Hello and welcome to Wednesday.
There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow — Well, what a difference a day can make. Florida legislators were supposed to return to Tallahassee to quickly push through a new congressional map penned by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office that would give Republicans a decisive advantage in the state.
Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life For Me) — But the governor instead decided to repurpose the special session to go after Disney, one of the state’s largest employers and a big contributor to Florida’s tourist-driven economy. With little warning to many legislators — including, it seems, to some of the bill sponsors — or Disney itself or the business community, the special session was expanded on Tuesday to include two bills targeting the entertainment conglomerate.
Be Our Guest — One of the bills would dismantle (as soon as next year) the more than 50-year-old special district that allows Disney to operate as its own local government, including having its own firefighters, power plant and wastewater service. The other measure would eliminate a carveout Disney got just a year ago that exempted the company from DeSantis’ crackdown on tech companies that is still tied up in court.
When You Wish Upon A Star — There were some attempts by Republican legislators to label these actions as somehow genuine legislative oversight moves and not a response to Disney’s criticisms of the “parental rights in education” law — the measure labeled “don’t say gay” by opponents — that bars classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation in lower elementary grades. (Side note: State Sen. Jennifer Bradley, the GOP legislator tasked with sponsoring the Senate versions of the bills now aimed at Disney, voted against the “parental rights” legislation.)
Let It Go — But House Speaker Chris Sprowls was blunt in his assessment. He called Disney’s actions “wildly inappropriate” and said they mischaracterized the legislation. Sprowls added “the governor’s anger was well-placed” and was a prime motivator in what’s happening.
Be Prepared — A big question is why do this now instead of next month’s special session or sometime later this year? Well, DeSantis moved at a time he has maximum leverage. The power of the two presiding legislative officers is waning. Senate President Wilton Simpson is running for agriculture commissioner and an endorsement from DeSantis (who has declined to do so twice now when asked about it) would thwart any attempt to knock him out in the upcoming GOP primary. Oh, and legislators still haven’t given the governor the budget, meaning he has yet to decide the fate of tens of millions of spending items that legislators want this year.
A Whole New World — What we don’t know are the true ramifications of this legislative performance. There are questions about the more than $1 billion in debt issued by the Reedy Creek Improvement District — which is home to Disney World — and whether that burden would be shifted on to Central Florida taxpayers if it is dissolved. And there are legal arguments coming from tech lawyers that removing the exemption for Disney is just more proof that last’s year tech bill was designed to punish companies over their viewpoint, and hence unconstitutional. So it could be quite the ride to come.
— WHERE’S RON? — Nothing official announced for Gov. DeSantis.
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IT’S A SMALL WORLD — “DeSantis targets Disney’s self-governing status in escalation over ‘Don’t Say Gay,’” by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout: Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republicans in Florida are escalating their battle with the Walt Disney Co. amid fallout over a bill that banned classroom teaching of gender identity and sexual orientation in kindergarten through third grade.
FOLLOWING THE GOP PLAYBOOK — “Top Florida Democrat sues Biden administration over marijuana and guns,” by NBC News’ Marc Caputo: “Florida’s lone statewide elected Democrat, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, plans to sue the Biden administration Wednesday to try to block a federal rule that prohibits medical marijuana users from buying guns or maintaining concealed-carry permits. NBC News obtained a draft copy of the lawsuit. The lawsuit targets a federal form that asks whether the gun buyer is an unlawful user of drugs and specifies that marijuana is illegal under federal law. A person allowed by the state to use marijuana must then check “yes,” which results in denial of the purchase. Lying by checking “no” runs the risk of a five-year prison sentence for making a false statement.”
How convenient — The lawsuit is timed to land on April 20 — a nod to the slang reference of “420” for marijuana. The suit is laden with political opportunity for Fried, who became the only Democrat elected statewide in 2018 when she ran on an unabashedly pro-cannabis platform. Two years before, 71 percent of Florida voters legalized medical marijuana, and polls show a majority favor legalization of recreational use. Florida also has 2.5 million concealed weapons permit holders, according to Fried’s office. “Medical marijuana is legal. Guns are legal. This is all about people’s rights,” Fried said in a statement to NBC News. “And I don’t care who I have to sue to fight for their freedom.”
STICKING TO THE SCRIPT — “Florida Republicans march ahead quickly on new congressional map,” by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout: Democrats also repeatedly took shots at Republican legislators who accepted DeSantis’ latest proposal after the governor vetoed a map that the Legislature passed in March. DeSantis asserted that the map initially approved by legislators included “racial gerrymandering” designed to help elect Black candidates instead of following a “race neutral” formula. “What the governor is doing is bullying you all,” said state Sen. Randolph Bracy (D-Orlando), who is a candidate for one of the congressional districts that would be altered by the proposal. “If that’s what you want, you want him to be the House speaker, Senate president and the governor, so be it.” The ongoing criticism aimed at Republicans drew a retort from state Rep. Tom Leek (R-Ormond Beach), the chair of the House Redistricting Committee, who called it a “false narrative” that legislators had “ceded any responsibility.” Leek and other Republicans insisted that the map was a “compromise” because the proposal included some portions of the legislation that DeSantis vetoed.
HMM — “Republicans embrace DeSantis’ congressional map as opponents call it illegal, racist,” by Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas and Ana Ceballos: “The governor’s chief map drawer revealed for the first time that the governor’s office hired a Republican redistricting expert to help craft the governor’s map, raising questions about whether the governor can defend the maps as having no partisan intent, as is required under state law. … J. Alex Kelly, the governor’s deputy chief of staff, told the Senate Reapportionment Committee and the House Congressional Redistricting Subcommittee that the governor’s office hired Adam Foltz, a Republican redistricting expert who worked as a legislative aide to the former Republican speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly. Foltz was part of the team that helped craft Wisconsin’s legislative maps after Republicans took control of that legislature in 2010. After the map was challenged, a federal court ruled that it violated the Voting Rights Act in two districts where map drawers improperly diluted Latino voters.”
YOUR PERMANENT RECORD — “DeSantis signs higher ed package reforming accreditation, tenure,” by POLITICO’s Andrew Atterbury: Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday signed a far-reaching higher education package that has the potential to usher in major shifts to how Florida universities seek accreditation while also opening tenured faculty to “comprehensive” reviews. “The more we focus on academic rigor, and we trim the fat on a lot of this other stuff that has kind of seeped into the universities over the years, the better we’re going to be,” DeSantis said at an event in The Villages, a retirement community in central Florida ripe with Republican support.
CHECKMARK CONFRONTATION — “DeSantis weighs action against Twitter board over Musk rebuff,” by Bloomberg’s Nathan Crooks: “Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the state could take action against Twitter Inc. for launching a poison pill defense to thwart an unsolicited bid by Elon Musk. ‘Why would you reject the 20% premium?’ DeSantis said Tuesday at a press conference, accusing the company of censorship. ‘I don’t think that was a rejection based on financial concerns or business judgment. They rejected it because they know they can’t control Elon Musk. They know that he will not accept the narrative.’ DeSantis, a Republican and potential presidential candidate, said he would be looking at ways to hold the board ‘accountable for breaching their fiduciary duty.’”
FALLOUT— “As DeSantis administration rejects textbooks, only one publisher allowed for K-5 math classes in Florida,” by Tallahassee Democrat’s Ana Goñi-Lessan: “Now, the only publisher approved by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Department of Education for K-5 mathematics is Accelerate Learning, a company out of Houston, Texas. ‘In the subject area as large as mathematics for grades K through five, it is unusual for there only to be one publisher to choose from,’ said Billy Epting, assistant superintendent for academic services for Leon County Schools. The Florida DOE rejected more than 50 mathematics textbooks — about 40% of those submitted — for failing to meet Florida’s new learning standards or because they ‘contained prohibited topics’ that included references to critical race theory.
— “Vetting new math textbooks in FL: Some books got high scores but mysteriously were rejected,” by Florida Phoenix’s Danielle J. Brown
— “Nearly 2,000 providers to receive $503 million in Medicaid grants,” by Florida Politics’ Christine Jordan Sexton
CAMPAIGN ROUNDUP — The Florida Police Chiefs Association on Wednesday backed Sen. Marco Rubio for reelection, a notable endorsement since his likely Democratic opponent, Rep. Val Demings, is a law enforcement veteran and was Orlando police chief prior to her political career. … Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican candidate for Florida’s 13th Congressional District, was endorsed Wednesday by former St. Petersburg council member and mayoral candidate Robert Blackmon.
ALL TOGETHER NOW — “Text messages trove shows Oath Keepers discussing security details for Trump associates,” by POLITICO’s Kyle Cheney: Top members of the Oath Keepers now facing seditious conspiracy charges chatted for days about providing security for some of the highest-profile figures associated with Donald Trump’s effort to overturn the election, according to a newly released trove of text messages. Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and top allies like Florida Oath Keeper Kelly Meggs discussed plans to provide security for figures like Roger Stone, Alex Jones, Ali Alexander and Michael Flynn on Jan. 5 and Jan. 6, describing potential partnerships with other groups and security details.
WHO’S IN CHARGE? — “Justice Department punts mask ruling appeal to CDC,” by POLITICO’s Sarah Owermohle, Adam Cancryn, Erin Banco and David Lim: The Biden administration late Tuesday said it will appeal a federal judge’s decision striking down a mask mandate for public transportation if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention deem the mandate necessary for public health. The Justice Department’s announcement comes after hours of deliberation, with some Biden administration officials insisting that an appeal is essential to preserve the government’s public health authorities while others argued a fight would have relatively little political benefit or practical effect for the broader Covid response. Detractors also expressed concerns about the fallout if the government were to lose an appeal.
— “5 things to know about Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, Tampa judge who struck down travel mask mandate,” by Tampa Bay Times’ Dan Sullivan
— “Raul Pino, voice of Orange’s COVID-19 fight, resigns as state health officer to direct county Health Services,” by Orlando Sentinel’s Stephen Hudak
‘FORCED TO RESPOND’ — “‘Champions of diversity’: Broward’s new ads counter the law dubbed ‘don’t say gay’” by Sun Sentinel’s Lisa J. Huriash: “A new ad campaign is putting diversity at the forefront as Florida draws attention over its controversial Parental Rights in Education law, nicknamed by critics as the ‘don’t say gay’ law. This latest ‘We Are’ ad campaign recently began by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, promoting the region as ‘respectful’ and ‘champions of diversity.’ In one video, there are images of loving same-sex couples having a drink and playing in the surf. In another, a smiling man leans in to get a kiss from his companion, with the caption, ‘We are gay.’ The ads promote South Florida as having ‘open minds and open hearts.’”
SITDOWN — “U.S. and Cuba to discuss migration crisis as thousands of Cubans arrive at the border,” by El Nuevo Herald’s Nora Gámez Torres: “Biden administration officials will meet a Cuban delegation on Thursday in Washington to discuss a dramatic increase in migration from the island, a source with knowledge of the matter told the Miami Herald. Cubans account for a large proportion of migrants recently reaching the U.S. border with Mexico, as more than 46,000 arrived just between October and February. The U.S. Coast Guard has also reported an increase in Cubans trying to reach U.S. shores. But Cuban authorities have refused to accept deportations of its nationals from the U.S., Immigration and Customs Enforcement said.”
FOR YOUR RADAR— “Report: Childhood poverty in Florida far worse than federal data shows,” by Tampa Bay Times’ Lauren Peace: “The report published this month by the United Way uses the ALICE threshold to show the effect of financial hardship on children, including the effects on education, hunger and mental health. The report found that Florida had the third-highest rate in the nation of children living in households struggling to meet basic needs. Although just 17 percent of children in Florida lived below the federal poverty level in 2019, “more than half of children in Florida (56 percent) lived in households experiencing financial hardship,” according to the report. That accounts for about 2.4 million children.”
TO COURT— “Environmental scientist accused of stealing secret documents from powerful foundation,” by Palm Beach Post’s Kimberly Miller: “A prominent environmental scientist stands accused of stealing secret documents and destroying research before quitting his more than a decade-long job at the powerful Everglades Foundation, citing concerns about the nonprofit group’s emphasis on politics. Thomas Van Lent, a respected engineer whose water modeling helped create the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, was sued earlier this month by the foundation after it said he took, among other confidential items, ‘internal modeling and analysis of a government project’ before he left.”
— “Summit of the Americas to tackle migration, threats to democracy, Miami advisor says,” by El Nuevo Herald’s Nora Gámez Torres
— “Invictus, the former Senate and president candidate from Florida, not guilty in SC trial,” by Miami Herald’s Andrew Dys
— “South Florida reptile dealer sentenced to prison over illegal turtle exports,” by Sun Sentinel’s David Fleshler
— “Joel Greenberg’s wife seeks to finalize divorce, says crypto account could be worth millions,” by Orlando Sentinel’s Martin E. Comas
— “Florida man pleads guilty to threatening Rep. Omar,” by NBC News’ Zoë Richards: “A Florida man pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court to threatening to kill Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn. According to a plea agreement, David Hannon, 67, a supporter of former President Donald Trump, sent an email to Omar in July 2019, after Omar and three other members of Congress held a televised news conference criticizing then-President Trump. Hannon entered a guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher P. Tuite to a single count of threatening a federal official with the intent to intimidate and impede Omar and retaliate against her for performing her official duties.”
BIRTHDAYS: Steve Spurrier … state Rep. Randy Fine … former Rep. Trey Radel … James Call with the Tallahassee Democrat.
