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Politico
04-08-2025
- Politics
- Politico
A homecoming for Susie Wiles
Good morning and welcome to Monday. Florida Republicans are riding a wave of political dominance, from the state all the way to Washington. Both the party and the conservative movement seem to be almost entirely led by Floridians. At a confab on Saturday night in Orlando for the Republican Party of Florida, the focus was on one key figure who made that world possible: White House Chief of Staff SUSIE WILES. Wiles came to the Red Florida Dinner to receive the 'Statesman Award' from the state party. The evening was a testament to how Wiles, in just a few election cycles, helped transform Florida from a purple to a red state. First there was RICK SCOTT's 2010 campaign for governor, then Gov. RON DESANTIS' first gubernatorial campaign in 2018. She also led President DONALD TRUMP's Florida operation in 2016 and 2020 and ultimately led his 2024 national comeback to the White House. Now, a lot of the same Floridians she worked with over the years are in the administration. 'Honestly, Floridians overpopulate the West Wing in a really big way,' Wiles said on stage. It was all a reminder of how Trump wasn't the only one who'd seen a huge political comeback in 2024. DeSantis — who was conspicuously absent during the dinner and instead spoke during the daytime program — banished Wiles from his orbit years ago and tried to ensure she never worked in politics again. So much for that. She's now the 'most powerful woman in the world,' according to Trump and the inscription on the award she received. For her part, Wiles focused on others, not the accolades. She's known for avoiding the spotlight and for re-casting her accomplishments as merely a contribution to a larger goal. That was on full display when she reached the stage on Saturday night, quickly pivoting to name dropping dozens of others she felt could have just as easily been given the award and praising the president for fundraising to help build the future of the party. She also thanked the thousands of GOP volunteers who'd registered voters. Wiles' band of loyalists heaped praise on her, with Trump 2024 pollster TONY FABRIZIO calling the award 'long overdue' and Trump 2024 campaign co-chair CHRIS LACIVITA praising Wiles as 'inarguably the best in their field' who 'inspires by example.' 'She deserves all the credit she gets and then some,' said Deputy Chief of Staff JAMES BLAIR. Nearly everyone on stage used their remarks to remind the audience that Wiles had a hand not only in the successes of Scott and Trump — but DeSantis, too. So where does that leave DeSantis? It would be a stretch to say that the weekend GOP audience had moved on from the governor. When he spoke onstage, the crowd went wild and was hanging onto his every word. But unlike many others, he hasn't been the type of pol to pose for every last selfie or mingle at receptions. DeSantis rose to prominence because of his actions in office. Unlike Wiles, he hasn't forged numerous, deep relationships across the state. He has instead retained a small inner circle. So while his political future remains uncertain, others' are beginning to take shape. There was Rep. BYRON DONALDS, whom Trump endorsed to be the next governor, introducing Wiles to the audience. And the speakers rallied around Trump-backed state Sen. JOE GRUTERS, a longtime ally of Wiles and the president who's likely to be the next chair of the Republican National Committee. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget that Playbook should look at? Get in touch at: kleonard@ and @leonardkl. CAMPAIGN MODE MORE FROM THE RPOF WEEKEND: — Donalds continued to praise DeSantis, saying he deserved credit for 'where we are as a state.' But he also added: 'The thing we both share is that we have both been endorsed by President Trump, that's pretty cool.' At another point during his remarks he urged Republicans to stay away from infighting, saying it would make the party vulnerable. — DeSantis warned about fake Republicans. The governor warned that, with the party growing, some Republicans were inadequately conservative and would 'fumble the ball.' He said conservatives needed to continue being clear about what they stood for. 'I want Florida to be ruby red,' DeSantis said. 'I don't want us to revert back to some purple haze.' The governor cited reducing property taxes among the policies he still wanted to get done, and said members of Congress shouldn't be allowed to trade stocks. He also thanked the grassroots for helping to defeat amendments on abortion and marijuana during the 2024 cycle. — State Sen. JAY COLLINS stayed loyal to the governor. Collins extolled the Hope Florida Foundation that has been under scrutiny and praised the governor for sending flights in to help Floridians escape from Israel — which was part of a mission he'd helped with. 'Do you love how Florida is?' he asked the audience. 'Then we have to keep fighting for it.' — His own political future remains in limbo. Collins told Playbook on Saturday night that whether the governor might appoint him lieutenant governor — or whether he would even subsequently run for the office should he be tapped to the job — was something he'd take 'one step at a time.' He called it a privilege to potentially serve as LG or to remain in the state Senate, and praised DeSantis as an 'incredible governor.' 'People rushed to put that information out there,' he said of the widespread expectation that he was going to be tapped as LG. He predicted that a GOP primary would form, however, pointing to what's happened historically. — Don't say DOGE. Chief Financial Officer BLAISE INGOGLIA has begun raking through local government spending to look for waste — in a similar style to what ELON MUSK did with DOGE in DC. But Ingoglia says it's time for a name overhaul. He's now calling the effort the Florida Agency for Fiscal Oversight. That's right: FAFO. Ingoglia, a former state party chair, got a rave reception during the party's weekend as he rolled out the new nickname and shared his principles for GOP success. — Hecklers got in. Pro-Palestinian protestors interrupted speeches from DeSantis and Rep. RANDY FINE. Fine, who is Jewish, slammed the behavior and said Republicans would never do the same to Democrats. 'What you have to understand is that the fact that they would come into our house — our event — that shows their level of determination to beat us next year,' he said. He urged the crowd to take that same energy into the 2026 cycle, warning that a Democratic controlled House would otherwise try to impeach Trump. ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... CITIZENS RULING — A state judge is blocking Florida's insurer of last resort from sending claims disputes to an administrative judge — a tactic that Citizens Property Insurance has used the last two years to clamp down on litigation expenses. Circuit Judge Melissa Polo in Hillsborough County on Friday issued a statewide injunction against the practice and ruled that hundreds of claim dispute cases in administrative court need to be put on hold. — Gary Fineout OVER THE WEEKEND — The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida submitted filings to formally intervene in the environmental lawsuit against 'Alligator Alcatraz' and lay out its complaint. Last week, U.S. District Judge KATHLEEN WILLIAMS said she would allow the tribe to join Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity in the suit, which aims to have state officials quickly shut down or halt expansion of the detention center while the court looks at alleged violations of environment and procedural law. The tribe wrote in the complaint that the center threatens religious and ceremonial sites, and that it was not consulted despite legal requirements and precedents recognizing the cultural and historical significance of the land. PENINSULA AND BEYOND WRESTLING WITH THE STATE — Alachua County's school board is taking major heat from the Florida Department of Education, and it all started with a callous social media post surrounding the death of storied professional wrestler HULK HOGAN. The state is threatening to withhold the whole school board's salary over the 'circus' caused by Chair SARAH ROCKWELL scribing a post saying 'Oh did Hulk die? I didn't even know. Good. One less MAGA in the world.' The comment set off serious blowback, generating national attention from wrestling fans and conservatives alike who were outraged. The pressure boiled over last week when a local parent publicly called on Rockwell to resign, leading to one board member calling for the speaker to be removed from the meeting. Education Commissioner ANASTASIOS KAMOUTSAS didn't like what he saw. Kamoutsas on Friday recommended that the state Board of Education dock the pay of Alachua board members on the grounds of violating the rights of parents. The local school leaders are being called before the state board later this month to explain corrective actions taken since the incident. 'You made disparaging comments about the death of a conservative public figure, leading the public to lose confidence in your ability to treat all students and families fairly,' Kamoutsas wrote. Rockwell, for her part, has apologized for the post. 'I deeply regret making that comment and have since removed it. I want to make it very clear that I never have and never will wish harm on anyone regardless of whether we share political views. While I strongly disagree with some of the comments Hulk Hogan made, that is no excuse for my comment,' Rockwell wrote. — Andrew Atterbury DEMINGS CAVES ON ICE — Orange County Mayor JERRY DEMINGS signed an agreement with ICE on Friday to help transport undocumented immigrants to detention centers, but the matter still has to go before the six-member commission during a meeting Tuesday. Demings had resisted the agreement previously despite pressure from Uthmeier and DeSantis, who threatened to remove him from office. Demings explained at the time that officers were overwhelmed with work due to vacancies and already housing undocumented immigrants at its jail. Demings told reporters during a press conference on Friday that he'd signed the agreement under 'protest and extreme duress' and had to take a 'calculated risk' because otherwise the governor would put in replacements that hadn't been elected. 'Yes, we signed the damn thing because we really had to,' he said. TESLA LOSES IN COURT — A federal jury in Florida ruled against Tesla on Friday, awarding a $243 million judgment for the 2019 death of Naibel Benavides and injuries sustained by her boyfriend Dillon Angulo when they were hit by a Tesla Model S while it had Autopilot engaged — a landmark decision that paves the way for Tesla to potentially be on the hook financially for similar accidents that involve its controversial suite of driver assist tools. The jury found that the Tesla driver, who had been looking at his phone at the time of the accident and using Autopilot to drive the car, was 67 percent liable for the crash, while Tesla was 33 percent liable. 'Tesla designed Autopilot only for controlled access highways yet deliberately chose not to restrict drivers from using it elsewhere, alongside Elon Musk telling the world Autopilot drove better than humans,' Brett Schreiber, the attorney who argued the case against Tesla, said. 'Tesla's lies turned our roads into test tracks for their fundamentally flawed technology, putting everyday Americans like Naibel Benavides and Dillon Angulo in harm's way.' In a statement, Tesla called the verdict 'wrong' and said it will appeal the decision. — POLITICO's Chris Marquette ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN BIRTHDAYS: Former state Rep. Andrew Learned … Writer and journalist Leonora LaPeter Anton, formerly of the Tampa Bay Times … Herbie Thiele with Sachs Media.
Time of India
06-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
World Environment Day: Trees to plant and preserve
Aditi Kapoor believes that Bharat's fate will decide India's trajectory. And women will have to be given their due. This belief guided her through her years of journalism at The Times of India. Her work with UN agencies and international NGOs has seen her lobby and campaign on public policy in India and at international forums. For Aditi, who won the Statesman Award for Rural Reporting for her investigative stories on child labour in the carpet industry, inclusive development means giving more than just purchasing power to the "bottom of the pyramid". "Changing Frames" looks at what's happening around you -- from the lens of the less fortunate. LESS ... MORE Trees for survival is a ubiquitous cry every 5th June, the World Environment Day. The focus, however, is mostly on planting new trees while in reality, thousands of existing trees, even mature ones, are sacrificed to develop the much-required infrastructure. It is possible to save these trees via robust transplantation. In a growing economy, World Environment Days can well celebrate the survival rates of transplanted trees because these established trees grow faster and have larger canopies than planted seedlings. The importance given to growing trees is not surprising. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and give oxygen, regulate local temperatures and recharge groundwater table – contributing immensely to climate resilience. Trees improve air quality and help mitigate disasters such as soil erosion, landslides and cyclones. Trees also provide habitat, shade, food, fodder and income-generation products, especially to the more economically poor men and women. While new trees take between three to ten years to provide tangible benefits, mature trees, if successfully transplanted, sequester more carbon, filter more pollutants, provide more oxygen, better groundwater recharge and more protection from extreme weather events. Where there is a shortage of land, as in road widening in cities and while building expressways, mature trees can be moved 1-2 metres back. Dead and dried trees, which emit more carbon dioxide, can be replaced with mature trees. Trees uprooted due to natural calamities can be revived. Crooked trees can be straightened early on so that later they don't have to be cut for threatening to fall on a building or a passing high vehicle. These activities are successfully being undertaken in countries like Japan and Singapore among others. Transplanting trees has become common in India, often part of most large infrastructure development plans, including road-laying. The Delhi Tree Transplantation Policy 2020, for instance, mandates a high 80% survival rate for transplanted trees. Yet, despite third party audits, mortality rates of transplanted trees continue to be very high. For example, the survival rate of transplanted trees in the Central Vista project, New Delhi, is only about 30 per cent; it is less than 40% in the Delhi Metro project; and only 37% in the Dwarka Expressway project. In Mumbai, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India audit report shows a survival rate of 54% for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. Perhaps one of the major reasons for this poor performance is making professional tree transplantation part of the overall building contract. Contractors tend to cut corners by prioritising immediate costs to proven quality assurance. Tree transplantation is a costly, labour intensive, complex, scientific and caring business, best left to professionals who repeatedly show success. There is a need to develop a sound scientific approach and know-how for transplanting trees. It needs to be part of university curricula and skill-building courses. Our future survival lies in not just planting more trees – which is required – but also in preserving and protecting the trees we have. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Associated Press
12-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Renowned GI Oncology Leader Dr. Richard Goldberg Joins Agenus as Chief Development Officer
LEXINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 12, 2025-- Agenus Inc. (Nasdaq: AGEN), a leader in immuno-oncology innovation today announced that Dr. Richard M. Goldberg, an internationally recognized expert in gastrointestinal (GI) cancer treatment and research, has joined the company as Chief Development Officer. In this role, Dr. Goldberg will lead efforts to advance the botensilimab/balstilimab (BOT/BAL) program for patients and guide the company's regulatory and development strategy as it prepares to re-engage global health authorities. Dr. Goldberg's distinguished career spans over four decades, during which he has made significant contributions to oncology through clinical practice, research, and leadership. 'Five years ago, I stepped away from formal cancer center leadership roles in academic oncology and from clinical practice. That afforded me time to apply my skills differently by advising companies developing new drugs and technologies for treating GI cancers and particularly colorectal cancer. I also used this opportunity to become even more actively engaged in patient advocacy. Despite incremental treatment advances, patients, and their family members, clamor daily for new and better treatments. They want more time, better time, and ultimately curative interventions where no cure is possible today. This unmet need is particularly hard felt among those with MSS colorectal cancer where the treatment benefits for immuno-oncology interventions largely remain to be realized,' said Dr. Richard Goldberg. Goldberg continues, 'As a consultant, I recognized what Agenus is achieving with botensilimab and balstilimab. This innovative combination is among the most promising approaches on the horizon. The opportunity to move these investigational agents forward to gain FDA approval and allow oncologists to integrate them into our treatment armamentarium as soon as possible compels me to recommit myself fully to the workplace. I believe these two agents can and will change outcomes for patients with colorectal cancer and, beyond that, will prove to be important tools across a broad spectrum of solid tumors.' Throughout his career, Dr. Goldberg has held several prominent positions, including: Dr. Goldberg's research has been pivotal in advancing GI oncology, with a focus on developing new treatments, understanding inherited cancer susceptibility, and identifying predictive and prognostic factors in GI cancers. He has authored over 430 peer-reviewed publications, underscoring his commitment to scientific advancement. 1 In recognition of his expertise, Dr. Goldberg has been listed in The Best Doctors in America and has received numerous accolades, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Statesman Award multiple Advocacy awards and being designated as a Fellow of both ASCO and the American College of Physicians. 1 Even after his retirement, Dr. Goldberg continued to contribute to the field as a medical consultant, engaging with both start-up and established pharmaceutical companies on drug development in gastrointestinal cancers. He also remains the Associate Group Chair of the NCI funded clinical trials group the Alliance. 'Dr. Goldberg's appointment as Chief Development Officer brings unparalleled expertise in gastrointestinal oncology and a lifelong commitment to advancing patient care that align directly with our mission. As we work to bring BOT/BAL to patients in need, his strategic guidance will be instrumental in navigating the clinical and developmental complexities ahead.'— Garo Armen Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, Agenus About Agenus Agenus is a leading immuno-oncology company targeting cancer with a comprehensive pipeline of immunological agents. The company was founded in 1994 with a mission to expand patient populations benefiting from cancer immunotherapy through combination approaches, using a broad repertoire of antibody therapeutics, adoptive cell therapies (through MiNK Therapeutics) and adjuvants (through SaponiQx). Agenus has robust end-to-end development capabilities, across commercial and clinical cGMP manufacturing facilities, research and discovery, and a global clinical operations footprint. Agenus is headquartered in Lexington, MA. For more information, visit or @agenus_bio. Information that may be important to investors will be routinely posted on our website and social media channels. About Botensilimab (BOT) Botensilimab (BOT) is a human Fc enhanced CTLA-4 blocking antibody designed to boost both innate and adaptive anti-tumor immune responses. Its novel design leverages mechanisms of action to extend immunotherapy benefits to 'cold' tumors which generally respond poorly to standard of care or are refractory to conventional PD-1/CTLA-4 therapies and investigational therapies. Botensilimab augments immune responses across a wide range of tumor types by priming and activating T cells, downregulating intratumoral regulatory T cells, activating myeloid cells and inducing long-term memory responses. Approximately 1,100 patients have been treated with botensilimab and/or balstilimab in phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials. Botensilimab alone, or in combination with Agenus' investigational PD-1 antibody, balstilimab, has shown clinical responses across nine metastatic, late-line cancers. For more information about botensilimab trials, visit About Balstilimab (BAL) Balstilimab is a novel, fully human monoclonal immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) designed to block PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1) from interacting with its ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2. It has been evaluated in >900 patients to date and has demonstrated clinical activity and a favorable tolerability profile in several tumor types. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding its botensilimab and balstilimab programs, expected regulatory timelines and filings, and any other statements containing the words 'may,' 'believes,' 'expects,' 'anticipates,' 'hopes,' 'intends,' 'plans,' 'forecasts,' 'estimates,' 'will,' 'establish,' 'potential,' 'superiority,' 'best in class,' and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, the factors described under the Risk Factors section of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2024, and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Agenus cautions investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this release. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and Agenus undertakes no obligation to update or revise the statements, other than to the extent required by law. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Inducement Grant Disclosure In connection with Dr. Goldberg's appointment as Chief Development Officer, the Compensation Committee of Agenus' Board of Directors approved the grant of an inducement equity award under the company's 2015 Inducement Equity Plan and pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The award to Dr. Goldberg consists of options to purchase 50,000 shares of Agenus common stock, with an exercise price equal to the closing price of Agenus common stock on the grant date, May 12, 2025. The options have a 10-year term and vest immediately. 1https:// View source version on CONTACT: Investors 917-362-1370 [email protected] Media 781-674-4422 [email protected] KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA MASSACHUSETTS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: SCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH PHARMACEUTICAL ONCOLOGY HEALTH MEDICAL DEVICES CLINICAL TRIALS SOURCE: Agenus Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 05/12/2025 07:20 AM/DISC: 05/12/2025 07:21 AM
