News : POLITICO Florida Playbook: Florida delegation divides sharply on voting right bill — Demings goes after Rubio... on Nicaragua? — State begins defense of social media law

Wednesday, June 23, 2021

POLITICO Florida Playbook: Florida delegation divides sharply on voting right bill — Demings goes after Rubio... on Nicaragua? — State begins defense of social media law — DeSantis doesn't text

Jun 23, 2021

Hello and welcome to Wednesday.

Predictable — The impasse Tuesday over sweeping voting rights legislation in the U.S. Senate happened as predicted, with Republicans and Democrats locked in a stalemate.

Come dancing — The question in Florida — where the Legislature this spring put in new restrictions on mail-in voting that both Democratic and GOP election officials in the state have called confusing and unnecessary — is whether it will have any political reverberations going forward.

Tired of waiting for you — It is definitely a flashpoint (for now) in the looming Senate race between Rep. Val Demings and Sen. Marco Rubio. "They blocked a debate because they know they're on the wrong side," Demings said after Senate Republicans blocked the legislation. "Outrageous lies are being told about the For The People Act, but the simple truth is that it would protect the right to vote, get big money out of politics, strengthen ethics laws, and protect our elections from foreign interference." Demings has also recently filed her own elections bill that would undo some of the provisions in Florida's recently adopted law such as restrictions on drop boxes.

Destroyer — Rubio defended Republicans' use of the filibuster to block consideration of the bill: "Democrats want unaccountable bureaucrats in Washington to run our elections in Florida. Not only is that unconstitutional, it is reckless. Florida election laws strike a fair balance between accessibility and security, and further involvement from Washington will weaken our elections and make things worse for Florida voters."

You really got me — The divide between Florida Republicans and Democrats went beyond just Rubio and Demings. Florida GOP chairman Joe Gruters and Rep. Greg Steube blasted the voting bill right before the Senate vote. Gruters himself assailed public financing of campaigns included in the bill, although he sidestepped a question on whether Florida Republicans — including DeSantis — should promise to not take tax dollars in 2022 for their campaigns. (Florida has public financing for statewide races.)

Get back in line — The proposed federal legislation would definitely overhaul how things work in Florida, a state that does mandate voter ID, cuts off voter registration a month before elections, and recently put in additional restrictions on felons seeking to regain their voting rights. And while recent changes adopted by Florida legislators has been targeted by several lawsuits, that litigation may have an uphill battle in the federal courts. So for now it appear things will remain the same — and the argument will continue.

— WHERE'S RON? — Nothing official announced for Gov. Ron DeSantis.

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CAMPAIGN MODE

WHERE TO GO FROM HERE? — "Democrats confront failure on elections strategy," by POLITICO's Burgess Everett and Marianne LeVine: After months of build-up, Democrats are boxed in on their party's signature election reform plan. And there's no apparent escape route. Senate Republicans blocked Democrats' sweeping ethics and elections legislation on Tuesday, a filibuster that many in President Joe Biden's party hoped would turbocharge the demise of the chamber's 60-vote threshold for most bills. But Democratic moderates' support of the filibuster has only hardened in recent days, culminating in an emphatic defense of the supermajority requirement by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) on the eve of Tuesday's vote.

NOT YOUR USUAL TALKING POINT — Rep. Val Demings took a turn on The View on Tuesday as her campaign to challenge Sen. Marco Rubio warms up and this time she hit Florida's senior senator over …. Nicaragua? Ana Navarro , the commentator and Florida strategist who once was a big supporter of Rubio, asked Demings about the Republican attack line that Democrats are socialists and name-drop Castro and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega.

Florida Rep. Val Demings, a Democrat, plans to run against Republican Sen. Marco Rubio next year.

Florida Rep. Val Demings, a Democrat, plans to run against Republican Sen. Marco Rubio next year. | John Raoux/AP Photo

Taking aim — It prompted Demings to say she was "offended" that Rubio would "use the pain and suffering of people" for campaign purposes. "I would like to hear Rubio talking about what's happening in Nicaragua where at least five opposition leaders were jailed and the government was weaponized against them," Demings said. "Rubio, what do you think about that? But then we're talking about someone who stood next to and supports a president who weaponized the Department of Justice against his perceived political rivals and the media."

Except that — Rubio has been outspoken about the situation in Nicaragua. The View telecast came the same day that a bill co-sponsored by Rubio and backed by both Democrats and Republicans to increase pressure on Nicaragua over its elections passed through committee and is headed to the floor. Rubio and other senators also recently called on the Biden administration to take action against the Ortega government. "Our bipartisan bill requires sanctions against officials in the Ortega regime and a full investigation into the money the Nicaraguan Armed Forces have invested in the United States," Rubio said in a statement. "Now that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved my bill, we will work to get it passed in the full Senate as soon as possible."

THE DRAMA CONTINUES — "Hearing delayed in death-threat allegations made by Ana Paulina Luna," by Tampa Bay Times' Matt Cohen: "Congressional candidate William Braddock was granted an extension Tuesday to review evidence cited in an injunction petition filed against him by political foe Anna Paulina Luna. Braddock's request for the extension came after the consolidation of two hearings on separate allegations that he made death threats, one by Luna and one by nurse and author Erin Olszewski. A new hearing is set for July 9. Braddock and Luna are seeking the Republican nomination for the House District 13 seat being vacated by Democrat Charlie Crist, who is running for governor of Florida. Luna and Olszewski obtained temporary injunctions earlier and are seeking to make them permanent."

... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ...

ROUND ONE — "'Power to silence': Florida begins defense of controversial social media bill," by POLITICO's Matt Dixon: Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has outlined Florida's legal defense of the state's controversial social media legislation being challenged in federal court, calling the proposal a needed protection against large technology company's "unprecedented power" used to censor conservatives. The legislation was passed during the 2021 legislative session, and was a top priority for Gov. Ron DeSantis. It was highly controversial and represents a snapshot of a larger national fight over media censorship, which was amplified in the wake of companies like Twitter and Facebook removing former President Donald Trump for spreading disinformation after his 2020 re-election loss.

DESANTIS' TECH CONFESSION — DeSantis mounted his own defense of Florida's new social media law during a nearly 30-minute speech he gave Tuesday at the 77th session of Florida American Legion Boys State that was being held at Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee. And that's where DeSantis doesn't use technology that many people rely on today: "The problem is you'd be hard pressed to operate in this society without having to use some of this technology. You just can't do it," he said. "I actually run into this because I, as governor, I don't have an email address. I don't have text messaging. I can't even do services. I have to have my wife do it or have someone else help out me with it. So you really can't function in our society, particularly at your age and just say you are never going to use any of this technology." It is already known that DeSantis does not handle his own social media accounts such as Twitter.

SENDING A MESSAGE — "DeSantis signs legislation on freedom of speech in colleges, civics," by POLITICO's Andrew Atterbury: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed three education bills on Tuesday, including legislation attempting to combat "cancel culture" through a massive free speech survey of faculty and students on college campuses statewide. That proposal, along with the two civics measures signed into law by the Republican governor, were significant GOP priorities during the 2021 session and follow DeSantis' push for conservative "culture war" measures ahead of his 2022 reelection bid.

— " Florida governor: Students will be taught communism is evil," by The Associated Press' Brendan Farrington

SOMETHING TO WATCH — "Alachua School Board member sues DeSantis over ouster," by POLITICO's Andrew Atterbury: A recently elected — and removed — school board member in Alachua County sued Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday over her ouster, claiming that the Republican governor lacked the authority to yank her from the position. The lawsuit, filed in circuit court, alleges DeSantis "acted in reckless regard" by kicking Diyonne McGraw off the school board through an executive order on the grounds that she was serving an area outside of her residency zone. The governor's decision to intervene on the matter, which was playing out in court, comes after DeSantis vowed to get more involved in local school board races and could allow him to fill the vacancy.

BIG CHANGES — "DeSantis signs into law bill overhauling safety net for families with brain-damaged babies," by Miami Herald's Carol Marbin Miller and Daniel Chang: " Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed legislation overhauling the controversial Florida program that provides lifelong care for children born with catastrophic brain damage, approving the most far-reaching reform in the program's 33-year history. With DeSantis' signature Monday night, parents who participate in the Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Association, or NICA, will get an immediate $150,000 cash benefit, and the pledge of Florida lawmakers that they will no longer have to fight with administrators for wheelchairs, medication, therapy and other services for their severely disabled children. That's on top of the $100,000 the law previously provided, which had not been increased since the program's inception."

— "Environmentalists blast Gov. Ron DeSantis for blocking local phase-outs of oil and gas as fuel sources," by Florida Phoenix's Laura Cassels

— "New law mandates increased safety measures at gas pumps ," by ABC7

— "GOP Attorney General Ashley Moody fights against 'court packing' but she's also getting some pushback," by Florida Phoenix's Diane Rado

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CORONAVIRUS UPDATES

DONE — "Biden might extend the CDC eviction moratorium another month; DeSantis won't reinstate his," by Orlando Sentinel's Caroline Glenn: "Without the CDC moratorium, Florida renters would be particularly vulnerable to eviction after Gov. Ron DeSantis allowed the state's moratorium to expire last fall. At the time, DeSantis said it was no longer needed because the CDC order was in effect. But earlier this month, Taryn Fenske, one of the governor's spokespeople, said, 'Gov. DeSantis is not considering another state moratorium on evictions' if the CDC's expires. 'As the Governor has stated, Florida is open for business and will not impose any sort of lockdown ever again,' Fenske said via email."

FOR YOUR RADAR — "Manatee officials fear COVID variant as sixth case reported," by Sarasota Herald-Tribune's Ryan McKinnon and Elizabeth Djinis: "A sixth Manatee County employee working in administrative offices has tested positive for COVID-19, days after two county employees died from the virus, according to County Administrator Scott Hopes. 'We are in infection control mode right now,' Hopes said."

STILL PAUSED — "Jacksonville cruises to Bahamas still on hold until after August," by Florida Times-Union's David Bauerlein and Steve Patterson: "The cruise industry will fire up the propellers again this summer for the first time since March 2020, but it still will be sometime after August before passengers resume boarding Carnival Cruise Line's Ecstasy ship in Jacksonville. A federal judge handed a victory to the state of Florida by issuing a preliminary injunction that found the federal Centers for Disease Control's restrictions on cruise ships are probably invalid for cruises in and out of Florida."

PENINSULA AND BEYOND

ARRESTED — "Alleged murderer of former Florida state senator's son caught by U.S. marshals, police say," by Miami Herald's Devoun Cetoute and Charles Rabin: "The death of former state Sen. Daphne Campbell's son was the result of a love triangle with a twist, according to state prosecutors: The woman who shot him was the jilted ex-girlfriend of a woman who spent the night in Jason Campbell's bed. On Monday, federal marshals found Lakoria Shamece Washington, 24, in Port Orange, Florida, and took her into custody. She has been charged with the first-degree murder of Campbell, 23. By Tuesday, Washington had not yet been extradited to Miami-Dade."

FOR YOUR RADAR — "Calls for Florida's 'anti-riot' law to be used in Delray Beach pride case," by WPEC's Jay O'Brien: "The Palm Beach County Human Rights Council has requested that the State Attorney's Office consider charging Alexander Jerich under the state's controversial Combating Public Disorder law. The law, strongly opposed by Democrats and championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and his Republican allies, heightens the penalties for violent acts committed during a protest. But it also has a provision enhancing criminal penalties for people who damage 'historic property' or a 'memorial.' Jerich was arrested last week, accused of vandalizing the pride intersection by using his truck to create tire marks across the paint. Police say the incident occurred after Jerich attended a birthday rally for former President Donald Trump."

MOVING AHEAD — "Superintendent Robert Runcie's perjury case will not be dropped," by Sun Sentinel's Scott Travis: "The perjury case against Broward Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie will continue after a judge denied a request to dismiss it. Runcie's indictment, dated April 15, didn't provide enough details to mount a proper defense, his lawyers argued during a June 2 hearing. But Judge Martin Fein disagreed in a decision released last week."

'SELLING THAT DREAM' — " Florida beach town writes Amazon TV series to lure tourists," by Associated Press' Kelli Kennedy: "Hollywood's flattering spotlight has put small towns on the map, like Wilmington, North Carolina, from 'Dawson's Creek' and the woods of Senoia, Georgia, from 'The Walking Dead.' And that's exactly what travel marketers in St. Petersburg and Clearwater, Florida, were hoping to capitalize on when they commissioned an original, scripted TV series, seeking to draw quarantine-weary tourists to the area's sugar sand beaches. 'Life's Rewards' aired on Amazon Prime last month. The eight-episode show is based on a charming yet cavalier wealth manager who loses his money and uses travel rewards points to stay at the posh, pink Don CeSar hotel while rebuilding his life."

— "Race-baiting broadcaster, arrested in FBI raid, pleads guilty to gun charges," by Sun Sentinel's Brooke Baitinger

— "Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary party starts Oct. 1," by The Associated Press

— "City council supports $21 million incentives for Dun & Bradstreet move to Jacksonville," by Florida Times-Union's David Bauerlein

— "Collier commissioners approve $15 million in incentives for Great Wolf Lodge," by Naples Daily News' Laura Layden

ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN

— "250 gators removed from Disney properties since 2-year-old's 2016 death," by Orlando Sentinel's Kalia Richardson: "About 250 alligators have been removed from Disney properties since an alligator killed 2-year-old Lane Thomas Graves from the shores of Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa five years ago. Disney management and staff have worked directly with trappers contracted through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to remove them. Disney has also installed a boulder wall and reptile warning signs at the resort, as well as reinforced training among Disney staff. The majority of nuisance gators taken from Disney are euthanized and sold for their hide and meat, according to FWC spokesperson Tammy Sapp."

BIRTHDAYS: State Rep. Joy Goff-Marcil

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