Why Floridians keep going to Trump’s trial

May 24, 2024

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla, background right, listens as former President Donald Trump addresses reporters following the day's proceedings in Trump's trial at Manhattan criminal court in New York, Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Steven Hirsch/New York Post via AP, Pool)

Good morning and happy Friday.

The closing arguments in Donald Trump’s hush-money trial in Manhattan will happen the same day that Playbook returns to inboxes after the Memorial Day holiday. And throughout the trial, no shortage of Floridians have made the trip up to NYC.

Of the 24 House members that have traveled to New York, seven have been from Florida — the biggest chunk from any state. That’s not including Sen. Rick Scott, the first lawmaker to stand by Trump in the hush money trial and attack the proceedings amidst the former president’s gag order.

There could still be more on the way. None of the Floridians Playbook talked to who had not traveled already ruled out a visit Tuesday. And the House goes on recess for a week starting today — giving lawmakers ample time to travel to New York.

It should be no shock Floridians are coming in full force: the former president currently resides in Florida and the entire Republican delegation has endorsed Trump.

“Trump's a Floridian. He's got a lot of relationships,” Scott said at the Capitol. “He puts a lot of time in Florida.”

A flood of lawmakers joined the Trump trial quickly after Scott — some even missing votes to attend. From Florida, Reps. Byron Donalds, Cory Mills, Matt Gaetz, Anna Paulina Luna, Mike Waltz, Maria Elvira Salazar and Daniel Webster have joined the former president in Manhattan.

Each lawmaker insists they went because they needed to support Trump during what they characterize as a sham, weaponized trial. But these lawmakers have more at stake, whether that be a future higher office or competitive primary coming up.

“Obviously everything is political,” Rep. Carlos Gimenez said at the Capitol this week. “And so they did the calculus, and I'm sure they think it's okay for them. But hopefully, it was just to show support for the president.”

Gimenez — who has not visited the trial but didn’t rule out a trip next week — added that he doesn’t think Trump needs his support at the trial. “I don't think he needs anybody to stand with him,” Gimenez said.

Scott announced his bid for Senate GOP conference leader on Wednesday. While Scott might face an uphill battle, being the first to stand with Trump at trial comes with clout, especially as other senators followed his lead.

Three of the trial attendees — Donalds, Gaetz, and Waltz — are rumored to have their eyes on the governor’s mansion. It’s a race that Trump has already started to wade in to.

Salazar and Luna also hold the only two seats Democrats are targeting in the state. They both told Playbook their constituents are happy they are standing with Trump. Salazar said that includes Democrats, Republicans and independents in her district.

“I was the last Florida representative to endorse Trump. I am in the most swing district in the state — I am in the only swing district in the state. I am in a Biden district,” Salazar said at the Capitol. “I'm doing it because I think that is my duty as the representative.”

And one member has a more immediate electoral concern: Webster faces a challenge from right-wing former state Rep. Anthony Sabatini in the August primary. Trump endorsed Webster in the race.

— Mia McCarthy

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... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ...

NEW CURRICULUM — “Florida is tweaking its K-12 social studies standards. What’s changed?” by POLITICO’s Andrew Atterbury. “Florida is sticking by controversial pieces of its K-12 social studies standards for African American history that critics, including a Black Republican lawmaker, urged the state to change last year. The proposed teaching standards, set to be considered Wednesday by the state Board of Education, include the same language that scored national blowback for requiring middle school students to learn ‘how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.’ There are, however, several tweaks being recommended by the Florida Department of Education for next school year, such as clarifying what students should be taught about the Sept. 11 attacks.”

NEW ORDER — The federal judge who blocked a key part of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ anti-immigration law is now having second thoughts on whether his ruling should apply statewide or just to those who challenged the law.

U.S. District Judge Roy Altman, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, on Wednesday issued a preliminary injunction against a 2023 law that made it a felony for someone to transport undocumented migrants into the state. The law was championed by DeSantis but Altman ruled that the measure is likely preempted by federal immigration law. In a supplemental order Altman then explained why the injunction should cover everyone in Florida.

But on Thursday Altman decided to weigh the question again. In a new order Altman wrote that “on further reflection, and given the ‘national conversation taking place in both the legal academy and the judiciary concerning the propriety of courts using universal injunctions as a matter of preliminary relief,’ we now invite further briefing on the proper scope of the injunction.” Altman gave both sides until June 6 to submit their arguments. Stay tuned.

— Gary Fineout

A satellite image taken Sept. 27, 2022, shows Hurricane Ian passing over western Cuba. The destructive hurricane later hit Florida. | NOAA/AP

SEASON ‘FROM HELL’ — “2024 hurricane season: Forecasts all point to a busy season with La Niña and warm ocean temps,” by the Palm Beach Post’s Kimberly Miller. “From the shimmering blaze of an overheated Atlantic Ocean to gales in the underbelly of the stratosphere, all evidence points to a highly active 2024 hurricane season that could rival the busiest years on record. Forecasts that aim to predict the multitude and muscle of tropical cyclones ahead of the season's June 1 start date are in unsettling agreement, with some predicting more than double the number of average named storms and one labeling 2024 the ‘hurricane season from hell.’”

ALREADY STARTING — “Tropical system has 10 percent chance of forming into a cyclone,” reports Garfield Hylton of the Orlando Sentinel. “The area of low pressure could form within a few hundred miles north of Hispaniola. Weather experts said conditions aren’t expected to be conducive to a tropical or subtropical development, but it is possible.”

ANOTHER ONE — "Federal lawsuit challenges South Florida congressional and statehouse districts," by POLITICO's Gary Fineout. "Lawmakers illegally gerrymandered congressional and state districts by treating Hispanic voters as a 'monolithic' group, according to a federal lawsuit filed Thursday. The suit — which came on the same day that the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a claim that South Carolina’s congressional map was an illegal race-based gerrymander — challenges four congressional districts and seven statehouse seats in South Florida held by Republicans."

SIX WEEK ABORTION BAN — “'Rape' not defined in Florida law. How will doctors know if they can perform an abortion?” by USA Today Network — Florida’s Ana Goñi-Lessan. “Legal experts say Florida's new Heartbeat Protection Act – which largely bans abortions after six weeks of gestation – isn't clear, especially the law's exception delaying the ban to 15 weeks for people who are victims of rape. Critics say it could create a chilling effect among doctors, who'll likely be reticent or refuse to do any operations protected in the rape exception because of the lack of definition of ‘rape.’ Conservative backers of the law disagree, saying the terms used in the legislation have commonly understood meanings as worked out in court cases.”

READY TO SIT DOWN — “Groups want to meet with Florida officials about pro-Palestinian protests,” by the Tampa Bay Times’ Divya Kumar. “Eight nonprofit and advocacy groups are calling for a meeting with state officials concerning their response to pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses … The advocacy groups — which include the Florida chapters of PEN America, the American Civil Liberties Union, Equality Florida and the NAACP — sent the letter Wednesday to state university system chancellor Ray Rodrigues, questioning if the state’s response has been constitutional.”

INFECTIOUS CASES — “A medical mystery: Why does Central Florida see so many leprosy cases?” by the Tampa Bay Times’ Sam Ogozalek. “Leprosy remains rare in the United States. But Florida, which often reports the most cases of any state, has seen an uptick in patients. The epicenter is east of Orlando. Brevard County reported a staggering 13 percent of the nation’s 159 leprosy cases in 2020, according to a Tampa Bay Times analysis of state and federal data.”

PENINSULA AND BEYOND

LIFE OF THE PARTY — "The new center of Republican Party universe: Florida," by POLITICO's Kimberly Leonard and Gary Fineout. "The old Republican Party is dead. And no state is more responsible for ushering it to its grave than Florida. From Florida man Donald Trump’s presidential nomination comeback to Sen. Rick Scott’s just-announced dark horse bid for Senate GOP leader, Florida politicians are leading the charge to completely rid the GOP of its pre-Trump vestiges of “establishment” Republicans. And the state under Gov. Ron DeSantis has served as a blueprint for the new form of pugilistic Republican governance, from attacking “woke” corporations to outlandish stunts on immigration."

— Catch Scott on this week's episode of D.C. Playbook's Deep Dive podcast, where he talks to POLITICO's Ryan Lizza about his leadership bid and helming the NRSC in 2022.

FOUR YEARS AGO — “A Fort Lauderdale cop reported an attack by BLM protesters. Now, the story’s changing,” by the Miami Herald’s Sarah Blaskey. “It’s been nearly four years since police shot tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters as they left a previously peaceful rally held in downtown Fort Lauderdale in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, fracturing the eye socket of LaToya Ratlieff. Now, new evidence in a civil rights lawsuit filed by Ratlieff appears to undermine the department’s official justification for using chemical agents and so-called ‘less lethal’ munitions against protesters that day.”

AIR TRAFFIC — “Heavyweight airliners — including Donald Trump’s — clip their wings in minor South Florida airport incidents,” by David Lyons of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “In the space of 10 days, two of South Florida’s international airports have been the scenes of big airliners — including the Boeing 757 used by former President Donald Trump — involved in separate wing-clipping incidents while they rumbled their way to remote parking places. The Federal Aviation Administration acknowledged Wednesday it is investigating both episodes, neither of which involved any injuries. The most recent incident involved an Atlas Air Boeing 747 cargo jet.”

MOVING OUT — “Hamburger Mary’s decides to leave ‘sleepy’ downtown Orlando,” by the Orlando Sentinel’s Skyler Swisher. “Hamburger Mary’s, the drag–show-themed restaurant that successfully fought Gov. Ron DeSantis in court, is leaving what one owner called ‘sleepy’ downtown Orlando … Paonessa listed several factors for the decision to move, including fewer office workers downtown with the rise of remote work and the lack of on-site parking.”

CAMPAIGN MODE

NEW CHALLENGER — “Former Disney executive files to run against Orlando-area Rep. Amesty,” by the Orlando Sentinel’s Annie Martin. “A business executive and political newcomer has filed to run against Orlando-area state Rep. Carolina Amesty, who has faced questions about her credentials and actions at her family-run university. Leonard Spencer of Gotha filed on Wednesday to run for the Florida House against Amesty, saying he wants to lower insurance rates, restore abortion rights and improve access to mental health care … A Democrat and first-time candidate for public office, Spencer is the only opponent so far to file against Amesty, a Republican who is finishing her first term in office. If no one else enters the race before the qualifying deadline next month, the two would face off in the Nov. 5 general election.”

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