Last Call for 3.1.23 — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics

Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.

First Shot

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio had a lot to say about China during a lengthy appearance on Fox Business this morning.

Rubio, a Republican, has long held a hard-line view of China and has described it as the United States’ “primary strategic adversary.”

He’s amplified that message in recent weeks amid headlines on Chinese spy balloons and FBI Director Christopher Wray’s recent statement lending credence to the COVID-19 “lab leak” theory.

Rubio took a couple of partisan swipes on the latter, saying Democrats are hypocritical for signal boosting the FBI only on issues damaging to Republicans — many conservatives were early believers of the lab leak theory, though the idea has become far less partisan since 2020.

Though Rubio said he agrees with Wray’s assessment and doesn’t believe COVID-19 was intended to be a biological weapon, he said it’s likely the world will never know the full truth about the virus’ origin.

“This is all going to be circumstantial evidence. It’s doubtful we’ll ever have a smoking gun because China is a closed society. They’re not going to put that stuff out there. But all the circumstantial evidence, and there is a mountain of it, points to some accident at that lab,” Rubio said.

Pandemic aside, Florida’s senior Senator said it is crucial for American companies to stop investing in China and for government to curb Chinese acquisition of U.S. farmland.

Rubio said China understands “that in a time of conflict, that in a time of crisis, that in a time of pandemic, what really matters is can you feed yourself? Can you fuel yourself with oil and gas? Can you make things?”

He continued, “Those are the things that matter. Those are the things that are durable and resilient in an economy. And that’s what China and Russia dominate. … The Chinese economy is built on industrial capacity and the mines and farmland they own around the world. And what are we increasingly building our economy on? Services, movies, and social media influencers.”

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The Florida Department of Health wants you to stop shucking oysters from Cedar Key. At least for now.

DOH and the state health departments of Georgia and Alabama have found Salmonella in raw oysters harvested in Cedar Key, specifically shellfish harvesting area FL-3012.

The health departments said there have been eight Salmonella cases linked to oysters from the harvest site across the three states.

Last week the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services shut down FL-3012 and issued a recall on all wild oysters harvested from the site between Dec. 16, 2022, and Feb. 24, 2023.

Individuals should not consume any oysters harvested from the area between those dates.

Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause salmonellosis. Symptoms typically present 12-72 hours after infection and include diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever. 

Most people recover without treatment, but older adults, infants, pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals are at higher risk of developing a severe illness and should seek medical attention if they experience symptoms.

More information on the recall is available through the FDACS Division of Aquaculture.

Evening Reads

—”Ron DeSantis targets Orlando prosecutor after shootings. But it’s messy.” via Lawrence Mower of the Tampa Bay Times

—”Gov. DeSantis demands answers on Pine Hills shooting suspect’s criminal history” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics

—”DeSantis’ trajectory of takeovers: Governor replaces Florida board members with ‘extremist idealogues’” via Danielle J. Brown of the Florida Phoenix

—“‘Boldness is your friend:’ DeSantis boasts successes in campaign-style book tour stop” via Grethel Aguila of the Miami Herald

—“The FBI and Energy Department think COVID-19 came from a lab. Now what?” via Umair Irfan of Vox

—”After Special Session changes, Citizens Property Insurance preps for ‘transition’” via Gray Rohrer of Florida Politics

—“House, Senate bills would execute child rapists with supermajority juries” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics

—”States move to crack down on nurses with bogus diplomas” via Michael Hill of The Associated Press

—“Could New College host Florida’s next conservative think tank? Richard Corcoran says why not?” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics

—“What active-shooter trainings steal from synagogues” via Daniel Torday of The Atlantic

Quote of the Day

“There are inevitably going to be people who are quite unhappy.”

— New Citizens Property Insurance Corp. President Tim Cerio, on policyholders’ transition to private insurers.

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Last Call is published by Peter Schorsch, assembled and edited by Phil Ammann and Drew Wilson with contributions from the staff of Florida Politics.