News: POLITICO Florida Playbook: Biden coming to Surfside — DeSantis inks police reform bill — Social media law blocked — Florida GOP executive director said what?

Thursday, July 1, 2021

POLITICO Florida Playbook: Biden coming to Surfside — DeSantis inks police reform bill — Social media law blocked — Florida GOP executive director said what?

Jul 01, 2021

Presented by USA-IT

Hello and welcome to Thursday. To get a little housekeeping out of the way, I (bureau chief Matt Dixon) am taking over temporarily for Gary while he takes much-deserved vacation. I used to co-author Florida Playbook, but it has been a while. Let's see if I still know what I'm doing.

POTUS coming — Joe Biden is set to make his first trip to Florida today as president, but it comes under devastatingly sad circumstances. Biden will be in Surfside to meet with family members of the dead and missing after last week's condo collapse in the tiny South Florida city. The disaster has gotten international attention as more than one hundred people, many from other countries, are suspected of still being buried under the rubble.

The politics of tragedy — Political considerations are rarely visible in moments of tragedy, but they almost always come with an understanding that a misstep — real or perceived — can have political consequences. For Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has generally gotten high marks so far for his administration's response in Surfside, that dynamic will likely be on display today. Specifics of Biden's trip are not yet out, but it seems very likely that the Republican governor and the Democratic president he may challenge in 2024 will come face-to-face today. The event will no doubt pass without any political fireworks, but embracing a politician loathed by your political base can be perilous, regardless of circumstance, as POLITICO's Marc Caputo reported.

What might this look like — DeSantis is unlikely to meet Biden at the airport for a photo op, but his team is not trying to duck the president. "It's no problem to appear at the site with the president. We're here every day and welcome him," a DeSantis adviser said. Expect the Biden-DeSantis face-to-face to come while they survey the damage with emergency management officials, or meeting with families affected by the tragedy.

— WHERE'S RON? — The governor will once again be in Surfside.

Programming note: Florida Playbook will not run Monday, July 5, but will return Tuesday, July, 6.

A message from USA-IT:

With world-class beaches along 1,350 miles of shoreline, what makes Florida such an attractive place to live also makes it attractive to smugglers and traffickers. This illegal trade affects the safety and quality of life of all 21 million Floridians. Florida deserves better. And that's why our partners are proud to be on the ground in 2021. United to safeguard Florida from illegal trade, we're working together to fight back. Learn more.

DRIVING THE DAY

President Joe Biden is pictured. | Getty Images

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 29: U.S. President Joe Biden departs the White House June 29, 2021 in Washington, DC. Biden is scheduled to travel to Wisconsin today in support of efforts to pass his infrastructure plan. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) | Win McNamee/Getty Images

THE VISIT — "'We can't escape the politics': Biden and DeSantis' fragile détente tested," by POLITICO's Marc Caputo: A disaster had just struck. Dead bodies were being recovered and people were homeless. But political opportunists didn't care about that. They were angry that a Republican governor was putting politics aside and working with a Democratic president. The year was 2012. Hurricane Sandy had just devastated New Jersey. And the top adviser for then-Gov. Chris Christie was shocked by the calls from donors infuriated that his decision to work with Barack Obama was handing him a win just a week before the president's reelection.

— " Trump's Sarasota rally still on despite report DeSantis wants it canceled due to Surfside," Sarasota Herald-Tribune's Zac Anderson

RIP — "Death toll rises to 18 in Florida condo collapse, scores still missing as search and rescue continues," by CNBC's Kevin Breuninger: "The death toll in the collapse of a Florida condominium building rose to 18, with 145 people still unaccounted for, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said at a press conference Wednesday afternoon. Two of the confirmed deaths are children, ages four and ten, according to Levine Cava. 'Our detectives have been working around the clock to reach every single person who we have been told may be missing,' Levine Cava told reporters."

WARNING SIGNS — " Video appears to show rubble in garage, water gushing just before Surfside condo collapse," by Miami Herald's Sarah Blaskey, Aaron Leibowitz and Monika Leal: "A TikTok video posted Tuesday appears to show the north side of Champlain Towers South Condo just moments before the building collapsed. The video, taken from across 88th street, focuses on the entrance to the garage, where water appears to pour from the ceiling and huge chunks of concrete can be seen covering the floor. 'The basement was the first to collapse!!!' the post said. The video, first reported by ABC 7 in Chicago, was posted by Adriana Sarmiento who told ABC she was on vacation and swimming in their nearby hotel pool when the heard a noise and went to see what happened. In her comments on TikTok, Sarmiento said the video was taken at 1:18 a.m. on June 24."

FATAL SQUABBLE — " Majority of Florida condo board quit in 2019 as squabbling resident dragged out plans for repairs," by Washington Post's Beth Reinhard, Tik Root, and Jon Swaine: "The president of the board of the Florida condominium that collapsed last week resigned in 2019, partly in frustration over what she saw as the sluggish response to an engineer's report that identified major structural damage the previous year. Anette Goldstein was among five members of the seven-member board to resign in two weeks that fall, according to minutes from an Oct. 3 meeting, at a time when the condo association in Surfside was consumed by contentious debate about the multimillion-dollar repairs."

COMING TO TALLY? — " Condo collapse exposes weakness in state and county building inspections, experts say," by Miami Herald's Mary Ellen Klas: "If building inspectors for Champlain Towers South had been required to go beyond a visual inspection and use high-tech tools to determine the building's structural integrity, would it have made a difference? The answer won't be known until a forensic investigation is complete but there are a number of sophisticated sensing techniques and tests — sonar, radar, hand-held x-rays, salinity tests and magnetic imaging — that can help engineers assess conditions beneath a concrete beam or inside a foundation."

HEROES — "' They're running on adrenaline': Firefighters give it their all in collapse site search and rescue," by CBS Miami's Brooke Shafer: "The painstaking, and often dangerous, search and rescue operation at the site of the Champlain Towers South collapse in Surfside entered its seventh day on Wednesday. On Wednesday, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said four more bodies had been recovered, bringing the death toll to 16."

— "The warnings were mounting at a Florida condo. Officials demanded only minor repairs," by NPR

— "Your child is talking about the Surfside condo collapse. How should you handle it?" by Miami Herald's Michelle Marchante and Madeleine Romance

— "Israeli official says more bodies found in rubble of collapsed Florida condo," New York Post's Yaron Steinbuch

CHAT WITH BIBI — A DeSantis public calendar updated Wednesday afternoon shows he had a call with former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

— "Throwable military robots sent to assist with Florida condo collapse," by Washington Post's Dalvin Brown

— "Law firm calls for special task force after Surfside condo disaster," by Florida Politics' Jacob Ogles

JOIN FRIDAY FOR A PLAYBOOK INTERVIEW WITH ANITA DUNN: Anita Dunn, a senior White House adviser to President Biden and one of the most influential women in Washington, will join Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza to discuss the administration's legislative priorities, including getting the massive infrastructure plan through Congress, the latest on efforts to get 70% of U.S. adults vaccinated against Covid, and preparations for the White House's first big public event on Independence Day. Don't miss this Playbook Live event, REGISTER HERE.

... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ...

BLOCKED — "Judge blocks Florida's 'Big Tech' law aimed at social media companies from going into effect," by Orlando Sentinel's Steven Lemongello: "A federal judge has temporarily blocked Florida's new 'Big Tech' law from being enforced, a major setback for one of Gov. Ron DeSantis's top priorities this year. In a preliminary injunction issued Wednesday night, Judge Robert Hinkle granted the request from online-industry group NetChoice in their suit against the controversial law."

TO COURT — "LGBTQ civil rights groups sues Florida over ban on transgender girls in sports," by POLITICO's Andrew Atterbury: LGBTQ civil rights group Human Rights Campaign filed a long-expected federal lawsuit on Wednesday challenging Florida's recent legislation banning transgender athletes from playing girls sports. The lawsuit marks the first case against Florida's "Fairness in Women Sports Act" since it was signed and touted by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who joined with Republicans across the U.S. in targeting transgender athletes in women's athletics as a culture wars issue this year. More than two dozen state legislatures have introduced similar measures.

94 SIGNED QUICK — "Fried, progressives criticize DeSantis' mass bill signing," by POLITICO's Bruce Ritchie: Democratic Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and progressive groups on Wednesday blasted Gov. Ron DeSantis for signing bills preempting local environmental regulations and control over growth management. The details: The governor's office late Tuesday announced DeSantis signed 94 bills from the 2021 legislative session, including five that the Sierra Club had requested be vetoed.

BIPARTISAN BILL — "DeSantis signs police reform bill into law," by POLITICO's Matt Dixon: Gov. Ron DeSantis signed much-watched police reform legislation into law Tuesday night, making Florida another in a growing number of states to pass reform proposals in the wake of George Floyd's killing at the hands of police. Some advocates argued the bill did not go far enough. It does not ban chokeholds, for instance, but it did gain unanimous support in both the Florida House and Senate. The bill was the byproduct of negotiations between GOP legislative leaders and the Florida Legislative Black Caucus, whose efforts were led by a future House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell (D-Tampa).

UNANIMOUS VOTE — "DeSantis vetoes bipartisan bill that would have expunged minor's criminal records," by Miami Herald's Ana Ceballos: "In a rebuke to 157 voting members of the Florida Legislature, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday night vetoed a measure that would have paved the way for tens of thousands of juveniles to get their criminal records erased after completing a behavioral program. The veto came as a shock to many lawmakers, who supported the measure. The proposal, they said, moved through the legislative process with little to no opposition and it was an approach that would have allowed minors with past run-ins with the law to face fewer barriers to employment, housing and education."

— With friends like this… The above-referenced bill received unanimous support, including from Republican leadership in both chambers. But in her defense of DeSantis' veto, Republican Party of Florida executive director Helen Aguirre Ferré argued the veto was needed because the bill was "dangerous to public safety." It's unclear if she thinks 100 percent of Florida's GOP lawmakers would have voted for a bill that is a threat to public safety.

ANOTHER GUN BILL — "DeSantis signs bill allowing concealed carry at churches that share land with schools," by News Service of Florida: "In a win for gun-rights supporters, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday signed a bill that will let people with concealed-weapons licenses carry firearms at churches or other religious institutions that share properties with schools. The measure (HB 259) was one of 94 bills DeSantis signed Tuesday, according to a late-night announcement from his office. More from the governor's desk: More than 100 new laws and a $100 billion state budget hit the books this week."

— Republican Rep. Sam Garrison was picked unanimously by his class to serve as leader of the House Republican caucus for the 2026-2028 term, a post that will likely make him speaker of the House, a pick first reported by Florida Politics.

— "162 new Florida laws take effect on July 1," by News Channel 8's Sam Sachs

CORONAVIRUS UPDATES

CHECK UP TIME — "Florida House asks staff to report when they got vaccinated for the coronavirus," by Tampa Bay Times' Kirby Wilson: "On June 22, a staffer in Florida House Speaker Chris Sprowls' office reached out to her colleagues with a request. 'Please remind your staff to report when they are fully vaccinated,' wrote Michelle Davila, the deputy chief of staff for operations and COVID-19 protocols, in an email reviewed by the Times/Herald. Davila provided a link to a Google form in which respondents are asked to fill in the date they became fully vaccinated and the county in which they got their shots."

DOUBLE TROUBLE — " We had to work twice as hard': How the pandemic magnified inequities for Florida's migrant students," by USA Today Network-Florida's Janine Zeitlin: "Brandon Garcia considered the apple tree near his family's trailer in rural Michigan, where his father worked the blueberry harvest. No connection. His link to virtual school back in Florida was lost. 'Here I go again,' the 13-year-old sighed. Brandon shimmied up the trunk and leaned into the fork. He clutched his tablet with its unreliable phone hotspot, hoping the perch would reward him with a stronger signal."

— "At contentious meeting, parents urge Leon County School Board to keep masks options," by Tallahasee Democrat's Ana Goni Lessan and Casey Chapter

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PENINSULA AND BEYOND

TRANSITIONS — Canaan McCaslin and Ashlee Jordan are joining the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service. McCaslin will be director of programming and previously was campaign manager for Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.). Jordan will be assistant director of programming and previously was civic engagement program coordinator for the University of Chicago Institute of Politics. …

NEW GIG — "Tampa Mayor Jane Castor's PR now run by former Times political editor Adam Smith," by Tampa Bay Times' Charlie Frago: "A familiar face and byline to anyone who follows Florida politics will soon be on news releases, YouTube videos and television in a new role: Adam Smith has been hired as Mayor Jane Castor's communication director.Smith, 56, begins work Thursday. And he said his main focus will be telling all the good stories that Florida's third-largest city has to offer. There are more than he knew before taking the job, Smith said Wednesday."

DOLLAR SIGNS — " NCAA lifts athlete endorsement rules as states scramble to court players," by POLITICO's Juan Perez Jr.: College athletes are poised to start cashing in on their stardom this week, a move set off by states and sports officials that's roiling a multibillion-dollar industry and quickly rewriting how schools compete for prized talent. The NCAA gave its member institutions sweeping discretion Wednesday to set rules that allow players to make money on everything from product pitches to autograph signings after a bruising Supreme Court defeat last week weakened the association's player pay restrictions. The retreat by top college sports administrators arrived partly because governors and state lawmakers are already on the move. New athlete compensation laws taking effect in at least 12 states by Thursday clear students to have commercial side hustles without jeopardizing their ability to play.

SHAKEUP — " OAS says report on Haiti offers a road map for elections. Not so fast, say US lawmakers," by Miami Herald's Jacqueline Charles: "A political mission from the Organization of American States is recommending that Haitian President Jovenel Moïse promptly appoint a new prime minister and cabinet, urgently take steps to establish a climate of security and appoint a new elections body so that Haiti can hold legislative, local and presidential elections before the end of the year."

— "'There's no way to rationalize it,' sheriff says of Martin County corrections sergeant accused of punching incarcerated man," TCPalm's Mauricio La Plante

— "Removal of Wentworth's name from Pensacola Museum of History is official," by Pensacola News Journal's Jim Little

A message from USA-IT:

The very things that make Florida such a wonderful place to live—a vibrant, populous state with 14 major ports, advanced transportation infrastructure, and of course world-famous beaches and shoreline (the 2nd longest in the United States)—also make it attractive to smugglers and traffickers. This illegal trade hurts local taxpayers, local economies and the senior citizen community, ultimately affecting the safety and quality of life of all 21 million Floridians.

Private-public partnerships can help address this problem. That's why our partners are proud to be on the ground in 2021, bringing our shared expertise combating illegal trade into Florida's fight. Along with governments and local law enforcement, we're working together to fight back. Learn more.

ODDS, ENDS, AND FLORIDA MEN

— "Duck shot multiple times in possible 'mercy killing'; Tallahassee Police investigating," by Tallahassee Democrat's Tori Lynn Schneider: The Tallahassee Police Department is investigating after a duck was shot multiple times and killed near Lake Ella Tuesday night. "Someone across the street from Lake Ella was outside when they saw someone get out of the car and shoot the duck multiple times," TPD Spokesperson Alicia Turner said Tuesday night.