| | | | |  | | By Kimberly Leonard | |  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, second from left, talks with people before a press conference in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia on Aug. 31, 2023, in Steinhatchee, Florida. | Sean Rayford/Getty Images | Good morning and happy Friday. Gov. Ron DeSantis spent much of this week tending to Florida’s environment with an Earth Day kickoff — right around the same time President Joe Biden’s unveiled federal solar grants and new pollution standards. The measures DeSantis authorized in Florida mitigates harmful algae blooms that otherwise kill fish and cause breathing problems for people with asthma, approves grants so residents can protect their homes against hurricanes and other natural disasters, and provides millions of dollars toward the 18 million acre Wildlife Corridor that allows for safe spaces for animals. Bryan Griffin, spokesperson for the governor, called it “our week of conserving and strengthening Florida.” Florida’s first lady even presided over a rescued manatee release yesterday. “Ron DeSantis is the conservative conservationist governor,” Griffin said in an email. Conservation has been a key part of DeSantis’ record that he and his political team have actively played up, including during his 2022 reelection campaign when he promised to have the state spend billions more on restoring the Everglades. This year he praised the state’s program to save starving manatees and signed a bill into law to have gambling proceeds pay for environmental priorities including cleaning up lakes, combating invasive species and studying pollution. When DeSantis ran for governor in 2018 he called himself a “Teddy Roosevelt Conservationist,” hammered his GOP opponent over Big Sugar ties, and drew attention to Florida’s red tide problems, as POLITICO’s Bruce Ritchie has reported. DeSantis’ posture makes sense in a state like Florida. It’s not a major oil producer and its residents care deeply about the environment, while also directly experiencing the effects of climate change through increasingly severe hurricanes. The Everglades and hundreds of miles of beaches are a major part of the state’s tourism draw, and a big piece of how Floridians go out and have a good time through activities like fishing, boating and snorkeling. "Outdoor recreation in the state of Florida generates over $52 billion in economic output, and our Florida state parks alone have an economic impact of $3.6 billion, and it supports more than 50,000 jobs total," DeSantis said Tuesday. "This is significant. We understand how important it is to the lifeblood of the state." But the issue is also something DeSantis has gotten criticism about — from both the left and the right. Some national environmental groups give DeSantis poor marks, saying he didn’t do enough to fight the root causes of global warming. While running for president, DeSantis pushed for more fossil fuel production and previously he said he’s “not a global warming person.” He also has pushed to end what he calls “woke” sustainable investing in Florida and accused Democrats of using fear tactics to try to implement certain green policies. Conversely, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley tried to push DeSantis to “own” his environmentally-friendly record during the 2024 Republican presidential nomination contest and accused him of trying to “act like you weren’t a liberal when it comes to the environment.” DeSantis brushed off the comments during the primary. And On Earth Day, which was Monday, he appeared to want to clear up any confusion about his position. "I'm not somebody that thinks we should all live with no electricity in some hut somewhere because of the environment,” he said. “I want us to use it. I want us to really enjoy it ... What we've done over these last five-plus years is really ensure that we're leaving the state of Florida better to the next generation than we found it." Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch at: kleonard@politico.com.
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TODAY — The late Gov. and Sen. Bob Graham will lie in state at Florida’s Historic Capitol. A private funeral for family members will follow. A memorial service is set for May 11 at the Miami Lakes United Church of Christ. Here’s how to go and where to watch, per Alexandra Glorioso of the Miami Herald.
|  The late Sen. Bob Graham (D-Fla.) gestures as he answers questions regarding the ongoing security hearing on Capitol Hill, June 18, 2002, in Washington. | Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File/AP | FIRST PERSON — “What happens when Florida’s governor is your substitute teacher,” by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout. “All the 30 or so kids who showed up at their 9th grade civics class had been told ahead of time was that there would be a special guest teaching the class that day. They weren’t expecting the television cameras. Or the crowd gathered outside the door to greet their substitute teacher. Or the man wearing a professorial-looking cardigan sweater. I was in that class nearly 45 years ago. And at the time, I didn’t really understand why Florida Gov. Bob Graham had chosen to spend several hours at Dowdell Junior High School just outside Tampa. “But after the doors were closed and the cameras were shooed away, he launched straight into a discussion — complete with turns at the chalkboard — about the ins and outs of how things worked in Tallahassee, an early lesson in what has wound up being an integral part of my career in journalism. “Graham — the two-term governor and three-term U.S. senator — died last week in Gainesville at the age of 87, and lies in state at the Florida Capitol Friday. He left a giant imprint on Florida’s political landscape and history, leading the charge to protect the Everglades and bolstering the state’s higher education system. And in Washington, he was best known for opposing the Iraq War and helping lead the congressional investigation into the Sept. 11 attacks.” TOMORROW — First gentleman John Passidomo will be laid to rest on Saturday at the Saint Ann Catholic Church in Naples. ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS — “'A big price': Oil drilling application in Florida Panhandle prompts environmental outcry,” by the Tallahassee Democrat’s Jeff Burlew. “Clearwater Land & Minerals Fla, whose principals hail from Shreveport, Louisiana, applied for a state permit in December to conduct exploratory drilling in Calhoun County at a well located between the Apalachicola River, Florida’s largest river by volume, and the Chipola River just north of the Dead Lakes … More than 200 residents have filed written objections with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, which is reviewing the application. They voiced fears about the potential for the release of toxic chemicals into nearby rivers, wetlands and wildlife habitat during a flood or hurricane and damage to the Floridan Aquifer, a significant source of drinking water.” REVOLVING DOOR — “Failed insurance execs are taking new jobs. Florida says it’s illegal,” by the Tampa Bay Times’ Lawrence Mower. “Florida law forbids officers and directors of insolvent insurers from taking on equivalent roles at other companies without first proving they weren’t responsible for the prior failure. The law, on the books since 2002, is well-known in the industry. Some insiders call it the ‘no-fly list.’ But the wave of recent insurance company insolvencies — which has contributed to Floridians’ turmoil and sky-high premiums — is testing the law like never before. State regulators have found at least 19 executives in top-level jobs at other companies, in violation of Florida law.” DEADLINE AHEAD — “Doctors race against Florida’s six-week abortion ban,” by the Orlando Sentinel’s Caroline Catherman. “Clinics have expanded hours, prioritized ultrasounds and added appointments in these final weeks. They’ve fortified their patient navigation efforts and strengthened relationships with abortion fund groups like the Florida Access Network that provide financial and logistical support to people seeking to terminate pregnancies. Though the ban has limited exceptions, Planned Parenthood will stop offering any abortions past six weeks at all, instead helping navigate those people to other states or referring them to other providers, said Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida’s interim CEO Barbara Zdravecky.” RECENTLY SIGNED — “New Florida law requires inmate DNA samples, aims to solve old cold cases,” by Katie Bente of CBS 12. “Under the new regulations, every inmate, regardless of the nature of their crime, will be mandated to submit a DNA sample. That applies to all of the more than 150,000 inmates currently housed in Florida jails and prisons.” MAPMAKER, MAPMAKER — “Judges urged to reconsider Florida federal redistricting case,” by Jim Sauders of News Service of Florida. “Voting rights groups want a federal court to reconsider a ruling that upheld the constitutionality of a Florida congressional redistricting plan, pointing to the ‘outsized’ role that Gov. Ron DeSantis played in pushing the plan through the Legislature. Attorneys for groups such as Common Cause Florida and the Florida NAACP and other plaintiffs filed a motion Wednesday urging a three-judge panel to look again at whether the redistricting plan was passed in 2022 with a racially discriminatory motive.” STATE SUPREME COURT — The Supreme Court of Florida announced on Thursday that Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz was elected unanimously to serve another two-year term in that position. Muñiz will start his second term on July 1 of this year. The 54-year-old justice was first appointed to the seven-member court in 2019 by Gov. Ron DeSantis. As chief justice Muñiz will be the chief administrative officer of Florida’s judicial system. It’s not unusual for a chief justice to serve consecutive terms. Both Justice Charles Canady and Jorge Labarga also served consecutive terms as chief justice. Muñiz worked for former Gov. Jeb Bush and Attorney General Pam Bondi and also was general counsel to U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. — Gary Fineout — “Gainesville Democrat only legislator to break party lines for vote on anti-public camping bill,” reports Nora O'Neill of the Gainesville Sun. — “NRA dumps longtime Florida lobbyist Marion Hammer, halts hundreds of thousands in payments flowing to her,” reports the Florida Bulldog’s Dan Christensen.
| | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | |
STEPPING DOWN — “Ariel Henry resigns as prime minister of Haiti, paving the way for a new government to take power,” reports Danica Coto of The Associated Press. “Henry presented his resignation in a letter signed in Los Angeles, dated April 24, and released on Thursday by his office on the same day that a council tasked with choosing a new prime minister and Cabinet for Haiti was sworn in. Henry’s remaining Cabinet meanwhile chose Economy and Finance Minister Michel Patrick Boisvert as the interim prime minister. It was not immediately clear when the transitional council would select its own interim prime minister.”
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TODAY — Deadline for qualifying for congressional seats.
ALSO TODAY — Miami-Dade Democrats will vote tonight on electing a new chair. The candidates are state Sen. Shevrin Jones, Biscayne Gardens Chamber of Commerce President Bernard Jennings and Miami-Dade College Democrats President Manuel Fernandez. Filmmaker Billy Corben dropped out, citing dysfunction. NEW DIGS — The Biden campaign just opened an new office this week in blue Hillsborough County, following the president’s stop there. | | | DATELINE D.C. | | |
STATE PUSHBACK — “DeSantis tells Florida schools to disregard Biden’s new Title IX rules,” reports POLITICO’s Andrew Atterbury. “The final rule from the Biden administration, unveiled last week, would codify protections based on gender identity for the first time, safeguarding transgender and nonbinary students from discrimination. It also clarifies that schools must protect student that are themselves parents, and pregnant students and employees, from discrimination. This means schools must have ‘reasonable modifications’ for students and employees, including space and time for lactation. Florida officials, though, contend the policies ‘shred protections for women’ and have taken aim at how the rule affects dressing rooms and locker rooms.”
FROM INFLATION REDUCTION ACT — “Floridians wanting rooftop solar can soon apply for financial help,” by the Tampa Bay Times’ Emily L. Mahoney. “A group of Florida nonprofits was awarded $156 million by the federal government to help make rooftop solar accessible for lower- and middle-income households. That means there will be a way for Floridians to apply for financial help to install rooftop solar panels on their homes later this year.” | | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | |
CROSSTOWN RIVALS — “Universal Orlando specialty license plate on deck in new Florida law,” per the Orlando Sentinel’s Richard Tribou. “The nonprofit Make-A-Wish Foundation benefited from the instant success of the Walt Disney World specialty license plate, and now Universal Orlando might play a similar role for the charity Give Kids The World if and when Gov. Ron DeSantis signs a bill passed during this year’s legislative session.”
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