News: POLITICO Florida Playbook: DeSantis doesn't want 'validation' from media — Frustrations continue to mount over Florida's vaccination rollout — Did wealthy New Yorkers jump vaccine line?

Wednesday, January 6, 2021

POLITICO Florida Playbook: DeSantis doesn't want 'validation' from media — Frustrations continue to mount over Florida's vaccination rollout — Did wealthy New Yorkers jump vaccine line? — Rubio v. Cuomo

Jan 06, 2021

Presented by Our Islands Our Future

Good Wednesday morning. While you were sleeping, Raphael Warnock was declared the winner in his bid to oust Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler, nudging Democrats closer to the Senate majority. Jon Ossoff leads GOP Sen. David Perdue but the race hasn't been called yet.

The daily rundown — Between Monday and Tuesday, the number of Florida coronavirus cases increased by 15,431 (1.1 percent), to 1,392,123; active hospitalizations went up by 106 (nearly 1.5 percent), to 7,345; deaths rose by 98 (0.4 percent), to 22,188.

Proclamation time — While much of the nation was waiting for Senate election results in Georgia, Gov. Ron DeSantis proclaimed Tuesday night to Fox News' Tucker Carlson, "I don't seek validation from the media."

That escalated quickly — DeSantis, showing up in one of the safe spaces he goes when he is under fire, made the comments in the wake of recounting his back-and-forth with a CNN reporter on Monday during a Miami press conference. The reporter, Rosa Flores, was attempting to ask DeSantis about what was going wrong with the vaccination rollout. DeSantis started to answer her question before Flores was finished. But when Flores tried to continue, DeSantis said "Are you going to give a speech or ask a question?"

More research needed? — Here's where he's right: The Republican governor doesn't need "validation" from the media. And there has sometimes been incomplete news coverage over the course of these long 10 months. But here's where he's wrong: In his attempt to get into a dust-up with Flores, DeSantis insinuated the CNN reporter didn't know what she was talking about. When Flores cited places — such as Lee County — that had problems with vaccine distribution, DeSantis snapped back "and why was, like in Lee, why did that happen? Did you investigate why?" The governor then went on to say it was local hospitals in the southwest Florida county that set up a "first come, first serve" process. Um, nope. As pointed out here by WINK News, the distribution in Lee County that led to senior citizens waiting overnight for shots was the system put in place by the county health department. So who does the local health department work for? Oh yeah, the Florida Department of Health, which is under DeSantis' control.

Strategy — The broader point is that instead of conceding that there have been problems with the vaccine rollout — and that's why the governor is being proactive and taking additional steps like inking deals with Publix — DeSantis would rather spend his time trying to score points with those who don't like the media. Ok, then. 2021 is off and running.

— WHERE'S RON? — Gov. DeSantis is scheduled to be in Pensacola.

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CORONAVIRUS UPDATES

WRONG WAY — "Amid vaccine rollout, Florida's COVID-19 numbers continue to deteriorate," by Orlando Sentinel's Naseem S. Miller: "While Gov. Ron DeSantis has turned his focus to vaccine distribution, all COVID-19 metrics — cases, deaths, positivity rates and hospitalizations — are worsening for the state, according to a daily report issued by the White House COVID-19 Task Force. The report now lists Florida as one of 33 states in the red zone, with a 32% jump in new cases and 20% increase in deaths compared to the prior week, according to the Community Profile Report for Jan. 4."

OVERVIEW — "'Who's in charge?' DeSantis' hands-off governing sows confusion in vaccine rollout," by Times/Herald's Lawrence Mower, Mary Ellen Klas, Ana Ceballos, Kirby Wilson and Allison Ross: "Ten months into the coronavirus pandemic, DeSantis' hands-off governing style is still frustrating Floridians, health care industry groups and elected officials. Where they struggled to decipher the governor's vague or conflicting orders at the start of the pandemic, they're now scrambling to adapt to his ever-changing vaccination strategy."

Zig-zag — "The result has led to desperate seniors flooding health department websites and tying up phone lines, signing up for fake vaccine appointments and sleeping in their cars outside public health centers, embarrassing images of incompetence and confusion for the nation's third-largest state. 'We don't really know what to do,' said Mary Ann Carlson, a 77-year-old from Pompano Beach who called a Times/Herald reporter because it was the only phone number she could find, aside from her local CVS. 'It changes every day.'"

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a new conference about the surge in coronavirus cases.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a new conference about the surge in coronavirus cases. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

LIMBO — "Frustration mounts over COVID-19 vaccine; seniors may have to wait for months," by Sun Sentinel's Lisa J. Huriash, Austen Erblat and Wells Dusenbury: "Anger and frustration grew Tuesday as senior citizens lined up for hours to get a COVID-19 vaccine that has proven elusive as registration systems collapse and supplies run low. Some public officials assailed Gov. Ron DeSantis for misleading seniors into thinking they would get vaccinated more easily. Broward Mayor Steve Geller warned that it may be months before seniors — let alone anyone else — are vaccinated against the deadly coronavirus. Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 cases is soaring. Florida on Tuesday reported 15,431 new cases and 98 more residents dead. In Boca Raton, hundreds of residents at Century Village stood in line for hours in the sun waiting to be inoculated at the 55-and-over gated community. Many bemoaned what they called a haphazard system of distributing the vaccine."

WHERE GETTING A SHOT IS A PLEASURE — "22 Publix stores to offer COVID-19 vaccinations," by News Service of Florida's Christine Sexton: "Seniors living in Citrus, Hernando and Marion counties will be able to get vaccinated for COVID-19 while shopping at Publix, under an agreement Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration reached with the Florida-based supermarket chain. The state is directing 15,000 vaccine doses to 22 Publix stores across the three Central Florida counties as the administration works to increase the number of locations where people age 65 and older can go to receive inoculations. DeSantis' announcement Tuesday about the Publix agreement comes amid a wave of criticism about the governor's handling of the vaccine rollout."

— "DeSantis to counties scheduling coronavirus vaccines: 'Put more people on these phone,'" by Tampa Bay Times' Kirby Wilson

— "Senior citizens camp out in Daytona Beach for COVID vaccine," by Associated Press' Terry Spencer and Freida Frisaro

— "Jacksonville's attempt to add vaccination sites on hold while waiting for enough doses," by Florida Times-Union David Bauerlein

— "Faith leaders applaud DeSantis' vaccine initiative targeting churches in underserved communities ," by WTSP's Emerald Morrow

NOT SURE THIS IS WHAT THE GOVERNOR HAD IN MIND — "Real estate moguls allegedly help rich pals jump COVID vaccine line," by N.Y. Post's Emily Smith: "NYC real estate brothers Bill and David S. Mack allegedly personally arranged for a host of their wealthy friends from Manhattan and the ritzy Palm Beach Country Club to get the COVID-19 vaccine at a Florida retirement home. While elderly Florida residents line up overnight for the vaccine, sources say the Macks allegedly 'made a list' of one-percenters given the chance to receive the vaccine, and some even allegedly flew in on private jets from NYC for the jab. The vaccine was administered at the not-for-profit nursing home Joseph L. Morse Health Center in Palm Beach, conveniently located on David S. Mack Drive in West Palm Beach, where — wait for it — David S. Mack is the chairman."

— "Judge photographed at party without mask says he will stay on anti-mas case," by Sun Sentinel's Marc Freeman

— "FIU wants to be a COVID-19 vaccination site in Miami-Dade. Will it be approved?" by Miami Herald's Michelle Marchante

— "Fearful teachers told to return to the classroom Monday," by Sun Sentinel's Scott Travis

— "Seminole fills 2,500 vaccine appointments within half hour; health officials warn residents of fake vaccine web sites ," by Orlando Sentinel's Martin E. Comas

— "Lakeland officials call for Polk to encourage masks, vaccinations as COVID cases surge," by The Ledger's Sara-Megan Walsh

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TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP

WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? — "Frederica Wilson was in 'quarantine status' when she voted in Nancy Pelosi as speaker," by Miami Herald's Alex Daugherty: "Miami Democratic Rep. Frederica Wilson cast her vote Sunday for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from inside a new plexiglass enclosure that sprang up on the House floor overnight, a way to keep House members designated as being in 'quarantine status' separate from other lawmakers. And on Tuesday, Wilson sent a letter to the House clerk asking to vote remotely through a proxy, Rep. Jahana Hayes of Connecticut, a move that some lawmakers have employed when they have been exposed to COVID-19 or infected."

FALLOUT — " Wasserman Schultz wants official censure for congressman who advocated election violence," by Sun Sentinel's Anthony Man: "U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz wants a formal congressional censure of U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, who suggested 'violence in the streets' might end up being the way to prevent President-elect Joe Biden from taking office. Wasserman Schultz, a Broward/Miami-Dade County Democrat, said Tuesday that Gohmert was 'pouring rhetorical gasoline onto this smoldering powder keg' and has contributed to a 'spiral of destructive behavior with his unconscionable calls and encouragement to political violence.'"

RUBIO V. CUOMO — "CNN's Chris Cuomo mocks Marco Rubio's faith: 'Mr. Bible Boy' has 'Bible quote for every moment,'" by Fox News' Brian Flood: "CNN host Chris Cuomo mocked Sen. Marco Rubio's faith on Monday, referring to him as 'Mr. Bible Boy' and saying 'he's got a Bible quote for every moment, he just never speaks truth to power or acts on any of it.'…. Rubio fired back after this story was initially published, tweeting a response to Cuomo. 'The verses I tweet are usually the ones chosen by the Catholic Church for that days mass,' Rubio wrote. 'But the fact he thinks words written thousands of years ago are relevant to current events proves the Bible isn't just a book, it's the word of God. AMEN.'"

A NEW EFFORT — "Venezuelans would be protected from deportation under Darren Soto's new bill," by Orlando Sentinel's Steven Lemongello: "The push to grant protected status to Venezuelans fleeing their economically ravaged homeland has been revived in the new Congress. But advocates are optimistic that President-elect Joe Biden will unilaterally grant protections without waiting for Congress. The bipartisan Venezuela TPS Act of 2021, introduced Tuesday by U.S. Reps. Darren Soto, D-Kissimmee, Mario Diaz-Balart , R-Miami, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, would designate Venezuelans for Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, which would prevent about 200,000 Venezuelan nationals in the United States from being deported."

FLORIDA MAN — "Proud Boys leader challenged cops to arrest him, and now he's banned from the nation's capital," by Sun Sentinel's Andrew Boryga: "Henry 'Enrique' Tarrio, the Miami-based leader of the Proud Boys who was arrested for burning a Black Lives Matter banner at a historic church, is banned from the nation's capital until June, a judge ruled Tuesday in Washington, D.C. On Dec. 12, a chaotic night in Washington, D.C., that included fistfights with protesters and property destruction, Tarrio lit a historic Black church's Black Lives Matter banner on fire in the streets, police say. He later issued a challenge to authorities online."

STILL HERE — " Chinese intruder at Trump's club remains behind bars and in limbo. She wants to go home," by Miami Herald's Jay Weaver and Sarah Blaskey: "When a federal judge gave Yujing Zhang an eight-month prison sentence for trespassing at President Donald Trump's exclusive Palm Beach club, the Chinese businesswoman caught a lucky break. After all, prosecutors argued that she deserved twice as much time behind bars and at one point had considered charging her with spying at Mar-a-Lago. So when Zhang finished her sentence and was transferred to immigration custody in early December 2019, everyone assumed the enigmatic intruder would be deported to her native China in a heartbeat. It hasn't happened."

TRAIL MIX

STILL MUM — "Will Marco Rubio and Rick Scott vote to certify electoral college? All eyes on the Florida Republicans," by Tampa Bay Times' Steve Contorno: "President Donald Trump's Republican allies in Congress will attempt on Wednesday to subvert millions of ballots that were cast by swing states voters, accepted by local and state election officials, certified by governors and affirmed by the courts in a last-ditch attempt to block the lawful election of former Vice President Joe Biden. In Florida the question is: Will Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott join them? As of Tuesday evening, the state's two Republican leaders had yet to declare how they'll vote when Congress meets Wednesday to certify the results of the Electoral College."

'EVERBODY HERE IS EQUAL' — "Marco Lopez sworn in as 1^st Hispanic Osceola sheriff," by Orlando Sentinel's Cristobal Reyes: "In the first 100 days in office, he expects to form a review board in response to nationwide uprisings against police brutality and systemic racism following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis by a now-former police officer. Called the Community Advisory Review Board of Enforcement Standards, it would be staffed with community and law enforcement leaders to review disciplinary cases and offer budgetary suggestions — the first of its kind in Osceola County. 'I'm Latino. I'm brown. All lives matter to me,' López told reporters to applause. 'In our county, all lives will matter. Everybody here is equal. ... We all need to get together as one.'"

AGENDA — "Broward's new elections boss wants to make it easier to vote and run for office," by Sun Sentinel's Rafael Olmeda: "Fresh into his role as Broward Supervisor of Elections, Joe Scott urged voters to demand two new laws he said would make it easier for candidates to run for office and for all citizens to vote. Change the voter-registration deadline, currently 29 days before an election, to give people more time to sign up, he said. 'Why are we disenfranchising people because they didn't meet an arbitrary deadline?' Scott said at his ceremonial swearing-in ceremony."

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... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ...

TIME TO GO — "Kelly resigns as public counsel," by POLITICO's Bruce Ritchie: Public Counsel J. R. Kelly has resigned the position he has held for 13 years. The move comes after Senate President Wilton Simpson successfully pushed for term limits on the job last year. Kelly, who has served since 2007, said he submitted a letter of resignation to Simpson and House Speaker Chris Sprowls last week. He told POLITICO on Tuesday he could have faced a tough time getting reappointed. 'Although I stood ready and willing to continue serving as public counsel, I think by passing the law stating their intent to limit it to 12 years, I'm going to abide by their will,' Kelly said in an interview.

TO COURT— "Court weighs retaliation lawsuit against former Jacksonville lawmaker Kimberly Daniels," by News Service of Florida's Jim Saunders: "An employment grievance? Or a report about wasted taxpayer money? An appeals court Tuesday waded into a dispute about whether a former Florida House member should be shielded from a lawsuit filed by a one-time aide who alleges she was fired after reporting that she had been required to perform personal tasks for the lawmaker. House General Counsel Daniel Bell told a panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal that the lawsuit against former Rep. Kimberly Daniels, D-Jacksonville, should be dismissed because of 'qualified immunity'— a legal concept that generally protects government officials from personal liability in cases related to their duties."

PENINSULA AND BEYOND

DENIED — "Katrina, Reggie Brown can't avoid prison while appealing convictions, judge say," by Florida Times-Union's Steve Patterson: "Former Jacksonville City Council members Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown cannot stay out of prison while appealing their fraud convictions unless an appeals court says so, a judge has decided. U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard this week denied requests to remain free the two made in November, but said they could also ask the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, where their appeals have been filed."

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The Bahamian Prime Minister has the power to revoke the drilling license, even though it's dangerously close to our coastline and threatens marine-protected areas. With a U.S. moratorium on offshore drilling in effect, this drill is happening in face of open opposition from a bi-partisan group of elected officials, with more than a dozen members of Congress signing a letter to the State Department expressing their strong opposition.

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Visit ourislandsourfuture.org to learn more.

ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN

"An attorney got disbarred in 2020 for not answering the Florida Bar. She died in 2019," by Miami Herald's David J. Neal: "Delray Beach attorney Sabrina Spradley wasn't the first attorney to receive a longer suspension or even be disbarred for ignoring the Florida Bar's requests for paperwork after a suspension. But Spradley's Feb. 11 suspension and Dec. 2 disbarment by the state Supreme Court for contempt came well after her death, which online databases and online obituaries place at Oct. 14, 2019."

BIRTHDAYS: Former House Speaker Jose Oliva

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