| | | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Presented by the Seminole Tribe of Florida | Hello and welcome to Wednesday. The daily rundown — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted information that there were 21,208 Covid-19 infections on Monday. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported on its dashboard that 17,088 beds were being used in the state for Covid-19 patients. The Florida Hospital Association reported Tuesday that 53.7 percent of adult patients in intensive care units are infected with Covid-19. Wanderer — Gov. Ron DeSantis's ascension to Republican superstardom — replete with his anti-mask, anti-lockdown Covid-19 response — has taken him to California, Utah, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania in recent months where he has raised millions and introduced himself to top donors in the GOP. Closer to home — But in a nod that his pathway to 2024 requires him to win a second-term in office next year — DeSantis has agreed to be the main attraction at upcoming annual Republican Party dinners hosted by county parties. These events are usually the biggest fundraising event for local parties — and the presence of DeSantis guarantees that tickets are quickly sold out — oh and helps excite the base. One night only — The governor has already signed on to be the keynote speaker for at least four dinners this fall, including two coming on back-to-back nights in October. The first event is scheduled early next month at the Saddlebrook resort in Pasco County, and the governor has agreed to appear at events in Sarasota, Dade City and Daytona Beach with likely more to follow. This marks the first time DeSantis has done this since he first got elected in 2018. TCB — Christian Ziegler, a Sarasota county commissioner and vice-chairman of the Republican Party of Florida says "DeSantis is high energy, he's everywhere. Every time I turn on the television he's there" but he added that the decision by the governor to appear at local party events shows he is "taking care of his backyard." — 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 the Seminole Tribe of Florida: The new Seminole Compact is a historic deal between the people of the State Florida and the sovereign nation of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Announced by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Seminole Tribe of Florida Chairman Marcellus Osceola Jr. in April 2021 and approved by the Florida Legislature during a special legislative session in May 2021, the Seminole Compact was deemed approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior this August. Learn more… | | |
|  | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | |
THERE'S SOMETHING HAPPENING HERE — "It's governors versus the White House this school year. And no one is winning," by POLITICO's Juan Perez Jr., Daniel Payne and Mackenzie Mays: The aggressive tactics and the promise of federal intervention have made for a rocky back-to-school season, as Covid-19 cases among children continue to surge. "My biggest concern is this is just escalating," said Chip Slaven, the interim executive director and CEO of the National School Boards Association. "The president is weighing in and trying to support local schools, but it's yet another tension point. Now you have the federal government, now you have your state government, and now you have the local school boards scratching their heads and saying 'What do we do?"
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Gov. Ron DeSantis with state legislators after the end of the 2021 session of the Florida Legislature. | Gary Fineout, POLITICO | ANOTHER DISTRICT BUCKS DESANTIS — "Orange schools to mandate masks for 60 days starting Monday," by Orlando Sentinel's Leslie Postal: "All Orange County public school students need to wear face masks on campus starting Monday, the Orange County School Board decided Tuesday, imposing a 60-day mandate to help curb the rising number of COVID-19 cases. The Orange school board did not vote on the issue but a majority told Superintendent Barbara Jenkins they wanted her to issue a mask mandate and agreed with her suggestion that it be in place until Oct. 30." AND ANOTHER ONE — "' The right decision': Indian River schools Oks mask mandate for two weeks, defying governor," by Treasure Coast Newspapers Sommer Brugal: "Students Pre-K through grade eight will be required for two weeks to wear masks while at school unless parents can provide a doctor's note requesting otherwise, the School Board determined Tuesday, joining the almost dozen of boards that already have defied Gov. Ron DeSantis' ban on mask mandates." BUT NOT ALL ARE JOINING — "Pinellas School Board rejects change to student mask rule," by Tampa Bay Times' Jeffrey S. Solochek: "The Pinellas County School Board on Tuesday cut short any further discussion of a mask mandate for students and staff, narrowly rejecting a proposal to meet on the topic. The vote put Pinellas on a different path from other large districts around the state, including neighboring Hillsborough County, who have voted in recent days to challenge the state's ban on school mask mandates." AND IN THE COURTROOM — "DeSantis, state mount defense in school mask lawsuit," by POLITICO's Andrew Atterbury: [Dr. Jay] Bhattacharya, who has been a go-to scientist for [Gov. Ron] DeSantis amid Covid-19, was the only witness who took the virtual stand for the defense Tuesday. He testified that the benefit of masks in schools is "very close to zero." "There's no randomized evidence, no high-quality evidence that masks stop the disease spread," Bhattacharya testified. Bhattacharya's position misstates scientific evidence, published in numerous peer-reviewed journal studies, that masks help reduce the risk of Covid infection. Mainstream scientists say masks are an especially helpful tool because many people with Covid can transmit the disease before they know they are ill — so wearing masks helps lessen the chance that someone will unknowingly infect others. SHUTTERED — "Baldwin Middle-Senior High to close and shift online following COVID-19 outbreak," by Florida Times-Union's Emily Bloch : "A school in Duval County is closing in only the third week of classes because of an overwhelming number of positive COVID-19 cases. On Tuesday, Duval County Public Schools officials announced Baldwin Middle-Senior High School would close through next Tuesday, Aug. 31, because of the number of positive COVID-19 cases. As of Monday evening, the school already led with the highest number of cases on one campus with a total of 40 cases." DEAR RICHARD — " Broward schools stick by mask mandate and accuse Florida of breaking the law," by Sun Sentinel's Brooke Baitinger: "Broward County's School Board officially told the state Tuesday that it won't back down on its mask mandate in schools because it has a responsibility to keep children safe. The State Board of Education's demand that the school district must stand down or face penalties is against the law and infringes on the School Board's legal authority to run the district, the School Board argued." — "Palm Beach County school mask mandate should be fully enforced by next week, district says," by Palm Beach Post's Andrew Marra IT COULD GET WORSE — "Broward Health warns of 'catastrophic scenarios' for pregnant women with COVID," by Sun Sentinel's David Fleshler: "A sharp increase in pregnant patients with COVID-19 has alarmed doctors at Broward Health, who held a news conference Tuesday to urge pregnant women to get vaccinated. One woman died in the past week at Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, the first death among pregnant COVID patients at the four-hospital system. Other pregnant COVID patients have experienced difficulty breathing and complications in childbirth. The vast majority have been unvaccinated." ROUGH WATERS AHEAD? — "Disney Cruise Line to require COVID-19 vaccination for passengers despite Florida law," by Orlando Sentinel's Richard Tribou: "Disney Cruise Line is the latest to shift policy to now require passengers 12 and older to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for sailings from Florida, even though a law pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis threatens to fine cruise lines for demanding proof of vaccination. The move comes nearly a week after the Bahamas updated an emergency COVID-19 declaration that prohibits cruise ships from entering a Bahamas port, including the many cruise lines' private islands, unless eligible passengers are fully vaccinated." FALLOUT? — "Poll: 61% of Floridians think COVID-19 surge was preventable; many give DeSantis low marks," by Sun Sentinel's Anthony Man: "A public opinion poll released Tuesday provided new evidence that Floridians are gravely concerned about the current surge in COVID-19 cases, think it was largely preventable, and support requiring masks in public schools. The Quinnipiac University Poll also found many Floridians aren't happy with Gov. Ron DeSantis' pandemic performance." — "The FDA approved a coronavirus vaccine. Will Florida step up its game?" by Tampa Bay Times' Kirby Wilson — "Florida Rep. Sabatini files bill to ban vaccine mandates," by Orlando Sentinel's Gray Rohrer — "No disciplinary action for Sarasota County Sheriff's Office staff who knowingly spread COVID-19," by Sarasota Herald-Tribune's Patricia McKnight | | | | INTRODUCING OTTAWA PLAYBOOK : Join the growing community of Politicos — from lawmakers and leaders to pollsters, staffers, strategists and lobbyists — working to shape Canada's future. Every day, our reporting team pulls back the curtain to shed light on what's really driving the agenda on Parliament Hill, the true players who are shaping politics and policy across Canada, and the impact it all has on the world. Don't miss out on your daily look inside Canadian politics and power. Subscribe to Ottawa Playbook today. | | | | |
| | CAMPAIGN MODE | |
DOWN TO TWO — "St. Petersburg mayor's race: It's now between Ken Welch and Robert Blackmon," by Tampa Bay Times' Colleen Wright: "Ken Welch, the former Pinellas County commissioner and son of St. Petersburg's first Black City Council member, took a commanding lead as the first results were reported in Tuesday's mayoral primary. He's headed to a runoff against City Council member Robert Blackmon. Welch declared victory 11 minutes after polls closed. If elected in November, he would become the city's first Black mayor."
MEA CULPA — " No party candidate in Miami election fraud case takes plea deal, apologizes to voters," by Miami Herald's Samantha J. Gross: "An auto parts salesman and acquaintance of a former Miami lawmaker accused of running a vote-siphoning scheme in a 2020 Florida Senate race pleaded guilty Tuesday to two campaign finance charges and agreed to help prosecutors try the man who recruited him to run for office. Alexis Rodriguez, who was paid more than $40,000 by former Republican state Sen. Frank Artiles to run as a no-party candidate in the key Senate District 37 race, pleaded guilty to two felony charges: conspiracy to accept or make campaign contributions in excess of legal limits and accepting and making those excess campaign contributions." — "Ron DeSantis fundraises off White House off 'Was it worth it' letter to Associated Press," by Florida Politics' Renzo Downey | | | |   | | |
| | DATELINE D.C. | |
A DEAL FOR NOW — "House advances $3.5T budget, ending stalemate between Pelosi and centrists," by POLITICO's Heather Caygle, Sarah Ferris, Nicholas Wu and Anthony Adragna: The compromise is a significant win for [Josh] Gottheimer, Reps. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) and Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.) and the other centrists, who for weeks have been telegraphing to leadership that they would vote against the budget resolution unless Pelosi brought the Senate-passed infrastructure bill up for an immediate vote. "This is a big win for America and will help get people to work and shovels in the ground," the moderate Democrats said in a statement. "We have established a path forward that ensures we can pass this once-in-a-century infrastructure investment by September 27th, allowing us to create millions of jobs and bring our nation into the 21st century."
WHAT'S IN YOUR WALLET? — "Congressman seeking to relaunch Afghan war made millions in defense contracting," by The Intercept's Lee Fang: "There's one crucial part of [Rep. Michael] Waltz's experience he tends to leave out: Before his successful run for Congress in 2018, he managed a lucrative defense contracting firm with offices in Afghanistan. The company was recently sold to Pacific Architects and Engineers, or PAE, one of the largest war contractors the U.S. has hired to train and mentor Afghan security forces." Recently sold — "In November 2020, PAE announced that the company was acquiring Metis Solutions in an all-cash deal worth $92 million with the self-proclaimed goal to increase its foothold in the intelligence, analysis, and training space serving government clients. The lawmaker's subsequent ethics disclosure, filed last week, shows that he earned between $5 and $25 million in capital gains from his stock sales, in addition to up to $1 million from exercising his options." | | | | 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. | | | | |
| | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | |
STILL ON THE SHELF — "Lawsuit claims Florida failed to craft criminal database," by USA Today Network-Florida's John Kennedy: "A lawsuit filed Tuesday claims Florida officials failed to comply with a new law requiring creation of a public database tracking how justice is delivered across the state — which advocates say is key toward exposing racial disparities in criminal sentencing. The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida sued in Broward County Circuit Court, naming as defendants the county's clerk of court and sheriff, along with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Corrections Department. The organization contends that government agencies have been slow to roll out the database, approved under a 2018 law which followed stories by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune that examined sentencing bias against Black defendants, particularly in drug-related crimes."
TURNED DOWN? — "Florida hasn't asked for $820 million in federal food assistance for children," by Tampa Bay Times' Lawrence Mower: "Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration has not yet applied for up to $820 million in food assistance to more than 2 million Florida children, raising concerns from food assistance groups and others who note that child hunger remains a significant problem. The federal program, called the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer program, was created last year to help feed children who missed meals because they weren't attending schools in person during the pandemic." — " DeSantis administration seeks to scuttle challenge to Florida transgender athlete law," by News Service of Florida's Jim Saunders | | A message from the Seminole Tribe of Florida: The New Seminole Compact
Historic Deal for Florida. Billions Guaranteed. Thousands Of New Jobs.
The historic Seminole Compact between the people of Florida and the Seminole Tribe of Florida is the largest gaming compact in U.S. history. The compact guarantees billions of dollars in new revenues, sets a new standard for revenues generated for the state and ensures protections for Florida's pari-mutuel industry and the local jobs they create.
The New Seminole Compact Benefits Florida:
· Provides Florida $6 billion in revenue over the next decade, guaranteeing $2.5 billion in the next five years.
· Estimated to create over 2,200 new Florida jobs.
· Modernizes the gaming industry by creating a legal construct for sports betting in Florida and provides a structure for local pari-mutuels to participate.
· Keeps Florida family-friendly by limiting casinos.
· Billions more in economic impact for our state and businesses.
Learn more about this historic moment in Florida history. | | |
| | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | |
AWFUL — "She was raped by Florida prison officers. After her drug death, supporters want justice," by Miami Herald's David Ovalle: "[Ron] Berman, who honored his daughter Saturday at a memorial in Miami, says he's not done fighting for Carleane [Berman.] Although the government paid out around $2 million in a settlement with 15 women, Berman wants the prison officers implicated in the scandal to face criminal charges. Other victims in the case, themselves struggling to rebuild their lives after their tortured time in [Federal Correctional Complex] Coleman, tell the Miami Herald they want the same thing and say Carleane's story illustrates the psychological toll of the abuse. 'Why haven't they incarcerated these people?' Berman said from his West Kendall home. 'Why haven't they even acknowledged there's a criminal investigation?'"
— "With opioid overdoses 'skyrocketing,' Seminole sheriff calls for awareness, widespread use of Narcan," by Orlando Sentinel's Grace Toohey — "42 migrants arrested after coming ashore in South Florida," by Associated Press | | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | |
— "Ex-Gulf Breeze Mayor Ed Gray sentenced to prison for secretly recording teen boys in shower," by Pensacola News-Journal's Colin Warren-Hicks: "Former Gulf Breeze Mayor Ed Gray has been sentenced to five years in state prison for secretly recording teenage boys undressing at his home and tracking some of the boys' movements. Circuit Court Judge Clifton Drake handed down the sentence Tuesday at the Santa Rosa County Courthouse. In addition to the five-year prison sentence, Gray also was sentenced to two years of community control — during which time he essentially will be under house arrest — and then an additional three years of probation."
BIRTHDAYS: Former Tallahassee Democrat publisher Skip Foster … POLITICO's Gary Fineout
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