| | | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Presented by the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs | Hello and welcome to Friday. The daily rundown — Between Wednesday and Thursday, the number of Florida coronavirus cases increased by 5,117 (nearly 0.3 percent), to 1,849,744; active hospitalizations went down by 98 (nearly 2.2 percent), to 4,367; deaths rose by 163 (nearly 0.6 percent), to 29,474; the number of Floridians vaccinated with at least one dose is 2,551,882. Into the light — The near-collapse of Florida's economy due to the Covid-19 pandemic brought the state's problems with its unemployment system into a harsh spotlight,and exposed the Sunshine State's bare-bones set of jobless benefits. Trampled underfoot — Democratic legislators and members of Congress pleaded with Gov. Ron DeSantis to boost up the state's maximum $275 a week payment — a figure unchanged in more than 20 years and less than what someone would make in a full-time minimum wage job. DeSantis contended that he lacked the legal authority to increase the payments while using his emergency powers to spend billions of federal dollars without legislative authority. Good times, bad times — Florida officials have since touted the billions that have flowed out to jobless residents since the spring, but the vast majority of the $22.5 billion has come from extra payments authorized by Congress. Because of Florida's low payments, its unemployment trust fund remains in the black and still has about $700 million in it after nearly a year of high unemployment rates. The song remains the same — So what about Republican legislators? Do they appear ready to increase the payments? Based on answers from House Speaker Chris Sprowls the answer is no. When asked on Thursday, Sprowls raised concerns that any decision to pump up benefits would hurt the "job creators" because it could ultimately lead to tax hikes to replenish the state's unemployment trust fund. That's the way — "You are saying, 'Hey, why not just not raise taxes on those businesses that are also struggling,'" Sprowls said. He said it's not an easy decision, but he added he was "mindful" that the "quicker' businesses "can get on their feet" the better positioned they are to rehire people. — 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 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 | | WHEN NUMBERS GET SERIOUS — "DeSantis omits data on child COVID rates as he touts decision to open schools," by NBC 6's Tony Pipitone: "As Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis travels the state promoting his performance fighting the coronavirus, he often points to a relatively low infection rate among children — even after his administration compelled school districts to offer in-person learning. But this week, the NBC 6 Investigators found, he twice misled the public about how Florida stacks up to other states when it comes to infection rates among school-age children." 34th vs. 9th — "When states reporting cases among children under 18 are compared to Florida's rate for the same age group, Florida ranks ninth — not 34th — according to an NBC 6 analysis of state Department of Health and U.S. Census Bureau data... But our investigation finds the differences are not subtle. Those differences undercut DeSantis' argument when he compared Florida's rates for children under 15 to other states' rates that also included older children. Remember: DeSantis said Florida ranked 34th in pediatric case rates (when it in fact ranks ninth among states reporting cases for all under 18 years old)." 'A TERRIBLE MISTAKE' — "Manatee commissioner Vanessa Baugh created vaccine priority list that included herself and donor," by Sarasota Herald-Tribune's Zac Anderson: "Manatee County Commission Chair Vanessa Baugh was criticized by fellow commissioners Thursday for creating a priority list of people to get the COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic in Lakewood Ranch, a list that included Baugh and prominent developer Rex Jensen, inviting more concerns of favoritism in vaccine distribution. Baugh sent an email to Manatee County's Public Safety Director Jake Saur with the names of those she wanted to get the vaccine at the pop-up clinic, which has been drawing criticism for restricting vaccinations to two wealthy ZIP codes in a community developed by a donor to Gov. Ron DeSantis." — "Gov. DeSantis turns to Fox News for damage control over special treatment on COVID vaccine," by Florida Phoenix's Michael Moline DELAYS — "'Hang in there,' DeSantis tells Floridians as he announces more COVID vaccine delays ," by Sun Sentinel's Cindy Krischer Goodman: "Florida still hasn't received its shipment for this week of 200,000 Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, which means some seniors scheduled to receive shots this week will have to wait. 'Normally those Moderna would be done today,' said Gov. Ron DeSantis at a news briefing in Pinellas Park on Thursday morning. 'But because the storms we are seeing in the rest of the county, it's basically sitting in the FedEx warehouse and I don't think they can even get into it because of everything.'" IT'S COME TO THIS — "Orange officials expand vaccine volume — foil costumed 'grannies' trying to cut the line," by Orlando Sentinel's Stephen Hudak and Ryan Gillespie: "Workers at the site also have foiled a few attempts to skip the line by people who aren't yet eligible to get the vaccine, [Dr. Raul] Pino said. This week, he said, two young women arrived dressed as elderly women with valid CDC cards showing they'd received the first shot already, but workers realized something was amiss and discovered they appeared to be in their 20s. He said the trickery shows how desperate some people are to protect themselves. 'They went as far as dressing up like granny, had gloves, shower cap. I mean the whole thing,' Pino said. 'They were detected by vaccinators who thought they looked — 'funny,' I guess is the right word.'" — "Florida will 'surge more doses' of coronavirus vaccine to Pinellas," by Tampa Bay Times' Megan Reeves and Allison Ross — "Publix again cancels appointment window because of winter storm," by The Ledger's Annette Jones — "Against the urging of medical experts, city of Sarasota eliminates mask mandate," by Sarasota Herald-Tribune's Timothy Fanning — "Opponents of Palm Beach County's mask mandate appeal to state Supreme Court," by Palm Beach Post's Hannah Morse — "Worrell announces bail changes to reduce Orange jail inmates after COVID-19 outbreak," by Orlando Sentinel's Monivette Cordeiro | | | | 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 | | SO THAT'S THAT — "Ivanka Trump will not run against Marco Rubio for one of Florida's Senate seats," by New York Times' Maggie Haberman: "Ivanka Trump will not run for the U.S. Senate from Florida in 2022, according to people close to her as well as an aide to Senator Marco Rubio, who holds the seat. Since the final days of former President Trump's term in office, speculation has been growing that Ms. Trump, his eldest daughter, might try to run for statewide office in Florida, where she and her family have moved permanently. Such a bid would involve a primary challenge to a sitting Republican senator, Mr. Rubio, and a competitive general election. 'Marco did speak with Ivanka a few weeks ago,' said Nick Iacovella, a spokesman for Mr. Rubio. 'Ivanka offered her support for Marco's re-election. They had a great talk.'" | 
Ivanka Trump, daughter of and advisor to President Donald Trump, loads a box of fresh meat, produce and dairy in a car during a food distribution to the local community in Woodbridge, Va., Monday, Dec. 14, 2020. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) | Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo | And right on cue — Once the Trump news started spreading, Rubio's re-election campaign made sure to raise money off it. The email blast urging people to "join Ivanka Trump" included a statement from her that said "Marco has been a tremendous advocate for working families, a good personal friend, and I know he will continue to drive meaningful progress on issues we both care deeply about." Safe for now? — Rubio has been a supporter of former President Donald Trump, and voted to acquit Trump in his impeachment trial earlier this month. But the state's senior senator kept enough distance — peppering in the occasional mild criticism — that prompted some to speculate he could not withstand a challenge from the Trump wing of the party. Rubio, for example, voted to certify the Electoral College vote in January. So the twin pronouncements by Ivanka Trump and Rep. Matt Gaetz that they would not run against Rubio is a sign that he has probably done enough to secure the GOP nomination with few obstacles. FRIED GETTING ATTENTION — Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried hasn't officially announced a campaign for governor, but she is certainly getting a lot of attention. Fried on Tuesday released a video that took aim directly at Gov. Ron DeSantis and his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. By Friday morning, it had racked up more than 440,000 views on Twitter. And even though there are several Democratic women considering running in the governor's race, Emily's List gave a shout-out to Fried saying that "she's using her position to fight for Florida — and hold Gov. Ron DeSantis accountable." Edging closer — On Thursday night, Fried also appeared on CNN where she ripped into DeSantis over the revelation that vaccine supplies were steered toward mostly white wealthy residents in Manatee County. Calling it "outrageous," she blasted the governor as someone who doesn't care what other people think about his actions. She ended with another nod to a looming candidacy: "This is how he operates. And he just doesn't care. He's going to keep rolling forward until somebody stops him and that may be 2022." — " Rick Kriseman says he's neutral — for now — in St. Pete mayor's race," by Tampa Bay Times' William March | | | |   | | |
| | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | SCHOOL DAZE — "'We're going to be paying for this': Florida schools search for students, fight to keep funding," by POLITICO's Andrew Atterbury: Florida school leaders on Thursday pushed back against the state Legislature's attempt to rein in education spending in 2021-22 due to shrinking student enrollment counts tied to the Covid pandemic. During a House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee panel discussion, local superintendents appealed for more power over truancy cases while warning that budget cuts now could spell trouble once students eventually return to their campuses. Search is on — Top school officials described finding missing students living on fields in south Florida while students elsewhere are clogged in truancy courts for not showing up to their online courses. "Give us more ability to track down these kids and hold these parents accountable," William Husfelt, superintendent of schools in Bay County, testified Thursday. "We're going to be paying for this years down the road." DON'T TALK TO US THAT WAY — " House rebukes lobbyist who threatened political payback," by POLITICO's Matt Dixon: A House oversight committee has officially admonished lobbyist Jason Steele for comments last week where he threatened political retribution if lawmakers voted against his client's interests. Quick recap: During a meeting of the House Regulatory Reform Subcommittee last Wednesday, Steele spoke in opposition to legislation (FL HB219 (21R)) that would strip local limits on vacation rentals, an annual battle generally criticized by local governments, including those Steele represents. Recriminations — Steele, himself a former GOP member of the House, said a vote for the bill would be "political suicide" and said members would face direct political ramifications for their support of the policy. "You will get a lot of mailers," Steele said during the meeting. "You will get the ugliest mailers you've ever seen. You're jeopardizing your political career." As a result of Steele's comments, House Public Integrity and Elections Committee Chair Erin Grall (R-Vero Beach) sent a letter Tuesday blasting Steele's comments. Response — "You asserted that a favorable vote was 'political suicide' and 'political hypocrisy,'" Grall wrote. "You indirectly threatened campaign mailers on the issue and assured that a favorable vote was 'jeopardizing [to] political careers.' You are entitled to your opinion and the First Amendment entitles you to speak that opinion in the public square. Yet your comments were indecorously 'beside the question.'" FALLOUT — " Enrollment down, tuition flat: Tough budget ahead for Florida public higher ed," by WLRN's Jessica Bakeman and Tom Hudson: "During the pandemic, 'an absolutely star-studded' Broward College student has been riding his bike to his job and then going to a Dunkin' Donuts after work to use the restaurant's internet for his classes. President Gregory Haile said he recently had a one-on-one conversation with this student and learned that he was 'struggling in an extraordinary fashion.' To help struggling students like him, Broward College recently added food pantries at each of its campuses. The public institution formed a partnership with Lyft to arrange free rides for students who are taking classes in person. And the school distributed 400 laptops that were donated by the utility company Florida Power & Light." BLUNT ASSESSMENT — "Too many Florida lawmakers engage in political theater instead of actually governing," commentary by Mac Stipanovich for the Tampa Bay Times: "Someone who fell off the turnip truck in Tallahassee yesterday might think that the agenda of DeSantis and his coadjutors in the upcoming legislative session would prioritize combatting the pandemic, managing a major budget crisis and solving the other serious problems Florida currently faces over trying to prop up Parler and mollify the man at Mar-A-Lago. But he would be wrong." — "Federal grand jury indicts man accused in Florida Capitol threat case ," by Tallahassee Democrat's Jeff Burlew — "Vietnam vets ask Legislature to ok state site for Vietnam POW-MIA memorial," by Florida Phoenix's Laura Cassels — "DeSantis names Julie Brown to run Florida's Business and Professional Regulation ," by News Service of Florida's Jim Saunders — "Can Florida's broken workforce aid program be fixed? Lawmakers aren't sure," by Tampa Bay Times' Kirby Wilson — "Florida Legislature, union leaders argue over worker rights ," by The Associated Press Anila Yoganathan | | | | 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. | | | | |
| | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | FROM FLORIDA TO MARS — "NASA rover lands on Mars to look for signs of ancient life," by The Associated Press' Marcia Dunn: "A NASA rover streaked through the orange Martian sky and landed on the planet Thursday, accomplishing the riskiest step yet in an epic quest to bring back rocks that could answer whether life ever existed on Mars. Ground controllers at the space agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, leaped to their feet, thrust their arms in the air and cheered in both triumph and relief on receiving confirmation that the six-wheeled Perseverance had touched down on the red planet, long a deathtrap for incoming spacecraft. "Now the amazing science starts," a jubilant Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA's science mission chief, said at a news conference, where he theatrically ripped up the contingency plan in the event of a failure and threw the document over his shoulders." LOOKING BACK — "Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony ordered to obtain and disclose Philadelphia records," by Sun Sentinel's Rafael Olmeda: "Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony must obtain records spelling out what crimes he was charged with in Philadelphia as a teenager and whether he was convicted of any of those crimes, a Broward judge ruled Thursday. Tony, who was appointed sheriff in January 2019 and won election to a full term last November, is being sued by former political opponents who accuse Tony of being ineligible to serve because of what they claim is at least one felony conviction in Pennsylvania. No official record of any such conviction has surfaced, and his accusers were ordered last month to come up with evidence to back their claims." — "Florida man who flew massive Confederate flag found dead," by The Associated Press | | | | 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 | | — "Religious leader sentenced for 1980s child deaths," by The Associated Press: "A woman who once ran a Florida religious group described as a cult by prosecutors has been sentenced for the 1980s deaths of two young children. Anna Young, 79, was sentenced Wednesday after pleading no contest to second-degree murder and negligent manslaughter, according to Alachua County court records. She received 30 years for the murder conviction, which will run concurrently with 15 years for manslaughter. Young operated the House of Prayer cult near Gainesville in the 1980s and 1990s, officials said." BIRTHDAYS: Tampa Bay Times' Emily L. Mahoney ... Carrie Johnson O'Brion, director of marking and communications at USF St. Petersburg ... Michael Williams with the Department of Children and Families.
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