Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 1.9.25

Good Thursday morning.

First in Sunburn —

U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds just brought President-elect Donald Trump’s most prominent pollster onto his campaign team.

The Naples Republican has signed on Fabrizio, Lee & Associates. That’s the research company headed by Tony Fabrizio, one of the nation’s leading Republican pollsters and strategists. Fabrizio most notably served as Trump’s pollster in his successful 2016 campaign and more recently conducted polling for the pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc.

“Tony Fabrizio and his firm have an unmatched record of success across the country and in Florida,” Donalds said. “I’m looking forward to working with Tony, David (Lee), and their team to help craft a winning message.”

Donalds’ congressional campaign officially hired Fabrizio, but the pollster will likely serve him should he choose to run for a higher office. For example, Donalds has long been rumored to be considering running for Governor in 2026.

Regardless, Fabrizio said he was excited to work with the three-term Congressman.

“Byron Donalds is a rising star in Republican politics, and we are proud to be a part of his team as he prepares for the upcoming election,” Fabrizio said. “Florida has become the epicenter of Republican politics, and we are excited to be a part of the next chapter in Florida’s leadership.”

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The Florida Chamber is gearing up for the 2025 Corporate Leadership Workshop: Safety & Mental Health in the Workplace.

Set for Jan. 28 in Orlando, the Chamber says the daylong in-person event “will equip attendees with actionable strategies to foster safer, healthier and more resilient workplaces.”

The workshop will cover strategies businesses, EHS and HR leaders can employ to reduce risks, inspire teams, and improve employee engagement. It will also delve into leadership practices for integrating safety and mental health into the workplace.

Confirmed speakers include Dr. Heather Flynn, Ph.D., who chairs the FSU College of Medicine’s Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, and Mark Morgan, a safety adviser to multiple Fortune 200 companies and the author of The M.A.D. Safety Book for Leaders, which all attendees will receive as part of their registration.

“This workshop reflects our commitment to equipping businesses with the resources they need to build safer and healthier workplaces,” said Katie Yeutter, president of the Florida Chamber Leadership Cabinet on Safety, Health and Sustainability. “It’s a day of meaningful learning and networking that will help leaders across Florida make an immediate impact within their organizations.”

The Florida Chamber launched a major workplace safety education effort in 2020 as part of its multipronged effort to elevate the state economy to the 10th-largest in the world over the next decade. The Council has since become the official National Safety Council Chapter for Florida.

Registration is open online.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@RealDonaldTrump: Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way. He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn’t work!), but didn’t care about the people of California. Now, the ultimate price is being paid. I will demand that this incompetent Governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA! He is the blame for this. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster!

—@GovRonDeSantis: Our prayers are with everyone affected by the horrific fires in Southern California. When disaster strikes, we must come together to help our fellow Americans in any way we can. The state of Florida has offered help to assist the people of California in responding to these fires and in rebuilding communities that have been devastated.

—@JimmyPatronis: Right on, Governor (Ron) DeSantis! What’s happening in California is terrible and my State Fire Marshal’s Office is prepared to deploy firefighters, mental health specialists, as well as any post-fire ops support that’s needed to help the Golden State. There are men and women all throughout California who are fighting like hell to protect their communities and if we can lend a hand, we’d be proud to. God Bless America’s firefighters!

—@RepAaronBean: 4 years ago, Twitter suspended @realDonaldTrump‘s account. Today, @elonmusk has taken over, Trump is back on the platform, and Democrat censorship is over!

—@VernBuchanan: Republicans have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rein in wasteful spending and make much-needed cuts to our federal bureaucracy. I’m excited to join the @DOGE Caucus and get to work on making America efficient again!

—@JohnFSnyder: Dad, I grew up watching you dedicate your life to serving others, keeping people safe, and being a bright light in the darkest of times. Congratulations on your well-deserved retirement = and thank you for being the best father, coach, and friend a man could have.

Tweet, tweet:

— DAYS UNTIL —

House single bill drafting submission deadline for 2025 Session — 8; ‘Severance’ season two debuts – 8; AFC and NFC championship games — 17; Special GOP Primary to replace Matt Gaetz in Florida’s 1st Congressional District — 19; DNC Chair election — 23; Grammy Awards — 24; Super Bowl LIX — 31; Florida Chamber’s 2025 Legislative Fly-In — 32; ‘Cobra Kai’ final episodes premiere — 35; ‘The White Lotus’ season three premieres — 38; ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ premieres – 43; ‘1923’ season two premieres — 45; 2025 Session single bill filing deadline — 50; the 2025 Oscars – 52; Florida’s 2025 Legislative Session begins – 54; DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet will meet — 56; 10th annual Red Dog Blue Dog charity event — 69; Tampa Bay Rays season opener — 78; Special Election for CD 1 — 82; ‘Andor’ season two premieres — 103; 2025 Session ends – 113; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres – 113; Epic Universe grand opening — 133; ‘Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning’ premieres — 134; ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ premieres — 141; DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet will meet — 153; James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ premieres — 183; ‘Fantastic Four – First Steps’ premieres – 197; ‘Eyes of Wakanda’ premieres on Disney+ — 209; DeSantis and the Cabinet will meet — 251; ‘Wicked: Part 2’ premieres — 316; DeSantis and the Cabinet will meet — 342; ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ premieres – 344; ‘Avengers 5’ premieres – 481; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 498; FIFA World Cup 26™ final – 519; FIFA World Cup 26™ final match – 557; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 709; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres – 849; ‘The Batman 2’ premieres – 995; 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Opening Ceremony — 1,282; 2028 U.S. Presidential Election — 1,398; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres – 1,798; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres – 2,529.

— TOP STORY —

“Ron DeSantis floats Special Session to help Donald Trump’s deportations” via Eric Daugherty of Florida’s Voice — DeSantis said he is considering convening the Florida Legislature in a Special Session to act on several pressing issues, including Trump’s plans for mass deportations of illegal aliens.

Speaking to the press, DeSantis said that regarding immigration and other topics, like much-needed hurricane relief for devastated communities, waiting for the March Regular Session – and then perhaps April or May to finally sign new legislation – might be too long of a wait.

“I think there needs to be some additional legislation to help complement the federal government’s now newfound appreciation to stop illegal immigration and to hold people accountable,” DeSantis said.

— LEGISLATIVE —

Senate pushes to dismiss redistricting challenge — Attorneys representing Senate President Ben Albritton joined those from the Florida Department of State in filing motions urging a federal court to toss a lawsuit challenging the layout of two Tampa Bay area Senate districts. The lawsuit argues the map wrongly packs the Black voter populations in Pinellas and Hillsborough into a single district, diminishing their influence and thereby violating equal-protection rights. The motion filed by the Senate says race was just “one of multiple factors influencing District 16’s configuration” and that the “undisputed material facts here establish that the Florida Senate permissibly considered race as required by the Florida Constitution, but that race did not predominate over non-racial factors such as compactness, contiguity, population equality, and boundary usage in the development of the enacted plan.”

Colleen Burton highlights pediatric cancer care in Florida — Sen. Burton visited Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville — an example of people coming together to improve kids’ health. During the visit, Burton discussed the importance of advancing pediatric cancer care in Florida. Wolfson just earned a spot as one of the Top 50 children’s hospitals nationwide for pediatric cancer care as part of U.S. News & World Report’s 2024-2025 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings. Wolfson and the other three specialty children’s hospitals in Florida – Johns Hopkins All Children’s, Nemours, and Nicklaus – are all working as a team to make Florida a leader in fighting kids’ cancer through better treatment, research, and new breakthroughs.

“Jenn Bradley, Chuck Brannan hear Columbia County priorities” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Sen. Bradley and Rep. Brannan, representing Columbia County in North Florida, heard from various elected officials and others in what the Senator called “the start of this Session’s legislative dialogue.” “These delegation meetings are not perfunctory,” she explained, with ideas filtering to Tallahassee from these and other discussions. She also noted that Senate President Albritton promised a “rural renaissance” this year, which bodes well for this county and others in her sprawling district. In his comments, County Commissioner Tim Murphy noted that his body supports Albritton, who is “one of the most down-to-earth people we’ve met in politics.” “This is the first time in a long time we’ve had rural representation in this position,” he said.

“Ashley Perez-Biliskov files to succeed Daniel Perez in HD 116, promises ‘America First solutions’” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — House Speaker Perez is reaching term limits in 2026, and medical speech-language pathologist Perez-Biliskov wants to make sure his House District 116 seat remains in conservative control. Perez-Biliskov, a first-generation Cuban American raised in Miami, is the first candidate to file to succeed Perez. She vows, if elected, to pursue “America First solutions to the real-world challenges Florida families face.”

— SPECIALS —

“DeSantis has to pick Marco Rubio’s replacement soon. Here’s who he’s leaning toward.” via Kimberly Leonard and Gary Fineout — Time is running short for DeSantis’ first big decision of 2025 — picking Rubio’s replacement in the Senate. Asked on Tuesday if he’s made up his mind, the Governor said he still has not decided who he will appoint to replace Rubio. However, all signs point to him leaning toward Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, with Rubio bound for the State Department under Trump. And 10 people familiar with the selection process, all granted anonymity to discuss the decision freely, told Playbook that Moody was viewed as the leading contender for the seat. Moody has been a staunch DeSantis supporter — but also has been vocally supportive of Trump, particularly his positions on legal matters. She recently filed state charges against Ryan Routh, the man charged with attempting to assassinate Trump at his Florida golf course.

“Nathan Boyles rapidly raises more than $22K in HD 3” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Boyles has raised more than $22,500 in less than three weeks for his House campaign. The Milton Republican raised the money shortly after announcing plans to run for former Rep. Joel Rudman’s seat. Boyles’ campaign reported the fundraising between Dec. 12, when he officially filed as a candidate, and Dec. 31, the year’s close. “We’re extremely humbled by the outpouring of support, particularly during the Christmas season, by so many friends and family from throughout our community,” Boyles said. “We are working harder than ever to ensure we have the resources and ability to spread our conservative, Florida-First message to every corner of House District 3.”

— TRANSITION —

“A ‘business-friendly’ lawyer’s rise from lobbyist to Attorney General pick” via Eric Lipton and Kate Kelly of The New York Times — Pam Bondi would not be the first U.S. Attorney General who previously served as a lobbyist. But while she was Florida’s Attorney General, Bondi became known for what one lobbying firm called her “business-friendly” attitude. She and her staff agreed to meet with a steady stream of lawyers whose clients — including Bridgepoint Education, a for-profit college chain, and Herbalife, a nutritional shake company — had been targeted by other states for investigations. Then, in her time as a lobbyist, which began in early 2019, Bondi represented a long roster of corporate clients, including Uber and Amazon. Robert Weissman, co-president of Public Citizen, tracked the potential conflicts of interest created by Trump’s return to the White House, saying the lobbying record suggested Bondi would have an array of conflicts of interest if she is confirmed.

“Samuel Alito spoke with Trump before President-elect asked Supreme Court to delay his sentencing” via John Fritze of CNN — Supreme Court Justice Alito said he spoke with Trump by phone this week in support of a former law clerk who is seeking a job in the incoming administration – but the justice said he did not discuss Trump’s pending effort to delay his sentencing. “William Levi, one of my former law clerks, asked me to take a call from President-elect Trump regarding his qualifications to serve in a government position,” Alito said in a statement Wednesday. “I agreed to discuss this matter with President-elect Trump, and he called me yesterday afternoon.”

“Trump is considering a national economic emergency declaration to allow for new tariff program, sources say” via Kayla Tausche of CNN — Trump is considering declaring a national economic emergency to provide legal justification for a large swath of universal tariffs on allies and adversaries as Trump seeks to reset the global balance of trade in his second term. The declaration would allow Trump to construct a new tariff program by using the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, known as “IEEPA,” which unilaterally authorizes a President to manage imports during a national emergency. Trump, one of the sources noted, has a fondness for the law, since it grants wide-ranging jurisdiction over how tariffs are implemented without strict requirements to prove the tariffs are needed on national security grounds.

“Canadian leaders say Trump’s talk about Canada becoming the 51st state isn’t funny anymore” via Rob Gillies of The Associated Press — Trump’s comments that Canada should become the 51st state are no longer a joke and are meant to undermine America’s closest ally, Canada’s finance minister said Wednesday. Dominic LeBlanc, the country’s point person for U.S-Canada relations, said Trump was smiling when he first made the comment during a dinner at Mar-a-Lago with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in late November. “The joke is over,” said LeBlanc. “It’s a way for him, I think, to sow confusion, to agitate people, to create chaos knowing this will never happen.” Trump keeps floating the idea that Canada should join the United States as the 51st state, saying Tuesday he would not use military force to invade the country, which is home to more than 40 million people and is a founding NATO partner.

“Trump says he will rename the Gulf of Mexico. Can he do that?” via Maegan Vazquez of The Washington Post — Trump said the United States would change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and the President-elect seemed to tie the prospective renaming to his long-standing grievances with Mexico’s handling of immigration, drug trafficking and trade. “We’re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America,” Trump said at a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida. “ … What a beautiful name, and it’s appropriate.” The President-elect subsequently decried the Mexican government for allowing migrants to “pour” into the United States, saying Mexico “can stop them and we’re going to put very serious tariffs on Mexico and Canada because Canada, they come through Canada, too.”

“Poking fun at Trump, Mexico’s President suggests renaming the U.S.” via Emiliano Rodríguez Mega of The New York Times — Mexico’s President rejected several of Trump’s assertions about her country and even joked that the United States should be called “Mexican America” after Trump said the Gulf of Mexico should be renamed the Gulf of America. President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico used her Wednesday morning news conference to show a world map dating from 1607. The map labeled North America as Mexican America and identified the Gulf of Mexico as such 169 years before the United States was founded. “Why don’t we call it Mexican America? It sounds pretty, no?” Sheinbaum said while pointing to the map and smiling.

“Trump camp was fed questions for Fox News town hall in advance from person inside network, new book says” via Hadas Gold of CNN — Trump’s team was given the questions asked by Fox News anchors at an Iowa town hall last January in advance by someone inside the network, according to a forthcoming book, in what would be a serious breach of journalism ethics. The report, which Fox said it plans to investigate, comes from the upcoming book “Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power” by Alex Isenstadt, a national political reporter at POLITICO. Isenstadt conducted more than 300 interviews for the book based on internal memos, notes, and recordings, as well as regular reporting trips to Palm Beach and a flight with Trump aboard his plane in June 2023. Isenstadt describes a deep relationship between Trump and those within Fox News.

— D.C. MATTERS —

“Dignified rituals before the ‘hot mess’ in Washington” via Jess Bidgood of The New York Times — Americans know what to do when a President dies. We find the instructions they have often personally laid out. We polish the horse-drawn caisson and put on a show of pomp and circumstance that gathers political foes in a display of collective mourning, reflection and unity. That’s what’s happening this week in Washington, where former President Jimmy Carter is lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda before a funeral tomorrow that will convene all five living current, former and future Presidents: three Democrats and two Republicans. The pageantry is unfolding just days after the uneventful certification of the election, giving the nation an uncanny week of routine on the eve of political upheaval. “It just made me happy,” the historian Doris Kearns Goodwin told me today, “to see these moments can still exist.”

“Joe Biden still mulling preemptive pardons as Trump prepares to take office” via Myah Ward of POLITICO — Biden told USA Today he still hasn’t decided whether to issue preemptive pardons to political allies before he exits the White House, confirming that he’s yet to close the door on insulating those who Trump and his allies have threatened to target for prosecution. He also told Trump not to target his perceived enemies. “I tried to make clear that there was no need, and it was counterintuitive for his interest to go back and try to settle scores,” Biden said, adding that Trump only listened, not confirming whether he intended to target the President’s political allies.

“Biden says he could have beaten Trump if he had stayed in the election” via Meryl Kornfield of The Washington Post — Biden said he thinks he could have beaten Trump if he had stayed in the presidential race instead of dropping out and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris. In an interview with USA Today’s Susan Page, Biden said that it was “presumptuous” for him to say but that he thinks he could have won against Trump based on the polling. Polls showed Biden falling behind Trump during the campaign, and he lost further ground after a shaky debate performance in June reinforced criticism that he wasn’t up for the job.

“No, Biden would not have won the election” via Philip Bump of The Washington Post — With days left before he leaves office, Biden offered reflections on his Presidency and insights into preparations for the arrival of his successor. And, when asked whether he could have beaten Trump had he remained in the 2024 presidential contest, Biden offered an ambitious answer. “It’s presumptuous to say that, but I think yes,” Biden said. It is presumptuous, yes. And the correct answer is very obviously: no. It is admittedly impossible to say for sure, of course. This is why ruminations on alternate histories are such a popular pastime; those alternatives are generally unfalsifiable. We can start with the fact that the Democratic Party’s ultimate nominee, Harris, didn’t win. There has been a lot of analysis of what prompted that rightward shift, but one obvious and significant component is the inflation that followed the initial shock of the coronavirus pandemic. Around the world, incumbents paid a political price for that inflation.

“Biden acknowledges he might not have been able to serve four more years” via Peter Baker of The New York Times — Biden acknowledged in a new interview that he might not have had the vitality to serve another four years in office, even as he insisted that he could have won re-election had he stayed in the race. Biden, 82, who abandoned his bid for a second term in July under enormous pressure from Democrats panicked over his faltering debate performance against Trump, maintained that he was still in good enough shape to run the country as he finishes his term. “So far, so good,” he told USA Today. “But who knows what I’m going to be when I’m 86 years old?”

“Merrick Garland to release Jack Smith’s Jan. 6 report, hold back Mar-a-Lago report” via Rebecca Beitsch of The Hill — Attorney General Garland plans to release only the volume of Special Counsel Smith’s report dealing with Trump’s plans to subvert the transfer of power after his loss in the 2020 Election, holding back on sharing the Mar-a-Lago report while the President-elect’s two co-defendants still face trial. Federal prosecutors made Garland’s plans clear in a filing urging an appeals court to reject a bid from Trump valet Walt Nauta and property manager Carlos De Oliveira to bar the Attorney General from releasing the report in its entirety. Garland made the determination based on Smith’s recommendation “to avoid any risk of prejudice.”

“Senate GOP embraces new strategy on reconciliation bill: Whatever can pass the House” via Ursula Perano and Jordain Carney of POLITICO — Senate Republicans have a new, emerging strategy on their massive reconciliation bill: See what can survive the House. It’s easy to see where that comes from. Given its incredibly thin margin and fractious membership, the GOP House will likely have a tougher time passing any party-line legislation. Speaker Mike Johnson has pushed for putting priorities on the border, energy and taxes in one massive bill, believing that will make it easier to pass. Senate Republicans, many of whom favor a two-track approach that would split off taxes from the border and energy policies, are set to meet with Trump for the first time since taking back the chamber on Wednesday evening.

“Delays fuel GOP blame game over Trump nominees” via Rachel Blade of POLITICO — With less than two weeks until Trump takes the oath of office, only a small handful of his nominees appear on track for immediate confirmation — sparking tensions between the Senate GOP and Trump’s inner circle. At a private lunch on Tuesday, Republican Senators discussed whether they should — or even could, under law and Senate rules — advance Trump nominees without final FBI background checks, financial disclosures and other paperwork. They discussed whether they could at least hold confirmation hearings without documents submitted, holding off on final action until the process is complete. And the subject of nominations could come up again Wednesday evening when Trump meets with Republican Senators on Capitol Hill.

“Tax cuts or the border? Republicans wrestle over priorities” via Andrew Duehren and Catie Edmondson of The New York Times — Republicans are preparing to cut taxes, slash spending and slow immigration in a broad agenda that will require unifying an unruly party behind dozens of complicated policy choices. For now, though, they are struggling with a more prosaic decision: cramming their policy goals into one bill or splitting them into two. It is a seemingly technical question that reveals a fundamental divide among Republicans about whether to prioritize a wide-ranging crackdown on immigration or cutting taxes, previewing what could be months of intramural policy debate. Some Republicans have argued that they should pass two bills to quickly push through legislation focused on immigration at the southern border.

“Maxwell Frost backs David Hogg in DNC Vice Chair race” via Julia Manchester of The Hill — Rep. Frost endorsed Democratic National Committee Vice Chair candidate Hogg on Wednesday, referring to him as a generational changemaker. “I was there days after the Parkland shooting, organizing with him, other survivors, and parents to fight to make sure that what happened at Marjory Stoneman Douglas [High School] never happened again anywhere,” Frost said. “Seeing his leadership then and working with him for many years since has shown me how important he is to advancing this work and why we need him to be the next Vice Chair of the DNC,” he continued. Hogg, who is a survivor of the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, co-founded March for Our Lives following the mass shooting. Before serving in Congress, Frost was the group’s national organizing director.

“Obamacare enrollment hits record ahead of Trump’s return” via Noah Weiland and Sheryl Gay Stolberg of The New York Times — The number of Americans enrolled in the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance marketplaces has roughly doubled since Biden took office, but White House officials warned that the surge in Americans taking advantage of increased government health care subsidies could face risks as Trump returns to office. Nearly 24 million Americans, a record, have already signed up for plans under the program, popularly known as Obamacare, during the current enrollment period, according to the White House. Those gains have been partly driven by major federal subsidies that helped shave the cost of premiums across income groups. Those subsidies, approved by Biden and Democratic lawmakers, are set to expire this year.

— STATEWIDE —

“Ron DeSantis wants NASA HQ relocated to Florida” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — DeSantis offered remarks on the Space Coast Wednesday regarding the Florida University Space Research Consortium. The multi-institutional initiative drives research involving the University of Florida, the University of Central Florida, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in conjunction with NASA. But the memorandum of understanding signed Wednesday wasn’t necessarily the most significant news. DeSantis said at the Kennedy Space Center that NASA’s future should be in the Sunshine State, with Trump in a position to make that happen. “There is an interest in moving the headquarters of NASA right here to Kennedy Space Center, and I’m supportive of that,” DeSantis said.

“DeSantis reasserts COVID-19 vaccine dangers as final grand jury report finds no laws were broken” via Cindy Krsicher Goodman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — DeSantis doubled down on the message he delivered often during the pandemic: Big Pharma deceived the public about COVID-19 vaccines. “The American people deserve transparency on how Big Pharma is using their federal tax dollars, and they deserve regulating entities that operate as watchdogs, not cheerleaders,” DeSantis wrote. DeSantis’ statements dovetailed with a 144-page Florida grand jury report unsealed Wednesday that found no evidence COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers broke federal or state laws when making and distributing the shots. He sought the investigation just before his bid for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination, drawing attention to his opposition to pandemic lockdowns, mask mandates and COVID-19 vaccines he referred to as “jabs.”

“Florida files COVID-19 related suit after accidentally overpaying company $5 million” via Ana GonŽi-Lessan of the USA Today Network — An error in reading a decimal point can lead to a costly mistake. Just ask the state of Florida. According to a recent lawsuit, Florida’s Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) entered a deal in 2021 with South Florida’s Trinity Health Care Services to register people for COVID-19 vaccinations. And that June, FDEM meant to pay Trinity an invoice of $50,578.50. But the state accidentally paid $5,057,850.00 to Trinity, an overage of 5 million bucks. According to the suit, that was one of several overpayments, which added up to over $5.7 million.

“Florida sues Miramar company to recover $5.8M COVID overpayment. CEO at the time is now in Congress” via Anthony Man of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The state of Florida says it overpaid a Miramar-based health care company $5.8 million for services during the height of the COVID pandemic — and the company won’t refund the money. The company CEO at the time when the state says overpayments occurred was Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who is now a member of Congress representing parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties. The Division of Emergency Management, in a lawsuit filed Dec. 30, said its effort to recover the overpayment has been unsuccessful. By not repaying the money, the lawsuit says, Trinity Healthcare Services violates the contract it had to provide coronavirus vaccination services.

“People are flocking to Florida. Will there be enough water for them?” via Sachi Kitajima Mulkey and Ayurella Horn-Muller of Grist — While wading through wetlands in the headwaters of the Everglades, where tall, serrated grasses shelter alligators and water moccasins, agroecologist Elizabeth Boughton described one of Florida’s biggest environmental problems: There’s either too much water, or too little.  An intensifying climate, overexploitation of groundwater, and a development boom have catalyzed a looming water supply shortage — something that once seemed impossible for the rainy peninsula.

— LOCAL: S. FL —

“Monroe GOP-backed Sherri Hodies sworn in as Supervisor of Elections” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — After 12 straight years of operating under a Democrat, the Elections Department in heavily GOP-leaning Monroe County is now under a Republican’s stewardship. Hodies, who has served as Treasurer of the Monroe GOP and president of the Southernmost Republican Club, began her first term as Supervisor of Elections this week. Judge Mark Wilson swore Hodies into office at the historic Monroe County Courthouse in Key West. Local elected officials, election personnel, family, friends and community leaders attended the Tuesday ceremony. “I am deeply honored to serve as your Supervisor of Elections and to work with such an exceptional team of dedicated professionals,” Hodies said in a prepared statement.

“Florida sues Miramar company to recover $5.8 million COVID-19 overpayment. CEO at the time is now in Congress.” via Anthony Man of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The state of Florida says it overpaid a Miramar-based health care company $5.8 million for services during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic — and the company won’t refund the money. The company CEO at the time when the state says overpayments occurred was Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who is now a member of Congress representing parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties. The Florida Division of Emergency Management, in a lawsuit filed Dec. 30, said its effort to recover the overpayment has been unsuccessful. By not repaying the money, the lawsuit says, Trinity Healthcare Services is in violation of the contract it had to provide coronavirus vaccination services. “Trinity took advantage of the state of emergency the entire country was encountering due to the COVID-19 pandemic and knowingly processed an invoice more than 100 times its typical invoice size,” the complaint said. “Trinity refused to return the overpayments and instead has kept $5,778,316.45 that it was not entitled to and had not earned.”

“Lake Okeechobee releases suspected in algae bloom in Manatee Pocket, Port Salerno” via Timothy O’Hara of Treasure Coast Newspapers — The state confirmed algae bloom in Manatee Pocket in Port Salerno on Jan. 2. TCPalm doesn’t know the cause, whether it’s toxic or whether it is still present because the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) hasn’t posted test results or sampled the water again. DEP confirmed the cyanobacteria, commonly called blue-green algae, which may or may not be toxic. A prime suspect is Lake Okeechobee discharges that started a month ago, which floods the brackish St. Lucie River with fresh water and nutrients that feed algae, said Mark Perry, Executive Director of the Florida Oceanographic Society in Stuart. Pending results of a DEP water sample taken on the Lake O side of Port Mayaca could confirm that.

“‘Do you regret what you’ve done here?’ Man who vandalized Delray Beach pride intersection pleads guilty, apologizes in court” via Shira Moolten of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — A Clearwater man who vandalized the Delray Beach LGBT pride intersection for the second time pleaded guilty in court before apologizing at the request of a Palm Beach County Judge. “Do you understand what I mean when I use the word ‘remorse’?” Judge Daliah Weiss asked Dylan Reese Brewer, 19, before granting the plea deal, which critics have called a “sweetheart deal” because it allows Brewer to plead guilty to a misdemeanor instead of a felony. “Yes, ma’am,” he said. “And you have stated that you are remorseful. Do you regret what you’ve done here?” “Absolutely,” Brewer replied. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Delray Beach considering no longer adding fluoride to its water supply” via Abigail Hasebroock of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Officials in Delray Beach are debating whether to remove fluoride from city tap water after health officials came out with new warnings about the risks of fluoride ingestion. Some recent research suggests fluoride exposure can create neuropsychiatric risk — more specifically, lowered IQ levels in children — so the Department of Health no longer recommends adding the element to the public water supply. The research is contested. The National Institutes of Health said, “A 2023 meta-analysis of eight studies found that fluoride exposure at concentrations similar to that used in fluoridated community drinking water in the United States is not associated with lower IQ scores.”

— LOCAL: C. FL —

“Orange County adopts public camping ban to comply with state law some say criminalizes homelessness” via Silas Morgan of the Orlando Sentinel — The Orange County Commission approved a camping ban on public property — a requirement to comply with a new state law many critics say criminalizes homelessness. The Commission passed the ordinance 4-2, with Commissioner Nicole Wilson absent. The dissenting votes came from Commissioners Kelly Semrad and Maribel Gomez Cordero. Mayor Jerry Demings, who voted in favor, urged other Commissioners to support it. “We are a compassionate community. You’ve heard that law enforcement’s intent here is not to criminalize homelessness,” Demings said. “We have stressed that. You’ve heard from our staff that we are working diligently with other solutions.”

“Jessie Thompson resigns as Chair of Volusia Schools but will stay on as Board member” via Mark Harper of the Daytona Beach News-Journal — Thompson says she resigned as Volusia County School Board Chair after much prayer, but intends to continue as a Board member to support students and represent “teachers and parents who feel like they haven’t been heard.” At a December meeting, Thompson apologized for comments she made at an Aug. 30 Moms for Liberty summit equating Deltona High School diplomas with “participation trophies,” saying she wouldn’t trust some Deltona students with pumping her gas and making reference to Board member Ruben Colón as a “tan gentleman.” Those comments and others made during a “How to Work With Your School Board” session surfaced in a YouTube video of the event.

“Florida Sheriff placed on Brady list of law officers deemed untrustworthy” via Cristóbal Reyes of the Orlando Sentinel — In one of his final acts before leaving office, Orange-Osceola State Attorney Andrew Bain put Osceola Sheriff Marcos Lopez on an official list of law enforcement officers deemed untrustworthy. It was the result of months of back-and-forth about comments by the Sheriff in which he appeared to downplay posting a photo of 13-year-old Madeline Soto’s body online.

“Florida School Board Chair upended by comments at Moms for Liberty event” via Jeffrey S. Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times — In School Board politics, words matter. Volusia County Board member Jessie Thompson learned that lesson when a video surfaced days after her selection as Chair, showing her making controversial negative statements about some students and a fellow Board member during a Summer Moms for Liberty event. The backlash came quickly. Some area leaders, including at least one of her Board colleagues, demanded that she step aside as the Board’s figurehead leader. Without explanation, Thompson resigned from the post on Tuesday. That move paved the way for the Board to choose someone else to chair the panel next week.

“Volusia County Fire Rescue Division Chief demoted over relationship with lieutenant’s wife” via Patricio G. Balona of the Daytona Beach News-Journal — A veteran Volusia County Fire Rescue Division Chief was demoted for having an inappropriate relationship with the wife of a lieutenant he supervised, county officials said. Volusia County spokesperson Michael Ryan confirmed to the News-Journal that Division Chief Stephen Luciano was demoted to lieutenant last week. The reduction in rank was a disciplinary action against Luciano for having inappropriate contact with the wife of fire Lt. Chris Hogan, he said. Luciano, who Volusia County Fire Rescue hired in January 2003, was Hogan’s supervisor, an Internal Affairs investigator said. Luciano, promoted to Division Chief in February 2021, is also taking a pay cut from $50.16 an hour to $28.27.

— LOCAL: TB —

“St. Pete City Council to consider purchasing AquaFence to protect water resources facility” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — The city of St. Petersburg is planning to purchase a FloodWall prevention barrier system from AquaFence USA, a product that during Hurricane Helene in late September protected Tampa General Hospital from flooding even as properties surrounding it were inundated by storm surge. St. Pete City Council is scheduled to vote on the $628,000 expenditure during its regular meeting on Thursday. The FloodWall would provide 518 linear feet of protection from floodwaters to protect the city’s Lift Station #85 near Albert Whitted Airport. “Failure to procure” the barrier could lead “to operations disruptions, costly repairs, and compromised sewage processing capabilities,” according to the city.

“Officials mum on how they know New Orleans attack suspect was in Tampa as Gasparilla preps continue” via Chris Hurst of WFLA — Gasparilla season is almost here and safety concerns loom in the wake of the terrorist attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day. Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies met Tuesday afternoon to reassure the public they are doing everything they can to make plans to keep people safe. Chief Lee Bercaw said events, including this month’s Gasparilla children’s parade and pirate invasion, will have thousands of officers out and a safety plan in place to prevent violence.

“Citrus County community heralds a ‘new day’ with Sheriff David Vincent” via Mike Wright of Florida Politics — Citrus County’s newest Sheriff took the oath of office in the same fashion that drove his successful campaign. Before a crowd of local politicians, community leaders and citizens, Vincent was sworn into office on the steps of the Historic Citrus County Courthouse on a Tuesday that will long be remembered. Community leaders who endured former Sheriff Mike Prendergast’s two terms beamed with pride as Prendergast’s predecessor, Jeff Dawsy, administered the oath. “He truly is the right man, right job, right now,” Dawsy said of Vincent. Gerry Mulligan, retired publisher of the Citrus County Chronicle, said: “Citrus County is ready to embrace his leadership.

“Florida cancels transgender activist’s new ID after changed gender label” via Romy Ellenbogen of the Tampa Bay Times — DeSantis’ administration canceled a transgender activist’s driver’s license after the popular TikToker publicly posted about changing the stated gender on their ID. James Rose, a non-binary content creator who uses they and she pronouns, posted a video in December about changing the gender on their license from male to female. Rose talked about using a “loophole” in the process to replace lost licenses. “My god, Ron DeSantis would be screaming right now if he knew about this,” Rose said in the video, which appears to be now removed from their social media pages.

— LOCAL: N. FL —

“Council members rip use of building inspection fees for ‘hologram’ message at airport” via David Bauerlein of The Florida Times-Union — Some Jacksonville City Council members were seeing red after hearing the City Council auditor say it appears the cost of “hologram” technology that portrays Mayor Donna Deegan welcoming travelers at Jacksonville International Airport will be financed by building inspection fees collected by the city. State law limits how local government can use building inspection fees by requiring the fees to only go toward activities related to enforcing the state’s building code. Mike Weinstein, chief of staff for Deegan, said the city will be using the technology to improve communication with the public in the building inspection office. The machine can understand English, Spanish, French, Japanese, and German questions and has plans to expand to Filipino. The image of a person in the 7-foot tall box then gives a verbal answer.

“Mayor Donna Deegan claims ’24/7 outreach’ ongoing to homeless population” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — In the wake of Jacksonville City Council member Rory Diamond claiming the beaches won’t be a “dumping ground” for the homeless, Deegan’s office is saying the city is continually working to deal with the problem. “Since October, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) has been enforcing the new state law banning public camping. As of Jan. 3, there have been 529 warnings, 86 arrests, and 27 notices to appear. Since late November, the JFRD PATH Team has been conducting 24/7 outreach to the homeless community and connecting them to resources. More than 900 contacts have been made and 60 individuals have been taken to the Trinity Rescue Mission shelter,” Deegan’s office claimed. Diamond claims the city is “pushing homeless out of downtown and into the neighborhoods,” a read somewhat corroborated last year by Council member Ron Salem, who suggested that phase one of the city’s strategy was to clear the population out of downtown.

“Panhandle natural gas company gets state approval for rate hike in small Gulf Coast municipality” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — A Panhandle natural gas company has received approval from the state to increase rates for the utility. St. Joe Natural Gas Co. Inc. (SJNG) petitioned the Public Service Commission (PSC) to raise its rates in May. However, a PSC press release said that the regulatory Board approved the rate hike this week. SJNG serves the small Gulf Coast town of Port St. Joe just south of Panama City in the Panhandle. The PSC held public hearings and initially approved rate and revenue increases, which were delayed after customer challenges. The PSC revisited the issue in December and requested additional data and a review of documentation provided by the utility. The panel approved a $936,224 increase in operating revenues yearly while increasing the utility’s annual operating costs and revenues to $2.5 million. That figure is actually lower than what the company initially requested.

— LOCAL: SW FL —

“Lawsuit says furry blue online animated character helped sway the Manatee County election” via Jesse Mendoza of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — High-powered Republican political consultant Anthony Pedicini and former Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge are suing the creators of a furry blue animated character used to lambaste many local politicians in a series of videos published on social media during the 2024 Elections, as well as The Bradenton Times online publication for promoting the content. Van Ostenbridge and Pedicini claim that content produced by the creators of the politically active animated figure called “Kevin-Kyle Kaczynski Von Oswald XVII” used their names and animated caricatures in videos illegally to promote merchandise sales during the run-up to the 2024 Election. They also claim that The Bradenton Times promoted the Von Oswald videos as part of a scheme against them.

“Health alert: Red tide widespread in Naples and Marco; health officials advise caution” via Liz Freeman of the Naples Daily News — State health officials are warning red tide is in Gulf waters near south Marco Beach and many Naples beaches. Officials urge beachgoers to be cautious if they have health issues. The other beaches include Clam Pass, Barefoot Beach, Wiggins Pass, Naples Pier, Barefoot Beach State Preserve, Vanderbilt Beach, and Seagate, according to the Department of Health (DOH). According to DOH, dead fish were reported at the beach at Wiggins Pass, which can worsen respiratory distress for some people. There are no reports of red tide along the shoreline of Lee County or its barrier islands of Sanibel and Captiva. Tests conducted Jan. 6 based on water samples confirmed red tide at the beach locations.

— TOP OPINION —

“The anti-social century” via Derek Thompson of The Atlantic — The privatization of American leisure is one part of a much bigger story.

Americans spend less time with other people than in any other period for which we have trustworthy data, going back to 1965. In-person socializing slowly declined between that year and the end of the 20th century. From 2003 to 2023, it plunged by more than 20%, according to the American Time Use Survey, an annual study conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Among unmarried men and people younger than 25, the decline was more than 35%.

Alone time predictably spiked during the pandemic. However, the trend started long before most people had ever heard of a novel coronavirus and continued after the pandemic was declared over. According to Enghin Atalay, an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Americans spent even more time alone in 2023 than they did in 2021

Eroding companionship can be seen in numerous odd and depressing facts of American life today.

Men who watch television now spend seven hours in front of the TV for every hour they spend hanging out with somebody outside their home.

The typical female pet owner spends more time actively engaged with her pet than in face-to-face contact with friends of her own species.

But solitude and loneliness are not one and the same.

“It is actually a very healthy emotional response to feel some loneliness,” the NYU sociologist Eric Klinenberg told me. “That cue is the thing that pushes you off the couch and into face-to-face interaction.” The real problem here, the nature of America’s social crisis, is that most Americans don’t seem to be reacting to the biological cue to spend more time with other people.

— OPINIONS —

“Biden has presidential immunity. He should use it.” via Jonathan Last of The Bulwark — Remember: 2025 is the year of maximum peril. Every day that can be chewed up, forcing the administration to fight on a topic they fear is a day they lose in pursuit of their authoritarian agenda. You would not know it from their current posture, but the Democrats are actually the opposition party. They have a duty to oppose Trump, on all fronts, and inflict political pain wherever they can. And so, the final reason for making Smith’s report public by any means necessary is to force Democrats to come to terms with the new rules of American government. The law says that Aileen Cannon’s injunction can, at least temporarily, halt the transmission of Smith’s report. But the law also says that any action a President takes as part of his official duties is, prima facie, legal. This was not formerly the case, but it is now. So, if President Biden were to publish the report this afternoon in violation of Cannon’s order, he would do so with total immunity.

“Next stop: 2032” via Steve Schale of Steve’s Substack — Starting in the 2032 Election, the “Blue Wall” will guarantee a path of 255-260, but no more. To win the White House on any consistent basis after 2032, my party will have to start winning in states where we aren’t winning. It is both a huge challenge — and a massive opportunity. The road to 270 after the next census will mean winning at least one state that my party, more often than not, loses in presidential races. The “Blue Wall” states have voted the same way in every election going back to 1992 because, in many ways, they are very similar. All three have much smaller non-White populations than the rest of the battleground maps. All three have similar college attainment rates. But as similar as all three are to each other, they are quite different from the states in the 2032 expansion map, which are all substantially more diverse. The good news is there are people who are succeeding in all of these places, and we should learn from them. There are plenty of people winning down the ballot, whose strategies we should listen to, and learn from.

“Delma Noel-Pratt: Bipartisan reforms will strengthen first responders crisis response” via Florida Politics — When disaster strikes, whether in the form of a hurricane, severe storm, or other crisis, the ability of first responders to stay connected can mean the difference between life and death. Emergency response depends on seamless communication, not just within local departments but also with state and national agencies to coordinate effective and immediate action. This is where FirstNet has become a game-changer for South Florida. Since its inception, FirstNet — the nationwide broadband network dedicated to first responders created by Congress after 9/11 — has transformed our ability to respond in critical situations. Designed by first responders for first responders, FirstNet provides a secure and resilient communications platform that ensures priority access to the network during high-traffic situations. When cell towers become overloaded or compromised, FirstNet ensures that we stay connected, empowering our teams to focus on what matters: protecting and rescuing our residents.

— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —

— ALOE —

“Oscar nominations pushed to Jan. 19, voting extended by two days due to L.A. fires” via Marc Malkin of Variety — The deadline for Oscar nomination voting has been extended two days due to the Southern California fires. Voting for the nearly 10,000 Academy members opened on Jan. eight and was initially set to close on Jan. 12. Deadline is now Jan. 14. The nominations announcement, originally scheduled to be announced on Jan. 17, has moved to Jan. 19. Conan O’Brien will host the 2025 Oscars ceremony, which takes place on March 2. The Academy emailed members Wednesday afternoon detailing the date changes from CEO Bill Kramer. “We want to offer our deepest condolences to those impacted by the devastating fires across Southern California,” the email read, in part. “So many of our members and industry colleagues live and work in the Los Angeles area, and we are thinking of you.”

“Critics Choice Awards postponed to Jan. 26 due to L.A. wildfires” via Anthony D’Alessandro of Deadline — The Critics Choice Awards will go forward on Jan. 26. The rescheduled event will remain at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, and will broadcast live on E! and around the world. It will also be available on Peacock the next day. “This unfolding tragedy has already had a profound impact on our community. All our thoughts and prayers are with those battling the devastating fires and with all who have been affected,” said CCA CEO Joey Berlin.

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Best wishes to Mike Fasano’s right-hand man, Greg Giordano, Julia Canady, and Makenzi Mahler. It’s also the birthday of insurance lobbyist Lisa Miller.

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