| | | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Hello and welcome to Wednesday. Somewhere on Adams Street — For nearly two weeks now, a drama has played out in a federal courtroom in Tallahassee that has captivated observers and longtime players in the state Capitol's insular world of politics. It was a drama that once helped upend state politics — but has resulted in, well, what? Star witness? — The corruption trial of local developer J.T. Burnette — who is married to the head of one of the state's largest medical marijuana companies — reached its apex this week when former Tallahassee Mayor Scott Maddox, a one-time rising star for Florida Democrats, testified on behalf of prosecutors. Drunk at the time — Maddox, who has run statewide and once served as chairman for the Democrats, has already pleaded guilty to fraud charges. But there he was on Tuesday, testifying about a time when he had separated from his wife, drunk heavily and met with undercover FBI agents about possible deals that turned out to be fabricated. Prosecutors played tapes of those conversations, which featured an intoxicated Maddox slurring his words and at one point telling an agent that "I'm the f— talent." Something bigger? — Maddox agreed to cooperate with prosecutors nearly two years ago and has not yet been sentenced for his role. This has led to speculation that federal authorities were perhaps looking for bigger targets. The corruption probe itself hung over the 2018 governor's race between Ron DeSantis and one-time Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum. As the federal investigation unfolded, news outlets detailed how Gillum, while mayor, took trips to Costa Rica and New York City. On one trip, Gillum met with undercover agents. On the other, he scheduled a meeting with agents that was set up by a lobbyist and friend. DeSantis hammered Gillum over the probe in the race that he narrowly won. So now…. — One of the tapes that played in court, however, featured a FBI agent telling Maddox that no one cared about Gillum. And even though Gillum's campaign records were once subpoenaed, there's been little revealed publicly to suggest that investigation is still active. It doesn't mean that this case isn't big news locally. (The Tallahassee Democrat has been producing wire-to-wire coverage.) In court watching was a city commissioner as well as several City Hall aides and previous days have seen top lobbyists and others attend. One elderly observer told Playbook he's been there to watch how things really work in Tallahassee. Long and winding road — This lengthy and likely expensive corruption probe began six years ago. Burnette, who testified on his own behalf on Tuesday and has pursued a vigorous defense against the charges, was entrenched deep in local business pursuits. But as this winds to a close, the question is whether this entire saga has rooted out long-running corruption problems in North Florida as then-U.S. Attorney Larry Keefe asserted it would. And there are a lot of questions as to whether there are other potential targets (oh, maybe just down the street) that could stand to be investigated. Guess the jury is still out on that one. — WHERE'S RON? — Gov. DeSantis will hold a press conference at the Garcon Point Bridge in Milton. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch: gfineout@politico.com | | | | JOIN TODAY – A WOMEN RULE CONVERSATION WITH THE WOMEN POWERING SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT: Covid-19 took a massive toll on the entertainment and sports industries over the past year and a half. As the summer movie season kicks into full gear, concerts make their way back and crowds fill sports stadiums, we look to the women powering these industries to return in full force. Join POLITICO Women Rule editor Elizabeth Ralph for a conversation with Kamala Avila-Salmon, head of Inclusive Content for Films at Lionsgate; Monica Dixon, president, External Affairs & chief administrative officer Monumental Sports; and Sandy Lighterman, Film & Entertainment commissioner, Miami Dade County Office of Film and Entertainment on lessons learned from the pandemic upheaval to these industries and what it means for the long haul. REGISTER HERE. | | | | |
|  | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | THE RETURN OF ROD SMITH? — Rod Smith, a former state senator and North Florida prosecutor who went after serial killer Danny Rolling, has emerged as one of the leading contenders to be appointed by President Joe Biden as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. A bipartisan nominating commission led by former Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera that advises Sen. Marco Rubio interviewed Smith in the state Capitol on Tuesday. The group voted to recommend Smith and U.S. magistrate judge Michael Frank for the post. Smith was also previously interviewed by a nominating commission set up by House Democrats. Go your own way — Florida used to have a unified process for appointment recommendations to the White House where the state's two senators would jointly screen and recommend candidates. But that ended after Rick Scott defeated incumbent Bill Nelson in 2018. "Senator Scott respects his colleague's recommendations, and will be reviewing these, as well as his own list of candidates to recommend to the White House,"Scott spokesman McKinley Lewis said Tuesday. "He expects that President Biden will choose to fulfill his obligation to engage in good faith consultations for federal nominations with both home state senators." Background — Smith was in the state Senate for six years and mounted a campaign for governor in 2006 but lost in the Democratic primary to Rep. Jim Davis. Smith was the running mate of Alex Sink when Sink lost the governor's race to Scott. He then spent two years as chair of the Florida Democratic Party. Smith tried to return to the Florida Senate in 2016 but lost to Keith Perry. THE ART OF THE POSSIBLE — " How Florida got bipartisan police reform — and what was lost to achieve it," by Tampa Bay Times' Romy Ellenbogen: "Lorie Fridell, a University of South Florida professor of criminology who researches police use of force and police deviance, said most of the reforms championed in Florida's new law were either already in place in most law enforcement agencies or were uncontroversial changes to how law enforcement agencies already operate. Fridell noted that some of the new requirements had been recommended in 2020 by the Florida Police Chiefs Association. More controversial issues like removing qualified immunity and examining the power of police unions that have come up in other states were not mentioned in the new law. One thing the Florida bill has that hasn't been replicated widely, Fridell said, is requiring outside agencies to conduct deadly force investigations." — "Pandemic-induced lotto-buying frenzy expected to taper off, economists predict," by Florida Politics' Haley Brown | | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | | BEHIND CLOSED DOORS — "DeSantis panel rejects masks for K-12 kids ahead of new CDC guidance," by POLITICO's Matt Dixon and Andrew Atterbury: A panel of doctors Gov. Ron DeSantis quietly gathered Monday afternoon discussed Covid in school-age children, where one concluded that masks on children is "abuse" and another downplayed the dangers of coronavirus infections in young kids. The panel's assessments are at odds with federal recommendations for K-12 students the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Tuesday. The Monday roundtable was held without public notice to discuss whether K-12 students should wear masks in schools, which school districts across the state are considering ahead of the 2022 school year. — "Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis meets with wild L.A. vaccine skeptic despite flooded hospitals," by The Daily Beast's Pilar Melendez and Francisco Alvarado — "Soaring COVID cases lead schools to reconsider masks for students," by Sun Sentinel's Scott Travis PRETTY PLEASE — "Florida Board of Governors to students: we 'strongly recommend' you get vaccinated," by Tampa Bay Times' Divya Kumar: "As COVID-19 cases climb, the Florida Board of Governors sent a letter to all students Tuesday 'strongly' encouraging them to get vaccinated before the fall semester begins and operations at state universities prepare to resume their pre-pandemic level of activities. All 12 state university presidents as well the board chair, Syd Kitson, and State University Chancellor Marshall Criser signed off on a brief letter that emphasized the importance in bold print." WHAT, ME WORRY? — "Florida Gov. DeSantis not planning new emergency order despite spiking COVID cases, hospitalizations," by USA Today Network-Florida's Jeffrey Schweers: "Rejecting calls from local elected officials and the medical community, Gov. Ron DeSantis will not declare a state of emergency in light of Florida being the epicenter of the 'pandemic of the unvaccinated,' his office said Monday. 'No, there are no plans for a new state of emergency regarding COVID,' said Christina Pushaw, the governor's press secretary, in an email when asked by the USA TODAY Network-Florida if the situation warranted one. When asked why not, Pushaw replied, 'What, concretely, do you believe a state of emergency would accomplish that cannot be accomplished without a state of emergency?'" — "Florida defense attorneys call for return to virtual court amid COVID-19 surge," by Orlando Sentinel's Monivette Cordeiro — "Press secretary Christina Pushaw sought job after admiring DeSantis's handling of pandemic," by Tampa Bay Times' Kirby Wilson | | | | 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. | | | | |
| | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | REMEMBERING THAT DAY — "Rep. Murphy recalls being in proximity to officer pinned between rioters and Capitol door frame," by Washington Post's John Wagner: "Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.) recounted being holed up in the basement of the Capitol on Jan. 6 only 40 paces, she said, from where D.C. police officer Daniel Hodges was being pinned between the rioters and a door frame. 'You know, I have two young children,' Murphy said to Hodges, one of the officers testifying. 'I have a 10-year-old son and a 7-year-old daughter. They're the light of my life. And the reason I was able to hug them again was because of the courage that you and your fellow officers showed that day. And so just a really heartfelt thank you.'" | 
Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Florida-7th District) photographed May 1, 2019 at the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, DC. (M. Scott Mahaskey/Politico) | M. Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO | — "Taylor Greene, Gaetz heckled while demanding answers on Capitol riot detainees," by New York Post's David Marcus — " Cheney calls Gaetz, Green DOJ protest a 'disgrace,'" by The Hill's Lexi Lonas — "Florida suspends concealed carry permits for 22 charged in U.S. Capitol breach," by Associated Press | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM — "'Ugly business': On internal Florida GOP call, Gruters addresses harassments allegations," by POLITICO's Matt Dixon: In a slightly more than five minute internal phone call Tuesday night, Republican Party of Florida Chair Joe Gruters pushed back against sexual harassment allegations against him that become public last week. "Before we begin tonight's agenda, I will briefly address the false allegations levied against me," Gruters said at the opening the call, of which POLITICO gained access. "Unfortunately politics is an ugly business, and after you've had the success that we have had, you can become the target of a smear campaign." THE PLOT THICKENS — "Artiles worked closely with top GOP consulting firm during 'ghost' candidate scheme, documents indicate," by Orlando Sentinel's Jason Garcia and Annie Martin: "A month later, records show that [Frank] Artiles billed Data Targeting Inc. — the political consulting firm that was at the same time being paid millions of dollars by state Republican leaders to run Senate campaigns — for the cost of a plane ticket that he'd purchased on June 11. Artiles, a former Republican state senator who became a lobbyist and political consultant, is now awaiting trial on charges related to the sham-candidate scheme, in which authorities say Artiles bribed Rodriguez to put his name on the ballot as an independent candidate." | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | A CLOSER LOOK — "Inside a KKK murder plot: Grab him up, take him to the river," by The Associated Press' Jason Dearen: "But the FBI had gotten wind of the murder plot. A confidential informant had infiltrated the group, and his recordings provide a rare, detailed look at the inner workings of a modern klan cell and a domestic terrorism probe. That investigation would unearth another secret: An unknown number of klansmen were working inside the Florida Department of Corrections, with significant power over inmates, Black and white." HMM — " Five Cuban generals have mysteriously died. Is it linked to country's spike in Covid-19?" by El Nuevo Herald's Nora Gamez Torres: "Five Cuban generals — most of them elderly and retired — have died in the past nine days. The Communist regime isn't saying why but critics suggest the string of high-profile deaths may be linked to skyrocketing cases of COVID-19 as the country struggles to contain its biggest spike yet. One of the dead generals, Ruben Martinez Puente, 79, was indicted in Miami in 2003 for the shooting down of two American private planes over international waters in 1996. Four members of the Cuban exile organization Brothers to the Rescue were killed. At the time, Martinez Puente was the head of the Cuban military air force. He was never formally tried in the United States." PROBE — "Feds serve Florida search warrants related to assassination of Haiti's President Moise," by Miami Herald's Jay Weaver, Jacqueline Charles and Kevin G. Hall: "Dozens of federal agents fanned out across South Florida Tuesday to carry out the first search warrants related to the assassination of Haiti's president, Jovenel Moïse, focusing on two local businessmen that Haitian authorities suspect funded and trained the group of Colombians and others implicated in his killing. Teams of FBI and Homeland Security Investigations agents zeroed in on five locations in Doral, Westchester and Weston in Miami-Dade and Broward counties to gather financial records and other documents as part of a federal investigation into whether they knowingly played a supportive role in Moïse's death at his home on July 7." WATER WARS — "Glades-area cities, farmers worry new Lake Okeechobee plan will hurt water supply and more," by Palm Beach Post's Kimberly Miller: "Plans for managing Lake Okeechobee water drew the ire of some Glades-area officials and farmers on Tuesday as Palm Beach County lobbied for its share of the liquid heart of Florida. While the proposal, which was outlined by the Army Corps during a Board of County Commissioners meeting, is a fix for some environmental problems in South Florida, it doesn't do as well when it comes to water supply for the areas south and west of the lake." — " Miami Beach chief suspends 4 cops, has 'serious concerns' about force seen in video," by Miami Herald's Carli Teproff and Charles Rabin — "Racial tensions exploded at Atlantic High. Now the principal is out of a job," by Palm Beach Post's Andrew Marra | | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | | BIRTHDAYS: Washington Post's Beth Reinhard … Bill Cotterell, columnist and former state government reporter ... Juan Guaidó, Venezuelan opposition leader
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