Peter Schorsch
Good Monday morning.
Breaking overnight — “Spending deal averts a possible federal shutdown and funds the government into December” via Kevin Freking of The Associated Press — Congressional leaders announced an agreement Sunday on a short-term spending bill that will fund federal agencies for about three months, averting a possible partial government shutdown when the new budget year begins Oct. 1 and pushing final decisions until after the November election. Lawmakers have struggled to get to this point as the current budget year winds to a close at month’s end. At the urging of the most conservative members of his conference, House Speaker Mike Johnson had linked temporary funding with a mandate that would have compelled states to require proof of citizenship when people register to vote. But Johnson abandoned that approach to reach an agreement, even as Donald Trump insisted there should not be a stopgap measure without the voting requirement.
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Every time I see a not-from-Florida pollster survey the state, coming back with a ‘Kamala Harris down just 2 points to Donald Trump’ or when I read a story in The Washington Post that the Senate Democrats should expand the map to include Florida, I want to do our own poll of the Sunshine State to get a better sense of whether there really is something in the water — or is ’24 just another case of the Democrats winning September and October, but not November.
I also want to poll on Amendments 3 and 4 now that some real money has been spent on the airwaves.
We also need a baseline for the candidates and initiatives — to revisit in October and see if there is any movement.
Our colleagues at St. Pete Polls tell me it will be $5K for a solid survey of the state. Every dollar helps, but if you donate $50 or more to this project, you will receive the results the night before I release them publicly. If you donate $250 or more, you will be listed as a sponsor in all of the stories we write about the poll results.
I’m in for $1,000 of my own money, but I’d really like to crowdsource the remaining $4,000. We did this sort of crowdfunding in ’18 and ’20 and it worked out well.
If this fundraising effort comes up short, I’ll refund your money.
You can PayPal me at [email protected]. My Venmo is @Peter-Schorsch-1.
Thanks in advance.
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First in Sunburn — Smart & Safe Florida, the committee supporting Amendment 3, which will legalize recreational marijuana, is dropping a new ad this morning featuring Gadsden County Sheriff Morris Young, who knows firsthand the dangers illicit marijuana can bring to communities. Titled “Firsthand,” the ad has Young saying Amendment 3 will save lives by give Floridians access to safe, lab-tested marijuana all while allowing law enforcement to focus on serious crimes. This Summer, Young voiced his support in an op-ed for the Tallahassee Democrat, outlining the common-sense reasons to pass Amendment 3.
To watch the ad, please click the image below:
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Bob Buckhorn teases mayoral run on ‘Money Market’ podcast — The Bank of Tampa’s podcast, “Money Market,” is only two episodes into its second season, but it scored a scoop on a recent episode featuring Bob Buckhorn. In it, the former two-term Tampa Mayor confirmed what many onlookers suspected: He’s exploring another run for his old office once current Mayor Jane Castor hits term limits. The podcast, hosted by Bank of Tampa’s Pinellas County Market President Owen LaFave, has a back catalog of 20-plus episodes offering a solid mix of finance and developments in the Tampa Bay region. Tune in on the podcast platform of your choice.
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Florida children’s hospitals recognize National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month — As part of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Florida’s Specialty Hospitals for Children — Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and Wolfson Children’s Hospital — are highlighting the launch of a collaborative initiative to transform the state into a national leader in pediatric cancer care. Despite being the third-largest state in the pediatric population, Florida currently lacks a Top 25 ranked pediatric cancer program and has only one Top 50 ranked program. To change this, Florida’s specialty children’s hospitals are collaborating to invest in research, recruitment, program development and infrastructure, ensuring children in Florida have access to world-class cancer treatment without leaving the state. Read more about the initiative here.
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Frank Collins snags ‘Excellence in Government Service Award’ — Deputy CFO Collins won the “Excellence in Government Service Award” last week from the State Financial Officers Foundation, a national group of statewide financial officers. Collins was recognized for his leadership on polices that took on so-called “Woke” banking and ESG in Florida. Before joining the CFO’s office in 2020, Collins worked at the Florida Department of Transportation, managing the Forecasting & Trends Office. He previously served as former Gov. Rick Scott’s Deputy Chief of Staff from 2014 to 2016, where he interfaced with legislative and policy elements to spearhead the Governor’s jobs agenda and was involved with agencies such as Space Florida, VISIT FLORIDA, the Department of Economic Opportunity and others.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
—@LibbeyDean: Former President Trump says he will not run in 2028 if he loses the election. In an interview with Full Measure Trump said “we’re going to be successful” in this election. Interviewer: “If you’re not successful this time, do you see yourself running again in four years?” Trump: “No I don’t. No, I think that that will be it. I don’t see that at all; I think, hopefully, we’re going to be successful.”
—@JenGriffinFNC: 741 former high-ranking national security officials (233 general and flag officers) signed letter endorsing Kamala Harris for President. 15 four-star generals, 10 former cabinet secretaries, 10 service secretaries, and Repub leaders who served under Trump.
—@Fineout: Good morning. Voting for the 2024 Election has begun in Florida. The state this a.m. reported that 206 people have voted by mail … Today is the deadline for supervisors to send out ballots to overseas voters, inc. those in military. Oct. 3 is deadline for domestic voters
—@AndrewMarchand: Good for baseball. On TNF, Al Michaels mentioned (Shohei) Ohtani. Jim Nantz now does on the Steelers-Chargers game.
—@AdmiralBear01: Credit where it’s due to FSU fans: Presnap penalties, especially in the red zone, were a huge factor in this game. That’s crowd noise. Not a lot of fan bases, after 3 disappointing gut shots to open the season, would still show up and get loud enough to make a difference.
— DAYS UNTIL —
2024 Florida Marijuana Policy Conference — 2; JD Vance/Tim Walz Vice-Presidential Debate – 8; ‘Chef’s Table: Noodles’ premieres — 9; Las Vegas’ Tropicana resort implosion — 16; Jason Reitman’s ‘Saturday Night’ premieres – 18; Lin-Manuel Miranda’s concept album based on the cult movie ‘The Warriors’ drops – 25; Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour stops in Miami – 27; 2024 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum – 28; Florida TaxWatch’s 45th Annual Meeting – 42; 2024 Presidential Election – 43; second half of Yellowstone season five premieres – 44; Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Landman’ premieres – 52; Legislature’s 2025 Organizational Session – 59; Las Vegas Grand Prix – 59; ‘Moana 2’ premieres – 65; ‘Chef’s Table’ returns to Netflix — 65; 2024 Florida Chamber Annual Insurance Summit begins – 71; Florida Chamber 2024 Florida Transportation, Growth & Infrastructure Solution Summit — 71; MLS Cup 2024 – 76; ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ premieres – 88; College Football Playoff begins – 90; ‘Squid Game’ season 2 premieres – 94; Fiesta, Peach, Rose & Sugar Bowls – 101; Orange Bowl – 112; ‘Severance’ season two debuts – 117; ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ premieres – 144; the 2025 Oscars – 160; Florida’s 2025 Legislative Session begins – 162; Tampa Bay Rays season opener — 185; 2025 Session ends – 221; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres – 222; ‘Fantastic Four – First Steps’ premieres – 305; ‘Blade’ reboot premieres – 415; ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ premieres – 452; ‘Avengers 5’ premieres – 589; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 606; FIFA World Cup 26™ final – 626; FIFA World Cup 26™ final match – 664; ‘The Batman 2’ premieres – 743; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 817; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres – 957; 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Opening Ceremony — 1,390; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres – 1,916; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres – 2,637.
—TOP STORY
“Dissatisfied with his party’s potential candidates, Democratic state Sen. Jason Pizzo may run for Florida Governor” via Anthony Man of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — He isn’t saying he’s a candidate. And in an interview, he said he’s focused on his two years as party leader in the Senate following the November elections, and on knotty issues facing Florida.
But he’s also clearly considered the opportunities and obstacles presented by the Governor’s job voters will fill in 2026, when Gov. Ron DeSantis will be ineligible to run again because of term limits.
He described a scenario where “somebody like me” could get elected. “I think I would offer the best chance” for the Democrats, Pizzo said. “When you go down the checklist of boxes, the pros and cons, yeah, I would like my chances.”
He said that the discussion about the 2026 Election is premature.
“I don’t have a plan for 2026. It’s what’s right in front of me. Greatest line I ever heard was from my dad saying, ‘Finish the circle. Close the circle,” Pizzo said, adding that 2026 is “a lifetime away. I really don’t know.”
Pressed about whether he’s contemplating a candidacy, he acknowledged he’s given it some thought, saying he’s “not crazy about our bench, to be honest with you,” referring to the slew of potential candidates who might seek the Democratic nomination for Governor.
Pizzo said the large number of no-party affiliation voters — who make up 3.5 million of Florida’s 13.7 million registered voters — are looking for something different from what Democrats have offered up in recent elections.
“Poll: Newly popular Kamala Harris builds momentum, challenging Donald Trump for the mantle of change” via Mark Murray of NBC News — With just over six weeks until Election Day, the NBC News poll finds Harris with a 5-point lead over former Trump among registered voters, 49% to 44%. While that result is within the margin of error, it’s a clear shift from July’s poll, when Trump was ahead by 2 points before President Joe Biden’s exit. But the transformation in the presidential contest goes well beyond the horse race. Harris’ favorability has jumped 16 points since July, the most significant increase for any politician in NBC News polling since then-President George W. Bush’s standing surged after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Harris also holds the advantage over Trump in being seen as competent, effective, and having the mental and physical health to be President — a reversal from Trump’s leads on those qualities when he was matched up against Biden.
—“Harris shows some gains and economic views brighten a bit — CBS News poll” via Anthony Salvanto, Fred Backus, Jennifer De Pinto and Kabir Khanna of CBS News
“Harris posts huge cash advantage over Trump” via Maeve Reston and Clara Ence Morse of The Washington Post — Harris’ campaign raised more than four times as much as Trump’s effort in August, capitalizing on the surge of Democratic enthusiasm during the first full month of her presidential campaign. But the super PACs aligned with Trump continue to raise large sums from high-dollar donors as the two candidates enter the final sprint before November. Harris’ campaign raised $190 million in August, according to reports filed with the FEC on Friday night and she spent almost $174 million in August — ending the month with $235 million in cash on hand. The campaign spent over $135 million on media buys and ad production, over $6 million on air travel, about $4.9 million on payroll and related taxes and $4.5 million on text messaging.
—“Barack Obama raises $4 million for Harris at L.A. fundraiser” via Maeve Reston of The Washington Post
“Harris campaign lays out its Mark Robinson strategy in North Carolina” via Natalie Allison of POLITICO — Harris’ campaign advisers say the ongoing Robinson scandal in North Carolina has given them a fresh opening with the state’s Black and suburban voters, as they continue to try to tie Trump to the embattled candidate for Governor. The plan involves seizing on the current barrage of negative attention on Robinson and putting resources behind targeting suburban voters in the Charlotte and Raleigh areas, moderate Republicans and Black voters in the critical battleground state. Their messaging will focus not on a CNN report about comments Robinson made on a pornographic website — including that he enjoys “watching tranny on girl porn,” and instead will emphasize the controversial candidate’s ties to Trump and his “extreme” policy positions.
“Trump says it’s ‘too late’ after Harris agrees to Oct. 23 debate on CNN” via Giselle Ruhiyyih Ewing of POLITICO — Trump quashed the prospect of another presidential debate on Saturday, saying it’s “too late” for a rematch with Harris after she agreed to an Oct. 23 debate hosted by CNN. “It’s just too late,” Trump told Wilmington, North Carolina, rallygoers. He added that “voting has already started,” which is true for some states like Minnesota, South Dakota and Virginia, which offer early in-person voting. “She’s done one debate, I’ve done two, it’s too late to do another,” he said. “I’d love to, in many ways, but it’s too late; the voting is cast, and the voters are out there.” Meanwhile, in Leesport, Pennsylvania, Trump’s running mate Vance said he’d be open to a second debate with Tim Walz, moments after Trump said it is already too late for more debates. Vance and Walz are scheduled to have their first debate on Oct. 1.
“Trump says if he loses election, Jewish voters would have ‘a lot’ to do with it” via Isaac Arnsdorf and Marianne LeVine of The Washington Post — Trump said that he would hold Jewish voters responsible if he loses the Nov. 5 election, suggesting that they owe him their support because of his position on Israel and questioning the sanity of Jewish Democrats. “The Jewish people would have a lot to do with a loss,” Trump said at a summit on fighting antisemitism in America. “It’s only because of the Democrat hold, or curse, on you.” He made similar remarks at the Israeli American Council National Summit later in the evening. Both events took place in Washington, D.C. Trump did not take questions at either event and did not address the new report that a Republican gubernatorial nominee he has personally boosted, Mark Robinson of North Carolina, once described himself as a “black Nazi” on an internet pornography forum.
“Trump ramps up push for Nebraska to change electoral vote allocation” via Patrick Marley, Josh Dawsey and Michael Scherer of The Washington Post — Trump spoke by phone this week with a Nebraska State Senator as part of a last-minute push to change how the state allocates its electoral votes and block the easiest path Harris has to win the White House. State Sen. Merv Riepe said he spoke briefly by phone with Trump on Wednesday in the presence of Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen during a visit by Sen. Lindsey Graham, who encouraged Republicans in the state’s unicameral legislature to change to a statewide winner-take-all electoral vote system. “I want the law changed. I’ve made no qualms about it,” said Graham, an ally of Trump, who said he traveled to Nebraska at the request of Sen. Pete Ricketts, the former Governor. “They were open-minded. I said: ‘Listen, it’s your decision to make. It comes down to one electoral vote. I want you to understand what that one vote would mean.’”
“Trump vows to ‘save’ vaping after private meeting with vaping lobbyist” via Isaac Stanley-Becker and Dan Diamond of The Washington Post — Trump offered enthusiastic support for vaping on Friday, promising to protect the industry following a private meeting earlier in the day with a leading vaping lobbyist. Trump wrote on Truth Social that he “saved Flavored Vaping in 2019” and would “save Vaping again!” The comments represent a revisionist account of his administration’s approach to vaping, the heating of nicotine to make an inhaled aerosol. They overlook a significant crackdown Trump pursued as President — which anti-smoking advocates regard as one of the surprising accomplishments of his time in office and part of the reason for a steep decline in youth vaping over the past five years. Yet Trump’s new posture is consistent with the recent financial support he has received from the tobacco industry. The biggest corporate donor to the primary pro-Trump super PAC is a subsidiary of Reynolds American, the second-largest tobacco company in the country.
Meanwhile … “Voter registration is spiking, particularly among young adults” via Maya Marchel Hoff of USA Today — On Tuesday’s National Voter Registration Day, more than 150,000 people registered through Vote.org, the most the organization has ever seen on that day. The organization registered 279,400 voters in all of last year. Last week, 337,826 people visited a link posted on Instagram by pop star Swift that directed them to their state’s voter registration site. Although Swift noted that she would be voting for the Democratic candidate, Harris, people don’t have to declare a party affiliation when registering. Neither vote.org nor Swift tracked registrations by party. Vote.org has previously told USA Today that about 80% of people they register turn out in the next election. According to Vote.org, voters under 35 made up 81% of Tuesday’s registrations, with the biggest spike among 18-year-olds. On this year’s National Voter Registration Day, 11% of those registered were 18, 53% higher than on the same day four years ago.
— 2024 — FLORIDA —
“DNC Chair Jaime Harrison optimistic about turning the Sunshine State blue: ‘Florida is in play’” via Steve Maugeri of CBS News — Harrison is optimistic about his party’s chances in the Sunshine State, despite its electoral votes going to Republicans in the last two presidential elections. “Florida is in play,” Harrison told CBS News Miami in an interview Saturday. “Florida, Florida, Florida.” “For the first time in 30 years, you have Democrats running in every seat in the state House, the state Senate, and [at] the congressional level,” he added. Both Miami-Dade and Broward counties went for Biden in 2020, while Trump won the state by about three percentage points that year. Florida has about 5.38 million registered Republicans and 4.35 million registered Democrats. There are also about 3.54 million unaffiliated voters.
“Noticed a lot of anti-abortion ads on Florida TV?” via Nate Monroe of The Florida Times-Union — The details of the Florida Association of Broadcasters’ sponsorship is a closely held secret. But the broadcast association’s tax filings, public statements from state officials, and interviews with broadcast insiders indicate that the nonprofit’s support is substantial: The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration was likely able to purchase airtime from the broadcasting association at a steep discount through a program intended to support public-service announcements and education campaigns, like hurricane preparedness and safe driving. That discount — 75% off the estimated value of airtime — is supported by TV stations that donate the time. The association says it’s an “ideal way for a station to fulfill its obligation to operate in the public interest.” The upshot is that Florida’s broadcasters might be, perhaps unwittingly, effectively offering in-kind contributions to a state-sponsored campaign that critics have alleged in court is an unlawful effort by Florida’s Governor to influence the outcome of a vote.
“Florida tells doctors abortions to save a woman’s life do not violate new state ban” via Skyer Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel — Florida health officials reiterated that state law allows abortions at any point in pregnancy to save the life of the mother, responding to concerns that Florida’s new six-week abortion ban is tying doctors’ hands and putting women in danger. The state’s “provider alert” said abortions can be performed “to save the pregnant woman’s life or avert a serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function.” Failing to provide that “lifesaving treatment” could constitute medical malpractice, the Agency for Health Care Administration and the Department of Health warned in a notice to providers distributed by email and social media.
“Florida doctors describe dystopic horrors as Ron DeSantis tries to tank abortion measure” via Tessa Stuart of Rolling Stone — The Planned Parenthood Health Center in Miami has remained open, but since May 1, there has been a big sign in the lobby informing patients that, with limited exceptions, clinicians are not allowed to provide abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. Many of the patients that Dr. Chelsea Daniels sees on a daily basis are not aware of the state’s ban before they see the sign. “A lot of times, people are truly just flabbergasted. This is the first they’re hearing about it.” Since the law went into effect four and a half months ago, her office has experienced an influx not just of patients who are unaware of the new law, but also of referrals from local OB-GYNs and hospitals afraid of offering treatment themselves. Just a few weeks, Daniels says, she treated a patient with a nonviable, first-trimester pregnancy — a miscarriage, essentially — and a condition that most doctors and facilities should be able to easily handle.
“Hispanic voters are warming to Florida ballot measures on recreational pot, abortion” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Hispanic voters in Florida are growing keener on a pair of ballot measures aimed at legalizing recreational cannabis and protecting abortion access, new polling by TelavisaUnivision and Media Predict found. Sixty percent of Hispanic voters are either a definite or probable “yes” on Amendment 3, which, if approved by 60% of voters in November, will essentially decriminalize pot in Florida for people 21 and older. That’s up 2 points from early last month, prior polling by the media companies shows. Support among Hispanic voters for Amendment 4, which would ensure patients could receive abortion treatments until fetal viability, remained steady at 63% month-over-month.
— 2024 — DOWN-BALLOT 1 —
“Golf cart showdown: Democrats seek votes in Trump-loving Villages” via Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel — Democrats are hoping to boost Harris’ Florida chances in an unexpected place: a Trump-loving, Fox News-watching, deep-red, mega-retirement community where they are vastly outnumbered. Harris’ supporters are making their presence known in The Villages, parading in golf carts, chanting “We’re not going back” and displaying “cat ladies for Kamala” buttons. Last Friday, Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, stumped for his wife and oversaw the start of a 350-golf cart parade through the retirement haven of about 151,000 residents. Hundreds showed up at a recreation center to hear the second gentleman speak. Some huddled underneath umbrellas in a line wrapped around the building as a persistent drizzle fell. “It’s the ultimate way of showing Florida is in play,” said Marsha Shearer as she and other Harris supporters waited for the doors to open.
“Two Florida moms, one Congressional seat and the future of MAGA” vis Jessica Grouse of The New York Times — Anna Paulina Luna supported some family-friendly legislation, including proxy voting for new moms in Congress and an IVF bill that would make states ineligible for federal block grant funding if they banned the procedure. When I spoke to (her Democratic opponent) Whitney Fox in St. Petersburg ahead of the August Primary, she was sharply critical of Luna’s legislation. Even though I came away impressed with Ms. Fox’s verve, I thought: She doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in a district with more registered Republicans than Democrats and President Biden at the top of the ticket. Against the odds, Fox is in the lead in one local poll. If (a big if) Fox can triumph in this race, it could be much bigger than just a win in her district. It may be another sign that the MAGA brand of political theater is on the wane in some quarters, and that an exhausted moderate majority is ready for politics to be competent — and normal — again.
— 2024 — DOWN-BALLOT 2 —
— STATEWIDE —
“Judge in Washington Post lawsuit says Florida can’t hide cost of DeSantis’ travel” via Douglas Soule of USA Today Network — A Tallahassee-based circuit judge has ruled against The Washington Post’s argument that a new Florida law concealing DeSantis’ travel records is unconstitutional – but also rejected the state’s broad interpretation of what records the law applies to. “It’s a mixed ruling for sure, but I want to focus on the positive, which is that it’s a clear win for the public as it relates to how much their Governor spends on travel,” said Michael Barfield, director of public access initiatives for the Florida Center for Government Accountability, which advocates for openness of state records. The upshot is that the Post has been OK’d to receive certain financial records related to the Governor’s travel. “Reimbursement checks and invoices for travel … are beyond the travel and security exemption in that they are purely financial with no security or law enforcement implication,” Circuit Judge Jonathan Sjostrom wrote.
“Next Florida House Speaker criticizes new power over presidential searches for university system leader” via Dara Kam of News Service of Florida — Incoming House Speaker Daniel Perez is pushing back against a proposal that would give the Chair of the state university system’s Board of Governors more authority over searches for new university presidents, saying it could “manipulate the hiring process.” The Board of Governors’ proposal comes as three of the state’s 12 universities are operating with interim presidents and as search processes have drawn criticism for being shrouded in secrecy. Board member Eric Silagy, who was among the critics of the proposed change, argued it would essentially give the Chair “veto” power over university search committees’ presidential selections. Currently, search committees provide lists of presidential finalists to the universities’ Boards of Trustees. The names of applicants are kept secret until the finalists are invited to visit the schools and appear before the trustees. While the trustees choose presidents, the system’s Board of Governors has final approval power.
“Florida families say school voucher reimbursements worse than ever” via Jeffrey S. Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times — Barbara Beasley wanted nothing more than to see her role advocating on behalf of voucher-receiving families disappear this Fall. Many of them struggled last year to get repaid for the items and services they bought for their children’s homeschool education. Lawmakers intervened after hearing the complaints, implementing timelines for reimbursements and requiring the creation of updated purchasing guidelines for families and agencies to follow. More than two months into the new voucher funding cycle, which began July 1, Beasley said the situation has worsened.
“‘Emphasize abstinence’ in sex ed, Florida tells schools, skip lessons on contraception” via Leslie Postal of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Florida has told school districts around the state that they may not teach teenagers about contraception, show them pictures depicting human reproductive anatomy or discuss topics such as sexual consent and domestic violence. As a result, Orange County Public Schools plans to scrap its high school sex education plans and instead use a state-approved textbook that focuses on abstinence. The district’s now-abandoned plans stress abstinence for teenagers but also provide information on how pregnancy occurs, the pros and cons of various birth control methods, what consent means, and ways to handle pressure to be sexually active. Broward County Public Schools has until early October to tell the state how it plans to teach about reproductive health during the 2024-25 school year but knows the Florida Department of Education thinks some of the lessons it had planned to teach “are not age or developmentally appropriate.”
“High-ranking Florida Medicaid official resigns post” via Christine Sexton of Florida Phoenix — Deputy Secretary for Data and Finance Tom Wallace stepped down Thursday afternoon, Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Jason Weida announced in an email Friday morning. Weida advised agency staff to work with Matt Cooper, now acting deputy secretary for data and finance. Weida said Wallace is on annual leave for “the next few weeks,” meaning he will continue to draw his salary. Wallace’s resignation surprised AHCA staff and health care lobbyists around Tallahassee but comes at a time when the state is embroiled in a class action over the state’s Medicaid unwinding policy in the aftermath of the COVID public health emergency.
“Matt Gaetz says DHS knows existence of five assassination teams ‘targeting Trump’” via Michelle Vecerina of Florida’s Voice — On Real America’s Voice, Gaetz said a senior official from the DHS came to his office before the second assassination attempt on Trump, saying that he has assessed the existence of five known assassination teams in the U.S., three “inspired by other governments,” and two that are “known domestic assassination teams.” Gaetz said since there are five assassination teams “that we know are targeting Trump,” it raises “real questions about why certain teams were being pulled off the Trump detail and put on, for example, the Jill Biden detail.” “Now, we don’t want anything bad to happen to Jill Biden, but at the same time, the threat envelope for her was substantially different from the threat envelope around President Trump … ”
“U.S. Rep. Scott Franklin’s broker bought stock in a defense contractor. It raised eyebrows” via Gary White of the Lakeland Ledger — U.S. Rep. Franklin has drawn scrutiny from financial outlets for his purchase of stock in a major defense contractor while he sits on a House Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees military construction. Franklin, a second-term lawmaker and former Lakeland City Commissioner, filed a required disclosure in August reporting the purchase of between $1,000 and $5,000 of common stock in General Dynamics, an aerospace and defense company based in Virginia. Following that transaction on Aug. 2, Franklin disclosed buying between $50,001 and $100,000 of General Dynamics stock on Aug. 7, the financial news site Finbold.com reported.
— LOCAL: S. FL —
“Some Palm Beach ballots misspelled Tim Walz’s name as ‘Tom’” via Patricia Mazzei of The New York Times — The office was made aware of the error less than 18 hours after the ballots went out, Wendy Sartory Link, the county’s Elections Supervisor, said on Sunday. “The error was isolated to 257 electronic ballots,” she said in an email, adding that the misspelling had been “immediately corrected.” The affected voters were emailed a recommendation to download the updated ballot, she said. Link — a Democrat whose re-election bid is on the ballot — said her office had sent an “accurate ballot file” to its vendor. The vendor then made a “manual typed change” to the ballot and “incorrectly typed ‘Tom’ instead of ‘Tim.’”
“‘Don’t sleep on Florida’: Miami-Dade Democrats make the case that Florida is in play” via Max Greenwood of the Miami Herald — Miami-Dade Democrats sought to move past months of infighting and internal drama on Saturday at their annual Blue Gala in Miami Beach. Bringing in the top brass of the Miami-Dade, state and national parties, the gala was framed as a pep rally for Democrats hoping to head off a possible electoral drubbing in Florida in November. Democrats need to run up big margins in Miami-Dade to have a shot at winning both the presidency and statewide office, but that has proved increasingly difficult in recent years, most notably in 2022, when both DeSantis and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio won the county. With just six weeks before Election Day, party leaders rallied on Saturday around the hope that the electoral rout they suffered two years ago was an anomaly born out of internal dysfunction and low voter turnout. This year, they vowed, will be different.
“Ghost candidate in Frank Artiles trial: ‘I’m ashamed. I needed the money.’” via Charles Rabin of the Miami Herald — The ghost candidate at the center of former Florida state Sen. Artiles’ election-conspiracy trial said on the witness stand Friday that the more than 6,000 votes that were cast for him and likely tilted a razor-thin election to a Republican candidate were won dishonestly and he did it for the money. Alexis Rodriguez said the only reason he agreed to change his party affiliation and run in Florida’s District 37 Senate race in 2020 was because he was in a financial bind after a divorce and was promised $50,000 by Artiles. Rodriguez said he never campaigned and never met his campaign manager in person. “I’m ashamed,” Rodriguez told jurors. “I needed the money.”
“Trojan hearse? A Right-wing think tank aims to abolish the Miami-Dade Teachers’ union” via Francisco Alvarado of the Miami New Times — In a recent flurry of six flyers sent in a single week, a group called the Miami-Dade Education Coalition accused the United Teachers of Dade (UTD) of lying about its efforts to fight for higher teacher pay. The coalition is led by a small group of public-school teachers that seeks to unseat UTD as the bargaining unit for the 24,150 employees of Miami-Dade County Public Schools in a mail-in recertification vote scheduled for Sept. 24. The coalition’s slick mailings fail to note that the blitz is bankrolled by the Freedom Foundation, an Olympia, Washington-based think tank that openly aims to dismantle unions representing rank-and-file government employees.
“Four in race for Mayor of Hollywood debate city’s future growth” via Susannah Bryan of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — High taxes. Extreme gridlock. And an unprecedented wave of high-rise development. All three topics are on the minds of Hollywood residents as the city gears up for election season. Come Nov. 5, Hollywood voters will elect a Mayor and two Commissioners who will have a say in the city’s future approach to taxes, development, traffic and more. Josh Levy, an attorney first elected Mayor in 2016, has drawn three challengers: Eduardo Flores, an app developer; Catherine “Cat” Uden, an activist and former teacher who now works on environmental legislation for a nonprofit organization; and Peter Hanna, a business consultant. All three are making their first run for office.
“FAU study: Nitrogen from septic tanks fueling toxic Lake Okeechobee blooms” via Chad Gillis of the Fort Myers News-Press — A study published in the journal “Harmful Algae” suggests that human waste is a significant contributing factor in toxic blue-green algae blooms that have occurred on Lake Okeechobee over the past 20 years. Researchers from Florida Atlantic University say nitrogen from human waste in the northern part of the historic Everglades is fueling toxic blooms, which can eventually reach the Caloosahatchee River. Development south of the Orlando area, near the headwaters of the Everglades system, has tainted waters there with nitrogen, the study says, mostly from leaky septic tanks. “Our data shows that the nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratio has been going up,” said lead researcher and FAU professor Brian Lapointe. “There’s a lot of nitrogen now coming from north of the lake, and it’s driven a change in the lake in the types of blue-green algae that bloom.”
— LOCAL: C. FL —
“Fiery exchanges during 2nd debate of Orange-Osceola state attorney hopefuls” via Cristóbal Reyes of the Orlando Sentinel — Candidates for Orange-Osceola state attorney met Friday for a second debate, with questions of how to keep the community safe and allegations of election meddling continuing to frame the race. Moderated by WESH 2 anchor Nancy Alvarez, the debate between incumbent State Attorney Andrew Bain and Monique Worrell, his suspended predecessor, rehashed many themes from the Sept. 11 event. Namely, the candidates focused on falling crime rates, with each claiming credit for them, a contention the Orlando Sentinel questioned in its fact-check on the first debate. The debate occurred hours after Bain, running as a no-party-affiliated candidate, announced an endorsement by Orange County Sheriff John Mina, a vocal critic of Worrell’s tenure as state attorney.
“Circuit Judge Jeff Ashton paid qualifying fee 18 days after deadline” via Norine Dworkin of VoxPopuli — Circuit Judge Ashton, who is running for re-election, filed his candidate qualifying fee with the Division of Elections in Tallahassee 18 days past the qualifying deadline, campaign documents show. The Ninth Judicial Circuit qualifying period for the 2024 Elections was April 22-26. The Division of Elections site states they began accepting qualifying documents on April 8. According to Florida statute, missing the qualifying deadline would disqualify a candidate from an election. Ashton, who is serving as his own campaign treasurer, is currently in a Nov. 5 runoff against attorney Alicia Peyton to hold his seat on the bench. He was elected in 2018 after over 30 years in the state attorney’s office and one term (2012-2016) as state attorney. Democrat Aramis Ayala defeated him after it was revealed he’d visited the meetup site for extramarital affairs, Ashley Madison, though he denied ever meeting anyone. Ashton currently serves in Group 15 in the Domestic Violence division.
“Guns in the fire station ends one woman’s career and results in lawsuit” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — Former Ponce Inlet Fire Lt. Susanne Severson is suing after she was fired last year for buying a gun inside the fire station from another firefighter who reported directly to her. She was also caught up in another scandal where three fire lieutenants posed in photographs with weapons while wearing their uniforms on town property. The photos taken around 2010 were posted on Facebook and showed Severson smiling with two other town employees as they lay down with their weapons on their chests. In another photo, the trio are pointing their guns at the camera — one man holding an AR-15-style rife — dressed in their firefighter uniforms. Severson filed a federal lawsuit against the small Volusia County town this month and claimed town officials treated her differently than the other men in trouble. Severson, 49, who had been promoted to lieutenant in 2010 and worked at the department full-time for 20 years, is suing for sex and age discrimination. In 2022, the town conducted an internal investigation after becoming aware that the Facebook post existed for years.
“State officials are closing Ken Welch’s political committee. Here’s why.” via Colleen Wright of the Tampa Bay Times — Florida’s Division of Elections put Pelican PAC on notice last month for failing to appoint a replacement campaign treasurer and maintain a registered office and a registered agent. The state has also repeatedly sent warnings to the committee for not filing financial paperwork. For months, the committee filed waivers claiming no activity. Since June, the committee has failed to file either a financial report or a waiver, racking up 11 notices from the state. Yet a review of campaign contributions reported by Welch’s political allies show the committee has still been making donations to candidates. Failing to report donations could be criminal, one election law attorney said. In April, the state also told Pelican PAC that committees are not supposed to make donations without a registered agent. One week after the Times first reached out to the committee’s Chair, the group filed paperwork to change the committee’s address and name a registered agent.
“Moderate, conservative forces square off in Pinellas School Board race” via Jeffrey S. Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times — Less than a week after a Primary that divided them by fewer than 800 votes, Pinellas County School Board candidates Stacy Geier and Katie Blaxberg began bashing each other on social media. Geier, who led the field of three in August, criticized Blaxberg as fiscally irresponsible, accusing her of slandering sitting Board members. Blaxberg blasted Geier as an extremist who lacks decorum, at one point calling her “Election Denier Geier” in a post she later deleted. Their race — contentious from the start — has captured attention statewide. “There may not be a better example of moderate conservatism vs. MAGA extremism than this race,” one central Florida political blogger wrote.
“Ethics Commission rejects Karen Perez complaint over Cuban ambassador visit to Tampa” via William March of Florida Politics — Despite a staff recommendation for a finding of probable cause, the Florida Commission on Ethics rejected a complaint against Hillsborough County School Board Chair Perez regarding a controversial dinner with the Cuban ambassador in Tampa last year. The staff recommended rejecting another part of the complaint concerning Perez’s trip to Cuba, and the Commission followed that recommendation. In another action, the Commission rejected a complaint against St. Petersburg City Council member Deborah Figgs-Sanders after staff analysis found it didn’t include allegations that would violate state ethics laws.
“Tampa General, Mass General Brigham expand access to world-class care across the Sunshine State” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — This week, Tampa General Hospital (TGH) and Mass General Brigham (MGB) announced plans to deepen their affiliation and launch new programs and services, expanding access to world-class care across Florida. “For years, our leadership, providers, researchers and teams have worked closely to share knowledge, information, findings and outcomes to elevate the level of care we offer,” said Tampa General President John Couris. The two hospitals’ CEOs revealed plans to build a new oncology center in Palm Beach Gardens. Patients will have access to TGH and MGB providers for radiation oncology, medical imaging, and clinical oncology there. This is an expansion of TGH’s presence in Palm Beach County, which already includes 18 offices, roughly 70 physicians and 400 medical professionals.
— LOCAL: N. FL —
“How Hurricane Ivan was a catalyst for reshaping Pensacola” via Sandra Averhart of WUSF — Twenty years ago this week, Hurricane Ivan made landfall near Gulf Shores, just west of the Florida-Alabama state line. The Category 3 hurricane was one of the most destructive ever for Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in the western Panhandle. Ironically, it was Ivan’s damage to the old Main Street Wastewater Treatment Plant in downtown Pensacola that finally put the facility’s relocation on a fast track and sparked the reshaping of the city’s waterfront. The Main Street facility was built in 1937. The downtown site was chosen for its low elevation, a requirement for gravity-powered sewer systems of the era.
“Did NAS Pensacola chief petty officer kill husband in self-defense? Jury to decide.” via Benjamin Johnson of the Pensacola News Journal — A 37-year-old chief petty officer for the U.S. Navy will likely face a jury in Santa Rosa County after allegedly shooting her husband to death in the family garage in Gulf Breeze in 2021. Chief Petty Officer Bree Kuhn, who was working onboard Naval Air Station Pensacola at the time, has been indicted for the first-degree premeditated murder of her 34-year-old husband, Collin Turner, on Sept. 8, 2021, at their Jenks Drive home in Gulf Breeze. After sitting in Santa Rosa County Jail for three years, she will appear in court Monday, and her attorneys, James Barnes and Randy Etheridge, and prosecutor Mark Alderman will likely handpick a jury that will try Kuhn’s case.
— LOCAL: SW FL —
“DeSantis awards $18 million for supply chain, infrastructure investments” via Gerrett Phillips of WFLA — DeSantis announced an award of $18 million in funding for Florida’s supply chain and aggregate storage for critical infrastructure and asphalt and concrete production at a news conference in Bradenton on Friday. At the FDOT Manatee Operations Center, DeSantis detailed the award — the first of $100 million to be invested over five years — which will fund road expansion and other infrastructure projects under the Moving Florida Forward Initiative. “A strong supply chain is key to Florida’s economic strength. We can’t rely on Washington — we need Florida-based solutions,” DeSantis said. “These grants will help our state boost capacity and ensure vital materials reach projects on time.”
“Judge fines HRK Holdings over 2021 breach at the former Piney Point fertilizer plant” via Jesse Mendoza of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — A federal judge ruled against HRK Holdings over the emergency 215 million-gallon wastewater release from the former Piney Point fertilizer processing plant into Tampa Bay in 2021. HRK Holdings entered bankruptcy following the spill and counsel withdrew from the case. Left unrepresented, U.S. District Judge William Jung issued a default judgment that found the company violated the Clean Water Act by discharging pollutants into Tampa Bay without a lawfully issued permit. HRK Holdings was ordered to pay $846,900 as a result of the lawsuit, filed by a group of five environmental advocacy organizations following the breach at Piney Point in 2021.
“North Port City Commission candidates report theft of campaign signs” via Earle Kimel of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — North Port Police are investigating the reported thefts of several campaign signs of City Commission District 1 candidate Barbara Langdon and District 3 candidate Andrew Sias. Police spokesperson Josh Taylor confirmed both complaints. Langdon is running against Josh Smith for a second term in District 1 and stressed that she doesn’t believe Smith is involved in the thefts of two signs or the destruction of two other large campaign signs. Sias, who is running against his friend David Duval to succeed Debbie McDowell in District 3, said he did not know of anyone who would steal his signs. Taylor said there was a poor-quality video of one of the thefts of Sias’ signs.
— TOP OPINION —
“Trump acts as if he has time to waste” via Karl Rove for The Wall Street Journal — After Harris replaced Biden in late July, Trump complained she hadn’t sat down for media interviews. “She’s not smart enough,” he said.
Last Friday, Harris finally did a solo interview with a Philadelphia anchor. She’ll need to do more unscripted appearances going forward, but swing voters didn’t seem to care that she wasn’t sitting for them this Summer. Her polling certainly didn’t suffer.
Trump complained on and on that Harris not only hadn’t laid out her agenda, she didn’t even have a policy page on her website. When she put one up on Sept. 8, the Trump campaign called it “a late-night, half-assed wish list to her website to solve the problems SHE helped create over the past four years.”
Trump chewed up more valuable time whining about that. Harris had changed her positions on fracking, the Green New Deal, the abolition of private health insurance and other progressive nostrums.
The Trump-Vance ticket has also wasted vital days with its self-owns. The campaign has yet to produce a single Ohio pet owner mourning Fluffy or Fido being barbecued by Haitian migrants. Trump also devoted Sunday to expressing hatred for Swift. Her many fans were doubtless angered and energized.
Few presidential candidates have had a better environment to run in than Trump. Voters are in a foul mood. The incumbent administration is historically unpopular and there’s a tremendous yearning for change. All these points give Trump a huge advantage and Harris a large disadvantage. But his lack of discipline is epic, and his rallies increasingly sound like therapy sessions.
Time isn’t his friend, and it isn’t Harris’ either — for all Trump’s errors, she’s up only 3 points in FiveThirtyEight’s national average. Let’s see who makes the best use of the days they have left.
— OPINIONS —
“Toby Overdorf, Ian Lares-Chacin: Why prioritizing environment, energy security, climate are important for conservatives” via Florida Politics — As Republican leaders from different generations, we are keenly aware of the need for sage environmental leadership. Like many fellow Floridians, we are homeowners, hunters, fishers, boaters and beachgoers. We watch with concern as flooding becomes more frequent and water quality issues become more serious. Florida’s greatness is built on our beautiful natural environment and so will its future. Beyond being critical for the health and prosperity of our state, being pro-environment is essential for continued electoral success. The rising generation sees climate and the environment as major priorities, and young voters need to know that conservatives have a concrete vision for environmental policy. In addition, Florida voters of all ages – including Trump supporters – support conservative environmental leadership, with some polls suggesting that Florida Republicans are the most environmentally minded red-state Republicans in the country.
“I co-chaired Nikki Haley’s Iowa campaign. I am endorsing Harris.” via Dawn Roberts for the Des Moines Register — This year’s Democratic National Convention was almost perfect. Harris had the ability to unite her party immediately. She said she wanted to be the President for “all of the people.” She allowed representatives from a variety of views from her own party, the Republican Party, and world leaders such as Leon Panetta, former defense secretary, to participate in the convention. All reinforced the skills she has to work with domestic and world leaders in representing our country and keeping our military strong. It also doesn’t hurt that she (as the most qualified candidate running for President) happens to be a woman. My husband, Steve, often questioned why the United States has never had a female President. I think the time is now and Kamala Harris is the person to lead our country into the future.
“Harris’ record on marijuana policy presents a big opportunity” via Robert Gebelhoff of The Washington Post — In 2019, Harris co-sponsored a bill that would have lifted the federal ban on pot. But since launching her presidential campaign, she’s been silent on the issue. Harris is missing a moment. Not only would it be good politics for her to champion this cause, but it would be good for the country, too. With the polls neck and neck, Harris shouldn’t be missing any opportunity to talk about her record on this topic. Yet when Trump recently threw his weight behind an initiative to legalize recreational use of the drug in his home state of Florida, Harris’ campaign spokesperson merely dismissed it as “blatant pandering” given his attempts to stymie marijuana reform efforts as President. That analysis might be correct, but it’s also an acknowledgment that Trump is picking up on a popular issue.
“I need calm Tampa Bay meteorologists to run my whole life” via Stephanie Hayes of the Tampa Bay Times — The least calm among us might picture a big old hurricane running up the wazoo of Tampa Bay. Those of us inclined to catastrophize might imagine instant destruction, planning what we will say to the news cameras as we wade through the wreckage. (Is this normal?) So, here’s a note of thanks to all the measured, calm meteorologists who get us through Florida’s seasons of uncertainty, whether it’s Paul Dellegatto reminding us to stock hurricane kits or Leigh Spann telling us how precariously the day will play out on her Spann-Tastic Scale. Of course, we all know Denis Phillips is the marquess of helping Tampa Bay not freak out; his Rule #7 has become so popular, it has birthed lines of merch and craft beer. Do you know what this means? I mean this in the most charitable way possible: We are all babies. It means at our most human core, we need a calm-assertive human, not unlike the Dog Whisperer, to say it’s going to be OK. We need a steady voice to gently stroke our wayward hairs and utter, “Shh. Go get your fruit snacks and instant ravioli with the peel-back lids plus a crate of water, just to be safe. You’re doing great, sweetie.”
— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —
— ALOE —
“Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights knows how to scare you” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — The fan-favorite HHN is back for its 33rd year and runs on select nights through Nov. 3 with 10 haunted houses, including “A Quiet Place” and “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.” HHN also features the Nightmare Fuel Nocturnal Circus show, five scare zones and a new HHN tribute store. “There are so many ways we can scare our guests, from the bloody gory to the just plain gross to the psychological and twisted. … A good scare is one that is hidden well, comes from nowhere and happens often,” said Lora Sauls, Assistant Director of Creative Development and Show Direction. Universal Orlando is up to the task every Halloween season. The HHN planning process for this year started in Fall 2023. The behind-the-scenes team includes show directors, character designers, graphic designers, décor specialists, and those in charge of the set, all working together.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Celebrating today are former U.S. Rep. Al Lawson, Nicole Hagerty, John Fox, Jeff Frederick, Lisa Greer, Hillsborough Property Appraiser Bob Henriquez, former Public Safety Director for Manatee County, and Kimberly Diaz Scott.
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Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.
