Venezuela policy hits home


Good morning and welcome to Wednesday.

The Biden administration is staring down a 15-day deadline over Venezuela that threatens to put Florida Democrats on the spot as they try to make inroads with Latino voters.

The administration in October inked a deal with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to lift oil sanctions temporarily in exchange for the country holding freer elections in July. But early on, Maduro didn’t keep his end of the deal: His hand-picked court banned opposition candidate María Corina Machado from being able to run against him.

Yet the Biden administration is leaning against reimposing the Trump-era sanctions, citing concerns about Venezuela turning to China or Iran for investment, as well as worries about rising gas prices (despite only a small fraction coming from Venezuela) and increased migration ahead of the U.S. presidential elections, the Wall Street Journal reported. U.S. officials are instead considering switching oil payments from dollars to local currency, or a barter arrangement trading oil for gas or diesel, per the Washington Post.

Republicans have been criticizing the Biden administration for months. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) told Playbook in a statement that the White House had done nothing but concede to Maduro and “undermined our national security interests.” He called it “absurd” that Biden “continues to appease bad actors” and hadn’t reimposed the sanctions.

Florida Democrats have been sensitive to accusations from Republicans that they make concessions to authoritarian leaders or side with socialists, and dismayed when the Biden administration seemed to undercut their overtures to the Latino community. Around 200,000 Venezuelan-Americans live in Florida, and their situation is similar to that of Cubans, who fled to escape Fidel Castro’s rule and are one of Florida’s most important voting blocs.

The latest revelations suggest worries about blowback among Florida’s Latinos isn’t driving decisionmaking. “It further reinforces the idea that policy decisions that involve Latin America are no longer going to be considered through the filter of its impact on Florida politics,” Miami-based Democratic pollster Fernand Amandi said. “Because Florida no longer is a state that — at least at first blush, and barring a sea-change in the polls — looks to be competitive for Democrats.”

The National Security Council didn’t directly address its plans. “We are committed to maintaining sanctions relief if Maduro and his representatives uphold the commitments outlined” in the deal, a senior administration official said in a statement. “We urge Maduro to do so.”

Key Florida Democrats agree it’s time to act. U.S. Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fla.), who pushed for more Venezuelans to get protected status in the U.S., has urged the Biden administration to reconsider, to reimpose sanctions until opposition candidates are on the ballot.

“We would encourage them to continue the pressure on the Maduro regime because right now it doesn’t look like they’re going to have free and fair elections,” he said.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who is co-chair of the Congressional Venezuela Democracy Caucus, told Playbook she urged — and plans to continue to pressure — officials that it was “critical” to reinstate the sanctions.

“We cannot allow Maduro to continue to take away democratic freedoms that have obliterated that country,” she said. “People are starving. Their lives are in jeopardy, and there was an agreement that free and fair elections would be held that the opposition candidate would be able to run and he has violated that.”

WHERE’S RON? Gov. DeSantis has a 10 a.m. press conference in Polk City with Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue.

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... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ...

STARING DOWN MAY 1 — “Florida abortion providers brace for six-week ban: ‘Where are these 80,000 patients gonna go?’” by the Guardian’s Carter Sherman. “Florida, the last bastion of abortion access in the south-eastern United States, will ban abortion past six weeks of pregnancy starting next month, leaving abortion providers and their supporters in the state and across the country scrambling to deal with the fallout for patients.”

REVERBERATIONS — “Planned Parenthood centers in Florida prepare for a six-week abortion ban,” reports Stephanie Colombini of WUSF. “Staff members are devastated about the court’s decision, but not surprised, according to Michelle Quesada, vice president of communications and marketing for Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida. Patient navigators have been working to strengthen partnerships with health centers in states where abortion is more accessible so they can refer people who need to travel for care. Things are even busier with the ruling.”

— “Abortion access is on the ballot in Florida. So are two justices who voted against it,” reports the Miami Herald’s Alexandra Glorioso

— “Florida abortion ruling: Six-week ban looms, but voters can change it. Your questions answered,” by C.A. Bridges of USA Today Network - Florida

— “5 key takeaways from the Florida Supreme Court’s abortion rulings,” reports the Tampa Bay Times’ Romy Ellenbogen and Christopher O’Donnell

THE OTHER REFERENDUM — “What does the marijuana amendment that Floridians will vote on actually say?” by the Miami Herald’s Alyssa Johnson. “For the amendment to become a law, at least 60 percent of Floridians must approve it. Florida voters passed the state’s medical marijuana marketplace with 71 percent of the vote in 2016, but state officials have expressed their opposition to the proposed amendment.”

SAVINGS AHEAD — “Approval of FPL fuel charge cut will reduce prices for consumers,” reports the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Ron Hurtibise. “A significant rate decrease has been approved for Florida Power & Light residential customers heading into the year’s peak season for electricity use. Florida’s Public Service Commission on Tuesday approved the ‘mid-course correction’ sought by FPL to adjust for plummeting costs of natural gas, which fuels the utility’s electricity plants. The correction will save consumers $662 million through the end of 2024, the PSC reported. Households in South Florida that consume a ‘typical’ 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity each month will pay $7.69 less — or 6 percent — beginning in May.”

DENIED — “Why are Florida and nine other states suing FEMA’s flood insurance program?” by Brandon Girod of the Pensacola News Journal. “Florida and nine other states had their request denied for a preliminary injunction to block changes to the National Flood Insurance Program by U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion, who is based in New Orleans. The lawsuit claims that FEMA’s 2021 revamp of the NFIP, which included a new way to calculate flood risk called Risk Rating 2.0, will cause people to flee flood-prone states due to rising costs and depressed property values. In a 56-page ruling issued last week, Papillion gave the green light for the broader legal battle to continue but rejected a preliminary injunction due to the instability it would cause the NFIP.”

CAMPAIGN MODE

INTERNAL DEBATE — Florida Democrats warn Biden against politicizing abortion ballot effort, by POLITICO’s Arek Sarkissian and Kimberly Leonard. Florida Democrats, fearing politicization will sink a November ballot measure protecting abortion, are warning Biden’s campaign not to alienate Republicans.

Already, the Biden campaign declared Florida “winnable,” launched digital ads in Florida showing Donald Trump bragging about overturning Roe v. Wade and held a call with reporters to put the former president on the spot over the issue. All of it could push away GOP voters crucial to passing the initiative to protect abortion.

DRIVE TO VOTE — “Abortion, marijuana measures raise hope for Democrats in Trump’s home state,” reports John Kennedy and Savannah Kuchar of USA Today Network - Florida. “Ballot measures on abortion access and recreational marijuana may jolt election season in Florida, driving turnout among women and younger voters while giving Democrats renewed hope in former President Trump’s home state … increasingly red Florida was seen as a virtual lock for Trump. And it still may be. But giving voters a chance to expand abortion access and make pot available to all adults could change the profile of who’s going to the polls. Trump and Republicans struggle with a significant gender gap while younger voters also favor Biden, polls show.”

CAMPAIGN ISSUE — “Florida abortion rulings to keep issue front and center in November,” reports the Wall Street Journal’s Eliza Collins and Laura Kusisto. “Florida is not considered one of the top presidential battleground states this fall, but it does have a Senate race and a handful of congressional races that could become competitive. And it will give Democrats nationally a chance to elevate an issue where they have a political advantage over Republicans, who have hoped to keep the public focused on the economy, immigration and President Biden’s general fitness for office.”

NEW CANDIDATE — “Daryl Parks files to run for Florida Senate District 3, now held by Corey Simon,” reports James Call of the Tallahassee Democrat. “The prominent Tallahassee civil rights lawyer announced his candidacy Tuesday and filed the paperwork with the Florida Secretary of State’s office to begin raising money to campaign across 13 north Florida counties. The sprawling district marries sparsely populated Panhandle and coastal cities like Port St. Joe and Cross City with the more densely populated and Democratic-leaning Leon County, home of Tallahassee, the state capital. Parks now is the third candidate to file against incumbent Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee.”

— The Florida Young Republicans raised $60,000 during the first quarter to help them recruit, train and elect candidates

DATELINE D.C.


SENTENCED — “Florida man sentenced to 14 months in prison for threatening to kill Chief Justice John Roberts,” reports CNN’s Devan Cole. “Neal Brij Sidhwaney, 43, of Fernandina Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty in December to transmitting an interstate threat to kill. He had faced up to five years in federal prison. Sidhwaney was also sentenced to three years of supervised release following his imprisonment.”

TRANSITION TIME


— Top Trump pollster moves from super PAC to the campaign, reports POLITICO’s Alex Isenstadt. Veteran Republican pollster Tony Fabrizio, a longtime ally of Donald Trump who has been involved in his political operation for years, is joining Trump’s campaign as a senior adviser.

Fabrizio had been serving a top strategist for MAGA Inc., a pro-Trump super PAC that has raised over $100 million in support of the former president. The move comes as Trump’s team has expanded its political operations as it enters the general election phase of the campaign.

— Brock Juarez is the new deputy communications director for Gov. Ron DeSantis. He has worked in communications at the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration.

— “DeSantis names Kevin McDonald to District 5 vacancy on Indian River County School Board,” reports Colleen Wixon of Treasure Coast Newspapers. “Kevin McDonald was appointed Tuesday to the School Board, replacing Brian Barefoot, who resigned in February from the District 5 seat … McDonald, a 10-year Indian River County resident, is the former chairman, president and treasurer of The Geneva School of Manhattan, a New York City classical private school. He previously was the business development manager Ricoh Americas Corp., according to a news release from DeSantis’ office.”

ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN


— “South Florida’s appeal to porn stars didn’t wane during pandemic. It boomed,” reports Mike Majchrowicz of WLRN. “While movie-making for the silver screen long departed the Sunshine State for tax breaks in Georgia and Louisiana, the industry behind adult content consumed in the small — and very small — screen is booming. Yes, we are talking about pornography.”

— “A piece of a Space Station battery might have crashed through a Florida home,” reports Passant Rabie of Gizmodo

— “Jeff Bezos and Billionaire Bunker, Florida: World’s richest buys 3rd home in less than a year,” reports Jennifer Sangalang of the Palm Beach Post

— “Mysterious python parasite threatens Florida’s native snakes, pushing toward their ‘extreme decline,’” reports Bill Kearney of the South Florida Sun Sentinel

— “Man sues Disney after Magic Kingdom ferry crash throws him into trash can, lawsuit says,” per ClickOrlando’s Anthony Talcott