| | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Welcome to Thursday. What's old is new — Don't look now, but Florida's 2020 election — which was seen as a logistical success — is now getting litigated ahead of the Aug. 23 Republican primary. Primary colors — A super PAC backing state Sen. Kelli Stargel in Florida's 15th Congressional District — and seeded with $1 million from the state political committee that Stargel once raised money for — first sent out mailers (as reported by Florida Politics) going after former Secretary of State Laurel Lee. The group has now followed that up with television ads, including one that says Lee "failed as Florida's elections chief" because she "refused" to do a forensic audit of the 2020 election and that she declined to do one even after reports surfaced that "sex offenders" and "felons" had voted. Leaving someone out — Well, that's an interesting way to put it because it wasn't just Lee who said there was no need for a forensic audit. So did Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the person who hired Lee. DeSantis publicly noted that random audits were done after the election and there was no need for a statewide review even though some Republicans were calling for one in response to unfounded allegations from former President Donald Trump of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. There's more — Conservative Warriors, the super PAC paying for television ads ($270k in the month of August), is also sending out text messages that blast Lee because the Department of State accepted a grant from a foundation that received money from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife and "participated in a conference sponsored by Dominion voting machines." (Dominion voting machines are used in several Florida counties and Florida wound up banning election offices in the state from accepting these types of grants, or "Zuckerbucks" as DeSantis repeatedly called them.) Threading the needle — Brett Doster, the veteran GOP consultant working with the super PAC, insisted that mentioning the lack of a forensic audit was not a slight against DeSantis. Doster said the super PAC "praises Governor DeSantis as a Warrior for ballot integrity. He did everything right and pushed for and signed the law to stop the Zuckerbucks operation in Florida." Will there be a reaction? — DeSantis has not endorsed in this race — or any other congressional contest in the state. But the governor worked this past year to quell criticism of Florida's handling of elections by pushing through the legislation that created a new stand-alone unit to investigate voter fraud. Wonder how he will feel about someone suggesting the 2020 election wasn't a success after all. — 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
| | | | 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 . | | | | | |  | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT — " Trump invokes Fifth Amendment, attacking legal system as troubles mount ," by The New York Times' Jonah E. Bromwich, Ben Protess and William K. Rashbaum: "Donald J. Trump has long derided public figures who invoke their constitutional right against self incrimination, but on Wednesday he took full advantage of the Fifth Amendment. For hours under oath, Mr. Trump sat across from the New York State attorney general, Letitia James, responding to every question posed by her investigators by repeating the phrase 'same answer' over and over again." — What Trump's pleading the Fifth means for New York AG Tish James , by POLITICO's Janaki Chadha, Anna Gronewold and Georgia Rosenberg | 
Trump leaves Trump Tower for his deposition with New York Attorney General Letitia James. | Julia Nikhinson/AP Photo |
HMM — " Exclusive: An informer told the FBI what docs Trump was hiding, and where ," by Newsweek's William M. Arkin: "The raid on Mar-a-Lago was based largely on information from an FBI confidential human source, one who was able to identify what classified documents former President Trump was still hiding and even the location of those documents, two senior government officials told Newsweek. The officials, who have direct knowledge of the FBI's deliberations and were granted anonymity in order to discuss sensitive matters, said the raid of Donald Trump's Florida residence was deliberately timed to occur when the former president was away."
— " FBI quest for Trump documents started with breezy chats, tour of a crowded closet, " by The Wall Street Journal's Alex Leary, Aruna Viswanatha and Sadie Gurman MIND GAMES — A mole! Pretextual! Planted evidence — Trump world rife with theories about the FBI search , by POLITICO's Kyle Cheney and Meredith McGraw: In the wake of news that the FBI agents executed a court-authorized search warrant at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, Trump's allies and aides have begun buzzing about a host of potential explanations and worries. Among those being bandied about is that the search was a pretext to fish for other incriminating evidence, that the FBI doctored evidence to support its search warrant — and then planted some incriminating materials and recording devices at Mar-a-Lago for good measure — and even that the timing of the search was meant to be a historical echo of the day President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974. DEAR FBI — Sen. Marco Rubio on Wednesday, vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, sent a strongly worded letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray demanding that federal authorities answer questions about how it has conducted inquires about the unauthorized disclosure of classified information in the past. He also wants to know why the FBI did not keep intelligence committees informed as it has done in other cases in the past. Rubio wrote that "the FBI's actions, less than three months from the upcoming elections, are doing more to erode public trust in our government institutions, the electoral process, and the rule of law in the U.S. than the Russian Federation or any other foreign adversary." COMPARE AND CONTRAST — " Florida GOP leaders call Mar-a-Lago search a 'Third World' act. Miami exiles debate it ," by Miami Herald's Bianca Padró Ocasio: "But where some saw a Third-World-like attack on a former president they support, some exiles say they saw the opposite. To some, it was proof of a functioning system as the separation of powers made it possible for the feds to raid [former President Donald] Trump's home. Some Hispanic leaders were quick to agree with Republican officials that the Mar-a-Lago raid reminded them of power grabs in their former countries. Ariel Montoya, a columnist and exiled conservative leader from Nicaragua, said the FBI raid reminded him of home invasions conducted by the left-wing Sandinistas in the 1980s. He argued that what makes the case so 'delicate' is that Trump is expected to run for the presidency again in 2024." — " The guide to Trump's increasing legal threats ," by POLITICO's Betsy Woodruff Swan, Kyle Cheney, Josh Gerstein and Kelly Hooper — " Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart faces political firestorm after signing Mar-a-Lago search warrant ," by Palm Beach Post's Jane Musgrave
| | CAMPAIGN MODE | | ROUND 3 — Gov. Ron DeSantis and other candidates running for statewide office got their third batch of taxpayer money last week, according to information posted late Wednesday by the state Division of Elections. DeSantis received a payment of nearly $111,000 in public matching funds, bringing his total this election season to $4.35 million. Rep. Charlie Crist pulled in nearly $33,000 while Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried received nearly $17,000. Crist has now taken in $1.38 million in public money overall while Fried has gotten nearly $780,000. The rest — Daniel Uhlfelder , who is running for attorney general, became the first Democrat running for a Cabinet post to receive taxpayer money. Uhlfelder got a payment of more than $129,000. Attorney General Ashley Moody got $2,100 while Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis received $850. Moody has not received a total under Florida's matching funds program, candidates receive money based on how much is donated by state residents. Candidates do not receive matching funds for donations from corporations and out-of-state residents. VOTERS ARE VOTING — So far, 929,569 vote-by-mail ballots have been cast for the Aug. 23 primary, according to the latest information on the state Division of Elections website. Of those, 424,528 have come from Democrats and 355,555 have come from registered Republicans. Overall, there are more than 3.16 million mail ballots that have been requested but not yet returned. Of those, more than 1.39 million are held by Democrats and more than 976,000 are with Republicans. ANOTHER ONE FROM FLORIDA? — Axios' Lachlan Markay reports that "Miami Mayor Francis Suarez's political operation is making subtle but significant moves toward a potential White House run." Markay added that "a presidential bid by Suarez, a Republican, would test his party's acceptance of internal dissent: he's publicly criticized both former President Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, considered the two clear favorites for the 2024 nomination." The story notes that Suarez's political consultants formed a group in January and that it began running digital ads targeting Facebook and Instagram users in traditional early primary states. More here . | 
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez. | Lynne Sladky/AP Photo |
CAMPAIGN ROUNDUP — DeSantis' campaign on Wednesday released its second statewide ad — "Freedom is here to stay" — that, like the initial reelection ad, touts DeSantis' anti-lockdown policies during the Covid-19 pandemic. The ad is being paid for by the Republican Party of Florida. Tracking firm AdImpact reports that the party spent $1.7 million this week on ads and purchased another $508,000 in future buys. …
… Florida Rising, the progressive activist group, announced additional endorsements on Wednesday including Aramis Ayala for Florida attorney general, state Sen. Annette Taddeo for Congress and state Rep. Dotie Joseph. All three candidates have opponents in the Aug. 23 Democratic primary. … … Ayala announced that she had been endorsed by 20 past presidents of the Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter of the National Bar Association. The National Bar Association is the nation's oldest and largest network of African American attorneys and judges. — " Florida Democrats hope fiery Val Demings can ignite their ballot chances in 2022 election ," by The Daytona Beach News-Journal's Mark Harper — " Crist, Fried argue over who can best take on DeSantis ," by Orlando Sentinel's Steven Lemongello — " Write-in candidates close three state House races in districts where they don't actually live ," by Florida Times-Union's David Bauerlein — " Ag Commish blowup breaks temporary campaign alliance between Democrats ," by Florida Politics' Renzo Downey — " Seminole school board candidate sues to keep a competitor off ballot ," by Orlando Sentinel's Leslie Postal — " Lawsuit filed in HD 45 race, another threatened, in mailers ruckus ," by Florida Politics' Scott Powers
| | | | INTRODUCING POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don't miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY . | | | | | | | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | THE DESANTIS DOCTRINE — " Ron DeSantis, unconstrained by constitutional checks, is flexing his power in Florida ahead of 2024 decision ," by CNN's Steve Contorno: "As he seeks a second term in November, and weighs a potential bid for president in 2024, the full weight of this amassed power is also beginning to crystalize. If reelected -- and with a nine-figure fundraising advantage, the odds are heavily in his favor -- there appears to be little to stop him from pushing through an agenda that would further transform Florida for an audience of future GOP primary voters. "DeSantis has a blank check," said Bob Jarvis, a law professor at Nova Southeastern University, a private school in Fort Lauderdale. "There is no part of the constitution now that is protecting democracy because the checks and balances on him have been completely eviscerated. If he wins, he'll spin it as a mandate and say, 'If Floridians didn't like any of what I did, they would've vote me out.' " MEANWHILE — " Gov. Kathy Hochul jokes about Jews fleeing to Florida, pokes at Ron DeSantis during Holocaust event ," by The New York Post's Zach Williams: "'I just want to say to the 1.77 million Jews who call New York home: Thank you for calling New York home. Don't go anywhere or to another state. Florida is overrated. I shouldn't say this, but look at the governor. It starts at the top down,' [New York Gov. Kathy] Hochul cracked. 'Getting in trouble – gotta stay on script,' the governor quickly added before she was forced to abruptly segue to her introduction of Holocaust survivor Celia Kener at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in lower Manhattan. Response — "'After a breakup, some people cling to the hopes of reconciliation. It's sad to see governors acting like desperate exes. Perhaps they should spend more time relieving their people of oppressive taxes, needless mandates, shuttered businesses, and crime-infested cities. Florida's freedom agenda works — they ought to try it," responded Dave Abrams, a DeSantis campaign spokesperson." LEFT OUT — " In Florida, state cops get raises but no $1,000 bonuses this year, " by Orlando Sentinel's Jeffrey Schweers: "State police, including those who protect the governor, aren't getting a $1,000 bonus that Gov. Ron DeSantis has been promoting around the state to make sure Florida retains what he has called 'the best law enforcement officers in the nation.' State officers are receiving their first pay bump in years that will result in double-digit increases for most. Even so, thousands of highway patrol officers, Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents, wildlife officers and correctional officers want to know why they have been excluded from the second round of federally funded first-responder bonuses they got last year." NEXT STEP — Abortion rights groups ask Florida Supreme Court to take up abortion law challenge , by POLITICO's Arek Sarkissian: A consortium of abortion-rights groups who are suing the state over the ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy has asked the state Supreme Court take up the case, saying the courts have ignored them. Planned Parenthood, The American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights, filed a notice Wednesday asking the state's highest court to review a July decision handed down by the 1st District Court of Appeal that left the lawsuit in flux. "The decision is within the Supreme Court's jurisdiction because it expressly and directly conflicts with a decision of the Supreme Court on the same question of law," ACLU of Florida lawyer Daniel Tilley wrote in the notice. TRANSITIONS — Continental Strategy is announcing multiple hires for the firm's Tallahassee office, including former 1st District Court of Appeal Judge Paul Hawkes, Tom DiGiacomo, a former Department of Transportation official, Ashley Spicola , who has been senior relations consultant for the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida, and Brennan Garcia, who had been working with the state's chief information officer. "Not only does this group offer diverse experience and policy expertise, but they each have extensive knowledge of the state policy and legislative process which will be a huge asset to our clients," Carlos Trujillo, president of Continental Strategy, said in a statement. — " Economists agree deficit in state health insurance trust fund is bigger than previously thought ," by Florida Politics' Christine Jordan Sexton
| | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | WHAT'S GOING ON? — " Staff allegedly took down an Escambia County teacher's posters of Black heroes. He quit ," by Pensacola News Journal's Colin Warren-Hicks: "An Escambia County public school teacher resigned this week over what he characterized as racist behavior by a school district employee. The teacher, Michael James, emailed a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis and Escambia County Superintendent Tim Smith in which he wrote that a district employee removed pictures of historic Black American heroes from his classroom walls, citing the images as being 'age inappropriate.' Images that were removed from the bulletin board at O.J. Semmes Elementary School included depictions of Martin Luther King Jr., Harriett Tubman, Colin Powell and George Washington Carver, James said. 'It really floored me,' James told the News Journal." AFTERMATH — " Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' law fuels anti-LGBTQ hate online ," by The Associated Press' David Klepper: " Research that analyzed social media posts finds that hateful references to gays, lesbians and other LGBTQ people surged online after Florida passed a law that bars instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. References to pedophiles and 'grooming' rose by more than 400 percent in the month after Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' measure was approved, according to a report released Wednesday by the Human Rights Campaign, one of the nation's largest LGBTQ advocacy groups, and the Center for Countering Digital Hate, a nonprofit group that tracks online extremism." MAGIC TIME — " Visitor spending fuels soaring revenues at Disney theme parks ," by Orlando Sentinel's Katie Rice: " Disney's third quarter began in early April, as its fight with Gov. Ron DeSantis over Florida's so-called "don't say gay" bill intensified when the measure passed the Legislature in mid-March and [CEO Bob] Chapek said he would fight it. DeSantis and the Legislature dissolved Disney's Reedy Creek Improvement District in April, and some conservatives encouraged boycotts of the company. But the dispute did not appear to have any effect on Disney's theme park finances during the quarter, which ended July 2. Disney's Parks, Experiences and Products division earned nearly $7.4 billion in revenue, a 72% increase from 2021′s third-quarter revenue of $4.3 billion." — " Florida sheriffs suing over Miami-Dade County plan to keep mayor in charge of police ," by Miami Herald's Douglas Hanks
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