Subject: POLITICO Florida Playbook: House candidate Perkins stops fundraising; ‘IT SUCKS’ – Seminoles v. POLITICO in First Amendment/gambling case – ACLU sues Marion County schools over transgender restrooms
From: Marc Caputo <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 13 May 2016 05:01:22 -0600

05/13/2016 06:58 AM EDT

By Marc Caputo ([email-masked]; @MarcACaputo) with Ali Breland ([email-masked]; @AliBreland) and the staff of POLITICO Florida

'IT SUCKS' -- "Calling it 'disgusting,' congressional candidate no longer fundraising," by POLITICO Florida's Marc Caputo: Fundraising is such a "disgusting and appalling" process that multi-millionaire Randy Perkins won't hit up contributors anymore and is refunding donations to anyone who asks, he told POLITICO Florida.

But Perkins, a Democrat who raised more than $2.7 million since November, said he met unexpected resistance when he offered to return donor money: Many didn't want it back ... A number of the businessman's contributors and fundraisers are friends who are independently wealthy - including former Miami Heat basketball star Alonzo Mourning and intellectual disabilities activist Anthony Shriver, a member of the Kennedy family. ...

"I'm in a unique position where I don't have to do what sucks," Perkins said of the chore of fundraising. "All capital letters in big bolded letters. Yes. It sucks. It's a great way to sum it up." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e825c65ccadbc3ef9697afb4fff430b889a7d1c0a07cc29a0fce

MONEY MACHINE - Hope and change are all well and good, but what really motivates supporters to give money online is a bogeyman. And Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz's primary challenger, Tim Canova, has successfully tapped Bernie Sanders' online legions using the DNC chairwoman as a foil. The little-known lawyer is about to raise his millionth dollar (much of it from Sanders fans) for his run against Wasserman Schultz, and Thursday afternoon, Canova's campaign was raising money off her refusal to answer questions about their primary on MSNBC.

- "We have her attention and there is no denying the success of our grassroots movement," Canova wrote in the fundraising message. "Watch the video of Debbie Wasserman Schultz ducking questions about our campaign then make a donation of $15 to help us pass $1 million before midnight tonight ... One way or another, Debbie Wasserman Schultz will be forced to address our growing campaign." -SCOTT BLAND

BIDEN TIME -- "Vice President Joe Biden to fundraise for Debbie Wasserman Schultz in South Florida," by Miami Herald's Amy Sherman: "Stephen Bittel, a developer who lives in Coconut Grove, told the Miami Herald that he is hosting the fundraiser [in June]." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e8256ff7e6d294b9472e9e893342124a851f19ef9382c684c95e

BIDEN TIME2 - "Biden plays nice while picking sides in Florida Senate race," by AP's Brendan Farrington and Terrance Harris: "Biden campaigned with U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy at a downtown Orlando soul food restaurant Thursday, the day after [Senate Minority Leader Harry] Reid quarreled with Murphy's opponent, Congressman Alan Grayson. Reid has asked Grayson to drop out of the race, saying he has no moral compass, is disgraceful and that he has a low opinion of him." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e825932f91252933ad3c042b790c3f0d56d4c0ccd19ef293e7c1

Good Friday morning, and Happy Friday the 13th. Rubio Derangement Syndrome remains. The senator joked around with a reporter about the June 24 filing deadline for his U.S. Senate seat, which he won't seek. And the predictable happened: few got the joke. Is Rubio going to run for reelection? No. Unless he's lying. I don't think he's lying. And with that, here's the Rubio rundown...

-- "Marco Rubio, World's Biggest Hypocrite, Will Vote for Donald Trump," by Miami New Times' Tim Elfrink: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e82590b1fc55ae2a3fbcbe1d21d17d8ae19e1a38647e263e29be

-- "Zika, Puerto Rico's Debt on Rubio's Agenda," Sunshine State News: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e8255728c9d934780a49a28af590459bae71291fe3905db4cbae

-- "Marco Rubio Criticizes Media on NATO and Trump Coverage," by Accuracy in Media's Don Irvine: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e8258e2b2410c76a068afde75ae02960e30b202b9d76b9b3f0f7

-- "'Donald Trump obviously wasn't my first choice' but I'm 'more scared' about Hillary Clinton," by Tampa Bay Times' Alex Leary: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e82566f22c5d66e3b0418e6ca27433c588f1e49dc9f590fc8acd

-- "Rubio enlists James Baker to knock Trump," by POLITICO's Nahal Toosi: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e8250ed0999b5fd93c77e0876ae1b44a48ccb996d84315252990

'MARCO MOMENT' --"The GOP's top Colorado Senate candidate just had a Marco Rubio moment," by The Washington Post's Amber Phillips: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e8254bf7597132b72c44d5228df8e74597fe6a5045d41c1f2948 

MEET CARLOS BERUFF -- "Who wants Marco Rubio's old job?" by National Review's Kevin D. Williamson: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e825520dc4c3291c8752c95c77c4824467ec4ed60216cded1f84 

THAT OTHER SENATOR -- "Check out Bill Nelson's GOP support," by Tampa Bay Times' Adam C. Smith: Easily overlooked in the latest Quinnipiac University Florida polls are fascinating numbers that underscore the political might of U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson. Forty-seven percent of Florida voters approve of Nelson's handling of his job, which is nothing to brag about but also not especially poor in today's political climate. More striking is that only 26 percent of Florida voters disapprove of his performance.

And get this: 42 percent of Republicans approve of their Democratic senior senator''s performance, while just 35 percent disapprove. In today's politically polarized climate that is downright amazing. Compare that two two other leading Republicans who, like Nelson, also have been talked up as vice presidential contenders this year. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e82528a3b8fbc7e56e888bdd48587fd0e493516b807d6048b31c

ZIKA TEAMWORK -- "Nelson, Rubio release bipartisan Zika funding proposal," by POLITICO Florida's Christine Sexton: Florida Sens. Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson released on Thursday a bipartisan spending plan to provide $1.9 billion to eradicate the Zika virus, and other vector-borne viruses in the United States and its territories, including Puerto Rico. The proposal would give $743 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to use for domestic and international preparedness for Zika and other infectious diseases. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e82504bd5e756a8cad0c53e7c13ff5e3f68d364f565f85f594c3

Also-- "Scott asks feds for 5,000 Zika preparedness kits," by POLITICO Florida's Christine Sexton: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e8253aa5954b34ad5d278af120bea35311ada4edc9d6dec95f69 

BASHING JEB, FOR OLD-TIMES' SAKE -- "Donald Trump: Jeb Bush Is 'Not A Man Of Honor' For Refusing To Back Me," by BuzzFeed News' Andrew Kaczynski: "Donald Trump isn't finished hurling insults at his former opponent Jeb Bush. In a radio interview on Wednesday, Trump said the former Florida governor is "not a man of honor" for refusing to back his candidacy....

"Jeb Bush dishonored his pledge, I mean he dishonored his pledge," Trump said on the Mike Gallagher Show. "He signed a pledge, and, if you remember, they all wanted me to sign it, so I signed it. But that pledge is a guarantee, there's no outs. It doesn't say, 'subject to me liking Donald Trump or anything.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e825b1925885f00c9e528d13dc0d02a277558ebaa6fc5f51086a

--"Looking for Jeb Bush's 'pledge' to support Donald Trump," by Politifact Florida's Amy Sherman: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e8258085732b2b582500102f0d8c335dbf73638b770fec9d5ba2

PALM BEACH MAN -- "Secret Service to investigate Trump's former butler," by AP's Jill Colvin and Alicia A. Caldwell: "Anthony Senecal, who served the presumptive Republican nominee at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, has a Facebook page filled with incendiary comments. Many of the posts are directed at the president and his family. The posts were first reported by Mother Jones.

"In one message from September 2015, Senecal said the military should hang Obama for treason and other 'high crimes.' In another that month, he described Obama, a Christian, by using a slur for a member of the Muslim faith. In that post, he wrote that he does not speak for Trump: 'This is my opinion, only!!!!" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e825563c8db7eadd039753fd4dc8217644f0cdd8e1163be13374

--"Trump disavows ex-butler's Facebook posts about Obama," by POLITICO's Brianna Gurciullo: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e825c7ba4b9d4ebd41ccced461329020dc8b5b6df67acba6cbdd

NOT SORRY NOT SORRY - "Donald Trump's ex butler tells Post: President Obama 'needs to be hung'," by Palm Beach Post's Liz Balmaseda: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e825222c2b4d37293a1a2ffa5389c25683800c4e1a4851b19f7f [Shouldn't it be "hanged?" "Hung" is, well...]

THE BIG QUESTION -- "Group unveils site "Who Supports Trump?" by POLITICO Florida's Matt Dixon: Many Republican lawmakers have either been ducking or dancing around one question as the general election approaches: do you support Donald Trump's candidacy for president? The organization Florida Strong has launched WhoBacksTrump.com, which gives direct links to the Twitter accounts of Republican members of the Florida legislature. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e8253ef17ff495aba2c88aa3c18587b30eae22912ea08216d41b 

'TRADE SECRETS' - "POLITICO files motion to intervene in Seminole lawsuit," by POLITICO Florida's Matt Dixon:  POLITICO filed a motion in federal court on Thursday night asking to intervene in a lawsuit between The Seminole Tribe and state of Florida. The news organization is seeking involvement in the ongoing lawsuit to contest the Tribe's request that a Tallahassee federal court seal transcripts from a deposition given Jim Allen, CEO of Seminole Gaming. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e825319d4cc4cbffa8a7b435318bd4bc60422171141e28917034

-- "Seminoles ask court to seal CEO deposition after records request," by POLITICO Florida's Matt Dixon: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e825c1a06310491f62b6bdf1d753c3955112b45ef25d6c355714 

CUSHION -- "Florida CAT Fund has $400 million surplus for 2016 Hurricane Season," by POLITICO Florida's Christine Sexton: For the first time since in its inception a state run reinsurance fund has more resources than risk. The Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund's liability for the next hurricane season is $17 billion yet it has access to $17.4 billion. The cushion means there will be no risk for an emergency assessment on property insurance policies-excluding workers compensation and medical malpractice- products. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e82595b378d41abf13f28504d87107f56adde687361437a9c25f

CHOOSE A DOOR -- "ACLU challenges Marion County transgender bathroom policy," by POLITICO Florida's Jessica Bakeman and Matt Dixon: The state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union on Thursday filed a federal complaint challenging a new Marion County Public Schools policy that requires students to use bathrooms that correlate to their gender at birth.

The ACLU filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights on behalf of a transgender student who was suspended for using a bathroom consistent with his gender identity. The student, whose name is redacted in the complaint, had been using male bathrooms at school for years without incident but was suspended for doing so days after the school board passed the resolution last month. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e825ec604879d00eacb263cfb985adb578ee876f2e95b0049e5a 

RATTLED OUT - "FAMU board chair not reappointed," by POLITICO Florida's Jessica Bakeman: Florida A&M University's board of trustees is again without a chair. State higher education officials voted unanimously Thursday to boot Cleve Warren from the board of the historically black public university. Warren had served as the board's chairman since November. He succeeded Rufus Montgomery, who resigned his post and then his seat on the board after supporting an unsuccessful attempt to oust president Elmira Mangum. Warren was with the prevailing side; he voted twice against firing Mangum. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e8254b7d4dbff4ac37aaed675e69eea6aec8fac830aea246401f

SCOTT V. GOP - "Scott's power challenged by fellow Republicans," by the Orlando Sentinel's Gray Rohrer: "Gov. Rick Scott is seeing his power challenged on nearly every front, even from ostensible allies in Florida. Scott's authority to appoint people to vacant judicial seats is being challenged in the courts. A deadlock with the all-GOP Cabinet stalled the hiring of an insurance commissioner for two months, and Scott still didn't get his first pick. His fellow Republicans in charge of the Legislature junked much of his agenda this year, though a Scott spokeswoman noted millions in tax cuts and the passage of a hospital-price transparency bill as successes." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e8253a7b308b4eda375851ee1eee6e587bf0309caa9e6cfd7214

DOING IT ANYWAY - "Federal official says no decision yet on Scott's Lake O request," by POLITICO Florida's Bruce Ritchie: A federal official on in Atlanta said agency spokesman in Atlanta said Thursday no decision has been made on Gov. Rick Scott's request to extend a diversion of water discharges from Lake Okeechobee. On Wednesday, POLITICO Florida reported water levels in the L-29 canal were being lowered despite Scott's request on April 28 to extend indefinitely a diversion through the Everglades to protect coastal estuaries. The same day, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokesman in Jacksonville would not say whether a decision had been made on the request. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e8251ca61b0f7ea8f0ba5047f7bac56f6f0025676efb1db87b1b

NO, TROLLS, THE CITY ISN'T SINKING -- "As Waters Rise, Miami Beach Builds Higher Streets And Political Willpower," by NPR's Greg Allen: "Miami Beach is one of the nation's cities most vulnerable to climate change - and its leaders are doing something about it. The city, a national leader in addressing climate, has begun to make improvements aimed at protecting residents from rising sea levels.

"In South Florida, the rate of sea-level rise has tripled over the last decade, according to a new study from the University of Miami. The rising seas raise questions for many about whether the resort community has a future. Officials there say the answer is emphatically yes and they're moving ahead with plans for a resilient city." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e825be50169ba4d82a9ebe891564ebe5a299ebfc6ea68fd05b94

--"Just Because Sea-Level Rise Threatens Miami Doesn't Mean the City Should Give Up," by Miami New Times' Kyle Munzenrieder: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e825d523e6d737ede5b5e50d05ea9cbd72774303102d54788f4e

WHAT TO DO WITH TOILET PAPER AND SOCIALISM? -- "Venezuela Is Falling Apart," by Mois&eacute;s Na&iacute;m And Francisco Toro in The Atlantic: "When a Venezuelan entrepreneur we know launched a manufacturing company in western Venezuela two decades ago, he never imagined he'd one day find himself facing jail time over the toilet paper in the factory's restrooms. But Venezuela has a way of turning yesterday's unimaginable into today's normal." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e825cbdd638c98bf3bb51c2d62ce4db56966c7558794a95a7bf1

SAUDI WATCH - "Gwen Graham adds to father's call for release of 9/11 report," by Tampa Bay Times' Alex Leary: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e825d2c09a0e594cd45c94af504617cce8991e1e2af6fcff58c8

WATCH, COMMANDER! "9 Investigates: Orlando police hit watch commander's car during traffic stop," by WFTV http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e825304d60ed2a9b24aeb627c959ca0e3f2ca3542d3ac8d7ae11

GET GODIVA NEXT TIME -- "Wife Battered Husband Over Candy, Flowers," The Smoking Gun: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e825bfe3083d9f3584c0afbc7f34f239bd5f7edbcb01deacba42

FLORIDA MAN -- "Two auction sites block Zimmerman gun sale, while Smithsonian refutes him," by POLITICO Florida's Marc Caputo: George Zimmerman's plans to auction the pistol he killed Trayvon Martin with were stopped Thursday by two online gun-auction websites that said the sale was inappropriate. ... To add to the bizarre and controversial situation, Zimmerman apparently lied when he advertised the pistol by claiming the Smithsonian Museum was interested in "owning and displaying the firearm."

The museum refuted the claim on its website and via Twitter: "The Smithsonian has never expressed interest in collecting George Zimmerman's firearm. The Smithsonian has no plans to ever collect or display this object in any of its museums." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e82543a02a3d43ddc15096f62bee73e804eae12147e3c5d07c46

GATOR BITES MAN FLEEING COPS -- "Man subject to Baker Act bitten by alligator while swimming across lake in Lakeland," WFTV: "An alligator bit off part of a man's forearm Wednesday night as he swam across a lake, Lakeland police said. Police said Jessie Kingsinger, 21, left his home on Long Lake Circle after a fight with his mother. His mother reported the disturbance and told police that her son needed psychological help and was having an 'episode' during the fight. ... Police said officers spotted Kingsinger near the lake, lying on the ground. Kingsinger said he knew that law enforcement was looking for him so he swam across the lake." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e825ea0c39cb74fe3ec17c637c7ab5591c64f14b2b4a97545b73

GATORS + COPS. This is your reminder that, if you're running from the cops, don't jump in a lake - especially at night. Check it out:

--In November, a possible burglary suspect in Palm Bay was killed by what authorities believe was an 11-foot alligator http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e825e717d33b64983637ed2df56a59845b18b902ea4b1e530e48

--In 2014, a Port St. Lucie car thief was caught thanks to an alligator that wandered in front of his stolen car http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e82510074aef26a5e472663aabb5819283b4c56f63e8b6c858ef

--in 2007, another car thief attempting to avoid Miccosukkee police dived into a retention pond where he was mauled to death by a massive gator named "Poncho" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e82596ab4be208c85d5c4f6221bf60a4336fa433d7e738534f66

FOR MORE political and policy news, check out Politico Florida's home page: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1f3f9bb44789e825093162e1e26fe7b7b532f82496209a56239811f9cf4efccd And please follow out staff @mdixon55, @christinesexton, @dducassi, @jessicabakeman and @bruceritchie on Twitter.

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