Politics

Last Call for 4.14.25 – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida

Published

6 days ago

April 14, 2025

May Greene

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

First Shot

Americans for Prosperity-Florida has been holding roundtables across Florida to push for Congress to renew tax breaks passed in President Donald Trump’s first term. The latest one will happen as Last Call hits your inbox.

The conservative group is hosting a “Protect Prosperity Tax Day Discussion” that began at 5 p.m. with U.S. Rep. Brian Mast slated to attend and help AFP-FL make the case for extending 2017’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provisions.

The event, which is being held at Duffy’s Sports Grill in North Palm Beach, is scheduled to run through 7 p.m. In addition to Mast, attendees will hear remarks from Concerned Veterans for America Executive Director John Vick and AFP-FL staff and activists.

Earlier this year, AFP-FL announced a $20 million campaign to get Congress on board with a renewal. When the bill passed eight years ago, it was estimated that the average American would pay $1,600 less per year. The main provisions benefitting individual taxpayers were doubling the standard deduction and lowering rates for individual filers.

TCJA also included several provisions slashing taxes on businesses, many of which are permanent, such as cutting 35% to 21% for C-corporation profits. However, the standard deduction and rate schedule changes will expire at the end of the year unless Congress renews them. AFP-FL says that if they are allowed to sunset, the average Florida family would pay an additional $3,505 in federal taxes.

The TCJA renewal campaign, dubbed “Protect Prosperity,” features a “media engagement strategy and lobbying effort” in all 50 states and will see AFP conduct over 1,000 meetings with Congressional offices, hold in-district events and roundtables such as today’s event with Mast and string of similar ones held across North Florida in recent weeks.

Evening Reads

—”The four factions of Donald Trump 2.0” via Nate Silver of the Silver Bulletin

—”The strange link between Trump’s tariffs and incel ideology” via Constance Grady of Vox

—”Trump and Nayib Bukele bond over human rights abuses in Oval Office meeting” via Nikki McCann Ramirez and Ryan Bort of Rolling Stone

—”Inside Trump’s pressure campaign on universities” via Michael C. BenderAlan Blinder and Jonathan Swan of The New York Times

—”The constitutional crisis is here” via Adam Serwer of The Atlantic

—”CDC cruise inspectors laid off as ship arrives in Florida with norovirus outbreak” via Cindy Krischer Goodman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

—“Senate President Ben Albritton releases $2.1B tax relief bill” via Christine Jordan Sexton of the Florida Phoenix

—“Florida Legislature 2025: Whither the Senate?” via Jason Garcia of Seeking Rents

—”Michelle Salzman to offer taxation amendment on hemp as House irons out policy details on caps” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics

—”The lunch with Jack Nicklaus that won Rory McIlroy the Masters” via Andrew Beaton of The Wall Street Journal

—“A night in the life of a park ranger amid Florida’s public sleeping ban” via Abigail Hasebroock of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Quote of the Day

“If you wait by the river long enough, the bodies of your enemies will float by.”

— Accused sex trafficker Andrew Tate, goading DeSantis over a suspect donation to Hope Florida.

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.

If the gesture were sincere, State Attorney Monique Worrell would owe Attorney General James Uthmeier a thank you for sending backup. However, it’s more likely she’ll be sipping on The Fix Is In in the not-so-distant future.

The spat between Gov. Ron DeSantis and House Speaker Daniel Perez is still going strong, with the Governor saying House Republicans are “stabbing the voters in the back.” Order yourself a Blood Feud and stay tuned for more fireworks.

With Americans expected to spend $23.6 billion on Easter goods or celebrations this year, retailers will have enough money to sample all 45 of these Easter-themed cocktails.

Breakthrough Insights

Tune In

Panthers prepping for playoffs

With two games remaining in the regular season, the Florida Panthers have clinched a playoff spot, but their playoff seed remains doubtful as they host the New York Rangers tonight (7 p.m. ET, Scripps).

Florida (47-29-4) is fifth in the Eastern Conference standings, the lowest they could finish. The Panthers could mathematically finish as high as third. A five-game losing streak that ended earlier this month put the Panthers in a tougher spot. Since snapping the skid, the Panthers have won three straight, including a 3-2 shootout win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.

Seeding is particularly important for the opening round. The top four seeds gain home-ice advantage. In the past 17 seasons, only six percent of Cup winners came from lower than the fourth seed.

Last season, the Panthers won the Atlantic Division, then knocked off Tampa Bay, Boston, and the Rangers to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they defeated the Edmonton Oilers to win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup.

Florida will attempt to sweep the season series from New York. The Panthers beat the Rangers in Madison Square Garden 3-1 in October, then won again in Miami 5-3 on Dec. 30.

The Panthers will conclude the regular season against their instate rival, the Tampa Bay Lightning, tomorrow evening.

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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.

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Politics

Florida State classes resume Monday after fatal shooting, but in-person attendance isn’t mandatory

Published

3 hours ago

April 20, 2025

May Greene

FSU President Richard McCullough promised any support needed for students, staff or faculty.

Classes will resume at Florida State University on Monday, four days after a deadly shooting on campus left two people dead and six others injured, school officials said.

Students and instructors will have the option of holding classes remotely or in person, depending on the class. The school has waived all mandatory attendance policies that could affect grades, so students won’t be punished if they choose not to go to class in person, FSU President Richard McCullough said in a letter to students and faculty.

Students also can request an incomplete grade for their class if they feel they are unable to complete a course, McCullough said.

“We want everyone to receive the support and help they need. For some students that may mean not going back into the classroom,” McCullough said. “For others, the idea of community and gathering, as well as the opportunity to focus on academics, may be beneficial. There is no single right answer for everyone.”

The gunman, identified as the stepson of a sheriff’s deputy, arrived on campus an hour before the shooting Thursday and stayed near a parking garage before he walked in and out of buildings and green spaces while firing a handgun just before lunchtime, police said.

In roughly four minutes, officers confronted 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, a Florida State student, and shot and wounded him, Tallahassee police said.

The two victims who died were Robert Morales, a university dining coordinator, and Tiru Chabba, an executive for food service vendor Aramark, according to family members and attorneys for the families.

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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.

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Politics

Lineworkers get acknowledgement from Duke Energy for their hard work

Published

4 hours ago

April 20, 2025

May Greene

Many Duke Energy lineworkers were at the forefront of restoring power after Hurricane Helene hit the Southern U.S. in September.

Some low-profile workers who have some very high-profile duties were acknowledged by Duke Energy last week.

Friday was National Linework Appreciation Day and Duke Energy, which has more than 1 million customers in Florida, took measure to make sure some of their hardest working employees got the acknowledgement they deserve. Duke officials went out of their way to show their appreciate their “Guardians of the grid.”

The company highlighted that their lineworkers were responsible for restoring power outages for more than 3.1 million of their customers after Hurricane Helene initially hit the Big Bend area along the Gulf Coast in Florida Sept. 26 and then barreled into Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee and beyond.

“Hurricane Helene was one of the most impactful storms in Duke Energy’s history, requiring an unprecedented response. Duke Energy lineworkers – many of whom were personally impacted by the storm – restored more than 3.1 million customer outages in the Carolinas, Florida and Midwest after Helene hit,” a Duke news release said.

Lineworkers make up a substantial portion of Duke Energy’s workforce. The company, based in North Carolina with extensive operations in Florida, employs 10,000 lineworkers. That also includes substation and relay technicians. The substation workers manage energy distribution at the substation facilities while relay technicians are in charge of testing the equipment for power distribution.

Duke Energy Foundation, a nonprofit wing of the company, has kicked in more than $3.3 million in funding for grants to support lineworker programs for participants. The position of lineworker is one of the fastest growing occupations, according to the company. Some 22 community college lineworker training programs currently exist in Duke’s service area.

“Our customers live and work in some of the most vibrant, fastest-growing areas of the country. Duke Energy can efficiently meet current and future energy needs in large part due to our trusted line teams’ commitment to safety and excellence, and we value their work immensely,” said Scott Batson, Senior Vice President and Chief Power Grid Officer for Duke Energy.

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Politics

JD Vance meets Pope Francis on Easter Sunday after tangle over migration, gets chocolate eggs for kids

Published

6 hours ago

April 20, 2025

May Greene

U.S. Vice President JD Vance met briefly with Pope Francis on Sunday to exchange Easter greetings, after they got into a long-distance tangle over the Trump administration’s migrant deportation plans.

Francis, who is recovering from a near-fatal bout of pneumonia, received Vance in one of the reception rooms of the Vatican hotel where he lives. The 88-year-old pope offered the Catholic vice president three big chocolate Easter eggs for Vance’s three young children, who did not attend, as well as a Vatican tie and rosaries.

“I know you have not been feeling great but it’s good to see you in better health,” Vance told the pope. “Thank you for seeing me.”

Vance’s motorcade entered Vatican City through a side gate while Easter Mass was being celebrated in St. Peter’s Square. Francis had delegated the celebration of the Mass to another cardinal.

The Vatican said they met for a few minutes at the Domus Santa Marta “to exchange Easter greetings.”

Vance’s office said the vice president “expressed his gratitude to Pope Francis for inviting him to meet on Easter Sunday and for the hospitality the Vatican has extended to his family.”

“I pray for you every day,” Vance said as he bid Francis farewell. “God bless you.”

In all, Vance’s motorcade was on Vatican territory for 17 minutes. The vice president later joined his family for Easter Mass at St. Paul Outside the Walls, one of the four pontifical basilicas in Rome. The Vances visited the tomb of the apostle St. Paul that is said to be located there.

Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, and the pope have tangled sharply over migration and the Trump administration’s plans to deport migrants en masse. Francis has made caring for migrants a hallmark of his papacy.

Just days before he was hospitalized in February, Francis blasted the deportation plans, warning that they would deprive migrants of their inherent dignity. In a letter to U.S. bishops, Francis also appeared to respond to Vance directly for having claimed that Catholic doctrine justified such policies.

Vance has acknowledged Francis’ criticism but has said he will continue to defend his views. During a Feb. 28 appearance at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Vance didn’t address the issue specifically but called himself a “baby Catholic” and acknowledged there are “things about the faith that I don’t know.”

Vance met Saturday with the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher.

Vance’s office said he and Parolin “discussed their shared religious faith, Catholicism in the United States, the plight of persecuted Christian communities around the world, and President Trump’s commitment to restoring world peace.”

The Vatican, for its part, said there was an “exchange of opinions” including over migrants and refugees and current conflicts.

The Holy See has responded cautiously to the Trump administration while seeking to continue productive relations in keeping with its tradition of diplomatic neutrality. It has expressed alarm over the administration’s crackdown on migrants and cuts in international aid while insisting on peaceful resolutions to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.

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