Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — August 13

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

THE BEST STORY YOU’LL READ ALL DAY (AND FIRST ON FLORIDAPOLITICS.COM) — FLORIDA HOUSE RULES CHAIRMAN RITCH WORKMAN MOONLIGHTING AS UBER DRIVER

During the previous Legislative Session, “transportation network services” like Uber and Lyft were one of myriad issues where the House and Senate diverged – the House position was enthusiastically pro-Uber, while the Senate was more reticent.

But state Rep. Ritch Workman has taken his support for ridesharing to a whole new level.

FloridaPolitics.com has learned – and a rep for Uber has confirmed – that the House Rules Committee Chairman has taken up a side job as a “driver partner” for the ride-hailing service.

In the photo to the right, the Canadian-born lawmaker and mortgage broker, using the name David, can be seen on the in-app dialog screen that comes up once a fare is completed.

The ride appears to have been rendered in Tallahassee. He even got five stars!

The part-time nature of the Florida Legislature means that that almost all lawmakers take up another profession in order to supplement their $29,697 annual salary and make ends meet.

But working for a rides-sharing service like Uber is not one we’ve have seen before.

When appointing Workman to his current post Speaker Steve Crisafulli, who like Workman also represents Brevard County, praised the 42-year-old legislator as the right man for the job as one of the top-ranking posts in the House.

“He builds consensus, solves complex problems, and treats all members with respect. He will make an excellent Rules Chair.”

Also great qualities in the driver’s seat.

“I always feel I have wasted time up here at night,” Workman told Politico Florida Wednesday evening. “At home, I have my wife, my kids, my ranch, my animals and my real job to occupy that free space. So when I’m not in the Capitol or my office or in the chamber or having dinner with a group, this is what I like to do.”

“For a lot of legislators, sometimes you see trouble after nightfall,” Workman said. “But I won’t be one of them. I’ll be driving an Uber car.”

— “Meet Ritch Workman: Florida House Rules Chair by day, Uber driver by night” via Marc Caputo of POLITICO

TWEET, TWEET

— @MarcACaputo: Congrats to @SaintPetersblog. I made the mistake of stepping away from my computer after interviewing @RitchWorkman about his Uber driving

— @ChrisDorworth: I have a new favorite Uber driver in Tallahassee. He Rules

— @BradHerold: Don’t need to go anywhere, but I almost have to request one in hopes of seeing this in person

— @XopherFL: … who will be the first lobbyist to hunt @RitchWorkman down in his uber if they can’t get a meeting.

— @RitchWorkman: I’m working now! Just dropped some folks at 101. Eagerly awaiting my next journey.

FIRST SENATOR ATTEMPTS TO AMEND PROPOSED REDISTRICTING MAPS via Jeremy Wallace of the Tampa Bay Times

Sarasota County would be whole again and U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney would continue to represent much of southern Hillsborough County under a proposed redistrict map amended state Sen. Nancy Detert … has proposed.

Detert becomes the first state senator to formally offer an amendment to a proposed base redistricting map that legislative staff created last week as a starting point for the 12-day special session to redraw the state’s 27 Congressional Districts.

In the House, two amendments have already been filed, including one by Rep. Dave Kerner … Under Kerner’s amendment, Palm Beach County’s configuration would be altered from the proposed base map. Coastal areas of Palm Beach County would remain in a district represented by U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel … most of coastal Palm Beach County would shift into a district represented by U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch …

Sarasota County has been one of the biggest contention points under the base map because it would split the county’s population into two different districts, after being wholly in one for the last two decades.

AMENDMENT WOULD KEEP LOIS FRANKEL’S AND TED DEUTCH’S DISTRICTS NORTH-SOUTH via John Kennedy of the Palm Beach Post

Lake Worth Democratic Rep. Dave Kerner filed a proposal … that would keep Palm Beach County’s congressional districts mostly the way they are — reworking a staff-drawn “base” map that reconfigures seats held by U.S. Reps. Lois Frankel and Ted Deutch.

“I’m doing what I think is best for the county,” said Kerner, whose amendment is poised for review … by the House’s redistricting committee.

The base map … repositions Frankel’s and Deutch’s districts from ranging vertically, side-by-side in Broward and Palm Beach counties into horizontal shapes … Deutch’s district would be completely contained within Palm Beach County; Frankel’s would be mostly Broward-based, while including Boca Raton and Highland Beach.

While Kerner’s rewrite keeps the two districts in their current, vertical form, it does follow a call by state Supreme Court justices to exclude Hendry County from the district served by U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings … that move allows Hendry County to be fully contained within the district now held by U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart …

CORRINE BROWN ASKS FEDERAL JUDGE TO STOP LEGISLATURE via the Associated Press

Corrine Brown is asking a federal judge to stop the Florida Legislature from changing her congressional district … filed a new lawsuit against the Legislature, as well as Secretary of State Ken Detzner.

Brown contends legislators will violate federal voting laws if they revamp her district in order to comply with a state Supreme Court ruling. The lawsuit comes while legislators are holding a special session to adopt a new map for the state’s 27 congressional districts.

EDITORIAL: LAWMAKERS WHINE ABOUT THE COURTS, SUNSHINE via the Tampa Bay Times

The hot air is not just outside the state Capitol in Tallahassee. There is plenty of it inside, where Republican legislators are fuming about the audacity of the Florida Supreme Court to force them to redraw congressional districts as the state Constitution requires. They complain their constitutional rights are being violated, they are being forced to keep public records of their conversations and documents, and their hands are being tied in the way the districts are redrawn.

Tough.

The legislators brought this hot August special session on themselves … allowed the redistricting process to be poisoned in 2012 by secretly meeting with Republican consultants … looked the other way when those consultants got special access to maps and other information … sat quietly as consultants manipulated the process by producing maps and misrepresenting them as the work of others, including a college student who had no idea his name was being used.

The legislators are the ones who violated the Florida Constitution by failing to comply with the 2010 Fair Districts amendments approved by the voters … Now they don’t like it that the court has provided clear direction on how to draw legal districts, that they can’t seek private help from consultants to manipulate the lines and that they have to do their work in the open.

Tough.

>>>The House Select Committee on Redistricting will met at 9 a.m. today, while the Senate’s Reapportionment Committee will meet at 10 a.m.

***SUNBURN is brought to you in part by Bascom Communications & Consulting, LLC, a top-notch public affairs, political communications and public relations firm. Visit www.bascomllc.com to read about their growing team, success stories and case studies.***

TRAIL MIX

16 GOP CANDIDATES INVITED TO CNN DEBATE via Hadas Gold of POLITICO

Sixteen Republican presidential candidates — the entire GOP field, minus Jim Gilmore — have been invited to participate in the CNN/Reagan Library presidential debate on Sept. 16 … split into two back-to-back debates: The main event will feature the top 10 candidates, according to an average of national polls between July 16 and Sept. 10. The undercard debate will feature the remaining contestants who fulfill candidate requirements and register at least a 1 percent average in national polls between July 16 and Sept. 10.

Exact timing for the debates hasn’t been announced yet, but there is a strong chance that both will air during prime time. The first presidential debate, on Fox News, aired at 9 p.m., with an undercard at 5 p.m.

POLLS GALORE

— A new Franklin Pierce University/Boston Herald poll shows Sen. Bernie Sanders has rocketed past Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire. … Sanders leads Clinton 44% to 37% among likely Democratic primary voters, with Joe Biden at 9%. The other announced Democrats in the race, Martin O’Malley, Lincoln Chafee and Jim Webb barely register at 1 percent or below.

— A CNN poll released this afternoon has Donald Trump leading among Republican candidates in the first caucus state, with 22 percent of voters likely to vote for the business mogul. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton led the Democratic pack in the state at 50 percent.

— A new Rasmussen survey finds Donald Trump leading the GOP presidential field nationally with 17%, followed by Marco Rubio at 10%, Jeb Bush at 10%, Carly Fiorina at 9%, Scott Walker at 9%, Ben Carson at 8% and Ted Cruz at 7%.

DUMB TWEET: @MikeHaridopolos: Who thinks @algore will run for President given @HillaryClinton poll numbers and growing scandal?

JEB BUSH’S ATTACK ON HILLARY CLINTON COULD BACKFIRE via Eli Stokols of POLITICO

Does Jeb Bush really want to refight the Iraq War? Yes, his eagerness to blame Hillary Clinton for the rise of the Islamic State and the spread of terrorism and instability across the Middle East is an opportunity to show his mettle on foreign policy, a top issue for Republican primary voters, and demonstrate toughness toward the expected Democratic nominee.

But his calculation to broaden and expand that argument into a full speech … exposes the former Florida governor to real political risk by drawing attention to the Iraq War, his brother’s defining legacy and a fraught subject he struggled to reckon with just three months ago.

The specific plan Bush laid out — urging the U.S. to take the fight to ISIS in Iraq and Syria and to help oust Syrian President Bashar Assad — is a delicate tightrope walk … Bush is gambling that he can turn a major potential weakness into an exhibition of strength.

Arguing that Clinton … “stood by” while Iraq fell apart and as the Islamic State, also known as ISIL or ISIS, took root across Iraq and Syria puts Bush on offense, shifting the conversation away from whether the war itself was a mistake …

— “In Nevada, Bush says key to winning is to campaign with joy” via Scott Sonner of the Associated Press

DONALD TRUMP IS FRUGAL WITH HIS CASH IN REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL RACE via Reid Epstein and Heather Haddon of the Wall Street Journal

Trump is proving reluctant to spend his own money on campaign essentials typical of a major presidential candidate … has rejected paid television advertising as unnecessary, and he has resisted investing in efforts to secure ballot access. … He also is rejecting appeals from his staff to appear at more in-person events … building his campaign instead on his ubiquitous cable-TV appearances. … Each week, he requires a budget for the next week from campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, who has groused to others about … Trump’s attempts to spend less money.

HOW TRUMP MODELS HIS CAMPAIGN AFTER PRO-WRESTLING (NO, REALLY) via Michael Maiello of Talking Points Memo

TPM has already chronicled the long professional relationship, public friendship and in-ring head shaving of Trump and World Wrestling Entertainment chairman and chief executive Vincent K. McMahon … To a real estate mogul with live venues to fill, a professional wrestling company is a natural business partner.

But the kinship runs even deeper than this. Trump must have picked up a thing or two from McMahon, because Trump’s bid for president has basically been one long professional wrestling monologue … Both men employ the rhetoric of wrestling as a battle cry … Trump … captivated an audience by making them wonder what taboo he’ll break next.

This tactic of boasting, schoolyard threats and unapologetic insult speaks right to the id … There’s a theory of politics … “High Broderism” … says the American people don’t want this at all. We’re supposed to want a politics of high-minded dignity, honest debate and compromise … early Trump support is nothing more than frothing partisans acting like maniacs during the very early part of a primary election … Republicans will eventually settle down and support the gentleman from Florida named Jeb and all will be right with the world.

But the old-money world of the Bush family isn’t any more America than the rough and tumble, pro wrestling world of Trump. The Bush family approach to politics … leaves a lot to be desired.

Trump will likely go down in history as a joke candidate, his pro wrestling persona the evidence that he was never serious. But his early successes shouldn’t be dismissed …

FACEBOOK STATUS OF THE DAY via Slater Bayliss: “HAVE YOU MET JEB YET? To all of my friends who live in the great state of Iowa-I am coming home Friday and will be at the state fair in Des Moines with Jeb- I hope you will come out Friday to say hello and meet the Next President of the United States. Chances are I will buy you an ice cold beer in the Budweiser tent. Email or text me if you can come out….”

TWEET, TWEET: @KilloughCNN: Bush’s campaign says he met with #BlackLivesMatter advocates ahead of the town hall in NV and talked criminal justice reform, other issues

MARCO RUBIO REAPS BENEFITS AFTER WIDELY PRAISED DEBATE PERFORMANCE via Sean Sullivan of the Washington Post

Rubio is reaping the benefits of a breakout performance in the first Republican presidential debate by winning over new donors, earning praise from evangelical leaders and eagerly engaging in political combat with Hillary Clinton over abortion.

The burst of activity … has come at a welcome moment … He surged after kicking off his campaign in April but more recently has lagged in early-state polls … overshadowed by the rise of billionaire Donald Trump.

Rubio donors say they have been flooded with calls, texts and e-mails in recent days from uncommitted patrons now eager to make and bundle contributions to help him … comments against abortion during the debate have also allowed Rubio to emerge as one of the GOP’s leading voices on the issue — drawing sharp criticism from Clinton, which is always a plus in the Republican primary.

LOBSTERFEST TONIGHT! That’s the name of the Republican Party of Palm Beach County’s annual fundraiser where at lest three U.S. Senate candidates — Carlos Lopez-Cantera, Ron DeSantis and Todd Wilcox are slated to appear.

SUSANNAH RANDOLPH BEGINS CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN WITH EVENT IN DOWNTOWN ORLANDO via Frank Torres of Florida Politics

Randolph, former district director for U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, officially started her campaign for Florida’s 9th Congressional District Wednesday evening in downtown Orlando.

In front of a crowd of family, friends, and supporters, Randolph told her history of “fighting in the trenches” for progressive policies. She promoted a platform that revolved around equality, saying, “When we all stood together, we were all finally allowed to love who we love. We stood together and won that fight.”

Randolph also spoke of creating a better future for her daughter: “I want to show my beautiful daughter Hillary, that mommy is just as tough as the good old boys when it comes to fighting.”

Targets in Randolph’s stump speech included Gov. Scott and presidential hopeful former Gov. Bush, whose policies she pledged to stop if sent to Washington.

In attendance were her husband, Orange County Tax Collector Scott Randolph; Osceola County Commissioner Michael Harford; outgoing Orange County Democratic Executive Committee Chairman Carlos Guillermo Smith, who told Florida Politics he is still neutral in the race; and former Colorado U.S. Rep. Pat Schroeder.

BELLE GLADE FARMER RICK ROTH OF WELLINGTON TO RUN FOR CONGRESS via Susan Salisbury of the Palm Beach Post

Long-time Belle Glade farmer Rick Roth, a Republican … plans to run for the Congressional seat being vacated by Rep. Patrick Murphy … Roth, 62, of Wellington, said he has been involved in politics for years, dating back to raising money for Bob Martinez, who was elected the state’s governor in 1986, but he has never held public office. He has held a variety of leadership positions with the Florida Farm Bureau Federation and the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association and is on the board of the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida … Roth is president of 5,000-acre Roth Farms east of Belle Glade.

EMILY’S LIST BACKS ‘STRONG PROGRESSIVE’ ANNETTE TADDEO via Marc Caputo of POLITICO 

Emily’s List, the national abortion-rights group, officially threw its support behind Democrat Annette Taddeo … giving the embattled congressional candidate a boost in her challenge to Rep. Carlos Curbelo.

Taddeo struggled to keep pace with Curbelo’s fundraising in the last quarter … her campaign wound up in a behind-the-scenes tussle with Democratic consultant Freddy Balsera after he endorsed the Republican incumbent, a former business partner and friend. Other Democrats began considering a run for the seat.

But the support from EMILY’s List could chill any talk of a primary challenge … “Annette Taddeo is a strong progressive with a record of standing up for Florida’s women and families,” Stephanie Schriock, president of EMILY’s List … the group’s three million members are “excited to support Annette as she works to create a fair economy that gives Floridians the opportunity to succeed.”

AMENDMENT 1 BACKERS START NEW ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICAL GROUP via Michael Auslen of the Tampa Bay Times

Florida’s Water and Land Legacy, the group that sponsored Amendment 1 in the 2014 election, has … relaunched as Florida Conservation Voters … will have a broader mission of political activism on environmental issues.

The change comes after a “disappointing 2015 session” of the Legislature, according to an announcement … by the group’s executive director, Aliki Moncrief. Environmentalists faced pretty significant losses in the state budget process, as lawmakers used funds set aside for conservation by voters in Amendment 1 to offset administrative costs of existing state programs.

The new group … based in Tallahassee … will have a mission focused on electing people who support conservation to offices in Florida … setting up as a 501(c)(4), which will allow them to endorse and contribute to candidates for Congress, the state Legislature and local office.

SAVE THE DATE: State Sen. Jack Latvala joins Pinellas County elected officials past and present for a fundraising lunch September 1 to benefit the Florida Leadership Committee. The group is helping the Clearwater Republican become the first Florida Senate President from Pinellas County in 90 years. Invitations will be in the mail the first of the week. For information, contact Liz Mabry at (727) 545-9566 or [email protected].

TWO SOUTH FLORIDA STATE SENATE RACES PICK UP NPA FILERS via Florida Politics

Two candidates with no party affiliation have jumped into state Senate races in South Florida.

Mario Jimenez has jumped into the race against Hialeah Sen. Anitere Flores in SD 39. The longshot candidate is running on a single-issue platform of reforming the state’s Department of Children and Families and family law courts, which he says oversees both rampant elder abuse and unfair child custody decisions.

His quixotic campaign is unlikely to unseat Flores, who was first elected to the Senate in 2012 and terms out in 2020. Flores has so far raised $338,343 for her 2016 reelection bid.

Cutler Bay Sen. Dwight Bullard has drawn his first opponent of the 2016 cycle as well in no-party candidate Alaina Pashto of Homestead. Little is known about Pastho, a political newcomer with no visible campaign so far.

ENDORSEMENT: “Fmr. Rep. Don Brown endorses Wayne Harris in House District 4 race” via Florida Politics

15 THINGS I THINK I THINK ABOUT THE LATEST CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS

Florida legislative candidates, as well as political committees, had until Monday to report their campaign finance activity for the month of July. Now that the figures are in, here are 10 things I think I think about these latest reports.

— The first thing I think I think is that all of this special session-ing must be playing havoc with Florida legislators’ ability to raise money at full speed. With another special session planned for October and an early session set for January, it will be interesting to see if major donors can get to March without having to ante up at the same level as previous cycles.

— Remember when John Morgan produced a YouTube video of him writing a big check to “People United for Medical Marijuana,” the committee hoping to pass a ballot initiative to legalize medical marijuana? In that video, he said the check was for $150,000. Well, it looks like Morgan kicked in a lot more than that. The Morgan Firm PA contributed almost $704,000 in July to PUMM. Most of that money — $687,000 — went right back out the door to California-based PCI Consultants, which does petition-gathering.

— In the latest chapter of House Latvala vs. House Negron, it was a relative slow month. Joe Negron’s PAC, Treasure Coast Alliance, brought in $55,000 for the month, compared to $23,858 for Jack Latvala’s Florida Leadership Committee. The numbers are a far cry from Negron’s $623,550 showing in May or Latvala’s $487,625 haul in February, though both committees still have more than $1 million on hand for the 2016 cycle.

— Speaking of future Senate presidents, Senate Approps Chairman Tom Lee sure would like to be one again — and his efforts in July reflect his ambitions. The Brandon Republican’s committee, “The Conservative,” raised $120,000 in July, highlighted by $40,000 from two committees affiliated with Associated Industries of Florida.

— When will you be turning in your fundraising report, state Rep. Betty Reed? It’s still not filed. Your likely SD 19 opponent, Darryl Rouson, raised $6,275 in July, bringing his to-date total to $22,600. Of course, with the state Senate districts to be redrawn in October, it’s unlikely Reed and Rouson will be running against each other in 2016.

— With the Legislature meeting in October to redraw the lines of the state Senate districts, it’s not exactly clear what will be the boundaries of District 40. But that didn’t stop state Rep. Erik Fresen from raising more than $109,000 in July. His list of contributors reads like a Who’s Who of Adams Street with checks from lobbyists Ron Book, Louis Betz, Dean Cannon, Dave Custin, Rhett ODoski, Ron Pierce, Sean Pittman, Ken Pruitt, Larry Williams, Laura Boehmer, Dave Sheep, and Stacey Webb. Fresen, the chairman of the House Education Appropriations Subcommittee, also received several contributions from this industry, including a $1,000 check from prominent ed. reform advocate and investor John Kirtley.

— For former state Rep. Loranne Ausley, fundraising is like riding a bike. No matter how long it’s been since you last did it, all you have to do is get back on the bike and start pedaling. And pedaling Ausley is doing. She raised $6,005 for her return bid to HD 9, giving her more than $93K raised to-date.

— With another $6,800 raised for his HD 16 campaign, Republican Jason Fischer is now in six-figures-raised territory. Fischer’s primary opponent, Dick Kravitz, raised just $1,600 in July, bringing him to $28,950 total.

— One of the hottest legislative races this cycle will be in House District 19, which includes parts of Bradford, Clay, Putnam and Union counties. In HD 19, former RPOF Chairwoman Leslie Dougher is facing off against Katherine Van Zant, wife of the current office-holder Charles Van Zant. Both appear to be strong fundraisers: Dougher raised $22,796 during July, while Van Zant brought in $21,295, pushing her overall total to $52,330. Much of Van Zant’s money raised this month was at a show-of-strength event headlined by Will Weatherford, former Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton, state Sen. Anitere Flores, former Duval GOP Chair Mike Hightower, Ambassador John Rood, and local power players W.W. Gay, Jay Demetree, Marty Fiorentino, and Mac McGehee.

— How is it that incumbent Republican Bob Cortes can work so hard at his small business (check out this tweet here) and still manage to be one of the top fundraisers? Cortes raised $21,149 for his HD 30 re-election campaign.

— Supposedly, HD 63 Republican Shawn Harrison is in danger of losing his seat during a presidential cycle because that’s when his district trends Democratic. Well don’t tell that to his donors, who appear to be supportive of Harrison’s re-election. He has already raised $40,000 for his re-election, with $15,850 coming in July. The highly touted Mike Reedy, reportedly one of Florida Democrats’ best hopes, raised just $885.

— Unless we’re missing something, Sarasota Democrat Ed James was the top overall fundraiser — incumbent or challenger — during the month of July. James raised $26,388 for his HD 72 campaign.

— With all of the uncertainty in Sarasota politics, it’s no surprise that the fundraising of Republican Joe Gruters, who raised nearly $90,000 in June, slowed down in July. Still Gruters was able to raise $7,060 last month.

— Keep an eye on HD 106 candidate Robert Rommel, who raised $14,000 during his first month on the campaign trail. Neither of his opponents, Georgia Hiller or NPA candidate Brandon Smith, raised any money in July.

— Incumbent state Rep. Michael Bileca is taking no chances with his re-election bid in HD 115. The Miami Republican loaned $60K to his campaign.

THIS GUY NEEDS TO RUN FOR HIGHER OFFICE: “We did it! Thank you all for helping us to get more than 3,200 petitions in a little more than a month! Tomorrow, I’ll be the earliest candidate in Seminole’s history to turn in all my petitions for a county-wide race. Watch the video for details….  ‪#‎SeminoleCountyRocks‬!” via Mike Ertel

***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.***

REPORT: FLORIDA JOB CREATION SLOWS IN JULY via Jeff Harrington of the Tampa Bay Times

Florida added 13,700 private-sector jobs in July, the weakest monthly performance so far this year … payroll-processing firm ADP indicated Florida is still among the strongest job-generators in the country. But it has slumped to third behind … Scott‘s arch-competitor: Texas. California remains No. 1, adding a robust 27,600 private sector jobs.

As the third-largest state, Florida’s job growth was less impressive in terms of percentage increase, up just 0.2 percent. Among the states notching the strongest increases in monthly job growth rates last month were Arizona, Oregon, Idaho, California, Washington and Texas.

RICK SCOTT’S NEW PUBLIC RECORDS POLICY DRAWS PRAISE AND CRITICISM via Steve Bousquet of the Tampa Bay Times

Scott, who recently settled seven lawsuits that raised allegations that he violated Florida’s public records laws, has adopted a new records policy that’s drawing some criticism … Scott’s office now responds to all public records requests from private citizens and media outlets by posting the requests and the documents on his website … the goal is to improve transparency and make it easier for the public to retrieve records.

Attorney Barbara Petersen, president of the First Amendment Foundation, said Scott’s new policy clashes with the spirit of Florida’s public records law and fails to address a bigger problem: records are not provided for weeks or months. Tampa lawyer Carol LoCicero, who represents media outlets and is a member of the First Amendment Foundation’s board, said Scott’s policy accomplishes nothing.

True transparency, she said, would be Scott’s office voluntarily posting more records online such as emails, internal memos or travel records, without the need for formal requests.

Among those First Amendment advocates praising the change is Sarasota lawyer Andrea Flynn Mogensen, who represented more than a dozen news outlets … in a recently settled lawsuit accusing Scott and Cabinet members of violating Florida’s open meetings law.

SCOTT’S LEGAL BILLS CLIMB ANOTHER $300K WITH PAYMENTS TO LAWYERS IN SUNSHINE CASES via Mary Ellen Klas of the Miami Herald

Florida’s legal bill to defend Gov. Scott grew Wednesday, as the governor’s office released documents showing he has agreed pay lawyers $300,000 for defending him in two open government cases that were settled.

The legal fees are on top of the nearly $1 million taxpayers have already spent to defend the governor and Cabinet in the cases.

This month, Scott agreed to pay Tallahassee attorney Steven R. Andrews $700,000 to end a lawsuit alleging that the governor and several members of his staff violated state law when they created private email accounts to shield their communications from the public and then withheld the documents.

In June, Scott and the Cabinet agreed to pay $55,000 to St. Petersburg lawyer Matthew Weidner as well as public records advocates and media organizations, including the Tampa Bay Times, to settle another lawsuit. The groups alleged Scott and the Cabinet violated the state’s open meeting laws when they ousted former Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey with no public discussion or vote.

No one from the governor’s office could be reached for comment Wednesday evening.

FLORIDA TO AUDIT 31 HOSPITALS AMID CONCERNS ABOUT HEALTH CARE COSTS via Kathleen McGrory of the Tampa bay Times

State Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Elizabeth Dudek … ordered audits for 31 hospitals that may be receiving more in Medicaid payments than is legally allowed … hospitals include Kindred Hospital Tampa and Kindred Hospital St. Petersburg.

The move comes as the private health plans that serve Florida’s Medicaid population seek a 12 percent increase in rates. The plans say the boost is necessary to help offset prescription drug prices. But last month, Dudek said some insurers had been paying hospitals more than is allowed under state law, and asked all hospitals to certify that they were in compliance.

Those that failed to meet the Aug. 1 deadline are now being audited, she said.

JEFF BRANDES WANTS TRANSPARENCY IN NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM RATES via Janelle Irwin of Florida Politics

Brandes wants FEMA to release data from flood insurance policies under the National Flood Insurance Program to determine whether or not the premiums assessed for policies are excessive or arbitrarily assigned.

In a letter to Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation Commissioner Kevin McCarty … Brandes argued there were 100,000 fewer flood insurance policies in effect this June compared to last May. Homeowners face as much as 25 percent rate increases each year for non-primary residences and up to 18 percent rate hikes for primary residents.

Brandes wrote that those rates are codified into law “promising to further exacerbate the crisis of affordable coverage.” … NFIP data would add a layer of transparency showing not just homeowners how their rates are assessed, but also private insurers struggling to figure out how to write policies without previous damage data.

MIAMI-DADE SHOULD GIVE MEDALLION MONEY BACK TO CABBIES via Elaine De Valle of Political Cortadito

Miami-Dade County sold six taxi medallions at auction for about $2.4 million dollars in 2012, an average of $400,000 each … on top of the 20 medallions awarded to taxi drivers through a lottery every year from 1999 to 2011– at $20,000 a pop.

Folks paid those prices because they thought they were getting something special. It was like admission into an exclusive club … started by taxi owners who wanted to have a monopoly on the business. But Miami-Dade, the government, certainly found a way to cash in.

… (A)long come black car services like Lyft and Uber and the “for hire transportation” club is flooded with a bunch of new driver members who never paid any dues and operate without a single medallion. How much are those medallions worth now, as the county allows Uber and Lyft to operate illegally? How much will they be worth if these services are legalized without the regulations and limitations that taxi and limousine drivers have to deal with?

Nothing. Zero. Nada. Zip. So, the county may have to give these people their money back. They should anyway. Because the county is the one that made them worthless. Mayor Carlos Gimenez may have to dig into his good news 2015-16 budget for a $2.4 million refund. Because it seems to me that an attorney could make a property rights case out of this.

WHAT JEFF BRANDES IS READING — DESPITE COURT RULING, HILLSBOROUGH PTC AGENTS WILL CONTINUE TO CITE UBER DRIVERS via Mitch Perry of Florida Politics

Despite a court ruling that rejected their request that could have prevented Uber from operating in Hillsborough County, the Public Transportation Committee agreed … they could continue to issue citations against Uber (and Lyft) drivers.

“It is our opinion that there is nothing in Judge Huey’s order that prevents the PTC from continuing its enforcement actions against Uber, should the commission decide to take that action,” PTC attorney Cindy Oster told the board.

“Currently our director has been enforcing our rules and regs across the board without any discrimination to all rides for hire,” said PTC Chairman Victor Crist … “Whether it be a cab, a limo, an Uber, a Lyft, or anything in between. And, unless there’s anyone here who feels otherwise, I believe should continue to do so.”

UBER SEEMS LIKELY TO STICK AROUND IN ST. PETE, UNLIKE OTHER, LESS COOL AREAS via Kate Bradshaw of Creative Loafing Tampa

The ride share service Uber … has had tough times recently as it tries to fend off attempts to shut it down. Taxi cab drivers, who obviously see a loss in revenue from the app-based service, are trying to block it from operating in Hillsborough County and other places; Palm Beach County recently imposed tighter restrictions on Uber and Lyft, a similar service, and Uber stopped operating in neighboring Broward County in protest of possible new rules restricting the service.

But in St. Pete, officials don’t seem inclined to try to shut the service down … St. Pete City Council Chair Charlie Gerdes, who is running for reelection … expressed his support for such companies.

“Uber and Lyft are manifestations of technology, entrepreneurship,” he said. “This is where our country is headed. This is where humanity is headed. To take ideas and ban them because traditional established interests don’t like it is not the way to look at it.”

His solution? Get rid of some taxi industry regulations, which Gerdes said are “antiquated.”

WHAT CHESTER SPELLMAN IS READING — VETERAN HONORED FOR VOLUNTEER EFFORTS via Amanda Claire Curcio of the Tallahassee Democrat

It has been decades since the end of World War II, but 94-year-old Army veteran Rocco Giordano continues to serve … more than 12 years, 25 hours each week, Giordano – known as “Mr. G.” at Montford Middle and Gilchrist Elementary schools – has helped teachers prep classroom displays and lesson materials and performed other administrative tasks.

“I try to go wherever I am most needed,” he said. “I want to best support the people that are taking care of students.”

Last week during a Cabinet meeting, he received the Champion of Service and the Governor’s Veterans Service awards from … Scott. Giordano’s hard work was evidenced outside the classroom as well, said Volunteer Florida CEO Chester Spellman.

“He is a powerful influence in the lives of countless children,” said Spellman, “and is worthy of statewide recognition.”

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LOBBYIST’S QUESTIONING OF FLORIDA LOTTERY CONTRACTS SPARKS MORE QUESTIONS — ABOUT THE LOBBYIST Full story here

A Florida lobbyist’s effort to raise concerns about a multimillion- dollar contract with the Florida Lottery is sparking more questions — not about the contract, but about the role the lobbyist may have played in the original bid process … a contract with the Florida Lottery that is at least worth $300 million over the next 10 years is now in dispute. This contract includes the machines used to issue tickets for games such as Powerball and Mega Millions as well as the instant ticket vending machines …

Vying for this contract are three power-players in the gaming technology industry: the incumbent, GTECH, as well as Premier Lotteries Florida and Scientific Games International.

Dan Russell … former general counsel of the Florida Lottery and now a special counsel with the Jones Walker law firm, was identified … as one of three lobbyists who raised concerns with the Governor’s Office about a second nine-figure bid before the Lottery. By law, Russell should be prohibited from working with Scientific Games, especially on this existing contract, because he was involved in the process of reviewing each proposal prior to and during the reissuing of bids for that contract.

And if Russell played a role — any role — in the resetting of this bid process that would be especially troubling.

LOBBYING COMPENSATION ROUNDUP via Florida Politics

BUCHANAN INGERSOLL & ROONEY RAKES IN $1.14 MILLION

Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney  … earned an estimated $1.14 million … The largest contributor … U.S. Sugar Corporation by a mile … paying $76,000 for legislative lobbying services and between $30,000 and $39,999 for executive branch work, for a total of some $111,000.

Auto insurance giants Progressive Insurance Company and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company each … within the $30,000 – $39,999 range for legislative work … on top of some $5,000 each in executive fees for a total of roughly $80,000 all told.

Carahsoft Technology also pitched between $30,000 and $39,999 for executive … followed by Concordia Behavioral Health, Florida League of Cities, National Strategies, Tableau Software and The Arc of St. Lucie County as the firm’s largest executive invoices, aside from U.S. Sugar. Together, those interests accounted for around $75,000 …

Other significant clients of the lobby shop anchored by … Mac Stipanovich and Jim MacGill … several Florida cities – like Fort Myers, Ormond Beach, Palm Coast and South Daytona – as well as huge national companies like McDonald’s, Avis, and the ever-present Dosal Tobacco Corporation … Habitat for Humanity, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Special Olympics of Florida  …

RON BOOK’S SHOP HAULS IN MORE THAN $2 MILLION

Longtime Adams Street fixture Ron Book … took in $2,015,000 in lobbying fees … 97 interests and accounted for some $1.73 million in lobbying fees. Book’s executive practice — still larger than most firms by itself — listed 69 clients, all of whom paid rates within the $1 to $9,999 range, for an estimated total of $285,000.

The firm’s largest contracts … Performance Title Services and Title Clerk Consulting Co. both paid a whopping $100,000 in fees … five additional clients that paid more than the $49,999 level … Auto Tag Management Group ($60,000), First Service Residential Florida ($60,000), Miami Project/Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis ($55,000), Altria Client Services and its Affiliates ($50,000), and Florida High School Athletic Association ($50,000).

Southwest Florida Enterprises paid an estimated $45,000, while Atlantic Pacific Communities and Gold Coast Beverage Distributors ponied up between $30,000 and $39,999 each for legislative lobbying.

Some 14 groups and interests paid … between $20,000 and $29,999 … City of North Miami, City of Tallahassee,  Florida Taxicab Association, GEO Group, Keiser University and Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital. Those firms accounted for an estimated $350,000 … Rana Brown and Kelly Mallette worked alongside Book to help manage the influence industry behemoth.

TSAMOUTALES STRATEGIES TAKES IN $180K

Tsamoutales Strategies – the three-lobbyist firm where former Senate President Mike Haridopolos plies his trade – collected $180,000 in fees … Abengoa Water … contributing between $30,000 and $39,999 for both legislative and executive lobbying services last quarter for a total of some $70,000 … International Speedway Corporation … to the tune of around $30,000.

Other major clients for the firm, owned and founded by lobbyist Frank Tsamoutales, included Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Tampa Steel Erecting Company, KTA-Tator and Rubin Associates, all of whom pitched in between $20,000 and $49,998 …

NEW LOBBYING REGISTRATIONS

Jerry Paul, Capitol Energy Florida: Lee Memorial Health Systems

Lisa Miller, Lisa Miller & Associates: LegalShield

NEW SURVEY RANKS FLORIDA WORST IN THE NATION IN LOBBYING TRANSPARENCY via Ryan Ray of Florida Politics

Despite the recent political pyrotechnics on display in Tallahassee last month when former Gov. Jeb Bush came back to town last month to highlight lobbying reforms approved during his administration, recent initiatives to clean up Adams Street have produced more heat than sunshine according to a recently released national survey.

The Sunlight Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based public interest watchdog group, ranked Florida last in the nation in a new study.

State lobbying ethics laws were scrutinized via five different rubrics – Florida’s were the only statutes in America docked points for every aspect.

The state was dinged in the report for poor expenditure and issue-advocacy disclosure laws, as well as a lack of specific compensation reporting requirements – the state treats those figures as proprietary information, instead letting firms report general ranges.

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JEFF HOUCK’S POWER LUNCH: FOOD ON THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN TRAIL via Jeff Houck of Florida Politics

Now that the silly season of presidential election politics has descended upon us, it’s time to prepare for the inevitable photographic onslaught of candidates shoving food into their pie holes … the potential pot pie of political food porn promises to be extra chunky with fresh ingredients.

The Gob Shot is the photo moment campaign managers and event wranglers alternately crave and loathe … They love what such a pic does to humanize their politico – “Hey, he/she eats! Just like you!” But they alternately gird for the terrible moment when their candidate looks utterly ridiculous trying to throat a corn dog in public.

Watching Bill Clinton cradle a burger in the early 1990s was like watching the Hope Diamond in the hands of a master thief. His wife, however, has the opposite touch. Hillary’s stops at mom-and-pop diners on the campaign trail in 2008 provided a horrific montage of unhinged jaws and bug-eyed bites.

More than entertainment, shots of politicians eating are a window into the soul … For all his many flaws, Richard Nixon’s chopstick game was tight during his crucial trip to China in 1972 … Barack Obama made eating deep-fried frog legs look cool in 2008 … John McCain also made everything Barack Obama did look cool.

But Mike Huckabee’s visible depression the moment before he gnawed at a pork chop on a stick at a state fair in 2008 was all the litmus test I needed. His pink Polo button-down may have said he was ready to get his eat on, but his eyes clearly are doing some soul-based accounting.

AP ADDS AWARD-WINNING SPORTS WRITER TO TALLAHASSEE BUREAU via the Associated Press

Joe Reedy, an award-winning sports writer, is joining The Associated Press in its Tallahassee bureau to cover Florida State University sports and state government.

Reedy, 44, most recently covered the Cleveland Indians for FoxSportsOhio.com and also worked for AP covering events … he was at The Cincinnati Enquirer from 2005 to 2014, including five seasons as the Bengals beat writer.

While covering the Bengals, Reedy was honored by the Associated Press Society of Ohio as Sportswriter of the Year in 2010. He has also been a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee … This will be Reedy’s third stint in Florida. He worked for The Gainesville Sun in 1999 to 2000 in a variety of roles, including covering the Jacksonville Jaguars. From 2004 to 2005 he was a sports night editor and page designer at the Palm Beach Post.

MUST-READ

— This data journalism shows how Pinellas County is the worst place in Florida to be black and go to public school.

— This interactive map shows how much U.S. Rep. Dan Webster’s congressional district could change.

TRAILER PARK

Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) headlines all-star cast in biopic Trumbo here.

Deadpool here.

First look at Quentin Tarantino’s Hateful Eight debuts here.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to St. Petersburg City Councilman Karl Nurse