| | | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Presented by Floridians for Affordable Rx | Hello and welcome to Monday. The daily rundown — Between Saturday and Sunday, the number of Florida coronavirus cases increased by 5,520 (nearly 0.3 percent), to 2,124,233; active hospitalizations increased 87 (nearly 2.9 percent), to 3,102; deaths of Florida residents rose by 7, to 34,021; 7,213,793 Floridians have received at least one dose of a vaccine. Palm Beach story — A CNN story saying Rep. Matt Gaetz sought a meeting with Donald Trump drew criticism late Sunday from the congressman and a senior adviser for the former president. The news network reported that Gaetz — who is under federal investigation into whether he violated sex trafficking laws — wanted to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago after reports of the probe broke but that the request was rejected by aides close to the president. Firing back — Gaetz took to Twitter on Sunday night to blast the story: "This is a total lie. I am on a pre-planned vacation with my fiancée. I was welcomed at Trump Doral days ago. No such meeting was denied nor sought." Trump adviser Jason Miller also knocked the story. "No such scheduling or meeting request was ever made, and therefore, it could never have been declined," he wrote on Twitter. Returning to D.C. — The back-and-forth comes at a crucial time for the embattled congressman. Congress returns from a two-week recess and Republican members can expect lots of questions from reporters about the Gaetz case. The House Ethics Committee on Friday added to the saga by announcing it was looking at several potential violations, including sexual misconduct, sharing inappropriate images in the Capitol, illegal drug use and acceptance of bribes. Keeping his distance — Trump for his part has so far taken a very cautious approach publicly to the probes surrounding his ally. He denounced a news report that said that Gaetz had directly sought a pardon. The statement also stressed that Gaetz "has totally denied the accusations against him." Still talking — Gaetz continues to remain on the offensive, giving a speech last Friday before a pro-Trump women's group where he decried "distortions of my personal life." As other have noted that's part of the Trump playbook, but Gaetz also seems to following a rule that other politicians — Andrew Cuomo for one — are putting to use in this new era: Refuse to yield and try to hang on. — 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 Floridians for Affordable Rx: For too many Floridians, prescription drugs are unaffordable, and that's unacceptable. That's why it's time to take politics out of prescriptions and find real solutions to lower Rx costs for all Floridians. The key to lowering drug costs is through increased competition, not big government mandates on private-sector tools used to reduce costs. The independent pharmacy lobby's special interest agenda undermines access to affordable prescription drugs. Learn more: Floridians for Affordable Rx | | |
|  | Gaetz-gate | | COMING SOON? — "Florida Republicans see opening as Gaetz's legal peril rises," by POLITICO's Gary Fineout: Rep. Matt Gaetz insists he's not resigning amid an ongoing federal investigation, but Republicans in his deep red Florida district are already eyeing his seat. Several Republican elected officials and others who live in the sprawling Panhandle district said they received a robo-call over the weekend asking voters if they thought Gaetz would step down due to his legal woes. They were also asked about potential candidates — including Laura Loomer, the provocateur who mounted an unsuccessful campaign for a South Florida congressional seat last year. Waiting in the wings — "The seat is not open. Congressman Gaetz isn't resigning," said State Rep. Alex Andrade, a Pensacola Republican. "If the seat became open at some point I would strongly consider it." Andrade won't be alone. For many Republicans in the area, a spot in Congress may be the pinnacle of their political career. And Florida's 1st congressional district — one of the safest Republican districts in the country — has only come open three times in the last 40 years. | 
DORAL, FLORIDA - APRIL 09: Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fl) speaks during the "Save America Summit" at the Trump National Doral golf resort on April 09, 2021 in Doral, Florida. Mr. Gaetz addressed the summit hosted by Women for America First as the Justice Department is investigating the Congressman for allegations of sex with a minor and child sex trafficking. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) | Joe Raedle/Getty Images | 'I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE'" — "Gaetz tells Trump supporters he's a champion of women, scoffs at 'smears,'" by Miami Herald's Bianca Padro Ocasio: "On the same day the U.S. House Ethics Committee announced it was investigating his conduct, U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz spoke to a conference of fierce supporters at the Trump National Doral resort, vowing he would fight allegations against him, which he claimed were part of a "deep state" smear campaign to silence him. 'The smears against me range from distortions of my personal life, to wild — and I mean, wild — conspiracy theories,' said the 38-year-old congressman from Northwest Florida. 'I won't be intimidated by a lying media, and I won't be extorted by a former DOJ [Department of Justice] official and the crooks he is working with. The truth will prevail.'" — "House Ethics Committee opens Gaetz investigation," by POLITICO's Kyle Cheney and Nicholas Wu — "Exclusive: Ex-Speaker Boehner says Matt Gaetz should resign if indicted – or be expelled," by USA Today's Susan Page — "Matt Gaetz: Liz Cheney 'sickened' but stops short of calling for resignation," by The Guardian's Martin Pengelly — "'Like the Tiger King got elected tax collector': Inside the case that ensnared Matt Gaetz ," by The New York Times' Patricia Mazzei, Michael S. Schmidt and Katie Benner — "Chris Dorworth, longtime associate of Matt Gaetz, resigns from Ballard Partners," by Florida Politics' staff | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST" TO JOIN AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION: Power is changing, in Washington and across the country. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that all politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. Our twice-weekly newsletter "The Recast" breaks down how race and identity are shaping politics and policy in America and we are recasting how we report on it. Get fresh insights, scoops and dispatches on this crucial intersection from across the country and hear from important new voices that challenge business as usual. Don't miss out, SUBSCRIBE . Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | |
| | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | BUT RICK SCOTT SAID THE GOP CIVIL WAR IS OVER — "'Dumb son of a bitch': Trump rips McConnell at Mar-a-Lago," by POLITICO's Alex Isenstadt: Former President Donald Trump ripped into Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell before a Republican National Committee donor retreat Saturday evening, deriding him as a "dumb son of a bitch." Trump veered off his prepared text during a roughly 50-minute speech before several hundred well-heeled GOP donors at his Mar-a-Lago resort in South Florida, saying that he was "disappointed" in former Vice President Mike Pence, calling last year's presidential election election a "fraud" and mocking Dr. Anthony Fauci. — " Republicans not pleased with Trump fiery's Mar-a-Lago speech," by POLITICO's Kelly Hooper ENTER STAGE RIGHT — "Could Ron DeSantis be Trump's GOP heir? He's certainly trying," by The New York Times' Patricia Mazzei: "And his bonds with Republican leaders may be deepening: Mr. DeSantis had a plum speaking spot on Saturday night at Mar-a-Lago, Mr. Trump's resort and political base in Palm Beach, Fla., for the Republican National Committee's spring retreat. Other possible 2024 rivals, like Senator Marco Rubio, were relegated to appearances a night earlier. "We have too many people in this party who don't fight back," he told the gathering, according to audio obtained by The New York Times. "You can't be scared of the left, you can't be scared of the media and you can't be scared of Big Tech." ABOUT THAT TRUMP ENDORSEMENT — "The asterisk on Trump's endorsement of Marco Rubio," by Washington Post's Aaron Blake: "After praising [Marco] Rubio as a champion for his constituents, [Donald] Trump added, 'He also ruled that 'President Trump was in no way involved with Russia,' as he presided over the Senate Intelligence Committee on the FAKE Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax.' This is, to put it gently, a highly oversimplified and misleading review of what the Senate Intelligence Committee report actually found. But it is also one that Rubio played into and has now benefited from, with his campaign pushing out Trump's endorsement statement." | | | | A message from Floridians for Affordable Rx:   | | |
| | CAMPAIGN MODE | | COULD BE A VERY CROWDED BALLOT — "Death of congressman Alcee Hastings sets off political showdown, as candidates line up to replace him," by Sun Sentinel's Anthony Man: "The inside game is about to become much more public, and crowded. At least 13 candidates deciding whether they want to take a shot in the special election in Florida's 20th Congressional District, which encompasses most of the African American and Caribbean American neighborhoods in Broward and Palm Beach counties. 'We are going to see a large number of candidates. There's a lot of pent-up ambition since the congressman served the community for so long,' said Sean Phillippi, a Broward-based Democratic campaign consultant and data scientist." Ripples — "And while most focus is on Hastings' seat, the congressional vacancy is sure to reverberate. 'Think about the political tsunami below it,' said Chris Smith of Fort Lauderdale, a former Democratic Party leader in the Florida House and the Florida Senate. Under the state's resign-to-run law, current elected officials must submit irrevocable resignations to qualify as candidates for the congressional seat. That will create openings in a plethora of other offices, Smith said. 'Every elected official's name that you know is getting ready to move,' he said." — "Leaders remember Alcee Hastings as champion of Black-Jewish relations and champion of Israel," by Sun Sentinel's Anthony Man | | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | MUSCLING IT THROUGH — "Florida Senate panel approves controversial anti-riot bill after marathon debate," by POLITICO's Giulia Heyward: A Senate panel on Friday approved Florida's controversial anti-riot legislation after an almost nine-hour meeting, advancing the measure to a floor vote and possibly the desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis. Members voted almost entirely across party lines, with all but one Republican voting in support. Republican Sen. Jeff Brandes of St. Petersburg voted alongside Democrats against the bill. Had just one more committee member voted against the bill, it would have tied. THE ESKAMANI FILES — "State Rep's future canvas is grounded in her past," by Spectrum News' Pete Reinwald: "Seventeen years after her mother's death, Florida state Rep. Anna Eskamani makes that painting the centerpiece of her office in the Capitol. 'It was the last painting she was working on,' Eskamani said of her mother. 'She never had a chance to finish it. It's up to us to finish that canvas for her.' Through frequent strokes of boldness, especially on social media, Eskamani appears resolved to fit low-income workers, underrepresented neighborhoods, and Florida's most vulnerable residents — people who struggle, as her mother did — into that painting." — "Florida appeals court upholds NRA-backed state law barring local gun regulations," by News Service of Florida's Jim Saunders — "Time ticks on Florida bills on protestors, budget, voting," by The Associated Press' Bobby Caina Calvan | | | | Did you know that POLITICO Pro has coverage and tools at the state level? All the state legislative and regulatory tracking, budget documents, state agency contact information, and everything else you need to stay ahead of state policy movement integrate into our smart and customizable platform. Learn more and become a Pro today. | | | | |
| | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | | PROVING HIS POINT? — "You Tube removes video of DeSantis coronavirus roundtable," by Tampa Bay Times' Kirby Wilson and Allison Ross: "In a statement, Cody McCloud, a DeSantis spokesman, blasted YouTube's actions. 'YouTube claimed they removed the video because "it contradicts the consensus of local and global health authorities," yet this roundtable was led by world-renowned doctors and epidemiologists from Oxford, Stanford, and Harvard, all of whom are eminently qualified to speak on the global health crisis. Good public health policy should include a variety of scientific and technical expertise, and YouTube's decision to remove this video suppresses productive dialogue of these complex issues,' McCloud said." Chiming in — Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried seized on the video's removal in a tweet, arguing it was proof DeSantis is unfit to handle his job. Fried, the state's lone statewide elected Democrat is rumored to be a rival for DeSantis in the 2022 governor's race. On Friday, she tweeted that 'We should find a governor who doesn't get banned from @YouTube for endangering children with conspiracies.'" Still easy to find — Regardless of the back-and-forth, the video of the coronavirus roundtable is still available on The Florida Channel, the public broadcasting outfit that records all of the governor's public events. As of Sunday, a 20-minute version of the lengthy roundtable was also still on YouTube as well. ON YOUR RADAR — " Many long-term term care staffers in Florida refused the vaccine. Now they have more infections than residents," by Sun Sentinel's Cindy Krischer Goodman, Kate Santich and Adelaide Chen : "Despite state and federal attempts to offer vaccinations at all nursing homes and assisted-living centers in the state, 62% of staffers have declined — posing the single biggest threat to the more than 25,000 elderly people in those facilities who are also unvaccinated. 'These are the folks from the beginning that were bringing it in,' said Mary Daniel of Jacksonville, a caregiver and advocate for families of residents. 'It's frustrating. Staff members are choosing not to get the vaccine and it's the residents who are getting punished because their families are getting locked out again.'" | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | RESPONSE — "Florida's only lead factory finds itself in damage-control mode," by Tampa Bay Times' Corey G. Johnson, Rebecca Woolington and Eli Murray: "Federal safety regulators descended on the Gopher Resource lead smelter in Tampa, reviewing company documents, collecting dust samples and hooking up workers to monitoring devices so that air quality could be measured. Inspectors arrived Monday and stayed all week. They combed through the plant, where hundreds of workers have been exposed to high levels of the neurotoxin and other chemicals. For weeks, Gopher's leaders had been preparing, factory workers said." DEEP DIVE — "To the 'Fellowship of the Springs,' Florida is selling out an environmental treasure," by Oscar Carrol for the Miami Herald: "Thomas Greenhalgh risked his job and career in 2019 when he sued his own employer, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, to challenge the state's plans to protect Florida's imperiled springs from increasing pollution. Greenhalgh, a veteran hydrogeologist and expert on the underground flows that feed North Florida's springs, argued that the sandy soils and porous rock of the region made them especially vulnerable — a position supported by other springs advocates and independent scientists in a long-running lawsuit seeking tougher state restrictions on how surrounding farms and other industries use fertilizer. TO COURT — "Delray Beach police officer's BLM tirade turns into race bias lawsuit," by Palm Beach Post's John Pacenti: "A Delray Beach police detective who posted on Facebook last summer, "(Expletive) everyone who says black lives matter," has sued her Black police chief, claiming he discriminated against her because she is a white woman. Detective Nicole Lucas is not alone. Two other white female police officers — a lieutenant and a veteran officer — have had letters sent to the city by the same law firm, claiming Chief Javaro Sims targeted them because of their gender and race." — " Florida is full of invasive species. They're coming for the rest of us," by Washington Post's James Chapin — "Piney Point indicative of state's environmental oversight failures, critics say," by Sarasota Herald-Tribune's Jesse Mendoza — " Jacksonville residents, community groups rally against hate crimes against Asians," by Florida Times-Union's Teresa Stepzinski — "Deputies back off noise complaint — after they're told the sheriff is at the party," by Sun Sentinel's Lisa J. Huriash | | | | A message from Floridians for Affordable Rx: It's time to stand up to special interest lobbies trying to increase prescription drug costs for Florida families. Florida's independent pharmacies claim that they're struggling, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, small businesses around the country were forced to close, while there were 20 more independent pharmacies in the state. In fact, there are 13 percent more independent pharmacies in Florida today than there were 10 years ago. In fact, there are 13 percent more independent pharmacies in Florida today than there were 10 years ago. Florida needs a competitive marketplace to reduce Rx costs, not special-interest-backed legislative mandates that restrict the tools used by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to reduce Floridians' prescription drug costs. It's time for the independent pharmacies lobby to come to the table with real solutions to lower Rx costs in Florida.
Presented by Floridians for Affordable Rx. Learn More. | | |
| | ODDS, ENDS, AND FLORIDA MEN | | — "Women fighting fires in Florida: Colleagues' support crucial," by The Associated Press' Anila Yoganathan: "Krystyna Krakowski became a firefighter in Florida at a time when there were very few women to work beside or guide her in the service. Twenty years later, she is not only thriving but also recruiting more females into the profession. Krakowski is one of five women at Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue who made department history last year by working an entire shift with no male colleagues — a feat that went viral on social media." BIRTHDAYS: Trey Stapleton ... The Advocacy Group at Cardenas Partner's Chris Chaney ... Jared Rosenstein, legislative affairs director for Florida Division of Emergency Management … (Was Sunday) Florida State University professor emeritus Lance DeHaven-Smith … (Was Saturday) Former state Rep. Will Kendrick … Jose Gonzalez, director of government and industry relations at Walt Disney Parks & Resorts
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