| | | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Presented by The Seminole Tribe of Florida | Hello and welcome to Thursday. Closer to home — Is state Sen. Annette Taddeo's moment coming? The Miami Democrat keeps hinting that she's going to run for governor. Taking aim — Taddeo, who ran as Charlie Crist's running mate in the 2014 governor's race, did it again on Wednesday, pushing out a video on Twitter taking shots at Gov. Ron DeSantis and saying he was too busy raising money out of state for his re-election bid instead of "governing." Taddeo, who grew up in Colombia, said it was time to have a "battle tested candidate" who had won in an area won by former President Donald Trump. Caveats — On the "Zoomed In" podcast released this week, Taddeo told the hosts of the program to "stay tuned" before acknowledging she wasn't "ready to really jump in with both feet" yet. Taddeo said it's difficult to run statewide and noted that DeSantis has been raising millions of dollars. "This is a year when most people say 'don't run' … but I have never been afraid of a difficult race." Rivals — Taddeo said something similar about timing to Playbook, adding "I always said I was not in a rush." But she also threw some shade at the campaigns of both Crist and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried: "There doesn't seem to be a lot of excitement for the current field." Splitting the vote? — The real question, however, is whether Taddeo has a real shot against two candidates who have more name recognition and more resources right now. Fried won a statewide election in 2018 and has gotten a lot of earned media by criticizing DeSantis over Covid-19. Crist won the governor's race before as a Republican back in 2006 and has been on a statewide ballot multiple times. But the 2018 Democratic primary showed that it's not always about a well-known name. It's about enthusiasm and connecting with Democrats eager for someone who can end 20 years of GOP control. — 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 partnership between the people of Florida and the sovereign nation of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Announced by Governor Ron DeSantis and Seminole Tribe of Florida Chairman Marcellus Osceola Jr., the Compact was passed by the Florida Legislature and deemed approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The Seminole Compact guarantees billions in revenues, creates thousands of jobs and brings sports betting to Florida. Learn more. | | |
|  | CAMPAIGN MODE | | THE ANSWER IS STILL NO — Senate President Wilton Simpson has made his political aspirations clear by jumping into the race for Florida's agriculture commissioner. So what about House Speaker Chris Sprowls? Opportunity zone — Florida's 13th Congressional District — which lies inside Pinellas County — appears destined for change when state legislators draw new maps during the 2022 session. Democratic incumbent Charlie Crist is running for governor, so the seat is now wide open and has already attracted several GOP candidates. Earlier this year, before the new numbers were released, Sprowls said he has no plans to run for Congress. He repeated that on Wednesday when asked what would happen if the lines of 13th District were extended north into his neighborhood. "The truth is I'm truly not contemplating anything," Sprowls told Playbook. The finish — Sprowls said that being a presiding officer in the Legislature was an "amazingly unique opportunity" and that he could accomplish a lot as a House speaker. "I have every intention of running through the tape and no intention on running for Congress," he said. | 
Rep. Chris Sprowls | Getty Images | ASSISTANCE — "Voting think tank launches lawyer network to defend election officials," by Palm Beach Post's Antonio Fins: "Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley, said the legal help is sorely needed and he is grateful for it. 'We are being dragged into partisan politics and that is not the place for election administration,' said Corley. Corley said the 2020 election was a major success from the number of citizens who cast a vote in the county just north of Tampa to the prompt certification of results — all amid a once-in-a-century global health emergency. Yet Crowley said he and elections officials have 'almost become criminalized for our professionalism.' Corley said members of his staff have been subjected to racial slurs more than 50 times. One member was threatened with being shot." | | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | | The daily rundown — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that there were 13,774 Covid-19 infections on Tuesday. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported that 13,452 beds were being used in the state for Covid-19 patients. The Florida Hospital Association reported Wednesday that 46.2 percent of adult patients in intensive care units are infected with Covid-19. THE TOLL — "Child Covid fatalities nearly double in Florida," by POLITICO's Arek Sarkissian: Florida reached another grim Covid milestone amid the Delta surge: Since August, the number of children in the state who have died from the virus has nearly doubled. The child fatalities have left pediatric experts deeply concerned about how the infectious contagion will affect youngsters in the months ahead, even as the overall number of infections and hospitalizations appears to be cresting. An analysis of Covid-19 reports from the Florida Department of Health show that six children under the age of 16 died from Covid-19 in August. Previously, a total of seven kids died from the virus from the beginning of the pandemic to July. American Academy of Pediatrics President Lisa Gwynn said many of the 13 kids who died may have had underlying medical conditions when they became infected. IMPORTANT QUESTION — "When will so many Floridians stop dying of Covid?" by Sun Sentinel's Cindy Krischer Goodman: "Florida's COVID cases and hospitalizations are declining but it could take weeks before a drop-off in deaths from the virus occurs. One public health researcher suggests the state's death count could reach as high as 56,000 people before the impact of the delta variant subsides. The COVID death toll climbed to nearly 47,000 over the past week." ANOTHER DAY IN COURT — " Florida judge blocks DeSantis attempt to halt mask mandate ruling," by POLITICO's Andrew Atterbury: Florida school districts are free to implement mask mandates for students as of Wednesday after a judge struck down the DeSantis administration's attempt to halt a recent ruling on face coverings. The decision marks the latest chapter in a weekslong fight in schools and courts over masking children amid the Covid-19 pandemic, notching another win for parents who sued Gov. Ron DeSantis and state agencies for blocking local mask mandates. CRISIS, WHAT CRISIS? — "'Florida is winning': Tourism continues to surge in nation's Covid hotspot," by POLITICO's Matt Dixon: Florida's tourism industry is set to hype huge gains after the pandemic decimated the previous year's numbers. It's a message that will be amplified this week during Florida's two-day annual Florida Governor's Conference on Tourism, an event canceled last year because of the pandemic, but which is being held in person this year at a South Florida beach resort. It's part of Gov. Ron DeSantis' continued pitch that Florida is the state to travel to even as it continues to grapple with stubbornly high — though decreasing — case counts and hospitalization rates, a fact that concerns public health experts. DeSantis was invited to speak at the event but could not attend. SCOTT'S SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT MESSAGE — Sen. Rick Scott — and former Florida governor — went on Bloomberg TV on Wednesday appearing to part ways somewhat with Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Republican said Covid-19 in Florida continues to be a "problem" and then encouraged people to get vaccinated. Scott, who noted he talks weekly with families who have lost someone to the deadly disease, sort of sidestepped a question about whether Florida is releasing accurate information about Covid-19. But then he also said Florida collects good information: "I just think whatever information we have, let's get that information out there." Critics have been bashing the DeSantis administration for weeks over ending daily reports on Covid-19. It has also been sued several times over its refusal to release certain records related to the coronavirus. — "Anti-mask merch salesman Ron DeSantis wonders how masks became political," by The Daily Beast's Justin Baragona — "Florida's summer surge of Covid-19 worse than any Democratic-led state ," by Florida Politics' Scott Powers — "U.S. Rep. Darren Soto has mild COVID-19 case, gets Regeneron treatment," by Orlando Sentinel's Steven Lemongello — " No vaccine. No service. Miami physician orders patients to get a shot or find another doctor," by Miami Herald's Daniel Chang | | | |   | | |
| | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | CAPITOL DISPATCH — "State workers scared over COVID, say Florida agencies have no plan to protect them," by Tallahassee Democrat's James Call: "A summer COVID surge that's produced a record number of infections in Leon County has led Tallahassee's three state lawmakers to go to Gov. Ron DeSantis. They're asking him to reinstate a telework option for state workers, and to provide clarity to state agency heads about COVID-related work rules, procedures, and protocols." — "Is PIP repeal headed for a comeback?" by Florida Politics' Christine Sexton — "Watch Anthony Sabatini rant about 'liberal' Chris Sprowls, Wilton Simpson, 'cuck' Thad Altman," by Florida Politics' Jacob Ogles | | DATELINE D.C. | | ON YOUR RADAR — "Delta and disasters push FEMA close to the breaking point," by POLITICO's Erin Banco: An unprecedented convergence of disasters is straining the capacity of the Federal Emergency Management Agency close to its limit, as it grapples with a historic wildfire season, devastation from Hurricane Ida and the surging Covid-19 outbreak. Four senior administration officials told POLITICO they are concerned about the agency's capacity to respond if — as feared — the current Covid surge spreads to more states this fall while the federal government is responding to natural disasters. Florida man POV — In the meantime, FEMA also is running a $1 billion program to reimburse the funeral costs of families affected by Covid-19, helping to resettle Afghan refugees, and aiding communities ravaged by wildfires, hurricanes and flooding. "If you look at the extreme rainfall events, they are occurring at a frequency that I have never experienced," said Craig Fugate, the FEMA administrator during the Obama administration — citing just one of the agency's current challenges. "For FEMA's job, the response is busy, but it's really the backlog of the recovery efforts that accumulates and that is difficult." | | THE GUNSHINE STATE | | 'MORAL CULPABILITY' — "Prosecutors: School massacre not mitigated by others' errors," by The Associated Press' Terry Spencer: "Attorneys for a former student accused of killing 17 people at a Florida high school should not be allowed to use any failures by his therapists, school officials or campus security guards as mitigating factors during the death penalty phase of his trial if he is convicted, a prosecutor told a judge Wednesday. Prosecutor Jeff Marcus told Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer that Nikolas Cruz's attorneys should not be allowed to argue that failures by others alleviate his responsibility for the Feb. 14, 2018, shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland." | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | UNRESOLVED — "Florida's 9/11 terror cell: 20 years later, questions linger about Saudi connection," by Miami Herald's Jay Weaver, David Ovalle and Alex Daugherty: "Both lingering mysteries were unearthed more than a decade after the attacks — largely because of the reporting and public-records battles waged by one investigative reporter in Fort Lauderdale, Dan Christensen. His work raised questions also pursued by former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, D-Florida, who accused the U.S. government of withholding critical information from the joint inquiry panel he oversaw during the first year after the attacks. The suspicions of Graham and others have been fueled by the government's fight to keep thousands of classified documents secret for years and by contradictory FBI statements." AWFUL — "Identities of Surfside condo collapse victims stolen. Suspects have been arrested," by Miami Herald's David Ovalle and Charles Rabin: "Ana Ortiz was one of 98 people who died when Champlain Towers South collapsed in June. The night before the funeral, her sister noticed strange emails popping up on Ortiz's iPad, detailing password changes to bank accounts and credit cards, new addresses and contact information. 'I was home writing the eulogy. I don't know why, but I looked down. I saw notifications from Wells Fargo. I saw emails with money transfers. I didn't even know she had a Wells Fargo account,' Nicole Ortiz told the Herald. 'It was crazy. These people are professional. Who would do something like this?'" — "Tropical Storm Mindy makes landfall on Florida coast," by Tampa Bay Times' Amy Gehrt — "Middleburg couple charged in U.S. Capitol riot due for plea agreement hearing," by Florida Times-Union's Steve Patterson — "A dubious legacy of 9/11: New documentary makes case that Liberty 7 were 'railroaded,'" by Miami Herald's Jay Weaver — "USF 'going to' build on-campus football stadium, board of trustees chair says," by Tampa Bay Times' Matt Baker | | A message from the Seminole Tribe of Florida: The New Seminole Compact
Signed, passed & now Florida law. Billions guaranteed.
The historic Seminole Compact, a partnership 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 of new revenue sharing for Florida, creates thousands of new jobs, ensures protections for Florida's pari-mutuel industry and brings sports betting to Florida.
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. | | | | | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | | BIRTHDAYS: Former state Sen. Tony Hill … investor and hotel owner Harris Rosen … Michael Greenwald, director at Tiedemann Advisors
| Want to make an impact? POLITICO Florida has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Sunshine State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you're promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness amongst this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com. | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment