| | | | |  | | By Kimberly Leonard | |  Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a campaign event at Hudson's Smokehouse BBQ, Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, in Lexington, S.C. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford) | AP | Good morning and happy Friday. Gov. Ron DeSantis is planning his next moves in politics. And his most fervent supporters are descending on Florida to weigh in. Fight Right, the pro-DeSantis political action committee that sprouted two months before the Iowa Caucuses, is hosting a two-day “Investor Appreciation Retreat” for donors from all over the U.S. at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida. (Playbook got a hold of the agenda — here’s Page 1 and Page 2.) Here’s what’s going down: Tonight, state leaders are joining DeSantis for a panel about Florida’s future, then attendees will all be able to enjoy late-night cigars and cocktails outdoors. On Saturday morning, donors will share “feedback” over an hour long session, then Florida first lady Casey DeSantis, herself a political force for her husband, will lead a conversation over lunch. The leisurely daytime activities include golf and spa services, and the program will wrap up with DeSantis doing a fireside chat over dinner. DeSantis, who has over the years struggled with giving donors the appreciation and gratitude they’ve come to expect from politicians, has — since shuttering his presidential campaign in January — held thank-you calls with supporters across the U.S. as a way to maintain the relationships. The retreat is an extension of that, said four supporters of the governor. All told, donors contributed more than $150 million to DeSantis' presidential election effort, when combining the campaign and the political action committees. Invitees for this weekend said that, unlike past thank-you events, they expect the retreat to be focused more on looking forward than rehashing what went wrong in the presidential campaign. Though 2028 is likely to be on a lot of donors’ minds, they anticipate conversations geared toward the nearer future. Roy Bailey, who was one of three finance chairs for the DeSantis presidential campaign and is attending the retreat, said he expected the group would have discussions about how they could all help support Donald Trump and other Republicans in 2024, and also about conservative policymaking in Florida. “Gov. DeSantis can lead with ideas and with legislation from a state level, setting the course for other states and the rest of the country,” he said. Robert Salvador, who’s attending this weekend and co-hosted a crypto fundraiser for DeSantis when he ran for president, said he anticipated hearing about issues the governor talks about frequently, such as immigration and the debt. But donors can presumably raise whatever topic they want during the feedback period, including if they need to rehash 2024 mishaps. And DeSantis, 45, has made it clear that he’s interested in another presidential run, possibly as soon as 2028. The word “investor” that retreat organizers are using (versus “donor”) suggests the building of a long-term relationship. In other meetings, donors have asked DeSantis to reflect on his campaign. The governor has said he should have been more open with more news organizations early on, though has mostly blamed the rally-around effect created by Trump's indictments for creating an insurmountable hurdle for his campaign. At one event, DeSantis criticized Trump, saying he shouldn’t focus on “identity politics” in choosing a running mate. DeSantis’ willingness to support Trump in November has been tepid, so for him to announce a game plan to assist the ex-president’s campaign would be a new development. DeSantis endorsed the former president immediately after dropping out but also soon pulled apart his general-election vulnerabilities. In return, Trump and his campaign have openly mocked the governor, and Trump has been endorsing candidates in the state, one even as far ahead as 2026, when DeSantis is term-limited out in Florida. And Trump’s imposing presence isn’t going to go away anytime soon. As DeSantis is doing his get-together, Trump on Saturday night will be attending a massive fundraiser hosted by billionaires in Palm Beach, just over an hour north, that’s expected to raise $43 million, Axios reported. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch at: kleonard@politico.com | | | | Access New York bill updates and Congressional activity in areas that matter to you, and use our exclusive insights to see what’s on the Albany agenda. Learn more. | | | | | |  | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | |
IN MEMORIAM — Senate President Kathleen Passidomo released a statement on social media Thursday thanking people for their support after the sudden death of her husband, John Passidomo. “The outpouring of love, support, and kind words about John is so comforting. Thank you,” she said. “The girls and I are taking time to grieve as a family. Sharing our last photo from a lifetime of love, laughter, and adventure. He was more handsome then the day we met nearly 50 years ago.”
CONSERVATION DOLLARS — “DeSantis signs bill to use gambling money for environmental conservation,” reports Ana Goñi-Lessan of the Tallahasse Democrat. “Florida will invest over half a billion dollars of its revenues from the 2021 gaming agreement with the Seminole Tribe of Florida into environmental conservation, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday at a bill signing event … The new law will provide at least $450 million a year for buying and maintaining land in a state wildlife corridor, removing invasive species and converting properties from using septic tanks to sewer systems.”
| |  The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida | Zak Bennett/AFP via Getty Images | STORM SWELL — “Forecasters predict ‘extremely active’ 2024 hurricane season. Here’s why,” reports Max Chesnes and Michaela Mulligan of the Tampa Bay Times. “For nearly three decades, researchers have been releasing early hurricane forecasts. Not once in an April outlook, the first one of the year, have they predicted more than nine hurricanes would occur in a single season. In 2024, they are expecting 11.” — DeSantis weighs in … per Florida Politics’ A.G. Gancarski: “During a news conference, the governor lauded latter-day building practices and a prominent state utility as evidence that the state is unlikely to face a catastrophe like 1992’s devastating Hurricane Andrew, no matter what balmy tropical waters may serve up. ‘The newer construction can withstand strong hurricanes,’ DeSantis said in Davie. ‘We’re going to continue to have them whether they’re worse or not. I don’t know if there’s data for that, but I think some people assert that, but either way we’re in a situation where, you know, this stuff has worked.’” LOOK AHEAD — “Florida will ban abortion after 6 weeks. How many women will that impact?” by Romy Ellenbogen of the Tampa Bay Times. “State data shows that the majority of Florida abortions happen after that threshold. But in the past six years, roughly two in five abortions have occurred in the first six weeks of pregnancy. The increased use of medication abortion and a push from clinics to get people in the door early are a large reason for that, said Isaac Maddow-Zimet, a data scientist with the abortion research group Guttmacher Institute.” BEYOND FLORIDA — “Florida’s 6-week abortion ban could displace thousands each month in a region where access is already severely limited,” reports CNN’s Deidre McPhillips. “Last year, 1 of every 3 abortions in the South – and about 1 in every 12 nationwide – happened in Florida, according to data from the Guttmacher Institute … More than 9,000 people traveled from other states to get an abortion in Florida in 2023, the data shows, at least twice as many as in 2020.” DOWN — “Florida Department of Juvenile Justice computer network hacked,” reports Vivienne Serret of Fresh Take Florida. “Hackers broke into the computer network of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice in Tallahassee, which runs the state's juvenile detention centers and programs to steer troubled kids away from crime. It led to a continuing shutdown of the digital backbone the agency uses to manage cases statewide. The department took offline some of its computer systems as early as March 29 due to what spokeswoman Amanda Slama described as an unspecified security concern, she confirmed in a statement Thursday afternoon, two days after a reporter’s initial inquiries about the matter.” | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | |
THAT WAS FAST — “Disney reveals more on huge Magic Kingdom expansion, one part of a $60 billion investment,” reports CNN’s Natasha Chen. “The expansion will be about the size of Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, which occupies about 14 acres. A Disney team is currently on research trips and going through concept design for this expansion area.”
IMPLEMENTATION — “‘Not a solution’: Fort Lauderdale debates how to enforce Florida’s new homeless law,” reports the Miami Herald’s Raisa Habersham. “During a city commission conference Tuesday afternoon, commissioners expressed concerns about arresting people who are homeless, an approach that could lead to overcrowding at the jails … Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, who previously said he was against the legislation, worried what the consequence would be if the city doesn’t act, adding that Fort Lauderdale has been the subject of litigation in the past regarding its aggressive approaches to homelessness.” | | CAMPAIGN MODE | |
DOWN BALLOT — “Florida court rulings pose risks for House Republicans on abortion,” reports the New York Times’ Annie Karni. “It’s not just Florida. The fate of reproductive rights is expected to be a major issue in House races across the country, especially for vulnerable Republicans who represent districts President Biden won in 2020. Some of those lawmakers have been struggling to appeal to conservative voters who favor severe restrictions without alienating a growing majority of voters who do not.”
FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AMENDMENT — DeSantis predicts voters will reject ‘radical’ ballot measures on pot and abortion, reports POLITICO’s Gary Fineout. “Once voters figure out how radical both of those are they’re going to fail,” DeSantis said following a bill signing ceremony held in Davie. “They are very, very extreme.” NEXT STEP IN DETENTE? — “With settlement done, will Disney restart political donations?” by Florida Politics’ Gray Rohrer. “For Republican Party of Florida Chair Evan Power, DeSantis has won the fight and he’s willing to let bygones be bygones if Disney wants to start donating to campaigns again.” | | | DATELINE D.C. | | | 
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas | John Moore/Getty Images | ‘BEYOND THE BORDER’ SERIES — “Mayorkas warns that Haitians crossing to U.S. by sea will be returned,” reports the Miami Herald’s Michael Wilner and Jacqueline Charles. “[Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro] Mayorkas said that Haitians attempting the dangerous voyage have already been repatriated in recent weeks by the U.S. Coast Guard, which on March 12 interdicted 65 Haitians near Great Inagua in the Bahamas.” 110 WOMEN — “In Miami, top U.S. officials call for the release of women political prisoners in Cuba,” reports the Miami Herald’s Nora Gámez Torres. “The Organization of American States, in partnership with the U.S. State Department and the Cuban American Bar Association, launched a campaign in Miami on Thursday calling for the release of women being held as political prisoners held in Cuba, part of a broader effort to press Cuban authorities to release the nearly 1,000 political prisoners on the island.” REQUEST — Republican U.S. Sens. Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, as well as U.S. Rep. Geg Steube, sent a letter this week urging FEMA to reinstitute discounts for 125,000 National Flood Insurance Program policy holders in flood-prone Lee County, Florida. FEMA revoked the discount after warning local officials about unsafe rebuilding efforts in the wake of Hurricane Ian in 2022. | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO GLOBAL PLAYBOOK: Don’t miss out on POLITICO’s Global Playbook, the newsletter taking you inside pivotal discussions at the most influential gatherings in the world, including WEF in Davos, Milken Global in Beverly Hills, to UNGA in NYC and many more. Suzanne Lynch delivers the world's elite and influential moments directly to you. Stay in the global loop. SUBSCRIBE NOW. | | | | |
| | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | |
MAR-A-LAGO DOCS — Judge denies, for now, a Trump bid to dismiss charges that he hoarded classified documents, reports Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney. The judge overseeing the case against Donald Trump on charges that he amassed classified documents at his Florida estate has rejected, for now, his bid to throw out the bulk of the case based on the argument that he had the right to keep those documents under a federal law governing presidential records.
However, the three-page ruling Thursday by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon left open the possibility for Trump to continue raising that argument if a trial takes place in the case. | | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | |
BIRTHDAYS: Former Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris … Melissa Shuffield of Shuffield Co. … (Saturday) Olivia Perez-Cubas, managing director of strategic communications for Bullpen Strategy Group ... photographer Colin Hackley … (Sunday) Former state Sen. Annette Taddeo … journalist and author Sydney P. Freedberg … Chris Turner, AARP associate state director for outreach
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