Cracking down on Florida schools — with an eye toward China

From: POLITICO Florida Playbook - Monday Sep 25,2023 10:56 am

Sep 25, 2023

DRIVING THE WEEK — Tuesday: Federal redistricting trial starts at 8:30 a.m.

Wednesday: The second GOP debate is set for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif. Gov. Ron DeSantis has qualified for the debate. It will air on Fox Business and on Rumble at 9 p.m. EST.

MIAMI, FLORIDA - JUNE 07: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference held at the Florida National Guard Robert A. Ballard Armory on June 07, 2021 in Miami, Florida. The governor had the press conference to speak about two bills he signed to combat foreign influence and corporate espionage in Florida from governments like China. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Good morning and welcome to Monday.

This time last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis presented a list of policy ideas to crack down on China’s influence and investment in Florida, citing concerns over national security. State lawmakers were happy to oblige with his to-do list.

DeSantis hasn’t yet rolled out any requests for Florida’s next session starting in January. Lawmakers haven't filed any China-related bills yet. But the governor is still leveraging the anti-China measures he already signed into law.

On Friday, four private schools learned they’d be cut off from receiving tuition vouchers after DeSantis alleged that they had “direct ties to the Chinese Communist Party.” Asked for evidence, Florida’s Department of Education pointed to website language about Spring Education Group, the company that owns the schools. It states that it's owned by Primavera Holdings Limited, an investment firm mostly based in Hong Kong and owned by Chinese people living there.

The schools have 15 days from Friday to appeal the decision, said Cailey Myers, communications director at the Department of Education. Park Maitland School and Sagemont Preparatory School said they don’t have ties to any government or political party and want more information about what led to the decision.

The latest actions are similar to those the state took more than 20 years ago under then-Gov. Jeb Bush, when an organization administering voucher dollars cut off funding from the Islamic Academy of Florida, alleging its co-founder had ties to terrorists.

In the coming months, DeSantis has plenty of anti-China policies in Florida he could act on. The governor restricted Chinese nationals from buying land in Florida, and blocked people from being able to access TikTok on public school servers. He signed measures into law obligating companies that do more than $100,000 in business with Florida to disclose connections with China. He also required Florida universities to report donations of over $50,000 from China and banned the Chinese Communist Party's Confucius Institute from Florida colleges and universities.

Bashing China can pay political dividends, polling suggests. Roughly two-thirds of adults in both China and the U.S. view "the other side as an enemy or unfriendly," according to a Morning Consult poll. Elected officials on both sides of the aisle have been hawkish on China and DeSantis has called it the U.S.’ “greatest geopolitical threat.” But critics of Florida’s policies are concerned about fanning racism and enacting discriminatory practices, and hurting the economy.

Yet the actions help draw attention to foreign policy, an area where DeSantis has received backlash from fellow Republicans after characterizing Russia’s war in Ukraine as a “territorial dispute.” As a presidential candidate, he has continued to elevate policy on China over that of Ukraine, including by calling for the U.S. to become less economically dependent on China and telling Glenn Beck in an interview that aired over the weekend that he opposed NATO membership for Ukraine.

— WHERE'S RON? Gov. DeSantis is expected to be fundraising in California this week as he prepares for the second GOP presidential debate. He was at a Never Back Down event for veterans last night in Coronado, Calif.

Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch at: kleonard@politico.com

GO INSIDE THE CAPITOL DOME: From the outset, POLITICO has been your eyes and ears on Capitol Hill, providing the most thorough Congress coverage — from political characters and emerging leaders to leadership squabbles and policy nuggets during committee markups and hearings. We're stepping up our game to ensure you’re fully informed on every key detail inside the Capitol Dome, all day, every day. Start your day with Playbook AM, refuel at midday with our Playbook PM halftime report and enrich your evening discussions with Huddle. Plus, stay updated with real-time buzz all day through our brand new Inside Congress Live feature. Learn more and subscribe here.

DESANTISLAND

MEMO — “DeSantis campaign pre-debate memo criticizes Trump, is dismissive of other rivals despite polling gap closing,” by CBS News’ Aaron Navarro: DeSantis "is the only candidate that can beat both Joe Biden and Donald Trump, and we are the only campaign built for the long haul in terms of resources and organization," DeSantis campaign manager James Uthmeier wrote in the memo.

— “DeSantis stumbles into second debate weaker than ever,” by Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s Zac Anderson

NO EVIDENCE — “Inside the unfounded claim that DeSantis abused Guantánamo detainees,” by NYT’s Matthew Rosenberg and Carol Rosenberg: “An examination of military records and interviews with detainees’ lawyers and service members who served at the same time as Mr. DeSantis found no evidence to back up the claims. The New York Times interviewed more than 40 people who served with Mr. DeSantis or around the same time and none recalled witnessing or even hearing of any episodes like the ones [Mansoor] Adayfi described.”

... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ...

FORT MYERS FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 29: Boats are pushed up on a causeway after Hurricane Ian passed through the area on September 29, 2022 in Fort Myers, Florida. The hurricane brought high winds, storm surge and rain to the area causing severe damage. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

ALMOST ONE YEAR AGO — “As Ian anniversary nears, Florida Disaster Fund has put millions into recovery, rebuild, by USA Today’s John Kennedy: “More than 70 relief groups across the state received major grants from the private, non-profit disaster fund, administered by Volunteer Florida.”

PUSHING BACK — “‘Reading is resistance’: students and parents take on DeSantis’s book bans,” by The Guardian’s Jordan Blumetti: “As the new school year begins, parents of public school students in Miami have become more engaged than ever in resisting the mandate of the DeSantis administration.”

— “Email exchanges show attorneys’ confusion and frustration over Florida’s new education laws,” by the Miami Herald’s Sommer Brugal

PENINSULA AND BEYOND

MIAMI CITY DISTRICT 1 SEAT TO STAY VACANT FOR NOW — Voters will decide who will fill suspended Miami district commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla’s seat, city commissioners decided when they met on Saturday, the Miami Herald reported. The election is set for Nov. 7 as Díaz de la Portilla faces corruption charges. He’s up for reelection, with four others vying for the seat.

— “Tensions loomed large before Broward College president’s resignation: A closer look at the simmering concerns,” by the Sun-Sentinel’s Scott Travis

STUNNING PHOTOS — “Florida has become a zoo. A literal zoo,” by Vox’s Benji Jones: “The Sunshine State is utterly brimming with nonnative species. More than 500 of them have been reported here, which is more than in any other state, and many of them are considered ‘invasive,’ meaning they harm humans or ecosystems.”

CAMPAIGN MODE

WAITING IT OUT — ‘Who wants to get involved and waste money?’ Some GOP donors give up on finding an alternative to Trump, by POLITICO’s Sally Goldenberg, Shia Kapos and Jessica Piper: It’s become evident to a large segment of the donor class that salvation isn’t coming … Only 66 individual donors made contributions of $250,000 or more through the end of June, according to a POLITICO analysis of committee filings from the Federal Election Commission. That marks a 24 percent drop from this time in 2016, when the party last had a competitive primary.

ALL EYES ON IOWA — “Trump and DeSantis fight for the upper hand in Iowa’s early presidential test,” by Bloomberg’s Nancy Cook, Stephanie Lai and Hadriana Lowenkron: Iowa “is way more important than it has been in any other cycle,” said Terry Sullivan, a GOP strategist who ran Florida Senator Marco Rubio’s 2016 presidential campaign. “Trump has built everything on being this invincible candidate. If he does not win there, that is punctured and this becomes a real race.”

VYING FOR NO. 2 — “As DeSantis falters, the race for second place in the GOP primary is open again,” by CNN’s Daniel Strauss and Jeff Zeleny: “With the second GOP debate only days away, Haley has been gaining ground with Republican moderates, according to surveys in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, and is increasingly trying to distinguish herself on both fiscal and foreign policy.”

DATELINE D.C.

FOOD FIGHT — “Luna accuses FDA of ‘hiding what’s in our food,’” by the Tampa Bay Times’ William March: “During the COVIP-19 pandemic, the Food and Drug Administration allowed manufacturers to make minor changes in some food ingredients without changing their labels because of supply problems, as long as the substitutes were minor ingredients with no associated health concerns or nutritional effects. The flexibility has been extended to Nov. 7.”

PROFILE — The WSJ’s Caitlin McCabe and Ben Dummett took a look at Pentwater Capital Management, a Florida hedge fund that’s made millions betting against FTC Chair Lina Khan’s attempts to block high-profile mergers.

IN MEMORIAM

RIP — “Carmel Cafiero, who exposed corruption in Miami for more than 40 years, dies at 76,” by the Miami Herald’s Howard Cohen: “The thing that I find rewarding about my work is informing people, and if by informing people we can avoid one person from being hurt or taken in, then it’s a success,” Cafiero once said in one of her WSVN investigations.

FRIDAY — Florida House chamber to host Lucy Morgan memorial service, according to the Tampa Bay Times. It’ll start at 1 p.m.

ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN

BIRTHDAYS: Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart … state Rep. Michele Rayner … Christina Johnson, president of ON 3 Public Relations (Was Sunday) Generra Peck

Enter the “room where it happens”, where global power players shape policy and politics, with Power Play. POLITICO’s brand-new podcast will host conversations with the leaders and power players shaping the biggest ideas and driving the global conversations, moderated by award-winning journalist Anne McElvoy. Sign up today to be notified of the first episodes in September – click here.