| | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Good Monday morning. By the numbers — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ newly created election police — which does not have a leader — has given a breakdown of its first few months of existence to the governor and state legislators. Homework — In a required annual report, the Office of Election Crimes and Security stated it forwarded 1,094 individuals to law enforcement who allegedly voted illegally during the 2020 election and 70 who allegedly voted illegally in the 2022 midterms. Overall, the office handled more than 3,000 possible cases, although hundreds were closed by the office itself or the Florida Department of Law Enforcement either closed or declined to investigate referrals. Highlighted — In one of its most prominent actions, the office was involved in the arrest of 20 individuals who DeSantis highlighted during an August press conference. Some of those arrested later had the charges dropped, although Secretary of State Cord Byrd contended the dismissals were procedural. Critics have asserted that the arrests were unwarranted because people mistakenly thought they were eligible. Looking at outside groups — The Jan. 15 report also says that the office reviewed more than 3,000 voter registration applications that were not turned in on time and assessed more $41,600 in fines against third party voter registration groups. It says there are criminal investigations underway into some of these groups for identity theft as well as registering fake or dead individuals. Partnership — The office also said that relying on information it got through the state’s partnership with the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), approximately 1,177 voters appeared to have voted both in Florida and another state. “A number of these cases” are in the preliminary stage or have been referred for criminal prosecution. In some instances, Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office has issued subpoenas to other states. (Florida’s touting of its ERIC partnership comes even as other states such as Alabama have recently withdrawn from the organization.) Dear legislators — The report contends the work of the office is “vital” and is serving as a “deterrent” to voter fraud even as critics have questioned the need for the state to spend money on the effort. — WHERE'S RON? — Gov. DeSantis is scheduled to be in Auburndale for a press conference with Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch: gfineout@politico.com | | | | JOIN POLITICO ON 2/9 TO HEAR FROM AMERICA’S GOVERNORS: In a divided Congress, more legislative and policy enforcement will shift to the states, meaning governors will take a leading role in setting the agenda for the nation. Join POLITICO on Thursday, Feb. 9 at World Wide Technology's D.C. Innovation Center for The Fifty: America's Governors, where we will examine where innovations are taking shape and new regulatory red lines, the future of reproductive health, and how climate change is being addressed across a series of one-on-one interviews. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | |  | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | HEATING UP — Trump hits DeSantis: He’s a Covid skeptic phony, by POLITICO’s Meredith McGraw: On Saturday, former President Donald Trump took his sharpest swings at [Gov. Ron] DeSantis to date, accusing the governor of “trying to rewrite history” over his response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Trump said DeSantis, who has been openly skeptical about government efforts to vaccinate people against the virus, “promoted the vaccine as much as anyone.” He praised governors who did not close down their states, noting that DeSantis ordered the closure of beaches and business in some parts of the state. “When I hear that he might [run] I think it’s very disloyal,” Trump said. On the ground in NH — Walter Stapleton, a GOP state representative from Claremont, sat toward the back of the auditorium wearing a Trump hat. But he said he, too, was undecided as to whom he’s backing in 2024. “We have to put a candidate there that can win and maybe draw some of the independents and some of the voters from the other side of the aisle. I think DeSantis is the runner for that,” Stapleton said. “But I’m always willing to see if Trump will change his tack … and come across more balanced and more reasonable.” | 
Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event at the South Carolina Statehouse on Jan. 28 in Columbia, S.C. From left, Rep. Russell Fry, South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, Trump, and Sen. Lindsey Graham. | Alex Brandon/AP Photo |
— Trump makes his first big move in New Hampshire, by POLITICO’s Lisa Kashinsky
MORE ON THE GROUND — “As Trump hits the trail in two states, some vulnerabilities come into focus,” by Washington Post’s Hannah Knowles and Camila DeChalus: “Marilyn Huston of Cheshire County, N.H., said [Gov. Ron] DeSantis or former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley would be a better choice than Trump because he is ‘unpredictable.’ Chris Wood, 65, a resident of Concord, N.H., offered a similar perspective. ‘Like many Republicans, we want to win 2024, and I think DeSantis gives Republicans a better shot at winning the presidency,’ he said.” — “In South Carolina, Donald Trump avoids a direct assault on Ron DeSantis," by Florida Politics’ A.G. Gancarski | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | FRIED TELLS DEMS TO “TAKE A DEEP BREATH’ — Former Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried is urging her fellow Democrats that they should consider delaying a decision to pick a new party chair after Manny Diaz abruptly resigned earlier this month. And that plan calls for the party picking an interim chair instead of supporting one of the candidates now in the race, including former state Sen. Annette Taddeo. “If we don’t start to get this right and that means breaking this cycle of a chairs race every 2 years, we are never getting out of this hole,” Fried said in a text message. Some may see this as a play by Fried — who has previously said she’s not interested in the job — to become a chair. “I have offered a strategic plan which includes an interim, yes,” Fried said in a text message. “Have not said that it needs to be me. Not selling that it’s me. Selling the thought and plan as no one is happy with the current pool.” Right now Florida, Democrats are scheduled to meet on Feb. 25. Diaz’s departure came after Florida Democrats suffered some of their worst losses ever, including the reelection of DeSantis by 19 points, the election of a Republican supermajority in the Florida Legislature and the flipping of several areas including once-reliable blue Miami-Dade County. SO MUCH FOR DESANTIS FACTOR — Ronna McDaniel wins RNC race that grew very messy by the end, by POLITICO’s Natalie Allison NEXT STEPS — “Sarasota GOP Joe Gruters loses bid for Republican National Committee treasurer,” by Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s Zac Anderson: "Joe Gruters took over as Sarasota GOP chairman in 2008 and held leadership positions in the Republican Party ever since, but that 15-year streak soon will come to a close after he lost his bid for treasurer of the Republican National Committee. Gruters lost the treasurer race Friday to a Republican official from Kentucky, despite an endorsement from former President Donald Trump. ‘When I got into this race I was the underdog,’ Gruters said. ‘We closed the gap, we just couldn't close it enough and I look forward to coming back to Florida and making sure we're winners in 2024.’” — “The 2024 GOP presidential primary season is kicking off. Here’s the potential field,” by Washington Post’s Hannah Knowles and Amy B Wang | | DESANTISLAND | | GETTING TO KNOW YOU — “Meet Ron DeSantis’ inner circle,” by POLITICO’s Matt Dixon: The dozen confidantes he leans on most — to shape his agenda in Tallahassee, assemble an extensive fundraising operation and devise his political future — include his chief of staff, well-known lobbyists and especially his wife. Now he’s leaning on this group of insiders as he plots his next move toward 2024 and a collision with former President Donald Trump. To understand the world of Ron DeSantis, you need to know these names. — “Schools, ‘queer theory,’ African American studies: Ron DeSantis fuels culture war — and gets more people talking about him,” by South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Anthony Man COMING ATTRACTIONS? — “Board agenda raises questions about New College leadership shakeup Tuesday,” by Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s Zac Anderson: “New College of Florida’s Board of Trustees is meeting for the first time Tuesday since seven new members joined in a major shakeup, and the agenda is inviting speculation that leadership changes could be in the works. The discussion items for the first meeting include college President Patricia Okker’s ‘employment agreement’ and ‘election of the Board Chair and Vice Chair.’ The college’s general counsel also is listed as an agenda item, along with the future of the college’s ‘Office of Outreach & Inclusive Excellence.’” — “Trustees picked by DeSantis may change progressive college,” by The Associated Press’ Curt Anderson: — “‘Hostile takeover’: the tiny Florida university targeted by Ron DeSantis,” by The Guardian’s Joseph Contreras — “Chris Sununu says right now Ron DeSantis would win New Hampshire,” by Florida Politics’ Jacob Ogles
| | | | DOWNLOAD THE POLITICO MOBILE APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. The sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don’t miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need, reimagined. DOWNLOAD FOR iOS– DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID. | | | | | | | DATELINE D.C. | | BURN NOTICE — “Matt Gaetz, political arsonist, has new powers. What will he do with them?” by The New York Times’ Robert Draper: “Will he continue in his role as an insatiable limelight seeker, one who boasted to colleagues that he began each day instructing aides to call Fox News bookers to determine what message du jour he should be trumpeting? Will he assert himself more on substance and push harder on his far-right agenda? Or is his only goal blowing things up? For now, [Rep. Matt] Gaetz seeks to project a victor’s air of comity. ‘I am not some ‘Lord of the Flies’ nihilist,’ he said in a recent interview. His chief aim, he asserted, is to bring egalitarianism to a legislative process dominated by lobbyists and powerful committee chairmen." — Warner and Rubio together call for document oversight for national security, by POLITICO’s Olivia Olander — “Paddling its waters, Rep. Soto explains quest to designate Kissimmee River as wild and scenic,” by Orlando Sentinel’s Kevin Spear | | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | TO COURT — “University of Florida COVID shutdown case goes to Supreme Court,” by News Service of Florida’s Jim Saunders: “A potential class-action lawsuit has gone to the Florida Supreme Court in a dispute about whether the University of Florida should return fees to students because of a campus shutdown early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Attorneys for UF graduate student Anthony Rojas filed a notice this week that is a first step in asking the Supreme Court to take up the case. The move came after a divided panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal in November said an Alachua County circuit judge should have dismissed the lawsuit, which seeks refunds of fees paid for transportation, health care and athletics services that were not provided because of the shutdown.” | | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | |
REMEMBER THIS? — “Penalty for Manatee Commissioner Baugh who violated ethics in vaccine rollout,” by Bradenton Herald’s Ryan Callihan: “The Florida Ethics Commission voted Friday morning to accept Manatee County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh’s proposed settlement over scheduling herself an appointment for the COVID-19 vaccine site she helped organize. Baugh, a Republican who has served on the Manatee County Commission since 2012, has been ordered to pay an $8,000 fine and accept a public reprimand from the nine-member board.”
| | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | ‘I NEED TO DO THIS’ — “A Florida judge finds a new job: Defending an inmate,” by The New York Times’ David Segal: “In a move that is certain to confound more than a few colleagues, Judge [Scott] Cupp will resign his seat on the 20th Judicial Circuit Court in Charlotte County, Fla. — he has been a judge since 2014 — and dedicate all of his working days to springing [Leo] Schofield from behind bars. ‘I’m leaving money on the table,’ he said in a 90-minute video interview, noting that he could have remained in his current role for nine more years. But he doesn’t have any debt, his children are grown and he lives comfortably on 26 acres with plenty of woods and a pond. ‘In a way, what I’m about to do is selfish,’ he went on, ‘because it’s for my own psyche. I need to do this. I have to do this.’” R.I.P. — “Marcia Cooke, Florida’s first female Black federal judge, dies at 68,” by Miami Herald’s Jay Weaver: “Former Miami U.S. Attorney Roberto Martínez, then-chairman of the Federal Judicial Nominating Commission that recommended [Marcia] Cooke’s nomination, said she was politically unstoppable. He noted at the time that she was not only a Democrat who earned the American Bar Association’s highest rating of ‘well qualified,’ but she also served as a prosecutor in his office and as chief inspector in Republican Gov. Jeb Bush’s administration. ‘How are you going to shoot her down?’ Martínez said after her confirmation.” — “Florida police chiefs: We ‘do not support what happened’ to Tyre Nichols,” by Florida Phoenix’s Michael Moline — “Lessons from shuttle Columbia disaster could stave off next tragedy,” by Orlando Sentinel’s Richard Tribou — “Desperate for answers: Families in Miami and Cuba mourn relatives missing at sea,” by Miami Herald’s Syra Ortiz Blanes and Ana Claudia Chacin — “Lee students now required to use bathroom, dressing and locker rooms of their biological sex,” by Fort Myers News-Press’ Nikki Ross — “Homeland Security chief Alejandro Mayorkas to visit Miami, meet with Haitians and Cubans,” by Miami Herald’s Syra Ortiz Blanes — “Miami museum set to return over 100 remains from indigenous burial sites to Seminole Tribe,” by WLRN’s Joshua Ceballos | | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | | — “Man falsely featured on ‘Wheel of Fugitive’ sues Sheriff Ivey for defamation,” by Florida Today’s Eric Rogers: "A man falsely included in several episodes of Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey's popular 'Wheel of Fugitive' social media 'gameshow' is suing the sheriff and the Brevard County Sheriff's Office for defamation, saying the experience cost him a job and impacted his mental health. David Austin Gay was not a fugitive when his picture appeared in four episodes of the show between January and February 2021. Instead, he was either sitting in jail after turning himself in on a probation violation or, in one case, already legally released." BIRTHDAYS: Former state Sen. Perry Thurston … Mario Rubio, deputy assistant secretary for the Department of Children and Families | | | | 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 | | | | |
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