| | | | |  | | By Kimberly Leonard | Good morning and welcome to Wednesday. After months of discussions, studies, rankings and surveys, a task force will recommend St. Augustine as the home for the first-ever Florida Museum of Black History. The nine-member museum task force settled on the location — the site of America’s first free Black settlement — by a five to four vote. The decision came yesterday after tense discussion, including on whether it was the right time to hold a vote at all and whether to prioritize historical significance over economic factors. Members of the group also expressed nervousness over the scrutiny surrounding their meetings. Though they didn’t discuss specifics, there has been widespread national coverage and backlash about Florida’s policies on race and diversity under Gov. Ron DeSantis, including in school curriculum and workplace practices. One of the task force members, Nashid Madyun, who’s the executive director of Florida Humanities, urged the group to vote so that they could get all their work done on time for the July 1 deadline to assemble their recommendations. “We have enough information to go around the room,” he said. “I know it’s a little scary in the political climate.” The runner-up was Eatonville, one of the oldest incorporated Black municipalities in the U.S. Supporters vociferously urged the task force to choose that location, largely because it’s close to Orlando and would therefore be likely to benefit from the tourism traffic already there. State Rep. Bruce Antone (D-Orlando), who introduced the bill to create the museum that DeSantis signed into law, said during the public comment period that the location would “make this thing work long term.” “This thing would pay for itself,” he said. “Not only that — we create 200 permanent jobs.” The decision on the location came after a presentation showing what the museum might loosely look like architecturally at the different sites. The presenter, Andrew Chin, who’s the dean of the architecture and engineering school at Florida A&M University, encouraged the task force to think about factors such as how easy a museum might be to get to and how it might generate income. He noted that the legislation setting the museum’s creation in motion said the facility had to be self-sufficient — and it could raise money not just through museum ticket sales, but by having a performing arts center or allowing a banquet hall to be rented out. He estimated the costs of construction alone would be $100 million. The task force members had narrowed down location options by using a grading system that looked at a dozen factors including historical significance, local support and infrastructure. Yesterday marked the ninth meeting for the task force and the second-to-last in all, before they have to present their recommendations. The location is just one piece — the task force has a robust to-do list that includes a marketing plan and figuring out how to acquire artifacts. They also have to recommend materials on the history of slavery and segregation and spotlight notable Black Floridians. Even then, nothing is a done deal. The task force sends its recommendations to the governor’s office and legislative leaders — who can still decide to go in a different direction, including on what city will host the museum. The group’s next — and presumably final — meeting is June 5. 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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Our newsroom is deeper, more experienced, and better sourced than any other—with teams embedded in the world’s most active legislative and regulatory power centers. From Brussels to Washington, New York to London, Sacramento to Paris, we bring subscribers inside the conversations that determine policy outcomes and the future of industries, providing insight that cannot be found anywhere else. Get the premier news and policy intelligence service, SUBSCRIBE TO POLITICO PRO TODAY. | | | | | |  | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | |  Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd. | John McDonnell/AP Photo | ‘WE NEED CLARIFICATION’ — “'Shortsighted': Florida election officials blast state ballot rule,” by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout. “Florida election officials are warning that an obscure new ballot rule being put in place by the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis could force them to break state law or face removal from office. A wave of exasperated election supervisors — meeting at their summer conference — vented to top officials from the Department of State about a recently rolled out proposal that they contend would violate the right to a secret ballot. They also said they worried it would put them in the crosshairs of activists who continually question the validity of elections. VAN LENT CASE — “Appeals court judges hammer lawyer representing Everglades Foundation,” by POLITICO’s Bruce Ritchie. “Appeals court Judge Bronwyn C. Miller on Tuesday asked lawyer Jorge Piedra, representing the Foundation, to explain how he could serve as prosecutor in the case when he had a duty to represent the foundation as his client, instead of the public interest more broadly … The three-judge panel on Tuesday did not indicate how or when it would issue a ruling. The lawsuit filed by the Everglades Foundation has rocked Everglades supporters and revealed rifts over a $3.6 billion reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee championed by DeSantis.” ‘THERE’S CLEARLY AN INTENSIFICATION GOING ON’ — “Top Florida utility officials: Storm preparations more difficult, expensive,” reports News Service of Florida. “Top Florida utility officials said Tuesday increased intensity and unpredictability of hurricanes is making storm preparation more difficult — and expensive. Leaders of utility companies and associations representing municipal utilities and electric cooperatives made presentations to the Florida Public Service Commission as the six-month hurricane season gets ready to start June 1. Armando Pimentel, president and CEO of Florida Power & Light, and Archie Collins, president and CEO of Tampa Electric Co., said the greater unpredictability will cause utilities to take what Pimentel described as a ‘conservative’ approach to preparing for storms.” TURKS TRIP — “Florida secretary of state, lawmakers go on island mission to free Orlando woman, 4 others,” by the Orlando Sentinel’s Skyler Swisher. “Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd and several U.S. lawmakers tried but failed this week to get Turks and Caicos Islands authorities to free an Orlando woman and four other Americans facing 12 years in prison for allegedly possessing ammunition. Despite their efforts, the delegation was ‘not able to find a path forward,’ U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma said. Sharitta Shinise Grier, 45, was arrested after ammunition was found during a May 13 search at the islands’ international airport, according to the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force.” — “Florida attorney at odds with state bar over alleged 'personal attack' on Supreme Court,” reports James Call of USA Today Network — Florida. CLOSURE THREAT — “What happens to clinics after a state bans abortion? They fight to survive,” by Shefali Luthra and Chabeli Carrazana of The 19th. “For clinics, the challenge is staying staffed and financially afloat while facing an uncertain future. In Florida, where the six-week ban took effect May 1, health care providers anticipate clinics will be forced to shut down or reduce their services — changes that could be difficult to reverse, even if the state restores abortion rights this fall.” EXTINCTION FEARS — “More endangered Florida panthers have died in 2024 so far than all of last year: ‘These roadkills are heartbreaking,’” by Kerry Breen of CBS News. “Of the 14 deaths in 2024, 11 involved vehicles and another was killed by a train. Two other deaths were of an ‘unknown’ cause, according to statistics from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Experts say only between 120 and 230 adult panthers are left in Florida.” — “How new Florida rules for liposuction, including Brazilian butt lifts, can protect you,” by the Miami Herald’s David J. Neal.
| | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | TODAY — Central Florida Tourism Oversight district board is meeting. (Follow along here.) FLORIDA ORIGINS — “There’s an arms race in Haiti, and it’s fueled by Florida’s pipeline of weapons of war,” reports the Miami Herald’s Jay Weaver and Jacqueline Charles. “Federal officials readily admit that Florida is the main U.S. pipeline for weapons headed to the Caribbean and South America, fueled by the state’s easy access to firearms, a lucrative black market, the lack of export inspections at South Florida ports and the rising demands of criminal organizations in countries like Haiti. Those factors have caused a steep climb in illicit shipments of increasingly powerful firearms such as automatic rifles to hundreds of gangs in Haiti, contributing to the doubling of the country’s murder rate over the past two years.” RETURNED — “DeSantis reinstates Sumter commissioner after perjury conviction overturned,” by Jim Saunders of News Service of Florida. “Gov. Ron DeSantis has reinstated a suspended Sumter County commissioner whose conviction on a perjury charge was overturned by an appeals court last year. DeSantis issued an executive order Friday reinstating Oren Miller, who filed a lawsuit in January in Leon County circuit court to try to get his job back.” REDUCED FUNDING — “World Cup will get millions in public funding from Miami-Dade for 2026 games,” by Douglas Hanks of the Miami Herald. “The World Cup soccer extravaganza secured nearly $36 million in public funding and services on Tuesday as Miami-Dade commissioners defended the need for tax dollars to subsidize the seven matches coming to Hard Rock Stadium in 2026. Facing backlash on the original proposal to commit $46 million to the event, the commission voted for a smaller funding package that covers early installments of cash subsidies to be paid by the end of the year. That leaves open the possibility for organizers to receive the rest of the requested public dollars as the summer games get closer.”
| | CAMPAIGN MODE | | — “Shan Rose, Travaris McCurdy to square off in Orlando District 5 runoff,” by the Orlando Sentinel’s Ryan Gillespie. TOMMY GREGORY’S SEAT — “Republicans running for Florida House District 72 debate at political forum,” by Jesse Mendoza of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. “Gregory is stepping away from the seat to accept a position as president of the State College of Florida, and the four Republican candidates have quickly filed to compete. The candidates include former Manatee County Planning Commission Chairman Bill Conerly, AG Creative founder Alyssa Gay, attorney and real estate expert Richard Green, and Manatee County School Board member Richard Tatem.”
| | DATELINE D.C. | | ON CUBAN INDEPENDENCE DAY — “TSA's Miami airport tour for Cuban officials ‘shocking,’ county says,” by Axios Miami’s Martin Vassolo. “Cuban government officials quietly toured TSA facilities at Miami International Airport this week, angering Miami-Dade County officials who said they were not informed … Miami-Dade Chief of Public Safety James Reyes, the son of a Cuban political prisoner, said in a statement that it was ‘offensive’ that the TSA would allow Cuban officials to tour ‘security protocols’ at MIA … Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said she and ‘many across our community’ were surprised by the decision, which was made ‘without the knowledge of the Miami-Dade Aviation Department.’" CLASHING APPROACHES — “The escalating fight over US assistance to Haiti ahead of Ruto’s visit,” reports POLITICO’s Matt Berg. “Kenyan President William Ruto’s trip to Washington this week is rejuvenating a fight between top Republican lawmakers and the Biden administration, who disagree on how to handle the worsening chaos unfolding in Haiti. In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday, obtained by POLITICO, House Foreign Affairs Chair Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Senate Foreign Relations ranking member Jim Risch (R-Idaho) bashed the administration for approving a $60 million military aid package earlier this month, using the presidential drawdown authority to fast-track rifles, ammunition and armored vehicles to the island.” DISASTER AID RUNNING OUT — “Marco Rubio, Rick Scott raise FEMA funding concerns,” by Florida Politics’ A.G. Gancarski. “An active hurricane season looms, and Florida’s Senators want answers about emergency funding. U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott wrote a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell demanding answers on whether FEMA has the resources needed to assist people in Florida and beyond when tropical systems wreak their inevitable havoc.”
| | | | DON’T MISS POLITICO’S ENERGY SUMMIT: The future of energy faces a crossroads in 2024 as policymakers and industry leaders shape new rules, investments and technologies. Join POLITICO’s Energy Summit on June 5 as we convene top voices to examine the shifting global policy environment in a year of major elections in the U.S. and around the world. POLITICO will examine how governments are writing and rewriting new rules for the energy future and America’s own role as a major exporter. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | THERE’S MORE — “Lawyers found classified docs in Trump’s bedroom 4 months after Mar-a-Lago search,” by POLITICO’s Kyle Cheney. “That revelation was among several cited by U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell in a newly unsealed 2023 opinion that found prosecutors had presented compelling evidence that Trump knowingly stashed national security documents in his home and then tried to conceal them when the Justice Department tried to retrieve them.”
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