions over a coronavirus lawsuit he filed. “They’re trying to hit me where they think they can hurt my livelihood and my reputation,” Santa Rosa Beach attorney Daniel Uhlfelder said in an interview with the Orlando Sentinel. “And I don’t take that lightly. But they’ve been wanting to come after me for a long time.” Uhlfelder sued DeSantis in March to try to force the state to close beaches and impose a statewide shutdown. DeSantis ultimately ordered a 30-day shutdown in April, and while some counties and cities closed beaches, there was never a statewide beach shutdown.
“‘Here we finally are.’ First health care workers in Miami-Dade receive COVID-19 vaccine” via Ben Conarck of The Miami Herald — Less than half a year removed from weathering one of the most drastic COVID-19 surges in the country, front-line health care workers at Miami’s public hospital system rolled up the sleeves of their scrubs and welcomed their first doses of a vaccine shown to be capable of keeping the novel coronavirus at bay. The conference room inside Jackson Memorial Hospital, one of the most active South Florida hospitals during the pandemic, erupted in applause after Grace Meatley, a nurse in the intensive care unit, received Jackson’s first dose of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine. The joyous occasion was a marked departure from recent news conferences at the facility over the last 10 months that often warned of worsening statistics and dire illness.
“Providing 188 vaccines per hour: ‘The faster we do it the better,’ hospital CEO says” via Lisa J. Huriash and Wells Dusenbury of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Hospital workers rejoiced at the arrival of Miami-Dade’s first COVID-19 vaccines on Tuesday, applauding the first doctors and nurses to receive their shots. Jackson Memorial Hospital officials said they’re averaging giving 188 vaccines per hour and will keep it up in the coming days. Jackson CEO Carlos Migoya said the hospital received 19,500 doses packed in dry ice and plans to administer all of them within seven days. “The faster we do it the better,” he said. After Jackson’s front-line workers are vaccinated, “we are quickly moving on to every other hospital throughout Miami-Dade County.”
“Alina Alonso tries to fill in the blanks on COVID vaccine distribution” via John Pacenti of The Palm Beach Post — The top health official in Palm Beach County tried to assure the public Tuesday that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and that there is a plan in the formative stages to distribute the life-saving shots. Still, Alonso, director for the county Health Department, said there are still some blind spots about how exactly this endeavor will unfold, and she bemoaned the federal government for what she called mixed messaging that is undercutting public confidence in the vaccine. Alonso said it is still unknown when seniors in the general public be will be prioritized. She said she was left to augment what little has been told to her from the state and federal governments with her institutional knowledge of public vaccinations.
“Baptist Health to begin offering COVID-19 vaccine to staff Friday in Jacksonville” via Beth Reese Cravey of The Florida Times-Union — Jacksonville-based Baptist Health will begin administering the COVID-19 vaccine to its health care staff at 7 a.m. Friday. Brett McClung, president and CEO, has offered to roll up his sleeves first, followed by staff who work in “high-risk areas,” said spokeswoman Cindy Hamilton. Staff at all area Baptist campuses will receive the first of two shots at Baptist Medical Center downtown, she said. “Vaccination is voluntary for Baptist Health team members,” Hamilton said. “Team members will still be asked to wear PPE, masks, etc., whether or not they have the vaccine because it takes all the tools in our tool kit to stop the pandemic.”
“Naval Hospital Jacksonville receives COVID-19 vaccine for health care staff” via Beth Reese Cravey of The Florida Times-Union — Naval Hospital Jacksonville received an initial supply of the COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday and will begin administering doses to its staff Wednesday. According to Jeanne Casey, public affairs officer at the hospital, the vaccine will be offered voluntarily, with priority distribution for on-base health care workers, emergency services, and public safety personnel. “We’re vaccinating a small handful of people on our first day,” she said. “It includes some physicians, nurses and hospital corpsmen, some senior physicians and nurses,” Capt. Michael Kaplan, an allergy-immunology physician, will head up the distribution. The vaccine was developed by Pfizer and its German partner, BioNTech, and approved for emergency use Friday by the FDA.
“TCC offering financial assistance to students facing evictions” via Karl Etters of the Tallahassee Democrat — With an untold number of evictions looming at the end of the year, Tallahassee Community College is stepping in to offer assistance to its students. The school is offering $600 a month and as much as $1,800 in emergency assistance for students enrolled in the fall semester and facing housing evictions once a federal moratorium halting it during the coronavirus pandemic sunsets Dec. 31. Students currently enrolled in the fall semester must apply for the college funding by Thursday, Dec. 17. The funds will be disbursed the following day. Florida A&M University Vice President for Student Affairs William E. Hudson Jr. said they continue to support educational expenses through the CARES Act funding.
“Leon County long-term care facilities to be part of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine pilot” via CD Davidson-Hiers of the Tallahassee Democrat — Leon County is set to be one of eight counties participating in a pilot program to distribute the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to long-term care facility residents and staff, once the vaccine is approved. County Administrator Vince Long informed Leon County commissioners of the pilot program in an email Monday afternoon. By Tuesday afternoon, the Leon County office of the Florida Department of Health said it expected to receive 2,500 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, though logistics of distribution are still being made final. The health department said the first wave is expected to begin next week. “As details are finalized, DOH-Leon will release more information on the vaccination plan,” the department said in the press release.
“COVID-19 positive test rates flirt with 10% in Hillsborough as death toll nears 1,000” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — As signs of hope emerge in the battle to tame the COVID-19 pandemic with a newly available vaccine, the Tampa Bay area continues to grapple with a slowly increasing outbreak in its two most populous counties. Positive testing rates for new tests in Hillsborough and Pinellas County are still on the rise, with Florida Department of Health data released Tuesday showing Monday’s positivity rate at 9.22% in Hillsborough and 8.79% in Pinellas. Both are single-day increases, up from 8.71% in Hillsborough County on Sunday and 7.23% in Pinellas. It is not uncommon for single-day data to show a temporary uptick. However, longer-term trends are showing a slowly increasing problem.
“Central Florida gets 1st shipments of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine” via Naseem S. Miller of the Orlando Sentinel — AdventHealth Orlando received the first shipment of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, containing 20,000 doses, on Tuesday morning. The health system plans to inoculate 9,400 Central Florida employees — including doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists and environmental employees who work in COVID units, ICUs and emergency rooms — at its Orlando and Celebration campuses, starting Wednesday through next Tuesday. In the coming days, AdventHealth is distributing the rest of the doses to its facilities in other counties, including Lake County and Daytona Beach, and other health systems, including Orlando Health, Nemours Children’s Hospital, and HCA hospitals in Central Florida. Orlando Health will begin vaccination on Friday through midweek next week.
“Nearly all of Orange County’s $243 mil federal CARES dollars are spent. Where’d it all go?” via Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel — Nearly all of the $243 million in federal coronavirus relief aid that Orange County received in April is already spent or committed, officials said Tuesday. County leaders hope to get more money next month from a second round of stimulus funding under discussion in Congress. About $1 million is left in the original pot of money, which must be spent by Dec. 30 or sent back to the federal government, said Kurt Petersen, manager of the Office of Management & Budget, who outlined spending Tuesday for County Commissioners. Petersen said $185.7 million had been paid out, and $56.5 million has been committed but not distributed. Mayor Jerry Demings said the county plans to spend all of its CARES Act funding.
“Universal Orlando’s Dockside and Disney World hotels are opening” via Gabrielle Russon of the Orlando Sentinel — In the midst of the pandemic recovery, hotels at the major theme parks have opening dates starting with Tuesday’s debut of Universal’s Dockside Inn and Suites. Dockside, which has 2,050 guest rooms, came online as part of the Endless Summer Resort located off International Drive and Universal Boulevard. It’s the eighth hotel in a partnership between Universal and Loews Hotels. Meanwhile, Disney will reopen Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort opens March 22, Disney’s Beach Club Resort May 30, followed by Disney’s Wilderness Lodge on June 6 with Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort set for sometime summer 2021. Neither theme park has revealed how many of the thousands of laid-off or furloughed workers might be called back to work in the hotels.
— CORONA NATION —
“Moderna vaccine found safe, effective before key FDA review” via Anna Edney and Robert Langreth of Bloomberg — Moderna Inc.’s vaccine is safe and effective for preventing COVID-19 in people ages 18 and older, U.S. regulators said, clearing the way for a second shot to quickly gain emergency authorization and add to the country’s sprawling immunization effort. In a Tuesday report, the FDA’s staff said that the experimental vaccine is 94.1% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19, confirming earlier results released by the company. The report was posted online ahead of a meeting Thursday of agency advisers who will vote whether to recommend authorization before a final FDA decision.
“COVID-19 is having a devastating impact on children and the vaccine won’t fix everything” via Erin Einhorn of NBC News — It has been almost 10 months since COVID-19 began putting parents out of work, shrouding their homes in grief and loss, and shutting children out of the schools that taught and cared for them. It’s all taken an unthinkable toll on children, a social, emotional and academic ordeal so extreme that some advocates and experts warn its repercussions could rival those of a hurricane or other disaster. Food banks have been slammed with hungry families as an estimated 17 million children are now in danger of not having enough to eat. The numbers aren’t all bad news: drug and alcohol use among youth, for example, appears to be down, as are juvenile arrest and incarceration rates.
“Proof of vaccination will be very valuable — and easy to abuse” via Nita Farahany of The Washington Post — Since the coronavirus pandemic began, bioethicists have warned about the dangers of so-called immunity passports: Documents that attest that a person has contracted the coronavirus in the past and therefore might carry antibodies that make them immune. The risk is that a passport system would lead employers and others to discriminate against people who lack them and their value would produce perverse incentives. No such formal passport system has yet arisen. But the arrival of coronavirus vaccines under emergency authorization in parts of Europe and the FDA’s emergency approval of the Pfizer vaccine in this country raise the issue anew.
“Washington navigates ethical minefield on getting first COVID-19 shots” via Alice Miranda Ollstein of POLITICO — The first COVID-19 shots will soon be available to top officials and essential staff in the White House, the Pentagon and Congress. But they’re already facing a political and ethical dilemma over who should be at the front of the line. While most of the scarce Pfizer vaccine is now on its way to hospitals and nursing homes across the country, some of the first tranches were reserved for federal leaders to ensure the government can continue to function as U.S. deaths and hospitalizations peak. The situation is particularly awkward at the White House, considering the number of virus outbreaks it’s seen and the fact many senior officials who were infected already have antibodies.
— CORONA ECONOMICS —
“‘The most lopsided economic event imaginable’: Wave of evictions threatens Black, Latino tenants” via Katy O’Donnell and Janaki Chadha of POLITICO — The expiration of the federal eviction ban at the end of the month will disproportionately hurt Black and Latino tenants, financially hobbling them for years and ensuring that the United States’ staggering racial wealth gap won’t narrow anytime soon. Black and Latinos are twice as likely to rent as white people, so a wave of evictions would hit them hardest. Just as communities of color have seen higher infection and death rates from the virus, they have also been more vulnerable to job and income losses from the ensuing economic crisis.
“Critical to vaccines, cold storage is Wall Street’s shiny new thing” via Kate Kelly of The New York Times — Investors were already snapping up shares of vaccine makers like Moderna and Pfizer. FedEx and UPS, whose shares have already risen this year as the pandemic forced millions to rely on online shopping, could benefit further from their roles in vaccine delivery. But in recent months, private equity firms and wealthy individual investors have also been seizing on smaller companies like PCI Pharma, whose cold-storage operations will play a crucial role in delivering COVID vaccines to the public. Until recently, the temperature-controlled storage and shipping of pharmaceutical products, known as the “cold chain,” was a relatively sleepy corner of the health care industry.
“Use it or lose it: Tenant aid effort nears a federal cutoff” via Conor Dougherty of The New York Times — Almost from the moment the pandemic spread across the United States, advocacy groups have warned that the economic fallout could cause mass displacement of low-income tenants. In response, more than 400 state and local governments have used money from the federal CARES Act to set up funds to cover at least $4.3 billion in rental assistance — money that has helped tenants pay their bills and landlords stay current on their mortgages, according to a database set up by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, a policy group. But now, many jurisdictions are reporting trouble spending it, and with barely two weeks left in the year, they are on pace to have more than $300 million left over, according to the coalition’s database. In a pattern that predated the pandemic, the programs have been complicated by bureaucratic hurdles, competing budget demands, and a reluctance among landlords to take part.
— MORE CORONA —
“With first dibs on vaccines, rich countries have ‘cleared the shelves’” via Megan Twohey, Keith Collins and Katie Thomas of The New York Times — As a growing number of coronavirus vaccines advance through clinical trials, wealthy countries are fueling an extraordinary gap in access around the world, laying claim to more than half the doses that could come on the market by the end of next year. While many poor nations may be able to vaccinate at most 20% of their populations in 2021, some of the world’s richest countries have reserved enough doses to immunize their own multiple times over. With no guarantee that any particular vaccine would come through, these countries hedged their bets on several candidates.
“Fight club busted in NYC moves its petri dish to Florida” via Olivia Messer of The Daily Beast — After an underground fight club was busted and heavily fined in New York for packing hundreds of mostly maskless people into a warehouse under the mantle “Rumble in the Bronx,” the same club appears to have thrown a similar event just three weeks later in Orlando, Florida. Rumble in the Bronx’s Instagram page posted a flier advertising an Orlando event featuring eight “exclusive fights” for the night of Dec. 5. That same flier was also posted to another Instagram account, called @rumble_in_orlando, with a similar logo and list of followers. Images and videos from the posts show about 75 to 100 people packed into a warehouse without masks.
“Dozens of kids possibly exposed to COVID-19 at Santa photoshoot” via CBS News staff reports — Dozens of children may have been exposed to COVID-19 while having their photos taken with “Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus” at the Long County Chamber of Commerce’s annual Christmas parade Thursday. County Commission Chairman Robert Parker said the two people portraying the jolly couple tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday. Long County said in a statement that roughly 50 kids were involved. Parker said his two were among them. The Long County School System asks parents to keep children who were there or show symptoms home until after the new year, though schools will remain open.
“De Beers raises diamond prices for first time since pandemic” via Thomas Biesheuvel of Bloomberg — De Beers raised diamond prices for the first time since the outbreak of the global pandemic, signaling growing confidence in a rebound for the struggling industry. According to people familiar with the situation who asked not to be identified as the information is private, prices increased by about 2% to 3% at the diamond giant’s final sale of the year last week. That’s the first time De Beers has been able to start reversing steep cuts made earlier this year. The diamond industry’s engine room is dominated by small family-run businesses that cut, polish and trade the stones. They form the invisible link between African mines and jewelry stores in New York, London and Hong Kong.
“CNN parent rejects unfounded Donald Trump ads about election fraud” via Gerry Smith of Bloomberg — AT&T Inc.’s WarnerMedia, the parent of CNN and other cable networks, rejected two ads from Trump’s campaign that attacked the election results, according to a person familiar with the matter. The company refused to air the spots because their claims of election fraud couldn’t be substantiated, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. The Trump campaign said on Friday it was releasing TV commercials “calling on the American people to help fix our broken election system.” The ads were to begin airing on Dec. 12 “on national cable television,” the campaign said, without specifying which channels would show them.
“Inside the right-wing media bubble, where the myth of a Trump win lives on” via Jeremy W. Peters of The New York Times — Inside the sprawling and self-reinforcing network of websites, podcasts and video news that has fed some of the most reckless and unrealistic claims about the election, the myth of Trump’s political survival endures. The lead story on the Gateway Pundit, which researchers have identified as one of the major sources of pro-Trump misinformation online, floated the idea of a “BOMBSHELL” ruling in a case on Monday that the site teased as a possible game-changer: “Will a Small County in Northern Michigan Be the Key to Overturning the Nation’s Election Results?” Six weeks after his defeat, Trump and his media boosters’ aggressive campaign to insist with each new setback that the election is far from settled isn’t letting up.
— TRANSITION —
“Joe Biden’s inaugural committee urges Americans to stay home for ceremony” via Ursula Perano of Axios — The Presidential Inaugural Committee issued a statement urging the public to “refrain from any travel and participate in the inaugural activities from home” due to COVID-19. Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner David Kessler will serve as the committee’s chief medical adviser. It plans a “new and innovative program” for participation in inaugural ceremonies, released in the coming weeks. Both President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will perform their swearing-in ceremonies at the Capitol building, and Biden will deliver a speech after.
“Biden team will make an announcement soon on when he will receive vaccine, transition official says” via MJ Lee of CNN — The Biden transition team expects to make an announcement “soon” on when the President-elect and Vice President-elect Harris will receive COVID-19 vaccines. This comes after Dr. Anthony Fauci said in an interview this morning that his “strong recommendation” is that both Biden and Harris be vaccinated as soon as possible, saying of Biden: “You want him fully protected as he enters into the presidency in January.” As to how Biden and Harris might receive the vaccine, Biden told CNN’s Jake Tapper that he would receive it in a public setting to boost the public’s confidence in it.
“Biden to name Pete Buttigieg to lead Department of Transportation” via Alayna Treene and Hans Nichols of Axios — Biden plans to name Buttigieg as his transportation secretary as early as today, tapping a former rival to help rebuild America’s infrastructure, according to three people familiar with the matter. By selecting Buttigieg for transportation, the former Mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Biden will nominate the first openly gay person for a Cabinet position. Biden will also ensure that the 38-year-old Buttigieg, who rocketed to the front of the Democratic Party and won the most delegates in Iowa, plays a central role in his administration, as billions of dollars are expected to run through the Transportation Department if Biden passed his Build Back Better agenda.
“Biden to pick Jennifer Granholm, former Michigan Governor, for Energy Secretary” via Lisa Friedman of The New York Times — Biden will nominate Granholm, a former Governor of Michigan and a longtime champion of renewable energy development, to be the next Secretary of Energy, according to four people close to the President-elect’s transition team. If confirmed, Granholm will be the second woman to lead the vast department, which oversees the United States nuclear weapons complex and 17 national laboratories, and a wide range of energy research and development initiatives. Several people close to the transition said advisers had struggled over whether the Energy Department should be led by someone steeped in its core mission, ensuring the country’s nuclear arsenal’s safety or whether Biden should select someone with a vision for leading a clean-energy transformation.
“DeSantis begins to acknowledge Biden win even if he has trouble saying it” via Gary Fineout of POLITICO — DeSantis, a top ally of Trump, all but acknowledged on Tuesday that Biden won the presidential election even if he appeared to have difficulty saying it out loud. DeSantis’ attempt to deflect answering a question about Biden’s win came the same day that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell directly acknowledged Biden as President-elect a day after he officially won 306 Electoral College votes. When asked directly by reporters if he accepted a Biden win, DeSantis said, “It’s not for me to do. But here’s what I would say: Obviously, we did our thing in Florida. The college voted. What’s going to happen is going to happen.”
“Biden will arrive in office amid a pandemic. It will be his biggest challenge — but also an opportunity.” via Amy Goldstein of The Washington Post — As Biden and his team devise a governing strategy to defeat the coronavirus pandemic, they have become centrally focused on instilling broad, bipartisan faith in vaccines. With the first vaccine against the virus, developed by Pfizer and a German biotech firm, now allowed for public use, the President-elect regards it as imperative to “deweaponize” attitudes toward immunization among his political adversaries, as one member of his coronavirus advisory board put it, speaking on the condition of anonymity about internal matters without permission to discuss them openly.
— D.C. MATTERS —
“White House official recovers from severe COVID-19, friend says” via Jennifer Jacobs of Bloomberg — Crede Bailey, the director of the White House security office, was the most severely ill among dozens of COVID-19 cases known to be connected to the White House. Bailey’s family has asked the White House not to publicize his condition, and Trump has never publicly acknowledged his illness. Bailey’s friends have raised more than $30,000 for his rehabilitation through a GoFundMe account. “Crede beat COVID-19, but it came at a significant cost: his big toe on his left foot as well as his right foot and lower leg had to be amputated,” Dawn McCrobie, who organized the GoFundMe effort for Bailey, wrote Dec. 7.
“Leaders in Congress meet in search of spending and stimulus deals” via Emily Cochrane of The New York Times — The meeting of the top two Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate were the first in-person spending talks in months for the leaders, with a final deal still elusive on both the dozen must-pass spending bills and hundreds of billions of dollars in economic aid for individuals and businesses struggling amid the pandemic. It took place in the Capitol office of Speaker Pelosi, who hosted Sen. Chuck Schumer and Republican leaders Sen. McConnell and Rep. Kevin McCarthy. The group met for about an hour to discuss how to resolve their differences before government funding is scheduled to lapse at week’s end, agreeing to reconvene later in the evening for a second session, according to a person familiar with the plans.
“Florida congressional Democrats call for probe into Rebekah Jones case” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — Eleven members of Florida’s congressional delegation called Monday on Florida’s Chief Inspector General Melinda Miguel to investigate what’s going on with Jones. In a letter led by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston, the 11 House members raised Jones’s claims that she had been fired last spring to refuse to falsify COVID-19 data reported by the state that her home was raided by state officers last week to seize evidence she possessed. At a minimum, the Democrats are urging the Chief Inspector General to offer reassurances that the state can be trusted to report the truth about COVID-19 “during an exponentially worsening public health crisis by looking into Jones accusations.”
— STATEWIDE —
“Citizens Insurance urged to raise rates to discourage homeowners from switching” via Ron Hurtibise of The South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Insurance customers who lose access to affordable homeowner coverage could soon see their remaining option become much more expensive. With private market insurance rates skyrocketing across the state, state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. is again becoming the “insurer of last resort” for Florida homeowners who cannot find other affordable insurance. But a state lawmaker who doesn’t want Citizens to regrow to levels of a decade ago is proposing raising rates for new customers. Hence, the company becomes a less-affordable last resort. Citizens’ Board of Governors is scheduled Wednesday to discuss a proposal by state Sen. Jeff Brandes to stop selling new customers’ policies at artificially low rates.
“Design for ‘Florida Stands with Israel’ plate revealed” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — Following a public design contest, the Israeli-American Council has selected a winning design for the state’s “Florida Stands with Israel” specialty license plate. Boca Raton artist Daniel Ackerman created the design, topping 100 designs ranging from school children’s concepts in crayon to highly technical designs by professional artists. Israeli-American Council CEO Shoham Nicolet and IAC for Action Board Chairman Shawn Evenhaim lauded Florida’s relationship with Israel, including $4.5 billion in exports to Israel since 1996. Exports in 2018 were $400 million. More than 120,000 Israeli Americans call Florida home.
— LOBBYING REGS —
New and renewed lobbying registrations:
Sebastian Aleksander, The Aleksander Group: American Technology Corporation
Travis Blanton, Darrick McGhee, Johnson & Blanton: Little Havana Activities & Nutrition Centers of Dade County
Michael Corcoran, Matt Blair, Jacqueline Corcoran, Ralph Criss, Will Rodriguez, Andrea Tovar, Corcoran Partners: The Florida Holocaust Museum
Dean Izzo, Ron LaFace, Capital City Consulting: Adobe, NLP Logix
— LOCAL NOTES —
“PBC, Boca fight for rehearing on conversion therapy ruling” via Hannah Morse of The Palm Beach Post — Palm Beach County and the city of Boca Raton are pushing back on a court panel’s decision last month that effectively nullified bans on conversion therapy, arguing that the three judges went beyond their duty when they ruled that such bans violated the First Amendment. Boca Raton and Palm Beach County argue that the panel was supposed to rule only on whether U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg correctly rejected a request from two Palm Beach County therapists to temporarily suspend the ban until a final decision could be made.
“Gun-sniffing dog approved for some Broward schools” via Scott Travis of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Four Broward County schools will have a new regular visitor next semester: a crime-fighting dog named Taylor who will try to sniff out guns on campus. Despite concerns by some School Board members that police dogs could unfairly target Black students, they agreed 8-1 on Tuesday to a 90-day pilot project in Coconut Creek. The hope is to prevent another tragedy like the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, which killed 17 people, including the daughter of board member Lori Alhadeff and the husband of board member Debbi Hixon. “If K-9 Taylor stops one gun from getting into our school, it will all be worth it,” Alhadeff said.
“Judge rebukes 3 Hillsborough County Republicans for seeking local election recounts” via Florida Politics staff reports — A Hillsborough County judge rebuked three failed GOP candidates seeking recounts in the November election based on unsubstantiated claims about voter fraud and flawed vote counts. Congressional candidate Christine Quinn, Hillsborough County Commission candidate Scott Levinson and Hillsborough County School Board candidate Sally Harris filed suit Nov. 17, demanding a recount and asking a judge to throw out any ballots received after 7 p.m. on Election Day, which was Nov. 3. The group claimed in the lawsuit that there had been “a possible flawed ballot counting procedure” and that ballots were “sent to dead people.”
— TOP OPINION —
“Ashley Moody disgraces Florida and herself in failed bid to overturn presidential election” via Scott Maxwell of The Orlando Sentinel — Every Friday, Moody sends out a “Week in Review” email touting her activities from the past seven days. It’s a weekly exercise in self-promotion where Moody manages to publicize virtually everything she has done, from congratulating newly elected sheriffs to scoring headlines in local newspapers. But last week’s self-promotional cyber-blast somehow overlooked one really big thing Moody had done when she had tried to overturn the United States’ presidential election. Somehow, she forgot to mention that. The lawsuit Moody decided Florida should join was “constitutionally, morally and factually wrong.”
— OPINIONS —
“Call out the Florida Republicans who flirted with tyranny” via Randy Schultz of The South Florida Sun-Sentinel — U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart rarely misses a chance to criticize dictators such as Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro. Then why was Diaz-Balart among 11 of Florida’s 14 Republican House members sign onto a lawsuit that would have made Trump this country’s first dictator? Pad Texas’ lawsuit to overturn election results in certain states succeeded, Trump would have been the illegitimate representative of the American people for the next four years. It doesn’t matter if Diaz-Balart and the 10 other anti-democrats signed on just to placate Trump and his delusional cultists.
“Monday’s triumphs tinged by tragedy and treachery” via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board — Monday was a day like no other for the world’s oldest continuous democracy. There were two triumphs for the American people: one for medical science, the other for the Constitution, and the judiciary’s independence. In separate ways, they demonstrated how greatly facts matter. But both were also tinged with tragedy. As the nation counted 306 electoral votes for Biden and Harris, it also surpassed 300,000 deaths from the virus, more than all the nation’s deaths in battle during World War II. It is the world’s worst record since the pandemic began.
“How to avoid COVID public records lawsuit: Follow the law” via the Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board — The DeSantis administration is pushing for sanctions against a North Florida attorney who filed a lawsuit that would have forced the state to close beaches because of the coronavirus outbreak. In a court filing last week, lawyers for the Governor wrote, “The many hours spent by this Court and the attorneys of the Executive Office of the Governor on this appeal could have been spent on innumerable other pressing matters related to the health, welfare, and safety of Floridians.” If DeSantis were truly worried about wasting the time of courts and government lawyers, he would stop stonewalling legitimate news organizations’ requests for public information.
“Who is DeSantis listening to on the virus?” via the Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board — DeSantis might as well come out and say it. No amount of bad news will change his mind on how to handle the coronavirus pandemic. A recent report by the White House Coronavirus Task Force, led by Pence, paints a bleak picture for the Sunshine State. But even as infections surge, DeSantis keeps plowing ahead with his message that everything will be fine. It’s irresponsible, and a vaccine is no magic bullet. The Governor’s office has refused to publicize the task force reports. One reason may be the unvarnished nature of the task force’s warnings. It called for the state and local governments to redouble efforts, encouraging greater use of masks, social distancing, increased testing, and limits on indoor gatherings.
— ON TODAY’S SUNRISE —
State officials — including Gov. DeSantis — are positively giddy about the COVID-19 vaccines that a handful of hospitals are now administering.
Also, on today’s Sunrise:
— However, there’s a problem with the Pfizer vaccine: DeSantis says Florida may not get the expected 450,000 doses over the next two weeks.
— Florida’s Department of Health reported 9,400 new cases of coronavirus Tuesday, as well as 94 more fatalities. Florida’s death toll now stands at 20,365. Shortly after announcing those numbers, the Governor held a news conference at Florida’s oldest steakhouse, where he encouraged people to dine out, implying restaurants may be safer than your home.
—The COVID-19 crisis has driven many Florida families to the brink of bankruptcy, eviction or foreclosure … but it’s been a great time for the state retirement fund. They’re making bank during the pandemic.
— On the Sunrise Interview, two South Florida prep schools canceled a basketball game because administrators didn’t want the players wearing shirts that said Black Lives Matter. Rep. Omari Hardy is asking administrators at American Heritage prep schools in Delray Beach and Plantation to confront racism instead of censoring players.
— And finally, two stories of Florida Man and Florida Woman: She tried to escape the law by jumping into a canal after hitting a tree; he was killed while breaking into a house when the window fell on his neck.
To listen, click on the image below:
— ALOE —
“Florida man retrieves golf ball that landed on alligator’s tail” via Ben Hooper of UPI — A Florida golfer was caught on camera retrieving his ball from a particularly dangerous hazard, the tail of an alligator. Kyle Downes said he and his brother were at the Coral Oaks Golf Course in Cape Coral on Sunday when a ball landed on the gator’s tail. Downes shared a video showing his brother sneaking up on the alligator to grab the ball off its tail. The player quickly grabs the ball, and the alligator, apparently startled, darts into the water. The alligator in the video has been spotted before and is known as Charlie to golfers.
To watch the video, click on the image below:
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Best wishes to former Rep. Holly Raschein, Alex Dominguez, Caleb Hawkes, and journalist John F. Sugg.
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Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, A.G. Gancarski, Renzo Downey and Drew Wilson.
