Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — August 12

Sunburn – The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics.

By Peter Schorsch ([email protected]; @SaintPetersBlog) with Phil Ammann ([email protected]; @PhilAmmann) and Ryan Ray ([email protected]; @RyanRay_Fla).

BATTLE LINES: TENSIONS FLARE AS FLORIDA LAWMAKERS WEIGH NEW MAP via Steve Bousquet, Mary Ellen Klas, and Jeremy Wallace of the Tampa Bay Times

Florida lawmakers intensified their criticism of the Florida Supreme Court’s redistricting ruling … In a day-long hearing, legislators reviewed the base map drawn by legislative staffers and focused their criticism on the court’s mandate to create an east-west district across a 200-mile stretch of North Florida that would favor the election of a black candidate in 2016. The proposed district reconfigures one held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown since 1992.

In speeches laced with resentment, lawmakers accused the court of “embedding” a map drawn by Democratic “partisan operatives” in their decision and questioned the court’s respect for the separation of powers between the two branches of government.

“How does the court come in here to run roughshod over the Legislature?” asked Sen. Tom Lee … Sen. Rob Bradley … raised concerns that the court directive to make specific changes smacked of the kind of partisan activity that legislators have been accused of doing.

“If the Florida Supreme Court is basically drawing a map, and they know that the map was drawn by partisan Democratic operatives, how are the justices complying with the Constitution?” Bradley asked.

FACEBOOK STATUS OF THE DAY via Scott Randolph: So the Republican staffers found it necessary to keep the entire city of Tampa in one Congressional district, but had no problem splitting Orlando into 3 different Congressional seats, even though they admitted that for Central Florida they started with Orlando and moved out from there. Then they said they wanted to keep Pinellas together even though they then split Orange into 4 districts. These districts are still laced with partisan intent drawn by partisan staffers working for partisan leadership. We really just need the courts to draw them and get it over with.

TWEET, TWEET: @Fineout: State Sen. @BillGalvano tells reporters that the base map will not be “rubberstamped” by legislative panel.

TWEET, TWEET: @MDixon55: Tom Lee says he might need to hire an attorney for himself to advise him through rest of redistricting process

DON’T SPLIT LEON IN CONGRESSIONAL MAPS, LOCAL LEADERS PLEADS via Bill Cotterell of the Tallahassee Democrat

Leon County political leaders urged House and Senate redistricting committees not to split their county into two congressional districts Tuesday, but there appears to be little chance of keeping the region whole.

Sen. Bill Montford said he would try to draw an amendment to alter the east-west district drawn in a “base map” that legislators are using as a starting point in the special legislative session. …“I’m less optimistic today than I was yesterday,” Montford said after the day-long meeting. “The Supreme Court is adamant that this District 5 goes east and west. If that’s the ground rules, then what we have to do is to continue to find a district east and west that will keep Leon County whole. That’s going to be a challenge.”

Jon Ausman and Leon Supervisor Ion Sancho said Leon County has a good record of electing blacks to office, even in districts that are mostly white. Ausman noted that a black county commissioner, tax collector and two county judges won although only about 28 percent of the county’s voters are black, and that the city elected a mayor and city commissioner, with about one-third black population.

But getting majorities of the joint committees, then the full House and Senate, to override staff recommendations in the “base map” will be a political long shot for local lawmakers.

TWEET, TWEET: @SaintPetersBlog: One of the weirdest moments of my life? Ten years ago, when, unsolicited, Jon Ausman, showed me pic (supposedly) of his half-naked wife.

TWEET, TWEET: @BylineBrandon: Ion Sancho says he believes Leon County is least racially polarized county in Florida

CORRINE BROWN SAYS SHE WILL GO BACK TO FEDERAL COURT via the Associated Press

Brown says she will return to federal court to try to block changes to her congressional district … Her move came a day after the veteran Democrat had a setback in federal court.

Brown and other black leaders in central Florida last week filed to intervene in an already existing lawsuit that challenged the current shape of her district. But those behind that lawsuit withdrew it … Brown will have to start over.

DAN WEBSTER SAYS NEW SEAT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO WIN via Jeremy Wallace of the Tampa Bay Times

Webster … issued strong objections to a proposed redistricting map in the Florida Legislature that he said is an attempt to “eliminate” him from Congress.

Webster… only sitting member of Congress to speak to the Florida Legislature … said he feels his re-election has been “disfavored” in the proposed map, which goes against a state constitutional prohibition against favoring or disfavoring any incumbents.

“The new district 10 changes are so significant it makes that seat impossible to win,” Webster said.

TWEET, TWEET: @JacobPerry: I feel like Dan Webster has finally figured out the purpose behind the Democratic Party initiative in Fla called “Fair Districts”

TWEET, TWEET: @SteveBousquet: The Capitol hearing room where U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster pleaded with lawmakers for a new map is two floors above the room named for Webster.

CORRINE BROWN TO FILE PRE-EMPTIVE LEGAL CHALLENGE AGAINST MAP via Mary Ellen Klas of the Tampa Bay Times

Brown … would file a lawsuit … urging the court “in an effort to keep Congressional District 5’s boundaries as they are currently.”

Brown has argued for weeks that the court’s directive to shift her district’s configuration will weaken the rights of black voters. Last week, she tried to use a pending lawsuit challenging the state’s congressional map as her lever to bring down a proposed map moving through the Florida Legislature, claiming it will result in “minority vote dilution and hamper the ability of the state’s minority residents to elect a candidate of choice.”

But that opportunity expired … when the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, William Warinner and James Miller, asked the federal court in the Northern District of Florida to dismiss the case … complained that Brown’s district, as drawn by the Florida Legislature, was “bizarrely shaped,” an “unjustifiable concentration of African-American voters” and a violation of their equal protection rights under the 14th Amendment.  Last week, Brown filed a motion to intervene in the case, claiming that the “base maps” proposed by the Legislature will result in “minority vote dilution and hamper the ability of the state’s minority residents to elect a candidate of choice.”

***Today’s SUNBURN is brought to you by Bright House Networks, a trusted provider of industry-leading communications and networking services to businesses of all sizes, from startups to large, multi-site organizations. Our Enterprise Solutions provides the fiber connectivity, cloud and managed services  today’s large organizations demand, while our Business  Solutions team works with small- to mid-size companies to ensure they get the right services to fit their needs and their budget. Find out why so many businesses in your area trust their communications needs to Bright House Networks. Learn more at brighthouse.com/business.***

TRAIL MIX

DONALD TRUMP’S UNSCRIPTED STYLE WORKING IN FLORIDA, BUT SOME REPUBLICANS ARE WORRIED via Alex Leary of the Tampa Bay Times

On Donald Trump, Florida Republicans agree: His unscripted, anti-politician style is connecting with people fed up with scripted politicians. “I’m a whiner and I keep whining and whining until I win,” Trump declared … But consensus is lost on everything else — from how long the part-time Florida resident and full-time provocateur will last, to his effect on the GOP’s chances of winning the presidency.

“When he says things that make everybody cringe, it doesn’t matter. For the people who get it, that’s just not important,” said Sid Dinerstein, a former GOP chairman in Palm Beach County. “He’s helping the brand … The debate last week was the single-biggest nonsports event in the history of Fox.” Actually, in the history of cable TV.

“He’s hurting the brand,” said state Sen. Don Gaetz … who is worried that Trump will do well enough that the Republican nominee will have to pay homage to him during the convention next July.

JEB BUSH BLAMES HILLARY CLINTON AND OBAMA FOR IRAQ’S DECLINE via Adam Nagourney of the New York Times

The war in Iraq, which dominated American presidential politics in 2004 and 2008, has returned as an issue in 2016. This time, the argument is not over whether the United States should have gone to war, but rather how the Obama administration sought to end it.

Bush issued a blistering attack on Tuesday on the Obama administration’s handling of Iraq and terrorism issues, asserting that Hillary Rodham Clinton… had “stood by” as secretary of state as the situation in Iraq deteriorated.

He said President Obama and Clinton had orchestrated an early withdrawal of American troops, setting the stage for the chaos sweeping the region now and the rise of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL.

“That premature withdrawal was the fatal error, creating the void that ISIS moved in to fill,” Bush declared in a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Tuesday night.

“Where was the secretary of state, Secretary of State Clinton, in all of this? Like the president himself, she had opposed the surge, then joined in claiming credit for its success, then stood by as that hard-won victory by American and allied forces was thrown away.”

With his speech, Bush found himself in a position of going after Clinton on an issue in which many Republicans argue she is vulnerable — but at the risk of reminding voters of what Republicans see as one of his own great potential weaknesses: his last name. Bush’s brother, President George W. Bush, led the United States into war in Iraq in 2003 and, when it was going badly in 2006, ordered the commitment of additional forces there in what came to be known as the surge. His father, the elder President George Bush, ordered the nation’s first invasion of Iraq in 1990.

At the same time, it put Clinton — who lost the nomination to Obama in no small part in 2008 because she had supported the Iraq war while he opposed it — in a situation of defending how Mr. Obama sought to end the war there.

“This is a pretty bold attempt to rewrite history and reassign responsibility,” said Jake Sullivan, Clinton’s senior policy adviser and her former aide at the State Department. “They cannot be allowed to escape responsibility for the real mistake here. They might hope we’ll all forget, but the American people remember.”

TWEET OF THE DAY: @JebBush: I met a fellow joyful tortoise on my way to the Reagan Library.

BUSH AND HILLARY CLINTON HAD AN EPIC PHOTOSHOP FIGHT ON TWITTER via Liz Stinson of Wired

Bush recently took to Twitter to offer Clinton some graphic design advice. The Republican presidential candidate, whose logo has drawn its own special breed of attention, offered what you might call a reworking of Clinton’s divisive ‘H’ logo. It proved the final blow in a brief but spectacular picture-war on Twitter between the two candidates. It began early yesterday, with Hillary Clinton, talkin’ ’bout the issues.

Then someone in Jeb’s camp decided to lend their own Photoshop-y spin to the idea. But wait! Hillary’s people have some edit suggestions. And last, Jeb hits where it hurts: right in the logo.

We’d all love to assume Hillary and Jeb were doing this personally, seated angrily in front of their laptops with fire in their hearts and a killer Photoshop layer mask in their hands. But this was almost certainly the result of some awesomely overzealous social media teams.

It was a great moment in campaign, nay, American history.

BUSH TO APPEAR ON STEPHEN COLBERT’S FIRST ‘LATE SHOW’ via Jennifer Shutt of POLITICO

Bush is scheduled to appear on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on Sept. 8, the comedian’s first show at CBS.

“My first GOP candidate! Luckily I do 200 shows a year, so I think I can fit them all,” Colbert announced in a tweet. Bush joked back, “Only if you have at least two of us on each show.”

MARCO RUBIO, AMID SOARING MOMENTS, STICKS TO STEADY COURSE via Jeremy Peters of the New York Times

Rubio … earned glowing praise and predictions about how formidable a contender he would be when he announced his run for the White House … Then he disappeared on a two-month fund-raising trip. Rubio delivered one of the strongest performances at the Republican debate in Cleveland, by most accounts. But rather than trying to build on that with a busy schedule of appearances before primary voters, he is off again, this time on a fund-raising swing to Seattle and Southern California.

The Rubio presidential campaign so far has been a lot of fits and starts: It impresses. It raises expectations. Then it goes quiet.

Rubio describes this rhythm as part of a long-term plan. Much like Jeb Bush, a fellow Floridian who refers to himself as “the tortoise” on a slow and steady path … Rubio is aiming to keep his head down until the fall, when more voters will be paying attention.

“You can’t get caught up in it,” he said with an indifferent shrug, playing down the positive reviews he received after the debate. The pundits commending him now will be just as quick to call him a failure the next time he slips, he said.

But the peril for Mr. Rubio is that his opponents — inside and outside the Republican Party — are not waiting for him to introduce himself to voters on his own terms.

RUBIO WANTS YOU TO KNOW THAT A FERTILIZED HUMAN EGG CANNOT BECOME A CAT (OR A DONKEY) via Amanda Marcotte of Slate

Rubio, who was considered to be “a new member of the top tier in the Republican race” back in April, has slid down into seventh place in a crowded field, with only 5.2 percent of potential Republican voters … Rubio’s latest dork-out is not rap-related, nor does it involve a water bottle, but it’s still pretty hard to take.

Rubio appeared on CNN … he kept insisting that this vague entity called “science” has declared that human life begins at conception … Chris Cuomo vainly tried to point out that “science” says no such thing, and Rubio got a little excited.

“Let me interrupt you. Science has—absolutely it has. Science has decided… Science has concluded that—absolutely it has. What else can it be?” … Rubio reared up for what he clearly intended as his wowza line: “It cannot turn into an animal. It can’t turn into a donkey. The only thing that that can become is a human being.”

Rubio, grinning with pleasure at the sick burn he’s about to administer, replied, “Well, if they can’t say it will be human life, what does it become, then? Could it become a cat?”

Rubio is so in love with his joke that his campaign is making a thing of it: creating a petition—decorated with a cute picture of a cat—declaring that a fertilized egg has the potential to develop into a person and not a cat. Which no one disputes.

UNITED FOR CARE SAYS MARCO RUBIO “DOESN’T RESPECT THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE” WHEN IT COMES TO STATES LEGALIZING WEED via Mitch Perry of Florida Politics

For years, Rubio has been very clear on the campaign trail that he opposes the legalization of marijuana. But what about for medicinal purposes, as is the law of the land in 19 states, and may be again on the ballot in Florida in 2016?

“I’ve said that I’m open to medicinal uses, of anything, particular marijuana, and in fact, if it goes through the FDA process and you can come up with a proven medicinal benefit to that substance, I’m open to that,” the Florida Senator told NBC’s Chuck Todd in an interview broadcast on Meet The Press … “I’m not in favor of legalizing marijuana. I’m not. I never have been.”

His comments were rebuked … by United for Care, the political action committee attempting to get a medical marijuana initiative on the 2016 ballot in Florida.

“It’s unfortunate that Florida’s senior senator and leading Republican presidential contender, Marco Rubio, has taken a position in clear opposition to the rights of the states to determine their own course on marijuana laws,” campaign manager, Ben Pollara said … “As a Floridian, it seems to me Rubio is proactively telling our state that he doesn’t respect the will of the people. Can you imagine if a President Rubio sent federal agents to Florida to raid legal marijuana businesses and patients in the case that he became president and we passed a constitutional amendment?”

ASSIGNMENT EDITORS: Bush campaigns in Nevada. Rubio will hold fundraisers on the West Coast.

TOUGH STORIES ABOUT MY FRIENDS

“David Jolly donated to Planned Parenthood executive” via Javier Manjarres for Breitbart.com

“Patrick Murphy named one of America’s least effective Congressmen based on bills passed in his first term” via Kyle Munzenrieder of the Miami New Times

REBECCA NEGRON ROLLS OUT TREASURE COAST SUPPORT FOR CONGRESSIONAL BID via George Bennett of the Palm Beach Post

In a crowded Republican primary … from outside Palm Beach-Treasure Coast congressional District 18, Rebecca Negron is emphasizing her hometown roots. Negron … announced endorsements from four past chairs of the Martin County Republican Party (Susan Auld, Kate Boland, Sherry Plymale and Charlie Kane), plus St. Lucie County Republican Committeeman Michael Hofstee and Martin County Republican Women Federated President Diane McKechnie.

Eight Republicans and four Democrats have announced they’re running for the District 18 seat … Two of the Republicans — financial adviser Paul Spain and Army special ops combat veteran Brian Mast — live outside the district. A third — Arkansas-based pundit and fundraiser Noelle Nikpour — only registered to vote there last month. Former Maryland congressional candidate Dan Bongino and Bill Castle, a legal adviser to Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch who lives in Virginia, have also considered running as Republicans for the seat.

2018 WATCH: BOB BUCKHORN’S SUPER PAC TAKES IN MODEST $2,500 FOR JULY, WHILE ADAM PUTNAM’S RAISES $106,840 via Mitch Perry of Florida Politics

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn … wasn’t thinking at all about his electoral future until after the 2016 election … the mayor has not been shy about the fact that he is thinking of running for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2018.

A look at the July fundraising totals for One Florida, his political action committee, would indicate that it certainly isn’t a priority for anyone involved with Team Buckhorn … just three contributions for the month, for a total of $2,500.

Five-hundred dollars came from RMC Property Group, a real estate company based in Tampa, and there were two $1,000 contributions: one from Republic Services of Florida, a trucking company out of Jacksonville, and $1,000 from Envirocycle, a recycling and solid waste collection company out of Fort Lauderdale.

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam’s political action committee brought in a robust $106,840. That’s a total of 1,908,517.22 … Putnam has also been rumored to be a candidate for governor in 2018.

BUDDY DYER NETS $115K IN JULY, REACHES $290K FOR RE-ELECTION BID via Florida Politics

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer continued his impressive drive in July toward a fifth term with $115,000 in campaign contributions … $95,000 in donations made to his individual account and an additional $20,000 coming from his super PAC Moving Orlando Forward. He’s reached $290,000 for the campaign with about $245,000 of it on hand.

The bipartisan group of donors included the Orlando Chamber of Commerce, several firefighter unions and political action committees from across the state, as well as major lobbying and developing powerhouses in the area. Dyer has no major opposition at this point.

SARASOTA DEMOCRAT SAYS HIS JULY FUNDRAISING TOTAL TOPS ALL STATE HOUSE CANDIDATES via Zac Anderson of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Sarasota Democrat Edward James III continues to pad his fundraising total in a bid to unseat Rep. Ray Pilon … James collected $26,388 in July and a political committee backing his campaign raised $10,100.

After deducting expenses, James and the New Direction Florida committee now have $52,367 cash on hand compared with $47,464 for Pilon, who raised $2,250 in July. … it’s unusual for a challenger to have more money than an incumbent lawmaker in the majority party.

***Today’s SUNBURN is brought to you by Jamestown Associates, one of the most successful political and public affairs consulting firms in Florida and the nation. Jamestown produces victories for our clients by creating TV, radio, mail and digital advertising that gets the voters’ attention and their votes. Persuasive ads. Personalized attention. Detailed review of demographics, past election results and history. Understanding the client. Understanding Florida. Single-minded focus on winning. Jamestown’s work has been recognized with 50 Pollie and Reed awards. See how we can help you win. Visit JamestownAssociates.com***

RICK SCOTT SAYS ONLINE JOB DEMAND ON RISE IN FLORIDA via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics

Scott’s office said … online job openings have jumped during the past year, with July’s openings marking the state’s highest since May 2005. … figures from Help Wanted OnLine represent an increase of 800 listings in the state from June numbers for a total of 273,900 listings last month, with most available openings in the metro areas of Tampa, Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville and Fort Lauderdale. The statewide increase includes dips of 1,500 openings in Orlando and 600 openings in the Miami area as well as a gain of 300 in the Tampa Bay area.

While Florida posted a gain for the month, it lagged behind other large states. California added the most openings with 12,100 and New York added 9,200. Texas saw a drop of 4,800 openings. Neighboring states Georgia and Alabama saw gains of 3,000 and 4,900 jobs, respectively.

Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Director Jesse Panuccio said the job openings were an important economic indicator and said the July increase showed a “long-term trend of robust demand across the state.” The total number of listings in the state has climbed by about 8,000 jobs year over year – an increase of about 3 percent.

SCOTT SAYS SHADE MAKER TO EXPAND, ADD JOBS IN MIAMI HEADQUARTERS via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics

Scott’s office announced … a Miami-based outdoor shade manufacturer will add 21 jobs and spend $1.25 million on a 100,000 square-foot facility in the area.

TUUCI, shorthand for The Ultimate Umbrella Co., produces several styles of shade structures, from parasols to pool-side pavilions and lounges, and has been operating in Miami since it was founded 17 years ago. TUUCI CEO Dougan Clarke said those Miami roots were a factor in the company’s decision to stay and expand operations.

… (T)he company will receive some incentives under the Qualified Target Industry Fund, which gives tax rebates to companies that add jobs with higher wages than the area average … the company got help with site selection and the application process for incentives from The Beacon Council, a public-private partnership that acts as the economic development arm of Miami-Dade County.

READY FOR ANOTHER MEDICAID DEBATE? PROGRAM COULD COST FLORIDA ANOTHER $500 MILLION NEXT YEAR via Kathleen McGrory of the Tampa Bay Times

Just weeks after a $1 billion hole in Florida’s health care budget threatened to cause a government shutdown, another budget crisis could already be looming … State economists predict Medicaid will cost the state an additional $500 million in 2016-17, in large part because enrollment in the subsidized health care program is expected to grow.

With the private health plans that cover Florida’s Medicaid population already seeking more money from the state and hospitals requesting more for charity care, the need for an additional $500 million would be “impossible for the state to fulfill,” … Scott said in a letter to state budget officials …

“We must immediately implement all options available to us to offset these new Medicaid costs, and work to produce more savings in every part of our healthcare system …”

The latest Medicaid cost projections, which put overall spending for the program at $24.8 billion next year, gave Scott another reason to grumble … suggested tackling the issue through new laws to “encourage competition and transparency in pricing.”

HALF OF COLLEGE-EDUCATED FLORIDIANS LIVE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK via Donna Gehrke-White of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Forty-nine percent of Floridians ages 25 to 34 with college degrees or some college education say they live paycheck to paycheck, according to a new poll from LendingTree.com … That’s higher than the 38 percent national average in the same age group … many younger Florida residents are feeling the pressures of college loans and a still-recovering job market.

Even as the economy improves, Floridians earn less than the national median income. The state’s median household income is $46,036 annually vs. $52,250 nationally, according to the latest Census Bureau data from 2013.

FLORIDA HOUSE WILL MAKE RICHARD CORCORAN SPEAKERSHIP OFFICIAL ON SEPT. 16 via Tia Mitchell of the Florida Times-Union

Florida House Republicans are scheduled to meet Sept. 16 to officially designate Richard Corcoran as House speaker for 2016-2018 … his planned speech will outline policy priorities for his tenure, which would begin after the 2016 general election and include the 2017 and 2018 sessions … we still don’t know who will serve as Senate President alongside Corcoran’s speakership. Republican Sens. Joe Negron … and Jack Latvala … are both vying for the seat. And both have said they have enough support to win the election… no election has been scheduled.

BILL WOULD BAN BUSINESSES FROM FIRING GAYS via Dan Sweeney of the Orlando Sentinel

Members of the Florida Legislature are trying to make workplace discrimination against gay and transgendered workers illegal — for the seventh year in a row … The Competitive Workforce Act would make it illegal to fire someone based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Most cities and counties in South Florida already prohibit such firings, but statewide, they are still legal.

The bill was first proposed in the 2010 session and has been refiled every session since. It has never had a single committee hearing in either house of the Legislature.

“The bill really encompasses two things,” said State Rep. Holly Raschein … who filed the bill … for the January 2016 regular session. “It encompasses philosophy — there are members who are really, personally opposed to the issue – and politics. That’s where things can change. We’ve got a big election coming up, and depending on where your district is, it’s not as politically jarring as you would think.”

Instead of it simply being an LGBT issue, Republicans such as Raschein have cast the bill as pro-business. Attracting the best and brightest workers to the state, the thinking goes, is only possible when LGBT workers don’t have to worry about being fired for their orientation or identity.

SCOTT PLAKON FILES BILL TO SHIELD CHURCHES FROM SAME-SEX MARRIAGE LAWSUITS via Gray Rohrer of the Orlando Sentinel

Plakon … filed legislation … to prevent clergy members and churches from being sued because they refuse to preside over same-sex marriages … known as the “pastor protection” bill, specifically prevents churches or clergy members from being required to “solemnize” or provide goods or services to same-sex marriage ceremonies that conflict with their “sincerely held religious beliefs.” It also prevents governments from targeting churches’ tax-exempt status or ability to contract with governments as a way to punish churches that don’t participate in same-sex marriages.

Although Plakon didn’t cite specific concerns about threats to target churches with lawsuits, he pointed to the uncertainty of future litigation as a reason to have additional protection for churches refusing to participate in same-sex marriage ceremonies.

“In light of how quick the trajectory of all this has been moving nationally, it’s impossible to predict where this ends up in the courts,” Plakon said.

JAX MAYOR LENNY CURRY FACES COMPLEX, HOT-BUTTON ISSUES AS BUDGET HEARINGS SET TO BEGIN via David Bauerlein and Nate Monroe of the Jacksonville Times-Union

Republican lawmakers sniped Tuesday at the Florida Supreme Court for rejecting the Legislature’s congressional redistricting map, but appear likely to follow justices’ approach to fixing troubled boundaries.

A proposed “base” map drawn by legislative staff members includes most of the court’s proposed changes and was pored over for hours Tuesday by House and Senate redistricting committees.

***On September 17-18, Florida CHAIN will host its 1st Annual Conference, Moving Forward Together in a New Era of Health Care. It’s an opportunity to join national experts, advocates, consumers, navigators, health care providers, policy makers, and other stakeholders to learn about pressing health policy topics, acquire new skills, and network with other participants dedicated to improving the health of all Floridians. In addition to two plenary sessions, a keynote address, engaging workshops, and interactive trainings, an exciting awards dinner will be held the evening of September 17th. Learn more and register today at www.MovingForwardFlorida.org.***

IN THE DEPARTURE LOUNGE: Michael Mahaffey, communications director for U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, who emails: “Today is my final day in Congressman Tom Rooney’s office before I begin law school full-time this fall. It’s been a pleasure working with you.”

NEW LOBBYING REGISTRATIONS

David Altmaier: Office of Insurance Regulation

Barney Bishop: Breaking the Cycle Consulting, Inc.; HEADS USA

Carol Bracy, Ballard Partners: Public Health Trust

Debbie Mortham: Foundation for Florida’s Future

Caitlin Murray: Office of Insurance Regulation

Foyt Ralston, Bryant Miller Olive: City of Gretna

NEW ON THE TWITTERS: Brittany Dover @NickelDover

PERSONNEL NOTE: CAITLIN MURRAY NAMED GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DIRECTOR FOR OFFICE OF INSURANCE REGULATION via Florida Politics

Murray has been tapped as director of government affairs for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation … Murray will handle oversight of the agency’s government affairs initiatives in both the Legislature and Cabinet.

“I am excited to join the Office and honored to work with Commissioner McCarty,” Murray said. “I look forward to increasing my knowledge of Florida’s regulatory environment and the challenges facing the insurance industry while bringing a greater understanding of these important issues to the Florida Legislature and Cabinet.”

LOBBYIST Q2 COMPENSATION ROUND UP via Ryan Ray of Florida Politics

ANFIELD CONSULTING TAKES IN $560K 

Anfield Consulting collected $560,000 last reporting quarter … The team of Frank Bernardino, Edgar Fernandez, Lee Killinger and Albert Balido managed a profitable portfolio of 87 contracts that was heavy on the legislative side … About $405,000 of their earnings came from work with state lawmakers, the remaining $155,000 stemming from executive agency lobbying.

The firm’s single biggest contract was with engineering and business consultancy Parsons Brinckerhoff, which each paid Anfield between $30,000 and $39,999 in legislative lobbying fees … The Indian River County Board of County Commissioners may have contributed more, however, compensating Anfield to the tune of an estimated $40,000 between legislative and executive fees.

Other major clients included Florida Crystals and ALICO, who combined to account for $50,000 … Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and WaterSmart Software … at between $10,000 and $19,999 each accounted for the firm’s largest executive contracts.

Anfield had a solid roster of clients in municipal government: Broward County, Frostproof, Miami, Monroe County Board of Commissioners, Palm Beach County, Polk County Board of Commissioners, and Seminole Public Schools Foundation …

GUNSTER TAKES IN $470K

Gunster Yoakley & Stewart … hauled in an estimated $470,000 in consulting fees … In their first quarter since adding veteran influencer Cameron Yarbrough to their roster, Gunster managed 38 executive lobbying clients who paid a total of about $110,000 along with 33 legislative clients who accounted for $360,000.

Washington-based employment services giants TrueBlue Inc. … Gunster’s client with the biggest invoice at between $40,000 and $49,999 for legislative representation in the Capitol, followed by Associated Industries of Florida, which brought in between $30,000 and $39,999. Coalition of Affordable Housing Providers, Florida Goodwill Association, Mears Transportation Group … accounted for an estimated $25,000 each, as did Realauction.com, RAI Services and All My Sons Moving and Storage.

Other major clients … include Motorola Solutions — which chipped in another $10,000 between legislative and executive contracts — as well as Gulf Power Co., Coalition of Affordable Housing Providers, and 1-800-Contacts. Gunster’s lobbying team … Joanna Bonfanti, Derek Bruce, Adam Corey, Lila Jaber, Gregory Munson, Kellie Scott and Larry Williams, as well as the new addition of Yarbrough.

ADAMS STREET ADVOCATES PULLS DOWN $375K

Tallahassee-based governmental affairs consultancy Adams Street Advocates hauled in $375,000 … boasted a wide and varied portfolio … Symantec and Intuit, Inc. – who combined to account for some $60,000 in lobbying fees – to public interest clients like The Everglades Foundation and Florida Coalition for the Homeless.

Other big-time clients … included Florida Pharmacy Association, Brevard County-based Harris Corporation and business software giant Infor, who contributed up to $19,999 each in legislative lobbying fees. Adams Street played consultants to the consultants of “Big Four” accounting firm KPMG, who paid an estimated $15,000 for representation between executive branch agencies last quarter.

Clients that ponied up up to $9,999 for both legislative and executive contracts with the firm included Capital Asphalt, Florida Technology Council, Florida Association of Local Agencies on Aging, Gold Coast Bench and City of Ft. Lauderdale.

The Adams Street team … Tanya Jackson, Bryan Cherry, Robert Beck, Claudia Davant, Lauren Jackson, and David and Candice Ericks.

ADAMS & REESE COLLECTS $120K

Adams & Reese – the one-man lobby shop piloted by former Florida House Speaker H. Lee Moffitt – took in … some $120,000 … around $90,000 of that came from work influencing state lawmakers, with the remaining $30,000 stemming from representation before executive state agencies.

The former Tampa representative for whom the renowned Moffitt Cancer Center is named boasted a small but potent roster of clients … The highest-paying concern was AAA Auto Club South, which contributed an estimated $40,000 to the firm’s bottom line, including between $30,000 and $39,999 for legislative lobbying. Building Owners & Managers Association of Florida was the runner-up, compensating the firm to the tune of $30,000.

Transportation and medical interests dominated … American Coatings Association, AutoNation, Martin Memorial Health Systems, Time Customer Service, and Martin Memorial Health Systems rounded out the client list, adding another $50,000 …

GOMEZ BARKER FIRM PULLS IN $230K

Miami-based governmental affairs firm Gomez Barker took in an estimated $230,000 … The firm’s three-lobbyist team — composed of Fausto Gomez, Manny Reyes, and William Helmich — represented 29 clients … all for legislative work.

The roster of interests was heavily South Floridian: Seven of their eight highest-paying clients were based in the Miami area …  Miami-Dade Expressway Authority … about $35,000 … municipalities of Coral Gables, North Bay Village, South Miami, Cutler Bay, Key Biscayne and Miami-Dade County … all paid about $15,000 each for a combined total of $90,000 in consulting fees.

Only film industry advocacy group COMPASS, headquartered in St. Augustine, was from outside the area … between $10,000 and $19,999 for Gomez Barker’s services as well.

***Conversa is a women- and minority-owned, full-service public affairs, public relations, design and research firm, specializing in the development of campaigns that help you listen, understand, engage, and interact with local and global audiences. We’ve helped organizations ranging from Fortune 500 clients and national nonprofits to small businesses and international associations define messages, protect interests, influence opinion leaders, and create the conditions necessary for social change. To learn more about how we get people talking, visit www.Conversaco.com.***

CONTEXT FLORIDA: ARROGANT BILLIONAIRES, TECHNICAL DISRUPTIONS AND DONALD TRUMP

On Context Florida: Our next president may well owe the office to arrogant billionaires or be one himself, says Martin Dyckman. Meanwhile, The New York Times reports that fewer than 400 families account for nearly half the $388-million already invested in that election still more than a year away. Did America shed blood to be rid of monarchy only to have it come to this? Blake Dowling asks: What is technical disruption? Simply described, he thinks of it as new innovations that constantly drive our society and economy in new and different directions; allowing us or in some instances forcing us to do things in a new way. Disruption is nothing new (see mule business) but it strikes fast and furious these days. Our business of technology is all over the place with disruptions (which Dowling likes to see as opportunities) around every corner. Darryl Paulson offers two critical points concerning Donald Trump. First, he is barely a Republican. Second, he is certainly not a conservative. Trump is at the top right now because he is perceived as the non-politician in the age where Americans of all political stripes hate the establishment. Paulson believes Trump will lose because he is running as a Republican this year simply because he feels like it.

Visit Context Florida to dig in.

ABCS OF GOOGLE’S NEW NAME ALPHABET via Mae Anderson of the Associated Press

Most corporate naming experts say Google’s decision to reorganize its businesses under a new holding company called “Alphabet” is close to letter perfect … it will mainly be used on Wall Street.

But the name Alphabet itself is simple and fits with Google’s reputation as being “user friendly and elementary” … The move by Google highlights how important corporate names are. Creating a corporate name — or changing it — is a delicate balance. A good name must convey what the company stands for. It should be catchy, too.

Most naming experts agree that Google struck the right balance with Alphabet … Google is staying mum about how they came up with the name, but CEO Larry Page explained key reasoning in a blog post.

“We liked the name Alphabet because it means a collection of letters that represent language, one of humanity’s most important innovations, and is the core of how we index with Google search,” he wrote. “We also like that it means alpha-bet (Alpha is investment return above benchmark), which we strive for.”

Because the word is a commonly used word, Google likely invested heavily in it, i.e. buying licenses or companies with relevant trademarks … the simpler the name, the more likely that someone owns the trademark.

DON’T HIT SEND: ANGRY EMAILS JUST MAKE YOU ANGRIER via Elizabeth Bernstein of the Wall Street Journal

The ‘e-vent’-expressing anger via email, text or chat, or on social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter-can be hard to resist. … It’s speedy: We can share our frustration with a friend, or the world, almost immediately. It’s handy: We can e-vent from anywhere as long as we have our phone. And it feels safe: We’re behind a screen.

[P]eople report that they feel better after venting. But researchers find they actually become angrier and more aggressive. E-venting is particularly risky, experts say. We think it’s private because we can do it in a secluded place, like our bed while we’re in our pajamas. We have our phones with us all the time so we often e-vent before we’ve had a chance to calm down. A rant put out via the Internet is a click away from being shared. And shared. And shared.

FACEBOOK IS WORKING ON A TWITTER-LIKE APP THAT LETS PUBLISHERS SEND MOBILE BREAKING NEWS ALERTS TO THE MASSES via Alyson Shontell of Business Insider

Facebook is working on a stand-alone mobile news application that seems to be part of its Facebook for Business initiative … sounds similar to Twitter … different from Facebook for Work, an initiative that was announced late last year.

Users will download a new mobile app … choose partnering publications they want to follow on the app and topics (or “stations” and “substations”) they want to receive breaking news alerts about … When there is breaking news, partnering publications can create mobile notifications that will blast out to all of the followers instantly, as fast as a tweet would … The mobile alerts allow for up to 100 characters of text and a url to the news article on that publication’s website … The blast will go out, and when people click on the link, they’ll be taken to the publication’s website to read the article.

IPHONE 6S: FORCE TOUCH PRESSURE-SENSITIVE DISPLAY DETAILED IN NEW LEAKS via Andrew Griffin of the Independent

Force Touch, the major new technology in Apple’s next iPhone, has been revealed in exact detail after a leak … planning to use the pressure-sensitive technology to let people skip through menus faster … The technology has long been rumoured to be coming to the next iPhone, but the report marks the first time it has been revealed how exactly it works.

Force Touch can tell how hard the screen is being pressed … used on the Apple Watch … an extra input on the MacBook’s trackpad. Force Touch software on the iPhone is known as “Orb” … it will allow people to skip through menus more quickly on the iPhone, the report says.

… Users can hard-click on a destination to be taken all the way through to turn-by-turn directions … in the Music app users can click on a listed song to have a menu open up with commonly-used actions. Normally, getting to that screen requires clicking the song or a small button next to it.

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Rep. Matt Caldwell.