All the news that suits, and more – make Sunburn your first look at Sunshine State politics and policy news.
Scoop – The Federal Bureau of Investigation @FBI today executed a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago, two sources confirm to @Fla_Pol.
“They left,” said one source.
I’m not sure what the search warrant was for.
TBH, I’m not a strong enough reporter to hunt this down, but it’s true. pic.twitter.com/hMsGhlVp3d
— Peter Schorsch (@PeterSchorschFL) August 8, 2022
“FBI searches Mar-a-Lago, says Donald Trump” via POLITICO’s Nicholas Wu and Kyle Cheney – The FBI has searched Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home, he said in a statement. “They even broke into my safe,” Trump said Monday in a lengthy statement describing it as a “raid.” It was not immediately clear why the agents were present at Mar-a-Lago, but he said it was “surrounded, raided and occupied by a large group of FBI agents.” “After working and cooperating with the appropriate Government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was neither necessary nor appropriate,” he said.
I recognize that this email is supposed to be about Florida politics, but today is no ordinary day.
“Heat 2: A Novel” starts today.
Michael Mann’s 1995 crime drama is my second favorite film of all time and, without a doubt, my most rewatched film.
Many other “Heat” fans are working in #FlaPol, including lobbyist Tony Glover, consultant Brad Herold, Sal Nuzzo of the James Madison Institute, James Miller of the Florida League of Cities, and more.
Today is a day that most “Heat” fans would never have expected.
When the screen goes dark at the end of the film, professional thief Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) and most of his crew are dead, buried in their graves by police or rivals. The only survivor, a wounded Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer), leaves his wife and son behind to avoid capture.
The Los Angeles Police Department has also been hit by a day-long firefight outside a downtown bank. Robbery-homicide detective Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) shoots and kills McCauley mano-a-mano near the L.A. airport. Hanna felt an affinity for McCauley, both professionals who sacrificed their personal lives to be true to themselves. They understood and respected each other.
In “Heat 2,” Mann and veteran thriller writer Meg Gardiner return to these complex and strong characters – McCauley, Shiherlis and Hanna – but you don’t have to watch the movie first to enjoy the book, but it’s a pleasure .
What can happen with one character dead, one on the lam and one character emotionally exhausted? Mann and Gardiner play with time, weaving prequels for McCauley and Hanna with present-day stories for Shiherlis and Hanna. But such cleverness overlooks the expansion of these characters, and each gets a new dimension to a self-destructive trait: McCauley’s cynicism, Shiherlis’ sensationalism and Hanna’s anger.
Slick as Neil McCauley’s heist and as tough as Vincent Hanna’s pursuit, “Heat 2” is just dynamite. Mann and Gardiner have achieved something rare with this novel: a screen-to-page sequence that stands tall on its own.
Do yourself a favor and start your day by watching the riveting trailer for the first film (the song in the background is Moby’s epic instrumental, “God moves over the face of the Water.”
To view the Heat trailer, please click on the image below:
“Michael Mann’s LA classic ‘Heat’ is getting a sequel, and it’s a novel. Here’s how he did it” via Jordan Riefe of the Los Angeles Times – “Heat 2” is a strange novel: filmmaker Mann’s debut that happens to be a sequel to his 1995 film, “Heat.” But it does not, Mann insists, mark a return to L.A. classic neo-noir. That’s because Mann didn’t leave him. So why the novel? Mann’s wheeler and dealing agent, Story Factory’s Shane Salerno, took somewhere to decide that this was the best format for a sequel. One of the most obvious logistical problems with how to make a film: time. All the actors were older, they didn’t fit their age. A novel allows Mann to revisit the era with his characters unfettered by resolution decisions — regardless of the contradictions and delays involved in the development process.
—”‘Heat 2’: Why Mann’s sequel to his classic crime film had to be a novel” via David Fear of Rolling Stone
“Michael Mann on prequel/sequel novel ‘Heat 2,’ and going deep on city life” via CBS News – The director has made a career of paying attention to detail while encouraging viewers to see the characters in his feel part of a movie. But Mann is adept at making moviegoers sympathize with some of the most unsatisfying characters, including those in his famous bank robbery movie, “Heat.” Mann said, “I had to learn L.A. for ‘Heat.’ I lived there for 25 years, I thought I knew it, and I realized I didn’t know L.A. And so, we probably shot at more places in L.A. in ’94 and in ‘ 95 making ‘Heat’ than any other movie has been filmed before.” Mann said he went out with the police responding to emergency calls every weekend for six months preparing for that film.
—“’Heat 2′ is heating up to be a ‘big movie,’ Mann says” via The AV Club’s Matt Schimkowitz
“Mann’s Spoiled Men” via Jonah Weiner of The New York Times – Mann’s specialty is detailed constructions of big Hollywood entertainments: epics and big-budget thrillers rich with genre pleasures, rigged with spectacular set pieces and heavy on movie stars. As interested as he is in making films for the sake of mass enjoyment, however, Mann is not, by his own description, a walking director – these guys who go from gig to gig to gig. I need a very strong reason to do something.” Mann’s artistic signature is to establish a core of intense realism, then create a heightened visual and emotional atmosphere around it that can edge, at times, into a kind of hallucinatory macho camp. It’s an aesthetic Mann began exploring when he was overseeing the 1980s cop show “Miami Vice.”
“Mann’s Hot at 25: A New Material Study of Loneliness” via NPR’s Marc Rivers – As bleak as things seem, Mann’s 1995 crime epic doesn’t hold the comfort of a good rom-com like When Harry Met Sally … or classic family movies like Finding Nemo, movies that offer the kind of happy ending we’re looking for these days. Nor does it offer the perverse pleasures of Steven Soderbergh’s 2011 film Contagion; That film’s view of a global pandemic mirrors our own and helps us imagine how bad things could get. But Heat deals with a more existential kind of emptiness – one that becomes the film’s steady, plaintive bassline against the catchy melody of its cops and robbers. And in his own strange and very specific way, he comforted me.
“Why Heat is the greatest heist movie ever made” via Gerardo Valero of RogerEbert.com – “Heat” is the greatest heist movie ever made. It includes the best bank robbery scene ever filmed (by far) and also the most influential scene (think “The Dark Knight” and “The Town”). Every part, no matter how small, is played by a great actor. Mann drops into the most believable of environments with hardly (if any) filming taking place in studios, achieving a level of authenticity unlike that of Steven Spielberg when he dropped his plastic shark into the ocean true. In “Heat,” Mann demonstrates the uncanny ability of the sights and sounds of places and settings to make his characters and their actions all believable.
“The story of Neil McCauley and the real heist that inspired ‘Heat’ Mann” via Neil Patmore of ATI — On March 25, 1964, Chicago police stood outside a corner store on the city’s Southwest Side, ready to take McCauley down down , a career criminal who had been released from federal prison just two years earlier. The police were led by a detective named Chuck Adamson, who had recently met McCauley over coffee and had flown his gang. He knew that McCauley and his crew planned to rob the store. But even though McCauley had already walked away from one job when he found out Adamson was on it, he had no idea how deep it was. Or his life story would not be turned into Michael Mann’s 1995 crime classic Heat.
It’s National Book Truck Day, and we’ll give you one guess as to which Florida politician considers the annual unofficial holiday to be Christmas in August.
Among Speaker’s notable achievements so far has been the New Worlds Reading Initiative, which delivers books to school students who are struggling to learn to read. In his spare time, he hosts a podcast featuring interviews with the authors of best-selling books that have influenced his career in politics.
After a short break after its first season, Season 2 of the series “Read, White & Blue” podcast today.
Episode 1 features Vivek Ramaswamy, author of “WOKE, INC.: Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam.” He and Sprowls discuss Environmental, Social and Governance, or ESG, investing and the ways in which they believe it threatens democracy.
“The public policy we’ve passed out of the Florida House over the past two years has pushed Florida into a position of leadership in moving power back to citizens, parents and everyday Americans. On Season 2 of ‘Read, White & Blue,’ I explore with bestselling authors some of the best books about these issues – from ‘woke’ capitalism to children’s literacy to law and order,” said Sprowls. “National Book Lovers Day is the a great time to listen to the podcast and look for the next book you should read.”
Other episodes will include substantive discussions with authors such as Jonathan Issac (“Why I Stand”), James Patterson (“Run, Rose, Run”) and Kellyanne Conway (“Here’s the Deal”), among many others.
“Read, White & Blue” can be heard on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast platforms, with new episodes posted every Tuesday morning.
Here are some other political ideas:
👫⧘👶 – The Trump administration’s family separation policy may not have dominated the headlines in 2022, but The Atlantic’s Caitlin Dickerson spent 18 months investigating it, and the end product is must-read journalism. The Atlantic’s national editor, veteran industry man Scott Stossel, isn’t easily impressed, so his five-word take should carry some weight: “important and fun and exciting.” Check it out ASAP.
🥊 – Can Democrats win by losing? According to the polls … maybe. As Republicans continue to win on culture war issues like restricting abortion rights — and refusing to restrict gun rights — voters are starting to turn away, giving Democrats a chance to cash in . If the trend continues, the GOP could pull away from the clutches of victory.
🥇🥇🥇 — Susie Wiles was involved in Trump’s 2016 Florida victory, and she’s successful again in 2020. But can she pull off a three-peat in Florida for the first presidential candidate since FDR? It would be tough – especially if the Gov. Ron DeSantis in the mix — but we wouldn’t bet against her leading Sunshine State theater in two years.
🚨 — There will be no truth and reconciliation commission for the “Big Lie” … in fact, Americans may get a sequel instead. According to an in-depth analysis by Bloomberg’s Ryan Teague Beckwith and Bill Allison, whether the 2024 election can be stolen will essentially be decided by the November results in five key states – Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The alarm bells are already ringing.
– The National Democrats may be making a comeback, but does the party have a chance to win in Florida? Dara Kam, along with State Attorney Dave Aronberg, explores the issue in the second episode of his new podcast, “Deeper Dive with Dara Kam.” Hear Aronberg discuss his efforts in the fight against the opioid crisis and the “sober house” racket.
Another escalation is MAL’s raid on weaponizing federal agencies against the Regime’s political opponents, and the likes of Hunter Biden are treated with kid gloves. Now the System is getting another 87k IRS agents to face their enemies? Banana Republic.
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantisFL) August 9, 2022
—@marcorubio: We have seen a lot from 3rd world Marxist dictatorships using government power to persecute political opponents. But never in America before
—@TracyWalder: As a former FBI agent, this is a big deal. We only ran search warrants of this size/scale if we had a mountain of reason to support it
I can’t wait until we have a Senate led by people in touch with the real concerns of working Americans
So we can reverse all the climate garbage democrats with the smallest amount of edges pic.twitter.com/sBc58z9zNI
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) August 8, 2022
—@GaryGrumbach: The Georgia Senate runoff was January 5, 2021. The results received about four hours of coverage on the morning of January 6 before the front pages were deleted but were significant for administration priorities (Joe ) Biden.
—@ThirdWayMattB: I don’t know, a platform with higher insulin prices, sunsetting Social Security and Medicare, and forcing 10-year-olds to give birth might NOT be popular.
—@ChristinaPushaw: Every candidate running for Congress this year needs to go on the record about what they will do with the massive power that the DC swamp has acquired to terrorize and impoverish the American people. Will you refund the 87,000 new IRS agents or not?!
—@NateMonroeTU: the most honest haters will always read you so obsessively that they come up with theories to explain your two-day absence from the newspaper
It was ten busy years on Mars.
After ten years, 18 miles (29 km), and 500,000 photos, @MarsCuriosity is still rolling strong in its search for signs of ancient life. As Curiosity progresses, take a look back at what it has achieved: https://t.co/zX6MeG2QPt pic.twitter.com/26CadYeGRk
Remember and honor David McCullough (1933-2022): pic.twitter.com/VgFm4eVNiX
— Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) August 8, 2022
Early voting begins for Primary Schools — 4; FBHA’s annual conference, BHCon2022 – 8 begins; FRLA Operations and Marketing Summit — 9; ‘House of the Dragon’ premieres on HBO – 12; 2022 Florida Elementary – 13; opens a launch window for NASA to the Artemis I – 19; 2022 Florida Chamber Technology & Innovation Solution Summit — 22; ‘Andor’ premieres on Disney + – 22; ‘The Lord of the Rings’ premieres on Amazon Prime – 24; NFL Opening Night: LA Rams vs Buffalo Bills – 30; 2022 Emmys – 34; Technology & 2022 JMI Innovation Summit begins — 37; ‘Atlanta’ final season begins – 37; deadline for sending a vote by email for the General Election — 58; deadline to register for the General Election — 62; 22-23 NHL season begins – 63; Release of Cormac McCarthy’s ‘The Passenger’ — 77; Jon Meacham’s releases ‘And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle’ — 77; Florida Association Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum – 78; Early voting begins for the General Election — 81; General Election 2022 — 91; ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ premieres – 94; ‘Captain Marvel 2’ premieres – 94; FITCon 2022 begins — 100; ‘The Flash’ premieres – 100; World Cup begins in Qatar – 104; USA World Cup Soccer Team Begins Play – 104; McCarthy’s ‘Stella Maris’ releases — 105; Florida TaxWatch Annual Meeting Begins – 113; ‘Willow’ premieres on Disney + – 113; ‘Avatar 2’ premieres – 129; ‘Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ premieres – 192; 2023 Legislative Session Held — 210; ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ premieres — 227; American Association of Political Consultants Polls 23 conference begins – 252; Session 2023 Sine Die — 269; ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ premieres – 269; ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ premieres – 297; premieres ‘Open heimer’ by Christopher Nolan – 346; ‘Blade’ reboot premieres – 451; ‘Dún: Part Two premieres — 465; premieres Part 2 of ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ – 598; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games – 717; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres – 717; ‘Fantastic Four’ reboot premieres – 822; Premieres ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ – 997.
“Ron DeSantis to hit campaign trail to support Donald Trump-endorsed candidates: ‘Unite and win'” via Fox News’ Brooke Singman – DeSantis will travel to New Mexico, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Ohio on this month to support GOP candidates, including Ohio Republican Senate candidate JD Vance, Pennsylvania GOP GOP candidate Doug Mastriano, Arizona Republican Senate candidate Blake Masters and GOP nominee for Gov. Kari Lake.
Turning Point Action is hosting and organizing rallies with DeSantis to “unify” the Republican Party.
“Take it. DeSantis is the Governor of America and one of the most popular leaders in America,” Charlie Kirk, founder and president of Turning Point Action, told Fox News. “He is a role model for a new conservative movement that is willing to stand on principle and fight in really stand up for the values of their voters.”
Lake told Fox News that, “as an added bonus,” she “can’t wait to watch the media explode when their favorite couple gets to lie to each other.”
—@MarcACaputo: This story/event is cleverly presented to take some of the air out of the DeSantis-Trump clash, which Acela Hivemind has more wishful thinking than reality (yet?)
Evergreen – “DeSantis is ‘scarier’ opponent than Trump, say Democrats” via Amie Parnes of The Hill – Biden has repeatedly talked about taking on Trump. He tells anyone who will listen that he is the only Democrat who can defeat Trump, and said last month that he would not be disappointed if Trump ran against him in 2024. But some Democrats say that if Biden runs for re-election . , he also needs to actively target DeSantis and stop boxing in the Trump race. “To me, DeSantis is the scariest prospect,” said one Democratic strategist. “He’s a smarter version of Trump, he’s much more strategic, and he doesn’t have a hundred lawsuits.”
“DeSantis spends time, cash on other races, showing confidence in re-election prospects” via Zac Anderson of the Tallahassee Democrat – DeSantis apparently thinks his re-election prospects are good enough that he can spend his time and campaign money to do. on other races. Voters in at least two Florida counties, Sarasota and Lee, have found themselves promoting local school board candidates paid for by the Governor’s political committee. Meanwhile, DeSantis is planning headline rallies this month in New Mexico, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Ohio put on by Turning Point Action to support Trump-endorsed GOP candidates in those states.
Val Demings spends another $109K on TV ads – US Rep. Demings has bought a new ad for her US Senate campaign. The presumptive Democratic nominee’s new flight cost $109,009 and will cover broadcast ads running Tuesday through Monday. The purchase directs $90,430 to the Tampa media market and $18,570 to the Jacksonville media market. According to AdImpact, the Demings campaign has spent about $10.5 million on ads this cycle, including $2.8 million in the Tampa market and $735,007 in the Jacksonville market.
Charlie Crist spends another $127K on ads – Crist’s political committee, Friends of Charlie Crist, has posted an average buy of $127,430. The flight, carried through GMMB, covers cable commercials airing today through Monday in seven media markets across the state. The largest chunk, $38,306, was directed to the Orlando media market. Another $31,653 was spent in the Tampa media market and $24,050 went to the Miami market. Crist’s commercials will air on several cable channels, including AMC, BET, Bravo, CNN, Discovery, HGTV, MSNBC, TLC, TNT, USA and others.
Assignment editors – Nikki Fried will hold a news conference in front of the Governor’s Mansion, asking DeSantis to “support the rule of law and let the Department of Justice do its job,” 9 am, 700 N Adams St, Tallahassee.
Assignment editors — Fried will visit an early voting center in Jacksonville to get the vote, 12:15 p.m., 1826 Dunn Ave., Jacksonville. Details at [email protected]
“Ashley Moody’s matching fund buoy raises money in re-election” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Moody continues to oversee resources for November, raising nearly $370,000 during the last full week of July fundraising, more than half of that amount coming from Florida taxpayers. Moody raised $249,998 to her campaign account, spending about $35,000 between the weeks ending July 29. A total of $232,428 of his weekly total came from campaign matching funds from Florida. She added another $119,000 to her Friends of Ashley Moody political committee account during the same week, spending less than $3,000.
“Marijuana company wants to legalize pot via ballot initiative” via POLITICO’s Arek Sarkissian – Medical marijuana company Trulieve has launched a new campaign to legalize pot in 2024 with a $5 million contribution toward a ballot initiative. The Tallahassee-based medical marijuana company filed paperwork with the Florida Department of State to form a new political committee called Smart & Safe Florida. The group proposes a ballot initiative asking voters to support expanding the state’s current medical marijuana law to allow the industry to sell pot products for recreational use.
To watch the video announcement, please click on the image below:
“More than $8M in outside cash spent on Congressional Majors since qualifying” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics – The spending includes more than $1.7 million spent by two groups to support the bid of Republican state Sen. Aaron Bean in CD 4, and more than $1 million spent primarily by one group to support Democratic organizer Maxwell Alejandro Frost in CD 10. Since the June 17 ballot qualifying day, outside groups have spent $283,000 to attack Rep. Demings in the Senate race and others have spent $100,000 supporting the re-election of Parliament. Sen. Marco Rubio. Little outside money has come to Demings’ defense, at least according to the latest reports filed with the Federal Election Commission, which took place last Friday. Between $100,000 and $1 million were spent to support or oppose seven other candidates in five other Florida congressional contests.
“Mark Lombardo blasts Matt Gaetz in another round of TV ads” via Aimee Sachs of Florida Politics – Lombardo is stepping up his attack on U.S. Rep. Gaetz as he calls out the former Marine Corps and a former FedEx executive unseated him in Florida’s 1st Congressional District. . “Matt Gaetz is a liar who has no respect for women, who generates lies, promotes conspiracy theories, uses gimmicks to get TV airtime, and baits voters with racist and anti-gay calls,” Lombardo said in a prepared statement. “Matt Gaetz is a hypocrite and a first-time professional politician who got involved in a child sex trafficking investigation and then asked for a pardon for any crimes to keep himself out of jail.”
Gaetz drops $16K on broadcast flight – US Rep. Gaetz bought a $16,264 ad for his re-election campaign in Florida’s 1st Congressional District. The flight will place ads on broadcast television in the mobile media market starting Wednesday and continuing through Saturday. The new ad buy represents $515,740 in ad spending to date for the incumbent Republican. Gaetz is facing Lombardo in the Republican Primary. The contestant bought another $55,000 over the weekend for a broadcast flight that started on Monday and ends on Sunday. Lombardo has spent $356,755 on ads so far.
Kat Cammack calls liberals ‘bird brains’ in new ad – Republican US Representative Cammack is out with a new ad in her bid for re-election in Florida’s 3rd Congressional District. The 30-second spot details recent economic woes and blames Democrats before turning to Cammack’s pitch. “As the youngest Republican woman in Congress, I fought to create more jobs in Florida, secure the border, and protect the rights of gun owners and the unborn.” The ad is also a sequel to her 2020 “Chicken” spot — itself a remix of former US President Ted Yoho’s “Pigs” ad — in that she calls congressional Democrats “bird brains” and urges voters to “ kick these dumb knocks. out of the nest.”
To view the announcement, please click on the image below:
Pro-Aaron Bean committee buys $26K for ads in CD 4 – A political committee supporting Bean’s campaign for Florida’s 4th Congressional District dropped another $26,291 on ads in the Jacksonville market. Keep covering Florida Red’s new flight with commercials that air Tuesday through Monday on Fox News. The committee also recently funded a broadcast flight that ran concurrently with the cable commercials. He has spent about $483,000 on CD 4 ads so far, almost double what the campaign of Mrs. Bean is considered the leading GOP candidate in the race. CD 4 is expected to run as a Republican in the General Election.
Michael Waltz spends $148K on ads – US Rep. Waltz has bought $148,025 for his re-election campaign in Florida’s 6th Congressional District. The purchase, placed through American Media and Advocacy Group, covers broadcast ads that will air today through August 29. The flight drives $96,039 to the Orlando average market and $51,985 to the Jacksonville average market. Waltz faces Charles Davis in the Republican Primary for CD 6. Libertarian Joe Hannoush is also running for the seat.
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick offers new airtime buy – US Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick has booked another $9,499 in airtime for her election campaign in Florida’s 20th Congressional District. The new purchase will air the incumbent Democrats’ ads that will air within the West Palm Beach media market. It started on Saturday and runs until Friday. According to AdImpact, the Cherfilus-McCormick campaign has spent $256,251 on ads in the current election cycle.
Jason Brodeur’s new ad highlights record on education – Sen. has released a new digital ad. Brodeur emphasizes his votes and opinions on educational issues. In the 30-second spot, titled “Parents, Teachers and Students,” the Sanford Republican talks his support for teacher pay raises, expanded half-enrollment programs and VocEd, and policies that give parents more say in their child’s education. “Parents, teachers, students – to strengthen education, we need to support all three and that’s exactly what I will do in the Florida Senate,” Brodeur says in the announcement. Brodeur faces little-known Republican Denali Charres in the GOP Primary for Senate District 10. The Republican nominee will face Democratic Rep. Joy Goff-Marcil in November. SD 10 is expected to be one of the most competitive Senate races this cycle.
To view the announcement, please click on the image below:
Nick DiCeglie releases ad focused on education – Republican State Senate candidate DiCeglie is running a new digital ad that highlights his commitment to school choice. Titled “Every Child Deserves a Great Education,” the ad highlights the current state Representative’s support for K-12 opportunity scholarships, teacher pay raises and school safety. “In the State Senate, I will fight for more technical and vocational training opportunities in our public schools because not every good career should require a college degree,” he says in the announcement. “Every child deserves a good education, and that starts with us.” DiCeglie is the GOP nominee in Senate District 18, and is expected to run as a Republican in the fall. He faces Democratic nominee Eunic Ortiz in the General Election.
To view the announcement, please click on the image below:
First in Sunburn – Raquel Pacheco launches first digital ad in SD 36 – Senate District 36 Democratic candidate Pacheco released her first digital ad of the election cycle. “As a child, I had to flee my country without my parents because of Fidel Castro and his communist military invasion. My journey as an immigrant child, my military service, and my willingness to stand up to dictators who want to be political here at home define who I am,” she says in the ad. “As a veteran, I’m not afraid to fight tough fights like that means service to our country. As a single mom and small business owner, I know what it takes to fight – and I’m ready to fight for you. Pacheco is running to unseat Republican Sen. Ileana Garcia.
To view the announcement, please click on the image below:
“Griff Griffitts defeats Brian Clowdus in July fundraising for HD 6” via Aimee Sachs of Florida Politics – If fundraising is any indication of who will win the race to replace Jay Trumbull in House District 6, Griffitts would defeat Clowdus by a landslide. The campaign has raised a total of $339,000 and spent over $247,000. On July 29, he gave the Frontline Agency over $35,000 for media campaign outreach and direct mail costs. Meanwhile, Clowdus has raised over $72,000 and spent over $61,000.
“Race to represent HD 93 Palm Beach County sees high spending, fundraising” via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics – Three of the four Democrats running to represent Palm Beach County hit spending highs as the last weeks before the Primary school was reduced. Port of Palms Commissioner Katherine Waldron took the lead and raised the most numbers in the race for the newly drawn seat that represents parts of Wellington, Greenacres, Lake Worth and unincorporated Boynton Beach. Waldron, who works in sales and business, has $60,119 on hand, including the $62,000 she loaned to her campaign.
“DeSantis backs ‘strong leader’ Juan Fernandez-Barquin for re-election” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics – DeSantis is throwing his support behind Rector Fernandez-Barquin’s re-election bid in House District 118. The Governor announced his endorsed Fernandez-Barquin on Twitter, writing Monday that the twice-elected state lawmaker “has been a strong leader in protecting public safety and parents’ rights.” Fernandez-Barquin has proven to be a reliable ally with DeSantis in the Legislature, sponsoring or co-sponsoring “red meat” measures like the anti-riot bill (HB 1), Stop WOKE Act, and the “Don’t Say Gay Bill” which limits classroom discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation. He said: “I look forward to working with Juan to keep Florida free.”
“New parental rights laws make these teachers angry but don’t stop these teachers” via Jeffrey S. Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times – There was excitement at Sanders Memorial Elementary School as teachers and staff returned to the campus, renewed after a two-month summer vacation. . Amidst the excitement of preparing classrooms, they couldn’t escape the political reality sweeping Florida’s public schools as the first day of classes approached. Controversial new laws regarding sex and gender teaching, the provision of health services, and the selection of books came into force on 1 July. The Pasco County school district wanted to ensure that faculty and staff had the knowledge they would need to meet the latest expectations. . So, for an hour last Wednesday, the discussion turned to Sanders Memorial.
“Black farmers feel left out of the medical marijuana system” via Paul Nutcher of The Associated Press – Nearly six years ago, the Florida Legislature set aside a medical marijuana license for a Black farmer like John Allen to enter the industry which is emerging. But the Florida Department of Health has not yet issued the license. Twenty-two licenses have been issued but so far none have been issued to a Black farmer. The licenses generated huge income from some of the license holders, which hindered the Black farmers who are wondering how they can catch up. Black Florida farmers like Allen have struggled to participate in the medical marijuana industry because of laws they say are too narrowly focused for them to enter the business.
“Joe Biden’s schedule is heavy on Delaware, light on press interviews and golf” via Catherine Lucey of The Wall Street Journal – Biden’s schedule shows that he values travel to Delaware and the occasional game of golf and is careful in formal interviews and news conferences. As the summer draws to a close, Biden plans to spend some time away from home in August, starting later this week with a trip to Kiawah Island, South Carolina. In his first 18 months in office, he traveled to Delaware 46 times and to Camp David 18 times. He played 15 rounds of golf, held 17 formal news conferences, and gave 20 sit-down interviews.
“Biden’s policies have not revitalized Scranton. But few people blame him.” via Cleve R. Wootson Jr. from the Washington Post – If Biden’s election showed how far a self-described “kid from Scranton” could go, two years into his presidency have pushed the limits of what Biden, perhaps any President, can do for him to reveal. a place like this. If Biden’s political goal is to help people like his former neighbors, it’s unclear whether he’s succeeded, at least not yet. “Scranton isn’t my home because of the memories it gave me — it’s my home because of the values it gave me,” Biden said. Many in Scranton do not accept the idea that Biden is responsible for the city’s struggles. The city has been on the receiving end of tectonic economic changes for over a century.
“Critics portray Marco Rubio’s tweet on George Soros-backed prosecutors as anti-Semitic” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics – US Sen. Rubio came under fire after suggesting that dealing with Soros-backed prosecutors should be a top priority in the Conference. After Senate Democrats dropped an amendment offered by Rubio, he took to Twitter to criticize prosecutors. “Democrats have blocked my effort to try to force Soros-backed prosecutors to jail dangerous criminals,” Rubio said. The assertion that Soros, who is Jewish, secretly controls a network of powerful decision-makers has drawn criticism as promoting an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory. “Marco Rubio, what is a Soros-backed prosecutor? Do you mean a Jew?” tweeted Fred Guttenberg, a gun control activist in Florida.
“U.S. Secret Service providing agents’ personal cell phone numbers to oversight entities” via CNN’s Jamie Gangel and Whitney Wild – Secret Service agents’ personal cell phone numbers were provided to oversight bodies looking into the January 6 attack on the US Capitol , 2021. Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi would not confirm which oversight entities, but emphasized the USSS is cooperating fully as multiple inquiries are underway. Multiple sources said providing investigators with Secret Service agents’ personal phone numbers is an unusual step.
“Trump wanted a ‘totally loyal’ general like Adolf Hitler, new book says” via Amy B. Wang of the Washington Post — Trump once told a top adviser that he wanted a “totally loyal” general like those who service to Hitler, unaware of that. several of Hitler’s generals attempted to assassinate the Nazi leader several times. Trump complained to John Kelly, his chief of staff at the time and a retired Marine Corps general, “why can’t you be like the German general?” When Kelly asked which generals he meant, Trump replied: “German generals in World War II.” “Do you know they tried to kill Hitler three times and almost pulled it off?” Kelly said. Trump didn’t believe it, the book says. “No, no, they were completely loyal to him,” Trump insisted.
“Trump flushes ripped-up papers down toilet, photos in upcoming book reveal” via Dave Goldiner of the New York Daily News – Trump seems to have flushed ripped-up government documents down the toilet, after all, new photos reveal Monday. New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman found the photos for “Confidence Man,” her upcoming book on the Trump White House. “Some of (Trump’s) aides were aware of the habit, which he engaged in repeatedly,” Haberman told Axios, which published the photos. “It was an extension of Trump’s longstanding habit of ripping up documents that were supposed to be preserved.”
“Trump targets Wisconsin GOP lawmaker for not canceling election” via The Washington Post’s Patrick Marley – A year ago this month, Wisconsin State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos sat on a private plane with Trump and gave him an update on the investigation he launched into the 2020 election, although there was no evidence of widespread fraud. Since then, Trump has repeatedly pressured Vos privately and publicly to find a way to overturn the election results. The 2020 results in Wisconsin still stand, showing Biden winning Wisconsin by more than 20,000 votes. “Adam Steen is running to defeat your RINO speaker of the house, Robin Vos,” Trump said.
“Anything but ‘normal’: Parkland victims’ family lives marked by absence, anxiety, grief” via Hannah Phillips of The Palm Beach Post – Alaina Petty’s sister doesn’t think she’ll ever love again, and Joaquin Oliver. his mother’s easy smile after the death. Peter Wang’s family no longer celebrates the Chinese New Year. It is difficult to celebrate anything without him. People often cried in the courtroom gallery and listening to each family speak, nod or grunt, push shoulders and parents and siblings back from the stand. Jurors were crying at times too. The judge’s voice broke even as she gave the jurors instructions again.
“Surfside law firm accuses resident of defaming town attorney over LGBTQ flag council” via Aaron Leibowitz of the Miami Herald – Ever since Surfside officials chose not to fly the LGBTQ Pride flag at Town Hall in June, the resident Gerardo Vildostegui is one of the city’s critics. At public meetings and in a letter to the town’s law firm, he blasted Town Attorney Lillian Arango for what he said was “completely inaccurate” on the relevant Supreme Court case and “anti-LGBTQ politics” and called he asked her to quit. . Vildostegui, a former professor of constitutional law, says he did not expect what was to come. The local law firm, Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman, a letter to him demanding that he stop making “defamatory” statements about Arango.
“Miami’s plan to build tiny homes on Biscayne Bay island for homeless put on hold” via Joey Flechas of the Miami Herald – Miami’s proposal to put up to 100 tiny homes on Virginia Key for the homeless, which opposition arose from the county and a weekend protest, suspended. Mayor Francis Suarez and Commissioner Joe Carollo, who sponsored the concept, announced Monday evening that the city would stop operating a “transition zone” on the island’s northeastern shore for at least six months. Recently, Suarez and Carollo negotiated an agreement to stop the effort as the city spends more to help agencies that work with people living on the street.
“Joel Greenberg’s associates may plead guilty in fraud case, attorneys say” via Martin E. Comas of the Orlando Sentinel — Two associates of former Seminole County Tax Collector Greenberg plan to plead guilty to charges of participating in estate fraud real, with a million dollars. scheme, lawyers told a federal judge Monday. “We are in the process of negotiating pleas,” Amanda Daniels, a prosecutor from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, told U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell. In total, Keith Ingersoll and James Adamcyzk face 40 counts of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and engaging in fraudulent money transactions.
“After fight, Universal CityWalk imposes weekend curfew on minors” via Katie Rice of the Orlando Sentinel – A new curfew policy at Universal Orlando’s CityWalk entertainment district bars guests under 18 after 9 p.m. on weekend nights, with certain exceptions. The change in policy comes after a fight on July 23 between several people, who the police identified as juveniles. Orlando police said no shots were fired during the incident and no one reported injuries. Stay at CityWalk after 9 p.m. From Friday through Sunday, visitors under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, be a guest at one of Universal’s hotels, or plan to see a movie at the property’s Cinemark movie theater.
“Orange County rent control law would be first” via Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel – If Orange County Commissioners put a rent control referendum on the November ballot, they will be the first in Florida to try. Tenants struggling to pay monthly rents that have risen an average of 30% over the past year are pleading for relief, supporting a measure proposed by Commissioner Emily Bonilla to limit how much a landlord can charge for housing to charge rent. The commission, which floated Bonilla’s idea twice in June and at its July 26 meeting, will discuss it again Tuesday with renters in the hope that the board will ultimately decide to put the question on the general election ballot with for voter approval as required by state 1977. Law.
“New Hillsborough State’s Attorney Opposes Andrew Warren, Seeks Death Penalty in Teacher’s Killing” via Mary Claire Molloy of the Tampa Bay Times – In one of her first acts in office, newly appointed Hillsborough State’s Attorney Susan Lopez made a decision from former top prosecutor Warren to reverse. and will seek the death penalty against a man accused of killing a Hillsborough elementary school teacher. Prosecutors will now seek the death penalty for Matthew Terry, who is charged with first-degree murder in the killing of Kay Baker. The 3rd grade math and science teacher at Cypress Creek Elementary in Ruskin was found dead near her home. Terry, her boyfriend at the time, was previously convicted in 2017 of stalking his ex-girlfriend in Michigan.
“Luis Viera files for re-election to Tampa City Council” via Kelly Hayes of Florida Politics — Tampa City Council member Viera is filing for re-election, making him the first incumbent on the council to do so. The two-term Council member filed paperwork Friday to run in Tampa’s municipal election for March 7, 2023. All current Council seats will be up for election on that ballot, as members’ current terms expire on April 30. , 2023. In deciding whether it will. Should he seek re-election, Viera decided he wants to continue his work on accessibility and public safety, having been a longtime advocate for marginalized communities.
“Tampa religious school to get federal lunch funds after all” via Divya Kumar of the Tampa Bay Times – Alliance Defending Freedom, the conservative law firm representing Grant Park Christian Academy in federal lawsuits, announced that state officials informed the school that he could continue. participate in the lunch program based on a religious exemption in federal law. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Tampa on July 27 against Biden and Fried, claiming that the defendants were effectively taking food from the low-income children who attend the school. The school has 56 pre-K through eighth grade students, all of whom come from families below the federal poverty level.
“Hearing delay for vegan mom in son’s starvation death” via The Associated Press – A vegan woman convicted of manslaughter in the malnutrition death of her young son must wait a little longer to learn her sentence. Sheila O’Leary, whose family followed a strict vegan diet, was convicted in June of first-degree murder, child abuse, aggravated manslaughter, child abuse, and two counts of child neglect, in the death of Ezra O’Leary. . Her sentencing was adjourned from Monday to August 15 in Lee County. Her husband, Ryan Patrick O’Leary, faces trial on the same charges this month. The boy weighed only 17 pounds and was the size of a 7-month-old baby, a police report said.
“Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office systems crashed for part of Sunday, limiting officers’ ability to make arrests” via Insider’s Andrew Pantazi – Some of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office’s internal systems shut down Sunday, affecting the ability of police to file arrest reports, due to “suspicious activity,” the city reported. The systems have since been restored, the city said. At least one arrest report on Sunday noted that the system outage was affecting officers’ ability to file reports. The outage also affected the office’s Computer Aided Dispatch system, one law enforcement source told the Tributary. The office panel that displays calls for service was down on Sunday. Two sources said Sheriff’s Office officials blamed the issue on a possible ransomware attack, but Jacksonville Chief Administrative Officer Brian Hughes denied it was ransomware.
“For sale: Tallahassee-generated juice powers utilities across US, including Reedy Creek, FPL” via Karl Etters of the Tallahassee Democrat – While city leaders are adamant the city’s utilities aren’t for sale, their power certainly is on the market. Tallahassee generates more electricity than it uses so it sells some of it to the nation’s largest utility corporation, Excelon, power cooperatives like the Florida Municipal Power Agency and even the Most Magical Place on Earth. The city sold close to 200,000 megawatt hours between October 2021 and June to a dozen separate energy companies worth nearly $9 million. Millions of dollars in sales have resulted in savings among the city’s 130,000 utility customers.
“DeSantis suspended me for no reason more than ‘blind political ambition'” via Andrew Warren for the Miami Herald – For DeSantis, this is all political theater – let’s take a hard look and kick out a prosecutor who is a Democrat office. effective criminal justice policies that he does not like.
There is much more to this circus stunt than DeSantis’ blind political ambition.
First of all, this Governor has unleashed another serious attack on democracy. I have twice been elected state’s attorney by the voters of Hillsborough County. No Governor — and as we have seen, no President — is so all-powerful that they can set aside fair election results. If voters decide I’m not doing my job, they have a remedy. They can vote for me.
Second, DeSantis fundamentally and selectively ignores prosecutors’ discretion in setting priorities, deciding which crimes to prosecute, and ensuring equal justice for all.
Third, such a one-sided political attack without a shred of evidence that I have done anything wrong should send a chill through all elected officials and public servants.
Will DeSantis arbitrarily remove elected school board members, law enforcement officers, firefighters or teachers who do not share his political views? Will he remove an elected county property assessor who sets home values too high for his liking? Or a Democratic state legislator who voted against one of his priorities?
“86,852 new IRS employees” via Byron York of the Washington Examiner – You’ve probably heard Republicans say that the Inflation Reduction Act, the massive spending bill passed by Democrats, includes provisions to hire 87,000 new IRS agents. The number seems too large to believe. The IRS has only 93,654 employees, according to the Office of Personnel Management. Why would Congress, in one bill, increase the IRS workforce by 92%? It is not wise, but it is possible. And that’s what the 50 Senate Democrats and Vice President Kamala Harris did when they passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which gives the IRS about $80 billion between now and 2031. gullible voters that the Democrats are doing something (The bill itself includes expensive climate measures, prescription drug provisions, tax increases, and the initiative to implement an IRS.)
“Joe Henderson: Why would DeSantis campaign for election deniers?” via Florida Politics – Fox News reported that DeSantis would be traveling to New Mexico, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Ohio this month to support GOP candidates. Among them are Ohio’s Vance, Pennsylvania’s Mastriano, and Arizona’s Lake. “Yes, I do,” Vance said when asked if he believed in a stolen election. He wants to be a United States Senator. It is dangerous for the Governor to support the fringes of the Republican Party. While these appearances may please the Trump wing, they may also make middle-of-the-road voters rethink whether they believe DeSantis is more than another MAGA wing nut. If at least a few of them miss, it dilutes its brand. If all three lose – a distinct possibility – DeSantis’ bold image becomes associated with losers.
“Nathaniel Cunneen: Florida has lost its school of choice – can we get it back?” via Florida Politics – In July, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey the nation’s first universal eligibility education savings account (ESA) legislation. This expansion will give more than 1.1 million Arizona students educational options, giving them access to accounts that can be used for private school tuition, online education, educational therapies, or tutoring. For the first time in history, every student in Arizona will have access to educational options and a one-size-fits-all escape route. Although many students will be satisfied with their assigned public schools and stay, every family can access the education provider that meets their individual needs if the traditional system is not working. If Florida wants to regain its position as the top school choice state, we have some work to do in Tallahassee.
“Gas prices at lowest level since May and continuing to fall” via Ron Hurtibise of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel – Average gas prices in Florida have continued to fall more than $4 a gallon and analysts predict that they will continue the trend is forward to and otherwise southeast. The US finds itself in the path of a storm or tropical hurricane. Florida’s $3.78 gallon average for unleaded regular was 14 cents cheaper than last Monday and $1.11 below the record high of $4.89 set on June 13. Due to the higher cost of doing business here, average gas prices in South Florida were once again higher than the state average. Per-gallon prices averaged $3.86 in Broward and Miami-Dade counties and $3.98 in Palm Beach County.
“A huge, secluded Wyoming ranch once owned by the Disney family lists for $71M. See the beauty” via David Caraccio of the Miami Herald – A secluded Wyoming ranch once owned by the Walt Disney family, surrounded by mountains and national forest, and located just 23 minutes from Yellowstone National Park, has fetched $71 million on the market. Diamond G Ranch is located about 90 miles east of Jackson Hole, near the town of Dubois. The ranch comprises approximately 5,000 deeded acres and includes a five-bedroom lodge that served as the owner’s residence. Other structures include a log lodge with an enclosed porch and two log cabins. There is a huge century-old barn with storage on the first level and an office, boardroom and kitchen upstairs. Another structure on the land is a 1,500 square foot manager’s house with three bedrooms.
Celebrating today is Representative Keith Truenow and my friend, Emmett Reed of the FHCA. Also celebrating today are Rebekah Bydlak, Jaime Figueras, Mark Harper, and former attorney and former Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandy Murman.
Sunburn is authored and compiled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Renzo Downey, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.
