| | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Hello and welcome to Tuesday. Watch this space — Attorney General Ashley Moody — a staunch ally of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — is about to play a major role in the 2024 elections in this state. Green vote — While a lot of attention surrounds which Florida man running (or likely running) for president may become the Republican nominee, another consequential item that may wind up before voters is a proposed initiative to legalize recreational marijuana for adults. On the horizon — Smart & Safe Florida — a group bankrolled by more than $38 million from medical marijuana company Trulieve — is closing in fast on the signatures it needs to make next year’s ballot. So far election officials have certified nearly 787,000 signatures, about 100,000 shy of the total needed. Next up — But the ballot measure still needs to get an all-clear from the Florida Supreme Court. And that’s where Moody comes in. Bringing the heat — Moody, who is married to a Drug Enforcement Administration special agent and has opposed previous efforts to legalize recreational marijuana, said on Monday she said she would work to scuttle this new amendment as well. In a court filing with the state’s high court, Moody said she would argue that the proposed ballot summary of the amendment is misleading. Why it could matter — While many political consultants question whether ballot initiatives make a big difference in an election, it can be argued that an amendment on recreational marijuana would throw a curveball into the 2024 elections. Polls have shown that recreational marijuana legalization garners supporters from both Democrats and Republicans. But the more important factor is that it could attract infrequent voters to the polls during a presidential year. Point counterpoint — Moody did not spell out the specifics of her opposition but said she intends to offer up additional arguments shortly. Smart & Safe Florida, in a statement, said it “respectfully disagrees with her statement” and that it looks forward to oral arguments before the Florida Supreme Court. Positive outlook — Steve Vancore, a spokesperson for Trulieve, said “we believe the ballot language” meets state requirements and “expect a positive ruling” from the court that is largely made up of appointees by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. “As a majority of American adults now enjoy the freedom to use cannabis for personal consumption, we hope the court will agree that the Smart & Safe amendment meets Florida’s ballot sufficiency laws and will allow voters to have a vote on this important matter,” he said. Bringing the heat, part 2 — Nikki Fried, the state’s former agriculture commissioner who now chairs the Florida Democratic Party, was a bit more forceful in her response. She tweeted that “once again our Attorney General is on the wrong side of history, wrong side of this issue and is not standing with the people. Another attack on our democracy.” — WHERE'S RON? — Gov. DeSantis is holding a press conference in Lighthouse Point with House Speaker Paul Renner, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, Attorney General Ashley Moody and Department of Children and Families Secretary Shevaun Harris. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch: gfineout@politico.com
| | | | DON’T MISS POLITICO’S HEALTH CARE SUMMIT: The Covid-19 pandemic helped spur innovation in health care, from the wide adoption of telemedicine, health apps and online pharmacies to mRNA vaccines. But what will the next health care innovations look like? Join POLITICO on Wednesday June 7 for our Health Care Summit to explore how tech and innovation are transforming care and the challenges ahead for access and delivery in the United States. REGISTER NOW. | | | | | |  | CAMPAIGN MODE | | HAPPENING TODAY — Voters will head to the polls to settle the race for mayor in Jacksonville, a significant milepost ahead of the 2024 elections and a test for Democrats since former Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried took the helm of the state party earlier this year. Jacksonville’s current mayor, Lenny Curry, is a former Republican Party of Florida chair who is leaving office due to term limits. But the city — which is part of a consolidated government with Duval County — has been a political battleground in recent years. Andrew Gillum, the Democratic nominee for governor, won Duval County in 2018 as did President Joe Biden two years later. In between, Curry easily won a second term in office. DeSantis overwhelmingly swung the county back into the GOP column last November. Donna Deegan and Daniel Davis were the top two candidates who emerged from a March primary. Deegan, a Democrat, is seeking to become the first female mayor in Jacksonville history. She’s a former television anchor who runs a breast cancer non-profit foundation. Davis is a former Republican state legislator who has led the JAX Chamber since 2013 and been endorsed by DeSantis. Both parties have thrown time and money into the contest, which has focused on the city’s crime rate and how the two candidates would handle issues such as policing, renovations to the Jacksonville Jaguars stadium and the future of the municipal-owned electric utility. An ad paid for by the Duval County Republican Party went after Deegan by pointing out that she attended Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. Another ad featured the Duval County sheriff contending Deegan would back “radical” polices for law enforcement. Deegan has responded by calling the attacks smears and has questioned whether Davis would support holding onto the city’s electric utility. Fried said that Deegan “is a trusted voice and ran a terrific campaign talking about the issues. I feel very confident that the people of Jacksonville have voted for something new.” Christian Ziegler, the chair of the Republican Party of Florida, contended that GOP voters would turn out in force to elect Davis on Election Day. “Jacksonville is too great a city to be run by a liberal with no skills or experience running anything, let alone a city,” he said. — “Donna Deegan narrowly leads Daniel Davis heading into Tuesday election,” by Florida Politics’ Peter Schorsch — “Stage set for HD 24 special election,” by Florida Politics’ Jacob Ogles — “How Florida became a conservative bastion,” by The Hill’s Max Greenwood | | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | COMING TO AN END — Federal prosecutors seek to drop charges against Gillum, by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout: The drawn-out legal saga of former Tallahassee mayor Andrew Gillum came to an end after federal authorities on Monday moved to drop all charges against the one-time Democratic nominee for Florida governor. Federal prosecutors notified a federal judge that it wanted to dismiss the indictment filed against Gillum and his long-time associate and co-defendant Sharon Lettman-Hicks. The move, which was first reported by the Tallahassee Democrat, comes nearly two weeks after a jury acquitted Gillum of lying to the FBI and jurors deadlocked on other charges. — “Timeline: How Andrew Gillum got mixed up in an FBI corruption investigation that fizzled,” by Tallahassee Democrat’s Jeff Burlew THE AGENDA — Florida’s ban on DEI spending becomes official as DeSantis enacts college reforms, by POLITICO’s Andrew Atterbury: Colleges and universities in Florida are no longer allowed to spend their cash on most diversity, equity and inclusion programs under a slate of higher education reforms Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law Monday to curb “woke” ideology on campuses across the state. Through the sweeping legislation, Florida’s higher education system is set for significant changes in the coming months, with university leaders poised for a widescale review of courses and majors offered to students. | | DESANTISLAND | |
SEE YOU NEXT WEEK — DeSantis to gather top donors as presidential launch looms, by POLITICO’s Alex Isenstadt: Ron DeSantis has summoned top financial backers to Miami next week, in what is the latest indication the Florida governor is on the precipice of launching his long-awaited presidential campaign. The invitations — which were described by two people familiar with the discussions — request that donors be present from May 24-26. By law, DeSantis can not directly receive or solicit contributions for a presidential campaign unless he has formally launched his bid.
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis greets audience members during a fundraising picnic for U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Sioux Center, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) | AP |
MOUSE TRAP — DeSantis might have met his match in Disney’s Iger as both sides dug in, by Washington Post’s Todd C. Frankel and Lori Rozsa: “The stakes for both sides seem higher than ever. [Gov. Ron] DeSantis is eyeing a run for the White House. He often needles Disney in his speeches. [Bob] Iger is back in control of Disney after seeing its share price drop 40 percent in his absence. The spat with DeSantis ‘had become a major distraction’ for Iger as he tries to revive Disney’s fortunes, according to a former company official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal business matters. And Disney recently sued the DeSantis administration, claiming the company is the victim of a “targeted campaign of government retaliation.”
DODGEBALL — “DeSantis says GOP must end a ‘culture of losing’ but still won’t acknowledge Trump lost,” by Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s Zac Anderson: “Gov. Ron DeSantis is pitching himself as a winner as he gears up to run for president and urging the GOP to reject a ‘culture of losing,’ but when asked Monday if he acknowledges [former President Donald] Trump lost the 2020 election and there wasn't widespread voter fraud, DeSantis dodged the question. ‘When I look at the last however many election cycles, 2018 we lost the House ... we lost the Senate in 2020, Biden becomes president, and has done a huge amount of damage,’ DeSantis said, adding that Biden was ‘very unpopular in 2022 and we were supposed to have this big red wave and other than like Florida and Iowa I didn't see a red wave across the country.’” Response from Trump World — Hours after DeSantis made his remarks one of Trump’s allies blasted the governor. “If Ron DeSantis wants to run for president, he is not going to be able to cower when it comes to addressing the rigged 2020 election,” said Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for Make America Great Again Inc. “Republican voters want a nominee that recognizes the systematic failures that plagued the 2020 elections, and Ron DeSantis continues to dodge this critical issue. Why?” — “DeSantis’ political operation makes more moves ahead of expected 2024 campaign launch,” by Miami Herald’s Ana Ceballos — “Ron DeSantis blames Donald Trump for 2022 setbacks,” by Florida Politics’ A.G. Gancarski — “DeSantis press secretary leaves governor’s office to join political operation,” by Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind — “Four signs that Gov. Ron DeSantis will soon announce a presidential run,” by Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s Zac Anderson
| | | | GET READY FOR GLOBAL TECH DAY: Join POLITICO Live as we launch our first Global Tech Day alongside London Tech Week on Thursday, June 15. Register now for continuing updates and to be a part of this momentous and program-packed day! From the blockchain, to AI, and autonomous vehicles, technology is changing how power is exercised around the world, so who will write the rules? REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | COMING ATTRACTIONS — “Supreme Court takes up case on Trump hotel records,” by The New York Times’ Adam Liptak: “The Supreme Court announced on Monday that it would decide whether individual members of Congress are entitled to sue a government agency for information about a Washington hotel once owned by former President Donald J. Trump. Days before Mr. Trump left office, a divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that members of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, all Democrats and making up less than a majority of the panel’s members, had standing to sue for access to government documents concerning possible conflicts of interest at the Trump International Hotel.” — “Durham finds fault with F.B.I. over Russia inquiry,” by The New York Times’ Charlie Savage, Glenn Thrush, Adam Goldman and Katie Benner — Takeaways from the Durham report on the Trump-Russia probe, by POLITICO’s Josh Gerstein and Betsy Woodruff Swan — “Karl Rove criticizes Trump’s ‘petty, small and unimportant’ attacks on DeSantis,” by The Hill’s Julia Mueller — “Giuliani accused of offering to sell Trump pardons for $2 million each in new lawsuit,” by NBC News’ Zoë Richards — “East Naples ‘Proud Boy’ guilty in U.S. Capitol attack on Jan. 6,” by Fort Myers News-Press’ Tomas Rodriguez and Stacey Henson
| | ‘SHOW CAUSE’ — Judge mulls contempt of Biden administration over immigration policy, by POLITICO’s Josh Gerstein and Andrew Atterbury: A federal judge in Florida said Monday that the Biden administration’s reported release of about 2,500 migrants into the U.S. on Friday at the southern border may have violated a temporary restraining order he issued. U.S. District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell ordered federal government lawyers to explain why Department of Homeland Security officials should not be held in contempt of court over the releases, which allegedly took place after the Pensacola-based judge issued a restraining order Thursday night in fast-moving litigation filed by the State of Florida. | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | POWER PLAY — “In JEA investigation, feds interviewed former FPL CEO and sent subpoena to company,” by Florida Times-Union’s Nate Monroe: “A federal prosecutor on Monday told a U.S. magistrate judge that during the course of a criminal investigation into the former head of Jacksonville's city-owned utility, JEA, he and FBI agents interviewed former Florida Power & Light CEO Eric Silagy and sent FPL's parent company, NextEra, a subpoena. FPL has not been accused of wrongdoing in the case, but its shadow has loomed over JEA since it made an effort to acquire the city agency in 2019 with an $11 billion bid.” — “Leon County superintendent under investigation responds to state education agency,” by Tallahassee Democrat’s Ana Goñi-Lessan — “Shelter where migrant teen died operated largely without problems, records show,” by WFTS’ Katie LaGrone — “Pasco schools consider ban on shirts that show belly buttons,” by Tampa Bay Times’ Jeffrey S. Solochek | | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | |
BIRTHDAYS: Rep. Lois Frankel … State Sen. Tom Wright … State Rep. Bobby Payne … Tucker Carlson … Matthew Ubben, president of the Florida Alliance for Simplified Funding Strategies … Cindi Lane, public information director with Florida Department of Transportation.
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