Peter Schorsch
Good Tuesday morning.
A top-of-Sunburn birthday shoutout to a friend of Ron, a friend of Peter, and a good friend to all: Slater Bayliss of The Advocacy Group at Cardenas Partners.
—SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
—@POTUS: Unemployment near a record low and 13.4 million jobs added since I took office: that’s Bidenomics. We’re growing the economy even as inflation is at its lowest level in more than two years. It isn’t an accident. It’s results.
—@LMower3: This has been the M.O. of the (Gov. Ron) DeSantis administration — refuse to turn over public records until we have to get lawyers involved. It’s a trend across all state agencies and it’s blatantly illegal.
—@ScottPWaldman: School children in Florida could soon learn that climate activists are like Nazis, that renewable energy pollutes, and that global warming is not a serious threat thanks to the approval of PragerU materials for the classroom.
Tweet, tweet:
Of all the PragerU propaganda you've seen, this might be the worst.
Frederick Douglass takes a dig at BLM while praising the founding fathers as abolitionists and calling the Constitution a "glorious liberty document."
Florida is letting schools play this stuff. pic.twitter.com/WbS3CDBeNE
— David Heath (@davidhth) August 7, 2023
Tweet, tweet:
Eileen and I had the privilege of reading to the preschoolers at @HispanicUnity today. They were attentive and loved the book “The Rainbow Fish” and the story of sharing. There was a great reminder of kindness in Mr. Moran in the lobby from @jmfamilynews. Thanks for having us… pic.twitter.com/KhhEKauWfT
— Chip LaMarca❗️ (@ChipLaMarca) August 7, 2023
—@PabloTorre: Nothing says AMERICA FIRST more than rooting against *checks notes* the literal U.S. national team because they *checks notes* peacefully exercised freedom of speech
—@AGGancarski: If your site has a paywall, you’d better get everything worth reading into the first 50 words or I will miss it.
Tweet, tweet:
Happy #NationalLighthouseDay to the 🐐 of lighthouses, @firstlighthouse pic.twitter.com/7GySP5wPee
— Steve Schale (@steveschale) August 7, 2023
— DAYS UNTIL —
‘Billions’ final season premieres — 3; Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ tour in Tampa — 8; Port Orange, Lake Helen, Ponce Inlet to hold elections — 14; The first GOP Presidential Primary debate — 15; ‘Ahsoka’ premieres on Disney+ — 15; ‘Gran Turismo’ premieres — 17; The U.S. Open begins — 20; 2023 Florida Chamber Technology & Innovation Solution Summit — 23; Florida GOP 2023 Statesman’s Dinner — 37; Florida House Fall 2023 Interim Committee Meetings begin — 41; Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ premieres — 59; Taylor Swift Eras Tour stops in Miami — 71; 2023 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum — 76; Britney Spears memoir ‘The Woman in Me’ drops — 77; ‘Dune: Part Two’ premieres — 87; Suncoast Tiger Bay Club hosts ‘Evening with the Tigers’ — 91; ’Captain Marvel 2′ premieres — 94; Formula 1 will take over the Las Vegas Strip — 101; Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon’ premieres — 107; Florida TaxWatch’s Annual Meeting begins — 113; 2023 Florida Chamber Annual Insurance Summit — 127; Matt Dixon’s ‘Swamp Monsters: (Donald) Trump vs. DeSantis ― the Greatest Show on Earth (or at Least in Florida)’ released — 154; Florida’s 2024 Regular Session begins — 154; Florida TaxWatch’s State of the Taxpayer Dinner — 157; South Carolina Democratic Primary — 174; New Hampshire and Nevada Democratic Primaries — 182; Georgia Democratic Primary — 187; South Carolina GOP holds first-in-the-South Primary — 199; Michigan Democratic Primary — 205; ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ premieres — 215; 2024 Oscars — 217; ‘Deadpool 3’ premieres — 266; ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ premieres — 286; the Republican National Convention begins — 342; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games — 353; ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ premieres — 353; New ‘Alien’ premieres — 374; the Republican National Convention begins — 342; Georgia Tech to face Florida State in 2024 opener in Dublin — 382; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres — 500; ‘Blade’ reboot premieres — 556; ‘Fantastic Four’ reboot premieres — 633; ‘Moana’ premieres — 689; ‘Avatar 3’ premieres — 864; ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ premieres — 997; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres — 1,019; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres — 1,232; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres — 1,371; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres — 2,327; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres — 2,690.
— TOP STORY —
“One of Ron DeSantis’ own is suspended. Affordable housing director under investigation” via Lawrence Mower of the Tampa Bay Times — Mike DiNapoli, executive director of the Florida Housing Finance Corp., was placed on administrative leave last month, according to interviews the Herald/Times had with current and former state employees.
The move comes less than six months after DeSantis chose DiNapoli to lead the organization.
A representative for the corporation has not responded to multiple requests for comment, including the reasons for the suspension. The Herald/Times requested DiNapoli’s suspension letter, but the corporation has not released it.
DeSantis chose DiNapoli, 54, in February, as state lawmakers were preparing to assign a record $711 million to the Florida Housing Finance Corp. to stem the state’s affordable housing crisis.
DiNapoli came in following the abrupt resignation of the previous director, Harold “Trey” Price, who was appointed in 2017 when Rick Scott was Governor.
DiNapoli was previously at the Florida Department of Commerce, formerly known as the Department of Economic Opportunity, where he oversaw the state’s emergency bridge loan program.
Before joining the state, DiNapoli was a vice president for Citigroup, Morgan Stanley and UBS Financial in New York, according to the corporation’s February announcement.
Since taking the job, the corporation has seen a wave of departures. DiNapoli fired two high-level officials at the corporation, including its longtime general counsel, Hugh Brown — who doubled as its chief ethics officer, according to his LinkedIn page — and the corporation’s liaison to the board, Sheila Freaney.
Freaney has filed a charge of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Florida Commission on Human Relations.
— THE TRAIL —
“A majority of Americans think the Donald Trump probes are about 2024” via Philip Bump of The Washington Post — New polling from CBS News, conducted by YouGov, shows that arguments like the one made by Trump’s attorney John Lauro have real traction. Nearly 6 in 10 Americans think that the investigations into Trump are an effort to keep him from winning the White House next year. Trump argues that he’s being indicted because his opponents want to punish his supporters; half of Republicans think that the probes are “an attack on people like me.” Most Democrats think that Trump aimed to use illegal or unconstitutional means to retain power after his loss, a belief that overlaps with the indictment approved by the D.C. grand jury last week. Overall, just over half of Americans think that’s the case.
“DeSantis shifts his angle: Trump let 2020 be rigged against Trump” via Philip Bump of The Washington Post — In an interview that will air on “NBC Nightly News” on Monday, DeSantis tried another tack, one that runs directly against a dominant Trump narrative. Yes, Trump lost the 2020 Election — but only because Trump let it be rigged against himself. This is the conundrum: DeSantis explicitly rejecting Trump’s claims about the sanctity of the election would meet resistance from the voters to whom he’s trying to appeal, but not rejecting those claims both fails to differentiate himself from his opponent and, more importantly, undercuts his argument that Trump can’t win in 2024. “Why did we have all those mail votes?” he said. “Because … Trump turned the government over to [Anthony S.] Fauci! They embraced lockdowns.”
“Trump camp fires back after DeSantis says ‘of course’ Trump lost in 2020” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — The Trump campaign isn’t letting DeSantis’ assertion that the result of the 2020 Presidential Election was legitimate after all go unchallenged. The former President’s Make America Great Again super PAC claims the Florida Governor and 2024 Primary rival “groveled” to NBC News by saying Joe Biden is the rightful President. “Ron DeSantis will say whatever he can to keep his campaign afloat, even though he was one of America’s leading election critics until his campaign needed a ‘reset.’ Ron will do whatever it takes to hoodwink a few more donors into giving to his failed campaign,” claimed Karoline Leavitt, spokesperson for Make America Great Again Inc.
“Another NHGOP State Rep. dumps Trump, endorses DeSantis” via Michael Graham of NH Journal — Rep. Jordan Ulery, who was first elected to the New Hampshire House in 2004, endorsed Trump back in April. Now he is on Team DeSantis. “I am proud to endorse Ron DeSantis for President. He is the conservative candidate our party needs to put the focus back on the issues and unify us with a shared vision of reversing our nation’s decline, which starts with sending Joe Biden back to his basement,” Ulery said.
“A billionaire backed DeSantis’ presidential effort with $30 million. Here’s why he’s halting contributions.” via Anthony Man of the Orlando Sentinel — The biggest financial backer of DeSantis’ presidential ambitions won’t provide more money unless the candidate moderates some of his policies and manages to convince more big financial backers that he’s viable. Robert Bigelow, a Las Vegas billionaire, contributed $20 million on March 30 to the super PAC supporting DeSantis’ campaign for the Republican nomination: two-fifths of the $48.1 million the organization raised in its first five months of existence. In 2022, Bigelow gave $10 million to DeSantis’ previous state political action committee. Even though much of the money raised was ostensibly to support his gubernatorial re-election, donors were long aware of his presidential aspirations.
“DeSantis will headline a barbecue billed as South Carolina Republicans’ largest annual gathering” via Meg Kinnard of The Associated Press — This centerpiece appearance, in a state where success has historically been a catalyst for GOP presidential nominees, provides DeSantis with an opportunity to make his case in front of a large number of party activists, with whom former President Donald Trump, the GOP primary front-runner, remains popular. DeSantis will speak Aug. 28 at the Faith & Freedom BBQ in Anderson, event host Rep. Jeff Duncan said. The fundraiser, benefiting Duncan’s reelection campaign, has long been a showcase for possible White House contenders.
Tweet, tweet:
Saturday morning scoop: A large contingent of FL legislators who've endorsed @RonDeSantis will be gathering in Tampa on 8/16 to volunteer for a hard-$ fundraising telethon.
Biggest $-raisers will be invited to join DeSantis for first GOP primary presidential debate.#FlaPol pic.twitter.com/LyMkDpbUNr
— Peter Schorsch (@PeterSchorschFL) August 5, 2023
“A soft murder” via Puck — This past weekend, an image circulated on social media of a DeSantis event in Tama, a railroad town somewhere between Des Moines and Cedar Rapids. Tim Miller, the NeverTrump political strategist and writer who doesn’t have much love for Tiny D, was on hand to witness the event, held at Spanky’s Livestock Auction. The crowd was modest, and Miller went up to the rafters and snapped a photo that would give any advance staffer a heart attack, showing DeSantis talking to a mostly empty room with only a handful of Republicans in attendance. Of course, it was that image that went viral. Susan Sontag once described the medium of photography as “a soft murder” — and this was exactly that.
— MORE 2024 —
“Joe Biden heads west for a policy victory lap, drawing an implicit contrast with Trump” via Chris Megerian of The Associated Press — Biden is setting out Monday on a Western swing aimed at highlighting his work on conservation, clean energy and veterans’ benefits as he seeks to draw an implicit contrast between his administration’s accomplishments and Trump’s legal troubles. Biden’s first stop will be the Grand Canyon, where he’s expected to announce plans for a new national monument to preserve more than 1 million acres (405,000 hectares) and limit uranium mining. After Arizona, he will travel to New Mexico and Utah.
“Trump counterclaim against E. Jean Carroll dismissed, DA can get deposition” via Dan Mangan of CNBC — A federal judge on Monday dismissed a defamation counterclaim by Trump against writer Carroll in her pending lawsuit that accuses the former President of defaming her after she wrote that he had raped her. Judge Lewis Kaplan, in a separate order made public Monday, ruled that Carroll’s lawyers can give the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office a videotape and transcript of the deposition of Trump they took last Fall for the lawsuit. That order raises the chance that Trump’s sworn testimony in Carroll’s case could be used against the former President as part of the DA’s pending criminal prosecution. District Attorney Alvin Bragg Jr. charged Trump earlier this year with falsifying business records related to a 2016 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.
“Pro-Frances Suarez super PAC is outspending the field on Meta” via Zach Montellaro of POLITICO — A super PAC supporting the Miami Mayor’s longshot presidential campaign is quietly becoming one of the largest political spenders on Meta’s platforms. Over the last 90 days, SOS America PAC has spent nearly $1.1 million on ads on Facebook and Instagram. The group has outspent every other outside group and campaign focused on the presidential election in that time period on Meta, save for Biden’s reelection effort. Roughly half of that spending has come in the last week alone.
— DOWN BALLOT —
“Democrat Derek Reich signs up for rematch against Fiona McFarland” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Reich jumped into a race against an incumbent late in 2022 and never matched his opponent’s fundraising. But as the Venice Democrat launches another campaign against Rep. McFarland in House District 73, he expects attracting donations will be easier than ever. “It is much easier to fundraise with what Ron DeSantis has done in Florida and what Fiona McFarland has enabled,” Reich said. “Abortion is completely banned, essentially. People around the New College community are fired up.” He’s running in a district where voters in 2020 were closely divided between Trump and Biden. But it’s also where McFarland in November beat him by 11 percentage points in 2022.
“Joe Saunders adds endorsements from 5 current, former members of Congress” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Civil rights activist and former state Rep. Saunders’ bid for House District 106 now has the backing of five current and former members of Congress. Saunders’ campaign announced the endorsements of current U.S. Reps. Maxwell Frost and Jared Moskowitz. Former U.S. Reps. Joe Garcia, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and Donna Shalala, the latter a former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, also threw their support behind Saunders, a fellow Democrat. Moskowitz, who served in the Florida House alongside Saunders from 2012 to 2014, called his former legislative colleague “the leader South Florida needs.”
“Prosecutor in high-profile murder cases makes it a 3-way Primary to succeed Dave Aronberg” via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — The prosecutor in an infamous murder-for-hire case that drew national headlines has become the second member of Palm Beach County State Attorney Aronberg’s staff to put a bid in to succeed him. Assistant State Attorney Craig A. Williams’ prosecution of the Dalia Dippolito case is just one of many high-profile cases that he’s taken on. Running as a Democrat, he’ll be competing with the office’s Deputy Chief Assistant Alexcia Cox, who has been Williams’ colleague for nearly 20 years. His filing makes it a three-way Democratic Primary. Williams said he’s running because of popular demand. “It’s the support of all the people in the office, in the community,” he said, on what prompted his bid. “It’s all the people in the legal community coming to me and asking me to run.”
— DESANTISY LAND —
—”Psyched out: How the DeSantis administration duped the media” via Judd Legum
“DeSantis’ retaliation against Disney hurts Florida, former Governors and lawmakers say” via Mike Schneider of The Associated Press — Saying DeSantis has followed the autocratic examples of governments in Russia and China, a group of mostly Republican former high-level government officials has called DeSantis’ takeover of Disney World’s governing district “severely damaging to the political, social, and economic fabric of the State.” The group of former Governors, U.S. House members and presidential administration officials filed a “friend of the court” brief on Wednesday in Disney’s federal lawsuit against DeSantis and his appointees to the board of Disney World’s governing district. Disney’s lawsuit says DeSantis violated the company’s free speech rights by taking over the district after Disney publicly opposed Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law.
“Jewish leaders see corrosive effects in slavery curriculum debate” via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — DeSantis is fundraising on his fight with Vice President Kamala Harris over a new curriculum detailing skills slaves may have developed during their enslavement to use to their benefit, but Jewish leaders see an attempt to rob education of its core value. The line in the curriculum that requires teaching “how slaves developed skills which, in some instances could be applied for their personal benefit” has two members of the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR). “I find that absurd,” Rabbi Daniel Levin said of the notion that slaves were able to capitalize on the experience. “It would be like saying, ‘Well, you know the Holocaust wasn’t so bad. I mean, after all, Jews learned a lot of factory skills.’”
“DeSantis still can’t find enough employees for his voter fraud crackdown” via Akela Lacy of The Intercept — When DeSantis first announced a new unit to investigate alleged voter fraud in the state, he painted a picture of a sweeping police agency with more than 50 positions and unprecedented authority. Over one year later, the Office of Election Crimes and Security has struggled to staff up — even as the Legislature recently increased its budget. Seven of the office’s 18 positions remain vacant according to a July organizational chart provided to The Intercept through a public records request. An ABC affiliate reported that only three of 15 positions had been filled by January.
— STATEWIDE —
“DeSantis’ State Guard planning $10 million new headquarters” via Ana Ceballos and Emma Rose Brown of the Tampa Bay Times — DeSantis’ new Florida State Guard is expected to spend $10 million to build its new headquarters in a sprawling plot of land in northeast Florida, complete with administrative offices, a firearms range and a tactical shooting house. Construction for the new facility has not started yet as the lease between the State Guard and Flagler County has to be finalized. But on Monday, county officials indicated support for a 30-year lease agreement at no cost to the state, as long as the space is shared with local public safety agencies. “Upon the expiration of the 30-year term, any facilities constructed on county lands will revert to the ownership of the county,” according to a draft of the proposed lease agreement.
“Trial for ex-Florida Sen. Frank Artiles in ‘ghost candidate’ case set for February” via Mary Ellen Klas of the Tampa Bay Times — More than two years after former state Sen. Artiles was arrested on campaign finance and other charges for his involvement in the “ghost candidate” scheme that interfered with the outcome of a state Senate race in the 2020 election, a Miami judge has set a Feb. 5 trial date. Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Ariel Rodriguez scheduled the jury trial for two weeks next year and imposed an Oct. 2 deadline for all discovery in the case. Rodriguez warned that if either party delays in producing the documents needed in the case, he would set another hearing to keep the trial on schedule.
“Fabián Basabe references Kevin Spacey verdict to allude to his own legal plight” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Embattled Rep. Basabe appears to be comparing yearslong and recently rejected accusations of sexual assault against actor Spacey to claims the Republican lawmaker himself now faces. In a post to X, formerly known as Twitter, Basabe noted the “not guilty” verdict jurors in London reached last week in a sexual assault case four men brought against Spacey. He also mentioned an October decision in which a federal jury in Manhattan found Spacey not liable for sexual battery he was accused of committing in the mid-1980s. “Still, despite not guilty verdicts on two sides of the Atlantic, it appears unlikely that Hollywood will ever hire Spacey again and that his once illustrious career will never return, because Kevin Spacey was judged to be guilty before entering the courtroom,” Basabe wrote.
“United Faculty of Florida union sues state over rights to arbitrate employment disputes” via Michael Moline of Florida Phoenix — A union representing public university professors, its chapter at New College of Florida, and a professor denied tenure at the Sarasota campus have filed a constitutional challenge to a new state law denying the right to arbitrate employment disputes. A 35-page complaint filed Thursday in state circuit court in Leon County by the United Faculty of Florida cites the harm to the union, the local, and their members but specifically to Hugo Viera-Vargas. He was one of five New College faculty denied tenure in April by a new board of trustees hand-picked by DeSantis to convert the traditionally progressive campus to a conservative bastion.
“How leprosy arrived in Florida and how it is spreading: New clues are emerging” via Cindy Krischer Goodman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Health officials are seeing more cases of the rare disease of leprosy in Florida want to find out why. Are foreign travelers bringing the disease to Florida with them? Are people in the state getting it from armadillos, which are naturally infected with the bacteria that causes the disease? How is this rare disease spreading in the Sunshine State, and who is vulnerable to it? Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, has been around for centuries, and now mostly is in countries like India, Brazil and Indonesia. Untreated people who have the infectious disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae often have disfiguring skin sores or deformities like claw hands or hammer toes.
“Florida gas prices reach new 2023 peak” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Gas prices in Florida surged 18 cents in the average cost per gallon last week, although they now appear to be on the decline. Motorists across the Sunshine State have paid more for gas for four consecutive weeks through Friday when the price hit $3.84 per gallon — 12 cents more than the previous yearly high in April. By Sunday, pump prices averaged $3.83 per gallon. Just over a month earlier, on Independence Day, gas here was 57 cents cheaper per gallon. Prices dropped another cent by Monday morning but still remained the highest since August 2022.
— D. C. MATTERS —
“Billions for clean energy caught in a partisan tug of war” via Mike Magner of Roll Call — The next few months will be critical for the success or failure of the biggest environmental program in last year’s climate, tax and health care law: the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. The EPA laid out plans for divvying up the fund through three separate grant competitions. Groups have until Sept. 26 to apply for grants from the $7 billion “Solar for All” program and the deadline is Oct. 12 to seek funds from the other two tranches: a $14 billion fund for clean technology projects and a $6 billion fund for developing clean energy in disadvantaged communities.
“Advocates denounce Biden administration’s deportation ‘perp walks’” via Rafael Bernal of The Hill — Immigration advocacy groups are slamming the Biden administration for distributing videos of families boarding deportation flights to tout its repatriations of foreign nationals. A coalition of 11 groups Friday called on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to stop distributing the footage, sent to media outlets as “B-roll for removal flights,” and called on outlets to avoid using it. “The use of this footage is shocking and dehumanizing, and ICE should immediately discontinue it,” read the release, led by the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC).
“The sequel no one wants to see: another government shutdown” via Lauren Maddox of The Hill — While Americans flock to see “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” two original Hollywood blockbusters, here in Washington we’re watching the telltale signs of a tired sequel take shape: another government shutdown. Who wants to see that? For starters, not the credit agencies, one of which, Fitch, just downgraded the U.S. debt rating based on “repeated debt limit standoffs and last-minute resolutions” and “a steady deterioration in standards of governance over the last 20 years.” And, not House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who negotiated the debt ceiling agreement a few months back only to anger his right flank, such that they shut down operational control of the chamber, leaving the Speaker no choice but to send members home for a handful of days.
“Marco Rubio, Rick Scott ask FEMA bout lower disaster relief funds” via Florida Daily — Last week, U.S. Sens. Rubio and Scott sent a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell requesting “current DRF levels, a plan for when the account runs dry and reasoning behind the lack of response from the Biden administration.” Rubio’s office offered some of the reasons why the Senators sent the letter. “The Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) is expected to run dry this month, during hurricane season. The Biden administration deliberately chose to ignore several requests for the need to supplement the DRF,” Rubio’s office noted.
“How long is too long? Congressional health scares raise questions about fitness to serve” via Chad Pergram of Fox News — They may be among the most powerful leaders in America. But they are no match for the great equalizers: health and age. Mitch McConnell froze for nearly 20 seconds at the Senate GOP’s weekly news conference recently. Other Republican Senators led the Kentucky Republican away before he returned a bit later to field questions from reporters. Dianne Feinstein appeared addled at a recent Senate Appropriations Committee meeting. Feinstein began giving a speech at the meeting, even as the Committee was voting on a specific proposal. An aide appeared to try to guide Feinstein. Age stalks 80-year-old Biden. Republicans routinely question the President’s age and fitness for office, especially after he tripped over a sandbag while handing out diplomas at the Air Force Academy this Spring.
— LOCAL: S. FL —
“Palm Beach County students won’t be able to take AP Psychology this year. What happened?” via Katherine Kokal of the Palm Beach Post — Palm Beach County students will no longer be able to take Advanced Placement Psychology this school year following a flurry of conflicting guidance from Florida’s Department of Education, the College Board and the Palm Beach County School District. School district spokesperson Angela Cruz Ledford announced the decision, citing the “uncertainty surrounding the viability of the AP Psychology exam and course credit in Florida.” Academic counselors and administrators will be reaching out to students enrolled in AP Psychology for the upcoming year to find “suitable alternatives.” The decision came after a week filled with confusion for Florida students and educators preparing to teach the course.
“Miami Lakes Mayor Manny Cid ‘definitely leaning toward running’ for Miami-Dade’s top office” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Cid has hardly been cagey about his plans next year when he reaches term limits as Mayor of Miami Lakes. He’s fully committed to running for one of Miami-Dade County’s seven county offices, though one stands out to him as most desirable. “I’m definitely leaning toward running for county Mayor,” he said. “Most definitely. The more I go around the county and talk to people, the more I realize there is only one position (in which) I can solve all these issues for our residents. “Is that a final decision? No. I don’t want to say, ‘Hey, I’m doing that tomorrow.’ But it’s leaning in that direction.”
“Married couple in the Florida Keys accused of involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot” via David Goodhue of the Miami Herald — A federal judge issued arrest warrants this month for two people living in the Florida Keys who the FBI said participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol. Bryan Roger Bishop is accused of spraying a chemical irritant in the face of two Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department officers who were trying to contain the riot, according to court documents released Monday. He faces several charges, including assaulting police officers with a dangerous or deadly weapon, trespassing and engaging in violence in the Capitol. Tonya Bishop is accused of trespassing in the Capitol and faces charges of entering a restricted building, disorderly conduct in the Capitol and parading “and demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.”
“OSHA: 22 violations worth $258K in fines led to a Miami construction diver’s death” via David J. Neal of the Miami Herald — An investigation into the death of a South Miami-Dade construction company’s diver found a lack of proper life jackets, poor assessment of the job’s perils and divers asked to do things beyond their training, the Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) said last week. OSHA wants Downrite Engineering to pay $258,935 for 22 violations leading to the Jan. 26 workplace death. Downrite has until Aug. 14 to let the U.S. Department of Labor division know whether it plans to just pay the proposed fines, request an informal meeting with OSHA, or contest the violations before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
“Brightline delays Miami-Orlando service start by two weeks” via Kevin Spear of the Orlando Sentinel — Brightline announced Monday it is delaying by as many as two weeks the start of service between South Florida and Orlando as the passenger rail company completes its final stages of operational certification and crew testing. Passengers who purchased tickets for the intended inaugural weekend of Sept. 1 through Sept. 5 were notified Monday that along with refunds they would get upgrade credits for Premium class and a 35% discount for Avis rental cars for the dates of the canceled tickets. Brightline has two classes: Smart, described as comfortable business-class, and Premium, a “first-class experience with added amenities.” For Miami to Orlando, the Smart fare is $79; Premium is $149. Tickets are now on sale on Brightline’s website, for service starting Friday, Sept. 15.
“Miami and Hollywood men arrested on lobster violation charges in the Florida Keys” via David J. Neal of the Miami Herald — Men from Miami, Hollywood and Port St. Lucie flouted lobster and fishing laws in the Florida Keys over the weekend, according to Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Miami’s Alejandro Acevedo, 53, had two problems, Upper Keys Deputy Jason Farr said, that got him arrested when Farr stopped Acevedo’s 25-foot Bayliner boat near North Sound Creek off Key Largo. Farr said Acevedo had 15 lobsters. The daily lobster limit is six per person. Also, each lobster must measure at least 3 inches from “the forward edge between the rostral horns, excluding any soft tissue, and proceeds along the middle to the rear edge of the carapace,” a Keys and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission release says.
— LOCAL: C. FL —
“Monique Worrell defends against police union’s ‘soft on crime’ criticism after shooting of Orlando officers” via Jeff Weiner and Desiree Stennett of the Orlando Sentinel — Orange-Osceola State Attorney Worrell is defending against accusations from police union officials who say her office should have done more to keep Daton Viel, the man accused of shooting two Orlando police officers on Friday, behind bars when he was arrested earlier this year. After a search, the 28-year-old with a lengthy criminal history was killed by an Orlando SWAT team Saturday morning while barricaded inside a local hotel, OPD Chief Eric Smith said. “Daton Viel was a violent criminal that the Orange/Osceola County State Attorney let walk the streets after Orlando Police arrested him in March of this year for sexually assaulting a child,” a statement posted to the Fraternal Order of Police Orlando Facebook page said.
“Central Florida schools drop AP psychology amid ‘confusion’ over legality” via Leslie Postal of the Orlando Sentinel — Central Florida public schools do not plan to offer Advanced Placement psychology this school year as administrators remain uncertain about the state’s position on a course that includes a section on gender and sexual orientation, topics they view as banned from most Florida classrooms. Education Commissioner Manny Diaz sent a letter to superintendents that said the AP psychology course could be taught “in its entirety.” That seemed a shift from what school Superintendents learned Thursday during a phone call with a top official in the Florida Department of Education. But Diaz’s letter added that the course must be taught “in a manner that is age and developmentally appropriate,” and he did not define what that last phrase meant. That left many confused about the state’s position.
“Brevard grant for Space Coast Pride event under scrutiny, after Randy Fine’s Facebook post” via Tyler Vazquez and Dave Berman of Florida Today — Tourism grants designed to boost visitors for cultural events in Brevard County are facing new scrutiny after Rep. Fine singled out Space Coast Pride, as the County Commission considers giving a tourism cultural grant to the LGBTQ organization’s 2024 Pridefest event. The Commission is scheduled Tuesday to consider funding for 25 cultural grants totaling $530,000 for the 2023-24 budget year that begins Oct. 1. The money comes from Brevard County’s 5% tourist development tax on hotel rooms and other short-term rentals. Last month, multiple groups across the county were recommended by the advisory Brevard County Tourist Development Council and its Cultural Committee to receive grants for drawing tourists to the county.
“Volusia corrections officer says staffing is dangerously low, county disagrees” via Sheldon Gardner of The Daytona Beach News-Journal — Staffing levels at Volusia County’s jail facilities are critically low, according to a union official, and the situation has made an already hazardous and stressful job even worse. “This is the most dangerous I’ve ever seen it since I’ve been here,” said Senior Corrections Officer John Miranda, who has been with the county since 2002, aside from a brief retirement from 2016-2018. Miranda is the acting communications officer for the Volusia Corrections Association #6034. The union estimates that the county’s jail facilities are short around 70 officers, he said. The county puts the number at about half that and is unaware of any complaints about unsafe conditions.
— LOCAL: TB —
“Anna Paulina Luna continues fight with feds over Pinellas beach renourishment” via Jack Praitor of the Tampa Bay Times — U.S. Rep. Luna is again pushing the Army Corps of Engineers for faster action on beach renourishment in Pinellas County, according to a letter she sent Friday. Local officials’ long-fought battle over replenishing Pinellas shorelines reached a tipping point last year when the Corps decided it would require all beachfront residents whose property borders the Sand Key project to sign a “perpetual easement” agreement. This would allow public access to parts of the residents’ land along the beach — a proposal that has divided community members. The Corps needs full participation to move forward with this project, previously slated for 2024.
“Mayor places Fire Chief on administrative leave” via Mark Parker of St. Pete Catalyst — St. Petersburg Fire Chief Jim Large was placed on administrative leave Saturday following pointed allegations regarding discriminatory hiring practices and employee mistreatment within the department. The saga began with a July 19 email from a “concerned citizen” to Mayor Ken Welch, city officials and news publications highlighting claims that Large fostered a hostile work environment for minorities and women. Welch announced that he received the results from an extensive city employee assessment and survey and pledged a recommitment to ensuring a positive workplace culture July 28.
“Hillsborough schools cut back on William Shakespeare, citing new Florida rules” via Marlene Sokol of the Tampa Bay Times — English teachers in Hillsborough County are preparing lessons for the new school year with only excerpts from Shakespeare’s works. Students will be assigned pages from the classics, which might include “Macbeth,” “Hamlet” and the time-honored teen favorite, “Romeo and Juliet.” But if they want to read them in their entirety, they will likely have to do it on their own time. School district officials said they redesigned their instructional guides for teachers because of revised state teaching standards and a new set of state exams that cover a vast array of books and writing styles.
“Hillsborough battles driver’s license appointment fraud” via C.T Bowen of the Tampa Bay Times — The Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Office is altering its operations after discovering scammers booked blocks of driver license appointments and then attempted to sell the availability to the public. Tax Collector Nancy Millan said the office investigated after an influx of complaints about a lack of appointments and a tip about third parties selling appointment times. She said the office found a pattern of daily appointments being reserved under identical names and email addresses. Appointments are not required for most services, but the public can reserve appointments via the office website up to 30 days in advance at no charge.
“Leaders want feedback on combining Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough planning organizations” via Jillian Ramos of WFTS — Could a regional Transportation Planning Organization be successful in Tampa Bay? That’s the question local leaders are hoping you’ll help them answer. A new Florida law means Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties could merge into one Metropolitan Planning Organization. Currently, each of those counties operates its own group. So, what do these local planning organizations do? They decide on plans and priorities for major roads, public transportation and even trails. Advocates said merging these groups into one would create a stronger region and could potentially help bring more funding to Tampa Bay projects.
— LOCAL: N. FL —
“Donna Deegan holds firm on Confederate monument removal, pledges infrastructure improvements” via Hanna Holthaus of The Florida Times-Union — From a song about the Jaguars and critiques of the Mandarin Senior Center speech policies to personal stories about affordable housing and disagreements over Confederate monuments, attendees at Mayor Deegan’s first “community conversation” made their opinions known. Deegan’s conversation Thursday evening was the first of 14 to take place across the city in each City Council district. The goal for each event, Deegan said, was to allow residents to be honest about what they needed fixed — not for her to come in with a “laundry list” of discussion points. “I think it was exactly what we needed,” Deegan said after the event. “People want to be able to voice to their representatives what their frustrations are, and you heard a lot of that tonight.”
“Most Tallahassee city leaders say it’s ‘beyond government’ to stop shootings” via Elena Barrera of the Tallahassee Democrat — In the grips of a Summer surge in shootings, a rising death toll and a spike in violence are concerning the community and Tallahassee City Commissioners. With three homicides weighing on the capital city, all of which occurred last week within one of Tallahassee’s darkest 24-hour periods, leaders say they are working to make the city a safer place. “One life lost to gun violence is too many,” City Commissioner Jack Porter said. “What can government do?” Mayor Pro-Tem Dianne Williams-Cox said. “We can do all the conflict resolution courses or presentations or encouragement, but when a person decides that they want to take another person’s life, what can government do?”
“Northeast Florida school districts review new book titles as students go back to school” via Robert Grant of Action News Jax — As kids get ready to go back to class, more books are leaving school shelves as districts follow new state guidelines DeSantis said is aimed at transparency. Action News Jax dug through records and found 19 titles have been removed from Duval County Public School shelves, 31 from St. Johns County, and 115 from Clay as student gear up to head back to school. Clay County District Schools added 45 new books pending review over the Summer. It’s one reason former educators Casey Raasio and Kati Johnston are ramping up their efforts with the organization Rebel Readers.
“Escambia’s fighting for control of 60,000 texts a Commissioner claims were ‘stolen’ by a rival” via Jim Little of the Pensacola News Journal — Escambia County is alleging in legal filings that more than 60,000 of Commissioner Jeff Bergosh’s text messages were illegally taken from his personal cellphone by his former political opponent Jonathan Owens. It’s the latest development in the Emergency Medical Service training scandal that upended the Escambia County government in 2019 and resulted in the arrest of four senior-level EMS personnel in 2020 for falsifying training records. Two of the four arrested entered a pre-trial diversion program and avoided criminal penalties, the former EMS chief pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges, and the training director was adjudicated guilty of seven felony charges of falsifying an official document.
“Man breaks into Florida church, baptizes himself before stealing money, deputies say” via S. Brady Calhoun of CNBC — A Georgia man who broke into a Panama City Beach church had an unusual encounter in the baptismal, Bay County Sheriff’s deputies said. Derek Porter used a cinder block to smash a window at the Emerald Beach Church of God on Alf Coleman Road and get inside Friday morning. A woman working in the church heard the sound and fled, deputies added. “While inside, Porter caused approximately $8,000 worth of damage to the church. Porter then loaded several electronics including a television and a computer into his truck along with the church’s money bag,” deputies wrote.
— LOCAL: SW. FL —
“Sarasota County, city of Sarasota to keep property tax rates flat while spending more” via Anne Snabes of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Property owners in Sarasota County and the city of Sarasota can expect to see their tax rates for the city and county to stay the same, or nearly the same, though they could still pay more in taxes, as values have broadly increased. The County and City Commissions each voted tentatively in July to keep their property tax rates relatively flat. But Sarasota County’s taxable property value rose by 14.3% this year — not as high as last year’s 17.8%, but still a major increase. This means that the county will bring in even more tax revenue than last year.
“After controversy, Sarasota County Schools will keep AP Psychology, district says” via Steven Walker of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Following the state’s move to effectively ban AP Psychology, and a quick reversal of the stance, Sarasota County Schools said it will continue to offer the course to students as planned, a district spokesperson confirmed. Craig Maniglia, the district’s director of communications and community relations, said curriculum teams at Sarasota Schools would work to ensure the course’s content is age-appropriate and complies with state law, referring to a letter sent Friday from Florida Education Commissioner Diaz. Manatee County Schools did not immediately respond for a comment about the status of the course there.
— TOP OPINION —
“DeSantis: America’s economy is decimated. As President, I have a plan to rebuild it.” via USA Today — America is in a state of decline — militarily, culturally and economically — and the American dream is slipping away from our nation’s middle class.
Federal government policies — COVID-19 lockdowns, reckless borrowing, printing money, and deficit spending — have escalated the costs of living so much that buying a home, purchasing a car or starting a family is too expensive for many Americans. Even being able to afford groceries has become more difficult.
Despite these challenges, entrenched Washington politicians in both parties and the elites who implemented the policies responsible for our malaise refuse to change course.
In Florida, we’ve fought back.
We fought for Floridians who were ignored by the elites, who didn’t have a voice, and whose livelihoods hung in the balance. We were their voice; we were their fighter — and we won.
We will take that same spirit to Washington to fight for Americans across the nation.
Revitalizing economic freedom and opportunity today will require building an economy where the concerns of average citizens are elevated above those deemed “too big to fail.”
We will declare our economic independence from the failed elites who orchestrated American decline and from the never-ending federal spending that has inflated prices and plunged our nation to the brink of insolvency.
The goal of our declaration of economic independence is simple: We win. They lose.
— OPINIONS —
“The weaponization of loneliness” via Hillary Rodham Clinton for The Atlantic — In May, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy published an advisory, warning that a growing “epidemic of loneliness and isolation” threatens Americans’ personal health and also the health of our democracy. Murthy reported that, even before COVID, about half of all American adults were experiencing substantial levels of loneliness. An “epidemic of loneliness” may sound abstract at a time when our democracy faces concrete and imminent threats, but the surgeon general’s report helps explain how we became so vulnerable. Murthy carefully connects the dots between increasing social isolation and declining civic engagement. It’s not just the surgeon general who recognizes that social isolation saps the lifeblood of democracy. So do the ultra-right-wing billionaires, propagandists, and provocateurs who see authoritarianism as a source of power and profit.
“This is how to beat DeSantis in the endless, racist culture war over Black history” via Erika Smith of the Los Angeles Times — Tolani Britton and Travis Bristol, a husband-and-wife team of associate professors of education at UC Berkeley, possess the sort of pragmatism that I wish I had in these trying times. The associate professors have been quietly building a team to create a new California-centric Black studies curriculum, based on the exhaustive research of the state’s first-in-the-nation reparations task force. Both she and her husband hope their forthcoming curriculum will be adopted by high schools and community colleges. But because they’re pragmatic and because they see what’s happening in Florida, they aren’t counting on it. So, instead, they plan to take the slightly unorthodox approach of making the curriculum free and accessible to the broader public, finding ways to distribute it to after-school programs, community groups, churches and parents.
“‘Traitor’ Bowe Bergdahl must face justice for his crimes” via Michael Waltz for Fox News — In 2009, Bergdahl deserted his firebase in eastern Afghanistan at the height of the war against the Taliban and other terrorist groups. U.S. forces in the region were ordered to shift away from their objectives to defeat the Taliban in order to search for Bergdahl. An estimated eight Americans were killed, and dozens seriously wounded in militant-occupied areas attempting to locate the deserter. Bergdahl pled guilty to desertion and misbehavior in the face of the enemy, was given a demotion and a fine, but was given no jail time. For a man who betrayed our country by walking into the arms of the enemy and whose actions resulted in the deaths and injuries of U.S. service members, this didn’t go far enough.
— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —
— ALOE —
“ACC considering westward expansion, with eye on Stanford and Cal, AP source says” via Ralph D. Russo of The Associated Press — The four remaining Pac-12 schools still aboard for next season, California, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington State, have options if they are looking for another conference. The ACC is exploring the possibility of adding the West Coast schools, with an emphasis on California and Stanford in the San Francisco Bay Area. The American Athletic Conference also has an interest in expanding West and adding all four Pac-12 teams. The AAC has schools as far West as the Dallas area.
“With pickleball injuries mounting, physical therapist Dr. Frank Allen focusing on player health” via Doug Fernandes of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — He was perfectly content being Dr. Allen, a Sarasota physical therapist since 2020 and owner of Your Place Physical Therapy, catering to athletes of all persuasions. Discovering he could tap into a vein no other physical therapist had, Allen went about becoming the first. He started the branding process by originating the moniker the “Pickleball PT.” Allen’s two main areas of focus are injury treatment and injury prevention. For the latter, he said the best protection against injury is simply warming up before taking the court.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Celebrating today are former Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez, Bill Coletti, Yolanda Cash Jackson of Becker, Jay Malpass of Motorola, and Jenn Whitcomb. Belated happy birthday wishes to Taryn Fenske, formerly Communications Director in Gov. DeSantis’ office.
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Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.
