| | | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Hello and welcome to Thursday. Live from Miami — For a solid hour last night, Fox News highlighted Cuba and Florida Republicans. Taking aim — Sean Hannity took his program to Versailles restaurant in Little Havana where Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Marco Rubio and Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar proceeded to bash the Biden administration for its tentative approach to the protests that broke out earlier this month on the island nation. "It's just not a priority for them," Rubio said. "He's basically just sitting there doing nothing," DeSantis said. At one point, Hannity was also joined by Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who has been a GOP voice who has been supportive of some of Biden's agenda. Locked out — Both Rubio — who was a leading adviser on Latin American policy to former President Donald Trump — and Salazar complained that their efforts to get meetings with the Biden administration have gone nowhere. DeSantis said he didn't understand why they couldn't move ahead with a plan to try to bring internet access to Cuba. Why it matters — In the end, yes, it was Fox News — the ultimate safe space for DeSantis and Republicans — but spending an hour on the topic just illustrates how the GOP is going to continue to use the limited action so far by the Biden administration as an effective wedge in South Florida and Miami-Dade County. Rubio suggested repeatedly that the cautious strategy from the White House is due to "sympathizers" of the Cuban regime. Outside the restaurant, Hannity talked to those who support the anti-government protesters in Cuba — including a pair drenched in red paint and wearing chains who yelled "free Cuba" into Hannity's microphone. For Florida Republicans, this could definitely be a rallying cry as they head into 2022. — 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 | | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president's ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | 
Anti-government protesters march in Havana, Cuba, July 11, 2021. | AP Photo/Eliana Aponte | CRACKDOWN — "Authorities in Cuba begin to punish young protesters in summary trials," by El Nuevo Herald's Nora Gamez Torres: "Cuban authorities have begun prosecuting participants in the recent unprecedented anti-government demonstrations in summary trials that started this week, family members and activists told the Miami Herald. Young people, even minors, have been among the main targets. Photographer Anyelo Troya, 25, was tried on Tuesday and sentenced to one year in prison under 'public disorder' charges, family members and activists told the Herald." WHAT HAPPENS NOW? — " 'Why can't we rebuild?' Some Surfside condo owners tell judge they want to stay at property," by Miami Herald's David Ovalle: "[Yadira] Santos is part of a group of condo owners that's now publicly advocating for working with a developer to rebuild Champlain Towers South on the beach-side Collins Avenue site. But as with condo unit owners anywhere in South Florida, consensus is hard to come by, even in wake of unprecedented tragedy." One alternative — "High-profile Miami business executive Rodney Barreto and lawyer Manny Kadre have already been in talks with Florida's governor, as well as federal and county leaders, about the possibility of using government funds to buy the property to turn into a memorial. 'We are balancing the desire to gets funds quickly, and to honor the memories of the people who have been injured and who have perished there,' Kadre said." FIGURING IT OUT — "Judge: $150M initially for victims in Florida condo collapse," by The Associated Press' Curt Anderson and Kelli Kennedy: "As the remaining rubble from the collapse of a 12-story oceanfront condominium was cleared away Wednesday, a Florida judge said victims and families who suffered losses will get a minimum of $150 million in compensation initially. That sum includes about $50 million in insurance on the Champlain Towers South building and at least $100 million in proceeds from the sale of the Surfside property where the structure once stood, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman said at a hearing." PUSHING BACK — "DeSantis bristles at accusation he's politicizing state's red tide response," by POLITICO's Bruce Ritchie: Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday attempted to turn the table and accuse his critics — most notably the mayor of St. Petersburg — of politicizing a massive red tide algae bloom and fish kill off the Southwest Florida coast. At a press conference in St. Petersburg, DeSantis responded to Mayor Rick Kriseman's accusation on Twitter that he was snubbed by the governor during his tour of the area on Wednesday and had politicized the state's response. "The politicization of the governor's response to red tide is truly sickening," the Democratic mayor posted on Twitter. "My team and I are focused on fixing the mess that was sent our way. When crisis comes, partisanship must go." | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | 2024 WATCH — "Trump, DeSantis top survey of NH GOP primary voters," by POLITICO's Nick Niedzwiadek: Former President Donald Trump remains the clear favorite among New Hampshire Republicans should he choose to run again, according to a survey released Wednesday. Close to half of likely primary voters polled — 47 percent — say they'd back Trump over other prominent Republicans, according to the University of New Hampshire's Granite State Poll. That's more than double the support than that of the next closest potential candidate, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' 19 percent, and it dwarfs that of several former members of Trump's administration. NOTHING TO SEE HERE — "Seminole state attorney chose not to probe elections complaint in key Senate race, records show," by Orlando Sentinel's Jason Garcia and Annie Martin: "But [State Attorney Phil] Archer's office chose not to investigate, according to emails obtained by the Orlando Sentinel, opting instead to forward the complaint on to an elections agency in Tallahassee. 'They seem to not want to be involved at all, even though it's their jurisdiction that is directly impacted,' Tim VanderGiesen, a public-corruption prosecutor in the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office, wrote in an email to a colleague after learning Archer's office planned to hand off the case." THE T WORD — " In St. Petersburg mayor's race, an unexpected name comes up: Trump," by Tampa Bay Times' Matthew Griffin: "The non-partisan race for mayor of St. Petersburg is veering into party politics this week, with two of the leading candidates, both Democrats, accusing each other of benefiting from the support of Republicans. The non-partisan race for mayor of St. Petersburg is veering into party politics this week, with two of the leading candidates, both Democrats, accusing each other of benefiting from the support of Republicans. In a flier mailed to voters, an organization affiliated with St. Petersburg City Council member Darden Rice's mayoral campaign suggests that her opponent Ken Welch, the former Pinellas County commissioner, has ties to former President Donald Trump." — "Anti-DeSantis billboards sprout near governor's mansion in Tallahassee," by Florida Phoenix's Isaac Morgan — "'Right to pray' ballot initiative proposed for Florida," by News Service of Florida | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST" TODAY: Power is shifting in Washington and in communities across the country. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. The Recast is a twice-weekly newsletter that explores the changing power dynamics in Washington and breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics and policy in America. Get fresh insights, scoops and dispatches on this crucial intersection from across the country and hear critical new voices that challenge business as usual. Don't miss out, SUBSCRIBE . Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | |
| | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | | MOODY HAS COVID-19 — "Florida attorney general tests positive for Covid despite being fully vaccinated," by POLITICO's Matt Dixon: Republican Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody on Wednesday night announced that she has tested positive for Covid-19, despite being fully vaccinated. "I received a COVID-19 vaccine earlier this year and today tested positive for the virus," Moody tweeted Wednesday night. "Thankfully, I am only experiencing mild symptoms and my family is in good health. As I continue to self-quarantine, I want to encourage Floridians to be vigilant about their health." The announcement comes days after the 46-year-old Moody flew on a taxpayer-funded state plane to Texas with, among others, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson. — "'Let's get it done': Jacksonville mayor urges COVID-19 vaccinations but opposes mask mandate, shutdown," by Florida Times-Union's Beth Reese Cravey — "Pensacola hospitals see COVID-19 resurgence as unvaccinated patients are hospitalized ," by Pensacola News Journal's Emma Kennedy and Dania Kalaji | | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | THIS COULD BE A REALLY BIG DEAL — "Florida could get nearly $2B in national opioid settlement," by POLITICO's Gary Fineout: Florida, which has seen a spike in drug overdose deaths in the wake of the opioid crisis, could receive nearly $2 billion over the next two decades as part of a national settlement announced Wednesday to end litigation with major drug companies. The settlement was forged among 13 states and three distributors — McKesson Corp, AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health — and drug manufacturer Johnson & Johnson. Three year battle — In 2018, then-Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi first filed civil lawsuits against manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies for their contribution to the opioid epidemic. Attorney General Ashley Moody kept the legal battle going once she took office. And in 2019, she had to fight to get the Florida Legislature to grant her office access to the state's prescription drug database so she could use the patient information in the state's lawsuit. How the money breaks down — Based on the agreement, the three drug distributors could pay up to $1.3 billion over 17.5 years to the state, while Johnson & Johnson would pay nearly $300 million over nine years. The settlement also imposes restrictions on the companies, including one that bars Johnson & Johnson from selling opioids for 10 years. Florida had earlier reached agreements with several other companies including Purdue Pharma, with those settlements expected to result in more than $300 million. | | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | REVERSAL OF FORTUNES — "These lobbyists cashed in on Trump. Now, business is done by millions," by POLITICO's Theodoric Meyer: Brian Ballard, a Florida lobbyist who was a top fundraiser for Trump's campaigns and who opened a Washington office after Trump won, has experienced a similar trend. Ballard built his firm into one of the largest in Washington. But its lobbying revenues fell by about 26 percent to $4.8 million in the second quarter, compared with $6.5 million in the second quarter of last year. Still, many of Ballard's clients decided to stick with him even though Trump is no longer in office." Adjustment period — "We talked to them about that, and they were very honest with us," said Keith Wilkins, the city administrator for the City of Pensacola, Fla., which is a Ballard client. The firm assured him they were working to develop "relationships with some of the leading Democrats in the state of Florida," he said. With Trump gone, Ballard Partners has worked to adapt to President Joe Biden's Washington. It hired more Democratic lobbyists this year and saw its revenue grow slightly from the first quarter to second quarter of 2021. "We're institutionalizing our business rather than getting the one-time quick hit," Ballard said. GREEN LIGHT — "Kraken attorney's fundraising group gets Florida's approval," by The Associated Press' Terry Spencer: "A group run by one of former President Donald Trump's most prominent election conspiracy adherents, reacting to accusations it was illegally seeking donations in Florida, has registered with the state and says it will raise $7 million, documents released Wednesday show. The office of Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, which polices charities, said it has approved paperwork filed by attorney Sidney Powell's Defending the Republic group. Fried's office had filed an administrative complaint last month against the group, accusing it of seeking donations without registering with the state as required." | | DATELINE D.C. | | EQUALITY ACT — More than 20 major Florida businesses and employers — including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Lightning — called on Congress to pass the Equality Act, federal legislation that would spell out permanent legal protections for LGBTQ people. "As we recover from the impacts of COVID-19, the protections guaranteed by the Equality Act are vital for our state's restaurant and hospitality industries to remain competitive and welcoming," said Carol Dover, president and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. Some of the other businesses that back the effort are Office Depot, Citrix and Carlton Fields. | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | BECAUSE THEY REALLY NEED THE MONEY — "Disney may get a $570 million state tax break for its Lake Nona regional campus," by Orlando Sentinel's Austin Fuller: "Disney could get more than half a billion dollars in state tax breaks for building a regional hub in Lake Nona where it plans to put more than 2,000 employees moving from California, documents show. Disney's capital investment for the project could be as much as $864 million, according to company projections made in documents released to the Orlando Sentinel on Wednesday from the state's Department of Economic Opportunity. An estimate shows Disney could claim more than $570 million in tax breaks over 20 years for the project. The tax break would be among the largest in state history for a single corporation." A CLOSER LOOK — "NASA partners with academics to study cane burning pollution in the Glades," by Palm Beach Post's Lulu Ramadan: "A division of NASA dedicated to air quality research is partnering with a team of scientists to study the impacts of sugar cane burning in western Palm Beach County, an undertaking spurred by Palm Beach Post and ProPublica reporting on air monitoring gaps in rural, sugar-growing communities. Researchers, bolstered by a $218,000 grant from NASA, will use low-cost sensors and satellite data to track pollution from burning sugar cane crops, a winter-to-spring harvest practice used across the 400,000 acres of cane fields in Florida's heartland." | | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | | | 
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis awards former Florida State University head football coach Bobby Bowden the governor's "medal of freedom." | Gary Fineout, POLITICO | — "'I am at peace': FSU's Bobby Bowden diagnosed with a terminal medical condition," by Tallahassee Democrat's Jim Henry: "Bobby Bowden's faith and spirit remain strong. However, his weakened body is failing him. Florida State's legendary football coach — who turns 92 in November — wife Ann and their family announced Wednesday that Bowden has been diagnosed with a terminal medical condition. 'I've always tried to serve God's purpose for my life, on and off the field, and I am prepared for what is to come,' Bowden said in a statement shared with the Democrat. 'My wife Ann and our family have been life's greatest blessing. I am at peace.'" BIRTHDAYS : state Sen. Victor Torres … state Rep. Alex Andrade … Desmond Meade, president and executive director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition … Don Van Natta Jr., ESPN senior writer... Eric Draper, director of Florida State Parks … Jamie Miller, Florida director Innovative Advertising
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