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Politico
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Politico
AI needs rules to transform health care
A Note to Our Readers from POLITICO's CEO and Editor-in-Chief POLITICO has been the subject of debate on X this week. Some of it has been misinformed, and some of it has been flat-out false. Let's set the record straight POLITICO is a privately owned company. We have never received any government funding — no subsidies, no grants, no handouts. Not one dime, ever, in 18 years. Millions of people around the world read our journalism on and in newsletters like this one. It is supported by advertising and sponsorships. POLITICO Pro is different. It is a professional subscription service used by companies, organizations, and, yes, some government agencies. They subscribe because it makes them better at their jobs — helping them track policy, legislation and regulations in real-time with news, intelligence and a suite of data products. At its core, POLITICO Pro is about transparency and accountability: Shining a light on the work of the agencies, regulators and policymakers throughout our vast federal government. Businesses and entities within the government find it useful as they navigate the chaotic regulatory and legislative landscape. It's that simple. Most POLITICO Pro subscribers are in the private sector. They come from across the ideological spectrum and subscribe for one reason: value. And 90 percent renew every year because they rely on our reporting, data and insights. Government agencies that subscribe do so through standard public procurement processes — just like any other tool they buy to work smarter and be more efficient. This is not funding. It is a transaction — just as the government buys research, equipment, software and industry reports. Some online voices are deliberately spreading falsehoods. Let's be clear: POLITICO has no financial dependence on the government and no hidden agenda. We cover politics and policy — that's our job. We are so proud of our journalists and so proud of the connection we have with you, our readers. We stand by our work, our values and our commitment to transparency, accountability and efficiency — the same principles that drive great journalism and great business. Now, back to work. Goli Sheikholeslami and John Harris FUTURE THREATS Artificial intelligence could transform health care, but without robust safeguards, companies could put profit over patient well-being, writes Dr. Kenneth Mandl, director of the Computational Health Informatics Program at Boston Children's Hospital in the New England Journal of Medicine AI. Health systems are constantly under financial pressure — as companies selling AI tools are well aware, often touting how they can save or bring in more money. Mandl is concerned that AI tools will be configured to generate the largest financial reward. He cites revenue-cycle management products as one example, since they promise to boost reimbursements by exploiting every billing opportunity. AI can lead to more profits in other ways, he told Ruth. For example, depending on how specific the AI is or the criteria it uses to make recommendations, it could lead to people to schedule doctor appointments or take medications they don't need. 'You can drive revenue by choosing diagnostics that have more false positives,' Mandl said. What's next: He said that industry can do a lot on its own to safeguard against some of those potential issues. He suggests electronic health record companies adopt standard application programming interfaces that enable small developers to build tools for health systems. Mandl's paper also suggests creating a federated data ecosystem that will allow small and large health systems equal access to the data they need to test AI tools. As far as federal rules go, existing regulations can address some perverse business practices, like anti-kickback laws and the False Claims Act, he said. He added that the Department of Health and Human Services also has introduced some good, basic AI transparency rules. 'But it doesn't really address fully unseen commercial influences that could shape the way decision support behaves in the real world.' New rules, he said, particularly ones that create structures for monitoring adverse events driven by AI, could be needed. WELCOME TO FUTURE PULSE This is where we explore the ideas and innovators shaping health care. One idea that's being explored by the president of Colombia: that cocaine is no worse than whiskey — and selling it worldwide 'like wine' would dismantle illegal drug trafficking. Share any thoughts, news, tips and feedback with Carmen Paun at cpaun@ Daniel Payne at dpayne@ Ruth Reader at rreader@ or Erin Schumaker at eschumaker@ Send tips securely through SecureDrop, Signal, Telegram or WhatsApp. EXAM ROOM Primary care has changed substantially since the pandemic, according to new research published in JAMA Health Forum. The study, conducted by researchers at Dartmouth; University of California, Berkeley; and Johns Hopkins, reviewed several measures across more than 700 primary care practices, comparing their characteristics from 2017 to 2018 and 2022 to 2023. The researchers said the pandemic likely exacerbated lower access to primary care, suggesting staffing shortages and clinician burnout could be to blame. Why it matters: Primary care access shortages have concerned policymakers and patients alike. Primary care is the key to the early detection and treatment of a vast number of diseases, public health experts say, which creates better outcomes and lower care costs. Even so: On average, primary care practices increased their capabilities, scored by practices' abilities to provide behavioral and chronic care or to integrate clinical and technological tools, such as screening techniques or electronic health records. Those scores varied widely between individual practices, but on average, primary care delivered by physician groups and those participating in value-based payment models, such as being an accountable care organization, had better outcomes than their counterparts.
Politico
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Delays in federal health funding
With help from Mackenzie Wilkes A Note to Our Readers from POLITICO's CEO and Editor-in-Chief POLITICO has been the subject of debate on X this week. Some of it has been misinformed, and some of it has been flat-out false. Let's set the record straight POLITICO is a privately owned company. We have never received any government funding — no subsidies, no grants, no handouts. Not one dime, ever, in 18 years. Millions of people around the world read our journalism on and in newsletters like this one. It is supported by advertising and sponsorships. POLITICO Pro is different. It is a professional subscription service used by companies, organizations, and, yes, some government agencies. They subscribe because it makes them better at their jobs — helping them track policy, legislation and regulations in real-time with news, intelligence and a suite of data products. At its core, POLITICO Pro is about transparency and accountability: Shining a light on the work of the agencies, regulators and policymakers throughout our vast federal government. Businesses and entities within the government find it useful as they navigate the chaotic regulatory and legislative landscape. It's that simple. Most POLITICO Pro subscribers are in the private sector. They come from across the ideological spectrum and subscribe for one reason: value. And 90 percent renew every year because they rely on our reporting, data and insights. Government agencies that subscribe do so through standard public procurement processes — just like any other tool they buy to work smarter and be more efficient. This is not funding. It is a transaction — just as the government buys research, equipment, software and industry reports. Some online voices are deliberately spreading falsehoods. Let's be clear: POLITICO has no financial dependence on the government and no hidden agenda. We cover politics and policy — that's our job. We are so proud of our journalists and so proud of the connection we have with you, our readers. We stand by our work, our values and our commitment to transparency, accountability and efficiency — the same principles that drive great journalism and great business. Now, back to work. Goli Sheikholeslami and John Harris Driving The Day FUNDING FREEZE HAVOC — Providers and lawmakers fear that payments for some federally funded health programs aren't being dispersed amid confusing federal guidance stemming from President Donald Trump's executive orders on gender and diversity. That includes funding for community health centers; Head Start, a school readiness program for low-income families; and other so-called safety-net programs. Background: A flurry of orders from the White House in recent weeks has caused delays to federal funding, including January executive orders targeting 'the use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies,' calling that 'a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve.' Last week, federal officials ordered a blanket freeze on most federal funding before rolling the order back on Monday. At least two judges have also ordered a suspension of the blanket freeze. At the same time, state Medicaid payment portals experienced an outage, causing confusion nationwide. The downstream effects of the funding freeze have become clearer this week. Here are some key impacts. — Some community health centers, which primarily serve low-income patients, have said they haven't received the federal funding that keeps them afloat, forcing some to temporarily shutter. — Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, said a safety-net hospital in her state couldn't provide medical services last month because of a freeze in Medicaid funds. — Dozens of Head Start providers serving nearly 20,000 children report delays in accessing federal grant dollars, according to survey data from the National Head Start Association, an industry group representing the providers. That's despite officials later clarifying that Head Start was excluded from the freeze. HHS has said 'technical issues,' now resolved, affected the payment management system last week, but some providers may experience lags, Mackenzie reports. On Thursday, several Democratic lawmakers demanded answers from the Trump administration. Senate health leaders Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) wrote to the administration asking why the Medicaid platform was inoperable. 'These repeated blackouts are causing panic, confusion, and unnecessary frustration for our doctors, community health centers, hospitals and patients,' Schumer said in a statement. Virginia's Democratic senators, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, also sent a letter Thursday to HHS asking why some health centers — including those in Virginia — weren't receiving funding. An HHS spokesperson told Pulse that the administration was aware of 'ongoing technical issues' affecting the payment system. 'The system is back up and running now, but some PMS users are experiencing lags due to the high volume of request. HHS is working to expedite a resolution ASAP,' they said. The confusion comes as many federal employees face a looming decision to resign and take deferred compensation. On Thursday, a judge hit pause on the plan until at least Monday, giving workers a bit more time. WELCOME TO FRIDAY PULSE. GO BIRDS! Send your tips, scoops and feedback to ccirruzzo@ and khooper@ and follow along @ChelseaCirruzzo and @Kelhoops. In Congress MEDICAID CUTS NOT OFF THE TABLE — Despite Medicaid 'love' from President Donald Trump, his administration and House Republicans are poised to make deep cuts in the program, POLITICO's Ben Leonard and Adam Cancryn report. Trump said last week that Medicaid was on the list of programs he wants to protect. He said he won't 'do anything' to Medicaid, except in cases of abuse or waste, claiming it wouldn't impact beneficiaries. 'It will only be more effective and better,' Trump said. The comments come as Republicans explore a sweeping overhaul of existing health policies that would likely include major changes to Medicaid to fund a significant portion of party-line legislation to enact Trump's domestic agenda. Working with the White House, the House Energy and Commerce Committee was already on track to slash hundreds of billions of dollars from programs within the panel's purview to offset the budget reconciliation effort, much of it coming from Medicaid. Now, fiscal hawks in the House Republican Conference are calling for even deeper spending cuts, threatening to exacerbate an already difficult task of explaining to constituents why Republicans want to scale back a program that insures more than 70 million Americans. 'He wants to protect people's health care, and so do we,' said Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) in an interview. 'I'm afraid we're going to get to a point where this is going to implode with $1.8 trillion worth of debt. It's better to fix it now than later. … I absolutely agree with the sentiment he's saying.' A White House spokesperson said the Trump administration 'is committed to closely examining Medicaid to improve care for beneficiaries while identifying waste and abuse.' While further discussions with the White House are needed, Guthrie said, he expects that many of the proposals would still fit Trump's criteria. KENNEDY PROCEDURAL VOTE — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is one step closer to becoming the head of all federal health agencies after a key procedural vote Thursday night. The Senate voted 52-47 to move to executive session on Kennedy's nomination, setting up a confirmation vote next week. Kennedy still has to clear two more votes in the coming days to become Health and Human Services secretary as Democrats used delaying tactics permitted under Senate rules, indicating their particular displeasure with the Kennedy nomination. Still, it's been all but certain Kennedy will be confirmed as HHS secretary since Tuesday when Republican senators on the Finance Committee united to move his bid forward in a party-line vote. That included Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a doctor who initially said he was 'struggling' with Kennedy's reluctance to disavow false claims about vaccine safety but then agreed to support Kennedy after receiving several assurances from him. During his confirmation hearings, Kennedy said he'd prioritize combating chronic diseases that he believes are the result of additives in the food Americans eat and pollution in the environment. He said health agencies have spent too much time and money on infectious diseases, allowing chronic diseases to grow. NEW SUBCOMMITTEE TARGETS COVID SPENDING — A congressional panel dedicated to a Trump administration effort to cut spending in the government is taking aim at Covid-19-era funds in its first hearing. The House Oversight Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency will hold its first hearing on Feb. 12 titled 'The War on Waste: Stamping Out the Scourge of Improper Payments and Fraud.' According to a notice from Chair Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), the hearing will examine improper payments and fraud, which the notice says were exacerbated during the Biden administration by 'massively expanding Medicaid spending and rushing pandemic-era funding out the door without proper oversight mechanisms in place.' Why it matters: House Republicans and the new administration have criticized the Biden White House's handling of Covid-19 and threatened retribution. Hearing witnesses include a former FBI agent who's now part of The Foundation for Government Accountability, a conservative think tank and director of an antiwelfare fraud organization. AROUND THE AGENCIES RTO PENDING — A memo from the Office of Personnel Management sent to federal employees earlier this week urged managers to prepare to bring workers back to the office, but CMS told its employees this week it doesn't have a date yet. According to a Thursday email sent to CMS employees and viewed by POLITICO, CMS upper management told employees that they have no further details on when they will be expected back in the office and will update them once officials speak with the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents many HHS employees. The AFGE did not respond to requests for comment, but the group has pushed back on orders from the Trump administration impacting federal employees, including an early resignation offer many employees received last month. CMS also did not respond to requests for comment. In a separate email viewed by POLITICO, CMS employees were told by leadership not to speak with reporters and instead direct them to the official media email. Names in the News Kelly Langford, formerly an online communications director at HHS, is joining PhRMA's public affairs team as senior director working on paid media. Kim McCune, former vice president at Weber Shandwick, is also joining the PhRMA public affairs team as senior director of executive visibility. Dr. Meena Seshamani has been named Maryland Department of Health secretary, pending confirmation. She most recently was deputy administrator and director at CMS' Center for Medicare. WHAT WE'RE READING POLITICO's Ben Leonard reports that more Democrats joined Republicans in the House to pass legislation to crack down on fentanyl. The Associated Press reports that its diabetes and weight-loss drug propelled Eli Lilly's fourth-quarter profits last year. POLITICO's Rory O'Neill and Csongor Körömi report that Hungary is mulling an exit from the World Health Association.
Politico
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Changing tides for the Coastal Commission
A Note to Our Readers from POLITICO's CEO and Editor-in-Chief POLITICO has been the subject of debate on X this week. Some of it has been misinformed, and some of it has been flat-out false. Let's set the record straight. POLITICO is a privately owned company. We have never received any government funding — no subsidies, no grants, no handouts. Not one dime, ever, in 18 years. Millions of people around the world read our journalism on and in newsletters like this one. It is supported by advertising and sponsorships. POLITICO Pro is different. It is a professional subscription service used by companies, organizations, and, yes, some government agencies. They subscribe because it makes them better at their jobs — helping them track policy, legislation and regulations in real-time with news, intelligence and a suite of data products. At its core, POLITICO Pro is about transparency and accountability: Shining a light on the work of the agencies, regulators and policymakers throughout our vast federal government. Businesses and entities within the government find it useful as they navigate the chaotic regulatory and legislative landscape. It's that simple. Most POLITICO Pro subscribers are in the private sector. They come from across the ideological spectrum and subscribe for one reason: value. And 90 percent renew every year because they rely on our reporting, data and insights. Government agencies that subscribe do so through standard public procurement processes — just like any other tool they buy to work smarter and be more efficient. This is not funding. It is a transaction — just as the government buys research, equipment, software and industry reports. Some online voices are deliberately spreading falsehoods. Let's be clear: POLITICO has no financial dependence on the government and no hidden agenda. We cover politics and policy — that's our job. We are so proud of our journalists and so proud of the connection we have with you, our readers. We stand by our work, our values and our commitment to transparency, accountability and efficiency — the same principles that drive great journalism and great business. Now, back to work. Goli Sheikholeslami and John Harris THE BUZZ: SEA CHANGE — The once-untouchable California Coastal Commission has taken hit after hit in the wake of the Los Angeles fires — and state lawmakers see an opening to check their power. Assembly Democrats are trying to pass legislation that would expedite construction of ocean-front housing by sidestepping the commission. Several bills are in the works that aim to limit the panel's authority to block or delay housing over permitting issues or gripes like neighborhood character — concerns about coastal views and aesthetics. In recent weeks, the commission has faced a confluence of criticism from both ends of the political spectrum — from Gov. Gavin Newsom to President Donald Trump — all over the idea that it makes building housing too burdensome and too expensive. The escalating tension was laid bare last week, when Newsom's aides chided the commission for getting sideways with his efforts to help LA quickly rebuild from last month's wildfires. Newsom's frustration came when the commission released a fact sheet that effectively contradicted his executive order allowing fire victims to rebuild homes and businesses in the burn area without obtaining a coastal permit (often a costly, yearslong process). Newsom's administration forced the commission to scrub the fact sheet from its website and called its move 'legally erroneous guidance.' And the governor issued another executive order that prohibits the commission from taking any action that 'interferes' with his LA reconstruction orders. The reprimands came after Trump — a developer seemingly speaking from personal experience — headlined a fire recovery roundtable with elected officials and displaced residents in LA where he maligned the commission's 'antics.' 'They are considered the most difficult in the entire country, and we cannot have them play their games and wait 10 years to give somebody a permit,' Trump said. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, a Republican from Northern California who attended the roundtable with Trump, told POLITICO he nudged Newsom over the commission in a meeting Wednesday in Washington: 'We need to have roadblocks knocked down in order to get rebuilding done,' LaMalfa recalled saying. He said Newsom listened and nodded along. YIMBY groups and lawmakers say the swell of bipartisan concern about the commission could bode well for their upcoming legislative efforts — despite numerous failed attempts to limit the commission's authority. 'We are at the inflection point,' said Laura Foote, president of YIMBY Action, a San Francisco-based housing group, and a frequent critic of the commission. Housing advocates are banking on heightened national scrutiny of state officials to spur a rebuild that is quick and mitigates California's glaring affordability crisis. 'There's a lot of pressure on Newsom to prove that blue states can govern themselves,' Foote added. Past efforts to reform the commission have been vociferously opposed by environmental and labor groups, who argue regulations are needed to protect the state's shorelines from pollution and its construction laborers from exploitation. Last year, a handful of bills that sought to build more housing in urban coastal areas ran into a buzzsaw in the state Senate after the commission and its allies pushed to gut the bills. The commission has largely dismissed its critics, arguing it was empowered by voters to protect sensitive marine habitats, scenic bluffs, wetlands and other natural treasures. The Legislature then gave it permanent authority over development on the California shoreline. Commission spokesperson Joshua Smith said the panel is no stranger to controversy and the Coastal Act has often been targeted because it 'values public access and coastal resources over profits.' He added: 'Protecting the coast for the people is our priority.' Among the bills taking shape in the Assembly are measures that would: force the commission to follow the same building-permit review deadlines as cities and allow development of university housing and backyard cottages in Los Angeles County without a coastal permit. The Pacific Palisades, where thousands of houses burned in the fires, is also home to major Democratic donors. But that politically influential group is unlikely to advocate for rebuilding the neighborhood with dense high rises. They also may not be as sympathetic to progressive environmentalist legislators as lower-income fire survivors who live inland, outside the commission's jurisdiction. 'You can bet your bottom dollar that the more-housing lobby is going to jump on their bulldozers and try to drive bulldozers through the front door of the Coastal Commission,' said Warner Chabot, who served as a watchdog for the commission for years and directs the San Francisco Estuary Institute. 'But I don't think that they'll have a lot of successful arguments that it's necessary to help the disenfranchised millionaires and billionaires who live in Pacific Palisades.' Assemblymember Rick Zbur, a progressive who represents a coastal district that includes Santa Monica, acknowledged that the bills face a tough road as legislators balance their desire for building with environmental concerns. A former environmental attorney, Zbur said the commission needs to be checked. 'They have had a habit of slowing down housing development,' he said. 'That's the reality.' — Josh Siegel contributed reporting GOOD MORNING. Happy Friday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. You can text us at 916-562-0685 — save it as 'CA Playbook' in your contacts. Or drop us a line at dgardiner@ and bjones@ or on X — @DustinGardiner and @jonesblakej. WHERE'S GAVIN? Nothing official announced. CAMPAIGN YEAR(S) NOT BITING, NOT AT ALL — Former Vice President Kamala Harris glided right past questions about her political future and a possible run for governor while touring wildfire damage in LA. 'I have been home for two weeks and three days,' Harris told reporters Thursday. 'My plans are to be in touch with my community, to be in touch with the leaders and figure out what I can do to support them, and most importantly, to lift up the folks who are surviving this extraordinary crisis and do what I can do to to offer any assistance, even if it is a kind word along the way.' Asked a second time, Harris added: 'I am here and would be here regardless of the office I hold, because it is the right thing to do, which is to show up in your community and thank the folks who are on the ground doing the hard work.' STATE CAPITOL FIRST IN POLITICO: PHONE WARS — Assemblymember Tina McKinnor is resurrecting her bid to phase out landlines in California — in part because of the Los Angeles fires, our Tyler Katzenberger scooped for POLITICO Pro subscribers yesterday. McKinnor — whose district is less than five miles from neighborhoods scorched by the destructive Palisades Fire — said her new plan to let telecom giant AT&T end landline service only in areas where other phone options exist will ensure access to safety information during natural disasters. 'Wireless text messages, even though not perfect, were far more effective in notifying residents of evacuation orders or other emergency information,' McKinnor said. 'We need to stop relying on outdated technology that does not protect our families.' But, but, but … Seniors and rural residents have long cited wildfires as a reason to keep landline phones, not dump them. They say the phones, which are connected by copper wires in the ground, are the only reliable way to call for help if cell service goes out during a fire. AT&T has tried but failed to sell landline users on calling alternatives, but it hasn't stuck, forcing the company to dole out more cash to maintain copper lines used by a sliver of Californians. And past legislative efforts to phase out the phones (hi, Evan Low!) fizzled out before becoming law, including a bill McKinnor gutted and amended last summer. So what's different this year? McKinnor said she will propose changes that reflect conversations she's held with local governments, public safety leaders, rural communities and labor groups since pulling her last attempt at dropping AT&T's landline obligations in July. The details, however, are TBA as those conversations continue, McKinnor said. ON THE AIRWAVES RESISTANCE 2.0 — Former Los Angeles Times opinion columnist Jean Guerrero, now a fellow at the Latina Futures 2050 Lab, will begin training Latina women and girls to write newspaper op-eds and do broadcast hits advocating against Trump administration policies. The lab was initially founded at UCLA in 2022 with upstart funding from the state, and its leadership advises the California Legislative Latino Caucus. 'Over the next four years we have significant work to do to hold the line against a concerted effort to dismantle decades of progress for communities of color, women and other marginalized communities with the stroke of a pen,' lab founders Veronica Terriquez and Sonja Diaz wrote in a letter explaining the initiative. Guerrero has written critically of federal immigration crackdowns, including in a book about White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller under the banner 'Hatemonger.' CLIMATE AND ENERGY LET'S MAKE A DEAL — Trump likes scoring political points off of California, but he also really loves a deal. Read where there might be room for an agreement (hint: water) and where there really is not in last night's California Climate. TOP TALKERS PUT IT ON ICE — U.S. District Judge John Coughenour, a Reagan appointee, extended a temporary hold on Trump's executive order that seeks outlaw birthright citizenship. The Seattle judge's nationwide injunction is the second to be issued by separate judges on separate days, POLITICO's Josh Gerstein reports. 'It has become ever more apparent that to our president, the rule of law is but an impediment to his policy goals. The rule of law is, according to him, something to navigate around or simply ignore, whether that be for political or personal gain,' Coughenour said. SWING AND A MISS — Democratic Rep. Jared Huffman protested the National Prayer Breakfast Thursday in a post on X, saying it was 'yet another example of MAGA Republicans taking a sledgehammer to the wall between church and state.' But the sentiment didn't land well as Barack Obama and Joe Biden both attended the same event when they were president. DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH — It will take several months for the federal government to turn over the 250,000 files, or 140 gigabytes of data, that they say prove former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and her partner Andre Jones engaged in a bribery scheme with the Duong family. Lawyers for the defendants also said that it would take them months to look through the government's evidence, the Oaklandside reports. U.S. Attorney Molly Priedeman said that no one wore a wire as a part of the investigation but added that they seized numerous devices, which they still possess. Thao, Jones and the Duongs have denied any wrongdoing. AROUND THE STATE — Nearly 300 people who lost their homes to the Eaton fire will be relocated from their temporary shelter at Pasadena Convention Center as it is slated to hold events later this month. (Los Angeles Times) — Vista-based Dr. Bronner's is facing a wrongful death lawsuit from the family of an employee who overdosed at age 50 after David and Mia Bronner allegedly arranged for her to receive a 'ketamine massage.' (KPBS) — Former Merced Mayor Mike Murphy has formed a committee to run for the seat currently held by Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria. (SJV Sun) PLAYBOOKERS ENGAGED — Jeff Hasselman, who advises blockchain and crypto startups at 926 Ventures and founded blockchain crypto at AWS, on Sunday proposed to Denise Grace Gitsham, founder of Vitamin D Public Relations, a NewsNation contributor and former California Republican congressional candidate. The couple met on Bumble in May 2024, and he proposed at the Caribou Club in Aspen. Pic BIRTHDAYS — Jeff Marschner at The Hoover Institution … journalist Cameron Page Langford … Cappi Williamson at The Financial Times … Sean Elsbernd … BELATED B-DAY WISHES — (was Thursday): Rep. Luz Rivas (D-Calif.) … Michael Tucker ... Paul Kujawsky … Jacob Wijnberg … Alexa Cassanos … Eric Weiner … (was Wednesday): Michael Mann ... Jennifer Leigh ... Rabbi Niles Goldstein WANT A SHOUT-OUT FEATURED? — Send us a birthday, career move or another special occasion to include in POLITICO's California Playbook. You can now submit a shout-out using this Google form.
Politico
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Rules debate gets rolling
A Note to Our Readers from POLITICO's CEO and Editor-in-Chief POLITICO has been the subject of debate on X this week. Some of it has been misinformed, and some of it has been flat-out false. Let's set the record straight. POLITICO is a privately owned company. We have never received any government funding — no subsidies, no grants, no handouts. Not one dime, ever, in 18 years. Millions of people around the world read our journalism on and in newsletters like this one. It is supported by advertising and sponsorships. POLITICO Pro is different. It is a professional subscription service used by companies, organizations and, yes, some government agencies. They subscribe because it makes them better at their jobs — helping them track policy, legislation and regulations in real-time with news, intelligence and a suite of data products. At its core, POLITICO Pro is about transparency and accountability: Shining a light on the work of the agencies, regulators and policymakers throughout our vast federal government. Businesses and entities within the government find it useful as they navigate the chaotic regulatory and legislative landscape. It's that simple. Most POLITICO Pro subscribers are in the private sector. They come from across the ideological spectrum and subscribe for one reason: value. And 90 percent renew every year because they rely on our reporting, data and insights. Government agencies that subscribe do so through standard public procurement processes — just like any other tool they buy to work smarter and be more efficient. This is not funding. It is a transaction — just as the government buys research, equipment, software and industry reports. Some online voices are deliberately spreading falsehoods. Let's be clear: POLITICO has no financial dependence on the government and no hidden agenda. We cover politics and policy — that's our job. We are so proud of our journalists and so proud of the connection we have with you, our readers. We stand by our work, our values and our commitment to transparency, accountability and efficiency — the same principles that drive great journalism and great business. Now, back to work. Goli Sheikholeslami and John Harris RULES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN' — The Senate set the ball rolling on its rules debate Thursday — and with it, the larger conversation about transparency legislative leaders hinted at in their opening speeches of the session. The chamber is pushing for a package of tweaks to the rules that govern the way they operate that, they argue, will shine a light on often opaque inner workings. The proposed package calls for moving up the deadline bills that are reported out of committee (known as Joint Rule 10 day) by a couple months to early December in the first year of the two-year session. Legislators would also get a longer heads-up before a bill is brought before them for a vote, and both lawmakers and advocates would be notified about upcoming joint committee hearings earlier. Senators also want to codify what they put into practice after the bumpy end/not-quite-end of formal lawmaking last session — allowing debate and votes on conference committee reports after the final formal session next summer. And the package, if it passes, would require legislators to post summaries of bills they file written in 'plain English' as state Sen. Paul Feeney put it to reporters Thursday. The changes, said state Sen. Joan Lovely, the chair of the temporary committee set up to put the package together, should help increase 'transparency and efficiency' after a session rife with inter-chamber bickering that saw logjams on multiple pieces of major legislation (most of which did end up passing, any legislator will remind you). But the Senate still has to get in buy-in from the House. And here's a quick reality check: The House and Senate haven't been able to agree on joint rules for years. Last year's debate became especially testy and ended with the House and Senate chairs of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy threatening to hold separate hearings (A compromise energy bill did end up passing in limbo months between the final formal session and the end of year end of session, legislators will also remind you.). House Speaker Ron Mariano was cool to the Senate's pitch to push up Joint Rule 10 day. 'We were concerned about that — that it does take away power from the chairmen,' he told reporters Thursday. 'We wanted to encourage more fact finding on the problems with the bills and who they're benefiting and who they're hurting.' And he didn't give much indication about what changes his chamber plans to make. The big question: Whether the changes will in practice help legislation move along faster and give the public more insight into how and why their priorities make it across the finish line or falter. Lawmakers have in the past regularly moved to suspend the rules to funnel fast-moving legislation through the process, especially when facing tight deadlines (or the threat of a Friday session or weekend work). And advocates who have been pushing for more transparency say that, while some of these pieces are a good start, there's plenty of room for improvement. 'Rules are one way for the Legislature to be made immediately more transparent in their operations, but as anyone will point out, they also suspend the rules fairly often,' Scotia Hille, the executive director of Act on Mass, told Playbook. 'Really tackling the problems of a lack of transparency and the concentration of power in the Legislature will take deeper culture shifts. GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. TGIF! Grab your shovels and your space savers, we could be in for some more snow this weekend. TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey is on GBH's 'Boston Public Radio' at 1 p.m. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell hosts a press conference alongside New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin and Connecticut Attorney General William Tong on their lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump's efforts to end birthright citizenship at 8:30 a.m. in Boston. State Auditor Diana DiZoglio speaks at the Greater Haverhill Chamber Business Awards Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. in Atkinson, New Hampshire, and at the Tri-Town Chamber of Commerce annual meeting at noon in Plainville. Boston mayoral candidate Josh Kraft greets commuters at the Maverick MBTA stop in East Boston at 7:30 a.m. THIS WEEKEND — Kraft is on WBZ's 'Keller @ Large' at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. House Speaker Ron Mariano is on WCVB's 'On The Record' at 11 a.m. Sunday. DATELINE BEACON HILL — 'State representative spent $10,000 from campaign coffers on crisis PR amid Globe reporting on relationship with lobbyist,' by Samantha J. Gross, The Boston Globe: 'Democratic state Representative Jeffrey Roy spent $10,000 in campaign donations on an outside communications consultant amid Globe reporting about his relationship with a high-profile Beacon Hill lobbyist, records show. Roy paid the PR public relations firm of Joe Baerlein, a lawyer and consultant who has run his own PR shop since 2017, $10,000 on Jan. 21 for 'Public Relations and Political Strategy consulting,' according to his monthly disclosure, which was filed on Feb. 4. The filing came five days after the Globe inquired about how Baerlein was paid and one day before campaign finance laws require candidates to disclose their monthly spending, which is on the 5th.' — 'Mass. Democrats beat back Republican-led attempt to reduce state-run shelter funding,' by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: 'Massachusetts House Democrats trampled Republican-driven efforts Thursday to expand the information covered in background checks for state-run shelter applicants and reduce the amount of funding Beacon Hill is infusing into the taxpayer-funded emergency assistance program. During an hours-long session Thursday afternoon, House Republicans repeatedly tried to amend a $425 million spending bill that funds the shelter system through the end of fiscal year 2025 to include stricter reforms than what Democrats put forward earlier this week.' — '222,000 new homes must be built over the next decade to fix housing shortage, state says,' by Andrew Brinker, The Boston Globe: 'The Healey administration on Thursday laid out a new goal for housing construction that captured the staggering scale of the challenge facing Massachusetts: nearly a quarter-million new homes in just the next 10 years. In a state infamous for construction delays and opposition to new housing of all kinds, the analysis from a committee appointed by Governor Maura Healey crystallizes the severity of the housing shortage in Massachusetts that is warping the lives of everyday people and could worsen if the state does not begin building faster.' HECKLING WORKS — Football fanatics can put one more bet on the books this year. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission voted Thursday to allow prop bets on the outcome of the coin flip at the start of the Super Bowl Sunday. What you can bet on: which team will win the coin flip, whether that team will win the game, if the result is heads or tails and whether the away team (this year that's the Kansas City Chiefs) makes the right call on the toss. Sports bettors have a heckler to thank. State Gaming Commissioner Brad Hill brought the issue before the commission after he got heckled about it while refereeing a basketball game, per State House News Service. The Race for City Hall DON'T CALL IT A CAMPAIGN KICK-OFF — But Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's Lunar New Year fundraiser was something in that realm. Rep. Aaron Michlewitz, a longtime Wu ally and chief budget writer in the House, kicked off the event, with a warning about the months ahead: 'We're in for a dogfight,' he told the crowd. But Wu, he said, is the 'right person' for the job. 'She doesn't back down when certain things — the press or Republicans or something else tries to push her around.' The event capped a week of activity in Boston's mayoral race after Josh Kraft officially launched his campaign Tuesday. The race may have gotten off to some early bickering, but the reception was relatively light on digs and heavy on introductions to the newest addition to Wu's campaign team, her weeks-old daughter Mira. MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS — 'ICE detained a Mass. man with no criminal record — and sent him to Texas,' by Jesús Marrero SuárezSimón Rios, WBUR: 'Federal immigration police last week detained a Brazilian man living in Marlborough, Mass., and in a surprise move, swiftly transported him to a Texas facility. Attorneys say the transfer indicates he is being tracked for deportation, despite entering the U.S. legally and possessing no criminal record. Lucas Dos Santos Amaral is now listed at the Karnes County Immigration Processing Center in Karnes City, about 50 miles southeast of San Antonio, according to an online detainee locator run by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Just days ago, Amaral was being held at the Plymouth County jail, on an ICE detainer.' — 'Visas for human trafficking victims under scrutiny,' by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: 'Massachusetts law enforcement officials are increasingly helping victims of labor and sexual trafficking apply for special immigrant visas, but that path to legal status is coming under scrutiny from the Trump administration. In 2023, there were 526 requests to police and state prosecutors from trafficking victims seeking legal protection under visa programs designated for immigrant survivors of human trafficking, according to data from the state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. Of those requests, 354 were approved, the data shows.' TRUMPACHUSETTS — 'Dept. of Education launches investigation into MIAA following Trump's order on trans athletes,' by Esteban Bustillos, GBH News: 'A day after President Donald Trump signed an executive order designed to keep transgender athletes from competing in girls and women's sports, the Department of Education announced that it has launched an investigation into the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association for allegedly violating Title IX.' RELATED — 'Mass. Sen. Markey, school advocates, line up against Trump's moves on Education Department,' by John L. Micek, MassLive: 'Days after President Donald Trump began a move to gut the U.S. Department of Education, a coalition of Bay State lawmakers, joined by allies across the state's public education establishment, have teamed up to resist any executive action against the agency, MassLive can exclusively report.' — 'New Bedford health center grapples with confusing Trump DEI orders,' Anastasia E. Lennon, The New Bedford Light: 'As part of its effort to clamp down on diversity, equity and inclusion, the Trump administration last week ordered federally funded health providers, including the Greater New Bedford Community Health Center, to cease certain programming relating to DEI, gender identity and transgender people in order to comply with executive orders. The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) notice was paused just days later on Monday due to a court-issued restraining order, but the federal actions have introduced uncertainty to the New Bedford community, and may threaten future health services for residents, many of whom are lower income, uninsured, or immigrants.' FROM THE 413 — 'Easthampton council picks Derby for president,' by Alexa Lewis, Daily Hampshire Gazette: 'The City Council unanimously elected Precinct 4 councilor Salem Derby to serve as the new council president at Wednesday's meeting, expressing faith in his leadership and experience. Derby has been serving as the council's acting president since his predecessor Homar Gomez was elected as a state representative, vacating his position on the council.' — 'Pittsfield school administrators agree to work longer days in return for pay raises in a contract with the School Committee,' by Greg Sukiennik, The Berkshire Eagle: 'A three-year contract agreement between the Pittsfield School Committee and the union representing administrators resulted in pay raises for members in return for longer work days. The committee discussed the deal in executive session on Wednesday for about 15 minutes before returning and voting to ratify it in open session.' THE LOCAL ANGLE — 'Administrators: Swastika found in Uxbridge High School bathroom 'not an isolated incident',' by Brad Petrishen, Telegram & Gazette: 'A swastika was found painted in an Uxbridge High School bathroom Wednesday, administrators told parents, part of a concerning uptick in slurs they called out as unacceptable. … In the email, reviewed by the Telegram & Gazette, Interim Superintendent Karen Dwyer and Uxbridge High Principal Michael Rubin wrote that staff found a swastika, along with other vulgar graffiti, in a girls bathroom Wednesday after school had closed.' — 'Federal money for 6 Cape Cod water quality projects still frozen after Trump order,' by Denise Coffey, The Cape Cod Times: 'Federal funding remains frozen for six water quality restoration projects on the Cape, despite challenges to President Donald Trump's executive order. Andrew Gottlieb, executive director of the Association to Preserve Cape Cod, has been unable to submit payment requests through the federal government portal since Jan. 21, the day after Trump took office.' — 'Plenty of interest in North Attleboro Town Council for April election,' by Stephen Peterson, The Sun Chronicle: 'Sixteen residents have taken out papers for the nine-member council ahead of Friday's deadline. They include many incumbents but also several newcomers. Council members President Justin Pare, Vice President John Simmons, Daniel Donovan, Mark Gould, John Costello, Patricia St. Pierre and Andrea Slobogan have taken out papers. Pare, Donovan, Gould, Costello and St. Pierre have returned their papers and they've been certified as having enough signatures of registered voters.' HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH TRANSITIONS — Emily Myron is the new assistant director of land and habitat conservation at MassWildlife. She was a senior policy manager for The Nature Conservancy. — Sean Costello is joining the Massachusetts Association of School Committees as its field director. He has worked in state Rep. Bruce Ayers' office for the past ten years. — Samantha Perry has started as communications director for state Sen. Barry Finegold. SPOTTED — at Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's Lunar New Year fundraiser: Suzanne Lee, Colette Phillips, former Boston City Councilors John Tobin, Josh Zakim and Matt O'Malley; Darlene Lombos of the Greater Boston Labor Council; John Drinkwater of the AFL-CIO; Betsy Patullo, Tom Tinlin, Jake Sullivan, Dan Cence; state Reps. Aaron Michlewitz and Adrian Madaro; Boston City Councilor Sharon Durkan; Kevin Ready, Gustavo Quiroga, Shanti Frye, Marinell Rousmaniere of EdVestors; Harry Shipps, Sean Curran, Matt Wilder, Geoff Why and Ross Levanto. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to former Uxbridge state Rep. Kevin Kuros, Keri Rodrigues, Mike Cummings, Mark Townsend, Michel R. Scheinman and Beth Robbins. HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to Gov. Maura Healey, Ben Stevens of Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, Jacob Foose and Larry Ruttman, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers Gail Huff Brown, Geoff Young, Jessica Ross and Audrey Scagnelli.
Politico
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Florida rolls out the welcome mat for the Trump library
A Note to Our Readers from POLITICO's CEO and Editor-in-Chief POLITICO has been the subject of debate on X this week. Some of it has been misinformed, and some of it has been flat-out false. Let's set the record straight. POLITICO is a privately owned company. We have never received any government funding — no subsidies, no grants, no handouts. Not one dime, ever, in 18 years. Millions of people around the world read our journalism on and in newsletters like this one. It is supported by advertising and sponsorships. POLITICO Pro is different. It is a professional subscription service used by companies, organizations, and, yes, some government agencies. They subscribe because it makes them better at their jobs — helping them track policy, legislation and regulations in real-time with news, intelligence and a suite of data products. At its core, POLITICO Pro is about transparency and accountability: Shining a light on the work of the agencies, regulators and policymakers throughout our vast federal government. Businesses and entities within the government find it useful as they navigate the chaotic regulatory and legislative landscape. It's that simple. Most POLITICO Pro subscribers are in the private sector. They come from across the ideological spectrum and subscribe for one reason: value. And 90 percent renew every year because they rely on our reporting, data and insights. Government agencies that subscribe do so through standard public procurement processes — just like any other tool they buy to work smarter and be more efficient. This is not funding. It is a transaction — just as the government buys research, equipment, software and industry reports. Some online voices are deliberately spreading falsehoods. Let's be clear: POLITICO has no financial dependence on the government and no hidden agenda. We cover politics and policy — that's our job. We are so proud of our journalists and so proud of the connection we have with you, our readers. We stand by our work, our values and our commitment to transparency, accountability and efficiency — the same principles that drive great journalism and great business. Now, back to work. Goli Sheikholeslami and John Harris Good morning and happy Friday. President DONALD TRUMP has made Florida his permanent home. And a couple of state lawmakers want to make it as easy as possible to build his future presidential library here as well. State Sen. JASON BRODEUR (R-Sanford) has introduced legislation that would exempt Trump's future library operation from local government regulations on planning and construction. Brodeur said he worries local officials could impose rules on matters such as sign heights, parking spaces or tree removals as building gets underway. State lawmakers have shown a willingness to override local jurisdictions over the years. And Brodeur's concerns have historical context. He said he was thinking back to the 2006 feud Trump had with Palm Beach over an 80-foot pole displaying the American flag over Mar-a-Lago. Trump racked up fines for breaking the town's ordinances and sued Palm Beach, alleging free speech violations. 'I don't want my president to get in trouble for being too patriotic, because three of five city commissioners think his flag is too big on his presidential library,' Brodeur said. 'I don't want him to design this beautiful presidential library and then have a local municipality tell him that the plans are not approved because they don't like how many oak trees he removed.' Scouting locations in Florida is already underway. FELIX LASARTE, a Miami real estate lawyer and lobbyist who represents the Trump Organization, has informally toured Florida International University in Miami, which is close to Trump's Doral resort and golf course, as well as Florida Atlantic University, which is close to Mar-a-Lago, the Miami Herald first reported. Lasarte told Playbook he hadn't toured additional locations yet and said the library may not end up being at a university. But he added that the campuses provided good 'synergy.' He also said Florida was 'definitely' going to be the site of the library given the Trump family's residence in the state. When Playbook reached Brodeur, he didn't know that Trump's team was already shopping for sites. One of the reasons he filed the bill, he said, was an initial concern that Trump might choose another state, such as New York. He wanted to make Florida a more attractive option and give the president 'maximum flexibility.' 'He is the adopted son,' Brodeur said. 'He does have Mar-a-Lago here, and we would love to be able to have our first presidential library ever. How do we make it so that he has as few headaches as possible in building whatever he'd like?' Rep. ALEX ANDRADE (R-Pensacola), who introduced the state House companion, said he was concerned about politically fueled impediments in some of the state's counties. Miami-Dade has turned red politically, for instance (and even has a street named after Trump), while Palm Beach remains blue. 'It's no secret that President Trump engenders strong feelings, whether you're for him or against him,' Andrade said. 'And we've just seen, over the years, examples of local governments inhibiting progress, using land regulation cards and land use decisions as the mechanism — and that's just not something that we wanted to see happen.' Brodeur isn't envisioning state funding going toward the library's construction at this point. But he also said there may be some local work to do in terms of building new roads or creating public transportation access. Getting a library off the ground would likely take years. Ground didn't break on former President BARACK OBAMA's library until 2021 — after announcing Chicago as the site in 2015 — and the grand opening isn't expected until next year. The planning typically gets underway around the time a president leaves office for a facility to hold records, artifacts and a museum. Brodeur says the timing of their bill is right given that Trump's just kicking off his second term. 'This is when you start thinking about legacy,' Brodeur said. 'So now's a good time to kind of put that out there to say, 'Hey, the welcome mat is open.'' Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget that Playbook should look at? Get in touch at: kleonard@ ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... AGRICULTURE RESPONDS TO DESANTIS — 'Florida's agriculture industry is quietly dismissing claims it depends on undocumented foreign workers in an attempt to steer clear of an intraparty battle among the state's Republicans over immigration,' POLITICO'S Bruce Ritchie reports. 'It's not working. Gov. Ron DeSantis has said farmers have an 'affinity for cheap, illegal foreign labor' and he's promised to veto an immigration policy bill from the GOP-led Legislature that would establish the state's agriculture commissioner, Wilton Simpson, as Florida's chief immigration officer, rather than having that role sit under the governor's authority. … Officials and lobbyists who spoke to POLITICO on the matter said they largely don't want to speak on the record because they don't want to be drawn further into the feud.' 'TOO CHEAP' — 'Florida's insurance commissioner has rejected rate hikes proposed by one of the state's largest property insurers, instead ordering decreases for many customers — including those in heavily populated South Florida,' reports POLITICO's Gary Fineout. 'Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky released his order Thursday, a day after DeSantis announced that many Citizens Property Insurance customers in Miami-Dade and Broward counties would soon pay lower rates. Citizens has more than 941,000 customers statewide.' TURNING UP THE TEMP — 'Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez in a late afternoon email to members outlined a new set of 'combined workgroups,' which will review line-item vetoes from the current 2024-25 budget DeSantis signed last year,' reports Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics. 'The creation of these groups amounts to political warfare between DeSantis' executive branch and the Legislature, despite both chambers and the Governor all being Republicans. The workgroups will allow lawmakers to gather to discuss vetoes from the budget and determine which should be taken up for a potential veto override.' NO MERCY FOR TPS — DeSantis indicated this week that he agreed with the Trump administration's decision to revoke TPS for Venezuelan immigrants, even though communities with high Venezuelan populations heavily supported his gubernatorial reelection in 2022. 'The people that voted for me are not on TPS. They are U.S. citizens,' DeSantis said, per the South Florida Sun Sentinel's Anthony Man. LEGISLATION ROUNDUP — State Rep. JERVONTE EDMONDS (D-West Palm Beach) filed legislation to make the rental process more fair and transparent for Floridians… State Sen. BLAISE INGOGLIA (R-Spring Hill) filed a proposed constitutional amendment that would limit members of the Florida Legislature to a total of 16 years. PENINSULA AND BEYOND TODAY — Florida International University is holding a meeting about its presidential search, during which the Board of Trustees is expected to tap Lt. Gov. JEANETTE NUÑEZ as interim president. (Tune in at 10 a.m.) MEMORIALIZING THE PULSE NIGHTCLUB — The Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee agreed on a design for a 'long-sought' memorial meant to honor those killed in the 2016 Pulse Nightclub shooting, reports the Orlando Sentinel's Silas Morgan. After the dissolution of the onePulse Foundation — the group that was originally tasked to erect the memorial — and years of waiting, committee members agree the memorial is 'long overdue.' CAMPAIGN MODE IN THE FAMILY — 'Republican donors at a gathering last week in Palm Beach County openly discussed the prospect of Casey DeSantis' running for governor in 2026, and for the first time, Florida's first lady is seriously considering the idea,' reports NBC News' Matt Dixon. 'Gov. Ron DeSantis, her husband, faces term limits and cannot seek re-election. There has long been speculation about whether Casey, a mainstay on the campaign trail for her husband, would herself one day run for office, but those plans seem to be coming closer to reality, five people directly familiar with the donor event and Casey DeSantis' thought process told NBC News.' IT'S QUO WARRANTO TIME — State Rep. DEBBIE MAYFIELD's legal battle to regain her old state Senate seat will be decided by the Florida Supreme Court. Mayfield on Thursday asked the state's highest court to order state and local election officials to place her name on the ballot for an April 1 special primary election. The Department of State told Mayfield this week that she was disqualified for the Senate District 19 race to replace state Sen. RANDY FINE because she was barred by term limits from running. Mayfield had been in the state Senate until last November when she was elected to a state House seat. Mayfield has asserted that she is being punished by the DeSantis administration because she flipped her presidential endorsement from DeSantis to Trump in 2023. In their emergency court filing, attorneys for Mayfield contend that Secretary of State CORD BYRD exceeded his authority by blocking Mayfield from the ballot and also cited past court cases regarding the qualifying process. The Supreme Court has asked Byrd to respond by Feb. 10. — Gary Fineout TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP THIS WEEKEND — Trump is spending most of his weekend at Mar-a-Lago ahead of the Super Bowl. Senate Republicans are at the Breakers Palm Beach for their winter retreat. BRUESEWITZ MOVES UP IN THE MAGAVERSE — 'Alex Bruesewitz — a pivotal media adviser to Trump, known for pushing podcasts and other disruptive outlets during the campaign — will be a senior adviser to Never Surrender, Trump's new leadership PAC,' Axios' Mike Allen reports. Bruesewitz's firm, X Strategies LLC, will handle digital messaging linked to Trump's political brand, including @TrumpWarRoom and @TeamTrump on X. DATELINE D.C. LETTER TO DHS — Rep. MARIO DÍAZ-BALART (R-Fla.) sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security KRISTI NOEM on Thursday urging her to reconsider revoking TPS for Venezuelan immigrants. While Díaz-Balart said he applauded Trump's efforts to secure the southern border, he insisted those goals could be achieved 'while still protecting those who have fled dangerous political persecution.' 'I respectfully request, within all applicable rules and regulations, that you assess all options available to ensure that Venezuelan nationals without criminal records are not forcibly returned to one of the most repressive dictatorships in the world,' he writes. NEW CAUCUS — Reps. JERRY NADLER (D-N.Y.) and DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (D-Fla.) on Thursday announced the creation of the Congressional Jewish Caucus 'as an official forum for Jewish Members of Congress to exchange ideas and advocate for the issues important to the American Jewish community.' TONIGHT — Rep. BYRON DONALDS (R-Fla.) will be on Max's 'Real Time with Bill Maher.' — 'Trump wants to end the Department of Education. What would happen in Florida?' by the Tampa Bay Times' Jay Cridlin, Jeffrey S. Solochek and Ian Hodgson. ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN BIRTHDAYS: Former state Rep. Brad Drake … former Rep. Allen West … (Saturday) Rep. Gus Bilirakis … Nicole Dicocco, director of international relations for Red Banyan … (Sunday) Former state Rep. Patrick Rooney… former state Rep. Fred Costello.
