Scott’s oil drilling show — DeSantis denies Cambridge Analytica ties — Charter’s ‘special’ status — Nursing home bill becomes law Presented by Facebook

By Marc Caputo ( [email protected]; @MarcACaputo) and Matt Dixon ( [email protected]; @Mdixon55), with Emily Goldberg ( [email protected]; @ejgold94) and the staff of POLITICO Florida

Good Tuesday morning. Gov. Rick Scott is in. Well, basically. He announced Monday that he will make a “major announcement” on April 9 — which is either a phenomenal troll job, or the date Scott will formally announce his challenge to Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson. The announcement will surprise few. Scott and state House Speaker Richard Corcoran have been running neck-and-neck for the worst kept secret in Tallahassee (Corcoran is preparing to run for governor). The fact that Scott had his eye on the campaign trail at times has shown. He has been raising federal campaign cash, spending the remainder of his state money on campaign activities, had a light veto list, and is quickly signing bills sent to his desk after session.


Beyond those normal signs of an elected official with an eye towards the campaign trail, Scott’s public events and how the administration has reacted to events in recent months has been viewed through an increasingly political lens. That can be normal for many administrations. The separation of politics and policy is a mere fantasy elected officials try to maintain. Most know that, but it can be a delicate balancing act…

PLANNED ALL ALONG? — “Records, Zinke’s office refute Scott framing of impromptu oil-drilling reversal,” by POLITICO Florida’s Matt Dixon: When Gov. Rick Scott and U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced Jan. 9 Florida was “off the table” for offshore oil drilling, the governor cast the hastily arranged news conference at the Tallahassee airport as unplanned and the Trump administration’s decision as something Scott had influenced at the 11th hour. In fact, Zinke’s top advance staffer, whose job it is to plan ahead for such events, was in Tallahassee the previous day. And top officials from the offices of both Scott and the secretary were in regular contact for several days leading up to the announcement, according to more than 1,200 documents reviewed by POLITICO Florida as part of a public records request. Read story here

…FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL…

ONE STEP CLOSER — “Flush with cash and popularity, Scott appears ready to challenge Nelson for U.S. Senate,” by POLITICO Florida’s Matt Dixon: The much-anticipated clash of Florida political titans will soon be official, as Florida Gov. Rick Scott, the two-term governor flush with cash and popularity, prepares to formalize his 2018 challenge to Bill Nelson, a three-term senator and the only statewide-elected Democrat. For months, both sides have been taking less-than-subtle jabs at each other as battle lines were etched out on the midterm elections landscape in this closely watched race in the nation's biggest battleground state. Read story here

JOURNALISM MATTERS — “Democratic governor candidates call for prison visitation reviews, overhaul,” by The Florida Times-Union’s Ben Conarck: “In the wake of ‘enhanced search procedures’ that led to hundreds of strip searches at Baker Correctional Institution and thousands more across the state, Democratic candidates for governor are calling for an audit on prison visitation in the state of Florida. A Times-Union special report exposed the searches, which began in July as a response by the Florida Department of Corrections to a growing contraband problem. The agency said they were uncomfortable but necessary, despite a lack of evidence that visitors to the prisons were major contributors of banned materials. Internal department data show that even as contraband has risen 50 percent over the last five years, only 2.5 percent could be directly tied back to visitors. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gwen Graham, a former U.S. representative, responded forcefully, within hours of the report, which showed that 97 percent of nearly 200 unclothed searches at the Baker prison were conducted on women, according to consent forms.” Read more

NOPE — “Ron DeSantis denies link to Cambridge Analytica data,” by The Daytona Beach News-Journal’s Mark Harper: “U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, a candidate for Florida governor, is denying he ever used Facebook data harvested by Cambridge Analytica to help him in previous campaigns. This month the London-based data science firm admitted collecting information from about 50 million Facebook users without their consent but denies using that information to assist in the 2016 election of Donald Trump and others. One of the firm’s directors, Rebekah Mercer, was named as part of DeSantis’ finance leadership team last December. A former Cambridge Analytica employee, Christopher Wylie, alleged in a Guardian article that he and the firm used Facebook information to match it to personality traits and voter rolls in an effort to target messages to help candidates get elected.” Read more

HE'S BACK — “It’s official: Bill Montford stays put – will remain in Senate, not seek Mayor’s office,” by Tallahassee Democrat’s James Call: “Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee, ended weeks of speculation Monday and announced he will finish the final two years of his term as the state senator for 11 north Florida counties. Civic leaders had approached Montford in January to run for mayor of Tallahassee this fall. He said he was honored to be considered, but he wants to continue to work on education as a senator. ‘I was raised to value public education and to see public education as a pathway to a better life for a lot of people,” said Montford Monday afternoon. “I am confident in the next two years, especially considering the new leadership coming in, that I will have a unique and powerful opportunity to influence education. That’s an awesome opportunity and responsibility that I will not pass up.’” Read more

IT RHYMES WITH BUNS —"Only one issue tops healthcare among Florida Democrats, new poll shows,” by Miami Herald’s David Smiley: Read more.

GOING TO FLIP THE HOUSE? — Levine promises minimum wage increase to $15 per hour. Read story here

MORE MARCO LOVE — “There is something about Marco Rubio that people just seem to hate,” by the Daily Beast’s Matt Lewis: Read more

…DATELINE TALLAHASSEE…

MOVING ON— “Governor Scott quickly running out of veto threats,” by the Tampa Bay Times’ Steve Bousquet: “With a final stack of 39 bills on his desk from the Florida Legislature, Gov. Rick Scott is quickly running out of veto threats in his final year in office. The least productive lawmaking session in years has resulted in 156 bills signed so far, including the new $88.7 billion budget, which included $64 million in line item vetoes. The Republican governor signed two bills Monday that enact requirements for generators at nursing homes and adult living facilities following the deaths of 14 residents at a Hollywood nursing home that lost power after Hurricane Irma.” Read more

FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS — “Charter school networks poised to benefit from special operating status from state,” by POLITICO Florida’s Daniel Ducassi: Florida’s top education officials are considering giving special operating status to a major Florida charter school network that may not meet all the criteria lawmakers set up to obtain that status. That’s because state officials are taking advantage of a provision in a new state law that allows them to at least temporarily sidestep certain criteria that they have yet to implement, and give the special status that affords access to more public funding to charter networks based on a more limited set of requirements. Read story here

DONE DEAL — “Florida nursing homes now permanently required to have generators to power A/C,” by Miami Herald’s Joey Flechas: “Nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Florida will now be required to have power generators under new rules signed by Gov. Rick Scott on Monday. The rules require senior living facilities to install generators and fuel to power air-conditioning systems. Lawmakers passed the legislation after 12 residents of a Hollywood nursing home died during power outages in the days after Hurricane Irma passed over South Florida. Facilities have until July 1 to comply.” Read more

TAKING SWINGS — “Leon GOP Chairman criticizes School Board, Rocky Hanna after March for Our Lives speech,” by Tallahassee Democrat’s Nada Hassanein: Read more

DESERVED — “Governor, Air Force honor Tallahassee pararescueman Staff Sgt. Carl Enis,” by Tallahassee Democrat: Read more

STOPPING THE NEXT MASS SHOOTER — “Scott orders DCF and police to identify, help young people with mental health issues,” by POLITICO Florida’s Alexandra Glorioso: Gov. Rick Scott on Monday ordered the Florida Department of Children and Families to better coordinate with local law enforcement agencies in all 67 counties to improve substance abuse and mental health services for young people. The action was taken to help stop someone who may be deemed a threat to carrying out a violent attack similar to the one last month at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County by identifying and helping those in need of counseling. "My goal is to ensure DCF is integrated in every local department, so we have a person working hand-in-hand with law enforcement and dedicated solely to being a crisis welfare worker focused on repeat cases in each community," said Scott in a statement. “We will continue [to] ensure that all Floridians have the opportunity to get the treatment they need.” Read story here

SCHOOL FIGHT — “Education appeal back in play at high court,” by POLITICO Florida’s Daniel Ducassi: After pressing the pause button during the legislative session, the Florida Supreme Court today set a new deadline for the state to answer a lawsuit alleging state leaders have shirked their constitutional duty to provide a “uniform, efficient ... and high quality system of free public schools that allows students to obtain a high quality education.” The plaintiffs in the case are a group of public education activists called Citizens for Strong Schools. They point to troubling achievement gaps that persist between students with more advantages and their disadvantaged peers — specifically racial minorities, children with disabilities and those in poverty — as evidence that the state isn’t meeting its constitutional duty. They’ve been unsuccessful so far in their legal challenge. A circuit judge in Tallahassee has already ruled against them, and late last year, a three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal upheld the ruling, finding that the arguments the group is making “raise political questions not subject to judicial review.” Read story here

…THE PENINSULA AND BEYOND…

RIDIN’ THAT TRAIN — “Amtrak Gulf Coast service to Pensacola back on track,” by Pensacola News Journal’s Jim Little: “Buried in the $1.3 trillion omnibus bill that kept the government open through September and was signed by President Donald Trump on Friday is a bit of hope for those wanting to see passenger rail service return to the Gulf Coast — including to Pensacola. The law contains $20 million for a grant program aimed at initiating, restoring or enhancing passenger rail service, according to Bryan Gulley, a Senate Commerce Committee spokesman for Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla. ‘The program, which Florida Sen. Bill Nelson helped establish in 2015, is competitive but it was created with the Gulf Coast service in mind,’ Gulley said in an email to the News Journal. ‘For example, the grant program gives priority to restoring service on routes formerly operated by Amtrak. So, if the Gulf Coast line gets approval, the grant money could be used to help restore the line.’” Read more

BOMBSHELL — “Noor Salman trial: Pulse gunman’s father revealed as FBI informant, but judge won't dismiss case,” by Orlando Sentinel’s Gal Tziperman Lotan and Krista Torralva:“Pulse nightclub gunman Omar Mateen’s father, Seddique Mateen, was an FBI informant for more than a decade before the 2016 mass shooting and is facing a criminal investigation in connection with money transfers to Turkey and Afghanistan, it was revealed on Monday during the trial of Mateen’s widow. FBI Special Agent Juvenal Martin also testified that he considered developing Omar Mateen as an informant after closing an investigation into comments Mateen made at work in 2013 about belonging to terrorist organizations. Defense lawyers for Noor Salman argued the case against her should be thrown out or declared a mistrial, but U.S. District Judge Paul Byron rejected that request.” Read more

CREEPY — “Those images of Emma González ripping up the Constitution are fake,” by HuffPost’s Elyse Wanshel: “On the same day Emma González made a powerful speech at the March For Our Lives rally in Washington, a bogus photo and GIF of the Parkland survivor tearing the U.S. Constitution in two went viral among American right-wingers. This includes ‘Firefly’ actor and conservative Adam Baldwin, who once compared gay marriage to incest.” Read more

TOUGH LOOK — “Steve King’s campaign criticizes Parkland survivor Emma Gonzalez,” by CNN’s Maegan Vazquez: “Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King is facing heat after someone managing his campaign’s Facebook page posted a meme on Sunday criticizing a Parkland student for donning a patch of the Cuban flag. ‘This is how you look when you claim Cuban heritage yet don't speak Spanish and ignore the fact that your ancestors fled the island when the dictatorship turned Cuba into a prison camp, after removing all weapons from its citizens; hence their right to self defense,’ the meme said alongside an image of Cuban-American Emma Gonazlez, a survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, speaking at the March for Our Lives rally in Washington on Saturday.” Read more

BIG DEAL — “New deal for The District has $56 million in property tax rebates,” by The Florida-Times Union’s David Bauerlein: Read more

THE SEASON — “Wildfire burns 350 acres near Nalcrest in Polk County, no structures damaged,” by The Ledger’s Mike Ferguson: Read more

NEW FIGHT — “After video surfaces, Black Lives Matter protesters dispute Sarasota PD over arrest claims,” by the Tampa Bay Times’ Donovan Harrell: Read more

DWS — “Wasserman Schultz: background checks needed for gun ammo purchases,” by Alex Leary: Read more

BURIED IN THE BILL — “Budget bill prevents restaurants from redistributing tips,” by Sun Sentinel’s Kyle Arnold: Read more

ARMING UP — “‘Sentinel program has up to 1,500 guns in Polk County schools,’” Florida Today: Read more

PARKLAND SHOOTING — “Authorities search Lantana-area home of Zachary Cruz,” by Palm Beach Post’s Olivia Hitchcock: Read more

PLAYBOOK POOL UPDATE – DOWN TO FOUR: THE FINAL FOUR begins Saturday in San Antonio, with matchups between Loyola-Chicago and Michigan, and Villanova and Kansas. Taras Stratelak of Rimforest, Calif., has a 4-point lead over Chris Linsmayer of Denver. Rich Levesque, of Trenton, N.J., and Chad Kreikemeier of D.C. are in the hunt.

-- ON OUR VIP BOARD: Seema Mehta, political reporter for the Los Angeles Times leads the way, and Rachel Adler, a talent agent from CAA, and lobbyist Brian Ballard of Florida are close behind. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.), Illinois state Comptroller Susana Mendoza, and Republican attorney Charlie Spies are also near the top of the board— but Adler and Pascrell are among the many to have picked Virginia to win the championship, all but eliminating their chances of winning.

…ODDS, ENDS, AND FLORIDA MEN…

— “VIDEO: Great white shark sighting: ‘Holy (expletive) (expletive)’” by NWF Daily News’ Patricio G. Balona: Read more

— “Tom Scotto, O.J. Simpson's friend who invited him to live in Naples, dies at 56,” by Naples Daily News’ Patrick Riley: Read more

— “Road rage leaves Florida woman with broken nose after women beat her with baseball bats,” by Orlando Sentinel’s Aric Chokey: Read more

— “Fired New Orleans Saints cheerleader, a Sarasota resident, says NFL discriminates,” by Herald-Tribune’s Nicole Rodriguez: Read more

— “Second officer said to be involved in PCB incident,” by Panama City News Herald’s Eryn Dion: Read more

— POLITICO Space is our new, free weekly briefing on the policies and personalities shaping the second space age in Washington and beyond. Sign-up today to start receiving the newsletter right at launch on April 6th. Presented by Boeing.

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