Trump jabs DeSantis and ‘gutless’ politicians – POLITICO – Politico
Good Wednesday morning.
Breaking overnight — Former President Donald Trump appeared to snap at Gov. Ron DeSantis in a new interview with One America News Network, where he bashed unnamed politicians who won’t say whether they’ve gotten a booster shot. “I watched a couple of politicians be interviewed and one of the questions was, ‘Did you get the booster?’” Trump told the outlet. “Because they had the vaccine, and they’re answering like — in other words, the answer is ‘yes,’ but they don’t want to say it, because they’re gutless. You gotta say it, whether you had it or not, say it.”
DeSantis — who has gone from being a full-time vaccine promoter to scarcely mentioning them — was asked by Fox News back in December if he had gotten a booster and he sidestepped the question. His staff told Florida Playbook last week that they did not know the answer because it was a “private medical” decision. There’s been anticipation that eventually Trump and DeSantis would have a falling out and even those in DeSantis World had been bracing for it. Stay tuned.
At the Capitol — The 2022 session of the Florida Legislature got off and running, kicked off by an aggressive State of the State speech from DeSantis that had a mix of bragging about Covid-19 response — “We were right and they were wrong” — and enough darts at the federal government that it was yet another reminder of why the governor is viewed as a potential presidential contender. There was even a Jesus reference slipped in where DeSantis said that “Florida has stood strong as the rock of freedom, and upon this rock we must build Florida’s future.”
Stick to the script — DeSantis’ speech did not contain any new policy initiatives, but instead emphasized top budget items such as his proposal for a $1 billion gas tax holiday and bonuses for teachers and first responders, and legislation that he has already called for including a law dealing with critical race theory. He said he wanted lawmakers to “strengthen” Second Amendment protections but did not mention any specifics.
Double plus good — One other notable part is where DeSantis talked about election laws, including his call to spend millions of dollars on a new elections police unit. “It is Orwellian doublespeak to invoke the concept of ‘voting rights’ to mean ballot harvesting, prohibiting voter ID and taxpayer funding of elections. Those are political concepts that erode the integrity of our elections,” DeSantis said.
Breaking it down — Lawmakers enacted a clampdown on ballot harvesting last year and voter ID has long been required in the state. As for “taxpayer funding of elections,” Florida has a matching funds program that allows candidates for statewide office get public money for their campaigns. DeSantis in 2018 received $3.22 million from the program. His campaign did respond to a question on Tuesday about whether this means the governor will forgo the money this time around. FWIW, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, who got more than $158,000 in her first run, said she has not decided whether she will accept the money either.
— 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:[email protected]
STATE OF THE STATE — “DeSantis calls Florida ‘the freest state,’ attacks federal government in address,” by Orlando Sentinel’s Steven Lemongello and Skyler Swisher: “Gov. Ron DeSantis called Florida “the freest state in the United States” in his 2022 State of the State address Thursday, making his opposition to COVID restrictions his centerpiece as he opened the 2022 legislative session. He also repeatedly slammed the federal government and bashed Democratic-run states, as he prepares for his reelection campaign this year and potentially a 2024 run for president.”
‘DISTRACTION FROM REALITY’ — “Democrats aim to avoid DeSantis’ culture war fights,” by POLITICO’s Matt Dixon: Gov. Ron DeSantis wants to drag Democrats into a fight over culture wars — but will they take the bait? That’s one of the top questions lawmakers and others are discussing in the halls of Florida’s state Capitol as the 2022 legislative session kicked off Tuesday. DeSantis has used culture war fights such as hands-off pandemic policies and critical race theory to fuel his national political ascent. It has forced Democrats’ hands in the past, making them use their time and energy to address issues on the governor’s terms rather than focusing on their policy priorities.”
— “DeSantis: Freedom is good, COVID mandates, lockdowns are bad,” by The Associated Press’ Brendan Farrington
— “DeSantis draws contrast with federal government and Democratic-led states in State of the State address,” by CNN’s Steve Contorno
HERE IT COMES — “Florida Republicans craft restrictive abortion law Democrats have little power to stop,” by POLITICO’s Arek Sarkissian: Republicans who control the Florida Legislature have spent months crafting the proposal after Texas lawmakers in May banned all abortions after six weeks of pregnancy and opened up abortion providers to lawsuits from private individuals. They settled on a less extreme but still restrictive measure that will anger Democrats and abortion rights advocates across the country: A ban on abortion after 15 weeks except if two doctors agree a fetus is suffering from a fatal abnormality. There are no exceptions for rape or incest. Existing Florida law restricts abortions after 24 weeks.
FUNNY MONEY — “House GOP budget chief ‘frustrated’ over DeSantis’ budget math,” by POLITICO’s Matt Dixon: The House’s top Republican budget writer on Tuesday said he is “frustrated” with how Gov. Ron DeSantis used a slight-of-hand tactic to keep his budget proposal under $100 billion. The issue is over the categorization of how DeSantis built his $99.7 billion budget proposal, which he rolled out last month. More than $2 billion of that was included in the so-called “back of the bill” portion of the spending plan. It means the governor is technically asking the Legislature to fund the proposals, but he does not need to include those numbers when discussing the overall size of his spending plan.
THE PLOT THICKENS — “Florida officials tried to steer education contract to former lawmaker’s company,” by the Tampa Bay Times’ Lawrence Mower and Miami Herald’s Ana Ceballos: “Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Education Department is under fire for trying to steer a multimillion-dollar contract to a company whose CEO has ties to the state’s education commissioner. Records and interviews show that, before the Florida Department of Education asked for bids, it was already in advanced talks with the company to do the work, subverting a process designed to eliminate favoritism. The company is MGT Consulting, led by former Republican lawmaker Trey Traviesa of Tampa, a longtime colleague of the state’s education commissioner, Richard Corcoran.”
Linked — “Documents show the department’s request for proposals was tailored to MGT. But it did not get the award. Instead, the bidding process erupted in controversy when two of Corcoran’s top deputies and a member of the state Board of Education filed a competing bid. Their effort led to an internal investigation over potential conflicts of interests — and two resignations.”
TURNING IT OFF — “Senate committee passes FPL priority bill to restrict rooftop solar on bipartisan vote,” by Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas: “In a signal to Florida Power & Light that legislators are committed to pursuing its top priority, a Florida Senate committee gave bipartisan approval Tuesday to a bill intended to restrict the expansion of rooftop solar in Florida. The Senate Regulated Industries Committee voted 7-2 on the first day of the annual legislative session to approve SB 1024, which would limit the ability of homeowners and businesses to offset costs of rooftop solar installations by selling excess power back to the company, an arrangement known as net metering.”
— “Florida Senate panel backs bill to overhaul students’ annual testing,” by Miami Herald’s Ana Ceballos and Tampa Bay Times’ Jeffrey S. Solochek
— “Legislative leaders won’t endorse Ron DeSantis’ elections package, but offer nods,” by Florida Politics’ Renzo Downey
— “Florida Legislature to again consider shielding university president searches from public,” by USA Today Network-Florida’s Jeffrey Schweers
— “Florida lawmakers open session without pandemic restrictions,” by The Associated Press’ Curt Anderson
IT’S OFFICIAL — “‘Trailblazer’ Cherfilus-McCormick is first Haitian American sent to Congress from FL,” by Miami Herald’s Bianca Padró Ocasio and Bryan Lowry: “Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a healthcare executive who won a crowded primary by a slim margin, was elected on Tuesday by a majority of voters in Palm Beach and Broward counties, taking a seat in Congress left empty by the death of U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings. By comfortably beating Republican Jason Mariner, Cherfilus-McCormick, 36, becomes the first Haitian-American to be elected to Congress from Florida and becomes the first Haitian-American Democrat to be in the U.S. House of Representatives. She received about 78% of the vote.”
— “South Florida voters make picks in three state legislative contests,” by Miami Herald’s Anthony Man and Angie DiMichele
— “Broward elects former legislative aide to succeed his boss in Tallahassee,” by Miami Herald’s Bianca Padró Ocasio and Bryan Lowry
DEAR JUDGE — “GOP attorneys flag Trump supporter’s arrest to bolster voter fraud claims,” by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout: Attorneys representing national Republican groups are using the arrest of a Donald Trump supporter and alleged voter fraud in one of Florida’s biggest GOP strongholds to defend a controversial election bill pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Lawyers working for the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee late last week in a previously unreported court filing asked a judge overseeing a legal challenge to the controversial Florida voting law to take notice of three incidents of voter fraud that had surfaced in Florida over the last two years.
JUMPING IN — Scott Sturgill, a well-known central Florida businessman who ran in the Republican primary for Florida’s 7th Congressional District, announced on Wednesday that he’s joining the growing field for that seat. Rep. Stephanie Murphy, the sitting Democrat, announced last month she would not run for another term. Sturgill launched his candidacy with a video that criticizes President Joe Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
— “With less than a lap to go, both 2022 gambling petitions appear to be trailing the pace,” by Florida Politics Scott Powers
The daily rundown — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there were 47,709 Covid-19 infections reported on Monday. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported that 11,078 hospital beds were being used in the state for Covid-19 patients.
GOOD TO KNOW — “Florida can use those 1 million expired COVID-19 tests, after all,” by Tampa Bay Times’ Kirby Wilson: “At the Florida Capitol on Tuesday, Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie ran into Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. He had news for her. The federal government has agreed to give Florida another three-month extension to use the nearly 1 million rapid COVID-19 test kits that expired in a state warehouse at the end of December, Guthrie said. Fried, Florida’s lone statewide elected Democrat and a candidate for governor, had sharply criticized the DeSantis administration for letting the kits expire as the omicron coronavirus wave left thousands of Floridians scrambling for a test.”
‘WHERE ARE THE DOSES?’ — “A new COVID therapy is in high demand, challenging Florida to balance access and need,” by Miami Herald’s Daniel Chang: “But though the state aims to ensure access to Evusheld through adequate geographic distribution — and by steering patients to providers with the drug via the health department’s online locator for monoclonal antibodies — medical professionals said they still question how the state is ensuring that the scarce therapy reaches those who need it most.”
FOR YOUR RADAR — “CDC lifting cruise ships restrictions despite 30-fold increase of Omicron cases,” by POLITICO’s Alex Daugherty: CDC director Rochelle Walensky confirmed Tuesday that the agency plans to let its no-sail order for cruise ships expire on Jan. 15 — despite a dramatic increase of Covid cases reported on cruise ships in the last two weeks. Walensky, in response to questions from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, (R-Ak.), at a Senate HELP Committee hearing featuring Biden’s top public health officials, said the industry has “stepped up” and is largely adhering to CDC guidelines on its own, making the additional government regulations unnecessary.
— “Florida Democrats call on DeSantis to accept federal help to help expand COVID-19 testing,” by The Hill’s Monique Beals
— “How a Key West bartender and his boss helped solve the burning of a beloved landmark,” by FLKeysNews.com’s Gwen Filosa: “The vandalism struck a nerve on the island. People wanted to see the suspects identified and arrested. The “coconut telegraph,” the nickname for the island’s gossip chain, was on high alert, of course. So how did a bartender turn into a detective? [Cameron] Briody recognized one face from a Southernmost Point webcam video circulating online. He said he served the man on New Year’s Eve that police later identified as a suspect, Skylar Jacobson, 21, of Henrietta, Texas. The customer ordered drinks three times and never tipped, Briody recalled.”
— “Man sprayed ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ and racist graffiti on Madeira Beach home and car, deputies say,” by WFLA’s Nathaniel Rodriguez: “A man landed himself behind bars after Pinellas County deputies said he spray painted people’s property with racist graffiti Friday. An affidavit stated that 32-year-old Geoffrey Pearson Holtman used spray paint to write ‘Let’s Go Brandon,’ ‘Trump,’ and other things including a swastika and racial slurs on the front of a woman’s house, her garage door and her decorations.”
BIRTHDAYS: Deputy Chief Financial Officer Frank Collins … Former state Rep. Charlie Stone … Barbara Petersen, executive director at Florida Center for Government Accountability … Victoria Langley Heller, senior director communications and board relations at CareerSource Florida
Want to make an impact? POLITICO Florida has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Sunshine State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness amongst this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: [email protected]
- Gary Fineout @fineout
