| | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Hello and welcome to Thursday. Coming attractions — Get ready for another stealth session of Florida legislators where big changes could be coming for homeowners and residents dealing with a teetering insurance market. There may also be another taxpayer-funded bailout of private companies. Trust us — In just five days, state legislators are scheduled to return to Tallahassee for a special session, and while legislators have released the outlines of the agenda for next week (toll relief, property insurance, financial assistance in the aftermath of hurricanes) the specifics are nowhere to be found. Waiting — Floridians are hearing about potential changes and promises of action from those pressing the Legislature for action. But nothing official has been put forward by either the DeSantis administration or legislative leadership. What did you say? — For example, this past week top officials at Citizens Property Insurance attended a summit put together by the Florida Chamber of Commerce where they said they were "optimistic" about changes and floated the possibility that legislators may make it easier for the state-created carrier to drop policyholders. Citizens, which is actually one of the more financially sound insurers in the state, has been ballooning due in part to the collapse of private carriers. Major impacts — But with more than 1 million policyholders — many of them in South Florida — major changes to Citizens could have dramatic effects for residents. Another expected change is that legislators will make it harder for Florida residents to sue their insurers. Lawmakers have already made changes in the last couple of years on this front but now they are looking to go further and repeal a law dealing with attorneys fees that insurers contend has resulted in a steady wave of litigation against them. What's in your wallet? — And then there's a question of whether taxpayers will be asked again to subsidize the market after putting up $2 billion in reinsurance earlier this year. The agenda released this week by legislators included a nebulous line: "foster the availability of reinsurance for property insurance," which kind of, sort of sounds like state money will once again be put up to help private industry. (What's it called again when government does that?) Something to ponder — The bottom line is that there is a lot that could potentially happen and the question is whether Floridians are going to get much advance notice to petition their government about it. This isn't a new phenomenon (the big insurance special session of 2007 included late-night committee meetings as lawmakers struggled to come up with legislation) but it doesn't mean the public shouldn't know what's coming. — WHERE'S RON? — Nothing official for Gov. DeSantis. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch: gfineout@politico.com
| | | | POLITICO APP USERS: UPGRADE YOUR APP BY DECEMBER 19! We recently upgraded the POLITICO app with a fresh look and improved features for easier access to POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Starting December 19, users will no longer have access to the previous version of the app. Update your app today to stay on top of essential political news, insights, and analysis from the best journalists in the business. UPDATE iOS APP – UPDATE ANDROID APP . | | | | | |  | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | SIX COUNTS — Florida Republican who sponsored 'Don't Say Gay' indicted on Covid relief fraud charges , by POLITICO's Matt Dixon: A federal grand jury indicted Republican Florida state Rep. Joe Harding on six counts after authorities said he illegally obtained $150,000 in pandemic-related small business loans by allegedly using the names of two dormant companies. The indictment, unsealed Wednesday night, alleges that between Dec. 1, 2020, and March 1, 2021, Harding used the dormant companies on applications for loans on the Small Business Administration's Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications, including using false bank statements as supporting documentation. Response — In a statement released Wednesday night, Harding said he has pleaded not guilty. "I want the public and my constituents to know that I fully repaid the loan and cooperated with investigators as requested." Removed from committees — Shortly after the indictment was unsealed, Florida House Speaker Paul Renner removed Harding from his committee assignments, which included a spot on the House Judiciary Committee. "After consultation with Representative Harding regarding his indictment, I am temporarily removing him from his committee assignments to allow him time to focus on this matter," Renner said. "In America, we adhere to the rule of law, and as such, Representative Harding is presumed innocent and will have the opportunity to plead his case before a court." — " Joe Harding deletes Twitter account after Justice Department wire fraud indictment ," by Florida Politics' Jesse Scheckner WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS — "' Am I not a person?' Florida Supreme Court ponders police anonymity under Marsy's Law ," by Tallahassee Democrat's Jeff Burlew: "The Florida Supreme Court grilled attorneys on both sides of a dispute between the city of Tallahassee and the police union on whether the identities of officers who kill suspects can be kept secret under Marsy's Law, a constitutional amendment designed to protect victims of crime. The case arose from two separate incidents in 2020 in which Tallahassee Police Department officers shot and killed armed suspects who were threatening them. The officers' were later cleared by a grand jury, and both sides acknowledged that their conduct was not an issue." — " Lawyers want high court to decide whether redistricting lawmakers must testify ," by News Service of Florida — " Gov. DeSantis announces return of Michelle Branham to Elder Affairs agency ," by Florida Politics' Christine Jordan Sextont — " Florida Justice Association: Lawsuits serve as 'scapegoat' in Florida property insurance crisis ," by Florida Politics' Gray Rohrer — " Citizens insurance wants rate hikes enacted during next week's special legislative session ," by South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Ron Hurtibise | | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | RETURNED — Roger Stone, the political operative, longtime ally of former President Donald Trump and ubiquitous presence in Florida politics, had his Twitter account restored on Wednesday after being off the social media platform for nearly five years. He quickly started posting, including putting up a video where he toasts Elon Musk with a martini. "I raise a glass to Elon Musk, a man of his word, a true proponent of free speech, elementary fairness." Early Thursday morning, Stone noted later that he had gotten "over 50k subscribers in the last 7 hours" which put his total at more than 250,000. Stone was removed from Twitter back in 2017 after a series of posts that went after CNN anchors and other media figures. AS THE PAGES TURN — " Items with classified markings found at Trump storage unit in Florida ," by Washington Post's Jacqueline Alemany, Josh Dawsey, Spencer S. Hsu, Devlin Barrett and Rosalind S. Helderman: "Lawyers for Donald Trump found at least two items marked classified after an outside team hired by Trump searched a storage unit in West Palm Beach, Fla., used by the former president, according to people familiar with the matter. Those items were immediately turned over to the FBI, according to those people, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters." THE ART OF THE DEAL — " Doral accepts Donald Trump's preservation deal. And other golf courses could be next ," by Miami Herald's Douglas Hanks: "Doral city commissioners held an emergency meeting Wednesday to comply with former President Donald Trump's December deadline to accept his gift of surrendering development rights at his resort's premiere golf course. The unanimous vote to approve Trump's offer of a conservation easement for the 184-acre Blue Monster course was hailed by city leaders as a historic win for open space in a municipality short on parks. It also hands Trump a potential tax break while he continues to profit from the lucrative 18-hole course, touching on a hot topic for the 2024 presidential candidate days after a New York jury found his family business guilty of tax fraud." — Georgia loss piles more pressure on Trump amid bad month , by POLITICO's Alex Isenstadt
| | CAMPAIGN MODE | | POST-GAME SPIN — " Rick Scott defends 'good, quality' Senate candidates following Georgia runoff loss ," by The Hill's Al Weaver: "Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) on Wednesday defended the GOP's crop of midterm Senate nominees and pushed back on accusations that candidate quality was the reason for their downfall. Scott, who led the Senate GOP's campaign arm, lamented the party's losses following Sen. Raphael Warnock's (D-Ga.) victory over Republican Herschel Walker in the Georgia runoff on Tuesday. … 'I thought we could win. I thought we would win. I thought we were going to get the majority. All of this has been pretty disappointing,' Scott told The Hill. "We had good, quality candidates. … We had a lot of candidates who went through really tough primaries. We had 21 seats up, [Democrats] only had 14." FLASHBACK — " Rick Scott predicts Republicans will win Senate majority with at least 52 seats ," by Fox News' Elizabeth Heckman MOSKOWITZ P.O.V. — Soon-to-be Rep. Jared Moskowitz, the South Florida Democrat who is succeeding former Rep. Ted Deutch after a closer-than-expected contest, shared some insights on Florida Democrats in a new article written by Jewish Insider's Marc Rod . Moskowitz told Rod that while working as Florida's emergency management director he saw that voters agreed with the Republican governor's Covid-19 pandemic polices. "I tried to tell a lot of my Democratic colleagues who are fighting against opening schools and opening businesses two years later, that that was going to be something that he'd be rewarded for," Moskowitz said. "And that's why he got a big [independent] vote." Additional thoughts — "Moskowitz added that Democrats need to 'rebuild' in Florida, working on voter registration, figuring out how to improve turnout and optimizing their messaging. 'The Democrats' entire campaign was just anti-DeSantis. … We didn't give voters in Florida, in my opinion, issues to vote for,' he continued." — " Joe Gruters announces bid for RNC treasurer ," by Florida Politics' Jacob Ogles
| | | | POLITICO AT CES 2023 : We are bringing a special edition of our Digital Future Daily newsletter to Las Vegas to cover CES 2023. The newsletter will take you inside the largest and most influential technology event on the planet, featuring every major and emerging industry in the technology ecosystem gathered in one place. The newsletter runs from Jan. 5-7 and will focus on the public policy related aspects of the event. Sign up today to receive exclusive coverage of CES 2023. | | | | | | | DATELINE D.C. | | IN PLACE — " Senate confirms Mark Lapointe as Miami U.S. attorney. He's first Haitian-American in post ," by Miami Herald's Jay Weaver: "Markenzy Lapointe was confirmed by the United States Senate Tuesday night as the U.S. attorney for South Florida, making him the first Haitian American lawyer to serve in the region's most powerful federal law enforcement position. Lapointe, a former U.S. Marine and ex-federal prosecutor who was raised in Haiti and Miami, was nominated in September by President Joe Biden to fill the position, which is responsible for directing about 250 prosecutors in a district extending from Key West to Fort Pierce." — " Maxwell Frost, First Gen Z congressman, gets his bearings on Capitol Hill, " by The New York Times' Stephanie Lai — " Congressman-elect Jared Moskowitz makes key staff choices ," by South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Anthony Man
| | DESANTISLAND | | GETTING TOGETHER — " DeSantis to huddle with donors after thumping reelection victory ," by Washington Post's Isaac Stanley-Becker: "Invitations went out this week for an 'intimate dinner' on Sunday in Miami with DeSantis and his wife, said two people familiar with the details who spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview a private event. The invitations were addressed to the governor's 'strongest supporters.' One person said additional gatherings may take place in other parts of the state." | | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | | STAYING ON MESSAGE — " Florida's surgeon general repeats opposition to COVID vaccines ," by South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Cindy Krischer Goodman: "As federal health officials embark on a campaign this week to get more Americans boosted for COVID, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo is digging in on social media on an earlier claim that the mRNA vaccines are unsafe and linked to deaths from myocarditis. 'mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are far less safe than any vaccines widely used,' the top health official in the state tweeted on Dec. 2. 'When does sanity return to science? Why do scientists breathlessly defend this technology?'"
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Florida Surgeon Gen. Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo, left, speaks at a news conference with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, right, Monday, Jan. 3, 2022, at Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. | Wilfredo Lee/AP Photo | | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | ANOTHER ONE — " Another Florida voter fraud case dismissed. Miami judge rejects statewide prosecutor ," by Tampa Bay Times' Lawrence Mower and Miami Herald's David Ovalle: "A Miami judge has tossed out another voter fraud case brought by Gov. Ron DeSantis' elections police, the third case to fall apart since the governor announced the arrests. On Wednesday, Circuit Judge Laura Anne Stuzin reached the same conclusion as another Miami judge did in a different voter's case, saying that statewide prosecutors didn't have the ability to bring charges against Ronald Lee Miller. Because he was convicted of second-degree murder in 1990, Miller, 58, was ineligible to vote. But after his voter registration application was cleared by the Florida Department of State, Miami-Dade's supervisor of elections issued him a voter ID card, and he voted in November 2020." COUNTER POINT — " Sheriff Gregory Tony didn't lie on forms about past killing, his lawyer tells ethics panel ," by South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Lisa J. Huriash: "Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony hadn't withheld vital information from state law enforcement forms that would have revealed he was involved in a fatal shooting when he was a teenager, his attorney argued to a state ethics commission. The commission found probable cause to pursue an ethics case against the sheriff anyway, for the second time in recent months." CHILLING — " Made in Miami: How a South Florida plot to oust's Haiti's Jovenel Moïse led to his murder ," by Miami Herald's Jacqueline Charles: "There is a saying: 'In the heart of every Haitian, there's a sleeping president.' Haitian authorities say that was certainly true of Christian Emmanuel Sanon, the man some already called 'President.' And he had devotees in South Florida – and Haiti – willing to help him achieve his vision." MOUNT TALLAHASSEE IS CALLING — " Florida prods Hillsborough schools on policies regarding race, LGBTQ students ," by Tampa Bay Times' Marlene Sokol: "State education officials have put the Hillsborough County school district on notice that its policies have not kept up with Florida's new laws on gender identity and racial issues. The concerns were outlined in a Nov. 18 letter from Jacob Oliva, the chancellor of public schools for the Florida Department of Education. It's the latest in a series of moves by state officials to bring districts in line with the new 'Stop WOKE' Act and the parental rights law that critics nicknamed 'Don't say gay.'" — "Tampa lobbyists pushed for state law on Tampa wastewater discharges ," by Tampa Bay Times' Charlie Frago — " Downtown business group asks West Palm Beach to impose moratorium on marijuana dispensaries ," by Palm Beach Post's Wayne Washington — " Red tide forecast to cause respiratory irritation in Sarasota, Manatee and Pinellas ," by Sarasota Herald-Tribune's Jesse Mendoza | | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | | — " Millionaire couple's 'insane' prenup pact spawns family court brawl where a divorce is not a divorce ," by Palm Beach Post's Jane Musgrave: "Even by Palm Beach standards, the breakup of New York City real estate mogul Abe Haruvi and his Brazilian-born wife is one for the record books. It began with allegations of domestic violence, morphed into a battle over Haruvi's right to see the couple's three school-age children and continues with dueling allegations of deceit, dishonesty and greed. But it's not a divorce. A prenuptial agreement Haruvi and Giovana Stephenson signed gives each of them a $60 million incentive to stay married whether they want to or not." BIRTHDAYS: MSNBC's Joy-Ann Reid ... Douglas Lyons, journalist and former press secretary for Rep. Lois Frankel | | | | 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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