Good Thursday morning.

Who’s going to the Florida Freedom Forum at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando on Saturday?

The lineup is a who’s who of conservative politics in Florida, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, Attorney General James Uthmeier, CFO Blaise Ingoglia, U.S. Sens. Rick Scott and Ashley Moody, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, several members of Florida’s Congressional delegation and a handful of state Senators.

To anyone speaking or attending, we’d love to hear from you. Is there something you’d like to tease about the event in our Friday edition of Sunburn? Is there a reception you’d like to invite folks to? For all that and more, please email me at [email protected].

We will also have Florida Politics reporter Jacob Ogles on the ground at the event, so feel free to reach out if you’d like to coordinate an interview. Thanks!

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

Tweet, tweet:

Flashback tweet, tweet:

—@KevinGuthrieFL: Let me say it louder for the Florida print media… Under the leadership of @GovRonDeSantis, @FLSERT is #1 in the nation at emergency response and recovery. This INCLUDES evacuating detention facilities, jails and hospitals should the need ever arise. Leave the contingency planning to the professionals.

—@StasiKamoutsas: Since 2020, @GovRonDeSantis has invested over $5 billion dollars to raise teacher pay. But local unions are delaying increases by playing politics — keeping teachers from the raises they deserve. That is why I sent a letter to all school district teachers imploring that they demand the unions stop blocking the immediate raises rightfully owed to them.

Tweet, tweet:

—@ErikWemple: After 14 very, very happy years writing opinions on media at The Washington Post, I am taking the newspaper’s buyout offer. In September, I will begin work at The New York Times covering media from Washington for the paper’s Business section.

— DAYS UNTIL —

Florida Freedom Forum — 2; ’Eyes of Wakanda’ premieres on Disney+ — 6; Florida Chamber Florida Technology & Innovation Solution Summit — 12; The 13th Annual Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) Summit — 12; ‘Alien: Earth’ premieres — 13; Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party begins — 15; ‘Peacemaker’ season two premieres — 21; Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights begins — 29; FSU/Alabama game — 30; Special Election for Senate District 15 — 33; Cowboys-Eagles open NFL season — 35; NAACP Florida State Conference Convention begins — 35; the Emmys — 45; DeSantis and the Cabinet will meet — 48; Florida TaxWatch Government Productivity Awards — 49; Paul Thomas Anderson’s ’One Battle After Another’ starring Leonardo DiCaprio premieres — 57; Special Elections for SD 11 and HD 90 — 61; Florida TaxWatch Annual Board Meeting — 67; ’Tron: Ares’ premieres — 71; Future of Florida Forum (F3) & Florida Chamber annual meeting — 88; Miami Beach City Commission Elections — 96; ’Wicked: Part 2’ premieres — 113; ’Stranger Things’ final season premieres — 118; Bears vs. Eagles on Black Friday — 120; Florida Transportation, Growth & Infrastructure Solution Summit — 125; Florida Chamber Annual Insurance Summit — 125; Special General Elections for SD 11 and HD 90 — 131; ’Knives Out 3’ premieres — 134; DeSantis and the Cabinet will meet — 139; ’Avatar: Fire and Ash’ premieres — 141; Broncos vs. Chiefs in Kansas City on Christmas Day — 147; Milano Cortina Olympic & Paralympic Games begin — 190; F1 Miami begins — 274; Untitled ’Star Wars’ movie premieres — 295; 2026 FIFA World Cup™ begins — 315; ’Avengers: Doomsday’ premieres — 505; Another untitled ’Star Wars’ movie premieres — 505; Tampa Mayoral Election — 579; Jacksonville First Election — 600; Jacksonville General Election — 656; ‘Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse’ premieres — 674; ’The Batman 2’ premieres — 792; ’Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres — 869; 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Opening Ceremony — 1079; 2028 U.S. Presidential Election — 1195; ’Avatar 4’ premieres — 1595; ’Avatar 5’ premieres — 2326.

— TOP STORY —

“‘Stay tuned,’ Ron DeSantis says on mid-decade congressional redistricting plan” via Mitch Perry of Florida Phoenix — DeSantis said Wednesday he is “very seriously” considering a mid-decade redistricting process in Florida. This move could bolster the GOP’s narrow majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. The potential effort follows a direct call from President Donald Trump for red-leaning states to redraw congressional maps to strengthen the party’s standing ahead of the 2026 Elections.

Speaking to reporters, DeSantis said he would “look favorably” on the Legislature taking up the issue, telling them to “stay tuned.”

The Governor’s justification hinges on his belief that Florida’s voter-approved Fair District amendments, designed to prevent partisan gerrymandering, are unconstitutional under federal law. He argued the amendments improperly mandate that race “predominate” in map-drawing. DeSantis pointed to a recent Florida Supreme Court decision that upheld his controversial 2022 congressional map, which netted Republicans four seats. In that ruling, the court’s majority stated that legislators had a “superior” obligation to follow federal law over the state amendments.

This potential shift is part of a growing national political battle. After the Texas Legislature moved to redraw its maps to favor Republicans, leaders in blue states like California and New York have threatened to retaliate by creating more Democratic-leaning districts.

According to some experts, the recent Florida Supreme Court ruling has already “fatally” weakened the state’s anti-gerrymandering rules, likely clearing a path for any new map the GOP-controlled Legislature might produce.

— STATEWIDE —

“Judge considers whether Alligator Alcatraz challenge was filed in wrong venue” via The Associated Press — A legal challenge to a hastily-built immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades was filed in the wrong venue, government attorneys argued Wednesday in the first of two hearings over the legality of Alligator Alcatraz in a lawsuit brought by environmental groups. Even though Miami-Dade County owns the property, Florida’s southern district is the wrong venue for the federal lawsuit by environmental groups since the detention center is in neighboring Collier County, which is in the state’s middle district, government attorneys argued during Wednesday’s hearing in federal court in Miami. “Everything is happening outside the southern district, either Collier County, Tallahassee or the District of Columbia,” said attorney Jesse Panuccio, who represented the state of Florida.

“Florida releases heavily blacked-out Alligator Alcatraz hurricane plan” via Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel — Florida emergency management officials released a heavily blacked-out disaster plan for the Alligator Alcatraz immigration detention center on Wednesday, just two days after saying they had no document detailing what the camp would do if threatened by a hurricane. The 33-page draft plan appears to detail alternate facilities that could be used in an evacuation, procedures for detainee transportation and other measures that would be enacted in the event of a powerful storm or other emergency. But specific details are a secret. Officials blacked out almost all of the pages, citing exemptions in the state’s public records law that allow information about “tactical operations” during emergencies to be shielded from disclosure.

“Progressive poll shows Alligator Alcatraz well known, but unpopular among Florida voters” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Alligator Alcatraz continues to polarize along predictable partisan lines, according to a poll from a progressive group. The Florida Communications and Research Hub, a project from Progress Florida and Florida Watch, found incredibly high name recognition for the Everglades migrant center opened just this month, with 89% of registered voters being aware of the facility. Additionally, 45% reported hearing “a lot” about it. But that doesn’t mean they like it. About 43% of respondents held a negative view of the center, 35% a strongly negative one. That compares to 34% who like the project and just 18% who strongly favor it. However, the camp stands up to the weather, but public opinion remains clearly underwater, according to the poll results.

“DeSantis says Florida is tackling the teacher vacancy crisis” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — Florida’s teacher vacancies for the upcoming 2025-26 school year dropped by nearly 18%. “We are attracting teachers,” DeSantis said. “We’ve expanded a number of pathways for qualified individuals.” DeSantis spoke about education at a roundtable in Tampa alongside allies that included Florida Department of Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas, Chief Financial Officer Ingoglia, and New College President Richard Corcoran. Also joining was Jaime Suarez, Florida’s 2025 Teacher of the Year, selected from Challenger K-8 School of Science and Mathematics in Hernando County.

“Teachers scoff at DeSantis’ ‘Blame Educators Tour’ accusing unions of delaying raises” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Florida’s teachers aren’t impressed with DeSantis’ claims about education leadership. Hours after the Governor led an education roundtable in Tampa, the Florida Education Association issued a release calling the event a part of the “Blame Educators Tour.” “We’ve seen this before. Gov. Ron DeSantis is going back to using fuzzy math to blame educators for the policies that hurt our public schools instead of focusing on real solutions for Florida’s students, families and educators,” the FEA release states.

— MORE STATEWIDE —

“Does the Florida Kidcare program comply with Donald Trump’s new ‘Big Beautiful’ law?” via Christine Sexton of Florida Phoenix — Is Florida’s children’s health insurance program compliant with the “big beautiful” law that Trump pushed through Congress? The answer to that question depends on whom you ask. While the law makes upward of $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, it unexpectedly did not repeal portions of a Joe Biden administration rule meant to make children’s health insurance (CHIP) programs like Florida’s operate more like Medicaid by banning eligibility waiting periods and enrollment lockouts. The rule, which went into effect last June, also requires a smooth transfer of children from Medicaid to the CHIP program to ensure none fall into a health care coverage gap.

“Attorney General vows to cut off law firms over diversity initiatives” via Gray Rohrer of USA Today Network — Uthmeier’s push to root out any state connection with diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies now is hitting law firms. Uthmeier sent a policy memo to some law firms throughout the state, alerting them that he wouldn’t hire outside counsel that participates in DEI or ESG policies and programs. “Beginning immediately, the Florida Attorney General’s Office will no longer engage or approve the engagement of private law firms who have or continue to engage in illegal and inappropriate discrimination and bias,” the memo says. It’s not clear exactly what sparked the move. He and DeSantis generally hire Republican-aligned law firms as outside counsel that already avoid or outright disavow DEI and ESG policies. The four-page memo states Uthmeier’s office will review firms it currently contracts with for compliance with the policy.

“Wilton Simpson announces new hurricane disaster aid hub for agricultural producers” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Florida agriculture producers seeking financial relief after two punishing hurricane seasons now have a central source for information on $675 million in federal disaster aid. Agriculture Commissioner Simpson announced the launch of the online hub, a dedicated webpage for updates, eligibility criteria and application instructions for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) disaster block grant program. “Florida’s agriculture industry was hit hard by back-to-back hurricane seasons and our producers need long-term, meaningful support to recover,” Simpson said. “This website will serve as the go-to resource for Florida’s farmers, ranchers, and growers as we develop the program and ultimately launch the application process for more than $600 million in disaster relief funding.”

“UF survey shows slight increase in consumer sentiment for July” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — Consumer sentiment among Floridians ticked up for the third straight month in July. The University of Florida (UF) consumer sentiment survey shows residents of the state are more encouraged about the economy. But it was a modest increase in July, going up by one-tenth of a point, settling at 83.9, slightly up from June’s revised figure of 83.8. The national figure for July also increased in consumer confidence by 1.1 points. Hector H. Sandoval, director of the Economic Analysis Program at the UF’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research, said. At the same time, July’s consumer sentiment figure was an increase, but it needs to be kept in perspective.

— D.C. MATTERS —

Is it facing a test? — “Tourism facing test as Trump policies keep some visitors away” via John Kennedy of USA Today Network — Bryan Griffin, DeSantis’ chief spokesperson, is set to take over soon as president and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA. The move occurs amid signs that red-hot tourism numbers are cooling in Florida and many other U.S. destinations. A leading cause: Trump’s rhetoric and tariffs aimed at neighboring Canada and scores of other nations. “It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, tourism works where there’s stability,” said Dr. Alan Fyall, an associate dean at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen School of Hospitality Management. “Things have got to be safe and stable and the challenge for the U.S. at the moment is, it’s not stable,” he added.

“Trump defends Rick Scott amid Josh Hawley disagreement” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Sen. Hawley’s PELOSI Act, which bans stock trading for members of Congress and their spouses, advanced from a key Committee in an 8-7 vote with Democratic support. The move, however, drew swift condemnation from Trump and Sen. Scott. Trump blasted Hawley for siding with Democrats to block a GOP amendment that would have investigated Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi’s historically profitable trades. Scott, who sponsored the failed amendment, further claimed the bill now unfairly targets Trump. He pointed to a new provision that would force future Presidents and Vice Presidents to divest their holdings starting in 2029, calling it “just an attack on the President” and another way for Democrats to go after him.

“GDP grows as Trump’s trade agenda revamps the economy” via Sam Sutton of POLITICO — Trump is aiming to push the economy’s growth rate to 3% or more. A report on second quarter gross domestic product gave an early indication that he may get his way. A sharp drop in imports, along with stronger-than-expected consumer spending, propelled the annual rate of growth to 3% in April, May and June. The Commerce Department’s initial GDP estimate beat the 2.3% rate anticipated by most economists. The surge in overall growth is a win for an administration that has been battling widespread perceptions that Trump’s economic agenda is causing more harm than good. Massive tariffs on imports, a crackdown on undocumented immigrants and foreign workers, and cutbacks to the social safety net could cause economic activity to slow in the coming months. But for now, the GDP — the total value of all goods and services produced in the U.S. — is expanding at a healthy clip.

“Pete Hegseth team lashes out at Pentagon’s internal ‘Signalgate’ review” via Dan Lamothe of The Washington Post — Hegseth’s team on Tuesday denounced the Pentagon’s internal review of his actions in the “Signalgate” affair, calling the independent inquiry “clearly a political witch hunt” and asserting without evidence that details of the nonpartisan review were leaked to the news media by “Biden administration holdovers.” The remarks appeared in a written statement by Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell, who also acknowledged for the first time publicly that Hegseth has provided a statement to the Defense Department inspector general’s team that makes clear his belief that “this entire exercise is a sham, conducted in bad faith and with extreme bias.” The choice of words — “witch hunt” — borrows from language invoked by Trump when his actions have faced scrutiny and appears to be a preemptive strike designed to undermine the review’s legitimacy even before the inspector general’s findings are released publicly. That could happen within weeks.

“No one is defying Trump like Brazil’s President” via Jack Nicas of The New York Times — President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil is outraged. Trump is trying to push around his nation of 200 million, dangling 50% tariffs as a threat, Lula said in an interview. And yet, he added, the U.S. President is ignoring his government’s offers to talk. “Be sure that we are treating this with the utmost seriousness. But seriousness does not require subservience,” the Brazilian President said. “I treat everyone with great respect. But I want to be treated with respect.” Lula said that the American President is infringing on Brazil’s sovereignty. “At no point will Brazil negotiate as if it were a small country up against a big country,” he said. “We know the economic power of the United States, we recognize the military power of the United States, we recognize the technological size of the United States.”

“Trump accounts are a ‘backdoor for privatizing Social Security,’ Treasury secretary says” via Joey Garrison of USA Today — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent touted new savings accounts for American babies included in Trump’s recently approved megabill as a “backdoor for privatizing Social Security.” Bessent on July 30 hailed so-called “Trump accounts” for American newborns that passed in Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” as an innovative way to get more Americans to take part in the financial system, increase financial literacy and build their retirement savings. Under the program, American children born this year through 2028 are eligible for a one-time $1,000 contribution from the federal government per toddler into a mutual fund or index fund that is tied to the performance of the stock market.

“Trump admin launching a new private health tracking system with Big Tech’s help” via The Associated Press — The Trump administration is pushing an initiative for millions of Americans to upload personal health data and medical records on new apps and systems run by private tech companies, promising that will make it easier to access health records and monitor wellness. Trump is expected to deliver remarks on the initiative Wednesday afternoon in the East Room. The event is expected to involve leaders from more than 60 companies, including major tech companies such as Google and Amazon, as well as prominent hospital systems like the Cleveland Clinic. The new system will focus on diabetes and weight management, conversational artificial intelligence that helps patients, and digital tools such as QR codes and apps that register patients for check-ins or track medications.

— ELECTIONS —

“Daniel Webster throws his support behind Ralph Massullo in SD 11” via Mike Wright of Florida Politics — The endorsements keep coming for Massullo. U.S. Rep. Webster became the latest to back the Lecanto Republican for the Senate District 11 Special Election. “As a proud conservative who has spent over a decade fighting for Florida’s values in Washington, I know how important it is to elect leaders who understand our state’s unique challenges. That’s why I’m excited to endorse Ralph Massullo for the Florida Senate. Ralph is an America First fighter for Florida families, standing for lower taxes, strong schools and a safer community. I’m confident that he will serve us well in Tallahassee.”

“Darryl Rouson’s life of legislative public service may not yet be over” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — Sen. Rouson has served in the Legislature since his first election to the House in 2008, and then to the Senate in 2016. By the time he reaches term limits in the Senate and leaves office, his legislative career will have spanned about 18 years. But Rouson may not yet be done. Sources familiar with Rouson’s thinking say he’s considering running next year for Florida House District 62, the seat currently held by Rep. Michele Rayner, who is now running for Rouson’s Senate seat, making the possibility of a Rayner victory in his Senate District 16 and his hypothetical election to HD 62 something of a seat-swapping opportunity. That consideration, sources tell Florida Politics, is based less on Rouson’s drive to keep serving in the Legislature, and more about his call to service that tells him now is not the time to leave.

Happening tonight:

— LOCAL: S. FL —

“Trump eyes his Doral Club for G20 summit” via Josh Wingrove and Jorge Valero of Bloomberg — Trump plans to host next year’s Group of 20 summit at his Doral resort in Florida, and to cut the number of extra participants to narrow the gathering’s size, people familiar with the matter said. Preliminary planning is underway with the U.S. set to take over as host country in 2026. No final decisions on the summit’s parameters have been made, but Trump has focused discussions around his Miami-area property, the people said. The U.S. is also seeking to limit participation to G20 member nations and keep out other leaders and interest groups that have historically attended as observers, including for sideline events. Trump wants to keep the guest list exclusive.

“Immigration crackdown: Charges dropped against U.S. citizen who caught detention on video” via Valentina Palm of The Palm Beach Post — Kenny Laynez had never felt more relief in his 18 years than when he learned the prosecutors would drop a misdemeanor charge from the day the U.S. citizen got detained in a federal immigration crackdown — an incident he recorded on his cellphone. The State Attorney’s Office on July 29 filed a letter stating it would not pursue a charge of nonviolent police obstruction against Laynez. It said there was “insufficient evidence to support the criminal charge” stemming from the May 2 traffic stop in Singer Island. Laynez found out on July 30 at a West Palm Beach courthouse. While still in the courtroom, he got another surprise: A stranger had already paid the $180 he owed in court fees, his public defender said.

“Miami Beach candidate calls for waterway safety reforms after fatal boat crash” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — A candidate for the Miami Beach Commission is calling for sweeping reforms to maritime safety protocols after a boating collision near Hibiscus Island left two children dead and two others critically injured. Monique Pardo Pope, one of seven candidates running for the City Commission’s Group 1 seat, said Miami Beach must take a more serious approach to regulating waterway safety, especially near construction zones and popular areas. “A safer Miami Beach doesn’t just mean safer streets,” she said. “It means safer waterways, smarter oversight of maritime activity and stronger protections for the children and families who live, work, and play here.”

— LOCAL: C. FL —

“Jerry Demings: ‘I’m not going to be bullied by the state Attorney General’ on immigration” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — Demings — the former Orlando Police Chief and Orange County Sheriff before becoming Orange County Mayor — has a stark message for Florida Attorney General Uthmeier. “I find it somewhat ironic that the 37-year-old Attorney General is attacking me, personally attacking our Board. I spent more years on the streets of Florida, patrolling our streets as a law enforcement officer than he’s been alive,” Demings said. “I am not going to be bullied by the state Attorney General.” Uthmeier publicly posted a letter to Demings and the Orange County Commission threatening to remove them from office if they refused to transport undocumented immigrants to an ICE-approved facility when requested by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Uthmeier accused Orange County of having a “sanctuary policy” and wrote, “the County’s actions are particularly puzzling because illegal aliens represent an obvious danger to the County.

—“Demings says county isn’t a ‘sanctuary,’ blasts AG as ‘over-aggressive’” via Ryan Gillespie and Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel

—“Maxwell Frost bashes James Uthmeier threat to remove Orange County officials over immigration enforcement” via Mitch Perry of Florida Phoenix

“State rejects Orange County’s Vision 2050 growth control plan” via Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel — Orange County may be forced to rewrite its new growth blueprint after the state Commerce Department rejected a key chunk of it — or prepare for a brutal court battle to defend it. In a letter to the county this week, the DeSantis administration sided with local real estate interests in arguing that a new state law invalidates the county’s Vision 2050 master land-use plan, which seeks to protect rural east Orange lands from urban-style growth. The Florida Department of Commerce cited the language of the statute, signed into law last month by the Governor, as a reason for declaring Vision 2050 to be “null and void ab initio” — a phrase meaning the 615-page document was deemed invalid from the outset.

“Ocala woman found guilty in multi-count identity fraud case tied to casino petition scheme” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — An Ocala woman faces up to 210 years in prison after a Marion County jury convicted her this week of 13 felony counts of fraudulent use of personal identification information stemming from a 2021 petition fraud scheme linked to a failed casino gaming ballot initiative. Maria Guadalupe Bautista, a former paid petition circulator registered to vote as a Democrat in Gainesville, was found guilty on 13 of 16 counts filed by prosecutors with the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office. Each violation is a second-degree felony under Florida Statutes, punishable by up to 15 years in prison. If sentenced to the maximum on each of the 13 counts, Bautista could face up to 195 years behind bars. With two additional counts involving separate conduct, her total exposure rises to 210 years.

“Agency asks court to overturn judge’s decisions on protecting manatees in northern Indian River Lagoon” via CBS News — Describing the case as having “exceptional importance,” the Florida Department of Environmental Protection this week argued a federal appeals court should overturn decisions that required the agency to take a series of steps to protect manatees in the northern Indian River Lagoon. The department filed a 56-page brief and an accompanying motion to “expedite” the case at the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. It is fighting a ruling by U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza that the department violated the federal Endangered Species Act and an order that included a moratorium on constructing and installing septic systems around the northern Indian River Lagoon, which is primarily in Brevard County. The brief disputes that the department, which in recent years gained permitting authority over septic systems, has violated the Endangered Species Act.

“UCF to vote Thursday on hiking out-of-state tuition” via Kairi Lowery of the Orlando Sentinel — The University of Central Florida may become the third state university to hike its out-of-state tuition by 10%, a move UCF says will help it manage rising costs and hire more professors. The UCF Board of Trustees is expected to vote on the tuition increase — about $2,000 more a year for out-of-state undergraduate, graduate and medical students — at a meeting Thursday. If it passes, the tuition hike will start with the Fall semester, which begins on Aug. 18. About 7% of UCF’s nearly 70,000 students are not Florida residents and could face higher charges. Florida State University and the University of Florida enacted the same increases last week, citing similar reasons. “Everything costs more,” said Peter Collins, Chair of FSU’s Board of Trustees, at his Board’s meeting on the issue last week. “There’s not a lot of levers we can pull.”

“UCF wants to be a leader in artificial intelligence with new institute” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — The University of Central Florida (UCF) has created an Institute of Artificial Intelligence, which school leaders believe will “elevate UCF’s leadership in this transformative technology.” The institute will house 25 faculty members from across the school’s colleges and bring experts in fields like computer vision, robotics, machine learning, health care, finance and mathematics working together, the school said in a press release Wednesday. “By bringing AI-related faculty, students, research and partners together, the institute will serve as a nucleus for collaboration, driving education and discovery with real-world impact,” the press release said.

— LOCAL: TB —

“After four months, Tampa deportee leaves ‘hell’ of El Salvador mega-prison” via Juan Carlos Chavez of the Tampa Bay Times — Frengel Reyes says he’ll never forget the screams in the dark, the cold bunk bed without blankets, the brutality enforced by the guards. “Hell is real back there,” Reyes, 25, said about the four months he spent in a mega-prison in El Salvador after he was deported in March from the United States. “I asked myself the same question again and again: What am I doing here? I didn’t understand anything and I couldn’t believe it,” said Reyes. “That’s what I told myself every single day.” Reyes, a painter in the Tampa Bay area, was detained during an immigration appointment on Feb. 4 and deported a month later. He was among 250 Venezuelans held in the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, a prison opened in 2023 that can hold up to 40,000 inmates.

“Tampa Bay school districts set tax rates, unravel budget uncertainty” via Jeffrey S. Solochek and Divya Kumar of the Tampa Bay Times — With the threat of lost federal grant money behind them, School Board members across the Tampa Bay area on Tuesday turned to other aspects of their spending plans for the new academic year. The Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas Boards — like many others across Florida — held their first of two required budget public hearings to explain their current finances, set their maximum tax rates and get community feedback before final votes in September. Their efforts come at a time when costs for utilities, health insurance and other operations have risen faster than the rate of their revenue increases. Several are confronting stagnant or declining enrollment as Florida’s support for education vouchers expands.

— LOCAL: N. FL —

“DeSantis suspends Holmes County Commissioner” via WJHG — DeSantis has issued an executive order that suspends a Holmes County Commissioner from office. The Florida Constitution allows the Governor to suspend someone from office for the commission of a felony. The order states Brandon Brown Newsom, Holmes County Commissioner for District 2, was charged with one count of unlawful bail bond activity and one count of aiding or abetting an unlicensed bail bond agent. The Governor stated that it’s in the best interests of the residents of Holmes County that Newsom be immediately suspended from public office.

— TOP OPINION —

“State-funded shakedowns still OK, thanks to DeSantis” via the Orlando Sentinel editorial board — DeSantis, who has built a reputation for ousting local elected officials he deems unfit, has vetoed a widely supported ethics reform bill that would have held state-level appointees and officials to a higher standard. The legislation, HB 1445, passed with nearly unanimous bipartisan support and was aimed at preventing state employees from using their official influence to solicit campaign contributions from lobbyists.

The bill’s primary goal was to curb a practice where officials could pressure lobbyists, whose clients often have lucrative state contracts, into donating to political campaigns. It also specifically targeted conflicts of interest within powerful water management districts. Despite its broad support, DeSantis rejected the bill, citing a provision that would have required political appointees to be Florida residents. He did not address the anti-solicitation measures in his veto message.

Critics suggest the veto protects the Governor’s political fundraising operations. Recent news reports have detailed instances of DeSantis’ staff, including now-Attorney General Uthmeier, allegedly pressuring lobbyists for contributions to the Governor’s presidential campaign and other political committees. The vetoed bill would have explicitly outlawed such actions by public employees.

By rejecting the legislation, DeSantis also preserved his ability to appoint out-of-state figures to influential positions, such as university Boards, and allowed the continuation of a practice where taxpayers fund expensive travel for state employees who live in other states. The bill’s overwhelming support in the Legislature has led to calls for lawmakers to override the Governor’s veto.

— MORE OPINIONS —

“Alternative facts have become alternative realities” via David French of The New York Times — Trump isn’t just changing the subject from the Epstein saga; he’s trying to rewrite reality. By reviving claims of a “treasonous conspiracy” from the 2016 Russia investigation, he’s deploying a familiar four-step playbook. First, redefine the scandal on favorable terms, making the unverified Steele dossier the central issue. Second, lie relentlessly about campaign contacts with Russia. Third, ignore genuine concerns, like the disturbing evidence of collaboration detailed in the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee report. Finally, and most importantly, reverse the villains by painting the FBI and DOJ as corrupt actors, not his campaign. This strategy has worked on his base every time, but the real Russia hoax is the claim that there was nothing to investigate.

“I was wrong about Trump’s tariffs. His economy is purring along” via David Mastio of the Miami Herald — In April, I wrote that I saw a recession on the way because “Trump has assembled the worst collection of ill-considered economic plans of any President since Richard Nixon birthed stagflation in the 1970s.” I still think a recession is a considerable risk in the months to come, but the news on Wednesday is not what I expected. The U.S. economy grew at 3% in the second quarter. That’s a solid performance achieved even in the headwinds of U.S. companies drawing down their inventories to avoid high tariffs. There are three reasons that Trumponomics is delivering growth in the short-term and may even succeed in the longer-term. Policy chaos can be as damaging to the economy as bad policies, but I did not foresee the way markets have been able to adapt.

— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —

— ALOE —

“Fur real: Smokey Bear poses with ‘dumb criminal’ caught stealing signs from state forests” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Only YOU can prevent forest fires. But when it comes to nabbing a “dumb criminal” for stealing signs of his likeness from Florida state forests, Smokey Bear himself will join in the effort. Smokey posed for a pic Wednesday with the bungling bandit, who was apprehended by members of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (FDACS) Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement. Agriculture Commissioner Simpson announced the arrest in an X post, writing, “What happens when dumb criminals poke the bear?” Authorities picked up the suspect, who allegedly traveled from Pensacola to Orlando while stealing Smokey Bear signs from state forests. Simpson said the man then sold them on Facebook Marketplace for $1,900 apiece.

“Here are Universal’s 10 haunted houses at Halloween Horror Nights this year” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — Universal has officially revealed all 10 haunted houses for Halloween Horror Nights, which will transport visitors everywhere from the Wild West, Summer camp, a post-apocalyptic wasteland, and more. Known for its terrifying and delightfully gory haunted houses, HHN runs on select nights from Aug. 29 to Nov. 2 at Universal Studios. The event has built up a considerable following among Halloween and theme park fans over the years as HHN celebrates its 34th year. The cinematic horror runs beyond haunted houses with creepy scare zones and spooky shows as part of the event’s entertainment.

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Belated happy birthday wishes to Bob Nave, senior vice president of Research for Florida TaxWatch and POLITICO Florida editor Tyler Weyant. Best wishes to JP Bell, Public Policy Representative with Florida Realtors.

___

Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.

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