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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 Friday morning. Watching — Is there a proxy war between former President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis being waged at the Republican National Committee? Maybe? Maybe not? On one side — Trump has not officially taken sides in the tug-of-war between current RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel and Harmeet Dhillon although some of his top aides such as Susie Wiles have been supportive of McDaniel. Dhillon told a POLITICO reporter in California — where the vote takes place today — that Trump’s team was “whipping votes” for McDaniel. The other side — So then like a thunderbolt, DeSantis weighed in with praise for Dhillon telling Charlie Kirk, the founder of the conservative Turning Point USA who is supporting Dhillon, that “new blood” and a “change” was needed at the RNC. And then shortly after DeSantis made his comments Sen. Rick Scott — who does not have the warmest relationship with the governor — gave his own praise to McDaniel. Reaction — Dhillon herself said that DeSantis’ comments stopped short of an endorsement and said “I call that answering a comment.” OK, then. But the timing is interesting since the governor’s support came hours ahead of a closely watched vote about the future of the Republican Party. Context — And if you are into triangulation, let’s note that Trump endorsed Joe Gruters, the current chair of the Republican Party of Florida and a state senator, for the post of RNC treasurer late Wednesday night. Gruters does not enjoy a close relationship with DeSantis and he is friends with Wiles, who had a messy falling out with the governor. Gruters backs McDaniel. Timing — Some are wondering, however, why DeSantis acted now but he did not say anything about those in the party that wanted the Florida GOP to issue a no confidence vote in McDaniel. Critics of McDaniel forced a meeting of the state executive committee to consider it but not enough members showed up at the meeting called by Gruters so the matter was never taken up. Regardless of what happens today, DeSantis — if he runs for president — will be able to say that he wanted change at the RNC. — 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
| | | | JOIN POLITICO ON 2/9 TO HEAR FROM AMERICA’S GOVERNORS: In a divided Congress, more legislative and policy enforcement will shift to the states, meaning governors will take a leading role in setting the agenda for the nation. Join POLITICO on Thursday, Feb. 9 at World Wide Technology's D.C. Innovation Center for The Fifty: America's Governors, where we will examine where innovations are taking shape and new regulatory red lines, the future of reproductive health, and how climate change is being addressed across a series of one-on-one interviews. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | |  | DESANTISLAND | | ‘FRESH THINKING’ — DeSantis scrambles RNC race after praising Dhillon and urging ‘new blood,’ by POLITICO’s Natalie Allison and Meredith McGraw: Gov. Ron DeSantis’ support for Harmeet Dhillon is the most high profile so far. Dhillon counts Fox News stars who carry significant influence in the conservative movement — including Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham — among her supporters. Roughly 30 RNC members have been listed on her campaign’s official website, but it’s unclear if she has the kind of widespread support among the voting members to win. McDaniel in November, prior to Dhillon announcing her bid, boasted the support of 107 members. | 
Harmeet Dhillon, whose law firm served as Trump’s counsel for his dealings with the House Jan. 6 Committee, has been hoping to flip what her team believes are “soft” McDaniel votes. | Alex Wong/Getty Images |
THE AGENDA — DeSantis rolls out sweeping criminal justice package, by POLITICO’s Matt Dixon: Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday outlined a sweeping criminal justice proposal that came packed with changes that have long been politically popular with conservatives, setting up a fight with outmatched Democrats during the 2023 legislative session. DeSantis addressed the Florida Sheriffs Association on Monday and rolled out his criminal justice package at the Miami offices of the Miami Police Benevolent Association.
Some of the details — At both events, DeSantis stressed he wanted the GOP-led Legislature to change Florida law to allow juries to administer the death penalty by a supermajority rather than requiring unanimity, which has been state law since 2017. … In what amounts to a jab at mostly Democratic-run areas that have done away with cash bail, DeSantis also wants to limit who can be released prior to a first court appearance after being arrested. DeSantis wants to give judges more discretion over those decisions. AND REACTION — “DeSantis came to Miami to fight bail reform. Hours later, judge agrees to back off,” by Miami Herald’s Douglas Hanks: “Hours after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vowed to block 'rogue' judges pursuing bail reform, leaders of Miami-Dade County’s justice system announced they would delay new rules making it easier for people with low incomes to leave jail while they await trial. The afternoon announcement by the chief of judge in Miami-Dade, Nushin Sayfie, said the rollout of the bail-reform plan expected for later this year would be shelved until the criminal-justice legislation DeSantis unveiled in his Miami speech could be considered by the Florida Legislature.” PUSHBACK — College Board: States have not influenced our new African American Studies course, by POLITICO’s Bianca Quilantan: The College Board on Thursday defended its African American Studies Advanced Placement course by rebuking claims that Florida or other states have influenced its new framework that has yet to be unveiled. Their letter comes as Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis claimed success in potentially changing the course, and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, has sent his own letter urging the nonprofit that oversees AP exams not to follow Florida’s lead, calling it “political grandstanding.” MAGIC 8 BALL SAYS — “The pandemic is central to Ron DeSantis’ brand. Will voters still care in 2024?” by Tampa Bay Times Emily Mahoney: “[Gov. Ron] DeSantis’ handling of the coronavirus has become central to his national brand and could be a key point of contrast against other political opponents should he launch an expected run for president. But it’s yet to be seen whether such a focus could risk becoming stale by 2024. ‘You don’t want to become Rudy Giuliani, who was mocked for finishing every sentence with 9/11,’ said Alex Conant, a Republican public relations consultant who previously worked on Sen. Marco Rubio’s presidential campaign.” — “DeSantis tops Trump in key presidential primary state poll ahead of potential GOP 2024 showdown,” by Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser — “US faculty group launches review, citing ‘attacks’ on Florida higher education,” by Tampa Bay Times’ Divya Kumar | | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | SEEMS FAMILIAR — Trump unveils new education policy loaded with culture war proposals, by POLITICO’s Meredith McGraw: Former President Donald Trump is unveiling a 2024 education policy plan, one focusing heavily on the culture war components that have animated conservatives. The plan, shared in advance with POLITICO, calls for cutting federal funding for any school or program that includes “critical race theory, gender ideology, or other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content onto our children.” It also calls for opening “civil rights investigations into any school district that has engaged in race-based discrimination,” particularly against Asian American students, and promises to “keep men out of women’s sports.” — “An R.N.C. remade by Trump backs away from his 2024 campaign,” by The New York Times’ Reed J. Epstein and Lisa Lerer | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | FLORIDA TO PAY $65,000 TO ACLU, OTHERS — Florida will fork over $65,000 to pay the attorneys fees of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and three political committees that successfully challenged a citizen initiative law passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature and pushed by DeSantis. The Florida Elections Commission this week signed off on the settlement amount, which will be presented to a federal judge for final approval. Tim Vaccaro, executive director for the commission, called it a “reasonable amount” and said the original calculation of fees owed was between $110,000 and $120,000. State legislators were repeatedly warned that a hard $3,000 cap on donations to groups sponsoring ballot measures was unconstitutional because it ran counter to Supreme Court decisions that consider campaign contributions a form of speech. A federal judge appointed by former President Donald Trump last summer ruled against the state and placed a permanent injunction against the law first passed in 2021 and then tweaked last year. SCOTT ROUNDS OUT STAFF — Sen. Rick Scott, who has been saying for months that he would run for reelection, this week announced several key positions for his campaign. Jackie Schutz Zeckman, as Playbook noted on Thursday, will be in charge of the political operation. Chris Hartline, who had been communications director at the National Republican Senatorial Committee, will serve as communications consultant and senior adviser. Priscilla Ivasco will be communications director, Jonathan Turcotte will be national press secretary, Lisa Goodspeed will be finance director while long-time campaign consultant Curt Anderson, a founding partner with OnMessage, will continue as senior adviser. Ann Carbonell will serve as senior adviser for Hispanic engagement. — “Nine out of 12 Democratic senators endorse Annette Taddeo’s bid for party chair,” by Florida Politics’ Anne Geggis
| | | | 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. | | | | | | | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | BUILD IT. THEY’RE ALREADY HERE — Passidomo’s sweeping affordable housing bill focuses on incentivizing developers, blocking rent control measures, by POLITICO’s Matt Dixon: Incentivizing developers to build new affordable housing — and eliminating local government’s ability to cap rent increases — are key elements in sweeping affordable housing legislation crafted by Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, who has long signaled the issue is among her top priorities. The Naples Republican has been traveling the state for months talking to local governments about how to address Florida’s affordable housing shortage — a problem exacerbated by Hurricane Ian, which decimated southwest Florida’s housing stock and even destroyed Passidomo’s home. | 
Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo speaks to reporters in the chambers of the Florida Senate on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Anthony Izaguirre) | AP | WHO NEEDS DETAILS? — “Florida House panel advances voucher expansion proposal — price tag pending,” by POLITICO’s Andrew Atterbury: Republicans, however, see the legislation as a banner proposal to expand parental rights — a rallying cry for the GOP — and give families more education options in the state. They claim that HB 1 will “not affect” spending for traditional public schools, although there is no projection for how much the bill could cost. “Government education has been in this country and this state for too long a monopoly,” state Rep. Spencer Roach (R-North Fort Myers) said. — “Florida school voucher bill passes its first test, but big questions remain,” by Tampa Bay Times’ Jeffrey S. Solochek ‘A WHOLE LOT OF HOOPLA FOR NOTHING’ — “BlackRock retains Florida’s billions as DeSantis wages ESG fight,” by Bloomberg’s Felipe Marques, Silla Brush and Michael Smith: “Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is crusading against ESG investing and 'woke capitalism,' with state officials pledging to purge such thinking from its pension funds and targeting BlackRock Inc. because of its support for the idea. But BlackRock still manages billions in investments for the Sunshine State, and it turns out there wasn’t a lot of ESG to purge. A review of public records shows that BlackRock didn’t put the bulk of Florida’s money into environmental, social and governance investments in the first place.” ‘I WOULD NOT DO THAT AGAIN’ — “Top state investigator resigns amid probe over conflict of interest,” by Orlando Sentinel’s Jeffrey Schweers: “A secret meeting in the parking lot of a luxury hotel south of Orlando. Confidential information about a criminal investigation is shared. Allegations of insurance fraud and illegally shooting a bear. Personal use of a state vehicle. All were part of an investigation of an allegedly inappropriate relationship between the wife of a law enforcement officer with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the agency’s longtime Inspector General Michael Troelstrup, who resigned before the probe was completed.” — “New law in the works: Projecting antisemitic images onto buildings would be felony,” by Palm Beach Post’s Mike Diamond | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | WHAT COMES NEXT — Utility watchers say Silagy’s replacement represents continuity at Florida Power & Light, by POLITICO’s Bruce Ritchie: NextEra Energy's decision to bring back retired executive Armando Pimentel to lead Florida Power & Light Co. is a move that ensures continuity under seasoned leadership, industry watchers say. But it appears NextEra is looking for Christopher Chapel, now a vice president at FPL, to step in eventually as leader of the state's largest utility, with 5.8 million customers. SOUVENIRS — “Disney’s Splash Mountain closed. Now superfans are selling the water,” by The New York Times’ Remy Tumin: “Splash Mountain has been one of the most popular attractions at Walt Disney World for 30 years. So when the log flume ride closed for good on Sunday, instead of saying goodbye, some Disney fans found themselves wrestling with a deeply consequential question: How much would someone pay for a baggie of Splash Mountain water?” — “Latest New College board appointment gives conservatives a majority,” by Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s Zac Anderson — “What did Silicon Valley investor, Mayor Suarez say in private Miami event. We have details,” by Miami Herald’s Vinod Sreeharsha — “Andrew Gillum lawyers want potential jurors quizzed on media exposure to case,” by Tallahassee Democrat’s Jeff Burlew — “Fake nursing diploma scheme in Florida; 25 arrested,” by The Associated Press — “Plan to re-erect confederate monument in Manatee County delayed, alternate sites in play,” by Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s Jesse Mendoza | | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | | — “Ex-chief of Venezuela’s highest court charged with diverting millions in bribes in Miami,” by Miami Herald’s Jay Weaver: “The former chief of Venezuela’s highest court was indicted Thursday in Miami federal court on charges of granting legal favors in exchange for bribery payments that he diverted through local bank accounts and spent on chartered private jets, expensive watches, luxury goods and real estate in South Florida. ” BIRTHDAYS : Former Rep. John Mica …. Doug Bell of Metz, Husband & Daughton (Saturday) Helen Kalla with LotSixteen … Jason Lyons, founder and CEO of Wall Street Conference... Alexandra Thornton … Reginald Darby of Rosewood Strategies LLC (Sunday) State Rep. Christopher Benjamin … Natalie Kelly, CEO of the Florida Association of Managing Entities … John Bozzo, former staff writer for Daytona Beach News-Journal. | | | | 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 | | | | |  |
