Peter Schorsch
The Tiger Bay Club of Central Florida is known for hosting some of the best and most interesting debates, forums and speakers in Central Florida.
Today, they will continue the tradition by bringing together four Central Florida legislative delegation members for a lunchtime rundown on what happened during the 2021 Legislative Session, both regular and special.
The panel includes Republican Sen. Jason Brodeur of Sanford, Democratic Sen. Randolph Bracy of Ocoee, Republican Rep. Keith Truenow of Tavares, and Democratic Rep. Geraldine Thompson of Windermere.
The moderator? Peter Schorsch.
The lawmakers will cover the issues such as the early-Session push for COVID-19 liability protections, the massive school choice expansion package, the historic new Seminole Compact, and, of course, the state’s first 12-figure budget.
The luncheon will be held at the Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld, 10100 International Drive. It begins at 11:30 a.m. Attendance is free for Club members; tickets for nonmembers are available for $40 each. Registration is online.
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The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is pumping more than $1 million into grassroots organizing efforts across the country, and a chunk of that cash will land in the Sunshine State.
DCCC representatives confirmed to Florida Politics on Thursday that Miami-Dade County is on the list, which includes several battlegrounds across the country.
In a release last week, the organization said it would use the investment to hire dozens of organizing directors and constituency organizing directors in districts across the country.
Miami-Dade’s staffer “will be tasked with organizing, registering voters, and conducting outreach to the region’s diverse Hispanic electorate,” according to the DCCC.
“With this early investment, Democrats are looking forward to engaging and organizing within Hispanic communities in Miami through the 2022 election,” DCCC spokesperson Abel Iraola said. “We know that no one’s vote can be taken for granted and are excited to hit the ground running across Dade County.”
After Democrats took a shellacking in Miami-Dade last year, the investment dropped — the party lost two key congressional districts, a crucial state Senate seat, and more than one state House seat. While President Joe Biden did end up carrying the county at the top of the ticket, he did so by only about 85,000 votes — that’s a fraction of the 290,000-vote margin Hillary Clinton sported in 2016.
The funding almost certainly will be used to recapture Florida’s 26th and 27th congressional districts. They had been held by Democratic U.S. Reps. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and Donna Shalala, respectively, before flipping to Republicans Carlos Giménez and Maria Elvira Salazar.
The seats are seen as necessary to maintain the Democratic majority in the House, which was shaved down significantly in the last election.
Both seats are already on the DCCC’s “Districts In-Play” list, and the committee has already launched digital ads targeting Salazar. Anti-Giménez spots are likely to follow.
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Rep. Nick Duran doesn’t term out until 2024, but sources say he’s considering ditching his House District 112 seat to run for local office.
The change in plans comes after Miami City Commissioner Ken Russell’s surprise announcement he would run for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.
The open Commission seat has piqued Duran’s interest, though it’s not the only option he’s exploring — those close to the Miami Democrat say he’s also entertaining a bid for Florida’s 27th Congressional District.
CD 27 is one of the swingiest districts in the state. The Miami-Dade district is now held by Republican U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, who knocked off former U.S. Rep. Donna Shalala, a Democrat, last year. Shalala is considering a comeback bid, which could factor into Duran’s future plans.
Whether he shoots for City Hall or Congress, his campaign will likely be a formidable one. Duran has one of the strongest fundraising operations among House Democrats, which could give him an edge against the competition.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
Tweet, tweet:
In Florida we take conservation seriously and like to have fun doing it. Had a great time at the Python Bowl in South Florida helping protect the Everglades against the threat posed by Burmese Pythons. pic.twitter.com/BSww4OWEMc
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) June 3, 2021
—@AnnaForFlorida: Oh OK, so we lose MORE federal money because of FL’s decision to end FPUC. Thanks, @GovRonDeSantis!
—@JakeLahut: (Mike) Pence addresses January 6th, says “violence was quelled” and that Congress ultimately did its duty. Says he and (Donald) Trump have spoken “many times” since they left office, and doesn’t know “if we will ever see eye to eye on that day.”
—@Jose_Pagliery: Breaking news: A federal judge in Florida just formally accepted the plea deal for Joel Greenberg, U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz’s wingman.
—@shannonpareil: this leaves open a big loophole that many critics say gives politicians a free pass to lie: “Under Facebook’s new policies, posts made directly by politicians still won’t be subject to review by the company’s network of independent fact-checkers.”
—@FLDEO: Since Florida opted out of the FPUC program, the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) is instructing Florida to also end its participation in the Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation (MEUC) program, effective June 26, 2021.
—@scontorno: The third highest-ranking position in Florida’s health dept. — with “preventing epidemics” in the job description — was vacant from Jan. 2019 until Dec. 2020. A five-month search for records yielded no documents showing an attempt to fill it.
—@KevinCate: Jealousy drives a lot of terrible decision-making in politics. I suppose every other industry, too, but in politics, it is so much more pronounced and transparent.
— DAYS UNTIL —
‘Loki’ premieres on Disney+ — 5; Father’s Day — 16; Microsoft reveals major Windows update — 20; F9 premieres in the U.S. — 21; ‘Tax Freedom Holiday’ begins — 27; Fourth of July — 30; ‘Black Widow’ rescheduled premiere — 35; MLB All-Star Game — 39; new start date for 2021 Olympics — 49; second season of ‘Ted Lasso’ premieres on Apple+ — 53; the NBA Draft — 59; ‘Jungle Cruise’ premieres — 61; ‘The Suicide Squad’ premieres — 67; St. Petersburg Primary Election — 81; Disney’s ‘Shang Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings’ premieres — 91; NFL regular season begins — 97; Broadway’s full-capacity reopening — 102; 2022 Legislative Session interim committee meetings begin — 108; ‘The Many Saints of Newark’ premieres (rescheduled) — 112; ‘Dune’ premieres — 119; MLB regular season ends — 121; ‘No Time to Die’ premieres (rescheduled) — 126; World Series Game 1 — 145; Florida’s 20th Congressional District primary — 152; St. Petersburg Municipal Elections — 151; Disney’s ‘Eternals’ premieres — 154; ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ rescheduled premiere — 168; San Diego Comic-Con begins — 175; Steven Spielberg’s ‘West Side Story’ premieres — 189; ‘Spider-Man Far From Home’ sequel premieres — 196; NFL season ends — 219; 2022 Legislative Session starts — 221; Florida’s 20th Congressional District election — 221; NFL playoffs begin — 225; Super Bowl LVI — 254; ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ premieres — 294; ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ premieres — 336; ‘Platinum Jubilee’ for Queen Elizabeth II — 363; “Black Panther 2” premieres — 399; ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ sequel premieres — 490; “Captain Marvel 2” premieres — 525.
“Demographics were expected to push Florida left. Instead, they nudged it to the right.” via David Byler of The Washington Post — Democratic candidates prevailed in Arizona and Georgia. Democratic voters have threatened GOP dominance in Texas. And they wiped out the GOP in Colorado and Virginia. But there’s an important exception to this pattern: Florida. Florida is home to expanding metros such as Miami, Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville. Almost half of Floridians are people of color, and the state’s population is increasing. Yet Florida voted for Trump twice, sent two Republicans to the Senate, and elected a string of Republican Governors. The Gray Migration provided the GOP with new voters. Between 1988 and 2020, Republicans added 1.5 million votes outside of the major metros, far outstripping the 1.1 million that Democrats added in Miami in that same interval.
— 2022 —
“Mystery donor gives $100K-plus to Ron DeSantis” via Matt Dixon of POLITICO — Gov. DeSantis in recent months has received more than $100,000 from a mystery donor that federal regulators previously said was possibly set up illegally to mask the likely source of donors. But it remains unclear who is behind the Delaware-based entity or its political largesse. The contribution to a DeSantis-controlled political committee comes as he has increased his fundraising efforts ahead of his 2022 re-election campaign. DeSantis, who is also widely believed to be eyeing a White House run, has raised nearly $30 million into his political committee, Friends of Ron DeSantis, since the start of the year.
“Miami Commissioner Ken Russell says he’ll run to challenge Marco Rubio for U.S. Senate” via Joey Flechas of the Miami Herald — Russell announced Thursday that he plans to challenge U.S. Sen. Rubio in 2022, a surprise declaration from a Democrat with a relatively short record in partisan politics. His political career began with a long-shot 2015 campaign that saw him beat well-funded opponents with greater name recognition to represent Miami’s District 2, including most of the city’s waterfront. Now, he’s a City Hall veteran with one aborted run at federal office already behind him. In the 2018 congressional race to replace then-Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Russell dropped out of a crowded Democratic primary field, choosing to bow out rather than make the ballot, which, win or lose, would have forced him to resign his city commission seat. He was easily reelected to a second and final four-year term on the commission in 2019.
“Aramis Ayala picks up Democracy for America endorsement in CD 10” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — Democratic former State Attorney Ayala has picked up the endorsement of Howard Dean’s Democracy for America PAC for her candidacy in Florida’s 10th Congressional District. Ayala, former State Attorney in Florida’s 9th Judicial Circuit, is one of three high-profile Democrats jockeying for the chance to succeed Democratic U.S. Rep. Val Demings, who is all but officially running for the U.S. Senate rather than for reelection. Also in are Bracy of Ocoee and civil rights lawyer Natalie Jackson of Orlando. The district covers much of western Orange County. There are two Republicans also running, Willie Montague of Orlando and Carter Morgan of Orlando. But CD 10 is a Democratic stronghold.
“Dean Black raises $100K as he mulls HD 11 run” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — Black, the Duval County Republican Party Chair, raised more than $100,000 for his political committee last month ahead of a possible run in House District 11. “I have been humbled by the outpouring of encouragement to run for the Legislature,” Black said. “While I am praying about it and discussing it with my family, I know that Tallahassee needs more strong conservative leaders who will fight to preserve liberty and opportunity in Florida.” Black’s haul came in across 45 checks, including three for $10,000. Those came from William Riddell of Amelia Island, Andrew Mayer of Jacksonville and Jax-based BC Industrial Supply.
First on #FlaPol — “Adam Anderson first Republican to file to succeed Chris Sprowls” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — The first Republican has entered the race to succeed House Speaker Sprowls in House District 65 when he’s termed out of office after the 2022 election. Local Pinellas County businessman Adam Anderson filed paperwork Thursday for the race. He joins Democrat Kelly Lynn Johnson in the race for the red district. Anderson is married with three children. His youngest, Andrew Anderson, was diagnosed with Tay Sachs Disease, an ultra-rare fatal genetic disorder with only 16 cases annually nationwide, and passed away at just four years old. Anderson and his family have been active in advancing research in rare diseases through the Cure Tay Sachs Foundation and their family foundation, AJ Anderson Foundation. Anderson worked with Sprowls to create Tay Sachs Awareness Day in Florida on Aug. 10, Andrew’s birthday.
“Former Palm Beach Supervisor candidate Paulette Armstead joins HD 88 race” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Armstead, a former Palm Beach Supervisor of Elections candidate who also previously ran for the Florida House, has filed to replace Democratic Rep. Omari Hardy in House District 88. Hardy is vacating his seat to run in the Special Election contest for Florida’s 20th Congressional District. That sets up a subsequent Special Election to decide Hardy’s replacement. Armstead is a member of the LGBT community who challenged Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Wendy Sartory Link in the 2020 Democratic primary. Link, however, easily held off Armstead, winning 72% to 28% in the Aug. 2020 Primary. Armstead also ran for the Florida House twice. Both of those bids were in a different district.
— DATELINE TALLY —
“‘Idiotic’: Ron DeSantis slams calls to reject Seminole Gaming Compact” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — DeSantis rebuked a call Thursday for the federal government to reject Florida’s latest gaming deal with the Seminole Tribe, dubbing that effort “idiotic” and politically motivated. Earlier Thursday morning, Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber sent a letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior calling the Seminole Gaming Compact a violation of state and federal law. Under the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), the department and Secretary Deb Haaland must sign off on state gaming agreements. Gelber, a Democrat, says the Compact was negotiated with corrupt intent. “Is there any basis to say that? Is there anything in the Compact that you can point to say it was hijacked?” DeSantis answered reporters.
“Miami Beach Mayor to feds: Gambling compact is corrupt, illegal and should be rejected” via Mary Ellen Klas of the Miami Herald — As Florida’s historic sports gambling deal with the Seminole Tribe is being reviewed for approval by the federal government, Gelber in his letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior calling it a “tortured artifice,” negotiated with the corrupt intent to expand gambling in Florida in violation of both state and federal law. Gelber also alleges that the compact was negotiated with an improper purpose because it “also requires the Seminole Tribe of Florida to agree not to object to gambling operations that are farther than fifteen (15) miles from its Hollywood casinos.”
“DeSantis signs bill creating Biscayne Bay Commission to oversee improvement projects” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — DeSantis has approved legislation setting up a Biscayne Bay Commission to help rehabilitate the area. Lawmakers approved the measure (HB 1177), sponsored by GOP Rep. Bryan Avila, during the final week of the 2021 Legislative Session. Miami-Dade County has designated Biscayne Bay as a conservation area, but the popular tourist spot has still dealt with serious pollution problems. At a Thursday news conference announcing the bill signing, DeSantis called Biscayne Bay “a critical natural resource for this region.” The nine-member Biscayne Bay Commission will be created within the Department of Environmental Protection. Sewage disposal facilities will also be banned from dumping waste into Biscayne Bay without providing advanced waste treatment.
“Wilton Simpson contraception money gets vetoed” via Christine Sexton of News Service of Florida — It’s not often that a Florida Governor vetoes spending projects championed by legislative leaders from the same party. But that’s exactly what happened Wednesday when DeSantis vetoed from the budget $2 million that would have gone toward increasing access for low-income girls and women to long-acting reversible contraception, such as intrauterine devices, contraceptive implants, and contraceptive injections. Senate President Simpson had tucked the money into the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. But the proposal drew concerns, at least in part from abortion opponents. “It just gives these young women an opportunity to live a life that otherwise is not available to them,” Simpson said, adding, “I am a pro-life Senator. This actually prevents a lot of abortions from happening.”
“Impact fee limits land on DeSantis’ desk” via News Service of Florida — A bill sent Thursday to DeSantis would limit local impact fees imposed on builders and developers to help pay for infrastructure to handle growth. DeSantis will have until June 18 to act on the bill (HB 337), which would prevent local governments from increasing impact fees more than once every four years and would limit the increases to 50%. If an increase is between 25% and 50%, it would have to be spread over four years. Smaller increases would be phased in over two years. The growth-management organization 1000 Friends of Florida has called for DeSantis to veto the bill, saying it would make it “virtually impossible for local governments to require that new development pays its own way.”
“Bill stiffening ‘swatting’ penalties hits DeSantis’ desk” via Renzo Downey Florida Politics — Legislation increasing penalties for falsely reporting a crime is ready for DeSantis‘ signature. During the recent Legislative Session, lawmakers unanimously passed that bill (HB 371) to crack down on “swatting,” an internet trend in which a perpetrator intentionally and falsely calls to report a dangerous crime like a hostage situation or a murder. Under the bill, a person who falsely reports a crime and prompts a police response that leads to a death can face a second-degree felony. Moreover, a swatting event that leads to “great bodily harm” will incur a third-degree felony. Additionally, someone who falsely reports a crime may be on the hook for response expenses.
“Will DeSantis sign a bill to preserve African American cemeteries?” via Haley Brown of Florida Politics — DeSantis will decide if the state will launch a committee to dig into Florida’s forgotten African American cemeteries. A bill establishing the committee was sent to the Governor’s desk Thursday. He has until June 18 to sign or veto the bill. If he does nothing it will become law. Tampa legislators Sen. Janet Cruz and Rep. Fentrice Driskell carried the bill to pass nearly unanimously in both respective chambers. The hidden history of Florida’s African American cemeteries was brought to light in Driskell and Cruz’s district by reporting from Paul Guzzo of the Tampa Bay Times. After months of research, Guzzo and reporting partner James Borchuck discovered more than 800 people were buried along North Florida Avenue in what was believed to be Tampa’s first all-Black cemetery.
“Critics dispute unemployment aid ‘narrative’” via Jim Turner of News Service of Florida — Orlando Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani along with officials from the Florida AFL-CIO and the Florida People’s Advocacy Center embarked on a long-shot effort to get DeSantis to reverse a decision to stop providing $300 a week in federal unemployment assistance starting June 26. Eskamani said the overall number of people reaching out to her offices for assistance has eased from the pandemic’s peak in April 2020. But she said the crisis remains dire for people facing eviction and homelessness. Meanwhile, state officials and business groups have pointed to the additional federal benefits as playing a role in difficulty drawing people back to work, particularly in tourism and leisure businesses.
Happening today — The Florida Commission on Ethics meets. Agenda includes cases from Clay County, Destin and Tampa, 8:30 a.m., Agency for Health Care Administration, 2727 Mahan Dr., Building 3, Tallahassee.
— STATEWIDE —
“Like to kill big snakes? DeSantis wants you to sign up for the Florida Python Challenge.” via Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The 30-pound female Burmese python used for display purposes Thursday, the python that was held by DeSantis and other state officials, likely had no idea it and its relatives were being targeted in a statewide eradication effort. It probably also had no idea Florida was conducting a study in December to determine whether mercury levels in pythons were low enough that the snakes could be safely consumed. There’s no final word on that topic, but at least one Floridian, Donna Kalil, the state’s first certified female python hunter, says she enjoys python jerky three times a week.
“How a farmworkers’ Supreme Court case could affect our beaches in Florida” via Moshe Adler of the Tampa Bay Times — In 1975, the state of California gave union organizers limited access to farms to talk to workers: not during work hours and not every day. So why have farm owners lined up behind the owners of the Cedar Nursery and asked the U.S. Supreme Court to declare the law unconstitutional? So why sue? A Cedar Nursery win will most likely doom any of the new laws necessary to facilitate beach nourishment and regulate the use of beaches protected by sea walls. A conflict between the rights of beach owners and the rights of the public also arises whenever there is a need to nourish a beach. Under the law, each and every owner of property along the route of the easement has to agree to it, and as a result, the nourishment of some Pinellas County beaches is in jeopardy.
“Florida AFL-CIO launches campaign to save federal unemployment benefits” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics — Florida’s largest labor federation launched a digital ad campaign Thursday urging DeSantis to reconsider plans to terminate the federal government’s $300 weekly unemployment benefit. Deployed by the Florida AFL-CIO, the campaign will feature an online petition and a series of social media posts across the federation’s online network. Speaking Thursday to reporters, Florida AFL-CIO Legislative Policy Director Rich Templin acknowledged the campaign will face an uphill battle. Florida is among roughly two dozen Republican-led states planning to terminate the program. In many instances, and including in Florida, Republican leaders blame the additional unemployment cash for widespread worker shortages.
— CORONA FLORIDA —
“Florida reports 1,878 new COVID-19 cases and the fewest hospitalizations this year” via Cindy Krischer Goodman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Health officials reported a continued decline in new COVID-19 cases Thursday from counts just a month ago along with the lowest number of hospitalizations from the virus seen in 2021. Florida reported 1,878 new coronavirus cases on Thursday and another 49 new resident deaths linked to COVID-19. The state has now reported 2,329,867 cases since the pandemic began. The seven-day average for new cases reached as high as 17,991 on Jan. 8. It was 1,627 on Thursday. Public health experts say the virus is considered under control when the COVID-19 test positivity rate is under 5%. The state reported a daily positivity rate of 3.15% on Thursday, down from 3.33% the day before.
“As coronavirus overtook Florida, a key health department job went unfilled” via Steve Contorno of the Tampa Bay Times — When the pandemic arrived in Florida last year, the state had a position ready-made for a public health crisis like the one on its doorstep: The Deputy Secretary for County Health Systems. On paper, it’s the third-highest ranking position in the state’s health agency because of its key role in coordinating with health offices in all 67 counties. “Preventing epidemics and spread of disease” is in the job description. But the job was vacant when DeSantis took office in January of 2019. It was still empty last March when Florida recorded its first two COVID-19 cases. And it remained unfilled in the ensuing months as the virus spread to every corner of the state.
“DeSantis rips CDC as Florida hits impasse in talks over cruises” via Gray Rohrer of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — DeSantis kept up his verbal assault on the CDC on Thursday concerning the state’s ongoing dispute over safety requirements for the cruise industry to sail amid the lingering COVID-19 pandemic. He accused the federal agency of discriminating against children and breaking state law by insisting most passengers and crew be vaccinated before a ship can sail. DeSantis’ comments came hours after a federal court mediator declared an impasse in talks between Florida and the CDC to settle the dispute, which began in April when he sued the agency. A federal judge ordered mediation between the sides last month. The breakdown of talks means the lawsuit will move forward and effectively cements the limbo status of cruises in the Sunshine State, which haven’t sailed since shutting down in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 virus.
“Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line to restart with safety, fun and vaccines as top priorities says CEO” via Wendy Rhodes of The Palm Beach Post — Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line will be one of the first to hit the high seas again this summer as sailings resume following the pandemic-induced shutdown of the cruise industry on March 14, 2020. But whether passengers before boarding will be forced to prove they’ve been vaccinated, which would be at odds with Florida law, is unclear. The company’s policy on vaccinations adheres to COVID-19 guidelines for cruise lines set by the CDC, which requires proof. Still, the company said there might be wiggle room if they successfully demonstrate adherence to CDC regulations during a trial run this month. Bahamas Paradise has received CDC approval to conduct a test sail with fewer than 50 passengers on June 25 from the Port of Palm Beach to Grand Bahama.
“The odd places people come from to get vaccinated in Florida” via Cindy Krischer Goodman and Adelaide Chen of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Residents of every state in the country have been vaccinated in Florida, state health data shows. Of the more than 10 million people vaccinated here with at least one dose, 1 in 40 lives somewhere else. The 258,774 individuals came most often from New York, followed by New Jersey. Kentucky, Michigan and Georgia, the data shows. More than 3,400 people from Mobile, Alabama, got one or more doses in Florida, as did more than 3,600 from Lexington, Kentucky, and close to 1,000 from Akron, Ohio, the data shows. The number of vaccinated out-of-towners is based on ZIP codes provided by the state health department through May 24.
— VAX STATS —
Through Tuesday, more than 8.35 million people were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in Florida. Here is a breakdown, via The News Service of Florida, of fully vaccinated people by age group:
— Ages 12 to 14: 120 people
— Ages 15 to 24: 512,931 people
— Ages 25 to 34: 731,510 people
— Ages 35 to 44: 938,200 people
— Ages 45 to 54: 1,203,788 people
— Ages 55 to 64: 1,667,207 people
— Ages 65 to 74: 1,883,949 people
— Ages 75 to 84: 1,062,899 people
— Ages 85 and older: 351,641 people
— CORONA LOCAL —
“Tampa Bay schools never saw big coronavirus outbreaks this year. Why?” via Marlene Sokol of the Tampa Bay Times — In the end, despite altered routines and daily contact tracing, COVID-19 levels in Tampa Bay area schools were considerable but not catastrophic. The Tampa Bay area has more than 400,000 public and charter school students. Its four school districts employ more than 50,000 adults, adding up to nearly a half-million people. At the end of May, the Times counted under 18,000 cases in Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties. That works out to one infected person for every 27 people over the 10-month school year.
“South Florida couple claiming to be ‘farmers’ for COVID-19 relief sent to prison” via Jay Weaver of the Miami Herald — A South Florida couple who pleaded guilty to lying about being “farmers” in suburbia to qualify for federal COVID-19 relief funds were sentenced to prison Wednesday. Latoya Stanley got 18 months in prison, while Johnny Philus received 30 months. According to authorities, they hauled in more than $1 million in Small Business Administration loans while pretending to operate not only a couple of nonexistent suburban farms but also a beauty supply store and an auto leasing business, according to authorities. Their SBA loan applications were a fiction, the North Miami couple admitted in federal court. U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke ordered Stanley to pay back $192,681 to the government.
— CORONA NATION —
“Memorial Day will likely mark COVID-19 pandemic milestone” via Talal Ansari of The Wall Street Journal — Memorial Day will be the first major test of the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccinations in the U.S., according to many epidemiologists. Last year, reopenings in parts of the U.S. ahead of the holiday weekend led to a second surge of new coronavirus cases. Hospitalizations climbed in late June, followed by a steady rise in fatalities after the first week of July. This year, epidemiologists and public-health officials are hopeful that despite millions of Americans traveling for the weekend and the broad rollback of pandemic restrictions, newly reported COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths will remain low as more of the country continues to get vaccinated, albeit at lower rates.
“U.S. nursing home deaths fall sharply as older people are vaccinated.” via Brillian Bao and Yves De Jesus of The New York Times — Nearly a year ago, more than 43 percent of coronavirus deaths in the United States were tied to long-term-care facilities. Now, the deaths of people connected to such facilities has dropped to 31 percent, revealing an improving picture for the oldest Americans. Throughout the pandemic, The Times has tracked COVID-19 cases and deaths in nursing homes, assisted-living centers, memory care units and other long-term facilities for older people, and has identified more than 1.38 million infections among residents and employees of the facilities, as well as more than 184,000 deaths. Though health care workers were among the first group to become eligible for inoculation, vaccination hesitancy has remained a challenge at long-term care facilities.
“White House weighs sending states’ unused vaccine doses abroad — before they expire” via Erin Banco, Adam Cancryn and Rachel Roubein of POLITICO — The Biden administration is considering donating states’ unused doses of vaccine to countries in need. States have built up stores of unused COVID-19 vaccine doses in recent weeks as the number of people signing up for vaccinations has decreased. Some of those spare doses are set to expire at the end of this month. Senior Biden officials helping to plan how to share U.S. vaccines with other countries are deliberating shipping the surplus doses out before their expiration date, those same two officials said. But sending states’ unwanted vaccines to other nations poses several problems. Any country on the receiving end must have a robust distribution infrastructure and the ability to dole out the shots before they expire.
“Joe Biden administration probes risk of low-level contamination in vaccines made at troubled plant” via Erin Banco of POLITICO — The Food and Drug Administration has asked Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca to assess any potential health risks from minor cross-contamination of their COVID-19 vaccines. The agency requested the analyses because it cannot rule out low-level contamination of doses of both vaccines manufactured by contractor Emergent BioSolutions. In March, Emergent’s Baltimore facility accidentally contaminated 15 million Johnson & Johnson doses with the active ingredient of AstraZeneca’s vaccine. Production at the plant stopped in April, and the FDA began investigating the matter.
— CORONA ECONOMICS —
“The economic recovery is here. It’s unlike anything you’ve seen.” via Gwynn Guilford and Sarah Chaney Cambon of The Wall Street Journal — The U.S. economic recovery is unlike any in recent history, powered by consumers with trillions in extra savings, businesses eager to hire and enormous policy support. Businesses and workers are poised to emerge from the downturn with far less permanent damage than occurred after recent recessions, particularly the 2007-09 downturn. The speed of the rebound is also triggering turmoil. Many economists and the Federal Reserve expect the jump in inflation to be temporary, but others worry it could persist even once reopening is complete. “We’ve never had anything like it — a collapse and then a boom-like pickup,” said Allen Sinai, chief global economist and strategist at Decision Economics. “It is without historical parallel.”
“U.S. jobless claims drop to 385,000, another pandemic low” via Paul Wiseman of The Associated Press — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell last week for a fifth straight week to a new pandemic low, the latest evidence that the U.S. job market is regaining its health as the economy further reopens. The Labor Department reported Thursday that jobless claims dropped to 385,000, down 20,000 from the week before. The number of weekly applications for unemployment aid, which generally reflects the pace of layoffs, has fallen steadily all year, though it remains high by historical standards. Employers have added 1.8 million jobs this year, an average of more than 450,000 a month, and the government’s May jobs report on Friday is expected to show that they added 656,000 last month.
— MORE CORONA —
“The lab-leak theory: Inside the fight to uncover COVID-19’s origins” via Katherine Eban of Vanity Fair — The prevailing theory in the early days of the pandemic was that it had jumped from bats to some other species before leaping to humans at a market in China, where some of the earliest cases appeared in late 2019. Wuhan is also home to China’s foremost coronavirus research laboratory, housing one of the world’s largest collections of bat samples and bat-virus strains. To this day, we don’t know how or why this novel coronavirus suddenly appeared in the human population. Answering that question is more than an academic pursuit: Without knowing where it came from, we can’t be sure we’re taking the right steps to prevent a recurrence. The idea of a lab leak first came to NSC officials not from hawkish Trumpists but from Chinese social media users, who began sharing their suspicions as early as January 2020.
— PRESIDENTIAL —
“Biden offers tax concession in infrastructure talks with key Republican” via Seung Min Kim and Tony Romm of The Washington Post — Biden signaled at a private meeting on Wednesday that he would be open to significant revisions on the size of his infrastructure package and how it would be paid for in order win Republican support, outlining a plan for about $1 trillion in new spending financed through tax changes that do not appear to raise the top corporate rate. While Biden has not abandoned his call for these tax increases as part of his broader agenda, the moves are still a potential new concession in stalled talks over funding to improve the country’s roads, bridges, pipes and ports. In its place, Biden shifted the focus to a different part of his infrastructure proposal, which would amount to a new minimum corporate tax of 15%.
“Biden opposes a presidential commission for Jan. 6” via Hans Nichols of Axios — Biden decided against appointing his own commission to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection and will instead increase pressure on Congress to establish a committee. Some House Democrats suggested Biden create a presidential commission after Senate Republicans blocked establishing a bipartisan, independent panel. This decision signals his preference for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to take the lead. Pelosi had already dismissed a presidential commission to study the Capitol insurrection, telling House Democrats earlier this week that Biden appointing such a panel would be “unworkable,” per AP. Biden isn’t letting any daylight between himself and Pelosi, who on Wednesday previewed potential options for how a commission can review the events that led up to insurrection.
— EPILOGUE TRUMP —
“As on Jan. 6, Donald Trump won’t accept the reality of his loss” via Philip Bump of The Washington Post — From the beginning, one of the questions that lingered around Trump is: To what extent does he believe the false things that he says? He says false things constantly, ranging from slight exaggerations to completely untrue assertions about obviously verifiable things. “I can attest, from speaking to an array of different sources, that Donald Trump does indeed believe quite genuinely that he, along with former Senators David Perdue and Martha McSally, will be ‘reinstated’ to office this summer after ‘audits’ of the 2020 elections in Arizona, Georgia, and a handful of other states have been completed,” National Review’s Charles Cooke wrote.
“Trump has grown increasingly consumed with ballot audits as he pushes falsehood that election was stolen” via Josh Dawsey and Rosalind S. Helderman of The Washington Post — Trump remains relentlessly focused on the false claim that the November election was stolen from him and is increasingly consumed with the notion that ballot reviews pushed by his supporters around the country could prove that he won, according to people familiar with his comments. According to people familiar with comments he has made, Trump has become so fixated on the audits that he suggested recently to allies that their success could result in his return to the White House this year. Some advisers said that such comments appear to be just offhand musings. A Trump spokesman declined to comment on the record.
“FBI investigating Postmaster General Louis DeJoy over campaign fundraising activity” via Jacob Knutson of Axios — The FBI is investigating DeJoy over campaign fundraising activity involving his former business. DeJoy, a major donor to Trump‘s campaign and the Republican National Committee, has seen his tenure plagued by controversy since his appointment in May 2020. Prosecutors have subpoenaed DeJoy for information regarding political contributions and his company’s activities, the Post reports. “Mr. DeJoy has learned that the Department of Justice is investigating campaign contributions made by employees who worked for him when he was in the private sector,” DeJoy spokesman Mark Corallo told the Post.
— CRISIS —
“The Capitol rioters won” via Adam Serwer of The Atlantic — Republicans are blocking a bipartisan January 6 commission because they agree with the underlying ideological claim of the rioters, which is that Democratic electoral victories should not be recognized. Because they regard such victories as inherently illegitimate — the result of fraud, manipulation, or the votes of people who are not truly American — they believe that the law should be changed to ensure that elections more accurately reflect the will of Real Americans, who by definition vote Republican. They believe the actual problem is not the riot itself but the unjust usurpation of power that occurred when Democrats won. Absent that provocation, the rioters would have stayed home.
“Charges after U.S. Capitol insurrection roil far-right groups” via Michael Kinzelman and Anna Durkin Richer of The Associated Press — The aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection is roiling two of the most prominent far-right extremist groups at the U.S. Capitol that day. More than three dozen members and associates across both the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers have been charged with crimes. Prosecutors have narrowed in on the two extremist groups as they try to determine how much planning went into the attack, but authorities have said they’re intent on arresting anyone involved in the riot. More than two dozen Proud Boys leaders, members or associates are among those arrested. The group of self-described “Western chauvinists” emerged from far-right fringes during the Trump administration to mainstream GOP circles, with allies like longtime Trump backer Roger Stone.
“Talk of overturning the 2020 election on new social media platforms used by QAnon followers sparks fears of further violence” via Jamie Gangel and Donnie O’Sullivan of CNN — Online conversation among Trump supporters and QAnon followers on new and emerging social media platforms is creating concern on Capitol Hill that Trump‘s continued perpetuation of the falsehood that the 2020 election was stolen could soon incite further violence. The social messaging platform Telegram has emerged as a particular source of concern among law enforcement officials, the congressional sources say. Groups on the platform dedicated to QAnon and pro-Trump conspiracy theories have tens of thousands of members — many of whom hang on every word the former President says.
— D.C. MATTERS —
“Federal prosecutors looking into whether Matt Gaetz obstructed justice” via Marc Caputo of POLITICO — Federal prosecutors are examining whether Rep. Gaetz obstructed justice during a phone call he had with a witness in the sex-crimes investigation of the Florida Congressman. The witness in question was one of a handful of women who entered Gaetz’s orbit via his one-time “wingman,” former Seminole County Tax Collector Greenberg, who pleaded guilty last month to a host of crimes, including sex-trafficking a 17-year-old in 2017. The obstruction inquiry stems from a phone call the witness had with Gaetz’s ex-girlfriend. At some point during the conversation, the ex-girlfriend patched Gaetz into the call, sources said.
“Dodging probe questions, Gaetz tells Newsmax that media targets his friends” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Gaetz explained that the aggressiveness of the media was to blame for his inability to provide meaningful detail. “I wish I could tell you all the people in my life that I interact with and talk to who have been part of my life at different intervals, but, unfortunately, with the way the media has scrubbed my life, threatened my friends, it’s hard to talk about who I even interact with, because it makes those folks targets,” said Gaetz to host Grant Stinchfield. “I’ve even had circumstances where people who never dated me … threatened by reporters saying ‘Well, if you don’t say something negative about Matt Gaetz, then we’ll find something negative about you to report.’”
“Joel Greenberg’s sentencing set after judge approves plea deal” via Jeff Weiner of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Greenberg, the former Seminole County tax collector who recently pleaded guilty to six federal charges, including sex trafficking of a child, is now set to face sentencing Aug. 19, records show. In a pair of orders filed Thursday, U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell also formally accepted Greenberg’s guilty pleas, which he made after striking a plea agreement with prosecutors last month. The deal requires Greenberg to cooperate with authorities in the sprawling investigation, reportedly aiming at U.S. Rep. Gaetz, a former friend and ally. Greenberg could face at least 12 years in prison though prosecutors have indicated they will recommend a lesser sentence if Greenberg provides substantial assistance.
— LOCAL NOTES —
“Restaurant owner Pete Boland enters St. Pete Mayor’s race” via Kelly Hayes of Florida Politics — Boland is jumping into the St. Petersburg mayoral race, joining Robert Blackmon and Vincent Nowicki among the center-right pool of candidates. Boland, who owns The Galley and Mary Margaret’s Old Irish Tavern, calls St. Pete his “forever home,” having been born and raised in the city and later opening up shop in the area. He has met and spoken with a slew of elected officials in his time owning the bar, he said, providing insight into local politics. Boland made headlines last year as a vocal opponent of city-imposed COVID-19 restrictions targeting restaurants and bars. He had a small outbreak at his own restaurant after reopening, leading him to shut the business down “out of an abundance of caution.” Boland said he has tossed around the idea of running for Mayor since last year but decided not to enter then.
What Chris Sprowls is reading — “Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney draws first challenger in decades” via Kathryn Varn of the Tampa Bay Times — Pinellas and Pasco county voters will have a choice for state attorney for the first time in 30 years. Allison Miller, a longtime Pinellas-Pasco public defender, filed to run as a Democrat against Republican incumbent Bruce Bartlett for the top prosecutor job. She told the Tampa Bay Times she is running to reform the Sixth Judicial Circuit, which encompasses Pinellas and Pasco counties. The election is on Nov. 8, 2022. Bartlett filed to run in March. In January, he took over the office after his old boss, longtime State Attorney Bernie McCabe, died on Jan. 1. If elected, Miller said she plans to reduce violent crime and recidivism through broader use of arrest diversion programs; stop seeking cash bail for defendants accused of low-level crimes; cease charging children as adults except in extreme cases; establish a civil rights division to track racial disparities and investigate claims of innocence.
“Hillsborough health officials send Red Tide warning for Tampa Bay” via Zachary T. Sampson of the Tampa Bay Times — Elevated levels of Red Tide were detected in water samples taken from parts of Tampa Bay. Now Hillsborough County health officials are advising people against swimming in certain areas. Medium concentrations of Red Tide were detected in four samples from June 1, and June 2 pulled around Port Manatee in lower Tampa Bay. Near the Hillsborough-Manatee border, that area is where more than 200 million gallons of wastewater were discharged in early April from the old Piney Point fertilizer plant property. “It’s sort of a worst-case scenario for us right now going into the rainy season,” said Ed Sherwood, executive director of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program.
“Sales tax, sea level rise among hot topics at Sarasota Tiger Bay” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Tiger Bay Sarasota, for the first time since before the pandemic, hosted a full attendance event Thursday. There, lawmakers from the region talked about this year’s Legislative Session and wins on everything from sea level rise to sales tax. Sen. Joe Gruters from the jump raised perhaps his most controversial legislative achievement. After working on the issue for three years, the Legislature passed his bill calling for online retailers to collect sales tax at the point of sale. He said the new law means the state will recoup $1 billion each year in taxes not voluntarily remitted through the Department of Revenue. It will also help retailers and allow the state to cut its business rent tax, he said. That hasn’t stopped Democrats, notably Nikki Fried, from slamming the move as a tax hike.
“Expressway battle goes to Supreme Court” via News Service of Florida — Attorneys for the Miami-Dade County Expressway Authority on Wednesday filed a notice that is a first step in asking the Supreme Court to take up a challenge to a 2019 state law that abolished the long-standing authority and replaced it with a new entity called the Greater Miami Expressway Agency. The move came after a panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal in March rejected the authority’s challenge to the law. In a March ruling, the Tallahassee-based appeals court said the expressway authority lacked legal standing to challenge the law. The decision was based on what is known as the “public official standing doctrine,” which blocks public officials from challenging the constitutionality of laws.
“Jaguars owner Shad Khan proposes Four Seasons, football performance center“ via Mike Mendenhall of Jacksonville Daily Record — After the Jacksonville Jaguars leadership released its latest plan June 3 to build the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences at the Shipyards and a city-owned football performance center near TIAA Bank Field, team owner Shad Khan told city officials and reporters “we must expect better from Downtown.” A preliminary term sheet between Iguana and the Downtown Investment Authority shows a request for $93.58 million in incentives for the first phase of the Shipyards. It would mostly be paid out after the project is completed. In total, Jaguars President Mark Lamping said the first phase includes the football performance center plus the 176-room and 25 residential-unit Four Seasons, a city-owned marina, and a six-floor office building built on the vacant Shipyards property southwest of the stadium.
“Feud over ‘white advantage’ still rages: Lawmaker wants to censure School Board members” via Andrew Marra of The Palm Beach Post — A legislator wants to censure the Democratic members of the Palm Beach County School Board who voted last week to remove the phrase “white advantage” from a declaration about the county public schools’ commitment to equity. Rep. Omari Hardy, a Lake Worth Beach Democrat, plans to ask leaders of the Palm Beach County Democratic Party to “censure and condemn” three board members: Marcia Andrews, Frank Barbieri and Karen Brill. He said he was drafting a resolution and will ask members of the county Democratic Party’s executive committee to adopt it at a meeting.
— TOP OPINION —
“DeSantis, get Florida back in the cruise business” via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board — Everyone who claims to favor the resumption of cruising in Florida is helping to make that happen — except DeSantis. There have been many encouraging developments since we editorialized on this topic three weeks ago, calling for the repeal of the state’s new law banning vaccine passports. There has been “more focus” on restarting cruise operations by the Biden administration and a “higher level of priority.” Which brings us to DeSantis and Florida’s ban on companies requiring proof of vaccination. The law imposes a $5,000 fine for each customer asked to provide that proof. At that rate, with a full Celebrity Edge, Royal Caribbean would owe the state $14.5 million. Not surprisingly, the market also disagrees with the governor. 80% of respondents said they want fellow passengers and crew to be vaccinated if they book a trip.
— OPINIONS —
“‘The point was to win,’ Barack Obama writes” via Ezra Klein of The New York Times — How Obama navigated the differences we have on this planet is the primary topic of “A Promised Land,” the first volume of his presidential memoirs. In our national story, Obama is framed as a practitioner of a kind of anti-politics — an almost naively optimistic figure who rose to power, downplaying our divisions only to find his administration’s legacy swallowed by them. But his book is a reminder that the inverse story has always been just as true: Obama is thoroughly a politician, and because he understood the depth of our divisions, he treated them gingerly, at times fearfully. If he were going to win, he would need the support of people inclined to view him with suspicion.
What <Insert former Tampa Bay Times journalist> is reading — “There’s no such thing as a former journalist” via Roy Peter Clark of Poynter — The talents of ace reporters turn out to be in high demand. Choose your field: marketing, public relations, advertising, public information, education, technology, the vast world of nonprofits, health care, law, fundraising, government at every level. If you have news judgment, if you are capable of critical thinking, if you are adept at in-depth research, if you can inhabit social networks. … If you can read, think, write and talk, you may not wind up in the job you thought you wanted, but it may well be the job you now need, one that hints at a happier life. Who will pay for quality journalism in the future? Many experiments are underway, but no one has the answer.
— ON TODAY’S SUNRISE —
Gov. DeSantis is the target of a new campaign to convince him to reverse course and allow Floridians to continue receiving federal unemployment benefits over the summer instead of cutting them off later this month.
Also, on today’s Sunrise:
— DeSantis and his business backers say cuts are necessary because unemployment benefits are so high that lazy people won’t go back to work. But are they really?
— The Governor is calling BS on something completely different. He’s fuming over a letter from the Miami Beach Mayor who is asking the feds to reject the new Seminole Compact because it could bring casinos to the Trump Resort in Doral and the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach.
— Despite the Governor’s claims, the Compact would indeed make it easier to bring two new casinos to Miami-Dade.
— DeSantis made remarks in South Florida, where he held two news conferences: One on Biscayne Bay; the other on snakes. Ron Bergeron of the state wildlife commission says it’s time to sign up for the annual Everglades Python hunt. It begins July 9 and lasts for 10 days.
— Miami City Commissioner Russell says he’ll be running for the U.S. Senate in hopes of ousting incumbent Rubio.
— And finally, stories of a Florida Woman whose daughter got hold of a marijuana gummy and a Florida Man lucky to be alive after a gator attack.
To listen, click on the image below:
— WEEKEND TV —
Battleground Florida with Evan Donovan on News Channel 8 WFLA (NBC): Agriculture Commissioner and gubernatorial candidate Fried, Rep. Michele Rayner-Goolsby, former Congressman Jim Davis and Brandon Wolf of Equality Florida.
Facing South Florida with Jim DeFede on CBS 4 in Miami: The Sunday show provides viewers with an in-depth look at politics in South Florida, along with other issues affecting the region.
Florida This Week on Tampa Bay’s WEDU: Moderator Rob Lorei hosts a roundtable featuring Florida Phoenix columnist Craig Pittman, USF Distinguished Professor Emerita and ABC Action News political analyst Susan MacManus and attorney Sean Shaw.
In Focus with Allison Walker on Bay News 9/CF 13: A discussion about the path of progress for the LGBTQ+ community, what legislation recently passed in Tallahassee and the different life experiences and viewpoints within the gay community with Reps. Carlos Guillermo Smith and Rayner, Edgewood Mayor John Dowless, Log Cabin Republican of Miami member Alejandro Puga and former Orange County Chair for the Trump presidential campaign, Randy Ross.
Political Connections Bay News 9 in Tampa/St. Pete: A conversation with Fried on why she’s running for Governor in 2022 and House Speaker Chris Sprowls, breaking down the largest budget in state history with Holly Gregory.
Political Connections on CF 13 in Orlando: Ybeth Bruzual speaks with Sen. Brodeur about bills passed during the Legislative Session; Tammie Fields talks to Sen.Bracy on his budget item regarding reparation scholarships for descendants of the 1920 Ocoee Massacre.
The Usual Suspects on WCTV-Tallahassee/Thomasville (CBS) and WJHG-Panama City (NBC): Host Gary Yordon talks with attorney Sean Pittman and House Minority Leader Ramon Alexander.
This Week in Jacksonville with Kent Justice on Channel 4 WJXT: Warren Jones, a Duval County School Board member on changing six school names associated with Confederacy; Lori Boyer, CEO of the Downtown Investment Authority to discuss huge development proposals in Jacksonville and Michael Mayo, newly named president and CEO of Baptist Health in Northeast Florida.
This Week in South Florida on WPLG-Local10 News (ABC): Fried and Stephen Hunter Johnson, chair of the Miami Dade Black Affairs Advisory Board.
— ALOE —
“Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure sneak peek shows a new ride and lots of tech” via Hugo Martin of The Los Angeles Times — A new Marvel superhero-themed land is set to open at Disney California Adventure on Friday, just in time to take advantage of pent-up demand for big-thrill theme park rides, high-calorie snacks and pricey souvenirs. The six-acre Avengers Campus was scheduled to open last July but was put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new land, built on an area of the park that previously held A Bug’s Land attractions and parts of Hollywood Land, features characters from the Marvel Entertainment empire, which Walt Disney Co. bought in 2009 for $4 billion. Disney has released a slew of Marvel movies since the purchase and is now leaning into the theme park perks of the deal.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Best wishes to Jason Attermann, former AHCA Secretary Holly Benson, lobbyist Julie Haines Fess, and Rebecca Romero of Strategic Digital Services.
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Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Renzo Downey and Drew Wilson.
