Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 1.26.24

Good Friday morning.

Breaking overnight — “UCF student arrested for allegedly threatening Jewish students amid fallout of Gaza war” via Desiree Stennett of the Orlando Sentinel — A Palestinian-American student at the University of Central Florida is facing felony charges after he was accused of making death threats against three Jewish students on campus Tuesday morning in the latest example of college campus turmoil over the brutal conflict in and around the Gaza Strip. Seif Asi, 21, is accused of saying he was “going to kill” three students in an emotional outburst. In a message sent to students and staff Wednesday, UCF Police Chief Carl Metzger called the incident “a direct antisemitic threat.” The incident “calls for an additional reminder to our community to reflect on the power of words, the importance of civility, and the need for respect for one another,” Metzger wrote.

___

The Florida Chamber Foundation says the future is bright for the Sunshine State.

During its annual Florida Economic Outlook & Jobs Solution Summit, the Chamber’s team of economists and industry experts shared data predicting the state will continue to outpace the nation in jobs and GDP over the coming year.

Last year, the state’s job growth rate was 1.1% higher than the national average, fueled in part by state-to-state migration flow. Though inward migration will show some signs of a slowdown, the number of people will continue to produce a substantial, positive trend on the jobs front.

Economists are split on whether the nation will enter a recession in 2024, but even if the more pessimistic predictions come to pass, the Chamber expects Florida won’t feel the brunt — Florida’s GDP grew 9.3% over 2023, the fastest rate in the country and nearly double the rate of fellow high-pop state New York.

Another nine-point GDP bump probably isn’t in the cards this year, but Chamber economists say a still-respectable 7% is.

“Florida leads the nation in several important categories and has become the national model for economic growth,” said Florida Chamber Foundation President and CEO Mark Wilson. “As Florida continues to experience extraordinary economic and population growth, it is essential our job creators continue uniting around the right long-term solutions to secure Florida’s Future.”

Nominally, Florida can expect another 100,000 to 150,000 new jobs to be created by year’s end. As an added bonus, Florida is also expected to remain a leader in wealth migration.

The Chamber credited the rosy outlook to elected leaders: “Under the leadership of Gov. Ron DeSantis, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, and House Speaker Paul Renner, Florida is creating 1 in every 13 U.S. jobs, is growing by 1,000 people per day, and has the lowest debt per capita of any state.”

Economy wonks can dive deeper at TheFloridaScorecard.org, which includes scores of data points ranging from state sales tax receipts to third-grade reading scores.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@HillaryClinton: Greta (Gerwig) & Margot (Robbie), While it can sting to win the box office but not take home the gold, your millions of fans love you. You’re both so much more than Kenough. #HillaryBarbie

—@PeterBakerNYT: The economy grew at an annualized rate of 3.3% in the fourth quarter. Overall, it grew a robust 3.1% in 2023, better than in any of the five years preceding the pandemic

—@MaxASteele: Joe Biden fails to deliver recession.

—@BryanDGriffin: It’s not just what Florida has done, but will continue to do: -The NEXT scheme of control like ESG or CBDC will be stopped -The NEXT banner of academic rot like DEI will be outed & cut off — The NEXT COVID-level power grab will be challenged Thanks to @RonDeSantis & the legislature, we will hold the line. Happy national Florida day!

Tweet, tweet:

—@RAlexAndradeFL: I cried for the first time in a Committee today, but I could not have been more humbled to vote in support of naming a road after Airman Mohammed Sameh Haitham. He was a hero. Thank you to Rep. Rayner for honoring his memory.

Tweet, tweet:

This must be AI generated content. @GovGoneWild does not smile. 🐐 🐐 https://t.co/VzbAmNLj4i

— Chris Spencer (@ChrisSpencerFL) January 25, 2024

Tweet, tweet:

Now that @jimmybuffett is off searchin’ for his lost shaker of salt, I am deeply honored to be sponsoring an effort to rename Florida’s coastal State Road A1A the “Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway” in honor of the late legendary Floridian. Jimmy’s mark on music, culture, and our… pic.twitter.com/ApIhkeQOrT

— Lauren Book (@LeaderBookFL) January 25, 2024

—@SaraSClements: If your public testimony at a legislative hearing includes a definition from Webster’s dictionary … come on now. Be a little more creative, people!

Tweet, tweet:

Our innovative AVUS Tech Pals® program, together with a generous donation from Simply Healthcare Plans, is helping our community's seniors rise above their isolation to stay socially connected.

Read more: https://t.co/BT3twAQGS0@SimplyFl#Simply #seniors #Miami #Florida pic.twitter.com/AG5Jxijx9H

— United HomeCare (@UnitedHomeCare1) January 3, 2024

—@CesarFernand3z: Just saw an ad for White Claw 0% alcohol. No chance this takes off, right? Can’t imagine drinking a White Claw 0% in the middle of the day at the office.

— DAYS UNTIL —

Federal campaign finance filing deadline — 5; Inter Miami CF 2024 season opener stand-alone — 6; second government-funding deadline — 7; ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ final season premieres on HBO — 9; Nevada Primaries — 11; Nevada Republican Presidential Caucus — 13; Super Bowl LVIII — 16; Ninth Annual Suits for Session begins — 25; Season 6 of ‘Drive To Survive’ premieres on Netflix — 28; South Carolina Republican Primary — 29; Michigan Democratic Primary — 32; James Madison Institute’s ‘Red, White and Bluegrass’ dinner — 33; ‘Dune: Part Two’ premieres — 35; Michigan/Idaho/Missouri GOP Primaries — 36; Netflix to stream “The Netflix Slam,” Rafael Nadal/Carlos Alcaraz faceoff — 37; (Donald) Trump’s D.C. trial on charges related to trying to reverse his 2020 Election loss — 38; Super Tuesday — 39; State of the Union address — 41; last day of Regular Session, if Legislature completes work in 60 days — 42; 2024 Oscars — 44; Georgia Democratic Primary — 46; Arizona/Florida/Illinois/Kansas/Ohio Primaries — 53; James Madison Institute’s ‘2024 Naples Dinner’ with keynote speaker Laura Ingraham — 54; ‘3 Body Problem’ premieres on Netflix — 55; Major League Baseball’s (MLB) 2024 season — 62; March Madness Final Four (women’s) begins — 70; March Madness Final Four (men’s) — 71; Florida TaxWatch’s Spring Meeting — 75; The Masters begin — 76; 2024 Leadership Conference on Safety, Health & Sustainability — 104; Kentucky Derby — 109; ‘Bridgerton’ new season (part one) premieres on Netflix — 110; French Open begins — 113; ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ premieres — 117; Dave Matthews Band 2024 Summer Tour begins in Tampa — 117; Monaco Grand Prix — 121; ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ premieres — 155; Republican National Convention begins — 171; 2024 MLS All-Star Game — 180; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games on NBC/Peacock — 186; Alien: Romulus’ premieres — 203; Democratic National Convention begins — 206; Georgia Tech to face Florida State in 2024 opener in Dublin — 211; Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour stops in Miami — 266; 2024 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum — 269; 2024 Presidential Election — 284; Las Vegas Grand Prix — 300; MLS Cup 2024 — 315; ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ premieres — 385; ‘Moana’ premieres — 518; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres — 546; ‘Blade’ reboot premieres — 651; ‘Fantastic Four’ reboot premieres — 651; ‘Avatar 3’ premieres — 693; ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ premieres — 830; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres — 846; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres — 1,057; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres — 1,197; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres — 2,156; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres — 2,878.

— TOP STORY —

“7,000 women traveled to Florida for abortions in 2023. Key court rulings could soon end those journeys.” via Caroline Catherman of the Orlando Sentinel — In total, one out of 10 of Florida’s 78,250 recorded abortions last year was done on an out-of-state resident, according to Florida Agency for Health Care Administration data released in early January. The number of total abortions shrank by about 4,000 compared with 2022 but out-of-state residents getting the procedure increased by over 400.

As the Florida Supreme Court contemplates the constitutionality of the state’s currently active 15-week ban, a pending six-week ban, and a proposed constitutional amendment to enshrine abortion access in the state’s constitution, these numbers are a reminder that the future of abortion in Florida could affect the entire Southeast.

“A six-week ban in Florida would definitely change the entire ecosystem of this work we do,” said Christine Montero, a coordinator for Access Reproductive Care-Southeast, which helps with funding and logistics for Southeast travel for women seeking abortions.

Meanwhile, a proposed constitutional amendment that would protect abortion rights in Florida recently got enough signatures to qualify for the 2024 ballot, though anti-abortion advocates are challenging it. The Supreme Court must sign off on the language for the amendment to appear on the ballot in the Fall. The court has set a Feb. 7 hearing to consider the wording.

Advocates on both sides of the issue are watching with anticipation.

There’s another side of the coin, too. Because Florida is an abortion destination, Floridians, faced with increased demand, dwindling staff and long wait times, aren’t always able to get appointments before the state’s 15-week cutoff and are increasingly traveling out of state as well.

>>>“More than 200 Republicans have donated to get abortion on Florida ballots” via Ivy Nyayieka of the Tampa Bay Times — A campaign to let Floridians vote on abortion rights protections raised more than $17 million in 2023, largely funded by women, a Times analysis of new data shows. And while donors are overwhelmingly Democratic, money has also come from more than 200 Republicans in the state. Nearly 1 million Floridians have signed petitions to put the amendment on November’s ballot, passing the necessary threshold earlier this month. Unlike the backers of a similar push to legalize recreational marijuana, who are funded almost entirely by a cannabis dispensary chain, petitioners for the abortion question have been financed in part by more than 4,200 registered Florida voters, showing people across the state are giving more than just their names.

— LEGISLATIVE —

“House, Senate unveil initial environmental spending proposals” via Bruce Ritchie of POLITICO — House and Senate initial spending proposals are far apart on spending for conservation easements, Indian River Lagoon sewer systems and projects to counter sea level rise and flooding. The details: Rep. Thad Altman, a Republican from Indialantic and House Environmental Appropriations Subcommittee Chair, on Thursday outlined his fiscal 2024-25 state budget recommendations. Sen. Jason Brodeur, a Sanford Republican and Chair of the Senate Environmental Appropriations Subcommittee, outlined his budget recommendations Wednesday. Both proposals included $100 million for land acquisition through the Department of Environmental Protection. The Legislature last year approved $100 million in recurring spending for the Florida Forever program, which is a priority for environmentalists.

“‘We can lose more freedoms’: Florida braces for Ron DeSantis’ wrath after national rout” via Richard Luscombe of The Guardian — “He’s gonna come home with a vengeance. He’s going to try to regain the mantle that he had after [his re-election in] November 2022. And he’s going to try to bring everybody back together and continue on this anti-woke, anti-democratic, anti-freedom platform,” Nikki Fried, Chair of the Florida Democratic Party, said. “The question will be: ‘What do the Republicans do?’ Rank-and-file Republicans in Florida, elected as well as grassroots, are not having any of it. But there are those in higher-up elected positions that still have to reckon with the fact that he’s going to be Governor for the next few years and are going to have to play ball in order to get their priorities accomplished.”

“GOP proposals allow ‘patriotic’ orgs and chaplains in public schools; will it mean indoctrination?” via Jackie Llanos of the Florida Phoenix — Two Republican proposals would allow “patriotic” organizations to recruit students and chaplains to provide support services for students at Florida public schools, raising questions about separation of church and state and concerns about ideology and indoctrination. So far, some Democrat lawmakers are supporting the efforts. HB 1317 would allow certain patriotic organizations to speak with students in a classroom setting and have opportunities to recruit them. Rev. James Golden, a co-founder of public education advocacy group Pastors for Florida Children, said lawmakers need to focus on fully funding schools instead. Golden also testified against HB 931, a proposal to allow chaplains to provide support services to public school students in traditional and charter schools.

“Bill would let municipalities apply to convert public schools to charters” via Ana Goñi-Lessan of the Tallahassee Democrat — Parents and municipalities could apply to convert a public school into a charter school, not just school districts, if a bill by a Pensacola House member becomes law. The bill, by Rep. Alex Andrade, cleared the House Choice & Innovation Subcommittee Thursday morning along party lines. Ten Republicans voted yes, and there were five no votes from Democrats, who argued the bill would defund public schools. “Conversion Charter Schools” (HB 109/SB 246) would remove the requirement that a conversion charter school application must have at least 50% approval from the teachers employed at the school. Only the approval of the majority of parents would be needed to convert the school.

— MORE LEGISLATIVE —

“House bill seeks to keep vape shops, pot dispensaries and bars farther from schools” by Arek Sarkissian of POLITICO — A House Committee unanimously approved a bill that would establish how far vape shops and drinking establishments must be from schools and religious institutions, and increase the current requirements already set for marijuana businesses and bars. The bill is sponsored by GOP state Rep. Carolina Amesty of Windermere, who told the House Regulatory Reform and Economic Development Subcommittee that without any regulation, vape shops have been opening within proximity to schools and religious facilities across the state.

“Hemp entrepreneurs say changes will devastate their businesses” via Mitch Perry of the Florida Phoenix — Ashley Guy runs a smoke shop in Tallahassee. She says she’s thrived since she moved from Seattle to Florida five years ago, with profits of more than $5 million from the sales of cannabis hemp products. But if a new proposal in the Florida Legislature passes, “this would just decimate business” she said. She added that if the caps on THC on hemp products — the compound in the plant associated with getting you high — were imposed, customers would simply buy multiple packages of “gummies,” or would buy higher dose products online from other states.

“Why a proposed law to keep Florida kids off social media would face resistance in court” via Lawrence Mower of the Miami Herald — To protect the mental health and safety of kids, state lawmakers are moving ahead with a first-of-its-kind proposal that would reshape how nearly every Floridian uses the internet. Kids under 16 would be forbidden from being on social media. And every Floridian who wants to use social media would have to submit some sort of ID or submit a facial scan to prove their age. The legislation, House Bill 1, is a top priority of House Speaker Renner, who believes social media’s effects on children are akin to opioids or cigarettes. The bill passed the House on Wednesday and has wide bipartisan support. But if the idea of showing an ID to use social media doesn’t sound appealing, don’t worry. It’s unlikely to ever take effect.

“Legislature has a Jimmy Buffett Day at Capitol, plans for ‘Margaritaville’ plate” via Elena Barrera of the Tallahassee Democrat — Florida legislators dedicated Thursday to the late Sunshine-State loving musician, who died in September at the age of 76: Both the House and Senate moved bills along to honor Buffett’s legacy. All bills passed their first Committee hearings Thursday. There’s a local connection: Tallahassee lobbyist Jeffrey Sharkey, a longtime friend of Buffett, has represented Margaritaville Holdings. The lawmakers were joined Thursday by the Tallahassee Parrot Head Club and the singer-songwriter’s daughter, sister and niece. “Somebody said that my dad didn’t live to be 100; he just did it in three-quarter time,” said Savannah Buffett, his daughter. “This is such a wonderful tribute.”

— THE SKED —

— 9 a.m. The Senate holds a floor Session. Senate Chambers.

— LOBBY REGS —

New and renewed lobbying registrations:

David Ash, DLA Consulting: City of Tallahassee

Joshua Aubuchon, Delegal Aubuchon Consulting: Capital Health Plan, Helena Agri-Enterprises, Osceola County

Mariah Barfield, Foley & Lardner: Red Hat

Roger Beaubien, Greenberg Traurig: W.W. Gay Mechanical Contractor

Patsy Eccles: Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind

Jeffrey Johnston, Amanda Stewart, Anita Berry, Johnston & Stewart Government Strategies: Long Run Strategies

Andrew Ketchel, Capital City Consulting: Neal Communities, Porter & Korvick

Anna Lewis, Karl Rasmussen, Metz Husband & Daughton: Avis Budget Group, Consumer Data Industry Association, Florida Agriculture Center & Horse Park Authority, Florida Creditors Bar Association, Florida Dental Hygienists’ Association, Florida Society of Ambulatory Surgical Centers, Gilead Sciences, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Foundation, Roche Diagnostics Corporation, State College of Florida Foundation, Teachers Insurance & Annuity Association

David Mann: Florida LambdaRail

Ramon Maury, Maury Management Group: AANR — Florida, Informed Families of Florida, Small Business Pharmacies Aligned for Reform, Transitions Intermediate Holdings, World Housing Solution

Austin Moore: Orange County Sheriff

John Ray, John Ray Consulting: Florida Medical Manufacturers’ Consortium

Marc Reichelderfer, Landmarc Strategies: AXS Group

Robert Salonen: Florida Institute of Technology

Kyle Shephard: City of Orlando

— THE TRAIL —

“DeSantis launched his 2024 campaign off his ‘landslide’ re-election. The numbers tell a different story.” via Sarah Rumpf of Mediaite — This entire time, the narrative that the Governor won in a “landslide” and “turned swing state Florida red” has rarely been questioned. And the numbers themselves were objectively stunning — at least on the surface, anyway. DeSantis’ 2022 performance was closely matched by all four of the other Republicans running in statewide races. In other words, the Governor’s win wasn’t a unique voter preference for him individually, but a reflection of the overall Republican voter advantage in registration and turnout. Florida Republicans’ 2022 collection of big statewide wins came after a decades-long shift to the right in voter registration numbers, a process that preceded DeSantis’ entire political career and was set well in motion before he was able to exert influence over the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) as Governor.

“Donald Trump threatens Nikki Haley’s donors for continuing to back her campaign” via Stephanie Lai and Bill Allison of Bloomberg — Construction billionaire Diane Hendricks, Home Depot co-founder Bernard Marcus and Crownquest’s Timothy Dunn are among the wealthy individuals giving millions to help return Trump to the White House. But Trump’s not yet satisfied. He is threatening to cut off other donors who give to his sole remaining opponent, Haley, who has little chance of winning the Republican presidential nomination after the former President and 2024 GOP front-runner handily won contests in Iowa and New Hampshire.

— MORE 2024 —

“Trump endorses Kevin Marino Cabrera for Florida GOP Vice Chair” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Miami-Dade Commissioner Cabrera’s bid for Vice Chair of the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) now has the blessing of Trump. In a post to Truth Social, the former President and front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination threw his support behind Cabrera, who served as Florida State Director for his 2020 campaign. “Kevin Marino Cabrera is a fearless America First Conservative who has demonstrated his dedication to the MAGA movement,” Trump wrote. “Kevin is running to be Vice (Chair) of the Republican Party of Florida and is ready to go to work for our Conservative values and achieve even more victories for the Party. Kevin Cabrera has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”

“New Gen Z PAC focused on flipping Florida state seats says it stacked $20K in its first 24 hours” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — A Generation Z-led political action committee (PAC) dedicated to energizing youth voters and flipping elected seats blue says it’s having a successful first week. Florida Future Leaders announced it has already amassed more than $20,000 just 24 hours after filing with the state Division of Elections. Logan Rubenstein, a gun violence prevention activist and adviser to the PAC, said those funds and more to come will help fund Democrats’ comeback in the coming election and the ones after it. “Florida is a story of near misses,” he said in a statement. “There are at least six state legislative seats across the state that we lost in just the last election that we wouldn’t have lost if a larger fraction of the local young Democrats turned out. So, we got the best of the best youth leaders in a room, and we are doing something about it.”

— OTHER STATEWIDE —

“The Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments over the state’s congressional map” via Valerie Crowder of WFSU — Florida’s highest court will weigh in on the constitutionality of the state’s congressional map, but any changes likely wouldn’t come in time for the 2024 Elections. On Wednesday, the Florida Supreme Court issued an order rejecting the state’s request to not take up the case, after the state’s 1st District Court of Appeal upheld the map last year. “Today is a critical step forward in our fight for voting rights and fair representation in Florida,” wrote Jasmine Burney-Clark, founder of Equal Ground, one of the voting rights groups challenging the map.

“DeSantis, now back in Florida, holds event burnishing his environmental record” via Michael Moline of Florida Phoenix — DeSantis has thrown himself into minding the store in Tallahassee, participating in a flurry of meetings with lawmakers and administration officials. DeSantis even scheduled his first news conference since leaving the race on Sunday, traveling to Lake Okeechobee on Thursday to relive an early bright spot from his first term, at least as evidenced by favorable press coverage — environmental protection. The occasion was a ribbon cutting marking the first flows into the 6,500-acre EAA Reservoir, one of the water receptacles constructed during DeSantis’ Governorship to filter lake water of toxic algae before it can flow into St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers, coastal estuaries, the Everglades and Florida Bay. Besides creating a foul-smelling, dangerous mess alongside coastal properties that can cause serious illness in people, the algae can kill fish and the sea grasses upon which the Florida manatee depends.

— “A snake in the Everglades” via Carrie Monahan of Air Mail

DeSantis seeks full-court hearing on Andrew Warren’s suspension — The DeSantis administration is asking the full 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to hear a case related to Hillsborough County State Attorney Warren’s suspension. The request comes two weeks after a three-judge panel in the 11th Circuit ruled that a lower court erred in finding the federal courts had no authority to reinstate Warren, who was suspended in August 2022. DeSantis made that move because, among other reasons, Warren signed a pledge not to enforce abortion-related crimes in the wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. “The panel opinion strikes an unprecedented blow against a state’s sovereign interest in managing its officials and ensuring the faithful execution of its laws,” the DeSantis administration’s petition reads.

“Disney, DeSantis-backed district agree to June trial date for public records lawsuit” via Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel — Disney and the DeSantis-backed tourism oversight district agreed to a June 24 trial date for a lawsuit over public records. The entertainment district sued the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District last month, alleging that officials were withholding records in violation of the state’s public records law. Lawyers for the tourism oversight district deny the allegations. In a separate lawsuit, Disney’s lawyers accuse the district of stonewalling them on discovery. They asked the court to order the district to turn over text messages and emails, including work-related communications from Board members and district employees on personal devices. A judge has not yet ruled on that request. The tourism district filed that lawsuit over development agreements limiting its authority.

“Florida makes it official: Universities to drop sociology as a core course” by Divya Kumar of the Tampa Bay Times — Officials overseeing Florida’s public universities voted to stop offering sociology as a core course, despite strong support for the subject from professors, alumni, students and others. The Board of Governors removed sociology as an option for students when they choose from a menu of introductory courses to fulfill state graduation requirements. The decision followed a vote last week by the State Board of Education to do the same at Florida’s 28 state colleges. Sociology will be replaced by an introductory course on American history before 1877.

— D.C. MATTERS —

“Rick Scott wants Merrick Garland at sentencing for contractor who leaked tax returns” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Scott says the Justice Department negotiated a lenient deal for the man accused of leaking the Senator’s tax returns. The Naples Republican intends to say as much as Charles Littlejohn’s sentencing hearing. Scott sent a letter to Attorney General Garland demanding he attend as well. “By harassing prominent Republicans and embarrassing Americans, Mr. Littlejohn’s crimes were entirely aligned with the agenda of the Biden administration,” Scott alleged in the letter. “And now the Biden Justice Department will allow him to plead to just a single criminal count.” Littlejohn, an IRS contractor, in October pleaded guilty to one count of publicly disclosing tax return information without any authorization. He faces a sentence of up to five years, though guidelines signal prosecutors will seek an eight- to 14-month prison term.

“Jared Moskowitz having a blast making a circus of the GOP’s Hunter Biden probe” via Riley Rogerson of Daily Beast — Moskowitz has relished getting under the skin of his GOP colleagues, deploying tactics he picked up during his two years working with DeSantis as his emergency management czar. He has particularly relished his role as a gadfly to James Comer, highlighting the Chair’s own sketchy business background — citing a report by The Daily Beast — and luring him into using rhetoric better fit for an elementary school playground. (Comer called Moskowitz a “smurf.”) Moskowitz and the rest of the Democrats’ approach has worked. They’ve made a public mockery of the GOP’s impeachment efforts, and even House Republicans acknowledge the “unfocused” investigation isn’t scoring political points.

— DOWN BALLOT —

“Leon County School Board Chair Rosanne Wood announces re-election bid” via Alaijah Brown of the Tallahassee Democrat — Leon County School Board Chair Wood will run for re-election as the Board member representing District 2. The announcement was made Wednesday at the county’s Supervisor of Elections office, which was full of supporters wearing yellow T-shirts and holding signs supporting Wood’s campaign. “My passion is for kids and for teachers,” Wood said. “My record shows that I’m a pretty unrelenting advocate for our most vulnerable kids.” School Board races are nonpartisan and seats are elected for districts. Wood currently represents District 2, or Tallahassee’s southside.

— LOCAL: S. FL —

“Miami will try to settle racial gerrymandering lawsuit that challenges voting map” via Joey Flechas of the Miami Herald — Days before a scheduled trial, Miami will attempt to settle a federal lawsuit accusing the city of adopting an unconstitutional, racially gerrymandered voting map in 2022. Commissioners unanimously authorized the city’s attorneys to negotiate a settlement that would end a lawsuit that rocked city politics in 2023 by forcing the city to shift district boundaries months before municipal elections, sparking legal battles over who could run for office. A group of city residents and community groups represented by attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union are arguing that Commissioners fixated on preserving the ethnic makeup of the Commission by using racial quotas to make the new map, packing Hispanic and Black voters into districts. Commissioner Damian Pardo sponsored the resolution.

“Bills threatening Miami Beach buildings are back. Opponents say history is at stake” via Aaron Liebowitz of the Miami Herald — Last May, preservationists across Florida breathed a sigh of relief when a bill seeking to gut protections for historic coastal buildings died in the Florida House after passing the Senate. But similar proposals are back for this year’s Legislative Session in Tallahassee, sending local leaders scrambling once again. On Monday, the Senate version of the bill passed its first Committee hearing — a 6-2 vote of the Community Affairs Committee — despite a parade of speakers saying they feared the language would let developers strip away the unique character of tourist destinations like Miami Beach, St. Augustine and Key West. At the legislation’s core is a notion that old buildings near Florida’s coast ought to be demolished if a local building official deems them unsafe or if they don’t meet federal standards that call for flood-resistant materials and elevated structures in vulnerable areas. Preservationists say few historic buildings conform to those rules.

“Miami-Dade reports highest high school graduation rate, Broward also up from last year” via NBC6 Miami — Miami-Dade saw its highest graduation rate ever, reaching 90.3% last school year. The district also saw graduation rates go up for Hispanic and African American students, as well as students with special needs.

“Lawsuit against Hialeah Mayor for denying investigation into 911 operation is dismissed” via Verónica Egui Brito of the Miami Herald — In a political and judicial setback for Hialeah Council member Bryan Calvo, the 11th Judicial Circuit Court of Miami-Dade County has dismissed his lawsuit alleging that Mayor Esteban Bovo Jr. engaged in a systematic “abuse of power” in an effort to silence his criticisms of the city’s emergency services. Calvo alleged in the lawsuit that Bovo exceeded his authority and interfered with the Council member’s investigation and inquiry into thousands of 911 calls that had gone unanswered, prohibiting him from adding topics to the agenda of City Council meetings if he didn’t get previous approval of the Mayor.

“State Board says it has ‘no confidence’ in FAU leader linked to presidential search” via Scott Travis of the South Florida Sun Sentinel — The vote on Brad Levine by the State University System’s Board of Governors is, on the surface, symbolic. The Board has no authority to take formal action. But it could serve as an impetus for action by the FAU Board of Trustees, which can replace him as Chair, or DeSantis, who can remove Levine as a Trustee. The action comes in the wake of a report issued last month by the inspector general for the Board of Governors, which said FAU violated state laws and regulations in the way it conducted its search for president.

“Port’s Executive Director Michael Meekins barely survives second attempt to fire him” via Mike Diamond of the Palm Beach Post — For the second time in as many months, Port of Palm Beach Executive Director Meekins has survived an effort to fire him with the same two Commissioners — Jean Enright and Deandre Poole — voting to terminate him for cause. Commissioners Wayne Richards, Varisa Lall Dass and Blair Ciklin voted to retain him. The normally calm Commission meetings have evolved into contentious discussions of whether Meekins, after just 10 months on the job, should stay or go. Enright first called in December for Meekins’ firing, claiming Meekins had made major policy changes, overspent last year’s fiscal budget, promoted unqualified employees and made hires without first discussing them with Commissioners.

“Bal Harbour Shops sues village over attempt to block expansion, workforce housing” via Andres Viglucci of the Miami Herald — Bal Harbour Shops has sued its home municipality over officials’ efforts to block a plan by the luxury mall’s owners that would add high-rise hotel and residential towers, including workforce housing, under a controversial new state law. In a lawsuit filed in Miami-Dade Circuit Court on Tuesday, the mall’s owners contend the actions by the village of Bal Harbour violate the Live Local Act, a 2023 law that overrides local zoning controls in commercial districts to foster dense housing development. The act requires local governments to approve developments that meet certain criteria, including the construction of housing renting at lower than market rates, without public hearings or public vetting.

“Vero Beach City Clerk Tammy Bursick set to retire after 39 years with city” via Nick Slater of Treasure Coast Newspapers — Bursick started working at City Hall in 1985 as a switchboard operator. She’s retiring this Summer after 39 years with the city, the last 34 as City Clerk. Her last day is expected to be June 28. “Tammy has always been the consummate professional,” said City Manager Monte Falls. “She has always come to work with a cheerful attitude and a can-do approach to whatever task was given to her.” Falls and Bursick have worked together for 33 years. A lot can happen over the course of nearly four decades. “I have seen a lot of Mayors and Council members, that is for sure,” Bursick said. “When I started, we were even using typewriters to take the minutes.”

— LOCAL: C. FL —

“Keith Moses found mentally competent for trial in Pine Hills killing of Orlando TV reporter, 2 others” via Cristóbal Reyes of the Orlando Sentinel — Moses was found competent to face murder charges for last February’s killing of three people in Pine Hills, including a television reporter, after court-appointed psychologists found no evidence of a mental illness that would prevent his prosecution. Orange County Circuit Judge Leticia Margues heard testimony from two psychologists, Chelsea Bennett and Katherine Oses, who said they believe Moses understands the charges against him and the legal process he will undergo. Both also said he provided vague and often contradictory information throughout their evaluations, including that he hasn’t been in contact with his family even as Oses said jailhouse phone calls showed he has spoken with his mother and grandmother.

“Orange County deputy arrested on charges of child abuse” via Amanda Rabines of the Orlando Sentinel — A deputy for the Orange County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) was removed from his post after he was arrested in Volusia County on charges of aggravated child abuse. In an emailed news update, the office said deputy Tristan Chattic, 39, has been relieved of all law enforcement duties without pay while the criminal case is underway. He was an employee of the Sheriff for almost nine years. “Once the criminal proceedings are complete, an OCSO administrative investigation will be conducted,” the release said. “These are extremely serious criminal allegations. At the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, we hold our deputies to the highest ethical standards whether they are on duty or off duty,” said Sheriff John Mina in a statement.

“Hallelujah! Camping World Stadium upgrade means Orlando will go after Jaguars, Georgia-Florida and CFP games” via Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel — Now that the Orange County Commission has allotted $400 million in tourist tax money to upgrade Camping World Stadium, Orlando is ready to pounce and make a strong bid to become a second home for Jacksonville’s two football franchises — the NFL’s Jaguars and the annual Georgia-Florida college football game. It’s been reported that the Jaguars and the Georgia-Florida game will likely be moving out of Jacksonville for two seasons (2026-2027) if the city and the Jaguars can soon come to an agreement on a proposed $2 billion stadium renovation. If it happens, the Jaguars will be looking for a place to play their home games and the Georgia-Florida game would relocate and likely go to the highest bidder.

“Form 6 fallout: New financial disclosure requirements lead elected officials to resign” via Dave Berman of Florida Today — Peter Miravalle III had just completed his first year on the Grant-Valkaria Town Council when, much to his chagrin, he had to say goodbye to elective office. Miravalle, a retired engineering manager at L3Harris Technologies, decided to resign his unpaid position on the Town Council, effective Dec. 14, rather than submit a detailed financial disclosure report to the state, called Form 6. Miravalle isn’t alone in resigning from public office at the end of 2023 because of requirements of Form 6, which also is called the “Full and Public Disclosure of Financial Interests.” So did Grant-Valkaria Town Council member Cathy DeMott — who had been on the seven-member Council since the town was incorporated in 2006.

“Flagler School Board fires attorney after months of deliberation, missed deadlines” via Mary Ellen Ritter of the Daytona Beach News-Journal — After months of deliberation and missed deadlines, the Flagler County School Board delivered a termination letter to its attorney, Kristy Gavin, according to Don Foley, Flagler’s Communication Coordinator. The letter will be available to the public on Feb. 5, Jennifer Gimbel, Flagler’s executive secretary, said. Gavin has been with the district for 17 years. According to her contract, she can only be discharged for just cause, meaning dereliction of duties, failure to report to work, misconduct in the office, or violation of criminal law. But despite noting their distrust and dissatisfaction in evaluations this fall, School Board members have not publicly stated the just cause for her termination.

— LOCAL: TB —

“Jill Biden to visit Palm Harbor on Saturday” via Allison Ross of the Tampa Bay Times — First Lady Biden is coming to Florida this weekend, the White House announced. Biden is expected to arrive at Tampa International Airport close to midnight Friday night after first visiting North and South Carolina. She is scheduled to speak Saturday afternoon at a fundraiser for the Biden Victory Fund in Palm Harbor. The White House did not share the exact location of the venue. She is then expected to fly to Texas.

“Tampa City Council ditches youth curfew proposal after community pushback” via Olivia George of the Tampa Bay Times — The Tampa City Council voted to scrap a proposed citywide youth curfew Thursday, heeding community concerns that the restriction would do nothing to address the root causes of gun violence and could risk exacerbating tensions between police and residents. Mayor Jane Castor called for a curfew last Fall, days after two young people, including a 14-year-old, were killed in Tampa’s historic Ybor City neighborhood in October. Castor, a former Tampa police chief, made the remarks at a luncheon blocks from where the shooting erupted in the entertainment district, crowded that night with Halloween revelers.

— LOCAL: N. FL —

“Split City Council approves legislation in reaction to Donna Deegan using single source contract” via David Bauerlein of the Florida Times-Union — Any future no-bid selection of a firm to do lobbying or grant-writing for the city of Jacksonville will have to get City Council approval, a reaction by the Council to Mayor Deegan awarding a contract for federal lobbying and grant-writing to a campaign supporter after her office determined no other firm in the nation could do the work. Council voted 12-6 for the legislation that City Council member Nick Howland said will bring single source selections for lobbying and grant-writing “into the light” by ensuring the full Council can ask about the justification for them. “Do we think politically connected lobbying firms should be given sole source contracts in the city without our City Council oversight?” Howland said.

— LOCAL: SW. FL —

“Lee County GOP planning School Board protest over flag they say violates ‘Stop Woke Act’” via Luis Zambrano of the Fort Myers News-Press — A flag hanging in a Fort Myers classroom violates the Stop Woke Act and promotes “woke indoctrination,” the Lee GOP claims and is planning a protest at an upcoming Lee County School Board meeting. “The issue at hand is that the district needs to get out of having any type of political influence on our children,” said Michael Thompson, the Chair of the Lee County Republican Executive Committee. The flag, which Thompson says is hung in a Riverdale High School classroom bulletin board in Fort Myers, spells out “Hate Has No Home Here” and is covered in hearts that contain the American flag, a peace symbol, the words Black Lives Matter, and the LGBTQ+ and Trans flags.

“Venice to explore ban on fast-food drive-thrus” via Bob Mudge of the Venice Gondolier — The Venice City Council doesn’t want to see fast-food drive-thrus on the island but its ability to ban them is currently limited by state law. City Attorney Kelly Fernandez will look into the city’s options, in view of a statute passed after Hurricane Ian that precludes local governments from adopting stricter land-use regulations until October 2026. The legislative intent, Fernandez told the City Council, was to make sure local governments didn’t impede hurricane recovery, but the statute itself isn’t written in a way that limits its effect to properties that were damaged by Ian. In fact, she said, the city might even run afoul of the law by proposing an ordinance that would be more restrictive than existing land development regulations.

“Florida wildlife officials rescue distressed manatee calf near downtown Bradenton” via Ryan Callihan of the Bradenton Herald — State wildlife staff and volunteers rescued a distressed manatee calf in Bradenton. Over a dozen people responded to the Wares Creek neighborhood just south of the Manatee Avenue Bridge near downtown Bradenton after a caller reported a young manatee that had been separated from its mother. The manatee was taken to ZooTampa at Lowry Park, one of Florida’s manatee rehabilitation centers. Around 1 p.m., rescuers entered the waterway to place netting. Using a boat and a kayak, the team corralled the calf into a roped-in area before lifting the calf out of the creek around 3 p.m.

— TOP OPINION —

“Animosity proved stronger than character or ideology” via David French of The New York Times — Back then, I was a stalwart Republican working for a conservative Christian law firm. If you had asked me to describe the Republican Party, I would have answered something like this: At our best, we are a party that possesses a distinct conservative ideology and a commitment to character.

The ideology revolved around the three legs of the Reagan Republican stool: limited government, social conservatism and a strong national defense. The commitment to character was born out of the political conflicts of the Clinton years, in which conservatives were furious that Democrats were willing to overlook or rationalize disgraceful and unlawful behavior by Bill Clinton. No one would claim that every conservative had character — we’ve seen far too many scandals to believe that — but I refused to believe that the GOP would broadly excuse, rationalize or defend a Bill Clinton in our midst.

I wasn’t just wrong; I was completely, embarrassingly wrong. The winds were shifting. I could sense it, but I didn’t fully understand it. Not until Trump made it all plain. The salient characteristic of the Republican Party wasn’t ideology or integrity, let alone both. Rather, it was animosity. And nobody models animosity better than Trump.

When ideology and character conflicted with partisan pugilism, a critical mass of the GOP chose pugilism. When Trump shocked the world and won — beating Hillary Clinton, the politician whom Republican voters may have despised longer and more deeply than any Democrat, other than perhaps her husband — the bond with Trump was sealed.

I’m deeply, deeply grieved by the thought that I did anything in my life before Trump to contribute to that unrighteous rage. Animosity is the enemy of liberty and unity. Before Republicans can reject Trump or end Trumpism, they’ll have to ease the anger that dominates far too many right-wing hearts.

— OPINIONS —

“What the ill-fated DeSantis campaign and plant-based meat have in common, according to a marketing expert” via Adam Hanft of Fortune — In a Primary, and most General Elections, people don’t vote for a checklist of policies, but for an emotionally constructed candidate entity. While Trump’s entity has been successfully built and fortified, DeSantis’ entity was largely “Trump without the drama.” That’s marketing by subtraction — and it never works. Gluten-free only matters when the product is great. Plant-based meat is failing because the absence of meat is not an appealing proposition to enough people. What DeSantis and his advisers completely missed is that voters were still infatuated with what was subtracted. However, most Republican voters actually like and enjoy the drama. It’s what they have come to expect from someone who was a reality TV show star and intuitively knows how to keep people on the edge of their seats, waiting to see who would be fired next after the commercial break.

“Florida needs to keep its eyes on Medicaid rip-off artists” via Julio Fuentes for The Palm Beach Post — Florida is at a crossroads with Medicaid ― and it might be one of which that many Floridians are unaware. First, our leaders should ensure that any providers chosen for these lucrative contracts will help provide Medicaid to those who need it. Several potential providers who are currently trying to win contracts have had questionable and worrisome issues come to the forefront. Second, our leaders should ensure that our state’s Medicaid system overall is working for those whom it’s meant to work for — Floridians who need it the most. This process comes at a time when the state is facing issues with redetermination, with a record number of children being dropped from the rolls. And for Hispanic Floridians who rely on Medicaid, these problems are often felt exponentially.

WEEKEND TV

ABC Action News Full Circle with Paul LaGrone on Channel 10 WFTS: Political analyst Dr. Susan MacManus; Anthony Pedicini of Strategic Image Management; and Rick Klein, ABC News Political Director.

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

In Focus with Allison Walker on Bay News 9/CF 13: A look at NASA’s Artemis Project and the return of humans back to the surface of the moon in 2026, an integral part of any future mission to Mars. Joining Walker are Lt. Gov. Jeanette Núñez; Peter Cranis, executive director of Space Coast Office of Tourism; and Greg Pallone, Space reporter, Spectrum News 13.

Political Connections on Bay News 9 in Tampa/St. Pete and Political Connections on CF 13 in Orlando: The weekly Sunday show is launching as a joint weeknight show airing Monday through Friday at 7 p.m.

The Usual Suspects on WCTV-Tallahassee/Thomasville (CBS) and WJHG-Panama City (NBC): Steve Vancore speaks with NBC political reporter Matt Dixon.

This Week in Jacksonville with Kent Justice on Channel 4 WJXT: U.S. Rep. Aaron Bean and Chris Hand, government law attorney and former staff member for U.S. Sen. Bob Graham.

— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —

 

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— ALOE —

“How South Florida lizards are reshaping Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution” via Bill Kearney of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — What do the finches of the Galápagos Islands and the lizards of a tiny island at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden have in common? They’ve both shaped ideas on how Darwin’s theory of evolution works. But the lizards of Fairchild are shaking things up. A recent study by Georgia Tech evolutionary ecologist James Stroud shows that evolution can happen much faster than Darwin thought. To figure this out, Stroud and his team took advantage of South Florida’s proliferation of fast-breeding lizards, and the fact that four species of them — native green anoles, and nonnative brown anoles, bark anoles and Cuban knight anoles — live relatively isolated lives on an island about the size of a football field at Fairchild.

“A Waterworks eulogy for a beloved and beautifully offbeat bar” via Mark Hinson for the Tallahassee Democrat — Waterworks in Midtown is going away. So is a big part of Tallahassee. I am heartbroken. The Tiki bar started life in 1992. It was originally housed in a former hair-cutting salon on North Monroe Street downtown under the watchful eye of founder Don Quarello, known as Don Q. to his friends, From the start, Waterworks was not your average bar. The bar left its downtown digs around 2000 and moved into the Kent’s Lounge building when Midtown was just becoming Midtown. Kent’s Lounge was famous for its strong drinks, hard-core country jukebox, and working-class clientele. Every Bastille Day on July 14, Don Q.’s friends would stage the original short play “A Celebration of Ice.” The play recreated the day when Dr. John Gorrie invented an ice machine to chill Champagne for the French bigwig in Apalachicola. The accents were wonderfully atrocious.

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Best wishes to our friend Claudia Davant, owner of Adams Street Advocates, who had an incredible 2023 Legislative Session and is featured as one of our Golden Rotunda winners. Also celebrating today are smart guy Mark Sharpe, as well as Byron Dobson, former Clearwater Mayor George Cretekos, Jason Roth, Dave Royse, and Vinny Tafuro.

___

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