Sunburn – The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics.
By Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Mitch Perry, Ryan Ray, and Jim Rosica.
SPORTS BULLETIN — ALABAMA WINS 10TH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WITH THRILLING 45-40 VICTORY OVER CLEMSON via The Associated Press – In the 50th game matching the No. 1 vs. the No. 2 team, Alabama (14-1) outscored Clemson 24-16 in a frantic fourth quarter to win and earned all 61 first-place votes from the AP panel. Clemson won its only national title in 1981. The Crimson Tide have now won four national titles in the past seven years, all under coach Nick Saban.
On to politics…
THE STATE OF THE UNION — While the political world in Florida is focused on the Legislative Session kicking off today and it’s all about Iowa in the national media, President Barack Obama still has one year left in office – and will take center stage tonight when he gives his final State of the Union address.
Often the SOTU is the vehicle for the president to propose a list of policy proposals for the coming year, but the word that the White House has been disseminating over the past few days is that it will focus more on long-term themes and ideas.
“What I want to focus on in this State of the Union address,” Obama said in a video preview the White House released last week, is “not just the remarkable progress we’ve made, not just what I want to get done in the year ahead, but what we all need to do together in the years to come — the big things that will guarantee an even stronger, better, more prosperous America for our kids”
The president will likely advocate for the executive actions he is taking to expand background checks in gun purchases. Several of Michelle Obama‘s guests at the speech include gun control supporter Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy and Ryan Reyes, whose partner Larry “Daniel” Kaufman died in the mass shooting in San Bernardino last month. There will also be an empty seat to symbolize the victims of gun violence.
IN FINAL STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS, OBAMA AIMS TO SET TONE FOR ’16 CAMPAIGN via Peter Baker of the New York Times – Obama plans a thematic message that effectively will be as much a campaign agenda as a governing document. While not on the ballot himself, Obama hopes to use what may be the largest television audience left in his presidency to frame the debate about who should replace him and where the country should go from here.
OBAMA STRUGGLING TO GET ATTENTION FOR THE STATE OF THE UNION via POLITICO’s Sarah Wheaton — With no new policies or initiatives to announce, Obama’s effort to break through is even tougher. … The White House promises Obama also will not spend too much time looking back at the past seven years or issue a list of demands for the next one. Instead, he’ll deliver a soaring speech about the nation’s future and talk about, as White House press secretary Josh Earnest put it, how decisions made today will impact the ‘next generation of Americans.’ That thematic approach is ‘more farewell address than State of the Union address,’ said Georgia State University presidential historian Daniel P. Franklin. … [A]ides are launching an unprecedented campaign for the attention of the next generation, the millennials. … They are hosting a ‘West Wing’-inspired online Q-and-A session with more than 50 administration officials called ‘#BigBlockofCheeseDay.’ They’ll provide annotations of the speech on Genius, behind-the-scenes moments on SnapChat and Instagram, and on Friday, interviews of the president by YouTube stars Destin Sandlin, Ingrid Nilsen and sWooZie.
BILL NELSON AND MARCO RUBIO’S GUESTS FOR THE STATE OF THE UNION via Alex Leary of the Tampa Bay Times – Nelson is bringing his daughter … Rubio‘s guest is an Orlando man whose father was killed in Afghanistan. Nan Ellen Nelson will accompany her father. Rubio will go with Conner MacFarlane, whose father was killed Afghanistan when he was 15. He just finished his first semester at Seminole State College.
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THE STATE OF THE STATE via Gary Fineout of the Associated Press — When he stands before the Florida Legislature for the sixth time today, Gov. Rick Scott will repeat the same message he has given every year since he took office: It’s all about jobs. Scott will open the 60-day session with his annual “State of the State” speech where he will call on Republican leaders to embrace his $1 billion tax cut package. He also is expected to make a push to set aside tens of millions to lure new companies to Florida.
Scott, who has begun running TV ads touting his proposals, continues to argue that the tax cuts are needed to keep Florida’s economy on track. Florida’s unemployment rate has steadily dropped since Scott was first elected in 2010.
“We need to continue to cut these taxes,” Scott said Monday, shortly after appearing before a state Senate committee to testify for his tax cut package. “This is an investment to get more jobs.”
Scott insists Florida has “the money” to pass his tax cuts. But lawmakers responsible for the budget caution that large cuts now could cause a budget deficit three years from now. Some legislators have also questioned Scott’s decision to rely on a rise in property values – which will translate into higher property taxes paid by homeowners and business owners – to boost money for Florida’s public schools.
IT’S BACK TO WORK FOR LEGISLATURE via The Associated Press – For skeptical legislators, however, the main job of the first few days of this year’s session won’t be about endorsing Scott‘s top priorities.
Instead it will be about trying to repair deep divisions that occurred in 2015 when lawmakers were forced to hold a rare summer special session just to get a state budget passed. Legislators also held two other special sessions where they were unable to reach agreement on new boundaries for both congressional and state senate districts.
Part of that repair work includes passing out a comprehensive water bill championed by House Speaker Steve Crisafulli and measures backed by Senate President Andy Gardiner to help children with developmental disabilities.
Lawmakers did not pass those bills last year after a budget stalemate led the House to shut down the regular session three days early. This time both are expected to go to Scott within the first few days.
“The relationship is going to be far better,” predicted Rep. Richard Corcoran, a Land O’ Lakes Republican who is in line to become House speaker. “I think it’s going to be a great year.”
After lawmakers deal with the priorities of their leaders they will spend several weeks grappling with everything from gambling to guns. But while the debate over guns is likely to be one of the most passionate this session, the biggest drama will likely surround the budget and Scott’s leading priorities.
5 BIGGEST QUESTIONS FOR THE 2016 SESSION via Gary Fineout of The Fine Print – Can everybody just get along? Is it possible to ever reach an agreement on gambling? How many gun bills will reach their target? How will the growing power of Joe Negron and Corcoran affect the process? Will this really be a do-nothing year for the Florida Legislature?
— “Lawmakers say ending on time is priority ahead of 2016 session” via Tia Mitchell of the Florida Times-Union
— “Nancy Detert heads into final session” via Zac Anderson of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune
— “Darryl Rouson has full agenda in final year” via Zac Anderson of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune
— “Greg Steube bills address high-profile issues” via Zac Anderson of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune
— “Jim Boyd is optimistic session will be less tense” via Zac Anderson of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune
— “Julio Gonzalez dives into culture wars” via Zac Anderson of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune
REMEMBER TO WEAR RED TODAY FOR STACEY WEBB via Florida Politics – To honor the memory of their friend and co-worker, the late Stacey Smelser Webb, the team at Southern Strategy Group will be wearing red on the first day of the 2016 Legislative Session. Webb was known for always wearing a red suit on the first day, said the firm’s Caitlin Brongel. Webb passed away in November at the age of 46 following complications from heart surgery. She led the firm’s education practice, representing the Association of Florida Colleges, Broward College Foundation, Florida Prepaid College Foundation, University of Central Florida Foundation, the school boards of Clay and Seminole counties, as well as Apple Computers and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.
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IMMIGRATION ACTIVISTS TO DESCEND UPON TALLAHASSEE THIS WEEK via Mitch Perry of Florida Politics – Along with lawmakers, lobbyists and journalists … will be immigration activists, concerned about a number of bills being proposed this session. There are six specific bills that the Florida Immigrant Coalition listed as “opportunities and threats” for the coming session. Two of which immigrant rights groups and advocates united under the banner of the “We Are Florida” campaign are primarily concerned about. One is a proposal being pushed by … Carlos Trujillo in the House (HB 9) and … Travis Hutson in the Senate (SB 118) that would make it a first-degree felony for a person who has an order of deportation to continue living in the state of Florida, punishable by up to 30 years in prison and $10,000 in fines. The other bill they are targeting is a measure sponsored by … Larry Metz in the House (HB 675) and … Aaron Bean in the Senate (SB 872) that would punish so-called “sanctuary” cities (or counties) that don’t cooperate with federal officials attempting to deport illegal immigrants … It’s inspired by the death of Kate Steinle in San Francisco last year by an undocumented immigrant who was arrested for prior crimes but released under San Francisco’s “sanctuary” policies preventing law enforcement from detaining illegal immigrants for minor crimes.
SCOTT, LAWMAKERS EXPLORE HEALTH CARE TRANSPARENCY via Joe Reedy of the Associated Press — Scott and the Florida Legislature have found common ground on one important issue that impacts most residents – protection from price gouging at health care facilities. With the legislative session set to open Tuesday, a pair of Republicans – Rep. Chris Sprowls and Sen. Rob Bradley – are sponsoring bills requiring further transparency on costs.
The House and Senate bills, which were officially announced on Monday, come as a commission appointed by Scott is set to make its presentation on health care transparency before a House Select Committee on Affordable Healthcare Access on Friday. “When patients go to get medical services they should have information from the very start on how much it is going to cost,” said Bradley, of Fleming Island. “We are trying to change those days of walking out to the mailbox and getting a bill that you never expected that changes your family’s outlook forever.”
TAMPA BAY OPPOSITION KILLS GANNETT-PAPERS ANTI-CORRUPTION BILL via Steve Bousquet of the Tampa Bay Times – Two Republican senators from Tampa Bay joined with a South Florida Democrat Monday to kill an anti-corruption bill championed by Gannett newspapers in Florida. Sens. Jack Latvala and John Legg sided with Sen. Dwight Bullard to sink the bill, which would define private companies that have government contracts as public servants to make it easier for prosecutors to prove intent in cases of bribery, bid-rigging and other crimes against taxpayers.
Latvala questioned Gannett’s ethics and said it was “wrong” for a newspaper to advocate and actively lobby for legislation.
LATEST ON THE LEGISLATIVE STAFFING MERRY-GO-ROUND via Legislative IQ powered by LobbyTools
On: Lindy Smith is the new legislative assistant for Republican state Sen. Thad Altman of Rockledge.
On: Matthew Alford is the new legislative assistant for Democratic state Sen. Eleanor Sobel of Hollywood.
On: Mary Lee is now the district secretary for Republican state Sen. Rob Bradley of-Fleming Island.
Off: Rhett Roberts is no longer Bradley’s legislative assistant.
On: Anne-Marie Norman is now the legislative assistant for state Sen. Alan Hays of Umatilla.
HEALTH-PLAN GROUP RELEASES PRIORITIES FOR 2016 LEGISLATIVE SESSION via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics – Ending “balance billing,” overhauling the state’s insurance laws, and preserving a practice called “prior authorization” are among the goals of the Florida Association of Health Plans for this legislative session. Balance billing happens when an out-of-network provider directly bills insured patients to cover costs their insurance company didn’t pay. A bill (HB 221) by … Carlos Trujillo … “will hold the consumer harmless in emergency situations, paying no more than what you would pay if the provider had been in your insurance network.” [The organization] also supports legislation (SB 1170/HB 951) “that would modernize Florida’s Insurance Code by repealing burdensome measures that are unnecessary and ultimately do nothing but increase the cost of health care to Floridians.”
JMI POLICY PRIORITIES AND ANNUAL DINNER DETAILS RELEASED – The James Madison Institute released the 2016 Policy Priorities for each JMI policy center with emphasis on expanding Florida’s Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts, promoting positive economic and constitutionally-principled reforms in the criminal justice system, championing free-enterprise healthcare alternatives to Obamacare that serve Florida’s unique demographics, and advancing Florida’s water future through sound, practical free-market models in particular through the allocation of Amendment 1 funding. In addition, tickets and sponsorships are now available for the 2016 JMI Annual Dinner featuring a keynote from National Review’s Charles C.W. Cooke, author of “The Conservatarian Manifesto” and guest on HBO (Real Time with Bill Maher), BBC, MSNBC, Fox News, The Blaze, CNBC, CTV, ABC, Sun News, and CBS. Visit www.jamesmadison.org for more information on the 2016 Policy Priorities and the 2016 JMI Annual Dinner.
***A special message from Florida’s horsemen: While legislators debate using hard-earned taxpayer dollars for corporate relocation incentives, Florida employers who’ve been hard at work for decades could lose everything, thanks to “decoupling”— a Big Casino cash grab and gambling expansion plan tucked inside the Seminole Compact. It seems senseless to kill established Florida businesses, while spending public money in hopes new business may materialize. But Florida could do just that when “decoupling” leaves horse racing investors with NO WAY to do business and NO CHANCE to recoup financial return. Gambling policy should be about growing Florida’s economy. Not padding the pockets of Big Casinos. Florida’s horsemen oppose decoupling in ANY form. NoDecoupling.com.***
— 2016 CAMPAIGN TRAIL —
JEB BUSH CAMPAIGN RELEASES VIDEO TARGETING DONALD TRUMP’S MOCKING OF DISABLED REPORTER via Business Insider: Bush “released a new video Monday aimed at Republican front-runner Donald Trump. The video featured Tim Dyar, a South Carolina diner owner whose 12-year-old son, Breylen, suffers from cerebral palsy. Dyar, citing Trump’s alleged November mocking of a New York Times reporter’s physical disability, said he wanted to “make sure” that Trump does not become the Republican nominee.'”
BUSH SUPER PAC COMPARES RUBIO TO A WEATHER VANE via Taegan Goddard of the Political Wire — Bush’s super PAC is spending $3 million on this ad to attack Rubio.
‘HE’S CUBAN. I’M MEXICAN.’: CAN RUBIO AND TED CRUZ CONNECT WITH LATINO VOTERS? Via Mary Jordan of the Washington Post – In several key swing states — Nevada, Colorado, Florida and Virginia — most Latinos are not Cuban. Most lean Democratic — and identify more with their country of origin than with the broader terms, Hispanic or Latino, for those from Spanish-speaking countries. Most also oppose both Rubio’s and Cruz’s positions on immigration reform. All of that, in addition to long-standing tensions between Cuban and Mexican immigrants, could dash the GOP’s hopes that Cruz or Rubio could do what few Republicans have been able to do in a presidential election: attract significant Hispanic support … In two days of interviews, not a single Mexican said he or she supported Rubio or Cruz, and even some Cubans said they don’t plan to support either Cuban American candidate.
RUBIO TO DOMINATE IOWA TELEVISIONS DURING SPRINT TO CAUCUS DAY via Brianne Pfannenstiel and Jeffrey Kummer of the Des Moines Register – Rubio is poised to dominate Iowa’s television airwaves with about 7,000 ads scheduled to run … until caucus day — an effort that accounts for more than one-third of all political ads slated to air during that time. The purchases on Rubio’s behalf make up more than half of the $9.4 million in total spending for ads that are scheduled to air across the state during the final month of the caucus campaign. Rubio’s campaign and a supportive super PAC have together spent about $5.1 million on those ads, which are scheduled to air from Jan. 1 to Feb. 1, the date of the 2016 Iowa caucuses, according to … records filed with the Federal Communications Commission through Dec. 31.
RUBIO POSTPONES FUNDRAISER TO ATTEND CLASSIFIED NORTH KOREA BRIEFING via Tal Kopan of CNN – The Senate Foreign Relations [held] a closed-door hearing in the Capitol … where senators [were] briefed by officials from the State Department, Office of the Director of National Intelligence and Department of Defense. Rubio is a member of the committee — a fact he has often touted on the presidential campaign trail as evidence of his foreign policy bona fides. The Florida Republican was scheduled to be at a fundraiser in his home state … after campaigning there in the afternoon, which would have prevented him from going to Washington … after publication of this story and others highlighting the schedule conflict, a spokesman for Rubio’s Senate office said he would be at the hearing after all. His campaign said the fundraiser would be rescheduled.
RICK WARREN NOT ENDORSING RUBIO via the Christian Examiner: Despite the recent announcement that Rick Warren has joined an advisory board for Republican presidential candidate Rubio, the Southern California megachurch pastor and best-selling author of The Purpose Driven Life says he’ll never endorse a political candidate – and he’s not endorsing Rubio.
GOOD READ — CHUCK TODD: POLITICAL JUNKIE via Madeleine Marr of the Miami Herald – After graduating from Miami Killian Senior High School, Todd … went off to D.C. to attend George Washington University. While in college, Todd worked on the 1992 presidential campaign of Sen. Tom Harkin and later at … The Hotline, and eventually at NBC News. … “When I’m off, I do as much as I can not to pay attention to anything and pray the phone doesn’t ring,” he says. “I’d rather watch reruns of ‘The Family Guy’ to decompress.”
MEANWHILE … FLORIDA GOP SEIZES ON REPORT THAT FBI IS EXPANDING HILLARY CLINTON INVESTIGATION via Mitch Perry of Florida Politics – Fox News reports that the FBI’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of private email as secretary of state has expanded to look at whether the possible “intersection” of Clinton Foundation work and State Department business may have violated public corruption laws. … The Republican Party of Florida issued a statement Monday afternoon regarding the latest developments. “Hillary Clinton had to spend 2015 attempting to dodge questions and rebrand herself,” said RPOF Communications Director Wadi Gaitan. “With the FBI’s decision to expand their investigation into her private email server it looks like 2016 will bring more bad news for the scandal-plagued campaign and new reasons for voters to distrust Hillary Clinton.”
FLORIDA GOP POSTS LOWEST FUNDRAISING TOTAL SINCE 2003 via Jeremy Wallace of the Sarasota Herald Tribune – The Republican Party of Florida posted its lowest fundraising year since 2003, new campaign finance reports released Monday show. For the calendar year, the RPOF raised $11.6 million and spent $10.6 million. The amount raised is the lowest the party has raised in a year since 2003, when the party collected $8.6 million in donations, Florida Division of Elections records show.
FLORIDIANS FOR SOLAR CHOICE TO FIGHT OPPOSING SOLAR INITIATIVE IN COURT via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics – Floridians for Solar Choice, the group behind of one of two competing solar-power constitutional amendments, [is] filing an opposition brief … to oppose the other initiative, pushed by the utility-backed by Consumers for Smart Solar … proposed amendments must be cleared by the Florida Supreme Court to make sure they cover only one subject and that their ballot title and summary aren’t misleading. The opposing amendment fails on both counts, said one of Floridians for Solar Choice’s attorneys, Bill Garner. It doesn’t advance a single purpose and misleads voters by creating a “false impression,” he said. “It doesn’t have anything to do with consumers’ energy choices; it merely enshrines current law into the constitution … The amendment would change nothing.”
ADAM BARRINGER CD 6 CAMPAIGN ZINGS BRANDON PATTY FOR NOT LIVING IN DISTRICT via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics – Charles Steen, political director for … Barringer … offered a quote on Monday … “We welcome Brandon Patty to the race and look forward to the campaign, but Brandon Patty does not live in District Six, and neither do most of those who endorsed his campaign today. Fortunately, the people of District Six will decide who they elect to Congress.” Patty, the lone St. Johns County candidate in a four-person race for the CD 6 GOP nomination, got some major endorsements Sunday from three of the most important GOP players in the State Senate.
ANDREW KORGE TO RUN FOR CONGRESS via Patricia Mazzei of the Miami Herald – Korge, the son of Hillary Clinton campaign donor Chris Korge, will run for Congress, setting up a Democratic primary against Annette Taddeo to see who will challenge Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo in Florida’s preeminent swing district. Korge had planned to run for Florida Senate. But a court-approved map appointing new district borders left the political novice without a clear way into office.
DEAL STRUCK TO AVOID WILTON SIMPSON VS. JOHN LEGG PRIMARY? via Florida Politics — A week ago, it appeared John Legg and Wilton Simpson were on a collision course to run against each other in 2016 for a seat in the Florida Senate. The two Republicans had been drawn into the same district after the Florida Supreme Court ratified the redrawing of the state’s Senate seats.
Today, however, a deal to avoid a Simpson vs. Legg showdown appears to be in the works. According to two Republican campaign consultant sources not attached to either campaign, Legg has agreed to stand down in 2016 so that Simpson, a future Senate President, does not risk losing his seat. For agreeing not to challenge Simpson, Legg will receive the full support of Republican leadership for whatever he wants to do next, such as run for the state Senate seat expected to be held by Tom Lee.
BEAR-HUNT ACTIVIST CHUCK O’NEAL FILES AS DEMOCRAT FOR SD 11 via Florida Politics – Real estate investor and former League of Women Voters Vice President … O’Neal filed to run for the seat Jan. 8, just two months after announcing he would run for the Florida House District 29 seat held by … Scott Plakon … O’Neal’s home would fall inside the district currently held by … Geraldine Thompson under the maps approved by courts at the end of 2015. Thompson is running for Daniel Webster’s seat in Congress, which will leave her SD12 seat open six years before she was due to term out. If all works out, district wise, the pivot will likely save O’Neal some heartache. Former Democratic Rep. Mike Clelland was able to win a tight race in HD29 in 2012, but took a 14-point drubbing at the hands of Plakon in 2014. O’Neal likely would have faced a similar fate.
VICTOR TORRES FILES FOR STATE SENATE, DAUGHTER AMY MERCADO FOR HIS HOUSE SEAT via Scott Powers of Florida Politics – Torres filed … for the state Senate in the seat that would be vacated by … Darren Soto, and Torres’ daughter, Democrat Amy Mercado, filed to run to replace her father in the House of Representatives. Torres, completing his second term, was the first to file to run in Orlando-based Senate District 15, now that it has been redrawn, renumbered and set for a new election … He had planned and expected for months to seek to follow Soto, who is running for U.S. Congress and not for re-election.
— “Sheri Treadwell scores key endorsement in HD 11 GOP scrum” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
— “Lenny Curry PAC wows with $289K December; Shahid Khan goes $100K deep” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
— “Naples Republican Joe Davidow raises more than $3K in December” via Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster of Florida Politics
LIBERTY PARTNERS ADDS FOURTH HIGH-PROFILE LOBBYIST TO BOOST GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS TEAM via Florida Politics – Jennifer Green’s Liberty Partners of Tallahassee has boosted its government affairs portfolio with the addition of Douglas McAlarney as General Counsel. McAlarney will become the firm’s fourth on-staff lobbyist. As general counsel, Green says McAlarney will be a key strategic adviser on policy development, public affairs and legal management. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to bring Doug on to the Liberty Partners team,” said Green, the firm’s President and owner … “My colleagues and I have worked in the political arena with him over the years and are privileged to have someone with his diverse background, education, political acumen and strong work ethic on our team.”
SEAN PITTMAN UBER’ED UP — Lawyer-lobbyist Sean Pittman, who formerly represented the Florida Limousine Association, is switching sides to Uber, the ride-sharing service. Pittman, a member of INFLUENCE magazine’s “Top 100 Influencers,” was a big get for Uber, based in San Francisco. Pittman’s reach is statewide, with a presence in Tallahassee, Palm Beach County and Miami.
SPOTTED on Adams Street Monday afternoon … everybody!
