Hello and welcome to Thursday.
Everyday I Write The Book — The speculation surrounding a possible presidential campaign for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis moved up a notch after it was revealed — first on Fox News and then amplified by DeSantis’ political Twitter account — that the governor has a new book scheduled to go on sale on Feb. 28.
High Fidelity— Titled “The Courage to Be Free: Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Revival,” the book’s marketing page suggests it will be part autobiographic memoir and part policy recitation. HarperCollins describes it as a “a firsthand account from the blue-collar boy who grew up to take on Disney and Dr. Fauci” and that “The Courage to Be Free delivers something no other politician’s memoir has before: stories of victory. This book is a winning blueprint for patriots across the country. And it is a rallying cry for every American who wishes to preserve our liberties.”
Punch The Clock— Releasing the book at that time fits in what is seen as the likely timeline for a presidential run for the conservative governor — sometime in late spring after the 2023 session of the Florida Legislature. The schedule is already filling out to some extent, which includes a special session later this month and the inauguration in early January. (There has been unofficial discussion that the inaugural events will cover two days, including an inaugural ball but no details have been publicly released yet.)
Beyond Belief— A presidential contender writing a book is nothing new, but it will be interesting to see whether the actual text delves more into DeSantis’ upbringing — and decision-making process — than has been previously divulged. (On a side note, Sen. Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday that he’s releasing a new book over the summer. Hmm.)
Mystery Dance— The governor only occasionally talks about his past experiences and how they molded him, such as an apparent culture clash when he first showed up at Yale. Will the book give any true insights into key moments of his handling of Covid-19? One would be when he ruled out a statewide mask mandate despite the urging of many in his inner circle or his decision to allow one of his top officials to order a shutdown of bars and restaurants in the early days of the pandemic.
Pump It Up— This much is guaranteed: the book will get read closely by GOP political consultants (especially those sided with his rivals), a flock of political reporters and others looking for clues.
— WHERE’S RON? — Gov. DeSantis is holding a press conference on Key Biscayne. He is also expected to attend the “Boots on the Sand” Hurricane Ian benefit concert being held in Estero.
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LET THEM ALL TALK— “‘Blueprint’ for 2024? DeSantis pens book on going after ‘entrenched elites’ as presidential speculation swirls,” by Fox News’ Andrew Murray and Paul Steinhauser: “Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida will chronicle his life in public service in a new book that will publish in late February in what will be seen by political pundits as another step by the conservative champion toward a possible 2024 presidential run. The autobiography by DeSantis, who was overwhelmingly re-elected three weeks ago to a second four-year term steering the increasingly red Sunshine State, is titled ‘The Courage to Be Free: Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Revival.’”
DAY 2— “DeSantis’ office relied on GOP sheriffs, others in inquiry of Andrew Warren,” by Tampa Bay Times’ Lawrence Mower: “On Wednesday morning, however, [Andrew] Warren’s attorneys pounced during their cross-examination of public safety czar Larry Keefe to point out holes and omissions in his research, including the fact that, outside of the Orange County sheriff, he talked to only Republicans while doing his research on DeSantis’ behalf. The questioning at one point prompted U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle to ask Keefe: ‘You can’t give me the name of a single Democrat you talked to besides the sheriff of Orange County?’ That’s correct, Keefe replied, but he clarified that he didn’t know, and didn’t try to find out, anyone’s political affiliation..”
WILL IT PLAY OUTSIDE OF FLA? — “Just wait until you get to know Ron DeSantis,” by The Atlantic’s Mark Leibovich: “The question is whether DeSantis’s presidential hopes will perish as he starts getting out more on the Iowa–New Hampshire dating apps. People who know him better and have watched him longer are skeptical of his ability to take on the former president. DeSantis, they say, is no thoroughbred political athlete. He can be awkward and plodding. And Trump tends to eviscerate guys like that. ‘He was standoffish in general,’ the Virginia Republican Barbara Comstock, a former House colleague of DeSantis’s, told me.”
— “The other Ron DeSantis: What’s it like to share a name with Florida’s governor?” by Tampa Bay Times’ Kirby Wilson
CASHING OUT? — “High stakes: Miami family plans to sell Magic City Casino to Native American tribe,” by Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas: “The owners of one of the longest-running gambling operations in Florida are selling Magic City Casino in Miami to an Alabama-based Native American tribe for an undisclosed price and on Thursday will ask the state to transfer its lucrative gambling permit. The transfer of the gambling permit from Miami’s Havenick family to the Poarch Band of Creek Indians would allow the tribe to own and operate Magic City Casino and retain control of the casino’s greyhound permit, which was first issued by the state in 1931 when racing was first legalized in Florida.”
— “State schedules public workshop on new rules to limit Capitol protests,” by Tallahassee Democrat’s James Call
— “GOP women surpass female Dems in FL Senate; major gains for Republican women in House,” by Florida Phoenix’s Danielle J. Brown
‘MR. TRUMP IS NOT COMING’ — “Salvation Army gala still set for Mar-a-Lago despite latest Trump uproar,” by Palm Beach Post’s Alexandra Clough: “Five years ago, the Salvation Army marched out of Mar-a-Lago after former President Donald Trump’s comments about neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, Virginia. Next Saturday, the nonprofit known for its red kettles outside stores at Christmastime is slated to hold the event of the season at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach. The Dec. 10 Paradise Ball comes less than two weeks after the 2024 presidential candidate had dinner at Mar-a-Lago with Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, and white supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes.”
‘WE HAVE TO STAND UP’ — “Trump’s dinner with antisemites provides test of GOP response to extremism,” by Washington Post’s Isaac Arnsdorf, Josh Dawsey and Marianna Sotomayor: “[Former President Donald] Trump has been taken aback by the backlash and maintained that the controversy over his Mar-a-Lago dinner with white nationalist Nick Fuentes and the rapper Ye, who has been vocally spouting antisemitic conspiracy theories, would blow over, according to advisers who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential conversations. ‘I think it’s dying down,’ they recalled Trump saying. But the wave of denunciations only intensified as lawmakers returned to Washington from the Thanksgiving holiday this week, breaking a well-worn pattern of dodging or shrugging off Trump’s controversies during much of his presidency, possibly ushering in a new phase of more vocal criticism of him.”
TURNED OVER— “House committee obtains access to Trump’s tax returns, ending long fight,” by The New York Times’ Charlie Savage: “A House committee has gained access to six years of former President Donald J. Trump’s tax returns after the Supreme Court last week paved the way for the release of records he had long sought to keep secret. ‘Treasury has complied with last week’s court decision,’ Lily Adams, a spokeswoman for the Treasury Department, said on Wednesday. The move brought to an end a nearly four-year effort by Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee to obtain the returns.”
PEREZ ASSEMBLES HOUSE GOP TEAM— Rep. Daniel Perez, who is slated to become House speaker in 2024, has assembled the campaign team that will be responsible for defending the GOP’s current overwhelming majority in the Florida House. House Republicans hold 85 out of 120 seats — a supermajority.
The list— In a memo to House GOP members, Perez announced that Nick Catroppo, who has been vice president of political operations for the Florida Chamber of Commerce, will be executive director. Faron Boggs, who has worked for the Republican Party of Florida for nearly a decade, will be political director. Other team members: Daniel Leon, finance director; Sydney Fowler, member liaison; Hannah Littlejohn, finance coordinator; Tom Piccolo, general consultant; Tony Cortese, finance consultant. Sarah Bascom and Lyndsey Brzozowski with Bascom Communications will serve as communications consultants.
“I am confident this talented team of professionals will build on the tremendous success of Speaker Renner, who expanded our Republican majority – not just to a supermajority – but to a level that hasn’t been seen in nearly two decades,” Perez wrote.
COMING SOON— “Rubio stokes 2024 chatter with planned book release,” by The Hill’s Al Weaver: “There’s a possible new entrant in the 2024 GOP book primary: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). Rubio, who finished third in the 2016 GOP primary race, is set to release a new book, titled “Decades of Decadence,” on June 13 with jockeying underway for the 2024 presidential primary. The 272-page book is set to be released by Broadside Books, an imprint of HarperCollins.”
NOTED— “Incoming UF president Ben Sasse abstained from Senate vote on marriage act,” by Tampa Bay Times’ Divya Kumar: “Incoming University of Florida President Ben Sasse was among three U.S. senators to abstain from voting this week on the Respect for Marriage Act, which passed with provisions offering federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriage. Sasse’s stances on same-sex marriage — including his comments on the Respect for Marriage Act when it was proposed — were among the top concerns cited by many who opposed his bid for the UF presidency.”
— “U.S. Sen. Rick Scott wants Senate vote to end military COVID-19 vaccine mandate,” by Florida Phoenix’s Mitch Perry
BACK TO COURT— “Watchdog wants DeSantis’ office held in contempt over unreleased migrant flight records,” by Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas: “A public records watchdog on Wednesday asked a Tallahassee judge to charge the DeSantis administration with contempt of court for continuing to withhold public records about its handling of the relocation of migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard in September. The Florida Center for Government Accountability asked Judge J. Lee Marsh of the Second Judicial District to hold the governor’s office in contempt for violating Florida’s Public Records Act after the judge ordered the state on Oct. 25 to turn over by Nov. 14 text messages, call logs and other communications for his chief of staff James Uthmeier about the migrant flights.”
REWIND — “A look back at the 2022 hurricane season, from a historic lull to Hurricane Ian,” by Tampa Bay Times Michaela Mulligan: “The season started quickly, with a named storm forming within its first week. There was a historic lull in the middle. Then the tropics ramped up to a breakneck speed near the end. Florida didn’t come away unscathed. This year produced one of the deadliest storms in the state’s history — Hurricane Ian. The powerful Category 4 storm left what were once picturesque coastal destinations in shambles. And Hurricane Nicole, a historically late-forming storm, hit Florida’s east coast earlier this month, causing parts of waterfront homes to dump into the Atlantic.”
— “Atlantic hurricane season ends with average number of storms,” by The Associated Press
THE FINALE— “‘No precedent’ — Ahead of Joel Greenberg’s sentencing, judge seeks punishment to fit crimes,” by Orlando Sentinel’s Martin E. Comas: “A day before Joel Greenberg is slated to face sentencing, a federal judge struggled to determine an appropriate penalty for the disgraced former elected official due to the breadth of his offenses — ranging from sex trafficking of a minor to stalking and bribery. Prosecutors and defense attorneys told U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell in a presentencing hearing Wednesday that federal sentencing guidelines, based on Greenberg’s plea agreement and subsequent cooperation with investigators, would call for him to be sentenced to between 9.25 and 11 years in prison.”
Argument — “Greenberg’s attorney, Fritz Scheller, in arguing for a lean sentence, noted that Greenberg has given testimony against 24 people — including 10 he said were involved in election corruption related to “ghost” candidates. He added that as many as eight individuals are being investigated for sex crimes based on Greenberg’s testimony and his cooperation with federal officials.”
GENTLE GIANTS— “Wildlife officials approve manatee protections,” by News Service of Florida’s Jim Turner: “State wildlife officials Wednesday approved a seasonal no-entry zone in an area of Brevard County waters where manatees gather, while preparing for a second winter of feeding the sea cows to try to prevent deaths. The approval came after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed this month that it will again work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to feed lettuce to manatees.”
DECLARATION — “Fla. Sheriff: Students no longer fear getting ‘a—cheeks’ ‘torn off,’ need new discipline policy,” by Click Orlando’s Christie Zizo: “[Brevard Sheriff Wayne] Ivey said the new disciplinary policy was necessary because teachers and administration were handcuffed by the current student code of conduct from dealing with students. ‘They know nothing is going to happen to them,’ Ivey said. ‘They know they’re not going to be given after-school detention, they’re not going to be suspended, they’re not going to be expelled, or like in the old days, they’re not going to have the cheeks of their a– torn off for not doing right in class.’”
— “Happy holidays? Florida school district walks back decision to nix Hanukkah presentation,” by Florida Politics’ Jesse Scheckner
— “Florida Times-Union editor Mary Kelli Palka to leave hometown paper after two decades,” by Florida Times-Union
— “Two neighboring counties. Two mass shootings. The same gun,” by Tallahassee Democrat’s Karl Etters
— “Department of Corrections confirms fourth Century prison inmate death of 2022,” by Pensacola News Journal’s Benjamin Johnson
— “Three teens face felony charges related to antisemitic and racist messages spray-painted in Weston,” by South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Angie DiMichele
— “Disney workers rally for better pay as unions bargain new contract,” by Orlando Sentinel’s Katie Rice
— “There are 400 of them made of plaster. Miami Beach, behold ‘The Great Wall of Vulva,” by Miami Herald’s Connie Ogle: “There has been a short but proud history of vagina-related works on display during Miami Art Week over the years: the whimsical inflatable vagina of 2019, the 12-foot neon orgasming vagina of 2018. But perhaps no piece is as openly notorious as this year’s ‘The Great Wall of Vulva.’ The 26-foot sculpture formerly known as ‘The Great Wall of Vagina’ made its U.S. debut at the Wilzig Erotic Art Museum in Miami Beach for Miami Art Week — the ‘perfect time and place,’ according to artist Jamie McCartney.”
BIRTHDAYS: Sen. Rick Scott … former state Rep. Anne Mackenzie … Tampa Bay Times’ Michael Van Sickler
