Peter Schorsch
Good Friday morning.
Breaking late Thursday — “Donald Trump chooses Pam Bondi for Attorney General pick after Matt Gaetz withdraws” via Eric Tucker and Alanna Durkin Richer of The Associated Press — Bondi is a longtime Trump ally and was one of his lawyers during his first impeachment trial when he was accused — but not convicted — of abusing his power as he tried to condition U.S. military assistance to Ukraine on that country investigating then-former Vice President Joe Biden. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. She’s been a Chair at the America First Policy Institute, a think tank set up by former Trump administration staffers.
—”Florida pols react to Trump picking Bondi for Attorney General” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
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Political fundraising and consulting firm Capital Resources is promoting Nicole Rees to partner.
“Clients and donors who work with Nicole understand her dedication, expertise and professionalism,” said Capital Resources founder Tony Cortese.
An announcement from the firm praised Rees for her “tireless work ethic, commitment to excellence and attention to detail” since joining the firm two and a half years ago.
“We work with a talented group of elected officials who make our jobs much easier. I am excited for the future and what we can accomplish with our team at Capital Resources,” Rees said.
Before joining Capital Resources in 2022, Rees was one of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ top fundraisers and served as Finance Director at the Republican Party of Florida.
Cortese launched Capital Resources in the Fall of 2020 after coming off a record funding cycle for House Majority, RPOF’s chief fundraising vehicle for state House campaigns. The Tallahassee-based firm now counts some of the state’s top elected Republicans among its clients.
The current list includes Sen. Jay Trumbull and Reps. Lawrence McClure, Josie Tomkow, James Buchanan and Jennifer Canady.
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Top Florida insurance industry officials will gather in Orlando next month for the Florida Chamber of Commerce Annual Insurance Summit.
Set for Dec. 3-5, the Summit will delve into the most pressing issues in Florida’s insurance market, and many of the people most in tune with the current lay of the land have been confirmed as speakers.
The list includes Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky, Citizens Property Insurance Corp. President and CEO Tim Cerio, Florida Division of Emergency Management Executive Director Kevin Guthrie and Florida State Board of Administration Executive Director Chris Spencer.
“With Florida’s evolving insurance needs and recent legislative reforms, this Summit offers an invaluable opportunity to exchange ideas and solutions that will shape the future of Florida’s property, auto and liability insurance markets,” said Florida Chamber President and CEO Mark Wilson. “By bringing together the brightest minds in the industry, we can collaboratively address the challenges impacting families, local businesses and our economy.”
This year’s summit comes nearly two years after insurance legislation was enacted to stabilize the state’s market. The market had been in a tailspin, with many well-known insurers exiting the Florida market and several small — to mid-size carriers going belly up.
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Mercury Public Affairs, a bipartisan national strategy firm, has acquired Chicago-based Serafin & Associates to expand its footprint in the Midwest. Mercury already has offices throughout the U.S., including in New York, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.
The partnership will give Mercury a presence in Chicago and throughout Illinois by leveraging Serafin’s deep knowledge of the Midwest. “Mercury-Illinois is fast becoming the premier public affairs firm in the midwest and joining with Serafin & Associates will accelerate that,” Mercury Partner and co-Chair Cheri Bustos said. “Our clients require strategic communications counsel and execution, and Serafin has been a leader in this space. Mercury-Illinois will be full service in every sense in the public affairs world.”
Bustos, a former Congresswoman, leads Mercury’s Illinois team.
Added Ashley Walker, Managing Partner in Mercury’s Florida office: “Year over year, clients lean heavily on us for not only their daily communications needs but also high-stakes alignment with decision makers across the globe. Mercury’s acquisition of Serafin & Associates marks yet another strategic expansion in our capabilities across the country and the Sunshine State. We look forward to working alongside our new colleagues to deliver impactful results for our clients.”
Serafin & Associates was founded by former reporter and political strategist Thom Serafin, who has been a public affairs and communications leader in the Midwest for nearly four decades. He has served political, public sector, nonprofit and corporate clients throughout Illinois and nationwide.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
—@realDonaldTrump: I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the administration, for which he has much respect. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!
Truth, truth:
—@JDVance: I’m extremely grateful for the work Matt put into the nomination process. He made his decision to withdraw entirely out of respect for President Trump’s administration. Matt is a patriot and I look forward to seeing what he does next.
—@MattGaetz: @PamBondi is a stellar selection by President Trump for Attorney General. Pam and I worked closely together when she was Florida’s Attorney General and I chaired Criminal Justice in the state house. She’s a proven litigator, an inspiring leader and a champion for all Americans. She will bring the needed reforms to DOJ.
—@PeterSchorschFL:.@MattGaetz as Attorney General lasted approximately 72% of a Scaramucci.
—@SenThomTillis: I respect Matt Gaetz’s decision to withdraw and appreciate his desire to ensure the success of President Trump’s transition. Priority number one for the new Senate GOP majority is to confirm Trump’s team as quickly as possible when we take back the gavels in January.
—@RogerJStoneJr: Matt Gaetz has acted with honor and put his country FIRST in his decision to withdraw. The claims against Gaetz are false. If the DOJ had evidence to prosecute him, they most certainly would have done so. God bless @MattGaetz for putting America First.
—@BrentTerhune: GOP to quietly move Matt Gaetz to a new parish.
—@RAlexAndradeFL: This whole circumstance highlights this significant fact: @mattgaetz has this uncanny ability to make career politicians hang on to his every word. Countless people are waiting to see what he does next. In a world of talkers and NPCs, Matt is a doer.
—@RepSwalwell: As I said repeatedly last week, Matt Gaetz is never, ever becoming Attorney General. Like ever.
Tweet, tweet:
— DAYS UNTIL —
‘Moana 2’ premieres – 5; ‘Chef’s Table’ returns to Netflix — 5; 2024 Florida Chamber Annual Insurance Summit begins – 11; Florida Chamber 2024 Florida Transportation, Growth & Infrastructure Solution Summit — 11; ‘Interstellar: IMAX Exclusive’ premieres — 14; MLS Cup 2024 – 15; Army-Navy game — 20; ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ premieres – 26; College Football Playoff begins – 28; ‘What If …?’ season three premieres — 30; Squid Game’ season two premieres – 34; Fiesta, Peach, Rose & Sugar Bowls – 40; Orange Bowl – 48; House single bill drafting submission deadline for 2025 Session — 63; ‘Severance’ season two debuts – 63; Super Bowl LIX — 79; Florida Chamber’s 2025 Legislative Fly-In — 80; ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ premieres – 91; 2025 Session single bill filing deadline — 98; the 2025 Oscars – 100; Florida’s 2025 Legislative Session begins – 102; Tampa Bay Rays season opener — 125; ‘Andor’ season two premieres — 151; 2025 Session ends – 161; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres – 161; Epic Universe grand opening — 181; ‘Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning’ premieres — 182; ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ premieres — 189; ‘Fantastic Four – First Steps’ premieres – 245; ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ premieres – 392; ‘Avengers 5’ premieres – 529; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 546; FIFA World Cup 26™ final – 567; FIFA World Cup 26™ final match – 605; ‘The Batman 2’ premieres – 679; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 757; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres – 897; 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Opening Ceremony — 1,330; 2028 U.S. Presidential Election — 1,446; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres – 1,856; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres – 2,577.
— TOP STORY —
“Matt Gaetz withdraws from consideration as Attorney General.” via Peter Baker, Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan of The New York Times — Gaetz, who faced a torrent of scrutiny over allegations of sex trafficking and drug use, abruptly withdrew his bid to become Attorney General on Thursday in the first major political setback for President-elect Trump since his election this month.
Gaetz has consistently denied the allegations, but his prospective nomination ran into trouble in the Senate, where Republicans were deeply reluctant to confirm someone to run the same Justice Department that once investigated him on suspicion of sex trafficking an underage girl, even though no charges were brought.
Gaetz’s nomination and confirmation process was poised to be one of the first major tests of Trump’s dominance over his party and his working relationship with the incoming Senate majority leader, John Thune. Though Republicans will control the House and the Senate, they have a slim majority in both chambers, which requires near unanimity and may test Trump’s ability to move his agenda through the legislature.
Even normally deferential Senate Republicans were openly skeptical about Gaetz’s chances of winning confirmation, an early data point that foreshadowed a tough climb for the former Florida Congressman. “I’m all about counting votes, and I would think that he’s probably got some work cut out for him,” Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina said the day Trump announced Gaetz as his pick for Attorney General.
The controversy surrounding Gaetz has already served a purpose for Trump — whether intended or not. It has made other Trump choices for Cabinet picks appear more reasonable by comparison. Very little attention, for example, has been given to the fact that Trump intends to nominate his personal lawyer, Todd Blanche, as Deputy Attorney General.
— TRANSITION —
“Trump gets a brutal reality check” via Kyle Cheney of POLITICO — Trump is not a monarch. That’s the unmistakable lesson of the ill-fated nomination of Gaetz for Attorney General. Rather than showcasing Trump’s absolute power over his GOP allies, it revealed his limits. The doomed nomination lasted just eight days — and its failure is an unwelcome lesson for the President-elect, who has been projecting invincibility and claiming a historic mandate despite his reed-thin popular vote victory. “The short version is ‘checks and balances work,’” said Eugene Volokh, a UCLA law professor. Though Republicans will control both chambers of Congress, the resistance from Senate Republicans to Gaetz’s nomination proved that there are still some checks on Trump — no matter how limited — that can hold, despite fear on the left that he will squeeze Congress into submission, get carte blanche from the conservative-dominated Supreme Court and enact his agenda at will.
“Trump picks a different Florida loyalist for Attorney General: Bondi” via Gary Fineout, Mia McCarthy, and Erica Orden of POLITICO — In selecting Bondi, Trump again chose a staunch loyalist who is seen as an overtly political operator. She defended Trump during his first impeachment in 2019 and appeared with him on the trail in the final days of the 2024 campaign. Though Bondi may prove another polarizing pick, she is likely to be at least somewhat less controversial than Gaetz, who had few qualifications for the job and whose primary experience with the Justice Department came when it investigated whether he engaged in child sex trafficking. He denied the allegations and was never charged. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close ally of the President-elect, predicted that Bondi “will be confirmed quickly because she deserves to be confirmed quickly.” Liberal groups blasted the pick. “Not being Matt Gaetz does not qualify you to be Attorney General of the United States,” Robert Weissman, the co-president of the liberal government watchdog Public Citizen, said in a statement.
“With Gaetz gone, Trump’s troubled Pentagon nominee is in the hot seat” via Connor O’Brien, Joe Gould, and Paul McLeary of POLITICO — Gaetz’s abrupt withdrawal of his bid to be Attorney General on Thursday could be bad news for another of Trump’s picks: Pete Hegseth. Hegseth’s nomination for Defense secretary is facing headwinds over seven-year-old allegations of sexual assault, although he was never charged. But Hegseth so far had been overshadowed by Gaetz, a flame-throwing congressional ally with numerous foes in both parties who faced his own misconduct allegations, including that he engaged in sex with a minor.
“‘You don’t have the votes’: How Trump barred the Gaetz” via Marc A. Caputo of The Bulwark — Eight days after making the snap decision to nominate Matt Gaetz to be the nation’s next Attorney General, Trump phoned him Thursday morning to tell him he wouldn’t get confirmed, according to a source briefed on the conversation. The President-elect explained that Republican Senators were too troubled by the sex scandals and investigations surrounding Gaetz and that the constant and salacious distractions had doomed him. “You don’t have the votes,” Trump said, according to the source. “These Senators aren’t moving.” Another source familiar with the conversation between Trump and Gaetz said Gaetz had acknowledged he had between four and six Republican votes against him. He could only lose three. “The writing was on the wall. Gaetz fell on his sword,” the source said, calling the decision a mutually understood acceptance of political reality.
“Here is how Gaetz pitched himself to Senators” via Marc Caputo of The Bulwark — Gaetz’s first round of meetings with Senate Republicans included an unexpected pitch for how he will comport himself as Attorney General, should he get their votes: He’s not thirsting for retribution at the Department of Justice, he told the lawmakers. “Look, I’m not going to go there and indict Liz Cheney, have stormtroopers bust through the studio door at MSNBC and arrest Anthony Fauci in my first week,” Gaetz told some Senators in his one-on-one meetings. That last clause — “in my first week” — sounded like an ominous disclaimer to some. And it prompted a few Senators to ask, with a laugh: What happens after that? “We’re not doing that,” Trump’s AG nominee said, according to those people. “We’re breaking the cycle of weaponizing DOJ.”
“Historically brief, but Gaetz’s Cabinet bid still did a lot of damage” via Philip Bump of The Washington Post — It’s unclear where Gaetz goes from here. He has a path back to the House; his post-Cabinet-pick resignation from the current Congress included a resignation from the next one that appears to be reversible. In early 2021, though, he’d considered resigning his seat to take an on-air role at Newsmax. That seems like a more natural career progression, given that a return to the House would eliminate the rationale House Republicans have offered for burying an Ethics Committee report into Gaetz’s behavior. The fight over that report, which was slated for release soon after the point at which Gaetz resigned, is a reminder that Gaetz’s withdrawal doesn’t erase the significant political damage his selection did to his party and Trump.
“‘End of an era’: What’s next for Gaetz?” via Skyler Swisher and Jeffrey Schweers of the Orlando Sentinel — A week ago, Gaetz was on his way to becoming Trump’s avenging angel as U.S. Attorney General, the nation’s top law enforcement official. But now that the former Florida Congressman has withdrawn his nomination amid persistent questions about his involvement in a sex scandal involving a 17-year-old girl, his political prospects are not so clear. “His future is not as bright as it once was,” said Aubrey Jewett, a University of Central Florida political science professor. “I don’t mean to imply this is the end of his political career or lobbying career because he still has the ear of the President-elect.” Gaetz’s fall has left him politically adrift, battered by persistent allegations of drug-fueled sex parties in a wealthy Seminole County enclave. One option would be to try to reclaim the North Florida congressional seat he resigned from on Nov. 13, a move that effectively shut down the House Ethics Committee’s investigation into the sexual misconduct accusations.
“Trump’s tariff policies have hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin feeling ‘very anxious’” via William Gavin of Quartz — Trump has promised to slap foreign imports with a wide range of tariffs, making Citadel CEO Griffin “very anxious.” The billionaire hedge fund manager made his comments on Monday at the Oxford Union in the U.K., where he said that tariffs are a “long, slippery slope” that can bring profits in the short-term but could make it difficult for American companies to compete in the long-term. “I am very anxious about the President’s willingness to engage in tariffs as a matter of trade policy,” Griffin said. Trump has repeatedly insisted on enacting various tariffs, touting the duties to protect U.S. consumers and companies despite a lack of evidence supporting that.
“Linda McMahon made a fortune with WWE. Wrestling scandals now shadow her rise.” via Beth Reinhard and Abha Bhattarai of The Washington Post — In the wrestling ring, where the men are bare-chested and the women don’t wear much more, World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon always looked like she was on her way to a Chamber of Commerce meeting: hair perfectly coiffed, wearing statement jewelry and conservative pantsuits. She periodically joined the show for wild narratives about her family in the 2000s, trading scripted blows with her adult daughter and pretending to be drugged and in a wheelchair as her husband, WWE co-founder Vince McMahon, carried on an affair, later kicking him in the crotch as tens of thousands of fans roared. Linda McMahon resigned 15 years ago from WWE, leaving that televised spectacle behind as she sharpened her public image as a political power broker, donating tens of millions of dollars to Republicans, running for the U.S. Senate and leading the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first term.
“Project 2025 author rejected for top health position” via Megan Messerly and Adam Cancryn of POLITICO — Trump’s transition team has rejected a push to install a prominent Project 2025 author in a senior role at the Department of Health and Human Services over concerns that his strident anti-abortion views would prove too controversial. Anti-abortion groups had been lobbying Trump’s HHS secretary nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to select Roger Severino, a longtime anti-abortion stalwart, as the department’s Deputy Secretary. The installation of Severino, director of HHS’ Office for Civil Rights during the first Trump administration, was aimed at allaying some of the groups’ concerns about Kennedy’s abortion record. Gaetz withdrew 16 days after the election. The next closest withdrawal, Barack Obama’s choice of Bill Richardson to serve as commerce secretary, came 61 days after the 2008 Election. Two weeks versus two months.
“Trump chooses former Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker as NATO Ambassador” via The Associated Press — Trump says he has chosen former acting Attorney General Whitaker to serve as U.S. Ambassador to NATO, the bedrock Western alliance that the President-elect has expressed skepticism about for years. Trump, in a statement, said Whitaker was “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is unusual, given his background in law enforcement and not in foreign policy. Whitaker had been considered a potential pick for Attorney General, a position Trump instead gave to Gaetz, a fierce loyalist who has been seen as divisive even within his party.
“Harris loss has Democrats fighting over how to talk about transgender rights” via Adam Nagourney and Nicholas Nehamas of The New York Times — In the weeks before Election Day, aides to Harris could see in campaign polling that Trump’s attacks on Harris’ support for transgender rights were driving away swing voters. Struggling to put together a rebuttal, they produced a series of ads arguing that Trump was trying to distract from more important issues. Some of the spots noted that the policy Trump was seizing on, taxpayer-funded gender-transition surgery for inmates, was in place when he was President. However, none of the messages significantly swayed voters when the ads were tested with focus groups, according to four former Harris campaign aides who spoke anonymously.
“Trump, after distancing himself from Project 2025, picks people who worked on it” via Patrick Svitek of The Washington Post — In one of his earliest interviews as a leader of Trump’s transition team, Howard Lutnick was emphatic. “Absolutely zero. No connection. Zero,” Lutnick said, referring to ties between the transition team and Project 2025, the conservative blueprint for a second Trump term that had become a political liability for the Republican nominee. “I won’t take a list from them,” Lutnick added in the Sept. 16 interview. “I won’t take a topic from them. I won’t touch them. They made themselves nuclear.” But just over two months later, Trump has won the presidency and is assembling an administration that includes some picks for key positions that stand in stark contrast to his repeated efforts to distance himself from Project 2025.
“‘Fake news’: Trump staffers slam new Michael Wolff book” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Senior staff of Trump’s campaign, many of whom are moving on to the new administration, are united in condemnation of the latest Wolff book about the President-elect and his political operation. Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Chris LaCivita, incoming deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs James Blair, incoming deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel Taylor Budowich, deputy Campaign Manager Justin Caporale, communications director Steven Cheung, pollster Tony Fabrizio, speechwriter Vince Haley, senior advisers Danielle Alvarez, Brian Hughes and Jason Miller, spokesperson Tim Murtaugh, data consultant Tim Saler, Donald Trump Jr. spox Andrew Surabian and pollster Travis Tunis say that “number of us have received inquiries from the disgraced author Wolff, whose previous work can only be described as fiction.”
“Say her name: The Laken Riley case and presidential politics” via The Washington Examiner — When President Joe Biden arrived in the House chamber to give the State of the Union address last March, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene handed him a button with Riley‘s name. Riley was the 22-year-old nursing student who had been murdered by an illegal border crosser in Athens, Georgia, a month earlier. In the subsequent investigation, it was revealed that Jose Ibarra, the Venezuelan gang member accused of killing Riley, had not only entered the country illegally but had been allowed to stay and provided all sorts of hospitality by the Biden administration. Even after he committed crimes in the United States, Ibarra was put up in the Roosevelt Hotel in New York and then given a free plane ticket to Georgia, courtesy of U.S. taxpayers. Once in Georgia, he hunted down and attacked Riley, strangling her and bashing her skull with a rock.
“Elon Musk jabs at billionaire rival Jeff Bezos over Trump” via Victoria Albert of The Wall Street Journal — Musk reignited a public dispute with fellow billionaire and space-industry rival Bezos, saying the Amazon founder had said Trump would lose the election and that people should sell stock tied to Musk. Bezos says no. “Just learned tonight at Mar-a-Lago that Jeff Bezos was telling everyone that @realDonaldTrump would lose for sure, so they should sell all their Tesla and SpaceX stock,” Musk said on X, the social media platform he owns. “Nope. 100% not true,” Bezos replied. “Well, then, I stand corrected,” Musk responded with a laughing emoji. The two wealthiest men in the world have taken jabs at each other on social media platforms over the years. Bezos rarely posts on X, while Musk does constantly. Musk has questioned Amazon’s hold on the book-publishing industry and bragged to Bezos that he is richer; Bezos has joked about Musk’s interest in colonizing Mars. Musk and Bezos’ companies both have government contracts, and Amazon faces a monopoly lawsuit filed last year by the Federal Trade Commission.
— SPECIALS —
“Can Matt Gaetz return to Congress after withdrawing as AG pick?” via John Parkinson, Lauren Peller, and Brittany Shepherd of ABC News — Gaetz withdrew his bid to serve as Attorney General in the next Trump administration, but the question remains: can he go back to his old job as a member of Congress? Gaetz, for his part, has only expressed an intent not to take the oath of office for the 119th Congress — which begins on Jan. 3, 2025, and for which Gaetz won re-election. He cannot preemptively resign from a Session of Congress that has not yet convened or that he has not taken an oath to serve — that means he is still eligible to serve in the 119th, although he cannot under any circumstances withdraw his resignation from the 118th to return to the lame-duck Session, according to House rules. The House clerk read a resignation letter from Gaetz on Nov. 14 — after Trump named his as his Attorney General pick — which read: “I hereby resign as a United States representative for Florida’s 1st Congressional District, effective immediately. And I do not intend to take the oath of office for the same office in the 119th Congress to pursue the position of Attorney General in the Trump administration.”
“Lara Trump says she ‘would be honored’ by Ron DeSantis Senate appointment” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Trump is continuing to tell Fox News viewers that she wants to be the appointed replacement of Sen. Marco Rubio as he moves from the U.S. Senate to the Secretary of State position. Trump, the Republican National Committee co-Chair and daughter-in-law to Trump said she “would be honored” if DeSantis picks her, though they haven’t discussed the eventual opening yet. “I would be honored to serve as the next Senator from my state right now. I’ve lived here for three and a half years in Florida,” Lara Trump said. “I think you’re going to see Gov. Ron DeSantis choose the right person for this role.” Trump went on to compliment the Governor and credit his leadership with encouraging her to move to Florida.
“Bernadette Pittman opens account to run for Gaetz’s congressional seat” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — The head of one of Florida’s top Bikers for Trump groups is revving up to run for Congress. Pittman, owner and CEO of Boots on the Ground Bikers for Trump in Northwest Florida, has opened a federal committee to run in Florida’s 1st Congressional District to succeed Gaetz. Pittman, also the CEO of boathouse construction company Pittman Marine, opened a candidate account and formed the campaign committee on Monday. She has not formally announced a campaign, but on her Facebook page teased: “Big announcement coming soon.”
“Former presidential candidate runs to succeed Mike Waltz in Congress” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — The Special Election in Florida’s 6th Congressional District hasn’t been scheduled yet. Still, it’s attracting a field of candidates that includes at least one national candidate from the 2024 cycle. Randall Terry intends to run to fill the seat that U.S. Rep. Waltz is relinquishing for a role in the Donald Trump White House. Terry, known for his anti-abortion activism, got 5,831 votes statewide in the Presidential Election. And Terry got 12% of the vote when he challenged Democrat Alcee Hastings in Florida’s 20th Congressional District in 2012. Overall, Terry raised a little more than $380,000 for his presidential run, but credits his television ads with helping to defeat Harris.
— STATEWIDE —
“DeSantis warns California to fix its election administration processes” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Make California Florida? That’s what DeSantis advises for the Golden State amid its ongoing, glacially paced vote count after the election 15 days ago and implications for the slim Republican majority in the U.S. House. “California is still ‘counting’ votes — and there are two congressional races where the leads enjoyed by GOP incumbents have been either eliminated or dramatically reduced long after Election Day. It is possible that Republicans lose one or both of these seats — making the House majority razor thin,” DeSantis remarked. Current projections show the Republican Party with 218 elected Representatives, a six-seat lead over Democrats and good for a simple majority. However, in California, one Democrat and one Republican each have 50.1% of the vote, with some ballots still outstanding. DeSantis also commented on Secretary of State Cord Byrd talking to Arizona officials about how Florida counts votes quickly, urging California to follow the Sunshine State’s example.
“Ben Albritton names South Floridians to leadership posts in most Senate Committees” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Only 11 of Florida’s 40 Senators serve from Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. But they’ll hold a disproportionate share of the chamber’s Committee leadership posts in the coming Session. Senate President Albritton just released his list of Committee Chairs and Vice-Chairs for the 2025 Legislative Session. More than half of the chamber’s 26 panels — 14 Committees — will have a South Floridian in a pivotal role. Most will be Vice-Chairs since South Florida is still mostly represented by Democrats in the Senate. But all four Republican members from the area — Sen. Bryan Ávila of Hialeah Gardens, Sens. Alexis Calatayud and Ileana Garcia of Miami and Ana Maria Rodriguez of Doral — received Chair designations.
“Central Florida lawmakers tapped to lead Senate Committees” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics – Several Central Florida Senators will hold leadership Committee roles for the 2025 Legislative Session, as Senate President Ben Albritton disclosed his list of Committee Chairs and Vice-Chairs. Senate President Pro Tempore Jason Brodeur is tapped to continue his role as Chair for the Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment and General Government. Albritton praised Brodeur when he announced Brodeur will remain in charge of the Committee. “He shares my passion for reform and vision for continued investment in these areas,” Albritton wrote on X. Brodeur responded by calling his role a “tremendous honor to continue the great legacy of responsible conservation.” Meanwhile, Democratic Sens. Kristen Arrington, Carlos Guillermo Smith and Geraldine Thompson will also serve as Vice-Chairs on several Committees.
“Keith Truenow will bring commercial farm background to Senate Agriculture Committee” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Before Truenow ever ran for elected office, he worked on a farm. Now, the Lake Jem Farms founder will run the Florida Senate Agriculture Committee. Senate President Ben Albritton named Truenow, a newly sworn-in state Senator, to run the important Committee, one Albritton once chaired himself. “Simply put, Truenow is a genuine farmer,” Albritton said. “He’s not just a farm fan, he’s not just a person who likes to say he supports farmers, he is a farmer. He innately knows what farmers deal with and I trust him.” Truenow, a Tavares Republican, welcomed the assignment. “It’s my background,” Truenow said. “I look forward to doing what we need to preserve agriculture in this state.”
“Florida insurance claims from Hurricanes Helene and Milton surpass $5B” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — The tab for insurance claims filed due to Hurricanes Helene and Milton has now exceeded $5 billion. The Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) reports a new total of $5.033 billion in claims as a result of Helene, which plowed into the Big Bend area on Sept. 26 and Milton, which hit the Gulf Coast on Oct. 9. The latest figure was released by the OIR this week, and it’s up over the Nov. 8 insurance claim sum of $4.775 billion, an increase of more than $258 million. The OIR has established a Catastrophic Claims Data and Reporting website that tracks the number of insurance claims and estimated dollar amounts in damage filed in Florida. The OIR uses the Insurance Regulation Filing System to compile estimates and dollar costs for lost property estimates.
“Floridians sign up for Obamacare unsure if program will survive under Trump” via Christopher O’Donnell of the Tampa Bay Times — More than 12 million Americans got their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act in 2017 when a Republican bill to scrap the program fell two U.S. Senate votes short. With more than 21.4 million Americans now insured through federal marketplace plans, the program’s future is again in doubt with the return of Trump to the White House and a GOP majority in both the U.S. House and Senate. Expanded federal subsidies during the pandemic to make insurance premiums more affordable — and in some cases free — for millions of lower-income Americans expire at the end of 2025. If not extended by the new Congress, an estimated 4 million people could lose health insurance in 2026, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates.
— D.C. MATTERS —
“Senate Democrats force Israel weapons vote, citing Joe Biden inaction” via Abigail Hauslohner of The Washington Post — The Senate voted down a measure, led by Sen. Bernie Sanders and a handful of Democrats, that sought to block three sales of U.S.-made weapons to Israel, in a last-ditch effort to limit the carnage, suffering and destruction caused by its 13-month war in Gaza. The measure failed, with none of the three resolutions garnering more than 19 supporting votes. But the effort — the first time Congress has voted on whether to block an arms sale to America’s closest Middle East ally — also served as a bellwether of the dissatisfaction within Biden’s own party about his handling of the Middle East crisis. Wednesday’s vote, spurred by Sanders’s filing of rarely invoked joint resolutions of disapproval, follows the Biden administration’s determination a week ago that it would not take punitive action against Israel for failing to surge humanitarian aid into Gaza.
“Democrats split as Senate rejects bills to block weapons transfers to Israel” via Karoun Demirjian of The New York Times — The Senate resoundingly rejected a series of three resolutions to block weapons transfers to Israel. Still, the move to curtail American support for the war in Gaza drew substantial support from Democrats, reflecting growing consternation in the party over the conflict. Seventeen Senate Democrats and two independents backed at least one of the measures, a display of deepening divisions over Israel’s conduct after 13 months of war and the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians. The vote showed that support for restricting Israel’s military operations has grown beyond just the most progressive lawmakers, with notably more Senators joining them than in previous efforts.
“Rick Scott promises Senators will ‘show up’ to vote on Judges after DeSantis’ criticism” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Biden got a judge through the Senate this week to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, displeasing DeSantis. That vote came with several Republican Senators absent. But U.S. Sen. Scott says his colleagues have learned their lesson and will be in the chamber to vote going forward. “I think everybody’s going to show up. President Donald Trump’s clear, we’ve got to block these Judges. We’re going to show up and get this done,” Scott said. “It’s disappointing that Embry Kidd got through, he’s going to be a radical appeals court judge, and it’s going to be too bad for all the states, including Florida that’s impacted by him. But I think we’re all going to show up and we’re going to do everything we can to block them.”
“House passes bill that would allow Treasury to target nonprofits it deems to support terrorism” via Thalia Farnoush Amiri of The Associated Press — The U.S. House passed legislation Thursday that would give the Treasury Department unilateral authority to strip the tax-exempt status of nonprofits it claims support terrorism, alarming civil liberties groups about how a second Trump presidency could invoke it to punish political opponents. The bill passed 219-184, with the majority of the support coming from Republicans who accused Democrats of reversing course in their support for the “common sense” proposal only after Trump was elected to a second term earlier this month. Speaking on the House floor ahead of the vote, Rep. Jason Smith, GOP Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, said his colleagues would still support the bill if Vice President Kamala Harris won the presidential race. “And we, as members of Congress, have the duty to make sure that taxpayers are not subsidizing terrorism,” the Missouri lawmaker said. “It’s very, very simple.”
“DOJ asks judge to order Google to sell Chrome” via Julia Shapero of The Hill — The Department of Justice (DOJ) is asking a federal judge to order Google to sell off its Chrome browser after the court found the tech giant maintained an illegal monopoly over online search. In a filing, the DOJ argued that Google’s ownership and control of Chrome and Android stand in the way of its efforts to open up the market and prevent future monopolization. “The playing field is not level because of Google’s conduct, and Google’s quality reflects the ill-gotten gains of an advantage illegally acquired,” the agency wrote. “The remedy must close this gap and deprive Google of these advantages.”
“Gina Raimondo’s urgent mission: Leave no cash for Trump” via Steven Overly of POLITICO — Commerce Secretary Raimondo is on an urgent mission: get as much high-tech spending out the door before Trump takes office. The Biden administration is aiming to commit nearly every unspent dollar in its $50 billion microchip subsidy program before Trump takes over in January, an effort that would effectively cement a massive industrial legacy before the GOP can reverse course. “I’d like to have really almost all of the money obligated by the time we leave,” Raimondo said. “That’s the goal, and I certainly want to have all the major announcements done as it relates to the big, leading-edge companies.”
“FEMA head sounds the alarm over disaster funding after double hurricanes” via The Associated Press — The money available to help communities hit by disasters has shrunk after back-to-back Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency chief said Wednesday that the funding problems might jeopardize the government’s ability to respond to new emergencies in the future. During a Senate hearing with other agency heads, Deanne Criswell warned that FEMA’s disaster relief fund — the country’s emergency checkbook — is down to less than $5 billion. The Biden administration has asked Congress for nearly $100 billion in disaster aid. About $40 billion would go to FEMA’s disaster relief fund.
— LOCAL: S. FL —
“Prosecutors drop charges against former Miami City Commissioner and lobbyist” via Tess Riski of the Miami Herald — The Broward State Attorney’s Office has dropped criminal charges against former Miami City Commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla and lobbyist Bill Riley Jr., the agency said in a news release Wednesday, putting an end to a high-profile corruption case that was set for trial next month. “After a substantial follow-up investigation and extensive depositions of witnesses, we have concluded that there is no reasonable likelihood of conviction,” Broward State Attorney Harold F. Pryor said. “When the arrests were made, I promised that our prosecutors would pursue justice in this matter, and that is what we have done.” During a Zoom hearing Wednesday afternoon, the Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Miguel M. de la O, who had been presiding over the case, gathered the two sides. During the brief hearing, de la O said the attorneys could go into more detail during a Friday hearing.
“Jupiter election: Rift over town Fire Department sparks races for Mayor, two Council seats” via Maya Washburn of the Palm Beach Post — The divisions that surfaced over Jupiter’s creation of a Fire Department will inform three contested town elections in March, even if the future of the Department itself won’t be on the ballot. The race for Mayor will pit the incumbent Jim Kuretski against Town Council member Cameron May. Kuretski has led the push for the Department, which is scheduled to begin service in October 2026. May, a Palm Beach County firefighter and paramedic, for months was the Council’s lone skeptic of the plan. Malise Sundstrom, who voted with Kuretski to create the Department, is facing a challenge to her Town Council seat from two candidates. One of them, Linda McDermott, spoke against creating the Department at meetings last Fall.
“No changes to closed road near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago after town, PBSO, Secret Service meeting” via Kristina Webb of the Palm Beach Daily News — A busy road next to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach will remain closed whenever he’s in town. Town officials met with the U.S. Secret Service and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and there will be “no changes to the current road closure strategy,” said Palm Beach Police spokesman Capt. Will Rothrock. He added that the town will continue to focus its efforts on mitigating the effects of the closure of South Ocean Boulevard between the Southern Boulevard traffic circle and South County Road. The Secret Service first ordered the road to close effective July 20, following the July 13 attempted assassination of Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
“Inspector General’s scathing report rips Riviera Beach’s water utilities leadership” via Wayne Washington of the Palm Beach Post — An investigation from the Palm Beach County Office of Inspector General found that the compliance director for Riviera Beach’s water utility “repeatedly and intentionally” failed to report water testing results to the Florida Department of Health and provided “false, altered or misleading information” to the department, resulting in wells improperly being kept in service. The OIG report also slammed the utility’s then-Executive Director, Assistant Executive Director and the water treatment plant Supervisor for failing to provide adequate supervision of the compliance director and failing to ensure the reporting of accurate water testing results.
“After dodging Hialeah annexation, this historically Black neighborhood wants to be a city” via Raisa Habersham of the Miami Herald — More than a year after efforts to annex parts of Brownsville into Hialeah failed, the historically Black community and three other neighborhoods are taking steps to become a city. Brownsville Civic Association President Kenneth Kilpatrick said the Hialeah annexation was a “wake-up call” for residents living in the unincorporated north-central area of Miami-Dade County. Organizations for neighborhoods that are adjacent to Brownsville, the Gladeview Homeowners & Civic Association, the Twin Lakes/North Shore Gardens Association and the Gratigny Homeowners Association, are joining Brownsville to explore the possibility of incorporating.
“A ‘transformative gift’: Jeff Bezos donates $5M to Miami-Dade Homeless Trust” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Miami-Dade County’s lead agency for overseeing the operation of homelessness services and assistance just got a $5 million infusion from billionaire Amazon founder Bezos and his fiancée, Lauren Sánchez. The donation to the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust comes through the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund. It’s the largest single philanthropic contribution the county organization ever received, equal to a donation Bezos gave to Miami-Dade’s homelessness-focused Chapman Partnership nonprofit in 2022. Lobbyist Ron Book, the Homeless Trust’s longtime Chair, called the donation a “transformative gift” and “a lifeline for Miami-Dade.” “It comes at a time when too many families are struggling and finding themselves caught up in the housing affordability crisis,” he said.
— LOCAL: C. FL —
“Orange County wants its money back from elections chief Glen Gilzean. But how?” via Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel — Orange County Commissioners made it crystal-clear during an unusual, public discussion about the $4 million in county taxpayer funds that interim Election Supervisor Gilzean gave to Valencia College and CareerSource Central Florida: They want the money back. They’re just not sure how to get it. The Board kicked around ideas about reclaiming the money, which has been at the center of a raging controversy since the giveaway became public ten days ago, but never settled on a strategy. They could sue or tell the college and the job training agency to hand it over. They could ask Gilzean to retrieve it. “The onus seems to be on the Supervisor to do the right thing,” Commissioner Mike Scott said.
“Kissimmee bringing back Oversight Board in wake of Police Department scandal” via Natalia Jaramillo of the Orlando Sentinel — In the wake of a scandal at the Kissimmee Police Department that led to the resignation of its chief, the City Commission decided unanimously to bring back its Citizen Oversight Board. On the first day for new Mayor Jackie Espinosa she moved forward on her promise to reinstate public trust in the agency. She and the three other Commissioners voted to recreate the panel disbanded in June. “I believe that we’ve heard from enough citizens to understand the need for transparency and the need to create and uplift the morale again of the city with this specific topic,” Espinosa said.
“Volusia group hosts forum for county Republican Party Chair candidates, disinvites media” via Mark Harper of the Daytona Beach News-Journal — Volusia County Republican Party Chair Paul Deering, if he chooses to pursue re-election, will face challengers when leadership elections are held next month. At least two contenders to lead the Republican Executive Committee of Volusia County (RECVC) have emerged: Mary Ann Pistilli, director of the Trump Florida campaign this year, and Ormond Beach City Commissioner Travis Sargent. Deering — who’s been Chair since the death of Tony Ledbetter in 2017 — did not respond to calls and text messages seeking comment on his intentions. Meanwhile, the Volusia County Democratic Party will certainly get new leadership after the party’s slide from having more registered voters than Republicans in 2017 has only continued.
“Over $108M going to flood-relief projects in Volusia County related to Hurricane Ian” via Sheldon Gardner of the Daytona Beach News-Journal — Over $108.8 million will be poured into 18 projects across Volusia County to help ease flooding as part of a Hurricane Ian recovery program. Funding for the projects is partly from the Transform386 program, which uses funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to meet needs following Hurricane Ian. Part of the Transform386 funds are being used to improve infrastructure and strengthen the county against future storms. The 18 projects approved Tuesday night are part of that effort. Of the total cost of the projects, over $60.7 million is from Transform386. The local governments handling the projects are covering the rest of the price.
“Brevard could become ‘Bill of Rights Sanctuary County’ under ordinance backed by Truth Fest” via Tyler Vazquez of Florida Today — County Commissioners soon will decide whether Brevard County will become the latest “Bill of Rights Sanctuary County.” At the Nov. 12 meeting, Commissioners voted to draft an ordinance proclaiming Brevard free from “the commanding hand of the federal government” and declaring that the county will not comply with federal laws deemed unconstitutional. Once the ordinance is drafted by county staff, it will appear before the Commission, which next meets on Dec. 3. Under Article III of the Constitution, federal courts and not county governments have the authority to determine the constitutionality of laws passed at the federal level.
— LOCAL: TB —
“St. Pete City Council delays Rays stadium bond vote, reverses course on Trop roof repairs” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — Two days after Pinellas County Commissioners for the second time delayed a vote on a bond resolution needed for the public financing portion of the deal with the Tampa Bay Rays and developer Hines, the St. Petersburg City Council has done the same. And even though the Board had previously approved about $24 million in roof repairs in the same Thursday meeting, they later reneged on the vote. While that means repairs cannot begin, the city can still work on architectural plans, which could satisfy the city’s obligation under the use agreement with the Rays. Rays President Brian Auld said after the meeting that the deal to build a new stadium and redevelop the Historic Gas Plant District is dead, an eventuality that occurred with the County Commission’s vote earlier this week because it delayed the project and would mean the team could not be in a new stadium in time for the 2028 season. Auld said the cost overruns, which under the agreement the team would be required to absorb, made the deal no longer viable.
“The Tampa Bay Rays and a series of unfortunate events … and why Pinellas County is being foolhardy” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — First, there was rejoicing. But just as a mayoral election kicked off a string of good news for the Rays, another came along to poo-poo it … oh, and a couple of hurricanes to boot. Now, the Rays might be back to where they started, before Mayor Ken Welch and (former Mayor) Rick Kriseman. And the Tampa Bay region is back there too, wondering whether Major League Baseball will remain or the team will skedaddle for less drama-filled elected bodies (enjoy the popcorn, Montreal). But for all the legitimacy to debates about whether the city of St. Pete and Pinellas County got a good enough deal, there are very real economic implications that aren’t being widely discussed, and concerns are being floated that are, quite frankly, foolhardy.
“Rays could leave St. Pete, regardless of bond votes” via Mark Parker of the St. Pete Catalyst — St. Petersburg was next at-bat to vote on a bond issuance to finance the city’s contribution to a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium. It might not matter. The team sent a stern letter to Pinellas County Commissioners before their delayed bond vote Tuesday evening. Rays Presidents Auld and Matt Silverman wrote that the Commission’s Oct. 29 decision to postpone approving a perceived formality rendered agreements approved in July financially unfeasible. The Commission balked again and will revisit the critical measure on Dec. 17. St. Petersburg officials discussed their upcoming bond issuance at a Thursday morning Committee meeting. Council member Lisset Hanewicz asked if the Rays could abandon the deal – which, in St. Petersburg’s case, includes the entire $6.7 billion redevelopment project – without penalty until March 31. “Yes,” replied City Attorney Jackie Kovilaritch.
“Hillsborough County man files class action lawsuit against Netflix over Tyson/Paul fight” via Claire Farrow of 10 Tampa Bay — A Hillsborough County man is suing Netflix over the “baddest streaming on the planet” during the highly-advertised fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. In a class action lawsuit filed on Monday in Hillsborough County, Florida, the plaintiff, Ronald “Blue” Denton, alleged that Netflix “stole” from millions of Americans by not delivering the quality fight they were promising. The lawsuit alleges specifically that Netflix breached its contract with its users. “Instead, the boxing fans along with the average Americans wanting to see a legend in what would most likely be his last fight were faced with legendary problems, including no access, streaming glitches and buffering issues,” the lawsuit said in part.
“Cancer beware: Tampa General to bring world’s most precise robotic surgical technology to Florida” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — Tampa General Hospital (TGH) is set to become the first health system in the Southeastern United States to offer the world’s most precise, first-of-its-kind robotic surgical technology. As part of DeSantis’ trade mission to Italy, Tampa General and the University of South Florida entered an agreement with Medical Microinstruments to bring the Symani Surgical System, which supports lymphatic surgery, to TGH. “At Tampa General Hospital, we’ve invested in the latest technologies and recruited best-in-class providers to make Florida the destination for innovation in health care,” said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General.
— LOCAL: N. FL —
“Jacksonville plant that’s made millions of bottles for Anheuser-Busch will close” via David Bauerlein of The Florida Times-Union — The Anchor Glass Container Corp. manufacturing plant on Huron Street is heading toward closure, ending a century-long run of glass bottle-making at the location under different company names. The shuttering of the only remaining glass bottle manufacturing plant in Florida will affect the employment of 144 people at the plant located at 2121 Huron St. in Northwest Jacksonville. “Huge tragedy,” former Sen. Audrey Gibson posted on X about the announcement. The plant’s customers have included the Anheuser-Busch plant on the Northside for millions of bottles. The Anchor Glass operation in Jacksonville is one of six bottle-making plants operated nationwide by the company and has been a source of jobs for generations.
“JEA sends letters to thousands of customers to check their water service line” via Christina Burgess of First Coast News — JEA sent thousands of letters to customers asking them to check their water lines outside for lead. The utility company launched the project to comply with a newly passed addendum to the Lead and Copper Rule that the Environmental Protection Agency established. During the project’s first phase, the company randomly selected to confirm if there were signs of lead. JEA says customers should not be concerned if their homes were built after 1986. So far, after having 90% of them checked out, JEA says no lead has been detected, and they tell me they don’t expect any to be found. They’re just asking customers to participate to ensure they continue providing safe, clean drinking water. “First I thought it could be a scam because there’s so many going around, and it came in a plain envelope. There was no logo on there, but when I did open the letter, it did have the JEA logo on there,” said Denise McDonald, a JEA customer.
— LOCAL: SW FL —
“Sarasota state lawmakers set date for input meeting before heading back to Tallahassee” via Derek Gilliam of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The Sarasota County legislative delegation, composed of local state lawmakers, will hold a meeting next month where residents, local officials and stakeholders can present issues and priorities before next Spring’s Legislative Session begins. The meeting will be in the Sarasota County Commission Commission Chambers at 1660 Ringling Blvd. in downtown Sarasota on Dec. 16 at 9 a.m. Rep. Fiona McFarland will Chair the delegation meeting this year. Her office requested that anyone seeking to present during the meeting call (941) 361-2465 or email her aide at [email protected] by Dec. 2. In addition to McFarland, the local delegation will include Sen. Joe Gruters, Rep. James Buchanan and recently elected Rep. Danny Nix Jr.
“Cape Coral Council halves own compensation by rescinding controversial stipends” via Charles Whitehead of the Fort Myers News-Press — The new-look Cape Coral City Council voted to rescind the controversial stipends their predecessors had approved for Council members. The stipend, approved in December of 2023, more than doubled Council compensation, with members receiving $3,333 more each month. It immediately became a lightning rod and was high on hit lists for new Council members on the campaign trail. The election seated five new Council members and saw the only two incumbents seeking re-election ousted. Within a few minutes of being sworn-in the five new members voted as a block to kill the stipend. They took their seats Wednesday after their November General Election wins.
“Bradenton underpaid police officers despite ‘clear’ contract language, arbitrator says” via Michael Moore Jr. of the Bradenton Herald — A local police union recently won a legal battle against the City of Bradenton over unpaid wages. An arbitrator ruled that the city owes 14 police officers and two sergeants salary adjustments and over a year’s worth of unpaid wage increases. The Southwest Florida Police Benevolent Association, a union that represents officers with the Bradenton Police Department, filed a class action grievance in October 2023 after arguing that the city didn’t honor the terms of a labor contract. “The contract would have provided long overdue raises during the years in which the officers’ salaries were frozen by the city,” according to the union.
— TOP OPINION —
“The chamber’s degradation preceded Trump. But he may trash it once and for all.” via Frank Bruni of The New York Times — For decades now, the Senate has been losing its august way, and a second Trump administration will reveal just how shamefully far from its one-time description as “the world’s greatest deliberative body” it has strayed.
Yes, its Republican members owe a degree of deference and robust measure of cooperation to Donald Trump, whom a majority of American voters just elected. But they don’t owe him Gaetz as Attorney General, Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services, or Mehmet Oz as the overseer of Medicaid, Medicare and Obamacare.
They’re under no obligation to turn the upper echelons of the federal government into the green room of “Fox & Friends.” Doing so isn’t allowing Trump the tools he needs to effect change. It’s allowing him the fools he needs to turn governing into some obnoxious amalgam of end-zone touchdown jig, “Candid Camera” knockoff and Devil’s Night toilet-papering of the neighbors’ houses.
If Senators are honest with themselves, they know that many of Trump’s voters weren’t calling for that; he achieved victory with the crucial help of Americans who wanted lower prices, stronger borders and less wokeness, not bedlam, buffoonery and Elon Musk.
And if Senators have any regard for the “advice and consent” charge that the Constitution gives them, they’ll recognize the difference between supplication and service, the incompatibility of obsequiousness and honor. They won’t confirm Trump’s most egregiously inappropriate nominees, and they’ll push back against any attempts by him to circumvent the Senate confirmation process by making those nominees recess appointments.
Those are big ifs, given most Republican Senators’ behavior in the time of Trump.
— OPINIONS —
“Letting RFK Jr. ‘go wild’ is a really unhealthy idea” via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board — Kennedy has much to be proud of in the areas of environmental responsibility and advocacy. But his legacy is overshadowed by extreme views that horrify many Americans. Kennedy’s vision contradicts science, sheds doubt on proven therapies and stirs fears about how the government will respond to the next pandemic. It’s why Richard Besser, CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and a former acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, calls Kennedy “the single potential Cabinet member who could do the most damage to the American people’s lives.” In U.S. News & World Report, Besser warned of the damage Kennedy could do if Senators confirm him as Trump’s choice to run the Department of Health and Human Services. “His dangerous positions could take a sledgehammer to our nation’s medical and public health systems,” Besser wrote. “If he’s permitted to use HHS as his soapbox to promote dangerous and unfounded conspiracies, Kennedy will literally threaten countless lives across America.”
“How an empty internet gave us tradwives and Trump” via Tressie McMillan Cottom of The New York Times — Trump’s political strengths are well documented. He is loud and bombastic. He is illiberal and rude. These characteristics make it easy for liberals to dismiss his demonstrably effective ability to generate affect. He encourages his supporters to lean into their feelings — to feel seen, acknowledged and welcome. That affect is politically powerful, especially in the digital age. There is a growing body of social science research about the emotionally evocative digital cultures that circulate a lot of nonsense ideas and sell a lot of junk to create influencers. That potent mix of money, influence and emotion was key to the mass proliferation of two ideas that Trump’s brand of politics has brilliantly translated into electoral success: men and women are natural categories, and he can bring back the post-World War II economy. If you are looking to understand Trump’s unusual hold on our cultural politics, look to the tradwives, podcast bros and wellness influencers.
“How hostility to immigrants will hurt America’s tech sector” via Paul Krugman of The New York Times — Will business prosper under a second Trump presidency? As far as I can tell, many business leaders are pinning their hopes on the belief that he won’t actually follow through on his campaign pledges on tariffs and mass deportation — that they’ll be like his border wall, which, for the most part, he never built but claimed he had. But I believe that such optimism is misplaced. Trump’s obsessions with tariffs and immigration go way back, and he probably won’t respond well if people ridicule him for not delivering on his signature policy ideas. If he does not moderate his policies, the damage will be considerable — bigger than even pessimists realize. Hostility to immigrants won’t just create labor shortages for many grueling manual jobs that native-born Americans are reluctant to do. It will also undermine American leadership in technology. As you may know, Trump has declared his intention to declare a national emergency and deploy the military to help round up huge numbers of undocumented immigrants, initially placing them in what Stephen Miller, one of his top immigration advisers, has called “vast holding facilities.”
“With raging wars and an addled President, it’s a perilous moment” via Byron York of the Washington Examiner — In the last few days, Biden has removed restrictions on Ukraine’s use of the Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, for long-range attacks inside Russia. Ukraine promptly fired U.S.-made missiles deep into Russian territory. At the same time, Biden has sent U.S. antipersonnel mines to Ukraine, reversing an earlier policy. Both moves were “part of a sweep of urgent actions that the lame-duck Biden administration is taking to help Kyiv’s faltering war effort,” in the words of the Washington Post. In a further escalation — and of course, there would be a response — Russia announced that it had fired a new hypersonic ballistic missile at Ukraine that could also strike U.S. facilities there. The recent developments in Ukraine would be alarming in any context. But these events come as the 82-year-old Biden’s apparent cognitive decline continues. Biden, of course, did not run for re-election because a secretive group of Democratic Party powerbrokers forced him out of the race, convinced that he was not up to a second term that would last until he was 86 years old.
— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —
— WEEKEND TV —
ABC Action News Full Circle with Paul LaGrone on Channel 10 WFTS: ABC Action News political analyst Dr. Susan MacManus; Pat Donavan and Aaron Jacobson from the “Pat and Aaron Show” on WDAE 95.3 FM; Scripps News Tallahassee reporter Forrest Saunders.
Facing South Florida with Jim DeFede on CBS 4 in Miami: The Sunday show provides viewers with an in-depth look at politics in South Florida and other issues affecting the region.
In Focus with Allison Walker on Bay News 9/CF 13: A look at the manufacturing industry in the state of Florida and the reach that the sector has in shaping the economy of the Sunshine State. Joining Walker are Sen. Stan McClain; Dominic Calabro, president and CEO of Florida TaxWatch; and Michael Aller, director of Supplier Development for FloridaMakes.
Political Connections on Bay News 9 in Tampa/St. Pete and Political Connections on CF 13 in Orlando: The weekly Sunday show is launching as a joint weeknight show airing Monday through Friday at 7 p.m.
The Usual Suspects on WCTV-Tallahassee/Thomasville (CBS) and WJHG-Panama City (NBC): Gary Yordon speaks with Seth Miller of the Innocent Project of Florida.
This Week in Jacksonville with Kent Justice on Channel 4 WJXT: Former Mayor Lenny Curry and Jacksonville City Council member Rory Diamond.
— ALOE —
“How does F1’s Las Vegas GP transform the Strip in 2 hours? ‘It’s a science’” via Luke Smith of The Athletic — Making a street race happen in Formula One is one of the toughest logistical challenges for the organizers of a grand prix. Each year in Monaco, Singapore and Baku, Azerbaijan, months of planning go into action to turn the center of a city into a racetrack for only a handful of days as the bumpy streets and beckoning walls pose a different challenge to the drivers than a normal circuit. But for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, that challenge is only multiplied by the fact its circuit, which proved a hit among the drivers last year, incorporates one of the most famous roadways in the world: the Strip. “I was in Singapore with the race and chatting to the promoter and they were like, ‘We don’t understand how you open and close the track the way you do,’” said Emily Prazer, the chief commercial officer of F1 and the Las Vegas Grand Prix. “They keep the roads closed for seven days. Can you imagine us telling the (Las Vegas) Council we’re keeping the roads closed for seven days? It would just literally never happen, ever.”
“Giraffes need endangered species protection for the first time, U.S. officials say” via Leah Sarnoff of ABC News — The tallest animal on Earth is in danger, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which has called for federal protections for giraffe species for the first time. In the face of poaching, habitat loss and climate change, the agency proposes listing three subspecies of northern giraffes from west, central and east Africa as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. “Federal protections for giraffes will help protect a vulnerable species, foster biodiversity, support ecosystem health, combat wildlife trafficking and promote sustainable economic practices,” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams said in a press release Wednesday.
“Peeling the $6.2 million banana: An auction explainer” via Zachary Small of The New York Times — It wasn’t just a banana. It was a banana with a back story. The spectacle on Wednesday evening, when a Sotheby’s auctioneer in Manhattan warned potential bidders not to let Maurizio Cattelan’s fruity artwork “slip away,” ended with a duct-taped banana selling for an astonishing $6.2 million, with fees. A crypto entrepreneur named Justin Sun placed the winning bid from Hong Kong, adding Cattelan’s 2019 conceptual artwork, titled “Comedian,” to the quirky collection he has amassed over the last few years that includes a Giacometti sculpture, a Picasso painting and a very expensive NFT of a pet rock. But winning the auction is really just the beginning of the negotiations that will take place over the next month or so (a buyer typically has 30 days to pay, by which time the banana will inevitably blacken and rot). In a phone interview this week, Sun said that he intended to pay for the banana with his own invented cryptocurrency; however, Sotheby’s might only accept payment through more popular forms of digital payment like Bitcoin or Ethereum.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Happy birthday to Bettina Inclán-Agen, former Rep. Rich Glorioso, and Lauren Reamy.
___
Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.
