Peter Schorsch
Good Tuesday morning.
Let’s begin with a personnel note about a good friend.
Lawyer and lobbyist Donovan Brown launched his own lobbying firm on Tuesday, but he won’t be going it completely alone.
Capital Advocates will focus on clientele that play to Brown’s many strengths, which include a deep knowledge of the insurance, health care, transportation, the environment, energy, telecommunications and education industries.
Brown, a University of Florida law school graduate, has been working in government affairs since the early 2000s when he served as a special assistant to former Gov. Jeb Bush.
His resume includes experience in big law, a stint as Chair of the Financial Services Council at the Associated Industries of Florida as well as membership on the Florida Automated Vehicles Policy Work Group.
Until recently, Brown was vice president of Suskey Consulting. That firm recently merged into Shumaker Advisors Florida, with firm founder Alan Suskey serving as managing principal of state affairs and leading Shumaker’s Tallahassee practice.
While Brown didn’t make the jump, he will continue working with Suskey as of counsel to the law firm side of Shumaker.
“This is an exciting new chapter for me in my career in politics and law and these new roles are an incredible opportunity to service clients’ needs in and around state government,” Brown told Florida Politics.
“I look forward to continuing to provide the insight, strategic counsel and advocacy it takes to achieve results in today’s complex political and legal environment though both my role as managing partner of Capital Advocates and as of counsel to the prestigious Shumaker law firm.”
Shumaker Advisors Florida President and CEO Ron Christaldi added, “Donovan is an extraordinary individual and a very talented advocate. We congratulate him on the launch of his public affairs practice, and are pleased to further strengthen his ties with Shumaker as we also continue to expand and grow in Tallahassee.”
Also on my radar this morning:
— Jason Mariner candidacy in CD 20 raises potential constitutional conundrum: When Mariner, who has a felony record won the Republican Primary last week to run for Florida’s 20th Congressional District, he put himself into position for a legal challenge that could open a door for felons to run for federal office. The Florida Constitution says no person convicted of a felony can vote or hold elected office until they have their civil rights restored. The U.S. Constitution, however, says something different about elected officeholders in the U.S. House of Representatives. If a ruling found he was able to run and serve in Congress, Florida’s law could be in legal jeopardy if it were used as the basis for a legal challenge of Morley’s qualification to serve in Congress.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
—@Rortybomb: The initial August jobs number of 235K started a wave of economic panic in the press. It was actually 483K, nearly half a million jobs (!). September’s 194K, which signaled malaise, is revised to 312K. Revisions are big in 2021, averaging 99K/month; press hasn’t managed it well.
—@GovRonDeSantis: Nick’s 50s Diner in West Palm Beach serves quality homemade food and has an excellent staff. Check it out: https://t.co/p2BEN0l3EM
—@LMower3: So apparently @GovRonDeSantis has stopped saying the word “vaccine.” During a news conference against vaccine mandates, he keeps referring to it as “the jab.” Other speakers are also referring to it as “the jab.”
—@CaseyDeSantis: Thank you for the prayers. Thank you for the kindness. Thank you for thinking of me. I am blessed, humbled and eternally grateful. … and yes, Governor, I will be back!
—@AGAshleyMoody: When law enforcement does the hard job of bringing a killer to justice, they deserve a prosecutor who will make sure that convicted killer never harms anyone else. Doesn’t look like L.A. prioritizes this common-sense public safety approach.
—@JaxPeel: Today’s a good day to mention that the @FLHouseDems are unified in their stance against 8:30 a.m. press conferences on non-committee week Mondays
—@KevinCate: Because some of you are asking, we saw no vaccine side effects for any of our three kids — aside from a huge dose of pride that they were helping end the pandemic. Arms were barely even sore. Easier than the flu shot.
— DAYS UNTIL —
Miami at FSU — 4; Special Session on vaccine mandates begins — 6; ExcelinEd National Summit on Education begins — 9; ‘Hawkeye’ premieres — 15; FSU vs. UF — 18; Florida Chamber 2021 Annual Insurance Summit begins — 22; Jacksonville special election to fill seat vacated by Tommy Hazouri’s death — 28; Steven Spielberg’s ’West Side Story’ premieres — 31; ’Spider-Man: No Way Home’ premieres — 31; ’The Matrix: Resurrections’ released — 43; ’The Book of Boba Fett’ premieres on Disney+ — 50; Private sector employees must be fully vaccinated or tested weekly — 56; CES 2022 begins — 57; NFL season ends — 61; 2022 Legislative Session starts — 63; Florida’s 20th Congressional District Election — 63; Special Elections in Senate District 33, House District 88 & 94 — 63; Florida TaxWatch’s 2022 State of the Taxpayer Day — 64; Joel Coen’s ’The Tragedy of Macbeth’ on Apple TV+ — 66; NFL playoffs begin — 67; XXIV Olympic Winter Games begins — 878; Super Bowl LVI — 96; Daytona 500 — 103; St. Pete Grand Prix — 108; ‘The Batman’ premieres — 115; ’Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ premieres — 178; ’Top Gun: Maverick’ premieres — 199; ’Platinum Jubilee’ for Queen Elizabeth II — 205; ’Thor: Love and Thunder’ premieres — 241; San Diego Comic-Con 2022 — 253; ’Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ sequel premieres — 332; ‘Black Panther 2’ premieres — 367; ‘The Flash’ premieres — 370; ‘Avatar 2’ premieres — 402; ‘Captain Marvel 2’ premieres — 465; ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ premieres — 626. ‘Dune: Part Two’ premieres — 710; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games — 990.
“Ron DeSantis officially launches 2022 reelection bid” via Steve Contorno of CNN — DeSantis has officially launched his campaign for reelection, setting the stage for what is expected to be one of the country’s most closely watched and expensive gubernatorial races of 2022. DeSantis filed the paperwork to run for another four years on Friday. At a news conference Monday, DeSantis called his decision to seek a second term a “formality” and indicated a larger rollout would be forthcoming. The Florida politician has become one of the most recognizable Republican leaders in the country for his hands-off approach to managing the coronavirus pandemic and his promise to keep businesses and schools open. DeSantis’ style has been heralded by Republicans and many businesses and vilified by Democrats, who blame the Governor for the state’s deadly summer surge.
—“DeSantis files for reelection, allowing campaign spending during Special Session” via Mary Ellen Klas of the Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times
— DATELINE TALLY —
“DeSantis, GOP lawmakers outline Special Session bills banning COVID-19 mandates” via Gray Rohrer and Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel — DeSantis unveiled details Monday about legislation he’s pursuing to block COVID-19 vaccine mandates during a special session that begins Nov. 15, including a ban on private employers requiring shots. But the bills don’t go as far as DeSantis initially proposed and, in some cases, even echo federal orders, despite him couching them as part of his fight against the Joe Biden administration. DeSantis also escalated his recent rhetoric questioning the COVID-19 vaccines by playing up potential side effects from what he repeatedly referred to as the “jabs” and slamming Washington’s approval of booster shots.
“Florida Senate to have draft redistricting maps this week but won’t hold public hearings” via Mary Ellen Klas of the Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times — Senate Committee on Reapportionment Chair Ray Rodrigues announced Monday that the committee will have staff-drawn draft maps of its congressional and state Senate redistricting plans available on its website starting Wednesday as part of its first step in completing the must-pass bill during the Legislative Session that begins Jan. 11. Drawn behind the scenes by the committee’s staff just over two months after the U.S. Census released the data on which to draw them, the maps are supposed to follow the leadership-driven guidelines set by the committee with little discussion at its Oct. 18 meeting. The maps will be reviewed next week by the Senate redistricting committees during the Special Session on vaccine mandates.
“Veterans Day becomes Veterans Week under House Resolution” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics — A recently adopted House Resolution expands this year’s Veterans Day into a weeklong affair. Proposed by Rep. Michelle Salzman, the Resolution designates Nov. 7—13, 2021 as Veterans Week in Florida. Salzman pitched the idea in the 2020 Legislative Session. “The idea that we are celebrating Veterans all week is a win for both our veterans and our community,” Salzman said in a news release. A veteran herself, Salzman said there are a variety of ways to celebrate veterans throughout the week. Floridians can shop at a veteran-owned business or simply promote veterans on social media, she suggested. The proclamation comes as Florida works to distinguish itself as the most military-friendly state in the nation.
“Tina Polsky, Christine Hunschofsky target ‘ghost guns’ ban in Florida” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Legislation aimed at banning so-called “ghost guns” has landed in Tallahassee. Proponents say it’s a necessary update to the state’s firearm laws, but admit they face an “uphill battle” passing the proposed law. Sen. Polsky and Rep. Hunschofsky filed twin bills (SB 872 and HB 527) to prohibit the sale of undetectable or untraceable firearms known as “ghost guns.” Such guns are built, sometimes using 3D printers, with unfinished frames or receivers, the serialized piece of a pistol or rifle containing the operating parts of the firing mechanism regulated under federal law. The receiver or frame portion of a gun, if unfinished even by a small fraction, is unregulated. The ATF doesn’t consider unfinished frames for handguns and receivers for long guns, including rifles, technically firearms because they cannot fire a projectile on their own.
“Shevrin Jones bill would end driver’s license suspensions for Floridians facing certain court fines” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Sen. Jones has filed legislation that would add Florida to the list of several states ending the practice of suspending individuals’ driver’s licenses as a punishment for failure to pay certain court fines and fees. Jones filed the bill (SB 870) Monday. So far, no House companion bill has been filed, but Jones tells Florida Politics he expects that to happen by the end of this week, and that he’s seeking a Republican co-sponsor to make the effort bipartisan. That leads to a cycle where individuals seeking to pay off certain fines and fees accumulated through criminal cases, traffic violations or other court proceedings can face hurdles getting to work. That makes it difficult to make those payments and can lock people into debt.
“New law brings worries of home businesses opening right next door” via Lisa J. Huriash of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — A Florida law that encourages people to run businesses from home is drawing fear of what could open right next door in neighborhoods, maybe an ammo supply shop, a strip club or more. But one of the first instances to amplify concern came when the owner of Popping Smoke Ammunition filed paperwork to start up his ammunition-supply company from his two-bedroom home in Lauderdale Lakes. That sent frantic officials pleading for help from Tallahassee lawmakers. The bill’s intent was to make it easier so an “insurance salesman or consultant wouldn’t be penalized for working from your dining room table,” but elected officials don’t want to “change the character of neighborhoods.”
Happening today — The Highlands County legislative delegation holds a public meeting: Sen. Ben Albritton and Rep. Kaylee Tuck, 9:30 a.m., Highlands County Government Center, 600 South Commerce Ave., Sebring.
Happening today — The Okeechobee County legislative delegation holds a public meeting: Sen. Albritton and Rep. Tuck, 1:30 p.m., Historic Courthouse, 304 N.W. Second St., Okeechobee.
Happening today — The Broward County legislative delegation holds a public meeting: Sens. Lauren Book, Gary Farmer, Perry Thurston, Jones, Polsky; Reps. Robin Bartleman, David Borrero, Dan Daley, Bobby DuBose, Tom Fabricio, Joe Geller, Mike Gottlieb, Christine Hunschofsky, Evan Jenne, Chip LaMarca, Anika Omphroy, Felicia Robinson, Patricia Williams and Marie Woodson, 4 p.m., JAFCO, 5100 North Nob Hill Road, Sunrise.
Happening today — The Glades County legislative delegation holds a public meeting: Sen. Albritton and Rep. Tuck, 4:30 p.m., Glades County Courthouse, 500 Ave. J S.W., Moore Haven.
Happening today — The Madison County legislative delegation holds a public meeting: Sen. Loranne Ausley and Rep. Jason Shoaf, 6 p.m., Courthouse Annex, 229 S.W. Pinckney St., Madison.
New and renewed lobbying registrations:
Albert Balido, Natalie Fausel, Anfield Consulting: Rookwood Holdings 2, MAPS Public Benefit Corporation
Robert Beck, PinPoint Results: Mount Sinai Eldercare
Dean Cannon, Kim McDougal, GrayRobinson: Curriculum Associates
Robert Hawken, Meredith Snowden, Leath Consulting: First Step of Sarasota, Petland
Matthew Herndon, RSA Consulting Group: United Way Suncoast
Robert Sniffen, Sniffen & Spellman: Florida Justice Reform Institute
— STATEWIDE —
>>>Gov. DeSantis will hold a press conference at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. DEP Secretary Shawn Hamilton and Chief Science Officer Mark Rains also to attend. 10:30 a.m.
“DeSantis: First Family leans on faith amid Casey DeSantis cancer battle” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics — DeSantis is leaning on faith and fellowship as his wife, First Lady Casey DeSantis, battles breast cancer. DeSantis fashioned Florida’s First Lady as a fighter. Better days, they believe, are on the horizon. “I have faith in God, I have faith in her and I do have faith in the power of prayer,” DeSantis told reporters. In addition to faith, DeSantis said fellowship is fueling the family of five’s resiliency. Both he and Casey, DeSantis said, are appreciative of the widespread support. “There’s a lot of people pulling for her, not just in Florida, but throughout the country,” DeSantis said. “And so, it’s really uplifting. It’s helped her spirits; it’s helped my spirits.”
Tweet, tweet:
EXCLUSIVE: @GovRonDeSantis defends his comment last week labeling the Biden Admin “the Brandon Administration.” Calls it “a joke.”
When pressed, says it was no worse than what was said about Trump.
More on vaccine mandates and masking to come. @CBS12 pic.twitter.com/vnfaRm5WVe
— Jay O'Brien (@jayobtv) November 8, 2021
—“‘Pork-barrel spending’: DeSantis disses federal infrastructure bill, but state will benefit” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
—“Q&A with Gov. Ron DeSantis: The run for reelection, Casey’s cancer battle, Roger Stone, and the presidency” via Jennifer Holton of Fox 13 Tampa Bay
— “DeSantis opens up about relationship with Joe Biden” via Jay O’Brien of CBS12 News
—“Donald Trump talks up DeSantis as 2024 running mate: ‘He’s a good man’” via Darragh Roche of Newsweek
“DeSantis vows action against Joe Biden’s ‘midnight flights’” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — The Governor, appearing on “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” told Fox News viewers that a Jacksonville murder happened because Biden hadn’t been “doing his job” and that a murderer was on one of “Biden’s midnight flights” that brought people, including at least one murder suspect, to the Sunshine State. “So, these are flights that are coming in, 2 or 3 in the morning. The feds, of course, control the airspace. And they’re there on the ground,” DeSantis said. “They take these folks, and they send them to other parts of Florida by bus. Or to other parts of the Southeast.”
“DeSantis holds call with In-N-Out Burger President” via Robert Pandolfino of WFLA — DeSantis held a call with the president of In-N-Out Burger Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson on Monday with talks of the burger chain coming to the Sunshine State as a result of the state’s COVID-19policies. The news of the call was made public following the release of the governor’s schedule on Monday. Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis has pushed forward the idea of the restaurant to make a move to Florida after fighting back against San Francisco’s vaccine passport policy. On Oct. 14, the only In-N-Out in San Francisco was closed for several days after repeatedly refusing to follow that city’s public health mandate which required customers who wanted to dine indoors show their vaccination cards or proof they had tested negative for the virus in the past 72 hours.
“DeSantis suspends Medley councilwoman facing fraud charges” via Andrea Torres of Local 10 News — DeSantis announced the suspension of Ana Lilia Stefano, a councilwoman for the Town of Medley. A volunteer who worked with Stefano at the Santana Moss Foundation released records supporting the allegation that Stefano was selling about $24,000 of Feeding South Florida donations, prosecutors said. Officers arrested Stefano last week after a Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust and Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office joint investigation into Stefano’s activities as the SMF executive director. Stefano is facing charges of organized scheme to defraud over $50,000 and grand theft of over $20,000.
Assignment editors — Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried will hold a news conference in Miami to discuss the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Douglas Road Metrorail Station, 3060 SW 37th Ct., Miami. RSVP to [email protected].
Assignment editors — Attorney General Ashley Moody hosts a news conference to discuss the recoveries from a recent case involving a charity scam, 10:45 a.m. Eastern time, Office of the Attorney General — Tampa Office, 3507 E. Frontage Rd., Tampa.
“Mysterious group that paid for attack ads in a key Senate race hires prominent Republican attorney” via Jason Garcia and Annie Martin of the Orlando Sentinel — A mysterious group that tried to influence the Democratic primary in a high-stakes Central Florida Senate race last year hired a prominent Republican attorney to defend it in a lawsuit aimed at forcing the group to reveal the source of its money. After more than a year of silence, Floridians for Equality and Justice said in court filings last week it hired attorneys from the Florida firm Shutts & Bowen, including Ben Gibson, a partner in the firm’s Tallahassee office who, according to his biography, served as the chief counsel to the Republican Party of Florida during the 2018 and 2020 election cycles and the general counsel of DeSantis’ transition team in 2018.
Assignment editors — Sen. Janet Cruz, Rep. Susan Valdés and Hillsborough County Commissioner Harry Cohen host a public town hall meeting, Pierce Middle School Cafeteria, 5511 N Hesperides St., Tampa.
— CORONA FLORIDA —
“COVID-19 update: 1,927 cases added, and 1,594 patients hospitalized” via Michelle Marchante of the Miami Herald — Florida reported 1,927 COVID-19 cases and 221 deaths. In all, Florida has recorded at least 3,661,182 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 60,418 deaths. Of the deaths added Monday, about 87% occurred over the past 28 days and about 38% in the last two weeks. In the past seven days, on average, the state has added 132 deaths and 1,506 cases per day. There were 1,594 people hospitalized for COVID-19 in Florida. COVID-19 patients take up 2.82% of all inpatient beds in the latest report’s hospitals, compared to 2.80% in the previous day’s reporting hospitals.
“Florida files 33-page motion to stay federal vaccine mandate” via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — Florida on Monday filed a 33-page motion with a federal court in Atlanta asking it to pump the brakes on a federally proposed workplace safety rule requiring employees at large companies to get vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus or to produce negative test results weekly. In the 33-page document attorneys for Moody’s office argued OSHA overstepped its legal authority when it issued the rule last week, and argued the rule violates the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay Saturday in a similar legal challenge. But Monday’s court document argues another stay needed to be issued because it’s unclear how long the Louisiana court ruling would be in effect.
“‘We are not anti-vaccine, we are anti-mandate’: Mandate critics defend vax stance, DeSantis” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — DeSantis and those speaking against vaccine mandates say their opposition isn’t anti-vaccine. DeSantis and legislative leaders on Monday unveiled their outline for next week’s Special Session. There are no details yet on the bills, but they are aimed at thwarting vaccine mandates imposed by public and private employers and related issues. “This is going to save the day for a lot of workers,” DeSantis said. The Governor has been criticized for hosting news conferences with people stating vaccine misinformation. He has also been called anti-vaccine and anti-mask, but the Governor says he is trying to protect the freedom of personal choice. Senate President Wilton Simpson and House Speaker Chris Sprowls joined the Governor and those opposing the federal mandate.
“Florida GOP lawmakers poised to take on big business over COVID-19 vaccine mandates” via Gray Rohrer of the Orlando Sentinel — Florida Republicans are accustomed to a cozy relationship with big businesses, passing tax cuts for large corporations, reducing regulations and pushing against movements for increased pay and benefits. But later this month, at DeSantis’ urging, they’re poised to pass a series of worker protections against employer COVID-19 vaccine mandates. DeSantis called for a Special Session Nov. 15-19. DeSantis has called on his fellow Republicans to ban vaccine mandates for local government employees. For private-sector workers, he wants those fired for not getting a COVID-19 vaccine to be eligible for unemployment benefits and anyone who does get a shot and suffers an adverse reaction to receive workers’ compensation benefits. Those measures run against the pro-business bills Florida Republicans typically pass.
“After school closures, disrupted lives, some leap at chance to get kids 5 and up vaccinated” via Daniel Chang of the Miami Herald — About 2.8 million children younger than 12 live in Florida, according to the health department, though that number includes those younger than 5, who are not yet eligible for a vaccine. Vaccines for children 6 months to 4 years old aren’t expected until 2022. By vaccinating younger children, physicians and public health officials hope to prevent a resurgence of the virus in the winter and reduce the chances that a new variant will emerge and trigger another wave. For parents eager to get their children vaccinated against COVID-19, the opportunity — and risks — of travel and family get-togethers and the chance to stanch the spread of a virus that has upended much of their lives are too important to pass up.
“Alachua County COVID-19 vaccinations continue to rise as residents await pediatric doses” via Danielle Ivanov of The Gainesville Sun — The number of people getting vaccinated in Alachua County rose for the second week in a row over the past seven days. At the same time, the federal government announced the approval of pediatric COVID-19 vaccines for children and released new vaccination rules for millions of working Americans. According to Friday’s COVID-19 Weekly Situation Report from the Florida Department of Health, Alachua County had 106 new COVID-19 cases over the past seven days, continuing to fall for a record low since the week of July 9.
“Leon County Schools appeals judge’s decision that OK’d ban on mask mandates” via Ana Goñi-Lessan of the Tallahassee Democrat — Leon County Schools has appealed a judge’s decision to uphold the state Department of Health’s emergency rule that school districts cannot impose mask mandates. On Friday, Leon joined Miami-Dade, Duval, Broward and Alachua counties and filed a notice with the 4th District Court of Appeal after Administrative Law Judge Brian Newman said decisions to opt out of student mask requirements are at the “sole discretion” of parents or guardians. The Orange County School Board, which was part of the original lawsuit, did not join the appeal. Attorneys for the school boards argued during a two-day hearing last month that the health department improperly skirted normal rule-making processes when it issued the Sept. 22 emergency rule.
“Miami, Broward districts to open vaccine sites at schools for children ages 5 to 11” via David Goodhue and Michelle Marchante of the Miami Herald — Miami-Dade and Broward public schools will begin offering the newly authorized Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 pediatric vaccine to children ages 5 and up starting this week, school officials said Monday. The latest development comes as the FDA granted Emergency Use Authorization for the Pfizer vaccination for children between the ages of 5 and 11 on Oct. 29, followed by the CDC recommending it on Nov. 2. In August, the FDA approved the Pfizer vaccine for individuals 16 and over. In May, the agency granted emergency use authorization for the vaccine in children between 12 and 15.
“‘Watershed moment.’ Miami welcomes end of COVID-19 travel restrictions on 33 countries” via Anna Jean Keyser of the Miami Herald — Miami’s tourism economy has been slowly recovering since coronavirus lockdowns ended, but has been missing a key component: foreign tourists from most of Europe, Brazil, China, India and more. On Monday, Nov. 8, travelers from 33 countries will see U.S. coronavirus travel restrictions lifted for fully vaccinated people and the optimism and expectations in Miami’s tourism community are high. “We can’t see a complete recovery until the full international market is back in Miami,” said Rolando Aedo, the COO of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“International tourists return to Orlando, but COVID-19 jitters may remain” via Katie Rice of the Orlando Sentinel — As some flights touch down at Orlando International Airport today, many people will set foot in the United States for the first time in about 19 months. Monday marks the lifting of international travel restrictions for fully vaccinated visitors to the U.S. Travelers eager to return to their families, properties and vacations have watched for news of its return since September when the White House announced the new policies. They began booking flights on Oct. 15 when officials gave the specific date for the change. Local officials and tourism agencies hope international travel’s resumption signals the beginning of the revival of Orlando’s robust overseas tourism market. Demand for flights to Orlando has surged in recent weeks and experts are seeing encouraging travel bookings from the most enthusiastic visitors.
“Sarasota CEO expects vaccine mandate to ‘cost company millions’ as PGT prepares to comply” via Derek Gilliam of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Jeff Jackson runs one of Sarasota County’s largest companies, and while he plans to comply with a sweeping mandate that will require all companies with more than 100 employees to have them vaccinated or mandate weekly tests proving employees do not have COVID-19, he doesn’t appear happy about it. “We will not require our team members to be vaccinated to work at PGT Innovations,” Jackson said in a written statement to the Herald-Tribune. “We will encourage and make it as easy as possible for our team members to get vaccinated, but we will not require it.”
— 2022 —
“The Democratic Senate majority was already dicey. Then came Virginia.” via Natalia Allison of POLITICO — Democrats go into the midterm election with one advantage — a favorable map that gives some reason to think the party can hold its minuscule Senate majority next year. But it’s not going to be enough on its own to save them in the current political environment. Not after what Tuesday’s election results revealed. Double-digit swings toward the GOP in races in Virginia and New Jersey last week suggest the seats Democrats narrowly won in recent special elections in Georgia and Arizona will prove difficult to defend, and the Senate playing field could be expanded by the addition of one or more top-tier GOP challengers.
“Republican wave builds to take back the House” via Ally Mutnik of POLITICO — Republicans could hardly be better poised to recapture the House majority. Increasingly aggressive redistricting, a diverse slate of candidates raking in record-breaking amounts of cash and a political atmosphere that just keeps getting more favorable has Democrats watching with a growing sense of dread. Last week alone, the GOP saw the stirrings of a full-fledged suburban revival from Virginia to New Jersey to New York — and also possibly ended the careers of as many five Democratic incumbents with punishing new congressional maps in three other states.
Kelvin Soto endorses Charlie Crist for Governor — U.S. Rep. Crist’s gubernatorial bid added an endorsement from Osceola Clerk of Courts Soto during a small business tour in Kissimmee on Monday. “Charlie Crist understands what is at stake for everyone in Florida and is a proven leader in public education, public safety, and public health,” Soto said. “Osceola County is among the more diverse communities in the state. In Charlie, I see a Governor with a modern approach to leadership that recognizes the varied perspectives and issues of this community.” Soto joins more than 100 other elected officials and community leaders in endorsing Crist, who is running against Fried and Sen. Taddeo in the Democratic Primary. The winner of that contest will face Gov. DeSantis, who formally filed for reelection on Monday.
Michael Waltz snags endorsement from Nikki Haley — Former South Carolina Governor and U.S. Amb. Haley is backing Republican U.S. Rep. Waltz in his bid for a third term representing Florida’s 6th Congressional District. “Mike is a conservative fighter, servant leader, and firewall against the Biden administration’s big-government policies,” she said. “Whether it’s our national security or issues affecting Main Street, Mike always puts Americans first. I’m proud to endorse him for reelection because he defended our country as a Green Beret, and he’ll always stand strong against the Left’s socialist agenda.” Waltz described Haley, a potential GOP presidential candidate in 2024, as someone who “cares deeply about the security of our country and standing against the Biden administration’s attempts at weakening America and our allies abroad.”
Spotted — At the NRCC “Countdown to the Majority” event featuring special guest Trump: Gus Bilirakis, Christaldi, Coleman Covington, Leigh Ann Gillis, Alex Latcham, Amy Maguire, Sandy Murman, Suskey, Jackie Toledo, Robert and Nancy Watkins, Bob Warchola and JD White.
“Annette Taddeo campaign reports $650,000 raised just two weeks into Governor’s bid” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Taddeo raised more than $650,000 just two weeks into her 2022 bid for Florida Governor, according to a press note from her campaign. Democratic consultant Christian Ulvert, who runs Taddeo’s political committee, credited “excitement and enthusiasm from grassroots supporters across the state.” In a written statement, Taddeo said it will take a “coalition of voters” for Democrats to regain the support of communities lost to their Republican opponents. Taddeo faces tough competition. On the Democratic side, Fried holds more than $3 million between her campaign and political committee. Crist, Florida’s former Republican Governor, holds $2.84 million between his campaign and committee.
Happening today:
Blaise Ingoglia starts November with $1.86M on hand — Spring Hill Republican Rep. Ingoglia raised $233,500 between his campaign and political committees last month and entered November with more than $1.86 million in the bank. “I have always been a conservative fighter, and I always will be. I will never back down from the woke mob that seeks to radically transform our nation and our state. I will work tirelessly to keep Florida’s economy strong and our people free,” he said. In July, the Spring Hill Republican filed to run in Senate District 10, though aware redistricting could substantially change jurisdictions. Lecanto Republican Rep. Ralph Massullo and Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco, a Republican of New Port Richey, are also considering a run in SD 10.
“Nick DiCeglie crosses $500K raised for Senate bid” via Kelly Hayes of Florida Politics — DiCeglie crossed the $500,000 mark in his run to succeed Sen. Jeff Brandes in Senate District 24. DiCeglie raised nearly $80,000 in October for his campaign and affiliated political committee, Economic Freedom Committee. DiCeglie’s campaign provided the latest update. More information on other candidates and finance details will be available when required campaign finance disclosures are filed with the Florida Division of Elections. Currently, DiCeglie faces Republican challenger Timothy J. Lewis, who has so far not raised any funds in the race. Democratic candidate Eunic Ortiz is also vying for the seat, but has so far trailed in the funding race.
“Jessica Baker out of the gate strong with $220K raised in first month as House candidate” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Republican Baker raised more than $220,000 during her first month running for Jacksonville’s House District 12. Baker, an assistant state attorney running for the seat currently held by Senate candidate Rep. Clay Yarborough, raised $132,950 for her campaign and an additional $87,100 for her political committee. Baker’s list of donors is impressive and includes Susie Wiles, Kent Stermon, and the BestBet gambling entities. Wiles is an adviser to Donald Trump‘s political operation, while Stermon is a close friend of DeSantis, whose backing would be advantageous in a Republican Primary. None of the funding, Baker’s campaign noted in a news release, is “candidate or spouse” money. Baker faces former Rep. Lake Ray in the Primary.
—”Daniel Sotelo adds $11K for unopposed HD 118 run” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics
Manatee GOP elects Vernon — The Republican Party of Manatee County on Monday elected Steve Vernon, president of the Lakewood Ranch Republican Club, as its new chair. He succeeds Kathleen King, who stepped down as county chair last month after 15 years in the job; King remains Florida’s national committeewoman on the Republican National Committee. Vernon notably challenged King earlier this year for the county role but fell short. More recently, he campaigned heavily against the ultimately renewed extension of a school property tax supporting the Manatee County School District.
— CORONA NATION —
“Biden administration says blocking vaccine mandate could cost hundreds of lives per day” via Rebecca Rainey of POLITICO — The Biden administration told a federal court Monday that a stay of its vaccinate-or-test requirement for private employers “would likely cost dozens or even hundreds of lives per day.” The administration argued that the OSHA was well within its authority to issue the requirements requiring employees at large businesses to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or tested weekly. The states, businesses and religious groups that requested the stay aren’t likely to succeed given earlier court rulings, federal law and “the considerable evidence that OSHA analyzed and discussed when issuing” the requirement, attorneys for OSHA and the Labor Department told the court.
“Jill Biden and the Surgeon General push for COVID-19 shots in schools.” via Sheryl Gay Stolberg of The New York Times — The First Lady and the Surgeon General traveled to Virginia on Monday to promote the vaccination of children in school against the coronavirus, visiting an elementary school whose students were the first to receive the polio vaccine as part of a nationwide clinical trial in 1954. It was the kickoff of what the Biden administration said would be a nationwide push to persuade parents and guardians to vaccinate children ages 5 to 11. The administration is seeking to enlist schools in the effort to vaccinate 28 million children. The first lady, Dr. Jill Biden, and the surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy, met with students who had been vaccinated in the brightly colored school gymnasium and handed out stickers to them. “You guys are leaders, so thank you for being so brave,” Dr. Biden told them.
“Pfizer-BioNTech expected to seek authorization for coronavirus booster for people 18 and older” via Laurie McGinley, Lena H. Sun and Tyler Pager of The Washington Post — Pfizer and BioNTech are expected to seek authorization for their coronavirus vaccine booster shot for anyone 18 and older, a move that could increase booster rates at a critical moment in the pandemic. The request, which may be filed as soon as this week, is likely to win the backing of the FDA, said the individuals, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue. That would essentially fulfill the Biden administration’s booster-for-all-adults goal. Authorizing boosters for all adults would be an explicit recognition of what is already occurring: People are getting access to the shots by saying they are in one of the recommended categories; pharmacies are using the honor system.
“An emotional journey: Families reunite in U.S. with tears, balloons as COVID-19 travel ban ends” via David Shepardson and Julia Harte of Reuters — Paul Campbell had waited nearly two years to reunite with his German fiancée at Boston’s Logan airport on Monday, the day the United States eased travel restrictions imposed on much of the world since the COVID-19 pandemic began. “I’m just ecstatic that she’s here, I’m happy,” said Campbell, 63, a retired firefighter from Vermont who greeted her with a heart-shaped balloon. “Our relationship is still thriving even though we’ve been apart for two years.” The travel ban, imposed since early 2020, barred access to non-U.S. citizens traveling from 33 countries, including China, India and much of Europe — and had also restricted overland entry from Mexico and Canada. “Today America is open for business. That is our message to the world,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said at Chicago’s O’Hare airport.
— CORONA ECONOMICS —
“With cases piling up, an eviction crisis unfolds step by step” via Sophie Kasakove of The New York Times — It is not the sudden surge of evictions that tenants and advocates feared after the Supreme Court ruled in August that Biden’s extension of the eviction moratorium was unconstitutional. Instead, what’s emerging is a more gradual eviction crisis that is increasingly hitting communities across the country, especially those where the distribution of federal rental assistance has been slow, and where tenants have few protections. And even now, experts say, the available numbers dramatically undercount the number of tenants being forced from their homes either through court-ordered evictions or informal ones, especially as rising rents make seeking new tenants increasingly profitable for landlords.
“Retailers scramble to attract workers ahead of the holidays” via DNYUZ — Retailers, expecting the holiday shopping season to be bustling once again this year after being upended by the coronavirus in 2020, are scrambling to find enough workers to staff their stores and distribution centers in a tight labor market. It is not proving easy to entice applicants to an industry that has been battered, more than most, by the pandemic’s many challenges, from fights over mask wearing to high rates of infection among employees. Willing retail workers are likely to earn larger paychecks and work fewer hours, while consumers may be greeted by less inventory and understaffed stores. It’s especially critical for retailers to hire temporary help this year because existing employees are already strained from nearly two years of pandemic conditions.
— MORE CORONA —
“Could long COVID-19 unlock clues to chronic fatigue and other poorly understood conditions?” via Frances Stead Sellers of The Washington Post — Alison Sbrana watched the coronavirus skip from China across continents with a sense of impending doom. Sbrana, plagued by fatigue and brain fog since being diagnosed with mononucleosis six years earlier, was convinced that the pernicious new virus would wreak similar havoc in some of those who contracted it. Her intuition proved prescient. Some people who had suffered even mild cases of COVID-19 began complaining of problems that Sbrana knew too well, including muscle pain and drop-dead exhaustion. COVID-19 long-haulers inherited many of the challenges that have faced people like Sbrana for years, including a lack of understanding of the mechanisms that triggered their disabilities, leaving some doctors to view their symptoms as largely psychosomatic.
“Will children of color get vaccinated at the rates of other kids? Experts say equity is key” via Nada Hassanein of USA Today — Now that a COVID-19 vaccine is available for children as young as 5 years old, community leaders, clinicians and officials are ramping up grassroots efforts to ensure children of color have equal access to the shot. The rollout charges forward at drugstores, pediatrician offices, family health clinics and hospitals. But access may be challenging for some, as an estimated 53% of children throughout the nation lack a medical home. Doctors said the barriers adults in communities of color face in getting vaccinated are likely to be mirrored in children of color. “We obviously had disparities with their parents, so why shouldn’t we have disparities with their kids?” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.
“How Sweden swerved COVID-19 disaster” via Johan Anderberg of UnHerd — Few now remember that for most of 2020, the word “experiment” had negative connotations. That was what Swedes were accused of conducting when we maintained some semblance of normality. The citizens of this country generally didn’t have to wear face masks; young children continued going to school; leisure activities were largely allowed to continue unhindered. If you measure excess mortality for the whole of 2020, Sweden (according to Eurostat) will end up in 21st place out of 31 European countries. If Sweden were a part of the U.S., its death rate would rank No. 43 of the 50 states.
— PRESIDENTIAL —
“Majority of Americans say Joe Biden isn’t paying attention to nation’s most important issues” via Jennifer Agiesta and Ariel Edwards-Levy of CNN — One year out from the 2022 midterm elections, 58% of Americans say President Biden hasn’t paid enough attention to the nation’s most important problems, as a majority disapproves of the way he’s handling his job as President, according to a new CNN Poll conducted by SSRS. More than a third of Americans call the economy the most pressing problem facing the country (36%). Among the group that sees it that way, 72% say Biden hasn’t been attentive to the right issues.
“Biden’s border woes expose White House divisions as centrists assert more control” via Nick Miroff and Sean Sullivan of The Washington Post — Illegal border crossings and coronavirus cases were both rising this summer when a group of Biden administration officials developed a plan to vaccinate migrants in U.S. custody, viewing the shots as a sensible public health measure. But just before the plan was rolled out, it was opposed by Susan Rice and other senior officials who worried that it would invite more illegal crossings. Some aides responded that migrants would not pay smugglers and take a dangerous journey just for a vaccine, but they were overruled. Several top aides want tougher enforcement measures and the president’s team is gripped with fear that any misstep could trigger a new crisis.
“Jim Jordan, a top Trump ally, is warning the GOP against a Biden ‘impeachment by reflex’ if it takes back the House.” via POLITICO — Jordan used a notable forum — a podcast with Matt Gaetz, another Trump pal on Judiciary — to reveal his thinking. The Floridian teed up his question on his podcast “Firebrand” by warning against “impeachment fever,” saying impeachment should only be based on “purposeful wrongdoing” by a POTUS. Otherwise, Gaetz said, “any time you have a President and a Congress that are in different parties, part of the ceremonial exchange of power will be an impeachment.” Gaetz then asked Jordan if he shares that concern. Gaetz previously co-sponsored Marjorie Taylor Greene‘s August resolution seeking Biden’s impeachment for his handling of the southern border. Gaetz alluded to that issue in the episode saying Biden was “worthy” of impeachment over that issue.
— D.C. MATTERS —
“The battle over Biden’s child tax credit and its impact on poverty and workers” via Glenn Kessler of The Washington Post — Right now, there’s a fierce battle within the economics world over Biden’s expanded child tax credit. At stake: whether the President’s proposal would reduce poverty as much as advocates say it would. As part of the coronavirus relief package, Biden took the existing child tax credit, expanded it, and in effect, made it a sort of monthly child allowance. The tax credit is believed to be an incentive for work. If wages go up, people tend to work longer; but if someone can get enough money without working, fewer people might work. There is also the “income effect,” in which more money makes things more affordable, including a decision to not work.
“How will Florida spend the billions Congress approved for infrastructure?” via Allison Ross of the Tampa Bay Times — The $1 trillion infrastructure plan now on President Joe Biden’s desk could bring billions of dollars to Florida for roads, bridges, public transportation, clean water and more. But the specifics on how that money will get distributed across the state has local governments, including those in Tampa Bay, still unclear. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which passed the U.S. House on Friday, could bring about $13 billion in federal funds to improve Florida’s aging highways and $2.6 billion over five years to improve the state’s public transportation options, according to a previously released by the White House.
— CRISIS —
“House Jan. 6 committee issues subpoenas to 6 top Trump advisers, including pair involved in Willard hotel ‘command center’” via Jacqueline Alemany, Tom Hamburger and Josh Dawsey of The Washington Post — Those subpoenaed to provide testimony and documents include scholar John Eastman, who outlined a legal strategy in early January to delay or deny Biden the presidency, and former New York City police commissioner Bernard Kerik, who led efforts to investigate voting fraud in key states. Both were present at the Willard during the first week in January. The list also includes three members of the Trump reelection campaign: campaign manager Bill Stepien; Jason Miller, a senior adviser to the campaign; and Angela McCallum, the national executive assistant to Trump’s campaign. The committee also issued a subpoena for Trump’s former national security adviser, Michael Flynn. All of them reportedly participated in discussions about challenging the election results.
— EPILOGUE TRUMP —
“‘Betrayal’ book: Trump threatened to leave GOP before RNC threat” via Oriana Gonzalez of Axios — Trump told the RNC chair that he was leaving the GOP to create his own new political party, according to a new book by ABC’s Jonathan Karl. Trump, who had said “he didn’t care” about destroying the GOP, ultimately backed down after Party leaders told him they would take actions that could have cost the former president millions of dollars, Karl said. On his last day in office, after boarding Air Force One, “Trump took a call from Republican Party chair Ronna McDaniel. … He told McDaniel he was done with the Republican Party.” Republican leaders told the former president that if he left, they would stop paying his legal fees and give out for free Trump’s email list. By the following week, Trump decided against leaving the GOP.
“Fox & Friends cautions Trump on possible 2024 run: He ‘needs to tone it down’” via Colby Hall of Mediaite — The set of Fox & Friends reacted to news of Trump’s plans to reveal his plans to run for a second term, and co-host Brian Kilmeade offered an interesting bit of insight from citizens he’s met over the past week. After meeting roughly 1,500 people recently while promoting his book, Kilmeade said that the No. 1 question he heard by far was “will Trump run again.” It appeared at the end of his spiel he was speaking for himself when he added, “I think the President’s gotta get better. He has to learn from the last four years.”
“Donald Trump will ‘probably’ announce 2024 plans after midterms: ‘A lot of people will be very happy’” via Brooke Singman of Fox News — Former President Trump, in an exclusive interview with Fox News, said he will “probably” wait until after the 2022 midterm elections to formally announce whether he will run for president in 2024. “I am certainly thinking about it, and we’ll see,” Trump said. “I think a lot of people will be very happy, frankly, with the decision, and probably will announce that after the midterms.” The former president said that timeline was “probably appropriate.” When asked whether he would consider DeSantis, Trump said: “He’s a good man, but we have a lot of great people. He’s been good.”
“The GOP under Trump is a hostage situation” via Aaron Blake of The Washington Post — The Washington Post reported earlier this year, as Trump was leaving office, that he had threatened to form a third party over his disgust with the GOP’s perceived lack of support for his baseless claims of a stolen election. Trump called it “fake news.” Now Karl reports in his new book that Trump explicitly told McDaniel on his final day in office that he was indeed going the third-party route, before backing down five days later. Republicans who talk to Trump have made it abundantly clear that they live in fear of this possibility. As they should. But it’s worth emphasizing just how much the modern GOP resembles a hostage situation. And this report fills out that picture.
“Rick Scott declines to say if Trump-backed Senate hopeful accused of strangling wife is right candidate for the job” via John Wagner of The Washington Post — Scott, who heads the group that works to elect Senate Republicans, declined to say whether Sean Parnell, a GOP hopeful in Pennsylvania who has been accused of strangling his wife and abusing his children, is the right candidate for the job. Scott maintained that in his role as NRSC chair he should remain neutral in primaries, except in the cases of GOP incumbents. “We’ll see who comes out of the primary,” Scott said. Scott added that he is certain his counterparts at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee would take the “exact same” approach.
Assignment editors — Scott will be at Versailles in Miami to recognize the restaurant’s 50th anniversary, 11 a.m., 3555 Southwest 8th Street, Miami. RSVP to [email protected].
— LOCAL NOTES —
“City leaders eye fed funds to address climate impacts” via Florida Politics — The Florida League of Cities gathered last week in Orlando to discuss its upcoming state and federal legislative agenda. Even though the U.S. House would approve the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal (BID) just after the conference concluded, the BID was discussed in a number of the panels along with a variety of other state and federal funding streams for local resilience and sustainability initiatives. This year, DeSantis and Republican leadership in the Legislature approved hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for local communities. The application process for much of that money is closing, and many of the cities represented at the FLC meeting are eager to fund priority projects through those programs.
“Oil drilling permit near Big Cypress denied by the state. Company will appeal, try again.” via Adriana Brasileiro of the Miami Herald — The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has rejected a permit application from a North Fort Myers company to drill an exploratory oil well north of Immokalee in Collier County, citing the potential for negative impacts on wildlife like the protected gopher tortoise and on water resources. South Florida water managers and the local water and sewer district had warned that the project threatened drinking water supplies in the region, and environmentalists said that oil exploration in the area — part of the Big Cypress watershed and the greater Everglades — could harm protected species like the Florida panther, the eastern indigo snake and the rare ghost orchid, which are found in the region’s unique cypress swamps, marl prairies, hardwood hammocks and mangrove forests.
“On first day back in service, Brightline train hits car in Pompano Beach” via Rob Wile and Michelle Marchante of the Miami Herald — On Brightline’s first day of service after a 19-month pandemic hiatus, one of its trains struck a car in South Florida on Monday morning driven by a grandmother who was with her young grandchild. It happened around 10 a.m. in Pompano Beach in the area of Northeast Third Street and North Flagler Avenue. The train struck the back of the car and spun it around. The woman sustained non-life-threatening injuries, including a broken collarbone. The express train’s service was halted in both directions for about an hour. “Today, we had a tragic reminder of what can happen in spite of grade crossings operating as they should, and our team operating as it should,” Brightline President Patrick Goddard said.
“‘A new era in our city’: Hialeah’s controversial police chief cut loose by new mayor” via Samantha J. Gross and Jay Weaver of the Miami Herald — Days after he was sworn in as Hialeah’s new mayor, Esteban “Steve” Bovo flexed his muscle on Monday and put controversial Police Chief Sergio Velázquez on leave, effective immediately. Velázquez, who was about to enter the city’s deferred retirement option plan, was made aware of the decision at lunchtime, Bovo said. Deputy Chief of Police George Fuente, husband of former Hialeah City Council member Katharine Cue-Fuente, will serve as interim chief. Fuente will oversee the department while a search committee creates parameters and begins the search for the next leader of the police department in the county’s second most populous city.
“Moms for Liberty sues Brevard School Board, saying speech rules discriminate by view” via Bailey Gallion of Florida Today — The Brevard chapter of conservative group Moms for Liberty has sued the Brevard County School Board over its public participation policy, saying the board has used it to limit speech and access for opposing viewpoints during meetings. School Board policy forbids speakers from making remarks that are “personally directed,” “abusive” or “obscene.” School Board Chair Misty Belford stops speakers from criticizing other school board members or district staff by name, requiring all speakers to direct their comments toward her or the board as a whole. In a complaint filed Friday, Moms for Liberty and four members, including Brevard chair Ashley Hall and former School Board member Amy Kneessy.
“Tampa Convention Center to get rooftop solar panels in push for net-zero emissions by 2050” via Daniel Figueroa of Florida Politics — The City of Tampa and Tampa Electric are taking a cue from their new sustainability partner, the University of South Florida, and going green. TECO President Archie Collins joined Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and interim USF President Rhea Law to announce the city’s main power utility aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. One of the latest projects to help achieve that goal is installing solar panels on the Convention Center’s roof. “We believe that this is what customers want,” Collins said. Collins said TECO has a long history of environmental stewardship. He said since the year 2000, the utility has reduced sulfur dioxide, a gas known to cause acid rain, by 99%. It’s reduced nitrous oxide, which leads to smog, by 95%.
“Another top USF leader will step down in 2022” via Lauren Coffey of the Tampa Bay Business Journal — University of South Florida’s provost and vice president has announced he will be stepping down in 2022. Ralph Wilcox has served in the position since 2008 and has been at the university for nearly 20 years. In a letter to the USF community, he referenced wanting to spend more time with family as a significant reason for leaving. Wilcox stated he will stay on as provost as long as it takes to ensure a smooth transition. After, he plans to remain on as faculty. He said the search for his replacement will begin in the spring, shortly after USF is expected to hire its new president.
“Calls grow for postponing vote on Confederate monument from Jacksonville park” via David Bauerlein of The Florida Times-Union — An up-or-down vote on moving the Confederate monument from Springfield Park should be put on hold until March so city and community leaders can explore options such as how to pay for the relocation, City Council member Matt Carlucci said Monday. Carlucci’s letter hit the City Council email inboxes as several high-profile Jacksonville business and civic leaders said it would be best to postpone the vote that is slated Tuesday night on legislation setting aside $1.3 million for moving the “Tribute to the Women of the Southern Confederacy” monument. The first round of votes in City Council committees last week showed most council members opposed the legislation and it was on track for defeat.
“Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro to speak at sold-out Florida State University event” via Christopher Cann of the Tallahassee Democrat — Shapiro, a conservative writer and commentator, will speak to a capacity audience at Florida State University next Monday, a lecture already evoking approbation and condemnation among students. The free event, put together by the College Republicans at FSU and FSU’s Institute of Politics, will take place in the Tucker Civic Center’s Exhibition Hall at 7 p.m. The event was funded largely by Young America’s Foundation, a conservative youth organization, as part of its Fred and Lynda Allen lecture series. It sponsors talks from other big-name conservatives like Matt Walsh, Liz Wheeler and former Vice President Mike Pence.
— TOP OPINION —
“Bill Clinton saved his presidency. Here’s how Biden can, too.” via Mark Penn and Andrew Stein of The New York Times — You can’t dismiss a clear electoral trend: last week’s flight from the Democrats was disproportionately in the suburbs, and the idea that home-owning, child-rearing, taxpaying voters just want more progressive candidates is not a sustainable one. After the 1994 congressional elections, Clinton reoriented his administration to the center and saved his presidency. Biden should follow his lead, listen to centrists, push back on the left and reorient his policies to address the mounting economic issues people are facing. As a Senator, he was a master at building coalitions; that is the leadership needed now. Moving to the center does not mean budging from core social issues that are at the heart of what the party believes in and are largely in sync with suburban voters. But it does mean connecting to voters’ immediate needs and anxieties.
— OPINIONS —
“The forgotten secret of Trump’s success” via Olga Khazan of The Atlantic — The argument in favor of the Democrats recruiting more-famous candidates is pretty clear cut: Celebrity offers a number of important advantages to aspiring politicians. Most Americans consume more television than political news, so they see more actors than they do legislators. Trump was the best-known GOP primary candidate in 2015. In crowded primary fields, or in nonpartisan elections, fame can be especially helpful. Yes, some examples of extremely successful celebrity candidates exist. But, no, professional Democrats don’t want to recruit more of them. Although celebrity candidates offer the political benefit of high name recognition, they sometimes prove disastrous if they appear reckless or ill-prepared. Name recognition is important, but rich people who aren’t celebrities can buy themselves name recognition by funding other candidates and buying ads.
“Condo safety must remain a priority” via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board — We understand that Republicans already have priorities for the session that begins in January. And everything has to be done quickly, so campaign season can start in earnest. But unlike the contrived issues that energize Republicans every year, this is a real one. The Champlain Towers South collapse revived questions about construction standards and condominium associations. Engineering trade associations and the Florida Bar agree on the need for reform. Throughout Florida, however, only Boca Raton has joined Broward and Miami-Dade counties in approving a safety inspection program. The city will require structural and electrical inspections of buildings that are at least 30 years old. Broward and Miami-Dade’s standards are 40 years.
— ON TODAY’S SUNRISE —
Gov. DeSantis files for a second term in office.
On today’s Sunrise:
— Alongside Republican legislative leaders, DeSantis also unveils a sweeping set of proposals against COVID-19 safety precautions in Florida.
To listen, click on the image below:
— ALOE —
“Metropolitan Ministries begins what it expects to be busy holiday season” via Fallon Silcox of Bay News 9 — Metropolitan Ministries opens its holiday donation tent on Monday and this year, officials there have set some big goals for our community. Metropolitan Ministries is hoping to serve 42,000 families through Christmas and officials say they need the communities to help. Maria Hernandez is a client of Metropolitan Ministries, and to say she’s had a tough year is an understatement. “Let’s just say I was a little desperate, hopeless, I didn’t know what to do,” said Hernandez. She caught COVID-19 last year and was hospitalized for two weeks. She had it so bad, she even lost her eyesight and while she was in the hospital, she received devastating news. Maria learned her fiancé, who also had COVID-19, died.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Best wishes to former Gov. Bob Graham, as well as Molly Curry, the First Lady of Jacksonville, Macy Harper, and Dana Young, CEO of VISIT FLORIDA.
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Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Renzo Downey and Drew Wilson.
