Mr. Speaker comes to Florida

From: POLITICO Florida Playbook - Tuesday Nov 28,2023 11:56 am

Nov 28, 2023

Presented by

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Fla.) at a fundraiser in Longboat Key.

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) at a fundraiser in Longboat Key. | Max Goodman, Rep. Vern Buchanan political adviser.

Good morning and welcome to Tuesday.

Newly-minted U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) needed to start raising some cash for his party. So he turned to Florida.

Republican U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida, who’s one of the wealthiest members of Congress, held a fundraiser Monday night at his Longboat Key mansion for the Johnson Leadership Fund. Host and dinner attendees paid $25,000 each for the event and lower-level tickets came with a photo and reception entry for $10,000. All that helped Johnson bring in $1.4 million, said Buchanan political adviser Max Goodman.

Counted among the 175 guests were members of Florida’s GOP congressional delegation: Reps. Byron Donalds, Kat Cammack, Anna Paulina Luna, Neal Dunn, Greg Steube, Maria Salazar and Laurel Lee. Former Florida Senate Presidents Bill Galvano and Tom Lee attended, as did former Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater.

The event marked the first big fundraising bash for Johnson, who’s still finding his footing in the cash-raising arena. Following weeks of GOP infighting, he catapulted to his role of House speaker in October, after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) moved to have former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) expelled.

As for Buchanan, he has long tapped deep-pocketed donors on behalf of fellow House Republicans. He acknowledged during remarks before the crowd that the last couple of months had been “a challenge” due to the speakership battle but added that he was “honored” Johnson “chose Southwest Florida as his first stop” ahead of the election, according to Goodman.

For the Buchanans, politics is a family affair: Buchanan’s son, GOP state Rep. James Buchanan, was also present at last night’s fundraiser.

Under McCarthy, Buchanan was a contender to be chair of the Ways and Means Committee that’s responsible for writing tax policy and overseeing major benefits programs such as Social Security and Medicare. Though initially seen as a frontrunner for the role, Buchanan got passed over for the spot in favor of GOP Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri. As a result, no Floridians have chaired House committees since 2017.

Outside of the fundraiser, Buchanan chose to spend his time yesterday focused on infrastructure. He and Johnson toured Sarasota Bradenton International Airport's $100 million expansion project that’s expected to create 23,000 jobs.

Democrats trolled the tour through the DNC’s War Room, given that the airport received $16 million of its funding — some of which is paying for new security checkpoints — from President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law. Both Johnson and Buchanan voted against the $1 trillion package.

“Floridians value the value of the infrastructure law and it's important for them to understand who supported those improvements and who voted against them — not be hoodwinked by a speaker flying into town for a fundraiser,” Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor of Tampa told Playbook.

Johnson's office brushed off the criticism, saying the infrastructure law accounted for a small fraction of the expansion that was otherwise paid for by the airport authority. Last week, Johnson met with former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. On Sunday, he'll be headed to fundraise in New York City, reports POLITICO’s Jeff Coltin.

ALSO SPOTTED LAST NIGHT: U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana — who was Interior secretary in the Trump administration — as well as U.S. Reps. Ronny Jackson of Texas, Adrian Smith of Nebraska and Dan Newhouse of Washington state.

— WHERE’S RON? Gov. DeSantis will be on Newsmax for an interview with Eric Bolling at 8 p.m. EST.

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

A message from Unite Us:

America’s 3,000+ counties are on the frontlines of many of our nation’s most pressing challenges. As a result, they’re leading the way in discovering innovative solutions through collaborative partnerships. Join Unite Us as we hear from county and city leaders across the country, who have unleashed innovation in government by leveraging technology solutions and community partnerships to address constituents' health-related social needs and improve service delivery.

... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ...

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.

RECOMMENDATIONS — Florida grand jury calls for new tax to curb illegal immigration, reports POLITICO’s Gary Fineout. A statewide grand jury put into place by Gov. Ron DeSantis to investigate migrant-related issues called on state legislators to impose new restrictions on immigration — including a tax on all wire transfers of money overseas.

In a 146-page report released Monday, the grand jury also urged lawmakers to put additional restrictions on businesses, including requiring all employers to check the names of prospective employees against a federal immigration database. DeSantis got legislators to pass a E-Verify mandate earlier this year, but it only applied to private companies with 25 or more employees amid a behind-the-scenes pushback from business lobbyists.”

COMING UP — “DeSantis-backed bans, limits on gender-affirming care inch closer to trial,” reports Florida Politics’ Christine Jordan Sexton. “A trial challenging medical board rules and a law that banned treatment for minors and put limits on care for adults is on target to begin Dec. 12. A final pre-conference hearing is slated for this week, and both sides have put out their witness lists and filed dozens of exhibits ahead of the trial.”

PUSHING AHEAD — “DeSantis administration seeks go-ahead to enforce Florida's drag show law,” reports News Service of Florida’s Jim Saunders. “After suffering a setback at the U.S. Supreme Court, attorneys for DeSantis' administration on Friday told a federal appeals court that a law aimed at preventing children from attending drag shows is tailored to the state's ‘unquestioned interest in protecting children from exposure to obscenity.’ The state, in a 73-page brief, argued that the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals should overturn a June ruling by U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell that blocked enforcement of the law statewide. Presnell said the law, approved this spring by the Republican-led Legislature and DeSantis, violated First Amendment rights.”

— GOP State Sen. Blaise Ingoglia filed a bill to ban Florida, a former slave state, from paying reparations to descendants of enslaved people, reports KGAN’s Lenny Cohen

PENINSULA AND BEYOND

CHARGED — “Another Joel Greenberg associate arrested. This time, it’s a former SBA employee,” reports the Orlando Sentinel’s Martin E. Comas. Angela Chew in Orlando is “charged with bribing a public official, fraud and conspiracy after federal prosecutors said she helped convicted Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg and one of his associates submit and process fraudulent federal loan applications meant to help small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

TRANS STUDENT ATHLETES — Monarch High’s principal and other staff members were reassigned due to transgender athlete, sources told the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Scott Travis. The school staff are under investigation over “allegations related to a transgender girl playing on the girls’ volleyball team, the South Florida Sun Sentinel has learned. Sources have confirmed that it relates to a student who was born male but now identifies as a girl playing on the volleyball team. A state law signed by DeSantis in 2021 bans transgender girls from playing female sports.”

YBOR SHOOTING — A judge has ordered the suspect in the shooting to stay jailed, reports the Tampa Bay Times’ Dan Sullivan. “Tyrell Phillips, the man accused of killing a 14-year-old boy during an early-morning shootout last month in Ybor City, will remain jailed while he awaits trial, a judge ruled Monday. Hillsborough Circuit Judge Robin Fuson concluded that Phillips posed a danger to the community and there were no release conditions that would ensure the community’s safety.”

A message from Unite Us:

CAMPAIGN MODE

IVY — “DeSantis claims that ‘unadulterated leftism’ marked his time at Yale. But did it?” asks Yale Daily News’ Jane Park and Molly Reinmann. “The News spoke with several of the governor’s former classmates and professors who challenged the accuracy of DeSantis’ statements and pointed to the network of Yale friends who have become significant backers of his campaigns.”

NEW SUPER PAC — “DeSantis courts donors for new political group after tensions flared among allies,” reports ABC News’ Will McDuffie and Hannah Demissie. “DeSantis will meet this week with high-dollar Republicans to try to cement their support for the newest political action committee supporting his presidential bid … Fight Right, Inc. was formed this month to supplement the efforts of Never Back Down … The Tallahassee-based super PAC, which has ties to DeSantis allies Jeff Aaron, David Dewhirst and Scott Ross, will focus solely on TV advertising attacking DeSantis' primary opponents.”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (right) is interviewed by conservative talk show host Sean Hannity (left) in the Spin Room in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (right) is interviewed by conservative talk show host Sean Hannity (left) in the Spin Room in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | Kamil Krzaczynski/Getty Images

A TALE OF TWO THEME PARKS — “DeSantis-Newsom debate is a showdown of two Disney states,” reports the Tampa Bay Times’ Emily L. Mahoney. “The two men share a constituent in that multi-billion-dollar entertainment company — which is headquartered in California near its original park, Disneyland, while the larger Disney World is in Orlando. Both have leveraged that relationship, but in opposite ways.”

Interesting tidbit: Disney wrote a $10,000 check to Newsom’s 2022 successful reelection but the money then got transferred to Newsom’s political action committee, Campaign for Democracy, which the California governor has been using to attack DeSantis.

COMPARING THE STATES — “Health care is front and center as DeSantis and Newsom go mano a mano,” reports KFF News’ Daniel Chang and Angela Hart. At the center of Thursday’s debate “will be homelessness and health care, top priorities for voters — and issues that have largely defined the governors’ policies and leadership styles. From abortion to covid-19 vaccines, Newsom and DeSantis could not be further apart. Earlier this year, DeSantis blasted California for being too generous with public benefit programs, such as Medicaid, which the Golden State has expanded to all eligible residents regardless of immigration status.”

A message from Unite Us:

During this webinar, you'll hear from leaders who are leveraging technology to drive change in:

Merced County, California;
Summit County, Ohio;
Santa Fe County, New Mexico; and
the City of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

We'll dive into:

Success Stories: Discover how county leaders are using technology to improve government services and the health outcomes of their residents.
The Power of Collaboration: Learn about the partnerships and networks that are driving collective impact beyond county borders.
Expert Insights: Gain valuable insights and lessons learned from experienced leaders.

From addressing the opioid crisis to meeting social care needs in the community and in public schools, our panelists have a wealth of knowledge to share. Don't miss out on the chance to be part of this important conversation!

ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN

I BET YOU THINK ABOUT ME — University of Florida will be offering a class on Taylor Swift’s music and that of other female artists, reports WPEC.

BIRTHDAYS: Former state Rep. Omari Hardy … Shawn Balcomb of U.S. Rep. Maria Salazar’s office (R-Fla.)

GET A BACKSTAGE PASS TO COP28 WITH GLOBAL PLAYBOOK: Get insider access to the conference that sets the tone of the global climate agenda with POLITICO's Global Playbook newsletter. Authored by Suzanne Lynch, Global Playbook delivers exclusive, daily insights and comprehensive coverage that will keep you informed about the most crucial climate summit of the year. Dive deep into the critical discussions and developments at COP28 from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12.. SUBSCRIBE NOW.