News: POLITICO Florida Playbook: Florida's predictable partisan divide over guns

Thursday, June 9, 2022

POLITICO Florida Playbook: Florida's predictable partisan divide over guns

Jun 09, 2022

Hello and welcome to Thursday.

Passed — The U.S. House passed a major legislative package on guns Wednesday evening. And even though a key portion of the measure — raising the age limit to purchase semiautomatic weapons to 21 years old — is similar to the Florida law enacted in the aftermath of the Parkland massacre, it was a straight party line vote among the state's congressional delegation.

Breaking ranks — During a stand-alone vote on the age restriction that came before final passage, Rep. María Elvira Salazar — the first-term Miami Republican being challenged by Democratic state Sen. Annette Taddeo and Miami City Commissioner Ken Russell — did vote in favor of that provision. But all other Republicans — including Rep. Brian Mast, who has backed the banning of certain types of semiautomatic rifles in the past — voted against it.

Next steps — The legislation is now headed to the U.S. Senate where it is expected to be rejected as that chamber negotiates its own potential gun legislation. Another key vote will come on Thursday when the House is also expected to consider a "red flag" measure — which is also in place in Florida — but that vote will likely fall along party lines as well. GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz last week said that any senator who votes for a "red flag" law is a "traitor to the Constitution."

What happens in Tallahassee — Meanwhile, Democrats at the state level, including legislators and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, continue to call for the Legislature to take additional actions on guns. Democratic legislators this week triggered an official poll on whether a special session dealing with guns should be called. This effort is also likely doomed.

Governor's response — When asked about the special session push, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday lashed out at "leftists" who want to "come after your Second Amendment rights." DeSantis, in a lengthy response where he talked about mental health, added that "you focus on the criminal. You focus on the lunatic. You don't kneecap the rights of law-abiding citizens."

On the ballot — Whether Congress does pass anything remains unclear. The question is whether the issue of gun rights versus gun control will become a major flashpoint in the 2022 elections because, right now, the races for governor, U.S. Senate and Congress will feature Republicans and Democrats in wide disagreement over how to respond to gun violence.

— WHERE'S RON? — Gov. DeSantis is scheduled to attend a Leon County Republican Party meet-and-greet/fundraiser being held in Tallahassee.

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DRIVING THE DAY

NEAR PARTY LINE VOTE — "As survivors demand action, House passes gun bill doomed in the Senate," by The New York Times' Annie Karni and Catie Edmondson: "The House on Wednesday voted nearly along party lines to bar the sale of semiautomatic weapons to people under the age of 21 and ban the sale of large-capacity magazines, acting as traumatized parents of victims and survivors of mass shootings made wrenching appeals for Congress to act on gun violence. The vote on a sprawling gun package came two weeks and a day after a gunman massacred 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. Several hours earlier, parents of one of the children killed there and an 11-year-old who survived addressed a House committee to drive home the stakes of the issue."

— "Governor candidate Nikki Fried calls for massive effort to 'change the culture of America when it comes to guns,'" by South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Anthony Man

— " House Republicans dig in as Dems pass gun package," by POLITICO's Jordain Carney

— " Orange County sheriff joins investigation into law enforcement response to Uvalde school shooting," by WKMG's Samantha Dunne

... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ...

GEORGIA ON MY MIND — "DeSantis spokeswoman belatedly registers as agent of foreign politician," by Washington Post's Isaac Stanley-Becker: "A spokeswoman for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) this week registered as a foreign agent of a former president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, belatedly detailing work she performed for the politician between 2018 and 2020. The spokeswoman, Christina Pushaw, made the disclosure following contact from the Justice Department, according to her attorney, Michael Sherwin. She began her work in 2018 as a volunteer in the post-Soviet country, Sherwin said, and was ultimately paid $25,000 over the course of two years. She received her first payment, of $10,000 in October 2018, in cash, according to her filing. She stayed for free for six weeks in an apartment owned by a Saakashvili associate."

DeSantis counterattacks — After the Washington Post article appeared, DeSantis lashed out at the news organization. During a Wednesday press conference, the governor said that "the only reason they're attacking her is because she does a great job, and she's very effective at calling out their lies and their phony narratives. And so, whenever they're smearing somebody, you know that person is over the target, and so they're scared of that. I would be much more concerned with my press secretary if The Washington Post was writing puff pieces about her."

FALLOUT — DeSantis claims in-person learning saved Florida students. It's not that simple, by POLITICO's Andrew Atterbury: But even as new nationwide research backs up Florida's decision to steer students back to in-person schooling, the earliest test results from 2021-22 show a much more nuanced situation in the state's public schools. Despite the widespread return to face-to-face classes in Florida, one out of every four third graders scored the lowest mark possible on their state language arts assessments this year — marking the highest percentage since the test was introduced in 2015. Education officials say the new scores are a result of students having their earliest years rocked by coronavirus disruptions during a critical age for learning, something that Florida schools and teachers are attempting to counteract.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is pictured. | Getty Images

SURFSIDE, FLORIDA - AUGUST 10: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during an event to give out bonuses to first responders held at the Grand Beach Hotel Surfside on August 10, 2021 in Surfside, Florida. DeSantis gave out some of the $1,000 checks that the Florida state budget passed for both first responders and teachers across the state. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) | Joe Raedle/Getty Images

SUGAR, SUGAR — "DeSantis vetoes Everglades bill that advocates said would harm water quality ," by Tampa Bay Times Romy Ellenbogen and Lawrence Mower: "Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday vetoed a controversial bill that would have changed the state's policy for Everglades restoration and that critics had derided as catering to the sugar industry around Lake Okeechobee. In his veto letter, the governor wrote said "the bill that was ultimately passed by the Legislature is an improvement over what was initially filed," but that it created 'unnecessary and redundant regulatory hurdles' that could compromise the execution of Everglades restoration projects. Senate Bill 2508 was supported by outgoing Senate President Wilton Simpson, who is now running for agriculture commissioner."

RULING — "Florida faces $1.2 million verdict for killing citrus trees," by The Associated Press: "The owner of a commercial nursery has won a $1.2 million judgment against the Florida Department of Agriculture in the latest verdict against the state agency for destroying citrus trees in the 2000s during an attempt to stop the spread of costly tree diseases. A jury in Orlando last week determined the state agency had destroyed more than 160,000 citrus plants in an effort to stop citrus greening and Gary Mahon deserved the $1.2 million as compensation at fair market value."

— "' Please communicate your existence': New gambling commission urged to crack down on 'gray' games," by Florida Politics Gray Rohrer

— " Florida has a unique right protecting abortion. Its framers designed it that way," by USA Today Network-Florida's Kathryn Varn

CAMPAIGN MODE

JUMPING IN — "Democrat Pacheco to challenge Garcia in key Miami-area Senate seat," by POLITICO's Matt Dixon: Democrat Raquel Pacheco announced Wednesday she is running in a closely watched Miami state Senate seat against Republican Florida Sen. Ileana Garcia. Pacheco's entrance into the race comes a week after Democrat's top recruit, state Rep. Michael Grieco (D-Miami Beach), decided not to run because he did not think his campaign would have enough cash to win what is expected to be one of the most expensive state-level campaigns of the 2022 midterms. "As a refugee and immigrant, I understand the unique challenges our communities face — and as a Miami Beach homeowner, a mom, and a small business owner, I have a vested interest in improving the quality of life," Pacheco said in a statement.

DETAILS, DETAILS — "Candidate for state rep touts salary donations — but doesn't mention his salary was $1," by Miami Herald's Aaron Leibowitz: "A recent campaign mailer for Florida House of Representatives candidate Jordan Leonard proclaims that, over more than a decade as a Bay Harbor Islands town councilman, he 'always donated his salary to charity.' But the mailer leaves out a key detail: The salary was one dollar per year. Elected officials in the small town near Miami Beach have received one-dollar salaries since the town's inception in 1947. They traditionally donate it to charities of their choice."

— " Bill Olson leaves U.S. House race to challenge Rep. Josie Tomkow in the Florida House," by The Ledger's Gary White

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Bidenology

REACHING OUT — "Biden speaks with Venezuela's Juan Guaidó after declining to invite him to America summit," by McClatchy D.C.'s Michael Wilner and El Nuevo Herald's Antonio Maria Delgado and Nora Gamez Torres: "President Joe Biden called Juan Guaidó from Air Force One on his way to Los Angeles for the Summit of the Americas on Wednesday after declining to invite the Venezuelan opposition leader to participate, a source familiar with the matter told McClatchy. The president emphasized that the United States continues to recognize Guaidó as the interim president of the country as its last democratically elected leader, according to officials, and 'discussed the role the United States and other international partners can play to support a negotiated solution to Venezuela's crisis.'"

THE GUNSHINE STATE

TO COURT — "Florida court may determine if Parkland parents pursue suit against Smith & Wesson," by News Service of Florida's Jim Saunders: "A state appeals court could determine whether parents of a victim of the Parkland school shooting pursue a lawsuit against gun maker Smith & Wesson and a store that sold a semi-automatic rifle used in the 2018 rampage. A panel of the 4th District Court of Appeal will hear arguments July 12 in a case filed by Fred and Jennifer Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter, Jaime, was among 17 students and faculty members killed in the shooting at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School."

TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP

TIME TO BECOME A FLORIDA MAN — "How Jared Kushner washed his hands of Donald Trump before Jan. 6," by The New York Times' Peter Baker: "On Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020, barely 24 hours after President Donald J. Trump claimed in the middle of the night that "frankly, we did win this election," Jared Kushner woke up in his Kalorama mansion and announced to his wife that it was time to leave Washington. "We're moving to Miami," he said. The election had not even been called for Joseph R. Biden Jr., but as Mr. Kushner later told the story to aides and associates, the White House's young power couple felt no need to wait for the official results. They saw which way the votes were going and understood that, barring some unforeseen surprise, the president had lost his bid for a second term. Even if he refused to accept it himself."

— Hot mess: There's a problem with Trumps Air Force One paint job, by POLITICO's Lee Hudson and Lara Seligman

CORONAVIRUS UPDATES

FOR YOUR RADAR — "There's a new, more contagious omicron strain, and it's in Miami-Dade. Here's what we know ," by Miami Herald's Devoun Cetoute and Michelle Marchante: "Florida has seen its first three cases of an omicron subvariant that is quickly gaining ground, with all three of the cases found in Miami-Dade County, a medical laboratory has confirmed. On Tuesday, Premier Medical Laboratory Services says it has identified the first three cases of the BA.4 strain in Miami-Dade. Additionally, another omicron subvariant, BA.5, has been rapidly growing in the Southeast. Experts say these variants have a higher chance of evading vaccines and booster shots."

PENINSULA AND BEYOND

STORM WARNINGS — 'Not getting better': Citizens continues to grapple with rapid expansion," by POLITICO's Matt Dixon: The size of state-run Citizens Property Insurance continues to expand as Florida's property insurance market remains in shambles, the exact outcome lawmakers have been trying to prevent. The total number of Citizens policies is approaching 890,000, with thousands being added each week, an increase that has been the focus of a Legislature so far unable to halt the growth. The concern, they say, is if Florida is hit with a massive hurricane or other natural disaster, it would be a massive financial hit to the state.

'IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS MISUNDERSTOOD' — "Two Florida cities, two paths: Former 'sundown towns' grapple with their pasts," by Pensacola News Journal's Jim Little: "Jewel Cannada-Wynn grew up in Century, a small town across the Escambia River from Jay with a large Black population. Cannada-Wynn, who is now a former Pensacola City Council member, was 7 years old when she began working as a field hand with her family, pulling weeds out of peanut and soybean fields in Jay in 1966. 'The rule was that you had to be out of Jay by sundown,' Cannada-Wynn said. Her father was in charge of everyone working in the field and made sure that work was stopped by 4 p.m. or 5 p.m. so everyone would have enough time to get back across the river before dark."

— "Attorneys in $1B Surfside settlement vowed to work at a discount. Will they get $100M?" by Miami Herald's Jay Weaver and Linda Robertson

— " The mosquito battle begins: South Florida is now a 'breeding site' after all the heavy rain," by South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Shira Moolten

— "Early departure will cost Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams his state pension ," by First Coast News' Anne Schindler

— "Pet stores ask judge to block Orange County puppy sale ban," by Orlando Sentinel's Stephen Hudak

ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN

— "Five Haiti soccer players and their coach vanish from Special Olympics in Florida," by Miami Herald's Jacqueline Charles: "They turned in their room keys and left behind their suitcases and other personal belongings. Why five Haitian soccer players and their coach decided to vanish while participating in the 2022 Special Olympics Games in Orlando remains a puzzling mystery. What happened to them and why did they leave? Police are trying to find out. 'The reason for their departure from the Games is currently unknown,' the Special Olympics told the Miami Herald in a statement."

BIRTHDAYS: Margaret Talev, managing editor for politics at Axios … The Associated Press' David Fischer … Tallahassee Democrat's Karl Etters…Jeff Solnet of Precision Strategies … Journalist Miles O'Brien