| | | | |  | | By Kimberly Leonard | | Presented by |  | | | |  Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks with reporters to discuss his proposal of sending bipartisan support to aid Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan after weeks of inaction on Capitol Hill Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Washington. | Mariam Zuhaib/AP | Good morning and happy Friday. Some of the loudest Republican voices opposing House Speaker Mike Johnson’s $95 billion foreign aid package are coming from Florida. The final lower-chamber votes on the package series for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, as well as a crackdown on TikTok and other GOP foreign policy priorities, are expected tomorrow after a vote on the rules today. Johnson’s facing anger from the right flank about sending money to Ukraine rather than first working to secure funding for the U.S. Southern border. The decision to plow ahead has put Johnson’s leadership on the line, a mere week after he visited with former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach in bid to fend off critics. The speaker announced yesterday that — despite a push from some rank and file members — he would not add language to the bill that makes it harder for a single Republican member to oust him, as Rep. Matt Gaetz did to former Speaker Kevin McCarthy in October. On the House floor yesterday, conservative lawmakers including Gaetz and Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) — both considered potential 2026 candidates for governor — urged Johnson to assure them that he wouldn’t change the threshold. Gaetz, who has been a backer of Johnson but has called the latest package a “surrender,” went so far as to warn Johnson that his job was on the line if he tried to make the change, according to CNN. “My hope was that motion to vacate would be an elixir that only required one dose for effectiveness,” Gaetz told reporters, per The New York Times. “But there are some therapies that require more than one dose. I hope that is not the case with [the motion to vacate] but we will administer the elixir as many times as is necessary to save the country.” Rep. Ana Paulina Luna told Playbook in a statement that the bill “put Americans last” and that she wouldn’t support it. She especially disagreed with “funding both sides of the war that we are currently seeing between Israel and Hamas” by coupling Israel funding with humanitarian aid for Gaza. Democrats will need to support the aid package for it to pass, given the GOP’s narrow majority in the lower chamber. Some Florida Democrats, including Rep. Lois Frankel, confirmed to Playbook that they would support the package, but several as of this morning were reviewing the details after a late-night Rules Committee vote. Johnson does have the openly stated support from Florida Republicans Rep. Carlos Giménez and Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, who said in a statement Wednesday that he supported the “critical” package to show the U.S. would “stand with our friends in their time of greatest need.” Johnson, who used to oppose Ukraine aid before he became speaker, now defends it as “right thing” after receiving classified briefings, warning that Russia might otherwise march through the rest of Europe. As for Trump, he weighed in over social media yesterday to question why European countries weren’t funding aid to Ukraine — or at least matching what the U.S. has contributed. (A tally from a leading German think tank has Europe outpacing the U.S. financially so far, though the U.S. is by far the biggest contributor in military aid.) Trump’s comments did not specifically lean in one direction or another as to whether he thought the package should make it through Congress at all. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch at: kleonard@politico.com
| | A message from Alibaba: Every day, American businesses generate big global sales on Alibaba's online marketplace – to the tune of $66B in one year alone. These sales are having a bigger impact on communities back home. Florida companies like Timberwolf Pet Foods and DS Laboratories sell to over one billion consumers in China through Alibaba, supporting 15,800 local jobs and contributing $1.9B to Florida's GDP. Learn more about how Alibaba positively impacts Florida's economy. | | | |  | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | |  Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., speaks with the media during his 408th and final workday in Islamorada, Fla., Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2004. Graham, who gained national prominence as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee in the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks and as an early critic of the Iraq war, has died, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. He was 87. | Hillery Smith Shay/AP | | IN MEMORIAM — “Bob Graham, Florida governor and U.S. senator, to lie in state at Tallahassee's old Capitol [on April 26],” reports James L. Rosica of the Tallahassee Democrat. TODAY — A Florida task force will narrow down three options for the location of the first state-funded Museum of Black History. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill last year creating the task force, and he, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and House Speaker Paul Renner appointed the nine members. (Register here to follow along and see the agenda.) ALSO TODAY — A federal appeals court will hold a hearing today in Miami regarding an ongoing legal challenge to a Florida law aimed at restricting people from China from purchasing land in the state. IG PROBE — “Florida’s affordable housing agency rejects allegations from former director,” reports POLITICO’s Gary Fineout. “The inspector general for Florida’s main affordable housing agency has rejected allegations the former executive director of the organization made in a scathing resignation letter he sent last October. The internal review, which was requested by Ryan Benson, the current chair of the board of the Florida Housing Finance Corp., looked into whether the FHFC was sitting on nearly $1 billion in ‘investment assets’ it was not tapping into, and whether the agency had another $2 billion spread across 50 bank accounts with ‘little to no back-up documentation.’ But the internal review — which was briefly discussed by the board of the FHFC at its last meeting in late March — did not cover all the allegations made by Mike DiNapoli, the former executive director, including that board members had potential conflicts-of-interest with projects that were awarded money or tax credits.” COVERAGE LOSSES — “More than 22K children dropped from Florida KidCare in 2024 as state challenges federal eligibility protections,” reports Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics. “In a move that some have called ‘egregious,’ Florida since January has dropped more than 22,000 children from a subsidized health insurance program for failing to pay premiums despite the federal government saying it cannot.” ‘NOT A RELIGION’ — “Florida Gov. DeSantis signs school chaplain bill, says Satanists not welcome,” reports Douglas Soule of USA Today Network — Florida. “If such a restriction occurs, it's likely to result in a First Amendment fight in the courts. The Satanic Temple, which the IRS recognizes as a tax-exempt church, told the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida earlier in the year that it would put school chaplains in Florida if the bill became law. And, in a statement sent after the bill signing, the group indicated that hadn't changed.” — “DeSantis says ballot proposal allows abortion ‘until birth.’ Here’s what you should know,” reports Alexandra Glorioso of the Miami Herald and Romy Ellenbogen of the Tampa Bay Times. — “College crime surging back to pre-COVID levels. Here's the crime at Florida colleges, universities,” by USA Today Network — Florida’s C.A. Bridges. “The University of Florida in Gainesville topped the charts with 183 total crimes reported in 2022, up from 117 in 2021. That's the highest it's been in the last decade.”
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REPORT TO COME — “Recognizing racist past, Tampa will create reconciliation committee,” by the Tampa Bay Times’ Olivia George. “More than three years after the Tampa City Council formally apologized for the city’s racist past, the body unanimously approved the formation of a committee tasked with examining and addressing persistent inequities in Florida’s third-largest city. The 13-member Race Reconciliation Committee will make policy recommendations to ‘address our economic and racial divide,’ according to the resolution passed Thursday, which now heads to Mayor Jane Castor for her signature.”
DIVESTMENT DEBATE — “Recent protests over USF’s financial ties harken to a 1980s controversy,” reports the Tampa Bay Times’ Divya Kumar. “Earlier this month, the University of South Florida student senate passed a bill calling on the school to stop investing in companies that support Israel as its monthslong offensive in Gaza continues. The Student Government president and USF’s Hillel group condemned the bill, drawing pushback from the Student Government vice president.” — “New emails deepen scandal around Miami election endorsement and bribery investigation,” reports the Miami Herald’s Sarah Blaskey and Joey Flechas.
| | | | A message from Alibaba:   | | | | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | |  U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg speaks during the United States Conference of Mayors 91st Winter Meeting January 20, 2023 in Washington, DC. | Drew Angerer/Getty Images | TODAY — “Buttigieg to visit Miami to rally support for Biden’s reelection campaign,” reports Max Greenwood and Ana Ceballos of the Miami Herald. “[Transportation Secretary Pete] Buttigieg … is expected to join several local mayors in Miami-Dade County, including Miami Gardens Mayor Rodney Harris, South Miami Mayor Javier Fernandez, North Bay Village Mayor Brent Latham and former Miami Shores Mayor Crystal Wagar, according to the Biden campaign.” NEXT WEEK — President Joe Biden will travel to Tampa on Tuesday. ‘FLORIDA!!!’ — Florida Democrats are leaning into Taylor Swift-mania today in hopes of growing their ranks. Today, on the day of the pop star’s latest album release, the party will try to recruit more young volunteers through text banking women aged 18-30. They’ll call the group “Florida Dems!!!” — with the three exclamation points being a nod to Swift’s new song, “Florida!!!” — and are holding an organizing call next week. (POLITICO previously reported the plans.) By the way, the new song, a collab with Florence & The Machine, calls our state "one hell of a drug." In part it reads: “I need to forget, so take me to Florida. I've got some regrets, I'll bury them in Florida.” COMPETITIVE SLOT — “Filmmaker Billy Corben says he will run for Miami-Dade Democratic Party chair,” reports Max Greenwood of the Miami Herald. “Billy Corben, an award-winning filmmaker who moonlights as an acerbic political activist, is launching a bid to lead the Miami-Dade Democratic Party. His announcement, which is expected Friday on his podcast “Because Miami,” will put him in direct contention with state Sen. Shevrin Jones, who this week became the first person to jump into the race for party chair. Jones already has the backing of some of Miami’s most prominent Democrats, including Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson.” — “Rick Scott ‘Socialismo’ ad continues outreach to Hispanics,” reports Florida Politics’ A.G. Gancarski. ANOTHER AD — Rep. Matt (R-Fla.) Gaetz is out with a new TV ad in his district today that heavily leans into Donald Trump. It features the presumptive Republican nominee repeatedly praising Gaetz as “great” and “like a machine.” “This is Donald Trump’s party, and I’m a Donald Trump Republican,” Gaetz declares at the top of the ad.
| | | | POLITICO IS BACK AT THE 2024 MILKEN INSTITUTE GLOBAL CONFERENCE: POLITICO will again be your eyes and ears at the 27th Annual Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles from May 5-8 with exclusive, daily, reporting in our Global Playbook newsletter. Suzanne Lynch will be on the ground covering the biggest moments, behind-the-scenes buzz and on-stage insights from global leaders in health, finance, tech, philanthropy and beyond. Get a front-row seat to where the most interesting minds and top global leaders confront the world’s most pressing and complex challenges — subscribe today. | | | | | | | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | MAR-A-LAGO DOCS CASE — “Trump pushes for delay in Florida case while New York trial proceeds 'expeditiously,'” reports POLITICO’s Kyle Cheney. “Trump's lawyers told Judge Aileen Cannon, who is overseeing the Florida case, that jury selection in the New York hush money case is ‘proceeding expeditiously’ — and that's a good reason, they argued, for Cannon to postpone some filing deadlines in Florida. Trump is asking Cannon to set the deadline for three weeks after the conclusion of the New York trial, noting that his two lead lawyers in Manhattan — Todd Blanche and Emil Bove — are also his lead lawyers in Florida.” TRUMP PROPERTIES — “Trump is funneling campaign money into cash-strapped businesses. Experts say it looks bad,” report Zac Anderson and Erin Mansfield of the Palm Beach Post. “Donald Trump’s main 2024 White House campaign fundraising operation sharply increased spending at the former president's properties, including his Mar-a-Lago resort, in recent months, funneling money into his businesses at a time when he is facing serious legal jeopardy and desperately needs cash. Trump’s joint fundraising committee wrote three checks in February and one in March to his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, totaling $411,287 and another in March to Trump National Doral Miami for $62,337, according to a report filed to the Federal Election Commission this week.”
| | DATELINE D.C. | | OBAMACARE — “Lawsuit alleges ACA plan-switching scheme targeted low-income consumers,” reports KFF’s Julie Appleby. “A wide-ranging lawsuit filed this past week outlines a moneymaking scheme with Broward County ties by which large insurance sales agency call centers enrolled people into Affordable Care Act plans or switched their coverage, all without their permission. According to the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, two such call centers paid tens of thousands of dollars a day to buy names of people who responded to misleading advertisements touting free government ‘subsidies’ and other rewards. In turn, sales agents used the information to either enroll them in ACA plans or switch their existing policies without their consent.”
| | A message from Alibaba: Timberwolf Pet Food, a family-owned company based in Windermere, Florida, achieved an impressive 7-figure growth after launching on Alibaba's online marketplace, which reaches over one billion consumers in China. Partnering with Alibaba helped the 25-year-old company double its sales projections, allowing Timberwolf to expand its product lines, production, and staffing to meet the increasing demand.
Florida businesses generated enough global sales on Alibaba’s online marketplace to add $1.9 billion to Florida’s economy, supporting 15,800 local jobs and $1.1 billion in wages in one year.
"I knew from experience that Alibaba, with over one billion online consumers, was essential to launch our brand in China successfully," said Timberwolf CEO Kam Martin.
Learn more about how Alibaba positively impacts Florida's economy. | | | | | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | | — “Disney, Universal report leg injuries, loss of consciousness on rides,” reports the Orlando Sentinel’s Dewayne Bevil. IN MEMORIAM — “Dickey Betts, Allman Brothers Band singer-guitarist, dead at 80,” via the Rolling Stones. BIRTHDAYS: State Sen. Colleen Burton … Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd … Towson Fraser, vice president with Tucker/Hall … (Saturday) Steve Spurrier … state Rep. Randy Fine … former Rep. Trey Radel … James Call with the Tallahassee Democrat … (Sunday) Hessy Fernandez, director of public relations for DeVry University … journalist Lloyd Dunkelberger ... Dan Stengle, attorney, former general counsel to Gov. Lawton Chiles | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
