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Morgan and Morgan and … governor?

Good morning and welcome to Thursday. JOHN MORGAN, the famous attorney who runs the nation's largest injury firm and is known for his 'For the People' billboards and ads, has been teasing for months that he may run for Florida governor in 2026. He wasn't definitive Wednesday after talking for nearly an hour at the Capitol Tiger Bay Club in Tallahassee. But in profanity-laden remarks interspersed with jokes and slams against Republicans and Democrats alike, he laid out what could be a campaign blueprint. Morgan criticized Democrats — a party he once donated huge sums to — as well as Gov. RON DESANTIS and a Legislature he said cared more about special interests than helping with the problems residents are dealing with. He said, 'I believe that whether you're on the far left or the far right that the defining problem in our country today is income inequality. People can't afford to live.' A Morgan candidacy would jolt a contest that already features GOP Rep. BYRON DONALDS and probably DAVID JOLLY, a former Republican congressman who recently became a Democrat. First lady CASEY DESANTIS remains a possibility and sidestepped a question about a bid during an event held in Brandon on Wednesday with the governor. Morgan, who is extremely wealthy, has already proven to be a successful campaigner as the architect and primary funder of ballot initiatives that raised the state's minimum wage and legalized medical marijuana. When it came to running for governor, Morgan said he is willing to spend time and money to mount a campaign and said JAMES CARVILLE once told him that a governor 'can do more good than any other person in the country.' But he admitted he goes back and forth about the idea. 'There are moments where I go, you know what? I could do it. I could do it. And then when I'm sitting in Hawaii with the marijuana cigarettes and a glass of rosé and then,' Morgan said before pausing, noting the age of newly selected Pope Leo XIV and adding he's 'deep, deep, deep' in the fourth quarter of life at the age of 69. Morgan told reporters, however, that he is serious about a potential run. But the Kentucky native said he wants to see how other potential candidates fare down the back 'stretch' before jumping in. He acknowledged — without giving any names — that if certain people run then he might be motivated to get into the contest. The attorney has tremendous name recognition already and said that as someone who has mounted a successful initiative campaign, 'I have an advantage that nobody, that nobody else really has.' He said he can afford to wait. 'I think I'd rather reach running a sprint than running a marathon,' he said. 'I'd rather have a three-month window than an 18-month window.' Morgan says if he does run, it would not be as an independent, and he was skeptical of state Sen. JASON PIZZO's efforts to run with no party affiliation, saying Americans like to be on a team. He is moving ahead with plans to launch a third party that he said is needed to represent those in the middle who are not aligned with the far-left and far-right wings of the Democratic and Republican Party. 'We're stuck in the middle and we don't have a voice, any voice, but yet we have a lot to say but we're paralyzed,' Morgan said. — Gary Fineout ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... MORGAN OPTIMISTIC ABOUT ROUND 2 ON POT — 'Morgan is optimistic about an effort backed by Florida's $2 billion medical marijuana industry to place adult recreational pot use on next year's ballot — partly because Gov. Ron DeSantis can't use tax dollars to fight it … DeSantis enlisted state agencies to launch marketing campaigns warning against the pot measure, and Smart & Safe organizers believe he spent at least $50 million in state dollars to place ads on TV,' reports POLITICO's Arek Sarkissian. 'A new law, approved by the Legislature this year in response to fraud claims made by state elections officials among voter signatures turned in for last year's abortion initiative, includes plenty of restrictions on the citizen-led initiative process. But there's also a prohibition on the use of state dollars to pay for public service announcements geared toward a political campaign.' DESANTIS RESPONDS TO COMMITTEE INVITATION — When asked whether he would accept an invitation from the Florida House Select Committee on Property Taxes to present his proposals on property tax relief, the governor said no. 'That's not the role of the chief executive,' he added, before slamming the House for not taking up his property tax ideas sooner. 'When I called the special session for immigration, the response was, 'Oh, we in the House legislate, the governor doesn't legislate,' right? And so they didn't want to do it,' he continued. 'Now they're saying, 'Well, this is the governor's responsibility to tell us what that — well, you can pick one, right? It's got to be one or the other.' — Isa Domínguez APALACHICOLA OIL DRILLING PERMIT LATEST — A state lawyer is urging the Department of Environmental Protection to reject portions of a judge's order recommending the agency toss out a permit application for oil drilling near the Apalachicola River. DEP senior attorney JEFFREY BROWN, rather than directly challenge the recommendation, took issue with how the judge characterized DEP's application review. In his April 28 order, Administrative Law Judge LAWRENCE P. STEVENSON wrote DEP accepted Clearwater's expectation of drilling success and that was 'typical of DEP's very deferential review.' Stevenson also wrote in a footnote the application presented a 'constantly moving target' for challenger Apalachicola Riverkeeper that should have triggered a deeper level of departmental review. Brown wrote in Tuesday filings that the judge's statement 'adds nothing of substance to the findings or conclusions, and it would be inappropriate for the Department to include that statement in its final order.' DEP is expected to issue a final order July 28. — Bruce Ritchie FIRST LADY CLAPS BACK — 'DeSantis and the first lady lashed out at critics of their Hope Florida program on Wednesday and defended the state's decision to steer money from a Medicaid settlement to a related charity,' report Lawrence Mower of the Tampa Bay Times and Alexandra Glorioso of the Miami Herald. 'During a roundtable in Brandon, Casey DeSantis vowed to continue Hope Florida despite intense scrutiny from news outlets and Republican lawmakers.' … Casey DeSantis said: 'It's just really disheartening and very sad, but not surprising, to see these slanderous, false accusations hurled at Hope Florida.' STRUCK DOWN — 'Citing parental rights, a Florida appeals court Wednesday ruled that a law that can allow minors to have abortions without their parents' consent is unconstitutional,' reports Jim Saunders of News Service of Florida. 'A three-judge panel of the 5th District Court of Appeal, backing arguments by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, said the law violates parents' due-process rights. The ruling came as the appeals court rejected a request by a 17-year-old girl to have an abortion without parental consent.' — 'Former Senate budget chairs see rough waters ahead as negotiations unfold in Legislature,' by Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics. — 'DeSantis poised to sign legislation banning psychedelic mushroom spores in Florida,' reports Mitch Perry of the Florida Phoenix. — 'Florida Supreme Court suspends Gary Farmer from Broward bench amid misconduct inquiry,' reports Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics. — 'Hillsborough killer Glen Rogers to be executed Thursday evening,' reports Dan Sullivan of the Tampa Bay Times. PENINSULA AND BEYOND TODAY — MAX CHESNES and EMILY MAHONEY of the Tampa Bay Times will answer questions about the state parks scandal they broke at 1 p.m. on Zoom as a part of the 'It's Your Times' fundraising campaign. Their story sparked bipartisan backlash and prompted DeSantis to reverse course and recently sign a bill preventing development in the parks. USF IN LEGAL TROUBLE — 'After a 2023 audit showed the University of South Florida overcharged students nearly $8.6 million in 'distance learning' fees during the COVID-19 pandemic, USF denied wrongdoing,' reports Ian Hodgson of the Tampa Bay Times. 'But newly released emails and meeting notes, uncovered in an ongoing lawsuit and disclosed in a recent court filing, allege that university officials intentionally raised those fees to secretly recoup revenue from other waived charges.' PUBLIC RECORD LAWSUIT SETTLED — New College of Florida settled a public records lawsuit with the Florida Center for Government Accountability. New College will pay $125,000 in attorney's fees and will have to comply with reforms to increase transparency over official communications. — 'Toddler who was separated in the U.S. from her deported parents is back in Venezuela,' by Antonio Maria Delgado of the Miami Herald. TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP — 'U.S. AG Pam Bondi sold more than $1 million in Trump Media stock the day Trump announced sweeping tariffs,' reports ProPublica's Robert Faturechi and Brandon Roberts. — 'Ryan Routh, charged with trying to assassinate Trump, asks to have charges dropped,' reports NPR's Greg Allen. BLANK SPACE — 'The White House has galactic-sized plans for space. But no one seems to know who will carry them out,' reports POLITICO's Sam Skove. 'Space industry officials and Capitol Hill staffers describe a rudderless administration when it comes to space policy, with no single person driving the big shifts. This has left them confused about the White House's priorities and their role in the process, even as President Donald Trump pushes to put humans back on the moon, land an astronaut on Mars and redefine American space power.' — 'Democrats plan to fly 'Qatar-a-Lago' banner at Trump's home to troll him over airliner gift,' reports Anthony Man of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. DATELINE D.C. TODAY — The Senate Judiciary Committee is holding an executive meeting at 10:15 a.m. on Trump's nomination of JASON REDING QUINONES to be United States attorney for the Southern District of Florida. (Tune in.) FINE ON GUNS — Rep. RANDY FINE (R-Fla.) on Wednesday doubled down on expanding access to firearms in certain locations, but this time, it was in favor of a bill that expands the ability of active and retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms in public locations, such as school zones. In his first speech on the House floor, he cited the shooting at Florida State University, in which law enforcement officers swiftly subdued 20-year-old PHOENIX IKNER after he had killed two people and injured six others. 'Because the fact of the matter is, when these horrific things happen, it will take law enforcement time to get there, and the only way for you to defend yourself is for you to do it,' he said. During his time in the Florida Senate, Fine unsuccessfully tried to pass a bill that would have allowed people to carry guns on campus. It died in committee after one Republican senator joined Democrats in voting against it. (Two Republicans were absent during the vote, and the legislation had no counterpart in the Florida House.) — Isa Domínguez BONDI AND RUBIO IN HOT WATER — 'Bondi and Secretary of State Marco Rubio both joined President Trump's cabinet promising to restore 'integrity' to their offices,' reports Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel. 'Nearly four months in, however, both prominent Floridians are neck deep in administration controversies.' FUNDRAISING AFTER DOGE CUTS — 'At the end of March, DOGE made cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities, which eliminated over $1.7 million in annual funding to Florida Humanities,' reports Lily Belcher of WUSF. Now Florida Humanities is launching a 'Save Florida's Stories campaign,' hoping to raise $300,000 by September. ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN BIRTHDAYS: Charles Lee, director of advocacy for Audubon Florida.