| | | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Presented by Our Islands Our Future | Good Tuesday morning. The daily rundown — Between Sunday and Monday, the number of Florida coronavirus cases increased by 11,256 (0.8 percent), to 1,376,692; active hospitalizations went up by 270 (nearly 3.9 percent), to 7,239; deaths rose by 103 (nearly 0.5 percent), to 22,090. Watching and waiting — Florida's two Republican senators, both of whom have been stalwart supporters of President Donald Trump, are coming under increasing pressure to support Wednesday's long shot effort to deny President-elect Joe Biden's Electoral College victory. But so far both Marco Rubio and Rick Scott — who both entertain presidential ambitions — have remained quiet even after groups of protesters gathered over the weekend in Naples and Miami demanding that the two senators back Trump's effort to derail the certification. Stand or fall? — The looming question is whether both Rubio and Scott are willing to turn aside demands from Trump and his supporters, and potentially incur Trump's wrath once he leaves the White House for good and relocates to Florida. During a rally in Georgia on Monday night, Trump pledged to return to that state in 2022 to campaign against GOP Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger because they have not gone along with the president's baseless allegations of widespread election fraud and misconduct. Allies ramp up pressure — Roger Stone, the longtime Trump ally and political activist, took a lead role in the Florida rallies and protests, where he called on both senators to oppose the certification. Stone declined to answer questions on Monday, but on the social media site Parler he wrote a "A Definitive Warning to Sen. Rick Scott by #WeThePeople : You should defend America by STANDING AGAINST the Harris/Biden (Obama 3.0) coup — a globalist agenda to end this Constitutional Republic." Television footage at the Naples rally shows Stone saying "Hey, Marco, get with the program." Silent treatment — Rubio has remained mum on his plans, saying he would not comment on the issue until Wednesday. McKinley Lewis, a spokesman for Scott, would only say that "Senator Scott is reviewing his options and will announce his decision at the appropriate time." Rubio is up for re-election in 2022, while Scott would not be on the ballot again until 2024. The news that Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner were moving to South Florida set off speculation that Trump's daughter may be setting the stage for her own political career. While one national Republican operative dismissed talk that Ivanka Trump would challenge Rubio as just "noise," well-known Florida Republican consultant Rick Wilson contended that "Rubio is in a real bind" if Ivanka Trump is serious. During his presidential bid, then-candidate Trump crushed Rubio in the Florida presidential primary. Path forward? — Wilson, an anti-Trumper who served as a adviser for The Lincoln Project, said Scott may have more leeway because "he's counting on being able to spend his way out of any problem with Trump voters." Others have suggested Rubio and Scott may both vote to certify, but then call for the creation of an elections commission to investigate irregularities. Stay tuned. — WHERE'S RON? — Nothing official announced for Gov. DeSantis. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch: gfineout@politico.com | | | | A message from Our Islands Our Future: Oil Drilling in The Bahamas Threatens Florida's Coast. Florida's coastline and tourism industry are in danger. An oil drilling company with a history of accidents will begin drilling for oil just miles off Florida's coast with Miami's beaches, Florida's entire Atlantic Coast, and the U.S. mainland downstream of prevailing winds and surface currents. Over 75,000 people have already signed a petition to stop this potential catastrophe. Will you? Learn more - ourislandsourfuture.org. | | |
|  | TRAIL MIX | | CALCULUS — "Trump's Electoral College scheme divides 2024 GOP successors," by POLITICO's Alex Isenstadt: The 2024 Republican primary has begun — and the opening clash is over whether to overturn President-elect Joe Biden's election win. While Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz are setting themselves up as the chief spokesmen for challenging certification of the Electoral College vote, aligning themselves with President Donald Trump, Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton and Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse are staking out the opposite turf. Other Republicans, like Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and Vice President Mike Pence, are playing it safe and saying little. 'THEY WORRY ABOUT THE PRIMARY' — "MAGA activists plot revenge on Republican 'traitors,'" by POLITICO's Tina Nguyen: The swift move to vengeance offers a preview of how Trump and his MAGA community plan to reshape the GOP in the coming months — creating Trump loyalty tests for Republicans, then working to evict anyone who doesn't fall in line. The goal is to identify those who are most worthy of inheriting the MAGA base with Trump out of office. But the result may be that no one except Trump can rally the MAGA coalition. "I think that Trump and his supporters in the base, or his supporters in the Republican Party, are going to continue to be a big part of the party for the foreseeable future, including in 2022," said Alex Conant, a GOP political consultant and the former communications director for Sen. Marco Rubio's 2016 presidential campaign. "Most congressmen don't wake up in the morning worried about their general election. They worry about their primary." | 
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) speaks to members of the media. (Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images) | — "Rubio, Scott, Miami Republicans silent on Electoral College challenge for Trump," by Miami Herald's Alex Daugherty and David Smiley — " Reps. Posey, Mast ready to vote against certifying fair election, call for investigations," by Treasure Coast Newspapers' Joshua Solomon — "Carlos Curbelo calls Donald Trump backers victims of 'hijacked truth,'" by Florida Politics Scott Powers — "Jacksonville NAACP vilifies Rutherford over planned objection to Electoral College results," by First Coast News' Mindy Wadley | | | | GET THE BIG PRE-INAUGURATION SCOOPS IN TRANSITION PLAYBOOK: Inauguration Day is quickly approaching. Is the Biden administration ready? Transition Playbook brings you inside the transition and newly forming administration, tracking the latest from Biden world and the transition of power. Written for political insiders, this scoop-filled newsletter breaks big news and analyzes the appointments, people and emerging power centers of the new administration. Track the transition and the first 100 days of the incoming Biden administration. Subscribe today. | | | | |
| | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Brian Ballard, whose firm broke into the crowded D.C. lobbying scene in the wake of Donald Trump's 2016 victory, is bringing in a top Democratic fundraiser just before the inauguration of Joe Biden. Courtney Whitney , who helped with the election of Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, is joining Ballard Partners in its Miami and Washington, D.C., offices. Whitney was also a consultant for Priorities USA Action, the super PAC supporting President-elect Biden. She previously worked as a finance consultant for the Democratic National Committee and also served as deputy Florida finance director for Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign. "Courtney has a stellar and lengthy record of accomplishments within Democratic Party politics," said Ballard, president and founder of Ballard Partners. "We are delighted to have her join our Miami and Washington D.C. offices." Transition time — Ballard, a veteran GOP fundraiser for Florida and national campaigns, has run one of the top lobbying operations in Tallahassee for years, but he opened an office in D.C. in early 2017 after Trump, a longtime client, was elected. Those Trump ties helped turn Ballard's operations into a quick success during the Trump era. Among those working in the D.C. office is former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. But there are other changes coming to the firm's D.C. offices. Along with Whitney's hiring, two other Ballard Partners employees — Ana Cruz and Stephanie Grutman — are going to help with the D.C. operation. Cruz, whose partner is Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, is a longtime Democratic consultant who worked for the Florida Democratic Party and on Clinton's 2008 and 2016 campaign. Cruz plans to split her time between Tampa and D.C. Grutman is a former Democratic congressional staffer and managing partner of Ballard Partners' Fort Lauderdale office. Grutman also worked as an aide for Debbie Wasserman Schultz when she was in the Florida Legislature. Other Democratic ties — While Ballard Partners has seen its prominence rise during the Trump era, it has ties to the incoming Biden administration as well. Former Rep. Robert Wexler, a senior counselor for the D.C. office, has been a longtime supporter of Biden. Jamie Rubin , who also works on international policy and strategy for Ballard Partners and spent time in the State Department, worked as a senior foreign policy adviser to Biden when he was in the Senate. FLORIDA MAN — "Proud Boys leader arrested in the burning of Black Lives Matter banner, D.C. police say," by Washington Post's Peter Hermann and Martin Weil: "The leader of the Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, was arrested by D.C. police Monday afternoon on a warrant charging him with burning a Black Lives Matter banner taken from a historic Black church during a demonstration last month, officials said. Police stopped a vehicle Tarrio had been in shortly after it entered the District, said Dustin Sternbeck, a D.C. police spokesman. He said it is believed that Tarrio, who lives in Miami, was coming into the District from the airport." | | | |   | | |
| | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | | EVERYTHING IS FINE — "Vaccine 'train wreck' leaves Tampa Bay seniors scrambling for shots," by Tampa Bay Times Megan Reeves, Bailey LeFever and Anastasia Dawson: "But the day left local seniors feeling no closer to receiving immunization from a virus that's killed hundreds of thousands across the country. Instead, the overwhelming demand jammed up phone lines and website servers for hours, leaving seniors without answers or any information on what to do next. Similar issues have been reported across the state as Gov. Ron DeSantis pressures hospitals — already tasked with administering shots to health care workers and caring for a surging number of coronavirus patients — to play a bigger role in vaccinating the general public. Experts have called instead for more coordination from the state and local health departments. 'There's just too many people that have to be vaccinated,' Mary Jo Trepka, an infectious disease epidemiologist and professor at Florida International University told the Miami Herald." EVERYTHING IS FINE PART 2 — "'It's a disgrace': Seniors rage over rollout of coronavirus vaccine," by Palm Beach Post's Jane Musgrave: "Arthur and Barbara Tolkin have a new morning ritual. They get up early, grab their phones and start making calls, desperately trying to schedule an appointment to get a coronavirus vaccine. Although the North Palm Beach couple have made scores of phone calls to healthcare providers in Palm Beach County and beyond, the results have been the same. 'You cannot get through,' said 86-year-old Barbara Tolkin, who is recovering from open heart surgery. 'It's horrendous. It's a disgrace.'" WILL THIS HELP FIX THINGS? — "Gov. DeSantis looks to step up Florida vaccinations," by News Service of Florida's Christine Sexton: "Gov. Ron DeSantis, dealing with a frantic demand for COVID-19 vaccinations across the state, promised Monday that he would strip allotments from hospitals that don't use them quickly enough and shift the doses to other health-care providers. Appearing at an Orlando Health hospital in Seminole County, DeSantis outlined several other steps the state plans to take to amplify vaccination efforts, including converting state-run testing sites into vaccination centers, having the state hire 1,000 extra nurses to administer shots and using churches as part of an effort to target underserved communities. DeSantis also said sites that provide vaccinations should do it seven days a week." WHOSE FAULT IS IT? — 'There's just too many people.' DeSantis pressures hospitals as vaccine demand grows," by Miami Herald's Samantha J. Gross and Ana Claudia Chacin: "At a press conference to announce three additional vaccine sites in Miami, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday blamed Florida's hospitals for the bumpy start to vaccinations and the first come, first served system that left thousands of seniors camped outside in waits that made national headlines. 'The state is not dictating to hospitals how they run their operations,' he said at Jackson Memorial Hospital Monday. 'That would be a total disaster. These guys are much more competent to be able to deliver healthcare services than a state government could ever be. We are empowering the hospitals.'" — "With vaccine appointments hard to come by in Sarasota-Manatee, public officials urge patience," by Sarasota Herald-Tribune's Zac Anderson and Timothy Fanning — "Palm Beach County vaccine requests taken by email after phone system 'absolutely died,'"by Sun Sentinel's Wells Dusenbury — "Lee County's vaccine reservation call line shuts down in 3 minutes after scheduling 5,000 shots," by Fort Myers News-Press' Frank Gluck — "COVID vaccine: 'We've waited such a long time,' said Martin County seniors in drive-thru ," by Treasure Coast Newspapers Lindsey Leake — "Collier health officials: More COVID-19 vaccines on way for appointments, second doses," by Naples Daily News' Liz Freeman WHAT COULD GO WRONG? — "' Hey, we are in a pandemic': People seen partying all over Miami on the holiday weekend," by Miami Herald's Madeleine Marr: "COVID, who? Partiers over the weekend appeared to forget that there was still a worldwide pandemic happening and that vaccines, though on the way, are painfully slow in coming. Despite the extended 1 a.m. curfew on New Year's Eve announced by Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, many people appeared to ignore it and the coronavirus risk to ring in the new year with some after-hours, eyebrow-raising fun." SHUTDOWN — "FAA air-traffic control center closure in Jacksonville causes delayed and canceled flights at Florida airports," by Sun Sentinel's Brooke Baitinger: "A Federal Aviation Administration air-traffic control center in Jacksonville suddenly closed for cleaning on Monday after an employee tested positive for COVID-19, causing flight delays and cancellations that rippled through airports in South Florida and across the state. Flights were delayed and canceled at most Florida airports, including the three major airports in South Florida and in Tampa and Fort Myers." — " AdventHealth sees 'significant jump' in COVID hospitalizations, changes status from 'green' to 'yellow,'" by Orlando Sentinel's Naseem S. Miller — "Extended jobless benefits for Floridians made available," by News Service of Florida's Jim Turner | | | | A NEW YEAR MEANS A NEW HUDDLE IS HERE: Huddle, our daily congressional must-read, has a new author! Olivia Beavers took the reins this week, and she has the latest news and whispers from the Speakers' Lobby. Don't miss out, subscribe to our Huddle newsletter, the essential guide to all things Capitol Hill. Subscribe today. | | | | |
| | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | UNDERWAY — "Federal trial over DeSantis' sanctuary city law begins in Miami," by POLITICO's Matt Dixon: A federal trial to determine the fate of Florida's hotly contested anti-sanctuary-city law began Monday in Miami, once again shifting focus to what was an early-term priority for Gov. Ron DeSantis. After several previous failed efforts, Florida's GOP-dominated Legislature in 2019 passed legislation requiring local officials to comply with federal immigration enforcement, including detainer requests. It was a controversial issue seen as high profile, in part, because DeSantis made it a staple of his 2018 campaign and throughout the 2019 legislative session drew hundreds of immigration protesters to the Capitol. TRANSITIONS — Who's ready for 2022? Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried is hiring Max Flugrath as communications director for Florida Consumer First, which is Fried's political committee. Flugrath had been working as press secretary for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Flugrath, who also worked for Fried's 2018 campaign, will oversee communications and media strategy for the political committee. Fried, the lone statewide elected Democrat, has been viewed as a likely challenger to Gov. Ron DeSantis. When asked about Fried's future plans, Flugrath replied in an email that "while Commissioner Fried is considering a run for governor, she remains focused on working hard for Florida's farmers, consumers, and families." — "Why Nikki Fried's sister Jenni is huge advocate — and salesperson — for medical marijuana," by Palm Beach Post's Jorge Milian | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | AFTERMATH — "City Council investigative report links Mayor Lenny Curry to failed JEA sale," by Florida Times-Union Christopher Hong: "A special Jacksonville City Council committee on Monday published its long-awaited investigative report into the failed sale of JEA in 2019, finding Mayor Lenny Curry and JEA officials spent years exploring a sale of the city-owned utility with a 'purposeful lack of transparency' and JEA's now-fired CEO Aaron Zahn used 'intentional misrepresentations and omissions' about JEA's financial health to justify the sale." — "5 Florida legal fights to watch in 2021 ," by News Service of Florida's Jim Saunders | | | | A message from Our Islands Our Future: Oil Drilling in The Bahamas is About to Ruin Our Coast.
Florida's coastline and tourism industry are in danger. An oil drilling company with a history of accidents will soon begin drilling for oil in Bahamian waters, just miles from Miami's beaches, with the entire Atlantic Coast of Florida and the U.S. mainland directly downstream of prevailing winds and surface currents.
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.
Over 75,000 people have signed the public petition to stop this potential catastrophe. Will you?
Visit ourislandsourfuture.org to learn more. | | |
| | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | | — "Documentary on The Villages show it is not a utopia for everyone," by Tampa Bay Times' Paul Guzzo: "The documentary begins by detailing the activities and luxuries available to those residing in The Villages. Some describe it as utopia. But the 83-minute story pivots to another point of view on what is billed as the nation's largest retirement community. The Villages spans Lake, Sumter, and Marion and is home to 120,000. No matter how perfect the layout, The Villages cannot provide shelter from life's imperfections."
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