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Gary Fineout's must-read briefing on what's hot, crazy or shady about politics in the Sunshine State | | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Hello and Good Tuesday morning. A familiar voice — Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz — one could argue — is now the state’s most prominent elected Democrat. (Yes, one could make a case for some of the mayors…) Mainstay — Wasserman Schultz is the former chair of the Democratic National Committee and she’s the longest-serving Democrat in the Florida congressional delegation. She’s also a link to a time when Democrats had sway in Tallahassee. Message — So it was interesting for Wasserman Schultz to maintain this weekend that Florida could still somehow be in play for 2024. She told CBS Miami’s Jim DeFede that she had spoken to DNC Chair Jaime Harrison and the White House and “I can unequivocally say that Florida has not been written off.” She added that due to the state’s 30 Electoral College votes that “when you are going to into a presidential election, it’s certainly not wise to just write off a state that has that much impact.” Context — This is a significant statement given that national Democrats provided very limited support during the midterms and Democrats endured a nearly across-the-board drubbing. Last week, Manny Diaz abruptly resigned as chair of the Florida Democrats amid finger-pointing over the party's poor showing. He also wrote a lengthy rebuttal to his critics where he mentioned the lack of support from national Democrats. Color pattern — Wasserman Schultz, while acknowledging “we have a lot of rebuilding to do,” maintained that during a higher turnout presidential election Democrats can make it competitive because there will be a “very different electorate.” “Florida is not a red state,” she insisted. “We continue to be a purple state.” Who’s next? — Still, she stressed that Democrats need someone to replace Diaz who has experience, a “track record” of fundraising and is a “good organizer.” Wasserman Schultz also highlighted the lack of money during the 2022 elections and said “there’s no chair no matter how competent they are that could have been successful with that kind of gap.” She said that Democrats need to have “all hands on deck moment” heading into the next cycle. — WHERE'S RON? — Gov. DeSantis is scheduled to meet with the Florida Cabinet in Tallahassee. 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. | | | | | |  | DESANTISLAND | | BRANDING — Ron DeSantis takes on the likability issue (sort of), by POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin: Yet what was even more of a thrill to the donors than Carbone’s signature spicy rigatoni was what happened during the dinner: DeSantis and his wife, Casey, went table to table greeting and thanking the attendees. Such a gesture would hardly be noteworthy for most politicians. But the early rap on DeSantis from his fellow Republicans is that, for all his smarts and shrewdness, he lacks charm, and is either unwilling or unable to submit to the longstanding rituals of retail politics. So the mere fact that he table-hopped at a dinner in his honor — and that more than a few of his contributors were thrilled enough about the personal touch to recount it to me after the closed-press fete — is revealing. | 
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, right, stands for a prayer with his wife Casey and daughter Madison during an inauguration ceremony at the Old Capitol, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023, in Tallahassee, Fla. | Lynne Sladky/AP Photo |
JUDICIAL NOTICE — A Florida judge has ruled that DeSantis has a legal right to shield information from the public, creating a new privilege that could ultimately allow the potential contender for president to keep private documents related to key decisions.
It's a victory for DeSantis and his legal team who have contended in multiple lawsuits now that the governor should be given executive privilege, an idea that has sparked rounds of litigation over the years at the federal level. Unlike the federal government, Florida has not previously recognized executive privilege for the governor, an office that has seen its power expand during Republican control over the quarter century. Additionally, Florida voters adopted a constitutional provision that guarantees public access to records. But Circuit Judge Angela Dempsey, who was first appointed to the court by then-Gov. Jeb Bush, ruled earlier this month in a little-noticed decision that the governor should be allowed to keep some information private and to do otherwise would be “contrary to the public interest.” “To effectively discharge his constitutional duty, the governor must be permitted to have access to candid to candid advice in order to explore policy alternatives and reach appropriate decisions,” Dempsey wrote in her Jan. 3 ruling. Dempsey’s ruling came in a case where an anonymous person sought to obtain records related to “legal conservative heavyweights” that DeSantis told radio host Hugh Hewitt had assisted him in making appointments to the state Supreme Court. Dempsey’s ruling is not binding on other courts or judges, but her decision opens the door for the matter to get litigated further and potentially reach the state Supreme Court, where a majority of justices have been appointed by DeSantis. Michael Barfield, director of public access for the Florida Center for Government Accountability, lambasted the DeSantis administration’s decision to push for executive privilege. “Governor DeSantis’ assertion of executive privilege is both dangerous and unsupported by any court precedent in Florida,” Barfield said. “The Florida Constitution is clear: no official gets to withhold public records because they want to hide information. The governor is not immune from our transparency laws that were designed to protect democracy and prevent authoritarianism.” ICING — “NHL backtracks after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office blasts league for ‘discriminatory’ job fair,” by Fox News Adam Sabes: “After Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' office blasted the National Hockey League for hosting a ‘discriminatory’ job fair that only allows certain groups of people to attend, the league backtracked and said the event is open to all individuals over 18-years-old.” — “Judge rejects DeSantis administration’s bid to toss lawsuit over migrant flights,” by Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas — “Is Florida’s water ‘dirtier’ under DeSantis? Here’s what the data show,” by PolitiFact’s Yacob Reyes — “Reedy Creek discusses Disney expansion as DeSantis fight looms,” by Orlando Sentinel’s Katie Rice — “New College supporters criticize transformation plan during meeting with state lawmakers,” by Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s Zac Anderson | | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | DROPPED — Simpson drops lawsuit against FDLE over concealed carry review information, by POLITICO’s Matt Dixon: Republican Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson has reached an agreement with the state’s top law enforcement agency to drop a lawsuit brought by his Democratic predecessor over what information can be shared between the two agencies. | 
Simpson, pictured above, received 65 percent of the vote compared to 35 percent for Shaw, according to early returns. | Phil Sears/AP Photo |
JUMPING IN — Florida House lockstep with DeSantis in targeting diversity, equity and inclusion at colleges, by POLITICO’s Andrew Atterbury: Florida’s Republican-led House is ramping up state scrutiny of diversity, equity and inclusion programs at colleges and universities, joining Gov. Ron DeSantis in putting funding for these services on the potential chopping block this year. House Speaker Paul Renner on Thursday requested data from Florida’s higher education institutions — 40 campuses — to “access the cost and benefits” of housing diversity, equity and inclusion offices and programs at state schools, the latest sign financial support could be at risk.
— “Judge dismisses challenge against solitary confinement in Florida prisons,” by News Service of Florida’s Jim Saunders — “Florida is cleared of violating a court order over the ‘Stop WOKE Act,’” by News Service of Florida’s Dara Kam — “Ben Gibson named managing partner after Jason Gonzalez exit from Shutts & Bowen’s Tallahassee office,” by Florida Politics’ Drew Wilson | | DATELINE D.C. | | BRAND NEW FRIEND — “Matt Gaetz says George Santos should go through House ethics process but should not be shunned,” by CNN’s Shawna Mizelle and Sarah Fortinsky: “Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz said Saturday that fellow Republican Rep. George Santos, the embattled New York congressman who has admitted to lying about parts of his biography and faces federal and local investigations into his campaign finances, “will have to go through the congressional ethics process” but shouldn’t be shunned by his colleagues as it plays out.” — “Matt Gaetz praises CNN for ‘changing,’” by CNN’s Simone Carter
| | | | DOWNLOAD THE POLITICO MOBILE APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. The sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don’t miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need, reimagined. DOWNLOAD FOR iOS– DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID. | | | | | | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | — “You prefer to vote by mail? Many are surprised that all must reapply,” by South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Anthony Man — “Hillsborough County GOP picks first Black GOP chairperson,” by Tampa Bay Times’ William March — “The GOP’s 2024 freeze,” by Axios’ Josh Kraushaar — “T.K. Waters unopposed in spring election, will get full term as Jacksonville sheriff,” by Florida Times-Union’s Steve Patterson | | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | ‘THEY JUST WANT TO MOVE ON’— “His grip on GOP eroded in 2022. But Trump goes on offensive to start New Year,” by Palm Beach Post’s Antonio Fins: “When his team of surveyors goes into the field in the next month or so, Michael Binder, faculty director of the Public Opinion Research Lab at the University of North Florida, said he would not be surprised to see significant support behind Trump, despite the past year's stumbles and erosion in some polls.” — “Trump’s company gets maximum punishment for evading taxes,” by The New York Times’ Jonah E. Bromwich, Ben Protess and William K. Rashbaum — “Trump on the possibility of Ron DeSantis running against him in 2024: ‘We’ll handle that the way I handle things,’” by Insider’s Cheryl Teh | | THE GUNSHINE STATE | | ENACTED AFTER PARKLAND — “A Florida school received a threat. Did a red flag law prevent a shooting?” by The New York Times’ Sheryl Gay Stolberg: “Seagull Alternative High School sits behind locked gates and a chain-link fence, a complex of low-slung buildings that provides an academic home for pregnant teenagers and students at risk of dropping out. On a Tuesday in early October, it was a target of the kind of threat that every school official dreads. ‘I just might come to yo school and kill everybody,’ a 17-year-old who had previously attended the school wrote in an Instagram message to a student, according to police records.”
| | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | |
REMINDER — “Florida agency warns pharmacies not to dispense abortion pills, by South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Cindy Krischer Goodman: “With pharmacies in some states preparing to dispense abortion pills, Florida’s Agency for Healthcare Administration sent a letter Thursday to all state healthcare providers warning them that do so in Florida is illegal. “’The Agency issues this alert to remind providers that they must continue to comply with Florida laws that govern the performance of abortions,’ the Florida agency said via an email.”
BROKEN PROMISES — “St. Petersburg bulldozed a Black community on Trop site. What’s next?” by Tampa Bay Times’ Lauren Peace: “But for many residents, including St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch, the land still holds the ghostly pulse of a former African American community, where homes and churches, bars and theaters, and the first library that Black residents were allowed to visit, used to stand. A majority of the land was owned by African American families. That past is the reason Welch scrapped plans for the redevelopment of the 86 acres of prime real estate last year. His goal was to start over with an eye for making good on broken promises and a commitment to equity.” ‘A PERFECT STORM’ — “Immigration spike has created an unexpected wave of enrollment at Miami-Dade schools,” by Miami Herald’s Sommer Brugal: “Since the start of the 2022-23 school year, nearly 10,000 students from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela have enrolled in Miami-Dade County public schools — about 2,500 more students than who arrived in the entire 2021-22 year, reflecting the surge of immigrants coming from those four countries over nearly six months..” — “White House boys thankful for Dozier memorial but continue to search for justice,” by Tallahassee Democrat’s James Call — “Body of man missing since Hurricane Ian found on sunken boat,” by The Associated Press — “Florida teacher vacancies soar to nearly 5,300 in January,” by Orlando Sentinel’s Leslie Postal — “NASA administrator expects 2023 to be ‘game-changing’ for the space agency,” by Florida Today’s Jamie Groh — Florida 2021-22 graduation rates on par with pre-pandemic level, by POLITICO’s Andrew Atterbury — “Chris Latvala works for Pinellas now, but won’t push for home rule,” by Tampa Bay Times’ Jack Evans
| | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | | — “Florida sheriff’s Facebook rant about sex acts on jail calls leads to teacher placed on leave,” by Tallahassee Democrat’s Christopher Cann: “A Franklin County teacher was pulled from the classroom after Sheriff A.J. ‘Tony’ Smith publicly accused her of engaging in a sex act and displaying drug paraphernalia to an inmate on a video visitation call. Smith went live on Facebook (Jan. 9) to complain about several people who allegedly took part in sex acts during the calls and pledged to seek charges against them. However, State Attorney Jack Campbell said no crimes occurred.” BIRTHDAYS: Rep. Carlos Gimenez | | | | 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 | | | | |  |
