Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 12.17.21

Good Friday morning.

Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without the highly awaited holiday greetings from The Southern Group.

The lobbying firm — officially the top shop in Tallahassee two quarters in a row — releases a Christmas card each year that offers a fun take on the year’s most significant political stories, something always guaranteed to bring a buzz — not to mention a few snickers — throughout Florida’s Capitol.

This year it appears Santa Claus got himself a smartphone as the card features a gloved hand with iconic Kriss Kringle cuffs scrolling through Twitter.

“He sees you when you’re tweeting. He knows when you DM,” the card reads.

The phone in Santa’s hand, of course, is overflowing with messages, many of them from politicians and celebrities, listing what they want for Christmas this year.

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin is itching for a stocking full of coal, President Joe Biden hopes Santa can change his name to Brandon, and Bucs QB Tom Brady wants the same thing he got last year — another ring.

As ever, the card features genuine well wishes from The Southern Group team.

“We hope your holidays are full of likes, shares, retweets, and truly perfect moments of joy,” it says.

___

Spotted at the Governor’s Mansion for a “State Leaders Holiday Reception” — Secretary Laurel Lee and former Sen. Tom Lee, Secretary Simone Marstiller, Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, Sen. Dennis Baxley, Reps. Linda Chaney, Elizabeth Fetterhoff, and Jason Fischer, Meredith Beatrice-Ivey, Beau Beaubien, Adam Callaway, Taryn Fenske, Stephanie Kopelousos, Brad and Deanna McVay, Trey and Tara Price, Chris and Gina Spencer, Skylar and Lindsey Zander.

___

The Reading Rainbow theme doesn’t apply to prisoners. They can’t fly or be anything they want, and, by definition, they can’t go anywhere. They can, however, take a look in a book — and you can help.

The Florida Department of State’s Division of Library and Information Services and the State Library of Florida launched its first-ever Holiday Book Drive on Thursday.

Through February, the public and make book donations at a dropbox in the main lobby of the R.A. Gray Building at 500 South Bronough St. in Tallahassee. The lobby will also be open for donations from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays, and noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

All books received through the drive will be distributed to libraries within correctional facilities throughout the state, as well as to the library within the Florida State Hospital in Chattahoochee.

“Book donations received through the State Library’s Holiday Book Drive will make a positive impact on the lives of Floridians statewide,” Secretary of State Laurel Lee said. “The State Library is honored to collaborate with the Florida Department of Corrections and the Florida Department of Children and Families on this invaluable program.”

Drive organizers said prison libraries are clamoring for pretty much anything — yes, that includes the decades-old college textbooks you weren’t able to sell back. If you want to brighten a prisoner’s day, they are craving books in the sci-fi, fantasy and Western genres in particular. Board games, puzzles and movies (G through PG-13) are also accepted.

More information on the drive is available online.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@ElonMusk: Please don’t call the manager on me, Senator Karen

—@MarcATracy: An oral history of the afternoon when everyone realized they were probably going to get COVID soon

—@harmancipants: Feels like something has changed basically overnight in NYC. COVID wave is here!

—@SullyDish: A modest proposal. Make rapid testing kits for COVID as ubiquitous as possible. Approve the Merck COVID pill ASAP and allow it to be sold over the counter, no prescription needed. Give us tools to protect ourselves.

—@goni_lessan: COVID UPDATE: Mark O’Bryant, the TMH president, said there were only 3 people in the hospital for COVID today, said it’s the lowest it’s ever been. Omicron in the community? “My guess is there is some.” Said vaccines help in the severity of omicron cases.

—@revrrlewis: touch down in Ft. Lauderdale and a man is wearing a shirt that says “the final variant is communism”

Tweet, tweet:

Don't think this one has fully sunk in yet: A member of Congress suggested that GOP-controlled states anoint Trump electors **before those states were even called.**

This wasn't overturning the election. This was scrapping democracy before the votes were even counted. pic.twitter.com/gzf89U52jD

— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) December 15, 2021

Tweet, tweet

Tornado devastation is seen from inside a cinema in Mayfield, Kentucky https://t.co/L8mXADcXHB 📷 Shawn Triplett pic.twitter.com/TYv2pEQM6t

— Reuters Pictures (@reuterspictures) December 15, 2021

—@SteveBousquet: If there’s one thing North Florida does not need, it’s another road — especially a toll road. The first thing anybody in South Florida notices when they go upstate is: What nice roads and no gridlock. We have I-10, I-75, U.S. 90, U.S. 27, U.S. 441, many more. That’s plenty.

—@JHendersonTampa: To those who expect #UrbanMeyer to return to a top college program after his disastrous @Jaguars experience, consider this. Can you imagine this control freak dealing with the agent of a high school kid under NIL rules?

Tweet, tweet:

So excited! Pure joy.. 😊

🎥 Two Oceans Aquarium, Cape Town pic.twitter.com/6Oqej3glqg

— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden_) December 15, 2021

— DAYS UNTIL —

’The Matrix: Resurrections’ released — 5; ’The Book of Boba Fett’ premieres on Disney+ — 12; Private sector employees must be fully vaccinated or tested weekly — 18; final season of ‘This Is Us’ begins — 18; CES 2022 begins — 19; Ken Welch’s inauguration as St. Petersburg Mayor — 20; NFL season ends — 23; 2022 Legislative Session starts — 25; Florida’s 20th Congressional District Election — 25; Special Elections in Senate District 33, House District 88 & 94 — 25; Florida Chamber’s 2022 Legislative Fly-In and Reception — 25; Florida TaxWatch’s 2022 State of the Taxpayer Day — 26; Joel Coen’s ’The Tragedy of Macbeth’ on Apple TV+ — 28; NFL playoffs begin — 29; ‘Ozark’ final season begins — 35; ‘Billions’ begins — 37; XXIV Olympic Winter Games begins — 49; Super Bowl LVI — 58; ‘The Walking Dead’ final season part two begins — 65; Daytona 500 — 65; Special Election for Jacksonville City Council At-Large Group 3 — 67; CPAC begins — 69; St. Pete Grand Prix — 70; ‘The Batman’ premieres — 76; The Oscars — 102; ’Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ premieres — 145; ’Top Gun: Maverick’ premieres — 164; ’Platinum Jubilee’ for Queen Elizabeth II — 167; ’Thor: Love and Thunder’ premieres — 204; San Diego Comic-Con 2022 — 215; ‘The Lord of the Rings’ premieres on Amazon Prime — 259; ’Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ sequel premieres — 294; ‘Black Panther 2’ premieres — 329; ‘The Flash’ premieres — 332; ‘Avatar 2’ premieres — 364; ‘Captain Marvel 2’ premieres — 427; ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ premieres — 588; ‘Dune: Part Two’ premieres — 672; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games — 952.

— TOP STORY —

“CDC issues grim forecast warning that weekly COVID-19 cases will jump by 55% to 1.3 MILLION by Christmas Day and that deaths will surge by 73% to 15,600 a week as omicron becomes dominant strain” via Mansur Shaheen of the Daily Mail — Grim new figures from the CDC have predicted that U.S. COVID-19 deaths will soar by 73% to 15,600 a week by Jan. 8, and that cases will rocket to 1.3 million a week by Christmas Day. The agency revealed projections on Wednesday afternoon that show America will suffer up to 15,600 new COVID-19 deaths a week as of Jan. 8 — or 2,228 deaths per day — a 58% increase from 8,900 deaths currently being recorded each week, equivalent to 1,285 deaths a day. Another CDC prediction estimates that between 620,000 and 1.3 million Americans will have been diagnosed with COVID-19 by the week that ends on Dec. 25 — Christmas Day.

— STATEWIDE —

“Ron DeSantis delivers trucking education funds to Nassau County” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — DeSantis has put in an order for additional trucker training in North Florida. DeSantis granted $3.2 million to the Florida State College at Jacksonville to establish the Nassau County Transportation Education Institute, a commercial driving facility at the school’s Nassau campus. The facility will be able to support 120 graduates per year. New truckers who went through the training can “make a lot of really good money right off the bat,” the Governor told reporters. Department of Transportation Secretary Kevin Thibault joked the education dollars aren’t for “zombie studies.” Trucking is one of the bottlenecks preventing cargo ships from offloading at ports across the country, including in Jacksonville.

“DeSantis chides 6th Circuit for not taking up vaccine mandate case as full-court” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — DeSantis is calling attention to a potential threat current truckers could face if a federal vaccine mandate currently stayed temporarily goes into effect. Speaking in Yulee, DeSantis said he was a “little bit surprised” and “disappointed” to see the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit‘s 8-8 vote to refer the case to a three-judge panel. With the composition of that three-judge panel in doubt, DeSantis warned the current stay on the OSHA vaccine mandate could be lifted, at least for a time. The rule would affect major companies after the beginning of the new year, compelling companies with at least 100 employees to require full vaccination or weekly testing for those deemed not fully vaccinated.

“Initial UF accreditation investigation finds possible ‘significant noncompliance’” via Aaron Adelson of WGFL — Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) informed UF President Kent Fuchs that, “There may be sufficient factual information supporting significant noncompliance with the Principles of Accreditation.” The University of Florida needs accreditation from SACSCOC to receive federal funding. SACSCOC wrote Dr. Fuchs on Nov. 2, requesting a number of documents related to academic freedom. The investigation began when three UF professors came forward, sharing how the university blocked them from testifying as experts in cases involving the state of Florida. “The decisions that have led to the media reports were all made internally,” Fuchs wrote SACSCOC in late November.

“Frank Artiles’ lawyer again trying to shield records from public view in sham candidate case” via Samantha J. Gross of the Miami Herald — Former Sen. Artiles’ defense team is asking a Miami District Court judge for the second time to hold back releasing potential evidence — including photographs, videos, emails, text messages and call logs — to the public because it would infringe on Artiles’ right to a fair trial and violate the privacy rights of people like Artiles’ wife and daughters. The Wednesday motion refers to copies of data downloaded from electronic storage items seized in March, including an iPhone, laptop, and hard drives, Artiles’ lawyer Frank Quintero said. “There is nothing there that we can see is of evidentiary value …,” he said, noting that he “has no issue” with the state disclosing what he deems relevant items.

Personnel note: Emily Mahoney named Political Editor at Tampa Bay Times — Tampa Bay Times journalist Mahoney will take over as the paper’s Political Editor on Jan. 3, she announced Thursday. I’m humbled by this opportunity, and I can’t wait to jump back into the world of Florida politics,” Mahoney said on Twitter. “It’s been a privilege covering real estate during this critical period, a time of eviction freezes, a white-hot housing market, massive development decisions & vanishing affordability. Thank you to all the people who helped me better explain this world to our readers.” Tampa Bay Times Senior Deputy Editor Amy Hollyfield praised the pick, describing Mahoney as “a fierce, amazing journalist who covered Gov. Ron DeSantis from the outset of his rise. Watch out for this one, world.”

— DATELINE TALLY —

First on #FlaPol — “Board of Education Chair Tom Grady found not guilty of federal misdemeanor” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Officials accused Grady of excavating the water near his former Islamorada property in 2017 without obtaining the proper permits. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers oversees the waterway near 87429 Old Highway in Islamorada. Grady’s attorneys, David Oscar Markus and Margot Moss, said Grady did apply for local, state and federal approval to begin the project and disputed the charges from the get-go. The U.S. Southern District Court agreed in Thursday’s ruling. “Unfortunately, the federal government’s position is that any existing federal permits were insufficient,” Markus and Moss said. “This case should never have been brought, let alone four years after the fact. Mr. Grady has always acted in good faith and believes he had the appropriate approvals.”

“Chief Justice Charles Canady orders review of ‘vexatious litigants’ law, Florida Bar rules” via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — Noting that a review of current policies is necessary to “ensure the ongoing effective and efficient administration of justice,” Chief Justice Canady issued an order Dec. 9 creating the Workgroup on Vexatious and Sham Litigation and named Circuit Judge Carol-Lisa Philips its chair. The Canady order directs Philips and seven other judges appointed to the workgroup to review current rules and statutes regarding vexatious and sham litigation and make recommendations by June 1 on any proposed rule enhancements or statutory changes they think may be necessary. In addition to reviewing current rules and laws, the workgroup has been directed to survey judges, staff, and clerks on their use of existing regulations and the obstacles they have encountered.

“Shevrin Jones says DeSantis wants to stop teaching Black history” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — A Democratic state Senator from South Florida slammed DeSantis‘ proposed “Stop W.O.K.E. Act” Thursday in front of a national audience. The Governor’s latest move seeks to crack down on “pernicious” critical race theory concepts in educational and workplace settings. But Sen. Jones said Thursday the Governor wasn’t trying block teaching critical race theory, rather Black history itself. “It’s talking about racist policies that were created years ago during even the Jim Crow era that have put us in the position we are in now,” Jones said. In his remarks, DeSantis did not explain who “some of these people were” but soon after that focused heavily on decrying the “cultural Marxism” at the heart of critical race theory.

— CORONA FLORIDA —

“As omicron variant spreads, Miami-Dade hospitals ordered to report bed availability” via Douglas Hanks of the Miami Herald — In November, as Miami-Dade County’s COVID-19 pandemic seemed to ease, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava lifted a July emergency order requiring daily bed inventories and COVID patient counts from hospitals across the county. This week, as the omicron variant sweeps across the world, Levine Cava reinstated the order, with the first COVID-19 patient counts due on Friday. COVID is spreading again in Miami-Dade, with 7% of tests administered across the county coming back positive for the virus. That “positivity” rate was 1% just 30 days ago.

“Orange County will offer free drive-thru COVID-19 testing, vaccination through Jan. 31” via Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel — Located at 4801 W. Colonial Drive, the vaccination site in Barnett Park can administer up to 2,000 doses a day. More than $20 million has been spent operating all county-run testing and vaccination sites. More than $19 million came from federal CARES Act funding. According to statistics compiled by the county, Health Services has given 25,139 shots at the Barnett Park vaccination site since April 12. Health Services, which began offering nasal-swab COVID-19 tests at the park on Nov. 9, 2020, has administered about 492,000 tests. Health Services vaccinated 339 people at the park Monday through Wednesday, including 13 youths aged 12 to 17.

“Spokesman files whistleblower lawsuit against Sheriff Gregory Tony over COVID pandemic” via Rafael Olmeda of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — A spokesman for the Broward Sheriff’s Office is filing suit against the agency and his boss, accusing them of retaliating against him for blowing the whistle about the agency’s failure to protect deputies and the public at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the lawsuit filed Wednesday afternoon, Donald Prichard, a 20-year veteran of the county’s largest law enforcement agency, was suspended with pay on Dec. 7 and placed under an Internal Affairs investigation. Prichard is also a bargaining unit member for the deputies’ union.

— 2022 —

“DeSantis dominates another 2024 GOP Primary poll sans Donald Trump” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — That’s one takeaway from the latest round of monthly polling from Echelon Insights. Though 70% of the 439 registered Republican voters say they would “probably” or “definitely” vote for Trump were he to run again, DeSantis continues to build momentum should the former President not jump in. DeSantis is the choice of 30% of those surveyed in a field, not including the 45th President, up four points from the same survey in November. Former Vice President Mike Pence is in an increasingly distant second place, down three points to 12%. Donald Trump Jr. and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz tied for third place at 8%, ahead of U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney at 4% and U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney at 3%.

“2021 breaks political ad spending record as most expensive off-election year ever” via Paul Steinhauser of Fox News — Campaigns, party committees, and outside groups shelled out an eye-popping $1.23 billion this year to run political ads on television, digital and radio. Off-election years have traditionally been relatively sedate in the political ad wars, but 2021 was anything but quiet. So far, the price tag for 2021 far exceeds $425 million spent in 2017 on ad spending. It even eclipses the $1.08 billion dished out in 2019, when roughly $405 million was spent on ads during the early and middle stages of the 2020 Presidential Primary campaign.

Eric Lynn touts more endorsements for CD 13 bid — Former U.S. Reps. Howard Berman and Mel Levine, both California Democrats, endorsed Lynn in the Democratic Primary for CD 13 on Thursday. “Eric Lynn has the experience and determination to be an excellent Member of Congress on Day One. His work representing the United States to allies and leaders around the world will be very effective in Congress,” said Berman, a former Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Levine added, “Eric Lynn is an effective advocate who isn’t afraid to take on the toughest issues.” Lynn, a national security adviser in the Obama administration, faces state Reps. Ben Diamond and Michele Rayner-Goolsby in the Democratic Primary for the seat, which currently covers part of Pinellas County.

“Ex-Citrus County Commissioner Rebecca Bays joins HD 34 race” via Mike Wright of Florida Politics — Bays is running for Florida House District 34. Bays, an Inverness Republican, joins what is likely to be a crowded field in a newly redrawn district with no incumbent. Rep. Ralph Massullo is giving up his seat to run for Senate District 10, where the incumbent, Senate President Wilton Simpson, is running for Agriculture Commissioner. Bays is running to continue Massullo’s legacy and said she promised him, a Lecanto Republican, she would not get in the race if he chose to run for re-election. Bays has glowing opinions of both Massullo and Simpson, and said it would be her goal to continue in their footsteps. She also said Citrus County can play a role regionally and statewide, offering the turnpike extension as an example.

“2022 elections: Races set in North Palm, Lake Park while Palm Beach Gardens cancels election” via Katherine Kokal of The Palm Beach Post — Palm Beach Gardens has canceled its March 8 election because no candidates filed to run against incumbent City Councilmembers Marcie Tinsley and Carl Woods. North Palm Beach’s Village Council has three seats up for election. All three incumbents are running again and facing challengers as the council attempts to overhaul its building code and handle development that some say is out of character with its appearance. Four seats on the Lake Park town Commission are up for re-election. Those elected will shepherd in a new era of development in the town. The 24-story Nautilus 220 project is planned for U.S. 1, and the town is also considering changes to the zoning around Park Avenue to encourage growth. The elections will be held on March 8.

— CORONA NATION —

“Omicron is about to overwhelm us” via David Wallace-Wells of New York Magazine — The speed of spread with omicron is so fast that, when it comes to case growth, at least, the warnings are being validated already. The relative virulence of the new variant is still clouded by enormous amounts of uncertainty. Only one patient has died with omicron, thus far, and it is not entirely clear if the coronavirus was even the true cause of death. But in part, this lack of severe outcomes reflects just how early in the wave we still are, even in South Africa; the variant was first identified there just three weeks ago, which means many of the early cases are still running their clinical course, and we don’t yet know what the outcomes will be.

“New York area bears the brunt of omicron on top of delta” via Faye Flam of Bloomberg — The change of expert opinion was sudden. Researchers at Harvard Medical School now say the omicron variant, not delta, is likely fueling the current surge in COVID-19 cases in the northeastern U.S. That’s cause for alarm, because they still don’t know much about the variant, and it’s unclear how well vaccines will protect people. Harvard’s labs are optimized for speed, but omicron spreads faster than they can track it. Though the CDC had reported just a few days earlier that omicron probably made up just 3% of U.S. infections, that’s probably a considerable underestimate as cases grow by the day. In New York and New Jersey, the percentage from omicron was estimated at 13% as of Wednesday.

“Inside ICUs and ERs of flooded hospitals, an endless loop of preventable tragedies” via Annmarie Timmins of New Hampshire Bulletin — Hospital leaders from around the state sound the alarm as the state hits record high hospitalizations (454 on Monday) and heads into what they say will be the worst four to six weeks of the pandemic. They point to a perfect storm of the more contagious and deadly delta variant and decisions to forgo vaccination and masking while moving large gatherings indoors. Already out of staff and space, hospitals are sending patients out of state and boarding others in hallway emergency rooms. They say it’s preventable surges like these — not vaccine mandates — that most threaten their ability to retain workers. “We’re all experiencing moral distress,” said Martha Leighton, Elliot Hospital’s chief nursing officer.

— CORONA ECONOMICS —

“U.S. economy poised for strong end to 2021; labor market tightening” via Lucia Mutikani of Reuters — The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits increased moderately last week, keeping the trend at levels consistent with tightening labor market conditions. Other data on Thursday showed economic activity gathering speed as the year draws to a close. Manufacturing production rose to its highest level in nearly three years in November while homebuilding accelerated to an eight-month high. The tightening labor market and strengthening economy encouraged the Federal Reserve to announce that it would end its pandemic-era bond purchases in March and pave the way for three quarter-percentage-point interest rate increases by the end of 2022. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the economy was “making rapid progress toward maximum employment.”

— MORE CORONA —

“COVID-19 deaths for pregnant people spiked during delta: Data” via Katie Kindelan of ABC News — As the delta variant of COVID-19 spread across the United States this summer, the virus appeared to take a particular toll on unvaccinated pregnant people, with deaths dramatically increasing in the summer months. The number of pregnant people who died of COVID-19 spiked sharply in August and September, with more than two dozen deaths recorded in each of those months. More than 40% of the 248 deaths among pregnant people since the start of the pandemic occurred since August.

“Roger Goodell, chief medical officer Allen Sills respond to whether recent COVID-19 outbreak will postpone NFL games” via Jori Epstein of USA Today — NFL leaders gathered in North Texas for owners meetings and labor summit discussions. A substantial focus of their arguments: the sharp spike in COVID-19 cases across the league this week. Since Monday, roughly 100 NFL players have tested positive for COVID-19, the league’s most significant outbreak since the coronavirus pandemic began in spring 2020. NFL staff members have also contracted COVID-19, including Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski, who the Browns announced is both vaccinated and boosted. Nonetheless, the league does not anticipate postponing Saturday’s Las Vegas Raiders-Cleveland Browns contest. The NFL postponed games in 2020 when it felt playing could further expand an outbreak but believes the current vaccination state of the league has changed the parameters.— PRESIDENTIAL —

“In Senate that ‘sucks,’ Dems wait for Biden’s word” via Burgess Everett and Marianne Levine of POLITICO — Senate Democrats are waiting on direction from Biden as the year comes to a frustrating close, with both elections reform and Biden’s sweeping spending ambitions stumbling ahead of the holiday break. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told Democrats on Thursday that Biden should put out a statement addressing the dual stalled priorities later that day. Senate Democrats met for one of their last party meetings of the year, which became an “intense” discussion, in the words of Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Schumer did not pull the plug for the year on either elections legislation or the spending bill. Democrats are bracing for Biden to acknowledge the political realities that the party is not yet close to a deal with Sen. Joe Manchin on Biden’s spending bill.

“Kamala Harris says she and Biden haven’t discussed running for re-election in 2024” via Tarini Parti of The Wall Street Journal — Harris said that she and Biden have never discussed whether he plans to run for re-election and that it isn’t a topic she thinks about as they near the end of their first year in office. Biden, 79 years old, was the oldest President to be sworn in, and since the start of his term, some Democrats have privately questioned whether he would mount another campaign. The White House has repeatedly said he plans to seek re-election in 2024. “I’m not going to talk about our conversations, but I will tell you this without any ambiguity: We do not talk about, nor have we talked about re-election, because we haven’t completed our first year and we’re in the middle of a pandemic,” Harris said.

— D.C. MATTERS —

“All eyes in Washington and West Virginia are on Joe Manchin as child tax credit, spending bill hang in balance” via Yeganeh Torbati of The Washington Post — As Democrats in Washington scrambled on Wednesday to prevent Biden’s $2 trillion spending package from derailing, a group of West Virginia parents gathered on a video call as part of a last-minute effort to turn up the heat on one of their senators, Democrat Manchin. It was just the latest instance of a monthslong, grassroots effort to cajole Manchin as he decides how to vote on the tax-and-spending measure. He’s under pressure not only from Biden and congressional Democrats but also from a range of constituents in his home state. The intensity of the debate has reached a fever pitch as Chuck Schumer has said he wants to pass the bill by Christmas, and it’s increasingly looking as if that timeline has slipped out of reach because of Manchin’s demands.

“The pandemic disrupted ‘Dreamers.’ Can Biden’s spending bill get them back on track?” via Vanessa G. Sánchez and Danielle Douglas-Gabriel of The Washington Post — Undocumented immigrants have limited resources to finance their education. While they can apply for state scholarships in some parts of the country, they are shut out from federal student loans and grants that keep many of their peers enrolled. That could soon change if Democrats shepherd Biden’s Build Back Better plan through Congress. A provision in the $2 trillion legislative package, which is now before the Senate, would open financial aid eligibility to undocumented students shielded from deportation under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. The Barack Obama-era program for immigrants brought illegally to the United States as children has allowed young people, known as “Dreamers,” to live and work in the country but without a path to citizenship.

“Crackdown on China’s treatment of Muslim minority headed to Biden’s desk” via Andrew Desiderio of POLITICO — The Senate on Thursday unanimously passed a bill to crack down on the Chinese government’s genocide targeting Uyghur Muslims, sending the measure to Biden’s desk for his signature. Despite the bill’s overwhelming support, it faced a long and complicated road to final passage as its co-authors, Sen. Marco Rubio and Rep. Jim McGovern, encountered obstacles from the White House and the private sector. The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act effectively bans all imports from China’s Xinjiang region, where the U.S. government has said that the Chinese Communist Party is perpetrating a genocide against the religious minority, including slave labor, forced sterilizations and concentration camps.

“Rick Scott acknowledges ‘real concerns’ about controversial Missouri Senate candidate” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Scott, who heads the National Republican Senatorial Committee, was asked about Eric Greitens, a former Governor steeped in scandal. Greitens resigned amid what NPR called “an investigation of claims that he tried to dodge the state’s campaign disclosure laws and to blackmail a former lover.” He is among the leading candidates for Senate. Scott acknowledged “real concerns that (Greitens) might not be able to win in the General.” Scott expects “good primaries where people have to talk about the issues” and for the “right person to come out.” Scott predicted someone else would prevail. “I think that what you’re going to see is one of the other candidates is going to win. I think that you can already see it.”

— CRISIS —

“Facing subpoenas, Trump allies try to run out the clock on Democrats” via Jonathan Weisman and Luke Broadwater of The New York Times — On Tuesday night, as the House prepared to hold Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows in criminal contempt of Congress, a federal judge ruled that the Treasury Department could provide the former President’s tax returns to the House Ways and Means Committee. It was a sign of progress for Democrats, for sure, but Meadows could find comfort in the fact that the ruling took nearly two and a half years. And even then, Judge Trevor McFadden of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia stayed his judgment for 10 days to give the Trump camp time to file yet another appeal. The twisting saga of that case indicates how Trump’s aides and allies are trying to run out the clock on the current Congress and hope for Republican control in 2023 when new House leaders would simply drop the inquiries.

“Did Mark Meadows texts include communications with Matt Gaetz?” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Will U.S. Rep. Gaetz’s communications with the White House ahead of a Jan. 6 “Stop The Steal” rally soon become part of a congressional investigation? U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, chair of the House Jan. 6 Committee, said he would decide soon whether to release texts by those in Congress who communicated with Meadows on Jan. 6. “At this point, it is just House members,” Thompson said. Additionally, Thompson said fewer than 10 lawmakers whose texts with Meadows have been obtained by the committee. “There won’t be any surprises as to who they are,” Thompson said. The committee in August asked telecommunications companies to preserve phone records from a group of representatives, including Gaetz.

“The Jan. 6 puzzle piece that’s going largely ignored” via Kyle Cheney of POLITICO — As Trump and his allies squeezed then-Vice President Mike Pence to single-handedly stop Biden’s presidency in the weeks ahead of Jan. 6, they used one particular tool that’s been largely ignored ever since. Rep. Louie Gohmert sued Pence on Dec. 27, just as Trump was ratcheting up his pressure campaign against his Vice President. Backed by a squad of lawyers associated with Trump ally and conspiracy theorist Sidney Powell, Gohmert argued Pence should assert unilateral control over certification, governed only by the vague wording of the Twelfth Amendment. Gohmert’s move forced Pence to publicly resist Trump’s subversion of the election, only a week before the fateful Jan. 6 joint session of Congress. When the Justice Department stepped in to defend Pence from the lawsuit on Dec. 29, it marked the first time Pence signaled he wouldn’t fold to Trump’s demands.

“Jan. 6 rioter charged with assaulting Capitol police in fight that left officer unconscious” via Holmes Lybrand of CNN — Two Texas men, Lucas Denney and Donald Hazard, who prosecutors say formed their own militia group called the “Patriot Boys of North Texas,” were arrested Monday for allegedly assaulting police officers during the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Hazard and Denney attempted to recruit others to their seemingly small militia before traveling together to Washington, DC. During the Capitol riot, Hazard grappled with police officers “as he fell down a set of stairs” and one officer who fell with Hazard “was knocked unconscious and suffered injuries to his head, foot, and arm.” Denney tried to pull down police barriers, attempted to hit police officers with a long metal pole, tried to take away crowd-control spray from an officer, and attacked an officer with his fists.

“Over 80 of those charged in the Jan. 6 investigation have ties to the military” via Eleanor Watson and Robert Legare of CBS — At least 81 current or former service members face charges and are accused of participating in the mob that led Congress to temporarily halt its counting of the 2020 presidential election’s Electoral College votes. The Justice Department has so far charged more than 700 individuals in connection with the Capitol breach. While an overwhelming majority of those with military ties were veterans when they were charged, at least five were currently in the military when they participated in the attack. One was an active-duty Marine, and four were part-time troops.

“Brad Parscale says Jan. 6 panel subpoenaed his phone records” via Roger Sollenberger of The Daily Beast — The Jan. 6 Committee now appears to be looking into Parscale, with Parscale saying the committee investigating the attack on the Capitol had subpoenaed his phone records from November through January. Parscale said he had received a notice from his phone carrier earlier in the day and “just agreed.” Asked about the prospect of testifying, Parscale said, “All of this makes me think they want me to turn on him.” The “him” in that statement would be former President Donald Trump, Parscale’s boss for nearly two-and-a-half years. Asked whether he would appear if asked to testify, he did not reply.

— EPILOGUE TRUMP —

“Role as Trump’s gatekeeper puts Meadows in legal jeopardy — and at odds with Trump” via Ashley Parker, Josh Dawsey and Jacqueline Alemany of The Washington Post — From his time as Chief of Staff for Trump, Meadows has provided a gold mine of information to the House Committee investigating the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection: urgent texts from the President’s son, pleas from GOP lawmakers and exhortations from Fox News hosts calling on him to get Trump to stop the attack. But now his proximity as Trump’s former gatekeeper and top aide has thrust Meadows into legal jeopardy — even as the revelations in the texts and his new book also threaten his standing with Trump. Meadows in recent weeks has veered between steps aimed at bolstering his former boss and actions that, intentionally or not, have undermined him.

“GOP candidates are flocking to Mar-a-Lago to pay Trump for the privilege of hosting their events” via Josh Dawsey and David A. Fahrenthold of The Washington Post — As his guests sampled short ribs and chocolate cake at a Dec. 1 reception held in Mar-a-Lago’s gilded ballroom and others mingled at another event held by the pool, U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker of Georgia raised more than $1 million for his campaign and an allied super PAC. The following evening, Trump dined at his private Florida club with about 20 couples, each of whom paid $250,000 to the Make America Great Again Again super PAC, a group run by close allies of the former President. Two days later, Turning Point USA, a conservative group for young Americans, held a sprawling event at Mar-a-Lago, where organizers said Trump’s presence was the key to attracting 750 guests.

“Trump-Bill O’Reilly event at Amway Center sold just 5,406 tickets, despite predictions of sellout” via Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel — The Trump-O’Reilly “History Tour” just sold 5,406 tickets for Sunday’s event at Amway Center in Orlando, city records show, despite earlier predictions of a sellout by organizers. The listed capacity for the event of 8,700 didn’t include vast swathes of the upper bowl covered with a tarp before the event started, said Orlando spokesperson Samantha Holsten, despite tickets for those seats being listed as available all the way until Sunday morning. Tickets started at $100 and rose into thousands for VIP packages, but were selling for as little as $40 the morning of the event.

— LOCAL NOTES —

Incredible reporting — “‘It’s breaking them’: Amid guns and poverty, Black teens often wind up in survival mode” via Ana Goñi-Lessan and Christopher Cann of the Tallahassee Democrat — The violence among Tallahassee’s youth in 2021 has prompted anti-gun violence rallies at schools and emergency town hall meetings. Law enforcement says guns stolen out of unlocked cars are one reason for the increase of both shootings and guns confiscated on school campuses, of which there were seven since the 2021-22 school year began. That marks a startling 600% increase that spurred school officials even to consider adding metal detectors in schools. Deaths and threats of gangs were around before COVID-19, but they say the pandemic made Leon County’s poorest even poorer; kids who had nothing before COVID-19 and struggled are now angrier, isolated and more desperate, leading them to sell drugs, rob and join neighborhood-based gangs in search of solidarity and support.

“Former Miami police chief lands CNN job. In Miami, we’re still shaking our heads” via the Miami Herald editorial board — Former and brief Miami Police Chief Art Acevedo has landed on his feet. Acevedo, whose troubled six months as Miami police chief ended with his termination in October, is now a CNN analyst. This week, he made his debut in a segment of “The Situation Room With Wolf Blitzer” to discuss gun violence in America. That’s a good gig for the former chief. As 2021 closes, we consider the rise and fall of Acevedo as one of the most baffling Miami stories of the year. We’re still scratching our heads about how quickly things went South for Acevedo. Blame it on Miami politics, blame it on plotters and schemers within the Miami police department rank and file, blame it on the process and vetting not being followed for such a big job, and blame it on Acevedo for not grasping the intricacies of Miami-Dade.

“2 local County Commissioners accused of lying under oath” via Sarah Wilson of WFTV — According to Marion County arrest affidavits, Oren Miller and Gary Search are both accused of lying while making statements under oath to the state attorney as part of a criminal investigation related to possible Sunshine Law violations. The state attorney’s office said two citizen complaints in March and another from an attorney in June led them to investigate allegations that the two Commissioners were communicating outside of official Commission proceedings. Phone records obtained by the state attorney’s office showed Miller and Search used their personal cellphones to communicate more than 40 times between November 2020 until June 2021. When questioned about the phone records under oath, investigators said both men lied. Miller said the two hadn’t spoken on their cellphones since Jan. 2021, and Search said they hadn’t spoken on the telephone at all.

“No ‘jeering, hissing, booing.’ Here’s how a school board facing threats over masks could limit public comments.” via Brooke Baitinger of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Public input sections of recent meetings have stretched to more than three and four hours, about the same amount of time entire meetings used to take. On more than one occasion, frustrated speakers screamed threats at the school board members. To limit the combative turn, the School Board attorneys drew up a proposal to bar comments from being broadcast on television and ban them from criticizing individual board members. They suggested limiting speakers’ time based on the number of people who will speak. Attorneys also specifically banned “shouting, heckling, applauding, jeering, hissing, booing, engaging in speech that defames individuals or stymies or blocks meeting progress,” all of which constitute a disturbance, they said.

“Citrus County Commissioners take wait-and-see approach on turnpike” via Mike Wright of Florida Politics — Citrus County Commissioners have heard from constituents about the proposed Florida Turnpike extension, and the reactions are mixed. They’ve heard from people who think it’s a great idea to connect Citrus County regionally with Orlando, from an economic standpoint and for hurricane evacuation. They’ve heard from those who think it’s a lousy idea to bring yet another toll road through the county. Commissioner Ruthie Davis Schlabach raised that issue this week, and the board’s collective thinking was not to get out in front until more is known. The Florida Department of Transportation is proposing four alignments, including two through Citrus County. FDOT had public meetings last week in Citrus and Levy counties; the Legislature requires a final report by the end of 2022.

“Escambia County School Board, parents want to slow plans for homeless center near Pensacola High” via Colin Warren-Hicks of the Pensacola News Journal — Parents and school officials are pushing back against the decision to locate a holistic day center for the homeless less than half a mile from the Pensacola High School campus. Escambia County School Board members have started a dialogue with the Pensacola City Council to better understand the plans for the center and have said they will take whatever steps necessary to stop the center if they believe students are at risk. The City Council voted Dec. 8 to set aside $3 million in American Rescue Plan Act money to fund future homelessness programs, with $400,000 to a new holistic homeless day center at 2200 N. Palafox St.

“Will Siesta Key become its own town? Odds aren’t good for incorporation” via Zac Anderson of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The question of whether to incorporate Siesta Key into its own municipality has emerged as one of the biggest issues local lawmakers are grappling with in advance of Florida’s 60-day Legislative Session, which begins Jan. 11. Incorporation advocates want to create a new town so they can gain control of land development on Siesta amid concerns that proposed new hotels will hurt the quality of life there, but there are many obstacles in their path. Adding another layer of government with additional taxing authority is something Republican leaders may balk at. Getting an incorporation bill across the finish line appears to be a long shot.

“Two dead, over 40 in Florida hospitalized with severe bleeding after smoking synthetic marijuana” via Brett Clarkson of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Two people have died, and more than 40 people in the Tampa area have been hospitalized with severe bleeding after smoking synthetic marijuana, also known as spice. Tests showed that some of the spice was contaminated with rat poison, according to 10 Tampa Bay. Florida Poison Control issued a warning to emergency departments asking them to report new cases of bleeding related to synthetic marijuana use. In a Dec. 6 Facebook post, Florida’s Poison Control Centers urged anybody who experiences bleeding after using synthetic cannabinoids to go to the nearest emergency room or call the poison control centers at 1-800-222-1222.

“‘We’re putting people who are visiting Disney in danger.’ Firefighters say they are short-handed at theme park” via Katie Rice of the Orlando Sentinel — A woman at a hotel within Walt Disney World had a heart attack in the middle of the day this past Sunday. The call came from the Bay Lake Tower hotel near the Magic Kingdom while the only rescue vehicle for the area was on another call, according to union members of the Reedy Creek Fire Department, which serves the resort. A call log from the department showed a medic team arrived within nine minutes of dispatch, but it took over 13 minutes for a rescue unit from another zone to arrive and 20 minutes before the woman was given epinephrine, a critical treatment. The woman died that afternoon. Had more people initially responded, she likely would have received the drug sooner and had a better chance of survival, said Jon Shirey, president of the Reedy Creek Firefighters Association.

— TOP OPINION —

“Build Back Better’s freeze puts the bow on Biden’s very bad year” via John Podhoretz of the New York Post — Is Biden doing anything — and I mean anything — right? The news that his multitrillion-dollar swing for the historical fences, the Build Back Better bill, is being shelved just put a bow on his mostly horrible first year in office. Early on, he got a COVID-19 relief bill. Later in the year, he got an infrastructure bill. These were real legislative accomplishments. The problem for Biden is that it’s far too early to claim any results from infrastructure spending. The even greater issue is that the COVID-19 relief may have created more problems than it solved. Biden’s party will have to go out there next year and see whether it can do anything to stave off the tsunami that will sweep it away 11 months from now on midterm Election Day.

— OPINIONS —

”How to tell when your country is past the point of no return” via Thomas Edsall for The New York Times — Today, polarization has become self-reinforcing. Most of that decentralization is gone — state parties are more linked to national parties; so are many very powerful interest groups; so is the media (especially for the GOP). Everything gets fed into the existing lines of division rather than producing something crosscutting. Defection from one’s party “team” becomes harder to contemplate because a victory for the team has become so important, and defection is more likely to result in swift retribution. There is nothing in the system “pulling things back to the middle” or disrupting lines of division. This situation is truly novel for the United States. In a very real sense, it is a new and quite different political system.

“On DeSantis’ march to the White House, Whites are victims of racism. OK …” via the Miami Herald editorial board — The new frontier in the civil-rights movement is the threat White people and children are facing from “Black communism,” “cultural Marxism” and, the biggest monster: “Woke ideology.” White folks have found a new civil-rights leader in DeSantis, who, in a buzzword-filled news conference on Wednesday, rolled out his proposed “Stop W.O.K.E. Act.” The phrase stands for “Stop Wrongs Against Our Kids and Employees Act.” Unlike Martin Luther King or John Lewis, DeSantis doesn’t seek to unify the country behind the call for equal rights. He seeks to divide it by stoking resentment of racial-equity efforts at schools and workplaces, which he equates to critical race theory, the new enemy in the GOP’s culture wars.

“DeSantis wants to deal with Florida’s sea level rise without ‘left-wing stuff’” via Craig Pittman of the Florida Phoenix — At his news conference in Oldsmar last week, DeSantis emphasized how much of the taxpayers’ millions the state was going to spend on “resilience.” That’s a politician code word for coping with the symptoms of climate change, but not doing anything about what’s causing it. Still, he did all right talking about that, although DeSantis couldn’t keep his numbers straight ($270 million for 76 projects or $276 million for 70 projects) and seemed as allergic as Scott to speaking the words “climate change.” The problem came when a reporter asked him what he was doing to combat the causes of climate change, rather than just spend money over and over treating its symptoms. DeSantis’ genial tone changed.

“The importance of immigration rules in Build Back Better“ via Annette Taddeo for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Our nation is still recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 epidemic that has taken so much from us. Here in the Sunshine State, we know full well the consequences of this deadly virus that has taken the lives of over 62,000 Floridians and has thrown the lives of so many others into turmoil due to the negligence and often recklessly irrational actions of DeSantis. After the election of Biden, Democrats got to work and launched legislative measures to provide relief to millions of American families, getting millions back to work and helping ensure our small businesses got back on their feet. Crucial to those efforts were countless immigrant essential workers who put themselves at risk during the darkest days of the virus. They were the nurses, doctors, farmworkers, teachers, janitors, meatpackers, sanitation workers and other vocations that kept our country going and still do so day after day.

“Endorsement: In Democratic primary for Senate District 33, vote for Rosalind Osgood” via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board — Voters in central Broward will soon elect a new state senator to replace one of the Broward legislative delegation’s most experienced members, Perry Thurston, who resigned in the middle of a term to run for Congress. In a special primary election on Jan. 11, Democrats in District 33 will choose between Osgood and Terry Ann Williams Edden. The superior choice is Osgood, a nine-year member of the Broward County School Board and its current chair. Osgood was targeted for political retribution by DeSantis for her insistence that teachers and students wear masks at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Osgood was right to make public health a priority, and she will be an advocate for improved public education in Tallahassee.

— WEEKEND TV —

Battleground Florida with Evan Donovan on News Channel 8 WFLA (NBC): Florida Politics Publisher and Editor-in-chief Peter Schorsch.

Facing South Florida with Jim DeFede on CBS 4 in Miami: The Sunday show provides viewers with an in-depth look at South Florida politics and other issues affecting the region.

Florida This Week on Tampa Bay’s WEDU: Moderator Rob Lorei hosts a roundtable featuring PolitiFact Managing Editor Katie Sanders; POLITICO Florida senior reporter Matt Dixon; Democratic political consultant Maya Brown; and Deborah Tamargo, President of the Florida Federation of Republican Women.

The Usual Suspects on WCTV-Tallahassee/Thomasville (CBS) and WJHG-Panama City (NBC): Host Steve Vancore will talk with Dr. Ed Moore.

This Week in Jacksonville with Kent Justice on Channel 4 WJXT: Rep. Sam Garrison, Jacksonville City Council member LeAnna Cumber, and Chris Ragucci, CEO of Worldwide Terminals, Port of Fernandina operator.

This Week in South Florida on WPLG-Local10 News (ABC): A discussion on COVID-19, critical race theory, the Surfside grand jury report and more.

—JINGLE, JINGLE —

“Kraft will pay you $20 not to make cheesecake for Christmas” via Danielle Wiener-Bronner of CNN — For just a few days this holiday season, a limited number of people will be able to spend $20 on dessert and charge it to Kraft, owner of Philadelphia Cream Cheese. The premise: People who can’t bake cheesecakes because they can’t find cream cheese can get another baked good on Kraft’s dime. People interested in the offer can visit a special website set up by Kraft. On Dec. 17 and 18, up to 18,000 of them will be able to nab the right to get reimbursement for a holiday treat. They’ll be able to submit receipts to the company a few weeks later. For Kraft, the campaign is a way to soften the blow of empty cream cheese shelves and keep customers thinking about Philadelphia cream cheese, without souring on the brand.

— ALOE —

“Florida soldier awarded nation’s highest military honor by Biden” via Larry Spilman of WFLA — Biden posthumously awarded Army Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe of Oviedo the Medal of Honor Thursday for repeatedly going back into his burning Bradley Fighting Vehicle in Iraq in 2005 to rescue soldiers under his command. “Alwyn Cashe was a soldier’s soldier,” Biden said. “A warrior who literally walked through fire for his troops.” The vehicle had been turned into an inferno by a roadside bomb. “With second- and third-degree burns covering almost 75% of his body, his uniform mostly burned away, the sergeant saw there were still two soldiers and their interpreter unaccounted for, so he went back into the inferno for a third time and got everyone out of that inferno.” Cashe suffered severe burns and later died at a military hospital in Texas. He’s survived by his wife Tamara, two daughters and a son.

“How Hard Rock behemoth is expanding to Las Vegas with another guitar hotel, and what it means for sports betting in Florida” via David Lyons of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — As the deal was unveiled on Monday, Mirage executives called the plan “transformational” for their company. But at the end of the day, it was Hard Rock driving the transformation, displaying its ability to create thousands of jobs, spark millions in economic activity and change the face of gambling landscapes in Florida and elsewhere in the U.S. “What it means to the company is it underscores their financial power,” said Daniel Wallach, a gaming and sports betting attorney in Hallandale Beach. “They’re one of the most profitable gambling operators in the entire world. Their revenue generation is $2 billion annually. This is an acquisition that is commensurate with their financial might.”

“Carol Baskin yanks lawsuit against Netflix and ‘Tiger King’ producers over sequel” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Baskin and her husband, Howard Baskin, have dropped a lawsuit against Netflix and production company Royal Good Productions aimed at blocking the release of the “Tiger King 2” documentary series, a month after the full series debuted on the platform. On Wednesday, lawyer Frank Jakes filed a notice of “voluntary dismissal” of legal action on the Baskins’ behalf with a U.S. District Court in Tampa. Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington approved the dismissal “without prejudice.” The lawsuit centered on the Baskins’ argument that Netflix, director Rebecca Chaiklin and producer Eric Goode had no right to use footage leftover from the Emmy-nominated, 13-part docuseries “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness,” which launched on the streaming platform at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

What Kathy Mears is reading — “Is pickleball the new shuffleboard? Or is it something for everyone?” via Frank Cerabino of The Palm Beach Post — Shuffleboard, like early-bird dinners, has long served as one of those comedic code words for old. These days, most shuffleboard courts are empty. Those stereotypical older people are now playing pickleball. In 2001, pickleball made its debut at the Arizona Senior Olympics in an RV park in Surprise, Arizona. It drew 100 players. Since then, it grew like crazy, mainly in the southwest and Sunbelt states, becoming the most popular game in senior communities. The National Senior Games Association now has to cap pickleball participation in its annual contests to 1,400 players. But unlike shuffleboard, it didn’t only appeal to aging baby boomers. Younger players have discovered pickleball, and it’s changing the game.

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Best wishes to Holly McPhail, Kim Rodgers, Michael Tuthill, and our friend, Andrew Wiggins.

___

Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Renzo Downey and Drew Wilson.