| | | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Presented by the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs | Hello and welcome to Thursday. The daily rundown — Between Tuesday and Wednesday, the number of Florida coronavirus cases increased by 7,342 (nearly 0.4 percent), to 1,844,627; active hospitalizations went down by 180 (nearly 3.9 percent), to 4,465; deaths rose by 157 (0.5 percent), to 29,311; The amount of Floridians vaccinated with at least one dose is 2,487,055. Late-night TV — Gov. Ron DeSantis was given a chance Wednesday night on Fox News to respond to criticism that the pop-up Covid-19 vaccine distribution site he helped create this week in Manatee County was helping out rich, white neighborhoods. On message — Appearing on Laura Ingraham's program, DeSantis instead sidestepped the question and stuck to his oft-repeated messaging that Florida is "putting seniors first." Oh, about that — What DeSantis, however, didn't get asked about on Fox was his combative statements made earlier in the day. He had suggested he would yank vaccine allotments from Manatee because of complaints he steered the in-demand shots to wealthy ZIP codes and areas with connections to Republican donors. Warning — "I'll tell you what, I wouldn't be complaining," DeSantis said during his press conference at Lakewood Ranch. And at one point added that "if Manatee County doesn't like us doing this, we are totally fine with putting this in counties that want it." Reaction — Does that sound like a threat? Yes. Was it perceived as a threat by critics and soon generating national attention? Yes. "There is no reason that Governor DeSantis should be rationing vaccines based on political influence," said Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. "This is troubling and potentially illegal." A reason to fill that communications director job? — Now, was the governor's comment to reporters likely a sarcastic, or at least flippant remark? Probably. But the DeSantis administration didn't want to acknowledge that. When asked if the governor's office planned to clarify his statement, spokeswoman Meredith Beatrice told Playbook said this: "As he has done from the beginning of the pandemic, Governor DeSantis will continue to ensure that all Florida seniors who want the vaccine, have access to the vaccine." OK, then. If anything — This whole incident continues to raise questions about the vaccine rollout. Why is the governor personally approaching neighborhoods linked to major GOP donors? There's still confusion about the selection of Publix and how certain stores and counties were picked to aid with distribution. It's enough to suggest that the Legislature needs to bring DeSantis administration officials back again to explain what's really going on. (Don't expect it though.) — WHERE'S RON? — Gov. DeSantis is holding a press conference in Pinellas Park. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch: gfineout@politico.com | | | | A message from the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs: PBMs work with Florida's employers and the Medicaid program to keep health care more affordable for millions of Floridians and are poised to save consumers and the State $70 billion over the next 10 years. Today, as Florida faces a global pandemic and multibillion budget shortfall, now is the time for legislators to maintain, not limit, the PBM tools that employers and consumers rely on to manage costs and ensure access to medicines. Learn more. | | |
|  | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | | TAKE MY BALL AND GO HOME? — "DeSantis defends opening vaccine pop-up site in affluent, mostly white community," by POLITICO's Arek Sarkissian and Matt Dixon: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis traveled Wednesday to an affluent, mostly white community in Manatee County to tout a pop-up vaccination site he said would make it easier for seniors there to get the shot. The Republican governor was already facing attacks by local officials upset he put the new "pod" in the county's two wealthiest zip codes, even as racial disparities continue to affect the state's vaccine rollout, and he had blunt message he wanted to deliver in person: If you don't like it, we'll leave. Ready to leave — "If Manatee County does not like us doing this, we are totally fine with putting this in counties that want it," DeSantis said during a Wednesday news conference in Lakewood Ranch, an upscale development in the county. "If you want us to send to Sarasota next time, or Charlotte, or Pasco, let us know. We are happy to do it." Not well received — After DeSantis flashed his trademark defiance on Wednesday, state Rep. Omari Hardy (D-West Palm Beach) took to Twitter to offer a "translation" of what he took DeSantis' comments to mean: "If you criticize me in my official capacity as a public official, I will withhold life-preserving resources from your community." NEXT STEPS — " Miami's Jackson on cusp of expanding COVID vaccine to include some of those 55 and up," by Miami Herald's Ben Conarck: "After more than a month of frenzied online lotteries and ad hoc partnerships with faith leaders, Miami's public hospital has finally seen a slackening of demand among people 65 and older for the two federally authorized COVID vaccines. That's led to internal conversations at Jackson Health System about whether it's time to shift the focus to those 55 and older who have underlying medical conditions that put them at risk for severe COVID-19 — a bucket of people already eligible under Gov. Ron DeSantis' late December executive order on vaccines, but who have struggled to find appointment slots." COMING BACK — "Players return to COVID protocols as spring training opens," by The Associated Press' Steve Megargee: "One of the first things Cardinals president John Mozeliak did upon arriving in Jupiter, Florida, was to request a list from the medical staff of players and coaches who tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies. Mozeliak believes knowing which players already have at least some measure of protection from the coronavirus can help in preventing an outbreak during spring training. 'I believe we had about 15 or 18 people with antibodies in this camp,' Mozeliak said, 'so that was encouraging.'" STILL HERE — "Coronavirus continues widespread transmission, says Florida health official," by Tampa Bay Times' C.T. Bowen: "Commission Chair Pat Kemp asked if there had been a bump in cases tied to the recent Super Bowl 55 in Tampa, but [Dr. Douglas] Holt said it was too early to provide a definitive answer. Holt also couldn't say when the state might expand its list of people targeted for the COVID-19 vaccine. Right now, the focus is on people 65 and older, front-line health care workers and people with underlying health conditions." — "Thousands of Miami and Broward students have left the public schools amid the pandemic," by Miami Herald's David Goodhue — "Knight Parade, another Gasparilla event, also canceling this year," by Tampa Bay Times' Sharon Kennedy Wayne | | | | GET TRANSITION PLAYBOOK TO 100K: In three months, our scoop-filled Transition Playbook newsletter has grown from zero to more than 90,000 subscribers. Find out what's really happening inside the West Wing, who really has the ear of the president, and what's about to happen, before it occurs. Transition Playbook chronicles the people, policies, and emerging power centers of the Biden administration. Don't miss out, subscribe today. And once you do, we'd be grateful if you could spread the word to your friends and colleagues, or, even better, post about Transition Playbook on Facebook or Twitter using this link: politico.com/newsletters/transition-playbook | | | | |
| | TRAIL MIX | | YOU'VE BEEN SERVED? — "Lawyers ask judge to require Gov. DeSantis testify in voter registration meddling case," by Naples Daily News' Jake Allen: "Defense attorneys for a Collier County man accused of meddling with Gov. Ron DeSantis' voter registration are asking that a judge require the governor to appear as a witness. Anthony Steven Guevara, 20, of Golden Gate, is accused of changing DeSantis' address in the state's voter database. The change briefly stalled the governor when he was attempting to vote in the 2020 general election in Tallahassee. A motion requesting the court enforce a trial subpoena for DeSantis as a witness was filed on Monday by Guevara's defense team." DRAWING UP THE TICKET — "Influential Broward Democrat sees Charlie Crist and Val Demings as the way for the party to win 2022 governor and Senate races," by Sun Sentinel's Anthony Man: "Democrats could win the 2022 contests for Florida governor and U.S. Senate, Broward Mayor Steve Geller believes, with U.S. Reps. Charlie Crist and Val Demings as the party's two candidates. Geller thinks both are likely to run next year — but doesn't know which one will run for which office. At the top of the ballot, in effect running as a Democratic ticket, Geller said he thinks the pairing would be a winning combination." | | | |   | | |
| | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | UNSOCIAL MEDIA — "Florida's GOP leaders show early split over how to rein in Silicon Valley," by POLITICO's Matt Dixon: Top Republicans in Florida are angling to tap into conservative anger with social media companies to fuel their 2021 agenda. There is one notable gap in their messaging, however: Senate President Wilton Simpson. Gov. Ron DeSantis and House Speaker Chris Sprowls have been in lock-step in their ire for Silicon Valley firms like Twitter and Facebook. And GOP voters have increasingly accused the companies of suppressing conservative voices in recent years, a dynamic that intensified after Donald Trump was booted from most major platforms in the waning days of this presidency for spreading disinformation about the 2020 election. Is it legal? — Then, there's Simpson. The Trilby Republican, like others pushing the issue, says social media companies "target conservatives." But he has concerns about the legal and practical ability of the state Legislature's authority to crackdown on an industry that spans the globe. "What I want to make sure is that we have the authority to do what we pass, and to make sure it's constitutional," Simpson told POLITICO in a Tuesday interview. "Things can sometimes sound really good … I just want to make sure when we get through the committee process, we have some very good bills." HOUSE PRIORITIES — "Florida House takes up college free speech bill," by POLITICO's Andrew Atterbury: Wednesday's hearing grew tense when lobbyist Barney Bishop, who supported the legislation, spoke about the Ku Klux Klan and Nazis having the right to appear on college campuses. "Everybody, everyone in the country has the right to freedom of speech and freedom of thought," Bishop said. "You don't like it, walk away. You don't incite violence." That drew a sharp response from Alexander, who graduated from and advocates for Florida A&M University in the Legislature. Alexander called Bishop's comments "shameful." "If the KKK comes on FAMU's campus, all hell is going to break loose," Alexander said. 'REASONABLE EFFORTS' — "Judge backs DEP on springs cleanup challenges," by POLITICO's Bruce Ritchie: A Florida administrative law judge on Wednesday backed the state Department of Environmental Protection in legal challenges to five plans to clean up the state's springs. Administrative Law Judge Francine Ffolkes rejected the challenges by environmentalists, who have argued the plans would fail to reduce nitrogen pollution in groundwater, which has caused springs to become choked with weeds and algae. Ffolkes, a former DEP lawyer, wrote in a 50-page recommended order that evidence showed DEP officials made "reasonable efforts" to list projects that would help reduce nitrogen. And each of the plans, she noted, included timelines for reviewing progress towards those required reductions of nitrogen. WHAT'S IN YOUR WALLET? — "Cash cows: Tavistock, Disney and others save millions through tax break meant to help Florida farmers," by Orlando Sentinel's Jason Garcia: "At the Drive Shack golfing center in Lake Nona, golf balls struck from the three-story driving range roll to a stop not far from a few small cows grazing on a patch of pastureland and palmetto scrub. Those cows saved a little more than $18,000 in taxes last year for the property's owner: An affiliate of The Tavistock Group, the developer building Orlando's fast-growing Lake Nona community. The Drive Shack cows are just one tiny piece of a much larger strategy that saved Tavistock about $10 million in property taxes last year — thanks to an agricultural tax break created 60 years ago to save Florida farmers from urban sprawl." FLASHBACK … THIS IS FROM 2005! — "Law fails to save Florida farmland," by Miami Herald's Beth Reinhard and Samuel P. Nitze: "In Florida, even money-losing farms on half-acre lots are eligible for tax relief, whatever their business practices. The Herald found skinny cows eating garbage atone scruffy lot in northwest Miami-Dade; at a Hialeah site, cow carcasses were decomposing in the dirt." GOING NOWHERE — "Florida Democrats file rash of unemployment legislation. GOP yawns," by Palm Beach Post's Wendy Rhodes: "A flurry of unemployment-related legislation filed by Florida Democratic lawmakers seems to be falling on deaf ears among Republican legislative leaders. Nonetheless, five bills have been filed by Democrats in the GOP-controlled state Senate and House in the past month. The bills seek a range of actions, from more than doubling the maximum weekly amount paid to those who are jobless to waiving work search requirements during a state of emergency. But Democratic state legislators say they hold little hope their measures will get much attention after the 2021 legislative session convenes March 2." 'COMPROMISE' — "Sen. Bracy looks for scholarships in push for 1920 Ocoee massacre reparations," by Orlando Sentinel's Gray Rohrer: "Sen. Randolph Bracy will try again to secure reparations for descendants of victims of the Ocoee massacre that took place in 1920, but he is taking a different approach this year. Instead of direct payments, he's seeking scholarships for descendants of the victims. "In this building, it's about compromise. Sometimes things happen in stages," Bracy, an Ocoee Democrat, said Wednesday at a press conference outside the Senate floor, explaining why he's giving up on direct reparations payments this year. "Considering the makeup of the Legislature, considering the climate, considering (COVID-19) and how it's hurt our budget, the fact that we're even considering negotiating this, I think, is a step forward." — "Should Hernando elect its school superintendent? Lawmaker says yes," by Tampa Bay Times' Jeffrey S. Solochek — "House panel reviews Ron DeSantis' sweeping pandemic regulatory change," by Florida Politics' A.G. Gancarski — "CFO Jimmy Patronis shares Super Bowl 55 victory lunch with Tallahassee firefighters," by Tallahassee Democrat's Tori Lynn Schneider | | Bidenology | | 'GOOD CHOICES' — "Rubio backs Haitian-American lawyer for Miami U.S. Attorney. But candidate field is growing," by Miami Herald's Jay Weaver: "Although the Republican Party lost the presidency and the power to pick U.S. attorneys, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio still can wield considerable influence over the selection of the next top federal prosecutor in South Florida. In a key move, sources close to Rubio say, the senator has privately signaled support for a Haitian-American lawyer considered the Biden administration's front-runner — Markenzy Lapointe, a Black Miami lawyer and Marine veteran who once worked in the U.S. Attorney's Office. Others in the mix — "But Lapointe isn't the only candidate to emerge. There are at least four others interested in the job — all also qualified and with a history of practicing law in both the public and private sectors. Among them are former South Florida federal prosecutors Jacqueline Arango, Andres Rivero and David Buckner, along with Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg." — " Sen. Bob Menendez asks for 'tangible results' in possible negotiations with Cuba under Biden," by El Nuevo Herald's Nora Gamez Torres | | | | NEW – "THE RECAST" NEWSLETTER: Power dynamics are changing. "Influence" is changing. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that all politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. "The Recast" is our new twice-weekly newsletter that breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics, policy, and power in America. And POLITICO is recasting how we report on this crucial intersection, bringing you fresh insights, scoops, dispatches from across the country, and new voices that challenge "business as usual." Don't miss out on this important new newsletter, SUBSCRIBE NOW. | | | | | | | DATELINE D.C. | | ASKING QUESTIONS — From POLITICO's Morning Cybersecurity newsletter: Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) on Wednesday asked federal officials for more information about the recent hack of a water treatment facility in Oldsmar, Fla. "This incident has implications beyond the 15,000-person town of Oldsmar," Warner, the new chair of the Intelligence Committee, wrote to the head of the FBI's Cyber Division and the acting chief of the EPA's water office. Warner asked the FBI to provide an update on its investigation into the hack and asked the EPA if the Oldsmar plant meets the standards laid out in the water sector's cybersecurity and infrastructure protection plan. | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | SIGNING OFF — "Rush Limbaugh, giant of conservative talk radio, dies at 70," by Associated Press' Matt Sedensky and Sun Sentinel's Wayne K. Roustan: "Rush Limbaugh, the talk-radio host who ripped into liberals, foretold the rise of Donald Trump and laid waste to political correctness with a merry brand of malice that made him one of the most powerful voices on the American right, died Wednesday. He was 70. His wife, Kathryn, announced his passing on his nationally syndicated radio show. Limbaugh, a Palm Beach resident whose long-running talk radio show made him an icon among conservatives, had announced in early 2020 that he had stage 4 lung cancer." Praise from DeSantis — "'[We're] saddened to learn of the passing of fellow Floridian and our friend, Rush Limbaugh,' Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his wife, Casey, said in a statement Wednesday. DeSantis also tweeted that Limbaugh was 'the GOAT,' an acronym that stands for greatest of all time." | 
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 04: Radio personality Rush Limbaugh reacts as First Lady Melania Trump gives him the Presidential Medal of Freedom during the State of the Union address in the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives on February 04, 2020 in Washington, DC. President Trump delivers his third State of the Union to the nation the night before the U.S. Senate is set to vote in his impeachment trial. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) | Mario Tama/Getty Images | TO COURT — "Group sues UCF, alleging school seeks to 'restrain, deter, suppress, and punish' speech," by Orlando Sentinel's Annie Martin: "A group that describes itself as a defender of free speech has sued the University of Central Florida, saying the school has enacted rules that 'restrain, deter, suppress, and punish speech' about political and social issues, particularly conservative viewpoints. Speech First, which filed the suit in Orlando's federal district court this week, took aim at the school's harassment and computer policies, as well as a group of administrators called the Just Knights Response Team that is charged with monitoring bias-related incidents." CLOSURE — "Miami Dade commissioners approve Marlins settlement after Loria agrees to pay more," by Miami Herald's Douglas Hanks: "Miami-Dade commissioners on Wednesday accepted a $5.5 million profit-sharing settlement from a suit the county filed over Jeffrey Loria's $1.2 billion sale of the Miami Marlins — a vote that revived the political drama that tends to follow government dealings with the former franchise owner. Two commissioners who opposed the original 2009 subsidy deal for Marlins Park argued against the settlement, calling it another win for Loria at taxpayers' expense." UNDER INVESTIGATION — " Island Coast High School teacher in TikTok videos suspended with pay, awaiting reassignment," by Fort Myers News-Press' Pamela McCabe: "An Island Coast High School teacher who allegedly told students that slaves were not whipped by white people and that the N-word, a racist slur, 'just means ignorant' has been suspended with pay. The Lee County school district is not confirming the name of the teacher, but spokesperson Rob Spicker confirmed Wednesday that the instructor is suspended with pay pending a reassignment to the district office." — "Florida commissioners mocked a journalist. Now, one official says they're getting threats," by Miami Herald's Bianca Padro Ocasio | | | | A message from the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs: Employers in Florida provide prescription drug coverage for nearly 8.5 million Floridians. In order to help keep care more affordable, employers work with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), who deploy a variety of tools to reduce prescription drug costs and help improve health outcomes. PBMs also work with the Florida Medicaid program in the same way to help control costs. In fact, PBMs are poised to save consumers and the State $70 billion over the next ten years. Today, as Florida faces a global pandemic and a multibillion budget shortfall, now is the time for legislators to maintain, not limit, the tools that employers, consumers and the State are relying on to manage costs and ensure consumers can access the medicines they need. Learn more. | | |
| | ODDS, ENDS, AND FLORIDA MEN | | — "Ex-FBI agent linked to Whitey Bulger to be freed from prison," by Associated Press' Alanna Durkin Richer: "The Florida Commission on Offender Review voted 2-1 in favor of releasing 80-year-old John Connolly, who has cancer and is believed to have less than a year to live. Connolly, who was [Whitey] Bulger's FBI handler, was sentenced to 40 years behind bars after being convicted in 2008 in the killing of World Jai Alai President John Callahan in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 1982. Connolly tipped off Bulger and another gangster, Stephen 'The Rifleman' Flemmi, that Callahan was about to implicate the gang in a killing, authorities said." BIRTHDAYS: State Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka … Lynn Hatter, news director at WFSU Public Broadcasting ... WPLG's Glenna Milberg
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