| | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout and Kimberly Leonard | Hello and welcome to Monday. DATELINE MIAMI — Carlos De Oliveira, the third and newest defendant in the Trump classified documents case, is set to be arraigned in federal court downtown this morning. COVER UP — The Department of Justice has accused De Oliveira, Mar-a-Lago’s property manager, of trying to delete security footage investigators sought when they were looking into former President Donald Trump's alleged hoarding of sensitive federal documents. They’ve charged De Oliveira with conspiracy to obstruct justice, lying to the FBI and destroying evidence. DOJ prosecutors allege Trump withheld classified records from the government after leaving office and attempted to obstruct their return. He also faces new charges as part of a superseding indictment issued Thursday that include possessing and sharing a highly classified war plan. Presiding over today’s court proceedings is Edwin Torres, the same magistrate judge who oversaw Waltine Nauta’s arraignment. The only attorney publicly confirmed for De Oliveira as of early this morning is John Irving, who’s D.C.-based. Key things to watch, according to Craig Trocino, an appellate specialist and associate professor of clinical legal education at the University of Miami School of Law:
- Who is the Florida attorney representing De Oliveira? He’ll need one to be arraigned, otherwise today will be a short court session that will get rescheduled. Nauta’s arraignment twice got delayed because he hadn’t secured representation in Florida.
- It’s likely De Oliveira will face the same types of pre-trial orders Nauta and Trump are under, meaning: no bond, no travel restrictions and no talking to each other about the case except through their lawyers.
Why it matters:
- Additional indictments could delay Trump’s trial, which is slated to start May 20, 2024. The Trump team could try to argue that they need more time to prepare a defense against the new charges, Trocino explained. DOJ would likely push back, however.
- Someone could jump ship. “There’s always the possibility that one of the co-defendants could flip,” Trocino said. “I don’t know what’s in his head, but that would be a discussion he’d have to have with his lawyer after reviewing the evidence against him.”
It wouldn’t be surprising if even more superseding indictments were ahead, Trocino said. “Sometimes what happens,” he said, “is the indictment lands, then people start getting scared and they start talking again — or talking for the first time.” “There are a lot of moving pieces in this case and the cast of characters is quite long,” he added. “They haven’t stopped investigating — they keep working.” REMEMBER: Trump faces two other potential indictments, in D.C. and Georgia, related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The one in D.C. could come down this week. |  Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis waves at the Republican Party of Iowa's 2023 Lincoln Dinner in Des Moines, Iowa, Friday, July 28. | Charlie Neibergall/AP Photo |
— WHERE'S RON? — Gov. DeSantis will unveil his 2024 economic policy plan during an 11:15 a.m. speech in Rochester, N.H.
Recap of his policies in Florida:
- Bucked federal health officials by reopening the economy despite the Covid-19 pandemic
- Embraced tax breaks such as eliminating taxes on needed baby products, including diapers
- Pushed for a ban on Chinese nationals buying farmland
- Created rebates for tolls for Floridians who commute often
- Awarded checks to first responders (albeit with federal funds)
- Pushed legislation to block the use of environmental, social and corporate governance standards in state investments.
Places where he’s vulnerable on the economy, according to attacks from the left and right:
- He hasn’t expanded Medicaid for Floridians with low-incomes
- The cost of property insurance in Florida has soared — as has the cost of living overall
- His hard-line position against illegal immigration threatens to raise costs
DeSantis is also being interviewed tonight by Bret Baier on Fox News Channel’s “Special Report.” Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch: kleonard@politico.com. | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don’t miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY. | | | | | |  | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | |
GONE — “Donald Trump’s defamation lawsuit against CNN over ‘the Big Lie’ dismissed in Florida,” by Associated Press’ Mike Schneider: “A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit Trump filed against CNN in which the former U.S. president claimed that references in news articles or by the network’s hosts to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election as 'the Big Lie' were tantamount to comparing him to Adolf Hitler. Trump had been seeking punitive damages of $475 million in the federal lawsuit filed last October in South Florida, claiming the references hurt his reputation and political career.”
SPENDING — “Trump PAC has spent more than $40 million on legal costs this year for himself, others,” by Washington Post’s Josh Dawsey, Devlin Barrett and Spencer S. Hsu: The former president’s PAC, Save America, is expected to disclose the spending today. The total is “more than any other expense the PAC has incurred during Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and, according to federal filings from earlier this month, more than Trump’s campaign raised in the second quarter of 2023. It will bring the PAC’s post-presidential legal spending to about $56 million.” DESANTIS CAMP RESPONSE: “Trump has spent over $60 million this year on two things: falsely attacking Ron DeSantis and paying his own legal fees, not a cent on defeating Joe Biden,” DeSantis campaign communications director Andrew Romeo said. ‘CLOWNS’ — “Trump, amid legal perils, calls on GOP to rally around him as he threatens primary challenges,” by the Associated Press’ Jill Colvin: “The former president and GOP front-runner said it was time for DeSantis and others he dismissed as ‘clowns’ to clear the field, accusing them of ‘wasting hundreds of millions of dollars that Republicans should be using to build a massive vote-gathering operation’ to take on Biden in November.” — Trump insulted their governor and may be indicted again. They love him, by POLITICO’s Natalie Allison | | DESANTISLAND | |
‘I ACTUALLY DON’T MIND IT AT ALL’ — DeSantis: Being insulted by Trump ‘helps me,’ by POLITICO’s Lisa Kashinsky: Later, asked by a POLITICO reporter how he plans to go after Trump, the far-ahead frontrunner in the GOP primary, DeSantis gave much the same answer. “When he hits me with the juvenile insults, I think that helps me. I don’t think voters like that,” DeSantis said. “I actually don’t mind it at all. I think it’s just a reminder why there’s so many millions of voters who will never vote for him going forward.”
FRESH OUT THIS MORNING — “Trump crushing DeSantis and G.O.P. rivals, Times/Siena poll finds,” by The New York Times’ Shane Goldmacher MEANWHILE — “Does DeSantis have a Florida problem? Trump dominates in the Sunshine State,” by The Washington Post's Lori Rozsa DEADLINE — As Florida Playbook reported Friday, DeSantis is on deadline to submit his finances to the Federal Election Commission. His report was due no later than Saturday, but the FEC offices are closed weekends. Since he opted not to file anything on Friday, we should know today whether DeSantis submitted the required documents or whether he decided to ask for one more extension. BEHIND THE SCENES — SiriusXM host Megyn Kelly interviewed DeSantis last week at the governor’s mansion, and shared that she had dinner with the governor and Florida first lady Casey DeSantis. "That relationship is legit,” she said of the couple. “They really are in love.” Her impression of the governor? He was “funny.” "He was doing impressions that had us in hysterics," she said. “I had never seen that side of him.” We haven’t either, and we are of course itching to know: Who was DeSantis impersonating? Was it one of his 2024 rivals for the GOP nomination? Email kleonard@politico.com if you have more information. MIGRANT FLIGHTS LATEST — Cape and Islands District Attorney Robert Galibois, whose jurisdiction includes Martha’s Vineyard, said this weekend that he stood “behind California” and called on DOJ to get involved in investigating the migrant relocation flights. — DeSantis clarifies comment that he would ‘sic’ RFK Jr. on FDA or CDC, by POLITICO’s Andrew Zhang — “DeSantis rocked by Black Republican revolt over slavery comments, by POLITICO’s Brakkton Booker MORE BIDEN ADMIN HEAT — The NAACP National Convention kicked off this weekend in Boston, where a growing list of politicians were firing away at DeSantis. “This is a racism that openly whitewashes history and bans books, ” Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said. “I’m proud our VP took a trip over to Florida to straighten things out a little bit.” REWRITE — Separately, the Florida Legislative Black Caucus called for the Board of Education to revise the “vague and harmful language with correct and factual history” in a letter sent to the DeSantis administration. — “DeSantis jabs at Trump’s legal trouble as he resets his campaign,” by The New York Times’ Nicholas Nehamas — “Florida Governor DeSantis visits Cotuit for a fundraiser and is met by protesters,” by Cape Cod Times’ Steve Heaslip — A DeSantis come-from-behind win is looking vanishingly unlikely, by POLITICO’s Steven Shepard | | CAMPAIGN MODE | |
2024 WATCH — Republicans dominate in Florida. Abortion and pot could change that, by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout — National Democrats had all but written off Florida as a lost cause — a former purple state turned solid red by the MAGA movement and Gov. Ron DeSantis. But key party leaders in the state, desperate to turn things around in 2024, are confident that citizen initiatives dealing with abortion rights and recreational marijuana legalization could fuel turnout and boost the party’s chances. ...“I think it’s a perfect storm,” said Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried, who included in that storm the backlash against DeSantis as well as 2024 being a presidential election year where turnout is routinely higher than in midterms.
But, but, but — Dan Smith, chair of the University of Florida political science department who has a lengthy record of researching ballot initiatives, is doubtful that the pot legalization amendment and the abortion rights measure will make a substantial difference in the 2024 race. He said measures like these affect races on the “margins.” Smith said his studies have shown that initiatives are more likely to spur turnout in midterm races, not presidential elections. He noted that last year’s referendum in Kansas — where voters rejected a measure that would have allowed additional restrictions on abortion — was held during an August primary race. — “Suarez can get big campaign checks from the wealthy. Can he get $1 from regular folks,” by Miami Herald’s Joey Flechas | | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | | | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | QUITE THE HEADLINE — “‘Miami’s George Santos’: The shocking tale of party boy turned politician Fabian Basabe,” by New York Post’s Jacquelynn Powers Maurice: “The socialite turned politician’s misbehavior has made him radioactive in his hometown — where his district covers the wealthy coastal strip between Miami Beach and Aventura — since narrowly being elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2022. Sources in Tallahassee told The Post that Basabe is a ‘leper’ in the state capital and that his Republican co-workers ‘walk on the other side of the street when they see him coming.’ ‘He’s a social climber, opportunist and a hustler,’ one insider said.” BACKSTORY — “Most of Florida’s work group did not agree with controversial parts of state’s new standards for Black history, members say,” by NBC News’ Janelle Griffith: “The members, who requested anonymity out of fear of reprisal, told NBC News that the majority did not want to include that change or a requirement that high school students be taught about violence perpetrated 'by African Americans' when learning about events like the Ocoee and Tulsa Race massacres. ‘Most of us did not want that language,’ one member said, adding that two of the 13 members of the group pushed to include those specific items.” — “New applications double size, cost of possible ag conservation easements to $1.6B,” by POLITICO’s Bruce Ritchie — “Florida made phone robocall law more business-friendly leaving voters asking why,” by WFTS’ Katie LaGrone | | DATELINE D.C. | |
— “Members of Congress will tour Stoneman Douglas massacre site before demolition,” by South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Anthony Man
— “Matt Gaetz calls on Kevin McCarthy to create congressional committee to investigate UFOs,” by Pensacola News Journal’s Jim Little — “Rick Scott wants answers if Air Force moves Special Forces command from Florida,” by Florida Politics’ Jacob Ogles | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | |
— “Just what does home insurance cost in Florida? Estimates vary widely, and new state data might surprise you,” by South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Ron Hurtibise
— Florida judge rejects Disney’s request to toss state lawsuit, by POLITICO’s David Kihara — “Freddy Ramirez was known for being an even-tempered and compassionate cop,” by Miami Herald’s Charles Rabin and Linda Robertson | | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | |
BIRTHDAYS: Former Agriculture Commissioner and Rep. Adam Putnam ... Kristen Knapp, director of communications at Florida Health Care Association ... POLITICO's Bill Duryea … Dan McFaul of Ballard Partners … Tony Winton, editor-in-chief of the Key Biscayne Independent
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