Last Call for 2.19.26 – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida

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

First Shot

Former Sen. Lauren Book says Prince Andrew’s arrest isn’t full justice for survivors, but proof that persistence can force accountability into the light.

In a statement posted to social media, Book said the moment reflects years of effort by survivors, journalists and advocates, but cautioned that many are still waiting for justice.

“This is not the accountability survivors have long sought for the sexual abuse and exploitation at the center of the (Jeffrey) Epstein case. Many are still waiting for full justice,” Book said.

Book, a sexual abuse survivor and the founder and CEO of Lauren’s Kids, has long been one of Florida’s most prominent voices on child protection policy and victims’ rights. During her time in the Legislature, she championed measures aimed at protecting minors and supporting abuse survivors.

In her statement, she pointed to the sustained efforts that kept scrutiny on Epstein and those connected to him long after the initial headlines faded.

“… this moment exists because survivors like Virginia Giuffre had the courage to speak, because journalists like Miami’s own Julie K. Brown and the Miami Herald refused to stop digging, and because advocates refused to be intimidated into silence,” Book said.

Brown was the Miami Herald reporter who brought the Epstein case into the spotlight eight years ago; her reporting ultimately led to Epstein being arrested on sex trafficking charges. Giuffre, now deceased, was an Epstein victim instrumental in bringing media attention to the scandal.

While noting that Prince Andrew’s arrest today involves allegations of misconduct in public office, Book said it underscores broader concerns about transparency and accountability tied to the case.

“Power and privilege must never shield anyone from investigation,” she said. “Justice is often slow and imperfect — but it moves forward when survivors are heard and when truth is brought into the light.”

Book’s name also appeared in documents released earlier this month by the Justice Department. The references to the former Senate Democratic Leader were tied to her advocacy and legislative work, not to any alleged misconduct.

Evening Reads

—”Arrest of Andrew shakes the House of Windsor” via Steve Hendrix of The Washington Post

—”Former Prince Andrew’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and fall from grace: A timeline” via Natasha Dangoor of The Wall Street Journal

—”What the arrest of former Prince Andrew can teach us about power and abuse” via Constance Grady of Vox

—”Donald Trump’s government is blowing off the Epstein scandal. Other nations aren’t” via Nikki McCann Ramirez of Rolling Stone

—”How the former Prince Andrew went from helicopter pilot to trade envoy to royal pariah” via Jill Lawless of The Associated Press

—“With a golden gavel and a threat to Iran, Trump launches his Board of Peace” via Shawn McCreesh of The New York Times

—”House revives expired emergency fund after $573M spent on immigration” via Liv Caputo of the Florida Phoenix

—”Daniel Perez leads House on ‘historic’ vote to eliminate most homestead property taxes” via Jesse Mendoza of Florida Politics

—”Ron DeSantis defends failure to produce property tax proposal he’s promised for months” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics

—”Senate passes Groveland Four bill to pay victims’ families $4M” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics

3 Questions

As Florida’s population ages and demand for long-term care grows, policymakers are weighing how to maintain — and fund — the state’s approach to nursing home quality. Florida Politics spoke with Florida Health Care Association CEO Emmett Reed to discuss what sets Florida apart, how state leaders have shaped the system and what the long-term care industry is seeking to accomplish this Session.

Florida Politics: What makes Florida the Gold Standard in quality long-term care?

Reed: Florida’s success starts with people. I see caregivers every day who treat residents like family. It’s the therapists helping someone walk again after surgery, and the nurses catching a small change before it becomes a hospital visit. Florida has also made deliberate policy choices to support that care. Our state champions measurable outcomes, strong staffing, and accountability. Today, more than 75% of Florida nursing centers hold 4- or 5-star quality ratings. Florida also maintains above-average staffing levels, leading to more consistent care for our loved ones. The combination of compassionate caregivers backed by smart policy is why families across the country look to Florida as the model.

FP: How have Florida leaders helped maintain the gold standard?

Reed: Strong leadership certainly matters, and it improves through consistency. For years, Florida lawmakers have worked collaboratively with providers and families to create a quality-driven system. They’ve also prioritized investing in the care that helps Florida’s seniors and families heal and thrive. Florida’s thoughtful approach ensures nursing centers are models of high-quality care. At the same time, better data sharing and care coordination between hospitals and nursing centers help residents recover faster and avoid unnecessary readmissions. Florida families can take comfort in this attention to detail.  

FP: What can be done this Session and beyond to keep Florida a national leader?

Reed: Florida’s senior population is expanding rapidly, and expectations for care continue to rise. We’re grateful the Senate and House budget proposals include continued support for our nursing centers, which care for some of Florida’s most vulnerable residents. Predictable, recurring funding gives providers the stability to retain caregivers, strengthen staffing, and focus fully on resident-centered care. We should continue prioritizing investments in our state’s nursing centers to help strengthen the long-term care workforce and keep the focus on innovations that drive quality care. Most importantly, we must keep our focus where it belongs: on the resident and their family. Our driving force as leaders is that moment when a daughter knows her mom is safe, when a veteran regains mobility, when a resident celebrates a birthday surrounded by caregivers who know them by name. When we keep building policy around those moments, quality follows.

Quote of the Day

“Let us close this chapter with integrity. Let us show the families that we heard them and let us send a message that in the Florida state Senate, truth still matters.”

— Sen. Lavon Bracy Davis, ahead of the Senate vote on a bill compensating the Groveland Four’s surviving family members.

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.

While the House antes up on property tax cuts, Gov. Ron DeSantis is still serving up a lesser-known classic: Nothing.

Ken Welch is fresh off a State of the City address and an official re-election launch, but he still gets an It’s All Downhill from the barkeep.

Send a round of Lifesavers to the Senate, which followed through on passing a bill aimed at preventing child drowning deaths — the No. 1 killer for children 4 and under.

Breakthrough Insights

Tune In

UCF to face No. 1 LSU in baseball

UCF plays three baseball games in Jacksonville this weekend, including a meeting with the top-ranked team in the nation, LSU (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, D1Baseball.com).

UCF (3-1) is coming off the first loss of the season, a 13-inning loss at No. 20 Miami on Tuesday. The Knights led 5-0 after seven innings before the Hurricanes scored a pair of runs in the eighth and three more in the ninth to send the game to extra innings. Both teams scored in the 10th, and UCF pushed another across at the top of the 13th to take a 7-6 lead, but Miami’s Vance Sheahan hit a two-run walk-off home run to hand UCF the defeat.

UCF’s top star is outfielder Andrew Williamson, listed among the top 100 draft prospects for this year. Williamson has three extra-base hits and six runs batted in during the opening four games of the season.

LSU (5-0), the defending national champion and winners of two of the last three College World Series, beat Nicholls on Wednesday night 12-1 and will face Indiana on Friday and Notre Dame on Saturday before concluding the Live Like Lou Jax College Baseball Classic on Sunday against the Knights.

LSU is led by outfielder Derek Curiel, who is ranked as the top sophomore in the nation and the No. 8 MLB draft prospect by Baseball America. He was the national Freshman of the Year and started this season hitting .350 with four runs batted in over the first five games of the year.

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