A morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics.
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MARCO RUBIO MOVES QUICKLY TO CAPITALIZE ON IRS SCANDAL via Alex Leary of the Tampa Bay Times
Rubio moved swiftly on the IRS scandal, calling for the acting commissioner to be fired, introducing legislation and even seeking to raise money off the situation.
“If there was ever a time for conservatives to take a stand against an expanding federal government, it is now. With this issue, the very message of the Tea Party movement has been validated.” Rubio, who has faced some difficulty with the tea party over his involvement in immigration reform, wrote this afternoon to followers of his PAC. “Together we can use this scandal to demonstrate to Americans of all backgrounds just how dangerous the status quo has become in Washington. But we’ll need all hands on deck. You can help by contributing to the Reclaim America PAC today.”
Rubio is also trying to attach an amendment to the water bill that would create criminal penalties for IRS officials who engage in political targeting. He went on the Senate floor today to try to gain support for the amendment.
NATE SILVER: IRS SCANDAL COULD RESONATE IN 2014 MIDTERMS
“My rule of thumb is that a vast majority of alleged political scandals will have less electoral impact than the conventional wisdom initially holds, ” writes Nate Silver. “… But the recent admission by the Internal Revenue Service that it targeted conservative organizations with terms like ‘Tea Party’ or ‘Patriot’ in their names when they applied for tax-exempt status could be an exception. It has the potential to harm Democrats’ performance in next year’s midterm elections, partly by motivating a strong turnout from the Republican base.”
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NRCC CALLS ON PATRICK MURPHY TO DENOUNCE IRS …
In the wake of the news that the Internal Revenue Service targeted a handful of GOP and tea party groups during the 2012 election, the National Republican Congressional Committee will call on Florida’s Patrick Murphy and 42 other House Democrats to condemn the IRS’s actions.
“Silence is simply not an option,” the release says. “This scandal has brought widespread criticism from both Republicans and Democrats.”
… AND MURPHY DOES EXACTLY THAT
“The news regarding the IRS is completely unacceptable. Congress should swiftly and thoroughly investigate this matter, and the administration should provide its complete cooperation to ensure that this never happens again,” Murphy said in a statement released by his office.
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MIGHT SCOTT PULL A BUDGET-LG-VETO TRIFECTA?
Looking at Governor Rick Scott’s upcoming schedule — he leaves for a four-day trade mission to Chile on May 20 — it would appear, to mix metaphors with the headline, several trains are headed for the same destination at about the same time.
Scott has until May 24th to determine whether to sign the budget and which projects to strike if he does. Scott has also said he would soon after the legislative session name a new lieutenant governor.
This leads me to wonder whether Scott might pull a budget-LG-veto trifecta before he heads out of town?
In other words, might Scott sign the budget, lay out budget vetoes and name a new lieutenant governor next Monday morning? Or it that cramming too much into one or two news cycles. It probably is, but does Scott really want to leave the country without naming a new LG?
A source who recently met with Scott and has a plum budget item just begging to be vetoed said the governor told them that, yes, the budget would be signed before he (the Governor) left for Chile and that those who follow such things should look for a “historic” level of line-item vetoes.
EMAILS URGE VETO OF PBSO’S ‘BIG BROTHER’ PROGRAM via the News Service of Florida
Emailers from across the state are urging Gov. Scott to veto $1 million in funding for a “prevention” program at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office that is intended to avert future tragedies like the school shooting in Newtown, Conn.
Opponents view the program as potentially infringing on individual liberties and simply becoming a program for neighbors to spy on neighbors. “You must veto this evil, insidious law that resembles laws of Nazi Germany or Stalinist Russia,” wrote Bay County resident Ernest Brown. Linden Lee of Palm Beach County emailed Scott that, “Law-abiding Americans are sick and tired of having to fear our own government and fight against ever-increasing intrusions into our privacy. And then have to pay for our own violation.”
Brown and Lee are among more than 100 people who have emailed Scott this month against the county program, with subject lines like “Big Brother Law,” “Palm Beach County spying,” and “Palm Beach County’s new Police State.”
Scott has until May 24 to sign the $74.5 billion fiscal plan that includes a line item of $550,000 under the criminal justice section of the budget for the PBSO Violence Prevention Unit and another $450,000 appropriation under human services for the PBSO’s Mental Health Initiative.
TWEET, TWEET: @fineout: Looking unlikely that @FLGovScott will act on budget this week. Heads to RGA event in New Orleans on Wed. Out of town rest of week
MORE TWEETAGE: Still speculative but @FLGovScott may not do his budget vetoes until he returns from trade mission to Chile. Black Friday May 24
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NELSON: NOT PLANNING TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR, BUT NOT SAYING NO IF NEEDED via Scott Powers of the Orlando Sentinel
In an interview, Nelson sounded like he has no desire to be the Democrats’ nominee for governor but is loyal enough to the party that he would not tell Democrats to completely rule him out if they conclude he’s their best hope.
“I don’t know the answer to your question,” Nelson said when asked what would happen if the state party reached that conclusion.
What he would say, however, is what he has been saying for several weeks, that he loves being senator, a job to which he was just re-elected six months ago.
RPOF ASKS, “IF YOU COULD PREVENT PELOSI FROM WINNING BACK THE SPEAKER’S GAVEL, WOULD YOU DO IT?” via contributor Karen Cyphers
As President Obama travels the nation raising money for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the Republican Part of Florida launches a fundraising and communications counterattack to protect its Republican incumbents and support challengers. The “Prevent Pelosi Project” launches today with a simple message: “Do you remember what happened the last time they had complete control of our federal government?”
In the project’s first fundraising mailer, RPOF Chairman Lenny Curry implores his base, “If you could prevent Nancy Pelosi from winning back the Speaker’s Gavel, would you do it?” followed by a list of what he considers “horrendous damages” caused by Obama that would not have happened without Pelosi at the helm. Businessman and former Ambassador John Rood is chairing the finance operations of the Prevent Pelosi Project. Rood was chairman of Romney’s Florida Finance Team in 2012, and previously served as US Ambassador to the Bahamas under President GW Bush. According to Curry and Rood, Florida is in a unique position to prevent the Democrats from regaining a majority: about half of the races Pelosi needs to win are in this state.
SCOTT DRAWS A PRIMARY CHALLENGER via Jeff Henderson of Sunshine State News
Scott has yet to file for a second term for governor, but he’s already drawn a primary opponent — Elizabeth Cuevas Neunder, founder and CEO of the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commence of Florida, and a longtime Republican activist and candidate from Sarasota.
Neunder filed the paperwork to run for the Republican gubernatorial nomination on Monday.
If the name rings a bell, Neunder had a moment in the national political spotlight during the 2012 presidential election. During a debate between the Republican presidential candidates at the end of January 2012 right before the Florida primary, Neunder demanded to know why the field was ignoring Puerto Ricans and asked about their position on Puerto Rico becoming a state. Rick Santorum attempted to answer the question, but Neunder said she was not happy with his response.
PANTOJA DEFECTION MAY SIGNAL HISPANIC OUTREACH NOT GOING WELL via Scott Powers of the Orlando Sentinel
In the latest manifestation of Hispanic frustration to recent conservative currents, former Republican Party of Florida state Hispanic outreach director Pablo Pantoja announced that he has switched to the Democratic Party in anger over some of the currents in the Republican Party.
This was supposed to be a time when the GOP would create new appeal for the rapidly-growing Hispanic voting block. Marco Rubio seemed to be emerging as what Time declared in February to be a “Republican savior,” and in March the Republican National Committee announced a new Hispanic inclusion initiative.
Then anti-immigration and Hispanic-unfriendly elements on the right rose again in recent weeks — trashing Rubio’s immigration proposal and other initiatives from Hispanic-favorite Jeb Bush, and offending Hispanics anew.
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MIAMI CHIROPRACTIC OFFICE ACCUSED OF FORCING EMPLOYEES INTO SCIENTOLOGY, ACCORDING TO FEDERAL INVESTIGATION via contributor Karen Cyphers
A Miami chiropractor and his company forced employees to spend at least half their work days in Scientology courses involving religious practices as well as undergoing “purification” treatments at the Church of Scientology, in addition to other acts of religious coercion, according to the federal government in its pursuit of Equal Employment Opportunity charges.
Chiropractor Dennis Nobbe and his practice Dynamic Medical Services is accused of requiring employees to participate in Scientology religious practices and of having fired at least two employees for their refusal to do so. Nobbe’s employees were forced to engage in “Scientology religious practices, such as screaming at ashtrays or staring at someone for eight hours without moving”, or talking to the wall, according to the EEOC’s complaint.
When employee Norma Rodriguez refused to go to the Church of Scientology after telling a Dynamic supervisor that she was a Jehovah’s Witness, she was fired a week later, the EEOC says. Employee Rommy Sanchez was forced to attend daily sessions that involved jogging on treadmills, taking 20 pills that were described as vitamins and sitting in saunas for up to five hours. After three weeks in these “purification” sessions, Sanchez fainted, but was required to continue this training if she was to keep her job. She stopped attending regular sessions and was terminated.
In the EEOC statement, Robert Weisberg, regional attorney for the commission’s Miami office, said that Nobbe’s practices were a direct and shameful violation of federal law, which protects employees’ freedom from religious coercion at the workplace. Nobbe is far from alone among chiropractors in the practice of Scientology — the two professions are highly aligned in views such as being anti-medication, and some claim that recruitment commonly takes place at these offices.
Religious coercion in the workplace violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF GULF FUND AND $356 MILLION TO FLORIDA via contributor Karen Cyphers
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced Tuesday the launch of the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund which is set to distribute $356 million to Florida, collected through penalties from criminal cases against BP and Transocean from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill. Five Gulf states affected by the spill will receive funds through the Gulf Fund as set forth in the plea agreements with the intent to “remedy harm and eliminate or reduce the risk of future harm to Gulf Coast natural resources.” State and federal agencies are working with NFWF to identify projects. In Florida, the Department of Environmental Protection will direct project proposals. Agency assessments show that marine and coastal environments in northwest Florida were especially affected by the spill, according to a statement by Audubon Florida. DEP has published comprehensive references for Gulf Coast Claims here.
POLICY NOTES
>>>The Agency for Health Care Administration is holding two meetings as it seeks to renew the federal waiver authority to continue to provide Medicaid eligibility to the MEDS-AD group, an optional Medicaid program that funds the extremely ill and the poor elderly.
>>>The Florida Parole Commission meets 9 a.m. The agenda can be found here.
>>>The Florida Public Service Commission holds an internal affairs meeting at 9:30 a.m.
>>>The Florida Workers Compensation Joint Underwriting Association’s Investment Committee holds a teleconference meeting at 10 a.m. The agenda for the meetings can be found here.
STORY I JUST COULDN’T GET INTERESTED IN: “Appeals Court Keeps Kosher Prison Meal Lawsuit Alive”
WEATHERFORD TO ATTEND ‘MAVPAC’ CONFERENCE via Alex Leary of the Tampa Bay Times
House Speaker Will Weatherford will attend the MavPAC annual conference in July in Miami, organizers said.
Weatherford will be joined by former Florida Governor, Jeb Bush, who is the keynote speaker. MavPACco-chairs George P. Bush and Jay Zeidman, and Conference Chairs Slater Bayliss, Jeb Bush Jr., and Luis Gazitua will also attend.
MavPAC seeks to engage engaging young professional Republicans in the political process and has 20 chapters across the country with more than 3,500 members.
“As a small business owner and a husband with a young family, Speaker Weatherford uniquely understands the challenges facing our generation,” said Bayliss. “He has worked tirelessly to bring a voice to young Americans and we are excited to host him at this year’s MavPAC Annual Conference.”
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MIKE HILL WINS GOP PRIMARY IN HD 2 SPECIAL ELECTION
Little more than a week after the end of the legislative session, Republicans in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties headed to the polls Tuesday to choose a nominee to replace the late Rep. Clay Ford who died in March.
With the votes counted, that nominee is Mike Hill, founder of the Northwest Florida Tea Party.
Hill finished well ahead of former Gulf Breeze mayor Ed Gray. The field was rounded out by Mark Taylor, Jack Nobles, Scott Miller and David Radcliffe.
“Tonight the voters of Northwest Florida sent a resounding message that they are tired of the business as usual politicians and ready to turn the page and begin a new era of conservative leadership in our state,” said Hill. “I’m humbled by the trust placed in me by the voters of district 2 and look forward to a spirited general election contest.”
Hill will be a sizable favorite against Democrat Jeremy Lau. Gov. Rick Scott carried the district by 16 points in 2010 against his Democratic opponent, former Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink; Scott narrowly won statewide. Republicans also had an eight-point edge in voter registration, according to state numbers.
Hill began the race trailing Gray, but ran a smart, sharp campaign advised by consultants Tim Baker and Brian Hughes.
TWEET, TWEET: @SteveCrisafulli: Congrats to Mike Hill for winning the HD 2 primary! He’s a true conservative & I look forward to serving with him in the FL House!
TWEET OF THE DAY: @ChrisDorworth: I really believe Clay Ford would be proud RT @SaintPetersblog: Tea Party leader Mike Hill wins GOP primary in HD 2 special election.
BILLY YOUNG WEIGHS BID FOR STATE HOUSE
Currently, District 68 is represented by Democrat Dwight Dudley, a well-liked, but not popular, local attorney whose extended family has deep ties in the community. It goes without saying that Dudley is walking around with a target on his back as Republicans in Tampa Bay and Tallahassee plot how to win the seat back after Dudley won it from them in 2012.
The question is not if a Republican will step up to challenge Dudley, but which one?
Well, there is one name ricocheting in local and state political circles … Billy Young. No, not Bill Young. Billy Young, as in the son of the longtime congressman who was drawn into District 68 after the last round of reapportionment.
Young, 28, is an outreach specialist with National Forensic Science Technology Center, a not-for-profit corporation in Largo that provides training and services for state and local crime labs. In that job, Young handles relations with USF and the Young-Rainey STAR center, and he speaks at conferences and trade shows. He is also a graduate of the University of South Florida.
Young’s name has been bantered about as a possible candidate for at least two months. He was recently in Tallahassee, where he was asked to meet with state Republican leaders to discuss the possibility of his running in 2014.
However, that’s as far as Young is prepared to go right now. Reached by telephone, Young said he and his wife are expecting a child in July and do not want to do anything to distract from such a momentous occasion.
“After that,” said Young, ” I will give the prospect of public service, something my family knows about, its due diligence.”
BOB CORTES TO KICK OFF CAMPAIGN IN LONGWOOD
Bob Cortes, candidate for House District 30, is kicking off his 2014 election campaign with a fundraising reception hosted by Seminole County Sheriff Don Eslinger and four of his hopeful colleagues, Reps. Jason Brodeur, David Santiago, John Tobia and Ritch Workman. The kickoff will be held tonight from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Longwood Community Building on W. Warren. You will be joined by 32 members of his Host Committee, including Commissioners Juan Zapata, Luz Weinberg, Zenaida Denizac, John Quinones and Pete Clarke. RSVP to [email protected]
FRED BRUMMER WILL NOT RUN FOR STATE HOUSE AGAIN
Orange County Commissioner Fred Brummer said Tuesday that he would not run again for the state Legislature next year.
The Apopka accountant faces county term limits next fall. But after that, Brummer had said he was pondering a return to Tallahassee, where he served from 1998 to 2006 until term limits forced him out.
“I have decided not to run,” Brummer said of another stint in the Legislature. He had looked to run for the Apopka-based Dist. 38 post now held by Republican Bryan Nelson.
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DOLPHINS SPENT $9.3 MILLION ON HALTED STADIUM VOTE
The gambit by the Miami Dolphins and their owner Stephen Ross to pay in advance for a special election, while they unsuccessfully lobbied the state Legislature to make the vote count, cost at least $9.3 million, according to the Miami Herald.
The Dolphins agreed to pay a non-refundable $4.8 million to ask Miami-Dade County voters to allow hotel bed tax money to be used for planned renovations to Sun Life Stadium, while the team’s political action committee, Friends of Miami First, spent $4.49 million between April 1 and Friday, the Herald reported. “That total does not include expenses that do not have to be reported because they were not part of the election campaign, including lobbyist and public-relations consultant fees incurred before county commissioners agreed to hold the referendum,” the Herald reported.
The May 14 referendum became a non-issue as the legislative session ended May 3 without the House taking up measures tied to funding proposals involving the Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, Orlando’s Major League Soccer push and the Daytona International Speedway.
REAPPOINTED: Owen McCaul and Christopher Wagner to the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind Board of Trustees.
RYAN McCORMICK JOINS REAL ESTATE ROUNDTABLE
Former Senate Finance subcommittee staff director Ryan McCormick has joined the Real Estate Roundtable as vice president and counsel. McCormick most recently served as senior tax and economic policy counsel for Sen. Bill Nelson. In the 112th Congress, he served as staff director of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth.
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