Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 12.18.23

Good Monday morning.

A top-of-Sunburn birthday shoutout to, as Ella Joyce describes her, “my best friend who is mommy’s best friend,” Stephanie Smith.

And to start the celebration is a special message from Michelle Todd Schorsch:

“There are best friends and then there are BEST friends. Stephanie Smith is definitely the latter. From the early days when she encouraged me and mentored me, to the later days when she became my sister and a beloved member of my family, she has consistently always been not only the most competent political professional but the best person in the room. I could go on for paragraphs about how amazing Stephanie Smith is, but you all know how awesome she is firsthand. So please join me in wishing Ella’s Aunt Bestie the best birthday ever!”

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Breaking overnight — “Bomb threat closed part of Fort Lauderdale airport. Authorities say a man is detained” via Grethel Aguila of the Miami Herald — Parts of Terminal 1 at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport were evacuated Sunday night following a bomb threat, the Broward Sheriff’s Office confirmed. At about 5:30 p.m., deputies as well as the BSO bomb squad responded to the terminal to investigate the incident. They detained a man for questioning. According to the airport’s post on X, the departures entrance was also temporarily closed out of “an abundance of caution.”

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Florida voters are starting to turn on Gov. Ron DeSantis according to new polling from Progress Florida and Florida Watch.

The organizations, collectively known as the Florida Communications and Research Hub, asked voters whether they approved of the Republican presidential candidate and found him underwater 52%-45%. DeSantis’ favorability rating is also in the negative, 50%-45%.

Compared to a year ago, when DeSantis was re-elected by nearly 20 points, the Hub’s polling shows nothing short of a nose-dive. As recently as February, the Governor’s approval rating was in the positive by double digits. By May it was a coin flip.

His ratings on key issues have also taken a turn for the worse. Six months ago, voters approved of his job addressing housing issues by an 11-point margin. The score has flipped and then some, with the December poll showing 62% disapproval and 29% approval. Health care affordability slipped from a plus-1 to a minus-14 and double-digit advantages on economic and public safety issues have all but evaporated.

“As Gov. Ron DeSantis has traveled the country speaking to voters in other states, his constituents in Florida are growing increasingly dissatisfied with the job he is doing to address the issues impacting their daily lives here at home,” Florida Watch Executive Director Josh Weierbach said. “Ahead of this year’s Legislative Session, it certainly appears that working families and seniors in Florida are dissatisfied with the perceived lack of leadership being provided by the Governor during his campaign for President.”

The poll indicates DeSantis’ numbers could tumble further depending on the fate of some controversial proposals pitched for the 2024 Session, which begins Jan. 9.

Voters particularly despise a bill (HB 17) that would clear gun purchases after three days if there’s a holdup in the background check process — just 14% of voters support it compared to 77% in opposition. A plan to exempt private aircraft from sales taxes scored a minus-56; a ban on citizen review boards for law enforcement is at minus-33; and a measure loosening labor laws for teenagers is at minus-29.

Meanwhile, policies pitched by Democrats are fairly popular. More than four out of five voters support raising minimum teacher pay to $65,000 a year and the same number support universal background checks for firearm sales or transfers. Further, nearly three-quarters of voters said they support capping rent increases at 5% a year.

“Floridians are overwhelmingly in support of protecting our environment, public safety, patients seeking abortion care, and the rights of workers and renters, but appear underwhelmed with key proposals being pushed by legislators in the majority in Tallahassee,” said Progress Florida Executive Director Mark Ferrulo. “This polling should serve as a wake-up call to those setting the legislative priorities during Session that it is time to step up and address the real issues that are impacting their constituents instead of the needs of corporate donors or the political ambitions of other elected officials.”

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A leading communications industry publication is recognizing two members of the Sachs Media team as “Top Women in Communications.”

Ragan recognized Sachs Media Partner and Director of Research Dr. Karen Cyphers, Ph.D., in the Data Dynamos category, and Account Manager Amy Climenhage, APR, was selected as a Rising Star within the industry.

Cyphers, lauded for her exceptional ability to blend precision and innovation in strategic communications, has led hundreds of opinion surveys garnering tens of thousands of responses, assessing public sentiment and helping to shape scores of clients’ strategies and messages. Her analytical prowess has significantly influenced public policy, including reshaping Florida’s Medicaid dental program for children.

Climenhage has guided numerous initiatives for clients of Sachs Media’s public affairs and public relations practices. Among her many achievements were directing a successful early childhood education campaign to recruit teachers and advocating for access to rooftop solar panels in Florida. She was previously named a “Rising Stars of Florida Politics” by INFLUENCE Magazine.

“Public relations has a long history of dynamic women leaders, and Karen and Amy are no exception,” said Michelle Ubben, president and CEO of Sachs Media. “These recognitions reflect the caliber of talent and leadership we nurture at Sachs Media, and these two extraordinary women exemplify our commitment to excellence, innovative thinking, and meaningful impact in the communications industry.”

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@RealDonaldTrump: Jeff Roe is out — GAME OVER for DeSanctimonious!

—@CurtOnMessage: Lesson for political operatives: Don’t make yourself into a “celebrity” consultant. It’s not about you, it’s about the candidates, and it won’t end well … particularly if you are unethical, strategically dumb, and lose most of the time.

—@RachelBitecofer: (Donald) Trump says immigrants from South America, Asia and Africa “are poisoning the blood of America.” Be nice if someone found the balls to poll that so we’ll know just how many Republicans agree with him.

—@TimODC: Nearing Saddam Hussein re-elect territory in the GOP Primary. If DeSantis drops out Trump might clear 80.

—@JamesUlhmeier: Establishment @NikkiHaley represents more of the same in D.C. — corporate handouts, relaxed immigration laws, and gross profiting off “public service.” The D.C. Establishment already tanked the Republican Party. We need a change agent who will dismantle D.C., @RonDeSantis.

Tweet, tweet:

Eric Desonie, 47, floats in front of the RV he has lived in since Hurricane Idalia’s flooding destroyed his Shore Acres house earlier this year

Today, more flooding. About an inch of water in his garage

“I’m ok dealing with it because we have such amazing neighbors” pic.twitter.com/McvEPQGEy3

— Max Chesnes (@MaxChesnes) December 17, 2023

—@AGAshleyMoody: Today, @WreathsAcross volunteers will be laying wreaths on fallen American soldiers’ headstones, to honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country. We are grateful for everyone who has served in the U.S. armed forces. May their service never be forgotten. #WreathsAcrossAmericaDay

— DAYS UNTIL —

Zack Snyder’s ‘Rebel Moon’ premieres — 4; Michael Mann’s ‘Ferrari’ premieres — 6; Matt Dixon’s ‘Swamp Monsters: Trump vs. DeSantis ― the Greatest Show on Earth (or at Least in Florida)’ released — 22; 2024 Florida Chamber Legislative Fly-In and reception — 22; Florida’s 2024 Regular Session begins — 22; CNN to host first of two GOP Primary debates — 23; 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards — 28; House District 35 Special Election — 28; Florida TaxWatch’s State of the Taxpayer Dinner — 30; CNN’s second GOP Primary debate — 34; New Hampshire Primary — 36; Red Dog Blue Dog 2024 — 37; South Carolina Democratic Primary — 47; New Hampshire and Nevada Democratic Primaries — 50; South Carolina GOP holds first-in-the-South Primary — 68; Michigan Democratic Primary — 71; ‘Dune: Part Two’ premieres — 74; Netflix to stream “The Netflix Slam,” Rafael Nadal/Carlos Alcaraz faceoff — 76; Trump’s D.C. trial on charges related to trying to reverse his 2020 Election loss — 77; Super Tuesday — 78; 2024 Oscars — 83; Georgia Democratic Primary — 85; 2024 Leadership Conference on Safety, Health & Sustainability — 143; ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ premieres — 157; ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ premieres — 193; Republican National Convention begins — 211; ‘Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games — 221; Alien: Romulus’ premieres — 242; Georgia Tech to face Florida State in 2024 opener in Dublin — 250; Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour stops in Miami — 305; 2024 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum — 308; Las Vegas Grand Prix — 339; ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ premieres — 424; ‘Moana’ premieres — 557; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres — 585; ‘Blade’ reboot premieres — 690; ‘Fantastic Four’ reboot premieres — 690; ‘Avatar 3’ premieres — 732; ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ premieres — 865; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres — 891; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres — 1,096; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres — 1,236; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres — 2,195; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres — 2,923.

— TOP STORY —

“Ron DeSantis wanted to change the way campaigns were funded. Then the fights started.” via Michael Scherer, Hannah Knowles and Josh Dawsey of The Washington Post — DeSantis entered the Republican presidential race with an unmatched war chest and a $269 million plan to change how campaigns are usually funded.

His first campaign manager, Generra Peck, developed the strategy and selected the leadership to lead a massive new super PAC called Never Back Down. Lawyer-supervised meetings between the campaign-in-waiting and the super PAC’s team fine-tuned the mission — setting the stage for a historic paid door-knocking effort in early states.

Under campaign finance rules, the two operations could not privately coordinate most of their spending. But they aimed to function as an integrated whole — built with the candidate’s approval, advised by a single law firm, overseen by a Board that included DeSantis confidants and seeded with $82.5 million that DeSantis had raised for his gubernatorial re-election.

It was the first time a major campaign ceded so much of its operations to an entity it could not legally control.

With just weeks to go before the Iowa caucuses, the experiment is now in tatters. The super PAC that funded almost all of the DeSantis advertising and field programs and much of the candidate’s travel and events has been sidelined by the people who created it.

On Saturday night, about four hours after this story was first published online, Jeff Roe — a key architect of Never Back Down’s strategy — joined a string of departures, announcing he was resigning and further deepening the group’s tumult. He said he “cannot in good conscience stay affiliated with Never Back Down” after the super PAC sent statements to The Washington Post suggesting the group fired officials connected to Roe’s firm over “mismanagement and conduct issues.”

Rather than a new playbook for presidential campaigns, the broader DeSantis project has exposed the dangers of depending on emerging loopholes in campaign finance law that allow candidates to turn over traditional election efforts to groups that can take donations of any size from corporations or individuals.

— THE TRAIL —

“CBS News Poll: Nikki Haley gains on Trump in New Hampshire while he continues to dominate in Iowa” via Kabir Khanna, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto of CBS News — Trump still leads in New Hampshire, but Haley has consolidated much of the non-Trump vote and has emerged as the top alternative to him there. Among the top candidates, Haley gets the best marks on being seen as “likable” and “reasonable,” and she runs nearly even with Trump on being “prepared” — notable, considering he held the presidency. She has been running in part on electability and is now seen as the most electable of Trump’s challengers. Despite leading by double digits, Trump isn’t seen as the most likable or even reasonable candidate in New Hampshire. He does dominate on being seen as a “strong leader” by Primary voters, and on the view that he would beat President Joe Biden.

“The most important number in Iowa” via David Catanese of Too Close to Call — DeSantis’ problem is that even if he outruns Haley there — beats her by 5, 7 points — the former U.N. ambassador will certainly trek on to New Hampshire, where she’s invested more time and capital in hopes of wooing the state’s healthy crop of independents. And it’s a good bet that the best way DeSantis can jack up his prospects in New Hampshire is by overperforming in Iowa, trampling Haley there and creeping closer to Trump than expected. So, watch the percentage of the third-place finisher in Iowa 30 days from now. If he or she is less than 5 points behind whoever ends up No. 2, Trump’s win is even greater.

Tweet, tweet:

 

Nikki Haley SuperPAC SFA Fund out with another $1.59M ad buy, $1.2M anti-DeSantis in Iowa, $359,475 pro-Haley in New Hampshire.

SFA Fund has passed MAGA, Inc as the top IE spender in the 2024 GOP primary–$31.1M pro-Haley, $8.1M anti-DeSantis, $100K anti-Biden, $0 anti-Trump. https://t.co/gSFjlvVlGu pic.twitter.com/WhDJimrEik

— Rob Pyers (@rpyers) December 18, 2023

“Haley signs on to CNN Iowa debate, DeSantis camp says she was ‘shamed’” via Diana Glebova of the New York Post — The 10% polling qualification requirement will likely restrict the participants to DeSantis, Haley and Trump — should he decide to join. Haley was noncommittal about the CNN debate after it was officially announced Dec. 7, with her team refusing to say whether she was interested in attending. Her camp also did not make any statement after the Republican National Committee lifted all debate restrictions on candidates the following day, officially allowing Haley to participate in any forum she wished. DeSantis responded by tweeting that Haley was “shamed” into attending. “If Donald Trump and Nikki Haley are going to continue to spend millions against me on television with false attacks, they should at least have the courage to meet on the debate stage,” he said.

“DeSantis says Trump will claim the Iowa caucuses were ‘stolen’ from him if he loses the pivotal contest: ‘He will try to delegitimize the results’” via John L. Dorman of Business Insider — DeSantis added that Trump would push the same narrative should he come up short in New Hampshire, the first Primary on the GOP calendar and a contest where Haley has seen her standing rise in recent months. “If Trump loses, he will say it’s stolen no matter what, absolutely,” DeSantis told a group of reporters during a campaign appearance in New Hampshire. “He will try to delegitimize the results. He did that against Ted Cruz in 2016.” But DeSantis said he was confident that Trump’s potential complaints about the election outcomes would be rejected by the GOP electorate. “I think that that’s to be expected, but I don’t think people are going to buy it,” he added.

Happening today — DeSantis will deliver remarks at an employee town hall in Iowa: 10 a.m. Central time, Iowa Spring Manufacturing: 301 Visions Parkway, Adel, Iowa.

— MORE 2024 —

“‘Best-case scenario’ for Trump as rivals refuse to drop out” via Lisa Kashinsky, Natalie Allison and Meridith McGraw of POLITICO — When New Hampshire’s popular Republican Gov., Chris Sununu, endorsed Haley, he became the third of three early-state Governors to endorse a different candidate. For Haley, it was great news, just as Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds had publicly backed DeSantis, or South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster had gone in for Trump. But for Republicans yearning to move on from the former President, it was a disaster — capping one of the worst weeks yet in the movement to block Trump from the nomination. “If you’re Trump, that’s the best-case scenario,” said Phil Taub, a prominent New Hampshire donor and Republican activist. “Everybody just wants it to be Trump versus one candidate. But as long as they are splitting up all the votes, Trump doesn’t even have to get 50%.”

“‘He’s becoming crazier’: Chris Christie blasts Trump for remarks on Vladimir Putin, immigrants” via Kelly Garrity of POLITICO — Christie laid into Trump Sunday, after the former President quoted Putin and also claimed immigrants were “poisoning the blood of our country” during a New Hampshire rally Saturday. Trump gets “worse and worse by the day,” Christie said during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “He’s becoming crazier. And now he’s citing Vladimir Putin as a character witness, a guy who is a murderous thug all around the world,” Christie said Sunday.

“Trump sits cage-side with Kid Rock for supporter Colby Covington’s UFC 296 defeat, which fighter compared to ex-Prez’s 2020 loss” via Patrick Reilly of the New York Post — The arena jumped to its feet as Trump made a grand entrance, shaking hands with fans and Joe Rogan ahead of the highly anticipated welterweight championship bout between Leon Edwards, of the U.K., and Florida’s Covington. Covington, an outspoken supporter of the 45th President, said ahead of the fight that Trump would put the belt on him if he defeated Edwards. However, Trump never had the chance to name Covington the new world champ. Edwards, the defending champion, defeated challenger Covington handily in five rounds by the judges’ unanimous decision 49-46, 49-46, 49-46. He compared his loss to Trump’s 2020 loss in a “rigged election,” he said.

“Joe Biden’s 2024 problem: Voters say his policies hurt them” via Andrew Restuccia and Amara Omeokwe of The Wall Street Journal — More than half the country now thinks Biden’s policies have done them harm and nearly as many voters think Trump’s policies helped them, a foreboding sign for the incumbent heading into a likely rematch with his 2020 foe. Voters across the political spectrum single out inflation and high prices as chief complaints about Biden’s presidency, but some also are upset with his broader record on domestic and foreign policy. Liberal voters are angry about Biden’s approach to Israel’s war in Gaza and complain that he hasn’t done enough to enact the progressive policies he laid out during the 2020 campaign, including large-scale student loan forgiveness.

— DESANTISY LAND —

“Florida only state to turn down millions to lessen tailpipe emissions, feds say” via Jack Prator and Max Chesnes of the Orlando Sentinel — Congress in 2021 provided $6.4 billion to states to curb tailpipe emissions and reduce the effects of climate change. Florida was set to receive $320 million, the third most of any state. But last month, the department secretary, Jared Perdue, sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation declining participation in the federal program. Perdue said in the letter that the program was an example of government overreach that was “the continued politicization of our roadways,” echoing statements made by DeSantis, who has said that climate change is “politicization of the weather.”

“Law chills Chinese student recruitment at UF” via The New York Times — The panic among faculty at the University of Florida began this month once word started to spread: Do not make offers yet to graduate students from seven “countries of concern.” Among the seven was China, the largest source of international students in Florida. The varying instructions given to professors in recent days have sowed uncertainty at the school, Florida’s flagship campus, just as Admission Committees are beginning to review graduate student applications for next year. The measure, passed this spring, restricts public universities and colleges from “accepting grants from or participating in partnerships or agreements” with individuals or schools from seven countries: China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela and Syria.

“DeSantis claims Palestinian casualties are ‘Hamas’ fault’” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — DeSantis predictably diverged from Biden’s take that Israel is losing support globally because Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “doesn’t want a two-state solution.” Rather, DeSantis rests blame on global “antisemitism” and dismisses objections to Israeli war strategy and the killing of civilians as “Hamas’ fault.” “So, I think it’s true that the world is coming after Israel, but it’s because of antisemitism; it’s because you have these people at the U.N. who are disgraceful, who are trying to blame Israel. They wouldn’t even condemn the Hamas attack at the United Nations.”

“DeSantis expects shortened life spans to shore up Social Security” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — “What I don’t think people are acknowledging the way they should is that life expectancy in this country is declining. And so, you know, we used to think it was just gonna keep going up. I mean, it’s been a pretty steep decline. So, I don’t see how you raise it if life expectancy is declining,” DeSantis said in Windham. DeSantis said that the decrease in life spans isn’t “just from COVID,” but is “from a lot of other things,” including “deaths of despair, overdoses” and “other things, that have happened that I think the government hasn’t been willing to really be honest about.”

“DeSantis says don’t start vaping unless you’re trying to stop smoking” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — DeSantis is defending your right to vape, but that doesn’t mean he wants you to pick up the habit. The Governor told a crowd in Fort Dodge Saturday: “On this vaping stuff, you shouldn’t. If you don’t do anything, you shouldn’t start to vape. It’s not good for you. But what I’ve found is people that have used cigarettes and got addicted to that, they’re addicted to nicotine when they go to the vape that’s less harmful to them than doing the normal cigarettes … and so, you know, if somebody can take something and do harm reduction, you know, I don’t think that the FDA should ban that. I think people should have the ability; adults should have the ability to do that. Obviously, kids shouldn’t be doing any of this stuff,” DeSantis said.

— D. C. MATTERS —

“María Elvira Salazar poses arm-in-arm with Augusto Pinochet-defending Chilean politician” via Joseph Zeballos-Roig of Semafor — During a recent trip to Buenos Aires for the inauguration of Argentina’s new President, Rep. Salazar appeared in a photo with a popular Chilean politician known as a defender of Pinochet’s brutal dictatorship. In the photo, a smiling Salazar stands alongside José Antonio Kast, the leader of Chile’s hard-right Republican Party. Kast, a socially conservative Catholic who has often been compared to Brazil’s former leader Jair Bolsonaro, won the first round of his country’s 2021 Presidential Election before losing a runoff. The pair are also accompanied by three other men in the picture. To her right is Eduardo Verástegui, a conservative activist mounting a long shot bid for the Mexican presidency in which he has vowed to end abortion access.

“‘Insurance Godmothers’ sign Florida Latinos up for Obamacare” via The Associated Press — Salsa music blares from the food court in a rundown Miami shopping center as Latinos head to a kiosk and an office showing signs for “Obamacare,” where they hope to renew their health coverage plans before the year ends. It’s areas near this mall where Barack Obama’s health care overhaul is more popular than anywhere in the country. The region has also shifted away from Democrats to Republicans in recent years, with Trump hosting several rallies here as part of his outreach to Latino voters. Trump, the current front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, has pledged to renew efforts to repeal and replace the 2010 law — something that would be felt heavily in the region and could possibly reverse some of the GOP shift among South Florida’s Latinos, experts say.

— STATEWIDE —

“Citizens Insurance CEO, health care CEO reappointed to new terms on the Board of Governors overseeing State University System of Florida” via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — A health care executive and an insurance executive were reappointed to seats on the Board of Governors (BOG) of the State University System that they’ve held since 2017. DeSantis announced the reappointments of Timothy Cerio, President/CEO and Executive Director of the Citizens Property Insurance Corp., and Alan Levine, Chair and CEO of Ballad Health, just before their terms’ expiration next month. It’s coming just as those seats are due to get hotter than in years past. The BOG is in the midst of implementing controversial rules at the state’s 12 institutions, including a new prohibition against state-run universities using federal or state dollars for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

“How anti-abortion pregnancy centers get taxpayer funds with almost no oversight” via Laura C. Morel and Clara-Sophia Daly of Reveal News — To understand the problems with Florida’s oversight of anti-abortion pregnancy centers, you don’t have to look much further than Mary’s Pregnancy Resource Center. For years, Mary’s was one of the crown jewels of the Florida Pregnancy Care Network, the little-known nonprofit that administers the state-funded “alternatives to abortion” program. In April, the network’s profile grew tremendously after the Legislature approved a fivefold funding increase to $25 million a year. In October, state support grew once again after the state Department of Health quietly increased the contract to up to $29.4 million. This year’s funding nearly matches that of the entire last decade when the state handed out $32.5 million in taxpayer money to the anti-abortion initiative. Mary’s has been one of its biggest beneficiaries, taking in more than $2.2 million in that period.

“State halts work on $154M Medicaid IT contract” via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — The DeSantis administration is going to delay work on a $154 million information technology contract that is the central part of an overhaul of the state’s Medicaid management information system. The Florida Health Care Connections (FX) Executive Steering Committee made the decision. The body voted unanimously this week to halt for at least 12 months’ work on its contract with Gainwell Technologies LLC for “core” services and to complete work on two other IT-related contracts by December 2024. Documents show the delay in implementation is being attributed to a “critical resource constraint” at the Agency for Health Care Administration.

“30 counties sue, saying consumers at risk in expansion of a home loan program” via Alex Harris of the Miami Herald — As Florida’s insurance crisis makes hurricane hardening more important than ever, consumer advocates have pressed to reign in a popular but controversial loan program that allows homeowners to pay for new roofs or impact windows through their property tax bills. Some counties and tax collectors across the state have pushed for clearer disclosures for a program that has generated hundreds of complaints from people who say they were misled on costs or didn’t understand that the loan amounts to a long-term tax lien on their home. Now, one agency that bankrolls PACE construction projects is pushing back, arguing that individual counties have no legal right to force it to follow additional rules or even decide where it can operate.

“Florida Museum of Black History site proposals include Confederate statues, possible conflict of interest” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — A task force responsible for advising the Florida Legislature on a proposed state Black history museum fielded nine pitches Friday from local governments and organizations. Two proposals raised eyebrows, one for including Confederate statues among its recommended exhibits, the other for a possible conflict of interest with one of the task force members. The first proposal to elicit consternation came from Havana Community Development Corporation (CDC), a nonprofit headquartered in a 62,000-square-foot Gadsden County facility formerly used as Havana Northside, the city’s first African American high school.

Happening today — Sen. Joe Gruters will join faith leaders to thank State Attorney Ed Brodsky, 12th Circuit Court, for creating the broadest adult civil citation program in Florida: 10:30 a.m., Ward Temple AME Church 1017 5th St. W, Bradenton.

Appointed — Susan Amat and Garrett Johnson to the Florida Opportunity Fund Board of Directors and Thomas “T.J.” Thornberry to the Charlotte County Airport Authority.

Sked

— 4 p.m. An Economic Estimating Conference will take place. Room 117, Knott Building.

— DOWN BALLOT —

Happening today:

— LOCAL: S. FL —

“Aide to new Miami Beach Mayor resigns after arrest over dispute with ex-girlfriend” via Aaron Liebowitz of the Miami Herald — An aide to newly elected Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner has resigned, a city spokesperson said Friday, following the aide’s arrest earlier this month on charges related to a dispute with his ex-girlfriend. Robert Novo, who had recently been announced as Meiner’s incoming deputy chief of staff, was placed on administrative leave after his Dec. 2 arrest and resigned Thursday, according to city spokesperson Melissa Berthier. Novo, 31, had served as Meiner’s legislative aide when Meiner was a City Commissioner and helped run his campaign for Mayor this year.

“Palm Beach County Commissioners decry verbal assault of witness at recent public hearing” via Mike Diamond of The Palm Beach Post — Palm Beach County Mayor Maria Sachs has called on the Sheriff’s Office to investigate allegations that a witness was verbally accosted after he testified against a plan that would allow truckers to store semitrailers in The Acreage. Burgess Hanson, the executive director of the Indian Trail Improvement District, testified Wednesday, Nov. 29, that district roads could not handle the weight of the 80,000-pound semitrailers. He urged that the ordinance be rejected. At times, some truckers at the meeting booed when he made his points, prompting warnings from County Commissioners that they be civil or else they would be removed from the meeting room. Indian Trail is responsible for maintaining the roads in the district, which is primarily in The Acreage, an unincorporated area in western Palm Beach County.

“Mayor’s red-hot rhetoric deepens bridge-tunnel divide” via Steve Bousquet — If Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis was trying to attract Broward County’s attention, it looks like he succeeded beyond his wildest expectations. But it now looks less likely that the city and the county will find a compromise on the precarious fate of regional commuter rail in South Florida. Words matter in politics, and Trantalis has gone far out of his way to antagonize county leaders at a critical moment, as they prepare an ambitious, expensive federal funding request. Trantalis this week used a highly visible platform, his monthly newsletter, to excoriate the county for its insistence on a bridge over the New River — not a tunnel below that the Mayor wants — to accommodate future rail traffic through the heart of the city.

“After a student’s violent assault in a parking lot near Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, who is to blame?” via Shira Moolten of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — A day after the violent assault on a Marjory Stoneman Douglas student drew national attention, school officials have distanced themselves from responsibility while disturbed parents wonder why no one stopped the fight before it occurred. In the video that spread wildly on social media, a large group of students watch as a smaller group surrounds the 18-year-old student before one of them lifts him up and throws him headfirst onto the pavement. The teen victim then lies still, apparently unconscious and bleeding from the head, according to footage and police radio. Some students scream and disperse while others stay to check if he’s still breathing. Coral Springs Police have identified the suspects involved but are still locating them.

“UFC 299 set for Miami with Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera 2 title headliner” via MMA Junkie — After going 20 years without an event in Miami, the UFC is bringing a pay-per-view to the city for the second consecutive year with UFC 299. The UFC announced during its 2024 seasonal news conference that the March 9 event will go down at Kaseya Center, and it will be headlined by a bantamweight championship rematch between reigning titleholder O’Malley and Vera. It will be the first attempted defense for O’Malley (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC), who claimed the belt at UFC 292 in August with a second-round knockout of Aljamain Sterling.

— LOCAL: C. FL —

“Disney World is suing over its property taxes, arguing they are ‘excessive’” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — Last month, Disney reminded the public it paid $3.1 billion in state and local taxes. This month, Disney is suing over its local property taxes and calling them “excessive.” Walt Disney Parks and Resorts filed about a dozen lawsuits this week against the Property Appraiser as it contests the 2023 tax assessments for its four theme parks, several hotels and other properties in Central Florida. Disney wants the tax bills canceled and to get new, lower bills and be reimbursed for legal fees. Disney has been regularly suing over its tax bills since 2015.

— LOCAL: TB —

“Nick DiCeglie seeks to mitigate misinformation in campaigns through new AI legislation” via Janelle Irwin Taylor — Sen. DiCeglie has filed legislation (SB 850) that would require disclaimers on any political advertisement or electioneering communication that utilizes artificial intelligence. The legislation is in response to advancements in artificial intelligence DiCeglie says has outpaced government regulation. Artificial intelligence, or AI, has been increasingly used to create what has become known as “deepfakes,” content that creates an image or series of images depicting things that did not happen. DiCeglie wants to ensure transparency in politicking by ensuring voters know if something has been generated by AI.

— LOCAL: N. FL —

“DeSantis fills vacant County Commission seats in Franklin, Jefferson and Union counties” via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — A safety specialist in the Franklin County School District, a ranching equipment business owner in Jefferson County and an office manager in Union County will be serving as Commissioners, the Governor’s Office has announced. In Franklin County, Anthony Croom Jr. is filling the vacancy left when Noah Lockley Jr. died at his home last month. In Jefferson County, Benjamin White, will fill the vacancy left on the Jefferson County Commission after Stephen Walker, died in an Oct. 29 car crash. Donna Jackson of Lake Butler, meanwhile, will fill the unexpired term left when Ryan Perez announced he’d be stepping down from the Union County Commission 12 months before his term’s expiration.

“City will open bids Wednesday for hiring newest addition to its stadium negotiating team” via David Bauerlein of The Florida Times-Union — The city of Jacksonville is moving closer to hiring a firm that will help crunch the numbers on construction costs for a massive renovation of EverBank Stadium as talks between the city and the Jaguars move forward. The city will open bids next Wednesday from firms interested in working on “preconstruction and planning of these potential future improvements.” The firm selected by the city after those bids are scored will be the latest addition to Jacksonville’s team of negotiators led by Mike Weinstein and Sidley Austin, a Chicago-based law firm that has experience in such stadium deals and lease agreements.

“They were sexually assaulted in the dorms. Now, they will graduate alongside the man UNF deemed responsible” via Carter Mudgett of Spinnaker — The survivor’s alleged assaulter is not named in the fall 2023 commencement program found on UNF’s website, but it’s unclear when that changed from what the victim was told. UNF did not inform the survivor that he wouldn’t be there. The victim found out they were set to graduate in the same ceremony as their assaulter months ago and asked the university if he could be prevented from walking. Now, they question why the university spent all that time on a response, only to change things at the last minute following their persistence.

“Former FPL CEO sold $5.4 million in company stocks as ties to political scandals became public” via Annie Martin of the Orlando Sentinel — Former Florida Power & Light CEO Eric Silagy made $5.4 million by unloading his company’s stock as ties between the utility and political consultants who orchestrated a controversial, 2020 “ghost candidate” scheme were spilling out into the public, a new lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit, filed by a group of investors who purchased securities in FPL’s parent company hones in on Silagy’s sale of 62,480 shares of the utility’s stock in December 2021, the largest number of shares he had bought or sold since becoming an officer for the company in 2012.

“Fernandina Beach City Manager resigns ahead of meeting to address bicycle crash where he admitted he’d been drinking” via Marcela Camargo of News4Jax — Fernandina Beach City Manager Ty Ross resigned from his position Friday. Ross’ resignation comes just before a special meeting that was expected to be held next week to address a bicycle crash involving Ross back in October where he admitted he had been drinking. Fernandina Beach police released body camera video from the incident earlier this month.

“Rebekah Jones’ teen son pleads no contest to threatening Navarre school shooting, stabbing” via Benjamin Johnson of the Pensacola News Journal — The 13-year-old son of fired state of Florida employee and former Congressional candidate Jones appeared in court Friday where he pleaded no contest to threatening to shoot up Holley Navarre Middle School. The prosecutor on her son’s case confirmed to the News Journal that the Office of the State Attorney charged the boy, who will be called J.J., under Florida Statute 836.10, a statute outlawing written or electronic threats to kill, do bodily injury, or conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism. After J.J. opted out of a jury trial by pleading no contest to the charge, both the prosecutor and defense attorney said they planned to reach an agreement that would include probation for a yet-to-be-determined amount of time. They also said the judge would withhold adjudication of guilt.

“Northeast Florida home prices see spike, sales fall in November” via Drew Wilson for Florida Politics — The Northeast Florida housing market cooled in November, yet the value of homes saw an upward bump. The number of closed home sales in a six-county swath of North Florida fell by 14.5% last month, bringing down the total number of house sales to 1,384. While the total number of home sales dropped, the value of those houses jumped to a median price of $390,280, just off the record-high median price of $395,000 set in July. The median price jump is largely due to a corresponding drop in the number of home sale listings in November, NEFAR officials said. There were only 2,418 listings of homes up for sale in Northeast Florida in November, a drop of 5.8% from October, meaning the available inventory is tightening. “Not only were buyers pausing, so were sellers,” said NEFAR President Diana Galavis. “New listings slid down slightly from the previous month.”

— LOCAL: SW. FL —

“Sex scandal tarnishes GOP power couple and party’s credibility” via Lori Rozsa of The Washington Post — As 2023 began, it looked as if Christian and Bridget Ziegler had a golden year ahead. The couple’s political influence was spreading well beyond state lines. Then on Nov. 30, the Florida Center for Government Accountability published a Sarasota police search warrant detailing allegations that Christian Ziegler had raped a woman with whom he and his wife had previously had a three-way sexual encounter. No matter what happens from here, political analyst Susan MacManus says the Florida GOP has taken a reputational hit: “(W)hile it’s true that you’re innocent until you’re proven guilty, the admission of participation in a threesome was all a lot of people needed to hear.”

“GOP votes to strip Chair Christian Ziegler of authority amid rape allegation” via Zac Anderson of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The Florida GOP on Sunday began the process of removing Chair Ziegler amid a sexual assault allegation, with the party’s Executive Board voting during an emergency meeting to censure the Chair, strip his authority and reduce his salary to $1. The Board also voted to hold a meeting of the party’s full governing body on Jan. 8 in Tallahassee when a vote is expected to remove him. “We asked him to resign immediately; he has still not resigned,” Florida GOP Vice Chair Evan Power said, adding, “So we wait. We’re calling a special meeting … to elect a new Chairman and remove him formally from office.”

“Judge’s son is a neo-Nazi patron: data leak” via Jordan Green of Raw Story — A 24-year-old man who is the son of a Florida judge purchased a T-shirt supporting a Greek neo-Nazi political party. Stephen Whyte of Bradenton confirmed to Raw Story that he purchased a Golden Dawn shirt from the online store Midgård in October 2020. The purchase was made only weeks after a Greek court convicted high-ranking members of the neo-Nazi party, Golden Dawn, of attempted murder and other crimes. Whyte’s father, Matt Whyte, is a circuit court judge in Manatee County, on Florida’s west coast south of Tampa. The leaked customer registry indicates that Stephen Whyte used his parents’ home address to order the T-shirt. “This is his son. I ordered the T-shirt in 2020,” Stephen Whyte confirmed in a phone text message to Raw Story.

“Planning Board votes to support new NCH heart and stroke center in downtown Naples” via Laura Layden of the Naples Daily News — Through a series of votes, the Planning Advisory Board decided to recommend in favor of a new $200-million heart and stroke center adjacent to the NCH Baker Hospital in downtown Naples. The support didn’t come easily — or unanimously. The next stop is the City Council, which will make the final decision on whether the ambitious project gets built, with a first reading scheduled for January. The meeting ran for nearly 10 hours, with a few breaks. It followed a more than six-hour hearing on Nov. 8, which resulted in the Board delaying action for more than a month.

— TOP OPINION —

“Moms for Liberty flunks its own morality test” via Mary Ellen Klas of Bloomberg — Moms for Liberty, the conservative education movement, has a hypocrisy problem. And a trust problem. It’s time they disband or start over. The Florida-based organization, with more than 300 chapters in 48 states, purports to advocate for “parental rights at all levels of government.” It’s pushed for bans of classic children’s books and literature, fought against equal treatment for LGBTQ children, and railed against sex education and the teaching of Black history. Its members falsely claim there’s a widespread conspiracy in American schools to expose children to concepts about sexual orientation and gender identity that don’t conform to the Moms’ idea of traditional family values.

— OPINIONS —

“Biden’s Gaza policy is the latest major U.S. foreign affairs blunder” via Perry Bacon Jr. of The Washington Post — The past two months have brought a high-profile series of misjudgments that are blotting out positive memories of Biden’s foreign policies — perhaps permanently. First of all, the United States is making clear that it won’t stand up for international rules and norms if one of its closest allies is violating them. U.S. officials are publicly complaining about the number of civilians being killed, including comments from Biden this week that were among his most critical of Israel since it launched its military campaign in Gaza. But the administration continues to provide military and diplomatic support to Israel — things that matter more than words.

“The most powerful anti-Trump argument in the GOP has evaporated” via Rich Lowry of POLITICO — The most salient doubt about Trump among on-the-fence Republicans has never been his policy priorities, governing effectiveness or conduct after the 2020 Election, but his ability to win. The electability argument also had the advantage of sidestepping any of the issues about Trump that most Republicans don’t want to hear. Saying he can’t win isn’t a critique of him personally or anything he wants to do. It’s a practical claim, not a moral one. And it can be offered more in a tone of sorrow than anger. The problem is that the polling hasn’t cooperated, thanks to Biden’s downward spiral. Is this just early, showy, unsustainable Trump support? Maybe. But Trump never led in 2020 polling.

“Master of puppets” via Chris Stirewalt of The Dispatch — We should be careful about taking Vivek Ramaswamy too seriously as a presidential candidate. He may not be effective as a candidate for President, but he has certainly made a strong connection with the GOP electorate. This week, Ramaswamy explained what is really going on with the impeachment inquiry into Biden’s alleged financial ties to the corrupt dealings of his son, Hunter. “Why is the media only talking about it now? Think about it,” said Ramaswamy, using a favorite construction of both cranks and know-it-alls. “They’re moving their puppet aside to get a new puppet in action. That’s really what’s going on.” Maybe House investigators with the help of the newly activated Justice Department will come across evidence that the President is in the pocket of the Chinese Communist Party. Or maybe they won’t. Whatever they find, the Ramaswamyian wing of the GOP will be convinced that it all goes much, much deeper and is worse than the puppet masters want you to believe.

“The biggest threat to America’s universities is not what you think it is” via Paul Krugman of The New York Times — It’s true that we are a much more elitist and class-ridden society than we like to admit and that graduates of elite institutions have an outsize influence on public life. But even given this influence, I’d argue that we pay far too much attention to institutions that educate so few Americans and are so unrepresentative of the national education scene. What explains this disproportionality? To some extent, it’s because the people who shape public discourse are often themselves graduates of elite institutions. To some extent, it’s a spillover from celebrity culture — a focus on lifestyles of the soon-to-be rich and famous. So, yes, let’s denounce calls for violence wherever they come from. But let’s also focus on the biggest threat to our system of higher education, which comes not from left-wing student activists but instead from right-wing politicians.

“A clear, simple road map to a much better Legislature” via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board — The Florida Legislature that will convene on Jan. 9 is a pitiful parody of the one that was honored in 1971 as the fourth best in the nation and the most independent of all 50 states. That was the reasoned judgment of the Citizens Conference on State Legislatures, recognizing how Florida had reformed itself in the four years since the U.S. Supreme Court ordered it reapportioned to represent where the people were. The Legislature’s major fact-finding agency, OPPAGA — the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability — is on too short a leash. “There are a number of legislators who don’t know OPAGGA exists,” says former Republican Sen. Jeff Brandes. It concerns Brandes that OPPAGA produces data but not recommendations, which is unhelpful.

“‘A lot less stress’ — Making the case for PACE” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — Florida’s homeowners’ insurance crisis has led to multiple special sessions and intense focus from DeSantis and CFO Jimmy Patronis. It’s a complicated situation, dependent on several factors, including the whims of Mother Nature’s tropical tantrums. But one of those factors is quite simple: Floridians who prepare their homes for possible hurricane strikes — with wind-hardened roofs and impact windows and doors — often see an immediate decrease in their insurance bills. This can mean thousands and thousands of dollars in reduced premiums.

“Strong bipartisan support in Florida — and strange bedfellows — for JetBlue-Spirit merger” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — Florida elected officials and political leaders, ranging from Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody to her 2018 Democratic opponent, former state Rep. Sean Shaw, have endorsed the merger. This unexpected political alignment includes, among others, the Democratic Mayors of Orange County, Tallahassee and Broward County, and the Republican Mayor of Miami and Florida House Speaker-designate Daniel Perez, as well as state legislators from both parties. What seems to unify this unusual bipartisan coalition is the belief that the combination of JetBlue and Spirit will be an economic boon to Florida’s economy, good for consumers, and good for the thousands of Florida-based JetBlue and Spirit workers, whose ranks will swell with JetBlue’s promise to bring at least 2,000 additional jobs to Florida if the merger goes through.

— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —

 

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— ALOE —

“Disney Treasure hull comes together in cruise ship construction milestone” via Richard Tribou of the Orlando Sentinel — Disney Cruise Line’s next new ship actually looks like a ship as the final block of the Disney Treasure hull has been put into place. “This means that the ship is now structurally complete and outfitting work can begin,” according to a post on the Disney Parks blog. The second of three sister ships following 2022’s debut of the Disney Wish, Disney Treasure will also sail from Port Canaveral beginning Dec. 21, 2024, sailing alternating eastern and western Caribbean itineraries. Among spaces coming to the 144,000-gross-ton, 4,000-passenger vessel include bars inspired by the Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea theme park attractions and an Aladdin-themed Grand Hall atrium.

Spotted — Thai Red Curry Yellowtail at the Katherine in Fort Lauderdale helped put Florida on The New York Times list of 23 of the Best American Dishes of 2023.

“Jeremy Moussa throws 3 4th-quarter TDs as Florida A&M beats Howard in Celebration Bowl” via The Associated Press — Moussa overcame a frustrating first half to throw three fourth quarter touchdown passes, including two to Kelvin Dean Jr., while powering Florida A&M’s comeback past Howard 30-26 on Saturday in the Celebration Bowl. Florida A&M (12-1) closed the season with 11 consecutive wins. Moussa connected with Dean on scoring passes of 21 and 53 yards as the Rattlers recovered after trailing 14-0 in the first quarter and 16-10 to open the fourth. Carson Hinton’s 26-yard Pick-6 gave Howard (6-6) a 26-24 lead. The Rattlers answered with a 38-yard flea-flicker touchdown pass from Moussa to Jah-Marae Sheread to reclaim the advantage. Moussa handed the ball to running back Terrell Jennings, who pitched the ball back to the quarterback for the decisive touchdown.

“Florida State redshirt junior running back declares for NFL Draft, opts out of Orange Bowl” via Ehsan Kassim of the Tallahassee Democrat — Florida State football running back Trey Benson has declared for the 2024 NFL Draft and has opted out of the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30 against Georgia. Benson announced his decision on his social media Sunday afternoon, hours after defensive tackle Fabien Lovett announced his decision. “I have decided to enter the 2024 NFL Draft and will not play in the Orange Bowl,” Benson wrote on his Instagram. Benson joined FSU ahead of the 2022 season following two seasons at Oregon. With the Ducks, he had appeared in nine games and rushed six times for 22 yards and one touchdown in redshirt freshman year after missing the 2020 season to a devastating knee injury.

— HOLIDAYS —

“Stumped on gift giving this season? Try a Florida-grown plant” via Florida Politics — The Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association (FNGLA) is offering a list of Florida-friendly horticulture gifts this holiday season, including Florida-grown flowers, plants, and trees. “Consider a gift this season that brings life and joy into your family and friends’ lives,” FNGLA CEO Tal Coley said. The association includes a recommendation for each family member on the nice list this year. For moms, FNGLA suggests Amaryllis, a bulb that is one of Florida’s top exports. The bulbs are available in a variety of colors, including red, pink and white, and bloom year after year. FNGLA is suggesting something a little sturdier for dad — a tree. Any tree would be a great addition to Florida lawns.

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

In addition to our friend Smith, celebrating today are U.S. Reps. Jared Moskowitz and Bill Posey, Rep. Rita Harris, Peter Boulware, Julio Fuentes, Alex Penelas, FRLA President and CEO Carol Dover, and the legendary John Thrasher.

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Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.