Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 11.14.24

Good Thursday morning.

What a freakin’ dumpster fire. Let’s get into it.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

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—@Scaramucci: We tried to warn you

—@Smerconish: I suspect @KristiNoem was thrilled when @PeteHegseth was selected. And now @PeteHegseth is thrilled to have @mattgaetz. And @mattgaetz can’t wait for @RobertKennedyJr to be named…

—@MaxPCohen: News: Susan Collins tells me she is not on board with Gaetz as AG. “I was shocked at the nomination” “This is why the Senate’s advise and consent process is so important. I’m sure that there will be many, many questions raised at Mr. Gaetz’s hearing”

—@JasonDelgadoX: FL Rep. @JaredEMoskowitz (D) reacting to FL Rep. @MattGaetz (R) becoming Attorney General. — Gaetz is “fiercely loyal & competent.” — “Will turn that into being the most powerful Attorney General in American history.” — “This is what the American people voted for, right?”

—@AndyKimNJ: I was originally going to hold off on commenting on nominations at this stage but I cannot stay quiet here. I don’t need a confirmation hearing to know that Matt Gaetz is not qualified for Attorney General. I will not support his confirmation.

—@EWErickson: I think Matt Gaetz is a brilliant pick. (Donald) Trump just improved the morale of the House GOP with Gaetz’s departure. Gaetz won’t get the votes in the Senate and the oppo dump will end his 2026 gubernatorial bid. But Trump gets to claim he had Gaetz’s back. And all of Trump’s AG’s become fall guys who MAGA turn against, so a recess appointment would only further destroy Gaetz, all while Trump looks to have rewarded his friend.

—@Natsfert: I cannot understate how big this is for the weed world. Gaetz is one of the most pro-cannabis Republicans on the Hill, one of five Rs who voted for cannabis legalization when it passed the House, and as AG will be overseeing the end of the rescheduling process.

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— DAYS UNTIL —

Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Landman’ premieres – 2; ‘Dune: Prophecy’ premieres on HBO — 3; News Service of Florida’s Above & Beyond Awards, honoring women in government and public service — 5; Legislature’s 2025 Organizational Session – 5; Las Vegas Grand Prix – 7; ‘Wicked’ premieres — 8; ‘Moana 2’ premieres – 13; ‘Chef’s Table’ returns to Netflix — 13; 2024 Florida Chamber Annual Insurance Summit begins – 19; Florida Chamber 2024 Florida Transportation, Growth & Infrastructure Solution Summit — 19; ‘Interstellar: IMAX Exclusive’ premieres — 22; MLS Cup 2024 – 23; Army-Navy game — 28; ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ premieres – 34; College Football Playoff begins – 36; ‘What If …?’ season 3 premieres — 38; Squid Game’ season two premieres – 42; Fiesta, Peach, Rose & Sugar Bowls – 48; Orange Bowl – 56; House single bill drafting submission deadline for 2025 Session — 71; ‘Severance’ season two debuts – 71; Super Bowl LIX — 87; Florida Chamber’s 2025 Legislative Fly-In — 88; ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ premieres – 99;; 2025 Session single bill filing deadline — 106; the 2025 Oscars – 108; Florida’s 2025 Legislative Session begins – 110; Tampa Bay Rays season opener — 133; ‘Andor’ season two premieres — 159; 2025 Session ends – 169; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres – 169; Epic Universe grand opening — 189; ‘Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning’ premieres — 190; ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ premieres — 197; ‘Fantastic Four – First Steps’ premieres – 253; ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ premieres – 400; ‘Avengers 5’ premieres – 537; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 554; FIFA World Cup 26™ final – 575; FIFA World Cup 26™ final match – 613; ‘The Batman 2’ premieres – 687; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 765; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres – 905; 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Opening Ceremony — 1,338; 2028 U.S. Presidential Election — 1,454; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres – 1,864; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres – 2,585.

— TOP STORY —

“Donald Trump to nominate Rep. Matt Gaetz as Attorney General” via Farnoush Amiri, Michelle L. Price and Eric Tucker of The Associated Press — In selecting the Congressman, Trump passed over some of the more established attorneys whose names had been mentioned as being contenders for the job. “Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department,” Trump said in a statement. Trump’s pick of Gaetz comes as the House Ethics Committee is still investigating allegations that he was part of a scheme that led to the sex-trafficking of a 17-year-old girl. The Committee said its review now includes whether Gaetz engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, accepted improper gifts and sought to obstruct government investigations of his conduct. Gaetz has categorically denied all the allegations before the Committee. The Justice Department in 2023 ended a sex-trafficking case against Gaetz with no charges against him.

“‘Are You Sh*ttin’ Me?’ Republicans react poorly to Trump picking Gaetz as AG” via Ahmad Austin Jr. of Mediaite — Shortly after the announcement, CNN’s Manu Raju spotted Sen. Lindsey Graham on Capitol Hill and asked for his immediate reaction to Gaetz’s nomination. Graham was noncommittal. Graham: Yeah, I don’t know yet. I’ll think about that one. Raju: Do you have any concerns about it? Graham: We’ll see. When asked about Gaetz’s nomination, Sen. Lisa Murkowski said, “Do you think he’s a serious candidate?” She then shook her head no and walked onto the Senate floor. Asked for his reaction to the Gaetz nom, Rep. Mike Simpson: “Are you shittin’ me?” Asked Sen. Kevin Cramer: “That’s an ‘uff da.’ Huh, I don’t know what to make of it.” “Uff da” definition: “an American Scandinavian exclamation or interjection used to express a range of emotions, such as dismay, surprise, relief, exhaustion or bafflement.”

“Gaetz ally says many will try to ‘smear him’ over sex-trafficking investigation” via Farnoush Amiri of The Associated Press — Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a fellow Florida Republican, told reporters Wednesday that Gaetz’s effort to remove former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and replace him with Mike Johnson shows his strategic skills. “So a lot of people will try to brand him just as a firebrand, but the fact is that there is a lot of strategy behind it,” Luna said. Asked whether she thinks he can pass a rigorous Senate confirmation process, she added that many will try to “smear him,” referencing the federal sex-trafficking investigation, but “the evidence will speak for itself.”

“DOJ lawyers cannot compute that Gaetz could be their new boss” via Kyle Cheney, Josh Gerstein, Erica Orden and Betsy Woodruff Swan of POLITICO — Trump’s decision to nominate Rep. Gaetz for Attorney General has Justice Department veterans petrified and warning of a crisis in the department marked by chaos and revenge. The polarizing Republican lawmaker is already generating resistance on Capitol Hill, suggesting he may not get the votes to win the job. But even if the nomination is doomed, it sends an unmistakable signal about Trump’s expectations for the Justice Department in his second term: He wants a MAGA zealot in the post, one who has shown unbreakable loyalty to the President-elect and wrath for his adversaries, real and perceived.

—”With Gaetz tapped for AG, who could fill his congressional seat?” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics

— OTHER TOP STORY —

“Gov. Rick Scott loses underdog bid for Senate majority leader, despite MAGA push” via Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel — Scott’s underdog bid for majority leader came up short on Wednesday, despite the support of many of the most influential figures in Trump’s MAGA movement.

Scott scored endorsements from Trump’s billionaire backer Elon Musk, right-wing commentator Tucker Carlson and Fox News personality Sean Hannity. But he lacked the biggest and most influential endorsement of all — Trump himself, who stayed neutral in the three-way race for Senate leader.

The Florida Senator was eliminated during the first round of voting by his GOP colleagues in the Senate.

The victor — U.S. Sen. John Thune of South Dakota — worked internally to secure the position, also defeating U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas. Elected by peers behind closed doors, the Senate Majority Leader guides the agenda of Congress’ upper chamber, with singular influence over legislative priorities and appointments.

Scott, 71, thanked his supporters for backing his desire to “fundamentally change how the Senate operates and upend the status quo.”

“While it isn’t the result we hoped for, I will do everything possible to make sure John Thune is successful in accomplishing President Trump’s agenda,” he said in a statement issued Wednesday.

Scott ran up against the political dynamics of the U.S. Senate, where leadership is elected by secret ballot and seniority and personal relationships matter. Scott, who joined the Senate in 2019, is said to be unpopular with many colleagues.

According to national reports, he drew 13 votes. Thune prevailed in the second round of voting with 29 votes to Cornyn’s 24.

—“Republican Senators elect John Thune as next Majority Leader” via Luke Broadwater and Carl Hulse of The New York Times

— TRANSITION —

“Marco Rubio officially tapped as Secretary of State” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — “Marco is a Highly Respected Leader and a very powerful Voice for Freedom. He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries. I look forward to working with Marco to Make America and the World Safe and Great Again,” Trump said. Rubio was reportedly Trump’s selection days ago. The delayed announcement made some question whether he would be the pick. Yet those skeptics are quieted by the press release from the President-elect. Rubio has been steeped in intelligence matters and promises a proactive posture regarding threats from China, Russia, Iran and their allies. He was short-listed as Vice President, but the hurdle of having two ticket members from the same state seemed to be a deal breaker for Trump.

“Some at the State Department express cautious optimism over Rubio nomination” via Matthew Lee of The Associated Press — At the State Department, some officials expressed cautious optimism about the Rubio nomination. Three officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations with colleagues, said there was a sense that Rubio would be willing to work with and listen to career staff even if he might ultimately discard their advice. And one of them breathed a sigh of relief that Rubio was the least controversial pick announced by Trump. In comparison to Tulsi Gabbard, Gaetz and Hegseth, Rubio, a current Senator who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is likely to have a relatively quick and easy confirmation hearing and vote with support from all of his GOP colleagues and at least some Democrats.

“How Trump went from deriding ‘Little Marco’ to nominating Rubio for Secretary of State” via Zac Anderson and Antonio Fins of USA Today — The snub ultimately brought Trump and Rubio closer. When Trump passed Rubio over in July to be his running mate, the Senator didn’t pull back from the 2024 campaign. Instead, he doubled down and spent even more time traveling with Trump and acting as a surrogate on television. The men deepened a relationship that got off to a rocky start when they faced off during the 2016 presidential campaign. The relationship progressed through Trump’s first White House stint and comeback bid to become a mutually beneficial alliance. Rubio provided substantive foreign policy input in Oval Office meetings, said former Trump National Security Adviser John Bolton, without being overly ingratiating, as many are with the incoming President.

—”Frenemy of the state: Ten nasty things Trump said about Rubio” via Zulekha Pitts of the Miami New Times

Florida Democratic Party pans ‘Florida Man’ Cabinet — FDP blasted Trump’s Cabinet picks from the Sunshine State as “extreme” and “beyond catastrophic.” FDP Chair Nikki Fried said, “Donald Trump is raiding our state for any Florida Man loyal to him, no matter how incompetent, unqualified, or extreme they may be. Tapping Marco Rubio as Secretary of State and Mike Waltz as National Security Adviser is a serious cause for concern, but nominating Gaetz as Attorney General is beyond catastrophic for the country. … As one of Trump’s most loyal lieutenants, he can’t be trusted to fairly and impartially run the Department of Justice, and I’m hopeful that the few remaining Senate Republicans who believe in our democracy will have the integrity to block this nomination.”

Exclusive — “Ron DeSantis has made no decision about potential U.S. Senate vacancy” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Rumors that DeSantis has committed to any potential replacement for Rubio in the event Trump confirms his widely-reported selection as Secretary of State is premature. That’s according to DeSantis’ spokesperson Bryan Griffin in comments exclusive to Florida Politics Thursday. Griffin noted the Governor is part of a weeklong trade mission to Italy. “I’d also point out that no official nomination has been confirmed by President Trump,” Griffin added, “so there would not yet be a need to name a replacement.”

“Laurel Lee part of conversation for Rubio’s Senate seat” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Add U.S. Rep. Lee to the list of potential successors if Rubio becomes Secretary of State. Lee just won a second term as a U.S. Representative. But if Rubio leaves his seat to join Trump’s Cabinet, DeSantis will choose a Senate successor. Asked about interest, those in Lee’s orbit did not shoot down the possibility of a move to the upper chamber. “The Congresswoman is honored that she is a part of the conversation,” said Sarah Bascom. “Sen. Rubio has served with great distinction and our country is very lucky to have him as our future Secretary of State.”

“DeSantis-Trump relationship? Not great. But the Gov may yet get back into his good graces” via John Kennedy of the Tallahassee Democrat — Trump ran his campaign promising retribution against a host of perceived opponents, including the press, prosecutors and Republican defectors. DeSantis may not be on any enemies list, but his relationship with the incoming President is a “C” at best, said an ally of both men who deemed their connection “serviceable” but in need of real work. A factor in the discord: DeSantis’ brutal treatment of Susie Wiles, Trump’s campaign co-manager turned newly minted White House Chief of Staff. Five years ago, the Governor pushed Wiles out of his inner circle and got Trump to do the same. DeSantis then got her ousted from a lucrative job with Ballard Partners, a powerhouse lobbying firm.

“Melania Trump is unlikely to move to White House full-time as First Lady — insiders” via Conor Wilson of Express — During Trump’s second term as President, Melania Trump will not live in the White House full-time. The First Lady has a high-profile role in American politics, with Michelle Obama, Hilary Clinton, Nancy Reagan and Jackie Kennedy using the platform to campaign for causes close to their heart while performing an essential function at their husband’s side. However, as Trump has redefined the expectations of a U.S. President, Melania has often done the same as the First Lady and her second term looks set to see her break with tradition even further.

— TRANSITION PART 2 —

“Trump and Joe Biden make nice at the White House, at least for 29 seconds” via Michael D. Shear of The New York Times — Politics always involves a measure of performance. And on that score, few moments rival the one on Wednesday morning at the White House, when Biden and Trump pretended in public to like and respect each other — for 29 seconds. They shook hands despite years of animus and recriminations. Trump has called Biden “crooked” and a “communist,” and has vowed to investigate his actions in office. Biden has said Trump is a “dictator” who tried to steal an election and would “sacrifice our democracy” in his pursuit of power. On Wednesday, the nation’s 46th President was determined to uphold the traditions that have long surrounded a peaceful transfer of power, even if they were traditions that Trump refused to extend to him four years earlier.

“Who’s really running Trump’s transition” via Meridith McGraw and Natalie Allison of POLITICO — Trump’s first transition, the press got a live look at VIPs being paraded through the Trump Tower lobby for meetings upstairs — or, in Mitt Romney’s case, an embarrassing frog leg dinner with Trump at Jean Georges. This time is less public, as the comings and goings are recorded on social media and in conversations with reporters. The work of the transition is taking place out of view of the photos of meals enjoyed underneath the yellow-striped umbrellas at the Mar-a-Lago patio as Trump and his team huddle with a coterie of power players.

—“Palm Beach Is MAGA’s Mecca as Trump plans his White House takeover” via Michael Smith, Nancy Cook, and Anna J Kaiser of Bloomberg

“Trump chooses Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence” via Julian E. Barnes of The New York Times — Trump chose Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman who became one of his most enthusiastic backers, to serve as the director of national intelligence. Gabbard, a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve who served in Iraq, has been a longtime critic of the foreign policy establishment. Her nomination is another sign that Trump intends to give top foreign policy jobs to supporters who are deeply skeptical of the effectiveness of U.S. military intervention abroad. In a statement, Trump said Gabbard would bring “a fearless spirit” to the intelligence agencies and secure “peace through strength.”

“Trump’s defense choice stuns the Pentagon, raises questions about the Fox News host’s experience” via The Associated Press — Trump stunned the Pentagon and the broader defense world by nominating Fox News host Pete Hegseth to serve as his Defense Secretary, tapping someone largely inexperienced and untested on the global stage to take over the world’s largest and most powerful military. The news was met with bewilderment and worry among many in Washington as Trump passed on a number of established national security heavy-hitters and chose an Army National Guard officer well known in conservative circles as a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend.” While some Republican lawmakers had a muted response to the announcement, others called his combat experience an asset or said he was “tremendously capable.”

—“Sources: Ben Carson jockeys for HHS Secretary in Trump’s Cabinet” via Diana Glebova and Steven Nelson of the New York Post

—“Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has discussed becoming Interior Secretary with Trump’s transition team” via Reese Gorman and Riley Rogerson of NOTUS

“Speaker Mike Johnson wins GOP nomination to remain in job, faces full House vote in new year” via Farnoush Amiri, Kevin Freking and Lisa Mascaro of The Associated Press — While Johnson has no serious challenger, he faces dissent within his ranks, particularly from hard-right conservatives and the Freedom Caucus withholding their votes as leverage to extract promises ahead. Trump told House Republicans, during his first trip back to Washington since the party swept the 2024 Election, that he’s with the Speaker all the way, according to a person familiar with the remarks but unauthorized to discuss the private meeting near the Capitol. Johnson heaped praise on Trump, calling him the “comeback king.” It’s been a remarkable political journey for Johnson, the accidental Speaker who rose as the last, best choice to replace ousted former Speaker Kevin McCarthy more than a year ago and quickly set course by positioning himself alongside Trump and leading Republicans during the elections.

“Moms for Liberty co-founder floated for Education Secretary” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — Another pick running through the rumor mill: Tiffany Justice for Education Secretary. Justice is the co-founder of Moms for Liberty, the Florida-grown conservative organization that rose to prominence for spearheading the book ban zeitgeist of the post-pandemic era and employing “groomer” rhetoric during debates over culture war school legislation, such as Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law. The prospect of a Secretary Justice is likely to trigger Democrats; there is little they can do outside of a filibuster to stymie the pick — when the next Congress is sworn in, the GOP will control at least 51 seats, and the Governors who will appoint Rubio’s and incoming Vance’s replacements are both Republicans.

— EPILOGUE —

“Why was there a broad drop-off in Democratic turnout in 2024?” via Michael C. Bender of The New York Times — Counties with the most significant Democratic victories in 2020 delivered 1.9 million fewer votes for Kamala Harris than they had for Biden. The nation’s most Republican-heavy counties turned out an additional 1.2 million votes for Trump this year, according to the analysis of the 47 states where the vote count is mainly complete. The drop-off spanned demographics and economics. It was evident in counties with the highest job growth rates, counties with the most job losses, and counties with the highest percentage of college-educated voters. Turnout was down, too, across groups that are traditionally strong for Democrats — including areas with large numbers of Black Christians and Jewish voters.

—“15 charts that tell the story of the 2024 Election” via Chris Cillizza of So What

“Kamala Harris aide says left-wing tantrum derailed Joe Rogan interview” via Emell Derra Adolphus of The Daily Beast — An adviser with Harris’ campaign has finally addressed what many felt was her biggest misstep in the lead-up to Election Day. At a Clearing House conference on Wednesday in New York City, Jennifer Palmieri, a senior adviser to Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff, said the sitting Vice President skipped appearing on Rogan’s podcast out of fears of in-house “backlash.” “There was a backlash with some of our progressive staff that didn’t want her to be on it,” said Palmieri, who previously worked in the White House and on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign. Harris was criticized by several political pundits for skipping Rogan following Trump’s heavily-watched interview, believing it would heavily cost her male voters. Palmieri added that the dynamic got “weird” with Rogan when news showed that she was mulling over the interview.

Exclusive — “Too little, too late: In final weeks, Harris campaign sidelined Florida leadership, launched ineffective field work” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Sources familiar with Harris’ campaign dynamics indicated that the campaign sidelined Florida Director Jasmine Burney-Clark in September. “There was turmoil with staff,” one source told Florida Politics. Burney-Clark remained on the payroll and denied being removed from a leadership position. She acknowledged that the campaign struggled with infrastructure and challenges in the field. “This is a state battered and bruised by a Republican Legislature who does not want to see free and fair elections happen in this state,” she said. “That is not a recipe for success for everyone and not an environment anyone can thrive in.” Harris campaign adviser Adam Hoyer said he effectively took over State Director duties in the first week of October but never formally held the title. Florida officials say the state attracted little attention throughout the campaign, even as Democrats openly asserted that it remained competitive.

— D.C. MATTERS —

“Trump’s economic agenda for his second term is clouding the outlook for mortgage rates” via The Associated Press — Trump’s election win is clouding the outlook for mortgage rates even before he gets back to the White House. The President-elect campaigned on a promise to make homeownership more affordable by lowering mortgage rates through policies aimed at knocking out inflation. However, some economists and analysts say that his proposed economic agenda could potentially set the stage for mortgage rates to move higher. Then yields surged further immediately after Trump’s victory, sending the average rate on a 30-year mortgage up to 6.79%.

“Ryan Routh, accused of plotting to kill Trump, barred from sharing case materials” via Hannah Phillips of the Palm Beach Post — Amid concerns over his desire to speak to the media, Routh’s defense attorneys and prosecutors negotiated a set of rules governing how and when he can access case materials, and with whom they can be shared. Routh, 58, is accused of plotting to kill Trump at the President-elect’s golf course near West Palm Beach in September. While awaiting trial for the suspected assassination attempt, Routh wrote a letter to the Palm Beach Post outlining his distaste for Trump in October. If Routh continues contacting news outlets, he risks violating new rules. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon prohibited Routh from sharing evidence, referred to as discovery material, with anyone outside his team of public defenders.

“Vern Buchanan leads charge to renew disaster funding for small businesses impacted by recent hurricanes” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — U.S. Rep. Buchanan is heading up a contingent of 32 House members demanding that Congress replenish U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) funding for disaster loans after two hurricanes slammed Florida. The loans were geared to businesses that were strapped in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which plowed into Florida and other states two weeks apart in late September and early October. But those funds were exhausted, and SBA officials initially said they would no longer be able to offer assistance to those small businesses damaged by the hurricanes until Congress made more funds available. As those funds ran out, Buchanan is now leading the charge for Congress to reappropriate renewed money for the SBA.

“‘Hit list’ that included Jared Moskowitz also mentioned local Jewish targets, prosecutors say” via Shira Moolten of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — A Margate man accused of drafting a “hit list” that included the name of South Florida Congressman Moskowitz was also eyeing multiple local Jewish targets, prosecutors say. John Kevin Lapinski Jr., 41, appeared in federal court in Fort Lauderdale for the first time. He stood handcuffed before Magistrate Judge Patrick Hunt, hearing the charges he faces: possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, violating a domestic violence injunction by possessing a firearm and unlawfully possessing a firearm that is not registered with the federal government. Lapinski appeared calm, sitting with his fingers crossed in front of him. He did not have a lawyer present.

— APPROPS —

Senate President-designate Ben Albritton has named Appropriations Committee Chairs for the 2024-2026 term, noting that each will face a “significant, demanding responsibility.

Sen. Gayle Harrell will chair the Appropriations Committee on Higher Education, bringing her experience as the Legislature’s current longest-serving member to continue what Albritton describes in a memo as “historic investments” rolling.

“She knows what it took to get our colleges and universities to the top and what it will take to keep them there,” he wrote.

Sen. Danny Burgess will chair the Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education. Albritton praised Burgess as a “fellow homeschool parent” who “highly values parental rights in education.”

Sen. Jason Brodeur will continue to chair the Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government, a role he held during the previous term.

Sen. Jay Trumbull, a “thoughtful and innovative leader” Albritton says will “work diligently to make certain our state investments in the health of Floridians are achieving better outcomes,” will head the Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services.

Sen. Nick DiCeglie will chair the Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development. Albritton tapped him for this role because he will “be a strong advocate for those impacted” by recent hurricanes. DiCeglie’s home suffered damage during Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Finally, Sen. Bryan Avila will chair the Committee on Finance and Tax, a role for which Albritton expects him to be “a strong leader” in evaluating “new opportunities to return hard-earned tax dollars to Floridians.” Albritton noted the need for relief as “inflation has significantly impacted families across our state.”

The assignments come after Albritton announces Sen. Ed Hooper as Chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations.

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— NEW RULES —

Speaker-designate Daniel Perez will implement process improvements in the Florida House, including streamlining bill filing, enhancing member engagement, and eliminating inappropriate de facto lobbying.

Rep. Sam Garrison will file the changes as House Resolution 10.

The rule changes include a new bill filing process that discontinues the complicated system of multiple draft submissions and deadlines. There will now be a single bill drafting submission deadline, set for Jan. 24, 2025, and a single bill filing deadline, set for Feb. 28, 2025.

Perez also establishes combined workgroups, a concept he describes as new and unique. The goal is to facilitate “greater member engagement and dialogue on critical issues.” The workgroups will be used “for an intensive examination of a single issue across multiple subject matter jurisdictions.” They will meet over a “short period of time” with a 24-hour meeting notice.

Committee process changes are also on the way for the next Session, with the elimination of multiple deadlines. They will now be uniformly at 5 p.m. Additionally, members must ask Committee Chairs in writing to place a bill on the agenda, including information about an anticipated Senate companion.

Perez is also eliminating the requirement for members to ask permission for absences, instead asking them to notify the Speaker’s Office and the Clerk if they plan to miss all or part of a scheduled Floor Session.

Perez is also blocking former members employed by a registered lobbyist from being admitted to the House chamber. The change is an effort to end what Perez describes as “de facto lobbying” on the House floor. Already, former members who are registered lobbyists are barred from the House chamber other than for ceremonial events.

Perez is shifting responsibility for addressing breaches of protocol or decorum from House staff to the House Rules and Ethics Committee. He’s also proposing a new rule to waive the prohibition on House members traveling to Tallahassee on a private flight.

The changes will also add transparency to lobby disclosures by requiring staff to confirm that a lobbyist has filed one before scheduling a meeting on a specific bill, appropriation, or issue.

— VROOM, VROOM! —

Gov. DeSantis tours Ferrari, enters into research-sharing agreement — As part of his trade mission to Italy on Wednesday, DeSantis toured the Ferrari facility in Maranello before heading to Milan to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between Florida International University, Florida-based Insightec, and the Italy-based Neurological Institute of Besta to share research on innovative treatments for brain diseases. “Our mission in Italy continues to produce results,” DeSantis said. “In addition to building new relationships for Florida today with world-renowned businesses, we have also partnered with Floridian and Italian institutions to share innovative research to treat brain diseases.” The institute in Milan is a center of excellence for research and treating neurological diseases. The agreement will allow collaboration on clinical research studies involving the potential treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other brain diseases. It will help patients in Florida, across the U.S., and worldwide. DeSantis’ tour of Ferrari was billed as an effort to express Florida’s commitment to being a shipping and receiving hub for luxury sports cars.

“Florida to open a trade office in Italy in 2025, DeSantis boasts” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — DeSantis and leaders of the Italian government agree to open a new SelectFlorida international trade development office in Italy next year. The news comes as some Florida officers visit Italy for a business development excursion this week. Florida already has 18 different international trade development offices in 16 different countries worldwide. The Italian trade development office will serve as a clearinghouse and a recruitment and assistance center for industrial and commercial companies interested in international trade in Florida. SelectFlorida already provides services to multiple international companies expanding to Florida or engaged in import and export trade. DeSantis touted the new Italian office in a prepared statement Tuesday.

— STATEWIDE —

“Florida insurance claims from Hurricanes Helene and Milton climb by $169M in past week” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — Insurance claims filed seeking help to recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton rose by $169 million in the past week in Florida. The Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) reports $4.775 billion in insurance claims filed by Florida residents who were victims of the storms. That’s up from the Nov. 1 figure of $4.606 billion. Helene slammed the Big Bend area on Sept. 26. Milton plowed into the Gulf Coast on Oct. 9 before crossing the peninsula and exiting into the Atlantic Ocean on Sept. 10. Milton, which caused more extensive damage statewide, is now estimated to have a total insured loss of $3.038 billion as of Nov. 8. That’s up by $35 million over the Nov. 1 report from the OIR, which had $3.003 billion for Hurricane Milton insurance claims filed.

“Officials announce additional nutritional assistance program for hurricane victims” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — A new round of nutritional assistance is coming to multiple counties adversely affected by hurricanes this year. Officials are encouraging victims to show up and get that assistance in seven counties. Several Florida counties have been earmarked for Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) help announced by the Department of Children and Families (DCF). Shevaun Harris, Director of DCF, announced the special nutrition program to help victims of Hurricanes Helene and Milton that hit Florida in September and October, respectively. The assistance will be available in Citrus, Flagler, Highlands, Madison, Pasco, Volusia and Wakulla counties. The D-SNAP program helps Florida residents impacted by the tropical blasts with food.

“Florida faces ‘critical infrastructure challenges,’ USF transportation center study shows” via Breanne Williams of the Tampa Bay Business Journal — A new study has found that current traffic management systems in Florida are “increasingly inadequate” as the state grapples with how best to manage its rapid growth. The study “Best Practices: Signalized Intersection Investments” found that outdated traffic management systems are causing congestion and significant safety concerns throughout the state. Strategic investments in intersection infrastructure are necessary to improve the efficiency and safety of the local roadways. “This report is a call to action,” said former Sen. Jeff Brandes, President of the Florida Policy Project. “To ensure the safety of all road users and accommodate future growth, we must prioritize strategic investments that address these longstanding challenges at Florida’s intersections.”

“Details of Jonathan Dickinson State Park golf controversy still shady months later” via Kimberly Miller of the Palm Beach Post — A state proposal to put 45 holes of golf at Jonathan Dickinson State Park was leaked to the public in mid-August along with plans to add pickleball courts, hotels and disc golf at eight other parks throughout Florida. Following the leak, the state tried to get ahead of the controversy, touting the plans as a campaign to increase park visitors called the “Great Outdoors Initiative.” But the surreptitious rollout of the proposals only a few days ahead of public meetings that were scheduled for an hour at the same time on the same day statewide led to a maelstrom of opposition from parkgoers, the general public, and politicians who railed against destroying native habitat for hardscape “amenities.”

“Tom Leek committed to serving in Florida Senate, will not run for Congress” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — Leek confirmed he will not run for the congressional seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz. “Since it was announced that my friend Congressman Mike Waltz was going to be nominated to serve as NSA Director, I have been honored to be asked if I would consider running for his congressional seat in a Special Election. I am very much looking forward to beginning my service in the Florida State Senate next week and will not be seeking election to Congress,” Leek said. Leek was elected to his first term in the Senate last week, following eight years serving in the state House, including the past two as Budget Chief. He is succeeding term-limited Sen. Travis Hutson in Senate District 7, which covers all of Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, and part of Volusia counties.

— LOCAL: S. FL —

“Fort Lauderdale Mayor questions high cost of temporary housing for the homeless” via Susannah Bryan of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The high cost of creating a mini-village of tiny homes for the homeless in Broward County already has one high-profile critic: Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis. Broward County is in talks with the United Way of Broward County about possibly running a new tiny home community program and providing communal meals. United Way officials are interested in partnering with Fort Lauderdale to make the program a reality, Acting Assistant City Manager Chris Cooper told the Commission last week. So far, Cooper said that Broward County has allocated $250,000 to build a dozen or so homes — commonly known as “pallet” shelters — and $500,000 to operate them.

“Brightline gets $45M deal with Martin County for a station in downtown Stuart” via Keith Burbank of Treasure Coast Newspapers — A $45 million deal was struck for a Brightline train station in downtown Stuart just months after City Commissioners there rescinded a similar deal. County Commissioners approved it unanimously at a packed County Commission meeting, with an equal number of supporters and detractors in the audience. “We should be looking decades into the future,” said Commissioner Ed Ciampi when dealing with transportation and perhaps other issues facing the county. Passenger rail will be around for some time to come, he said. The station will be located in the same spot as initially planned — at 500 Southeast Flagler Ave. on county land in downtown Stuart.

“George Pino to turn himself in after felony boat crash charge, but he won’t have to post bond” via Grethel Aguila and David Goodhue of the Miami Herald — Miami-Dade real estate developer Pino will have to turn himself in to be booked into jail on a felony vessel homicide charge by next week, but won’t have to post bond, customary in felony cases, a judge said Wednesday. During the morning hearing, prosecutor Laura Adams announced that she wasn’t seeking a change in Pino’s bond status. Pino has been out without a bond since August 2023, when he was charged with three misdemeanors in the September 2022 boat crash that killed a Lourdes student and severely injured another.

“Broward holds off on approving plan to build temporary homes for the homeless” via Lisa J. Huriash of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Broward County Commissioners were deadlocked on how to move forward on a plan to build a community of transitionary homes for the homeless. “We will go back to the drawing board,” said Mayor Nan Rich. “We can’t seem to get it done here.” The county initially singled out a 42-acre site of six parcels as the future site for a homeless community of 100 tiny homes. The cost wasn’t set, but one estimate put it possibly coming in at $14 million. The intent is for the homeless to use the homes as an emergency location before moving to a more permanent residence. But many questions remain. “This is not fully cooked,” said Commissioner Robert McKinzie.

“Broward Commission bids farewell to Tim Ryan, Commissioner with family legacy” via Lisa J. Huriash of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Broward County Commissioners bid farewell to Commissioner Ryan, his last formal meeting before retirement. In deference, they also named the day “Tim Ryan Appreciation Day.” Ryan called it “the luck of the Irish (that) I was successful in politics.” His political career began early as president of the Student Council in eighth grade. When he was a child, his father took him to Tallahassee to work as a page, where he fetched cigars for the Senators. Ryan was first elected to District 7 in November 2012 and left because of term limits. He was re-elected in 2016 and 2020 and served one stint as Mayor.

“Broward Commission relaxes rules on food and drink gifts” via Lisa J. Huriash of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Broward County Commissioners unanimously agreed to relax the rules surrounding accepting gifts of food and drinks when they are on the job. The current rules have prohibited elected officials from accepting any gift with a value that exceeds $5 from a lobbyist, vendor, or contractor. That went beyond a state law — intended to prohibit “sizable gifts that may invite actual or perceived impropriety” — that requires elected officials accepting $100 or more worth of food and drinks from a non-relative to be reported, as well as vendor and lobbyist gifts between $25 and $100. Gifts of food and beverages are capped at $100 from lobbyists and vendors.

“Coral Gables vacating landmark City Hall amid structural issues and political infighting” via Andres Viglucci of the Miami Herald — A respected engineer’s finding that support columns and beams in Coral Gables’ landmark City Hall could be structurally unsound has set off a scramble by city administrators to vacate the historic 1928 building amid angry accusations by Mayor Vincent Lago that the move is “political theater.” Veteran South Florida structural engineer Douglas Wood has told the city that the building will be entirely safe to occupy in a few days once the support elements are shored up, a job now underway. However, municipal officials are rushing to find temporary office space by January for all personnel housed at City Hall, including the City Manager’s staff, the City Attorney’s office, the City Clerk, and City Commission staff.

“New appointee to Hialeah Council makes history as its oldest member” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Sixty years after he emigrated from Cuba, Republican Juan Francisco Junco is a member of the Hialeah Council. At 86, he’s the oldest to sit on the panel, and other members voted unanimously to add him to their ranks. The prior record-holder was the late Henry Milander, who served two separate stints as Hialeah Mayor between 1943 and 1975 when he died in office at 75. Junco replaces ex-Council member Bryan Calvo, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully this year for Miami-Dade County Tax Collector. Ironically, 23-year-old Calvo was the youngest person city voters ever elected to the Council.

“DeSantis taps lawyer Lauren Sweet to become a St. Lucie County Judge” via Melissa E. Holsman of Treasure Coast Newspapers — Sweet is expected to take the bench next month as a St. Lucie County Judge after being appointed by DeSantis, his Office announced last week. Sweet, 36, who since 2022 has served as an Assistant General Counsel for St. Lucie County Public Schools, will fill a vacancy created in July when Kathryn Nelson retired after 19 years of service. She also worked as an Assistant State Attorney for the 19th Judicial Circuit from 2014 until 2022, prosecuting cases involving juveniles, misdemeanors, felonies, mental health court and drug court, according to her application to the Judicial Nominating Commission. The 19th Judicial Circuit includes Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties.

— LOCAL: C. FL —

“Convention market shrinks while Orange spends more” via Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel — On Monday, The New York Times posed the question as a headline: “Why Are Cities Still Spending Big on Convention Centers?” Orange County was, of course, mentioned in the piece since County Commissioners recently voted to dump another half-billion dollars into once again expanding a center that: A) Is already bigger than the Pentagon at 7 million square feet, B) Is rarely fully occupied, C) Has had to offer groups incentives to book the space and D) Consistently loses money. Central Florida keeps doing many things the way it did in the 1980s. Instead of asking tough questions, the only question some leaders here seem to ask is: How much money do we have to spend? Orange County has paid economists to put all kinds of magical multipliers on the money spent by conventioneers to conclude that the center has a $3.9 billion “economic impact.” Other economists — namely those who aren’t paid to produce sunny summaries — say the convention industry’s inflated economic claims belong “in the fiction section.”

“Orange elections chief Glen Gilzean removes name from scholarship amid controversy, county inquiry” via Steven Walker of the Orlando Sentinel — Gilzean’s name is no longer on an Orange County Supervisor of Elections’ scholarship for high school students. According to an agreement made with the colleges in September, Gilzean, the outgoing Supervisor of Elections, plans to give every graduating senior at Jones and Evans high schools a scholarship to attend Valencia or Orange Technical College. The $2.1 million scholarship initially bore Gilzean’s name, but it was dropped to call it the “Orange County Promise of the Future” scholarship; the elections office and college agreed. The planned scholarships prompted controversy when they were made public last week as they would be paid for by unused election office money not spent this cycle. Some officials said the money should have been returned to the Orange County government, which funds the office, or used to improve election work.

—”Orange County Mayor threatens lawsuit over Glen Gilzean’s spending” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics

“Seminole approves $14M contract with ‘outdated’ Lynx bus service but commits to cut costs” via Martin E. Comas of the Orlando Sentinel — Seminole Commissioners blasted Lynx bus service for inefficiencies before approving a new $14 million contract for the upcoming year and committing to look at ways to cut costs to the county. “As a businessman, I can tell you, this is not efficient for Seminole County,” Commission Chair Jay Zembower said. “The model is antiquated. It’s outdated. … At $14 million, I think we could get a frequent card with Uber and run people all over where they want through this region.” Zembower commented during a Lynx official presentation during the County Commission meeting. Lynx’s proposals to cut costs include discontinuing underperforming routes with few riders — primarily in the Lake Mary and Sanford areas.

— LOCAL: TB —

“Mayor plans to pay Trop’s $55 million damage bill” via Mark Parker of St. Pete Catalyst — The Tampa Bay Rays could open the 2026 season in Tropicana Field if St. Petersburg city officials commit over $55 million to repair the storm-damaged stadium. Mayor Ken Welch announced his intention to foot the bill Tuesday afternoon. While officials continue reviewing a comprehensive damage assessment, the Mayor believes “having our hometown team play in St. Petersburg as soon as possible is important for our community.” “The city plans to meet its obligations to ensure that the Rays can play in St. Pete, and the redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District and the construction of a new stadium move forward,” Welch said. “As such, the city is implementing repairs to Tropicana Field with the hope that it will be ready for play for the 2026 season.”

“State Attorney Suzy Lopez highlights lower crime, says people ‘are feeling safer’” via Christina Schuler of Florida’s Voice — Hillsborough County State Attorney Lopez, serving Florida’s 13th Judicial Circuit, highlighted the successes in local crime reduction and community safety. Speaking on recent strides in collaboration with law enforcement, Lopez emphasized that crime rates have decreased since she took office. “Everybody wants to feel safe in their community,” Lopez said during an interview on Florida’s Voice with Drew Steele. “Everyone wants to know that if someone breaks into their house and, you know, steals their belongings, that that person is going to be held responsible and held accountable. And so that’s what we’re doing,” she said. Since she assumed her role, Suzy noted that the community has felt a positive impact.

“Tampa General Hospital receives $8.5M gift to establish breast cancer center” via Pam Huff of the Tampa Bay Business Journal — Author, publisher and business owner Helen Rich has donated $8.5 million to Tampa General Hospital to establish a breast cancer center. The center would be within the TGH Cancer Institute. Rich received treatment at TGH for a breast cancer recurrence. “Helen Rich is a living, breathing example of why our entire team at Tampa General is so committed to making the promise of academic medicine accessible right here in our community and beyond,” said John Couris, hospital president and CEO, in the release. “She recognized that the TGH Cancer Institute had access to top clinical talent and breakthrough research that would give her the best chance of not only surviving but thriving in the wake of her diagnosis. And because of her generosity, our organization will be empowered to continue elevating the care we deliver to patients for years to come.”

“Tampa International Airport goes in-house for new CEO, taps Michael Stephens” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — On Tuesday, the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority’s Board of Directors selected Stephens to serve as the new CEO of Tampa International Airport. Stephens currently serves as the airport’s executive vice president and General Counsel. He will be the airport’s fourth CEO and its first Black leader. Stephens’ selection comes after a nine-month process to select a new leader to replace longtime CEO Joe Lopano, who announced in February that he would be retiring at the end of his contract in April 2025. The vote to select Stephens was 4-1, allowing the Aviation Authority to begin contract negotiations with Stephens.

— LOCAL: N. FL —

“Jacksonville Council member Rory Diamond on Trump transition: ‘He’s making America Florida’” via Christina Schuler of Florida’s Voice — As Trump finalizes his Cabinet, local leaders notice that many of them are coming from the state of Florida. Many local leaders, like Jacksonville Council member Diamond, are taking note of the efforts to bring Florida’s conservative leadership and policies to the national level by appointing prominent Floridians to his Cabinet and key advisory roles. “Trump is literally making America, Florida, and we’ll be better off for it,” Diamond said. He pointed to Florida’s approach to the COVID-19 pandemic as a defining moment that set it apart from other state.

“Donna Deegan adjusts to reality of Republican-controlled Washington” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Jacksonville’s Democratic Mayor bet on Harris to win last week’s election, but it went the other way. And now Deegan faces GOP control in Washington, just as in Tallahassee, leading to strategic recalibrations. During an appearance on WJCT’s “First Coast Connect,” the Mayor described herself as a “Democrat with the mind of an independent.” She stressed that Jacksonville is a “purple city” and that she has worked well with Scott, U.S. Reps. Aaron Bean and John Rutherford, and other Republicans to achieve positive outcomes for Jacksonville. “This is a deeply divided electorate in Jacksonville,” Deegan said. The Mayor acknowledged “sharp differences on kitchen table issues,” saying that public polling was “very much aligned with what Vice President Harris was trying to move forward,” but suggested Jacksonville’s connections with the White House would carry the day.

“St. Johns County Commission now has majority who committed to slowing growth” via Noah Hertz of Jax Today — After last week’s elections, the five-member St. Johns County Commission will have a three-person majority who campaigned on slowing the county’s rapid growth. The two newly elected, Ann Taylor and Clay Murphy, ran campaigns that put slowing growth front and center. They’ll officially be seated on the Board next week. But Murphy says thinking of the three as a guaranteed voting bloc against every development that comes forward would be a mistake. Taylor and Murphy agree that the pace of St. Johns County’s growth is not sustainable. Taylor sees her election as a referendum on just that. “I believe the reason I was elected is that I represent the residents first and foremost, and not special interests, and not developers and builders,” she said. “I’m certainly not anti-development — I do want it to be very clear that I’m going to be very fair in every vote — but I do think it’s very obvious that we have had a Commission that was very heavily biased toward residential development. And I want to see more of a balance.”

“Key manufacturing indicators show October slowdown in First Coast” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — First Coast manufacturing contracted within several key metrics in October, according to a new report published by researchers at the University of North Florida (UNF) Coggin College of Business. The Jacksonville Economic Monitoring Survey (JEMS) conducted by UNF found a downturn among many industrial producers in Northeast Florida last month. “The index reflects a mixed economic environment where softened demand and cautious spending contribute to a downturn in new orders, backlogs, and export orders, much like the national trend,” UNF researchers concluded. Manufacturing output, a key indicator for Jacksonville area manufacturers, saw a notable dip, falling to an index of 44 in October, down from 51 in September. UNF College of Business Interim Dean Albert Loh said in the report that production was slightly hobbled in October.

— TOP OPINION —

“Gaetz is about to show America what it means to become Florida” via Nate Monroe of The Florida Times-Union — It’s not often one encounters a politician so universally reviled, who so widely inspires a feeling of ick, whose pompadoured profile so much resembles a kind of Johnny Bravo-like cartoon. It’s rarer still to find that person elevated to a position of grave import: Yet, such is the case with Gaetz.

What more can be said that hasn’t been said before? Gaetz is a miscreant who better resembles a barking Pensacola used car salesman than he does the figure singularly responsible for the sober and fair administration of justice in the United States.

That Republicans in Congress find Gaetz as repulsive as their Democratic colleagues is evidence enough of the absurdity of this choice. That those Republicans — each more eager than the last to become Trump’s most favored supplicant — were almost immediately voicing concerns about the nomination Wednesday afternoon is proof positive we’ve flown over the cuckoo’s nest.

But those concerns are hardly a meaningful indication Senate Republicans will buck their new master.

It would be impractical to list Gaetz’s disqualifying traits and past controversies to exhaustion, but at nearly every turn in his public life, he has disgraced himself and inspired feelings of nausea in those around him.

It’s dubious all those voters across America with their deeply professed concerns about the economy fully understood what they were getting into when they cast a ballot for the addled huckster and his posse of rumpled conspiracy theorists, wannabe comedians and podcast intellectuals. Did they know they were turning America into Florida? Did they know what that truly meant — to be empowering some of the state’s empty-vessel politicians?

They’re certainly finding out now.

— OPINIONS —

“What the Hegseth nomination means” via Byron York of the Washington Examiner — The fact is that despite his impressive qualifications — Princeton, Harvard, two Bronze Stars, and professional success — Hegseth does not have the resume one would expect from a Secretary of Defense, most notably the management experience to run one of the largest bureaucracies in the world, with an $841 billion budget this year. But Trump clearly wanted a change in direction. Most of all, Trump wants a Defense Department that can get things done without all the wokeness and HR department stuff that plagues modern bureaucracies. Trump has an old-movie view of the U.S. military and American generals — he frequently praises this or that general or other leader as “straight out of central casting.” Above all, he wants military leaders who will accomplish missions rather than explain why those missions cannot be accomplished, which has been a common desire of Presidents for a very long time. There is a story Trump tells that illustrates what he has in mind.

“Gabbard’s nomination is a national-security risk” via Tom Nichols of The Atlantic — Trump has nominated former Rep. Gabbard as the director of national intelligence. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence was created after 9/11 to remedy what American policymakers believed was a lack of coordination among the various national intelligence agencies, and the DNI sits atop all of America’s intelligence services, including the CIA. Gabbard is stunningly unqualified for almost any Cabinet post, especially for ODNI. She has no qualifications as an intelligence professional—literally none. She has no significant experience directing or managing much of anything.

“Trump’s AG pick is a Hail Mary for TikTok” via Kaya Yurieff of The Information — Trump on announced he wants to appoint Gaetz as his Attorney General. Gaetz was one of 15 House Republicans who voted against the bill that requires a ban of TikTok in the U.S. if it doesn’t cut ties with its Chinese parent company ByteDance. At the time, Gaetz said in a video that the short-form video app posed a national security concern and “should be banned,” but called the bill “bad” and “overbroad.” TikTok executives hope Trump will take steps to blunt the bill’s impact, such as telling the Justice Department not to enforce the law or drop the case. Still, legal experts say any intervention by the Trump White House to override the bill will be difficult — and could put companies like Apple, which hosts the app in its App Store, in a tricky position. There is also no guarantee Trump won’t shed his campaign-trail attitude toward TikTok, which he has said is necessary to compete against Facebook, a reversal from his position in his first administration when he tried to ban it.

“Scott loses a popularity contest. Surprised?” via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board — Senate Republicans salvaged some of their precarious independence Wednesday by rejecting Scott, Trump’s preferred candidate, as their new leader. If the balance of power means anything, no President should have such influence over a legislative body. But it wasn’t all bad news for Trump. All three candidates for Senate leader bowed to his demand that Senators go home in January so he can stock the Cabinet with recess appointees who won’t need confirmation and, in some cases, don’t deserve it. It’s an insult to the Senate’s constitutional duty to advise and consent. In the race to succeed Sen. Mitch McConnell as party leader, Sen. John Thune of South Dakota defeated Sen. John Cornyn of Texas. Scott finished third and was eliminated in the first round of secret balloting with 13 votes, even though some influential voices in Trump’s orbit were pushing him.

“Legislature should respect voters on pot amendment. After all, Trump backed it” via Robert F. Sanchez of the Miami Herald — Florida’s lawmakers will return to Tallahassee next Tuesday for the newly elected Legislature’s Organizational Session. DeSantis spent thousands of taxpayers’ dollars on ads attacking Amendment 3. Those ads pointed out some aspects of the amendment that were worrisome enough to raise doubts in enough voters’ minds that it fell short of receiving 60% of the votes, which is the threshold for amending the constitution. However, a Legislature in which the leaders say, “The people have spoken! Let’s listen to the people!” could easily address Amendment 3’s shortcomings while enacting a statute to achieve the amendment’s broad goals.

“Florida’s missed opportunity on Amendment 3” via George Fernandez of the Miami Herald — With 57% of Floridians voting in favor of Amendment 3, it’s clear that adult-use cannabis has strong support. To put it in perspective, Trump received 56.1% of the Florida vote – a fraction less than Amendment 3. But because of Florida’s 60% threshold for constitutional amendments and a Governor staunchly opposed, we fell short. This setback is disappointing, but it doesn’t discourage the path forward. Adult-use cannabis in Florida isn’t a matter of “if” but “when.” The Legislature now has a mandate from a majority of voters to take this issue seriously. Although adult-use legalization would have boosted business for existing licensed operators (known as Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers or MMTCs), growth will continue regardless. Florida already hosts the largest medical marijuana market in the nation, and it’s expanding rapidly. Existing MMTCs will continue to strengthen their presence and expand their footprint.

— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —

— ALOE —

“They produce Florida’s clams. To survive climate change, they’re counting on Republicans.” via Denise Hruby of the Miami Herald — Until recently, some 200 Cedar Key farmers produced virtually every clam consumed in Florida, pulling in 120 million mollusks a year. Clamming had allowed them to fend off over-development and retain the island’s Old Florida charm, which has become so hard to find. Hurricane Helene shattered that economic backbone. As these impacts are set to become worse, Cedar Key’s backbone can’t just be restored as it was. It’ll need to be fortified. It can’t happen without help from the government – business loans and more disaster aid in particular, Cannon says. Whether they’ll receive it now hinges on the Republican Party, set to lead the House and Senate, and Trump. Some farmers were still waiting for their disaster relief payments from last year’s Idalia. Clams take 14 to 16 months to grow, exposing them to two hurricane seasons, give or take.

“Epic Universe: Donkey Kong ride glimpses in Japan announcement” via DeWayne Bevil of the Orlando Sentinel — Epic Universe watchers got a wee peek at one of the future theme park’s rides thanks to a preview video made in Osaka. Universal Studios Japan announced the grand opening day for its Donkey Kong Country area within its Super Nintendo World. It shared a first look at elements of its Mine-Cart Madness ride. The attraction will be available to park guests on Dec. 11. When Universal Orlando opens Epic on May 22, that park will also have Mine-Cart Madness as part of its Super Nintendo World. The coaster has a pre-opening buzz for its ride system, which Universal Creative developed. It includes an in-car leap over what appears to be a dramatic gap in the tracks. Shigeru Miyamoto, representative director and fellow of Nintendo Co. and the creator of the Donkey Kong video game, led the video tour of the area inside Universal Studios Japan.

“‘Unofficial’ Disney cookbook author finds holiday magic in new book” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — Ashley Craft was on a mission. The cookbook author traveled back and forth to Disney World and Disneyland for two years to sample theme park menus on Christmas, Hanukkah and the more minor holidays, like May the Fourth or St. Patrick’s Day. The result of her culinary explorations: Craft published her fifth cookbook this Fall called “The Unofficial Disney Parks Holidays Cookbook.” Her series of unofficial Disney cookbooks have sold 850,000 copies, her publisher Simon & Schuster confirmed. Craft knows it’s hard to get the chicken matzo ball soup or the Mickey Mouse gingerbread cookies precisely right. Craft pitched her idea about a Disney-themed cookbook to Disney in 2019, but Craft said the multibillion-dollar company’s publishing arm wasn’t interested.

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Celebrating today are former Speaker Will Weatherford, our brilliant friend Karen Cyphers, Brittney Metzger, and Debbie Millner.

___

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