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Last Call for 1.23.25 – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida

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Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.

First Shot

A federal judge has temporarily blocked Donald Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship.

The order reinterprets the citizenship clause in the 14th Amendment, which holds that “persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

Trump, however, argues that citizenship is not a guarantee to those born in the United States if their “mother was unlawfully present” and their father is not a U.S. citizen.

Most legal scholars don’t follow the President’s logic, nor did U.S. District Judge John Coughenour, who called it “blatantly unconstitutional” before blocking it.

The move comes as immigration takes center stage in Florida. Gov. Ron DeSantis re-upped his call for a Special Session to consider legislation aligned with Trump’s agenda — an ask that lawmakers didn’t embrace.

During a news conference in Jacksonville, DeSantis said lawmakers “need to put their money where their mouth is” rather than question the timing of the Session. He had earlier spoken with Republican Executive Committee members, asking them to press lawmakers to take action.

During the call, DeSantis stressed the urgency of passing bills to enact Trump’s agenda of mass deportation of undocumented immigrants. The Governor reportedly wants lawmakers to take up and quickly pass bills by the end of next week.

Evening Reads

—”Donald Trump is leading a global surge to the right” via Jim Tankersley, Emma Bubola, Andrew Higgins and Aurelien Breeden of The New York Times

—“The 21 people in Trump world you need to know” via Dasha Burns and Megan Masserly of POLITICO

—”The who’s who of MAGA influencers you should know about by now” via Makena Kelly of WIRED

—”The 33 must-see lines from Trump’s interview with Sean Hannity” via Chris Cillizza of So What

—“A judge deals Trump his first setback in his effort to rewrite immigration law.” via Mike Baker and Mattathias Schwartz of The New York Times

—“Meta courted Trump. Now comes the backlash from Facebook, Instagram users.” via Tatum Hunter and Heather Kelly of The Washington Post

—”How Florida conquered America” via Ben Mathis-Lilley of SLATE

—”America’s fraught, sometimes deadly, history with the Panama Canal” via Jose de Cordoba and Santiago Perez of The Wall Street Journal

—”Oscar nominations snubs and surprises” via Hilary Lewis of The Hollywood Reporter

—“The year that Netflix could finally win Best Picture” via David Sims of The Atlantic

Quote of the Day

“How is it premature when we’ve been waiting four years for this moment? There’s a mandate from the voters.”

— Gov. Ron DeSantis, urging lawmakers to heed his call for a Special Session.

Put it on the Tab

Look to your left, then look to your right. If you see one of these people at your happy hour haunt, flag down the bartender and put one of these on your tab. Recipes included, just in case the Cocktail Codex fell into the well.

Floridians are signing up for VPNs in droves for … reasons. If you’re scratching your head about which service to go with, mull it over with an Incognito.

There’s a way to go before Halloween, but those wistful for the spooky season can start planning for the next Halloween Horror Nights. Mix in one of these Haunting Cocktails for added effect.

Order a White House for Trent Morse, who is starting a new gig as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Presidential Personnel.

Breakthrough Insights

 

Tune In

Gators host the Bulldogs on Saturday in Gainesville (3:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network).

Florida (17-2, 4-2 SEC) is ranked fifth in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. The Gators are one of five SEC teams in the top 10. After a home loss to Missouri on Jan. 14, Florida has beaten Texas and South Carolina, topping the Gamecocks 70-69 after trailing by 14.

Georgia (14-5, 2-4) is not ranked in the Top 25 but did receive votes this week. The Bulldogs are coming off a dramatic loss at Arkansas. Once up by 15, Georgia saw Arkansas score three points in the final 1.8 seconds to secure a three-point Razorbacks win.

For Georgia head coach Mike White, the matchup against his former program is not as personal as it once was. After two seasons coaching against his former employer, White has settled into the job in Athens and led the Bulldogs last year to the program’s first 20-win season in eight years. This season, White can lead Georgia to the most wins in school history if the Bulldogs win five of their last 11 regular season games with more chances in the postseason. Eight of Georgia’s last 11 games are scheduled against ranked teams, including the return match against the Gators in Athens on Feb. 25.

___

Last Call is published by Peter Schorsch, assembled and edited by Phil Ammann and Drew Wilson, with contributions from the staff of Florida Politics.


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Scott Franklin to head House Environment Subcommittee

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Another Florida lawmaker will have a gavel for one of the U.S. House science subcommittees

U.S. Rep. Scott Franklin, a Lakeland Republican, will chair the House Environment Subcommittee.

House Science, Space and Technology Committee Chair Brian Babin, a Texas Republican, picked the Florida lawmaker for his expertise in the fields and the role the subcommittee would play on policy affecting the Sunshine State.

“I’m excited about our SST Committee assignments for this Congress,” Babin said. “The valuable expertise and diverse backgrounds that each member brings will be instrumental in strengthening U.S. leadership and competitiveness in science, space, and technology. We have a full agenda ahead that will prioritize advancing critical scientific research, fostering technological innovation, leading the world in space exploration, addressing regulatory burdens across industries, and more. Through our shared efforts, I am confident we can achieve our objectives and drive meaningful progress in our scientific endeavors. Let’s get to work!”

Franklin said he was enthusiastic about the assignment.

“I’m eager to tackle environmental research related to weather forecasting and ensuring disaster readiness,” Franklin said. “I thank Chairman Babin for this opportunity and look forward to advancing America First policy priorities to remain at the forefront of innovation and boost job growth.”

Babin praised Franklin’s conservative record on business issues.

“I’m confident Congressman Franklin will provide strong leadership for our Environment Subcommittee this Congress,” Babin said. “He has been a steadfast advocate against burdensome government regulations that stifle innovation and fail to address states’ needs. His perspective will be critical as we consider key weather legislation in the months ahead. I look forward to working with him to advance commonsense environmental policies and legislation.”

The same day, Babin assigned Rep. Mike Haridopolos, an Indian Harbor Beach Republican, to head the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommitee.

“Since the earliest days of our space program, Florida’s Space Coast has been the launchpad for America’s journey to the stars,” Haridopolos said. “From the Apollo missions that first carried Americans to the Moon to today’s groundbreaking private sector launches, our skies have always been at the forefront of space exploration. Space is central to our district’s identity and economy, providing countless high-paying jobs and opportunities.”

He praised Haridopolos’ knowledge of the Space Program.

“Over the past several years, the SST Committee has diligently worked to support and advance our nation’s space endeavors,” Babin said. “As the representative of Florida’s Space Coast, the Congressman brings valuable expertise and leadership that will undoubtedly enhance our efforts to keep America at the forefront of exploration and development. I am excited to work alongside him to propel our space agenda forward.”


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Disney plans to convert Star Wars hotel into Imagineers’ offices

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It’s going to be an office far, far, away.

Disney World is converting the shuttered Star Wars hotel into office space for the famous Imagineers who will be designing new lands and projects at the theme parks.

The hotel’s update was reported by The Wrap and confirmed by other media outlets.

Disney closed the hotel September 2023 less than two years after it opened. The company had said it took a $300 million tax write off for shutting down the hotel after it reportedly had low occupancy.

At the hotel near Hollywood Studios, guests who were willing to pay nearly $5,000 for a two-night stay could pretend to be in their own Star Wars story at the hotel. Lightsabers included.

“Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is one of our most creative projects ever and has been praised by our guests and recognized for setting a new bar for innovation and immersive entertainment. This premium, boutique experience gave us the opportunity to try new things on a smaller scale of 100 rooms,” Disney said in a statement when it announced it was closing.

Why did it fail?

YouTuber Jenny Nicholson explained the list of reasons in a four-hour video called “The Spectacular Failure of the Star Wars Hotel” which captured 11 million views. The cost, the marketing, and not fully embracing the cosplay concept all likely hurt the hotel, she said.

The Wrap reported Disney had been considering using the empty hotel for a dinner theater-type experience but Disney ultimately settled on keeping the space closed to the public.

The Imagineers’ new office space comes as Disney World is starting a major expansion across several of its Orlando theme parks. Disney plans to build a Villains land and add “Cars” attractions at the Magic Kingdom as well as “Encanto” and Indiana Jones to Disney’s Animal Kingdom and “A Monsters, Inc.” land at Hollywood Studios. Disney is closing several longtime attractions in the process.


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Holland & Knight launches National Security & Defense Industry Group

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D.C.-based partner Jason Klitenic will lead the 100-person team.

Holland & Knight is launching a National Security & Defense Industry Group led by D.C.-based partner Jason Klitenic.

The multinational law firm headquartered in Tampa said it’s taking on the new endeavor due to clients’ increasing demands amidst a complex national security landscape and rising global defense investments.

H&K expects the new practice will benefit from its already-established expertise in the defense, aerospace, cybersecurity and technology sectors. The 100-person team of practitioners led by Klitenic will cater to security and defense clients based the U.S., Europe and Latin America.

“To confront emerging global threats, our clients are continuing to create and fund the development of innovative defense solutions that support the U.S. and its allies around the world,” Klitenic said. “… Our team’s deep government connections in the U.S. and abroad, coupled with our firm’s established reputation for collaborating with government policymakers and operators on meaningful issues, enables us to advise clients on the full spectrum of legal, political and operational issues in this space.”

Klitenic’s background includes serving as General Counsel to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The Industry Group will also include former U.S. Intelligence Community members, high-ranking law enforcement officials and military veterans — Holland & Knight said the team’s diverse expertise will allow it to effectively navigate the intricacies of the national security landscape.

“In the many years that we have represented companies in the national defense and security sectors, we have built a substantial bench of premier practitioners across our geographic platform,” said Holland & Knight Chair and CEO Bob Grammig.

“We are excited to bring all of our global resources — comprising a unique mix of first-rate legal capabilities, a robust public policy and federal lobbying practice, and trusted relationships with U.S. government officials and foreign partners — under the umbrella of this new group. Together, this multidisciplinary team will continue to help our clients advance their strategic objectives.”


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