| | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Hello and welcome to Friday. Big vote — The U.S. Senate late last night, by a 65-33 vote, approved a bipartisan gun measure — the most significant gun-related legislation in nearly 30 years — over the objections of Florida's two Republican senators. The bill heads to the House, where it is expected to pass. Gov. Scott vs. Sen. Scott — Rick Scott, who is leading campaign efforts by the GOP to take back the Senate, voted no even though the bill was arguably far less restrictive than what he signed into law as governor following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Scott — whose vote put him at odds with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell — had criticized the process used to draw up the bill and faulted a provision dealing with those convicted of domestic abuse. Maybe, not really — Marco Rubio, who had hinted and suggested that he may support some type of bill and had voiced support for some types of gun restrictions in the immediate aftermath of the Parkland massacre, also voted no. Explanation — In a statement ahead of the vote, Rubio praised the bill for including a measure dealing with the creation of a school safety clearinghouse that was named after two Parkland victims. But he still called the "constitutional protections" in the gun measure "inadequate." He added that, "I promised the people of Florida I would do everything I could to keep our schools and communities safe while protecting their constitutional rights. This bill fails that test." Response — Rubio's Democratic opponent in this year's election reacted sharply and quickly to his vote. Rep. Val Demings called his decision "downright disappointing but not surprising." Demings added that "after the tragic shootings in Uvalde, Buffalo, and so many others, including Parkland and Pulse, right here in Florida, it's just too hard for him to stand up to the gun lobby and fight to keep Florida's families safe." Separation — Demings and Rubio had already staked out disparate views on guns, but the Senate vote clinches it and makes the contrast even starker. Demings had made Rubio's stance on guns a regular part of her campaign stump speech, but the question is whether she will go after him in campaign ads over the issue. In a state that has suffered two mass shootings that resonated with the public in the past six years, will gun violence be an issue that resonates with voters compared to inflation and gas prices?
— WHERE'S RON? — Gov. DeSantis is scheduled to attend a memorial ceremony in honor of the victims of last year's condominium collapse in Surfside. 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. | | | | | |  | THE GUNSHINE STATE | | ON TO HOUSE — Senate clears bipartisan gun safety package, by POLITICO's Marianne LeVine and Burgess Everett: The package, negotiated by Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), comes about one month after a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas. The Texas school shooting occurred roughly one week after a racist mass shooter killed 10 people at a grocery store in Buffalo, N.Y. "Many have come to doubt whether we're capable of making our institutions work, including the world's greatest deliberative body, " Cornyn said. "And we proved that we can when sufficiently inspired … to come together and find common ground that will help keep our communities safer, protect our children and save lives." MEANWHILE — "DeSantis praises Supreme Court decision striking down New York's gun law," by South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Chris Perkins: "The U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down New York's handgun-licensing law seems to be 'a great decision' from Justice Clarence Thomas, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said. Thursday's 6-3 ruling, written by Thomas, basically wiped out a law that said New Yorkers who want to carry a handgun in public must show a special need to defend themselves. DeSantis, speaking at Broward Health Sports Health Medicine where he signed a bill for Alzheimer's funding, was asked whether the gun ruling would change the timeline on when he'd press for changes to Florida's open-carry laws. He didn't directly answer that question." FIGURING IT OUT — "What the Supreme Court's gun rights ruling means for Florida," by Tampa Bay Times' Chris Hippensteel: "The ruling doesn't nullify any of Florida's current firearm laws. But it may invite new challenges against them and increase barriers for any future gun control legislation in the state or across the country. Thursday's decision expanded on a landmark 2008 decision that established the right to carry a gun for self-defense in the home, holding that the same rights apply to "ordinary, law-abiding" citizens carrying handguns in public. Florida currently bans open carry, which would allow individuals to carry firearms in a manner where they are visible to others."
| | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | HMM — Multiple House Republicans on defensive over Jan. 6 panel testimony that they sought post-riot pardons , by POLITICO's Kyle Cheney and Nicholas Wu: A handful of House Republicans who strategized with Donald Trump about overturning the 2020 election hotly denied seeking pardons after the Jan. 6 select committee released testimony Thursday stating they'd pursued clemency from the former president after the Capitol attack. Several top Trump aides during the post-Jan. 6 period, including special assistant Cassidy Hutchinson and aide Johnny McEntee, described outreach to White House officials from multiple members of Congress seeking clemency: Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), Scott Perry (R-Pa.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.). .... Gaetz, in a tweet, simply criticized the select panel; he ignored questions late Thursday about the evidence he asked for a pardon. | 
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) speak to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. | Drew Angerer/Getty Images |
MORE DETAILS — "Jan. 6 committee: Rep. Matt Gaetz asked Donald Trump for pardon before and after Jan. 6 ," by Pensacola News Journal's Jim Little: " Former White House Senior Advisor Eric Herschman told the Jan. 6 Committee during a recorded deposition Gaetz had requested a pardon. "The general tone was, 'We may get prosecuted because we were defensive of the president's positions on these things,' Herschman said of the pardon request. Herschman noted that not even former President Richard Nixon's pardon was as broad as what was being requested by Gaetz and other congress members. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., sent an email to the White House on Jan. 11 requesting a pardon for himself as well as noting 'pursuant to a request from Matt Gaetz.'"
| | CAMPAIGN MODE | | PICK ME — Fried, Crist make final push for influential union groups, by POLITICO's Matt Dixon: Florida's top two Democratic candidates for governor are making their final pitch this week to get the support of the state's labor unions, which are having an internal fight over endorsing candidates before a general election. If you choose not to decide — Union groups in the state are meeting this week at the annual AFL-CIO conference in Orlando amid a bit of internal intrigue, as the Florida Education Association, the state's largest teachers union and one of the most influential players in labor politics, has pushed hard to get the Committee on Political Education — a panel with representatives and building trade-affiliated labor groups — to formally endorse Rep. Charlie Crist (D-Fla.) over Democratic Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. The FEA, however, has failed so far, giving Fried an opening to lobby union groups to vote to withhold endorsing in the Democratic primary, which would mean no candidate could formally tap organized labor's vast political resources until after the Aug. 23 primary. SUPER PAC HELPING HAYSLETT — A super PAC is spending $400,000 on a new ad touting Kevin Hayslett, one of the Republicans running in Florida's 13th Congressional District. The new ad from Stand for Florida calls Hayslett a "Trump Republican" and says that the former prosecutor will fight against "leftists" and radicals." Former President Donald Trump has already endorsed another candidate — Anna Paulina Luna — in the race but his endorsement failed to clear the field. This ad marks one of the first significant ad buys for the Pinellas County seat. Spending in other races — A handful of other congressional districts are also starting to see an uptick in ad activity as well, according to an analysis from AdImpact. Cory Mills is spending close to $500,000 on broadcast and cable ads in June ahead of the GOP primary for Florida's 7th Congressional District, while opponent Rep. Anthony Sabatini has nearly $137,000 worth of cable ads that are scheduled to air ahead of the Aug. 23 primary. Governor's race — Gov. Ron DeSantis has so far only scheduled nearly $2.4 million worth of ads, but the first ad is scheduled to drop in July and there are reservations all the way through November. As of this week, neither Rep. Charlie Crist or Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried had reserved any ad time. Senate contest with most attention — The race between Rep. Val Demings and Sen. Marco Rubio is getting the largest amount of spending this summer with more than $4.3 million spent in the month of June by Demings and by two groups opposed to her candidacy. Demings has spent roughly $2.5 million on an ad touting her law enforcement background. THE MONEY GO-ROUND — " Florida companies dump millions into backdoor fundraising channel for DeSantis," by USA Today Network-Florida's Zac Anderson: "Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed through a blockbuster gambling deal last year that gave a big prize to the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which secured exclusive rights to offer sports betting in the state. Now DeSantis is running for re-election and the Seminole Tribe is making a $2 million contribution that could help the governor secure another term. The $2 million doesn't show up in state campaign finance reports, though. It didn't go into DeSantis' political committee. Instead, the Tribe gave the money to the Republican Governors Association, which has been writing big checks to DeSantis' committee, acting as a pass through that allows some of the largest special interests in Florida to funnel money to the governor without as much scrutiny." FALLOUT — "Sharon Lettman-Hicks suspends Florida House campaign amid federal corruption charges," by Tallahassee Democrat's Jeff Burlew: "Sharon Lettman-Hicks, who was arrested Wednesday along with former Mayor Andrew Gillum on charges they funneled campaign contributions to themselves, is suspending her campaign for a Florida House seat. Lettman-Hicks filed to run for the District 8 seat on June 1, just days before a federal grand jury indicted on charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud. 'I am devastated by these baseless charges, and I have made the painful decision to suspend my campaign,' she said in a news release." CAMPAIGN ROUNDUP — Rep. Charlie Crist will report on Friday that his campaign took in more than $600,000 between his main campaign account and his political committee during the first half of June. He has raised nearly $11 million so far for his campaign. Fundraising reports are due on Friday. — " As Corrine Brown runs again in Congress, this time in Orlando, question looms: Can she win?" by Florida Times-Union's Steve Patterson
| | | | JOIN TUESDAY FOR WOMEN RULE TALK ON THE ECONOMY: The U.S. economy is showing signs of slowing down after a period of robust growth last year. How would an economic slowdown affect women's economic security across socioeconomic, racial, and geographic lines? Join POLITICO's Women Rule for a conversation on what's ahead for the U.S. economy and how it will impact women's livelihoods and economic well-being. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | REACTION — Florida Education Commissioner: Biden is 'weaponizing' Title IX, by POLITICO's Andrew Atterbury: Florida's top education official on Thursday denounced the Biden Administration's plan to strengthen protections for transgender students under federal Title IX gender equity law, claiming that the changes proposed by the U.S. Department of Education earlier in the day amount to "woke insanity." Evening tweets — Education Commissioner Manny Díaz Jr., a former Republican state senator from Hialeah, made the most pointed public statement yet by the DeSantis administration opposing the new Title IX proposal in a tweet Thursday night hours after it was announced. The stance marks yet another policy clash between Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida's Republican-led Legislature against the Biden White House over measures including the state's recently passed parental rights in education bill, which was labeled as "Don't Say Gay" by LGBTQ advocates and gained national attention. — "Addressing union workers, Fried says she makes Gov. DeSantis 'nervous' during FL Cabinet members," Florida Phoenix's Isaac Morgan
| | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | | AFTERMATH — "Special Olympics to apologize to athletes for COVID vaccine mandate, DeSantis says," by Orlando Sentinel's Kate Santich: "The Florida Department of Health has dropped its threatened $27.5 million fine against Special Olympics International over the charity's "unlawful" vaccine mandate for the recent USA Games in Orlando, although Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday the organization will apologize to athletes who missed out because of the rule and pay for their lodging and travel to a Special Olympics Florida event in the fall."
| | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | HEADED SOUTH — "Ken Griffin moving Citadel from Chicago to Miami following crime complaints," by The Wall Street Journal's John McCormick and Juliet Chung: "Billionaire Ken Griffin is relocating his big hedge-fund firm Citadel from Chicago to Miami, the third major employer to announce the move of a corporate headquarters from Illinois in the past two months. In a letter to employees Thursday that was viewed by The Wall Street Journal, Mr. Griffin said he had personally moved to Florida and that his market-making business, Citadel Securities, would also transfer. He wrote he views Florida as a better corporate environment and though he didn't specifically cite crime as a factor, company officials said it was a consideration." Worth noting — Griffin is a significant donor especially in Illinois. But he's also been a major donor for Florida Republicans, including DeSantis. He gave $5.75 million to DeSantis' political committee ahead of the 2018 election and donated another $5 million in 2021. FINISHED — " Judge gives final approval to 'remarkable' $1 billion Surfside condo collapse settlement," by Miami Herald's Linda Robertson: "One day before the one-year anniversary of the Surfside condominium collapse that killed 98 people, Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Michael Hanzman made his deadline and gave final approval to a $1 billion settlement of the second-largest class-action lawsuit in Florida history, which he praised in court on Thursday as "remarkable not only in terms of its size but for its speed." More than two dozen defendants who were sued for negligence after the partial collapse of Champlain Towers South on June 24, 2021, agreed last month to pay $1,021,199,000 to resolve the wrongful death and personal injury claims of family members and survivors." — "One button could have 'saved more lives' in Florida condo collapse," by The New York Times' Patricia Mazzei and Mike Baker | 
Crews work in the rubble Champlain Towers South condo on June 29 in Surfside, Fla. | Lynne Sladky/AP Photo |
'WE GOT A KID OVER HERE' — "The 'Miracle Boy' of Surfside shares his story of surviving the condo collapse — and rebuilding his life," by Rolling Stone's Matt Sullivan: "At 1:22, the building shook. The bedroom room swayed toward the miniature basketball hoop on Jonah's door. And then he heard the thunder. Jonah [Handler] can still see the blur if he wants to, but he doesn't. He was up, and then he was down, into a loud rumbling crunch, into a plume — into a thud. A slab of concrete, some 9,500 pounds of it, had formed a cave, slanted less than six inches over his head. His back swelled, but he was crouched like a baseball catcher in here, and he felt fine. His left arm was free; the other was pinned behind him, interlaced with his mother's. The crush of rock had locked them together. "I could see her, over my right arm — arm-in-arm," Jonah recalls, speaking publicly about the building's collapse for the first time, during a series of interviews with Rolling Stone."
— "Florida unaffected by high court ruling on public aid for private schools," by Tampa Bay Times' Jeffrey S. Solochek
| | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | | BIRTHDAYS: U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom … Tara Price, attorney with Shutts and Bowen … (Saturday) Florida Supreme Court Justice Carlos Muniz … state Rep. Brian Avila … former state Rep. Javier Fernandez … (Sunday) Florida first lady Casey DeSantis … state Rep. Dianne Hart … state Rep. Mike Beltran … state Rep. Lawrence McClure … Michael Bender with The New York Times … Tami Fillyaw with Amazon Web Services … Jessica Palombo, editorial director at WJCT … former Rep. Pete Peterson … Lydia Claire Brooks with the Florida Justice Association | | | | 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 | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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