Sunburn — The Morning Read Of What’s Hot In Florida Politics — 1.27.22

By Peter Schorsch

Good Thursday morning.

The first State of Emergency podcast of 2022 honors the passing of co-host Jared

Moskowitz‘s father, Michael. Jared and Peter also talk with Speaker Chris Sprowls, who is in the middle of his final Legislative Session. In this exclusive conversation, the Pinellas lawmaker offers his insights on a range of priorities and issues.

P.S. Tom Leek, you’re on the clock!

Listen here.

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LSN Partners expansion is continuing into 2022, with the addition of three new employees at its offices in Broward and Miami-Dade.

The full-service consulting firm announced Thursday that it has hired Dr. Heidi Richards to work in its Ft. Lauderdale office and Lisa McClaskey and Veronica Pizzorni to work in its Miami Beach office.

“We are very proud to welcome Heidi, Lisa, and Veronica to the LSN Family,” LSN founder and managing partner Alex Heckler said. “We strive to continuously exceed clients’ expectations and employ individuals who represent our values and will be respected advisers to clients.”

Richards is the former Chief of Staff to Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness and has experience building coalitions and creating client-focused campaigns. She also has expertise in policy areas including economic development, transportation, and housing and is adept at communicating and advancing complicated policy issues with political leaders, companies and other stakeholders.

McClaskey has more than 10 years of experience in developing strategic partnerships, managing event logistics, and enhancing global relations. She is the former director of economic and political affairs for the Consulate General of Israel in Miami. She has also served in the Advance Department for two presidential campaigns, interned in the Florida Governor’s Office, and worked in the Development Department for the Miami Art Museum, now known as the Perez Museum of Art.

Pizzorni previously worked as manager of operations for Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and has immense experience in the Miami-Dade County governmental and political environment. The University of Florida graduate also served as Levine Cava’s Deputy campaign manager and has worked on many high-profile campaigns across the state.

The new hires follow an explosive year of growth at LSN, which added 10 new members across its offices in Washington D.C. and South Florida.

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Leslie Reed is now a partner at Brightwater Strategies Group.

Brightwater Strategies Group is the consulting shop launched by owner Jennifer Valenstein last year. The firm also includes her husband, former Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Noah Valenstein, who serves as managing partner.

Reed bolsters Brightwater’s expertise in agricultural and environmental policy. She comes to the firm from DEP, where, as Chief of Staff, she served as second in command under Valenstein during his time leading the department.

At DEP, Reed oversaw the agency’s administrative, financial and legislative activities. She also managed the department’s information technology, legislative affairs, and intergovernmental affairs divisions.

Reed has also served as Florida’s representative on the RESTORE Council, which manages funds from the multistate settlement following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. She was originally appointed to the council by former Gov. Rick Scott and was reappointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Before DEP, Reed held positions at the Suwannee River Water Management District and the Florida Public Service Commission.

At SRWMD, she managed the agency’s strategic planning initiative and Surface Water Improvement and Management Plan. At the PSC, she assisted with need determinations for investor-owned electric companies, carrier-to-carrier telecom issues, and other matters.

Reed earned a law degree from Florida State University and a bachelor’s degree in environmental policy and planning from Virginia Tech.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@SahilKapur: 2022 is going to be a huge year for the Supreme Court. Major rulings to come on abortion, gun rights and affirmative action. A Senate confirmation battle for a new justice. A midterm election that’ll determine which party controls the process for potential future vacancies.

—@BillKristol: Straightforward from here. June 30: Court overturns Roe. July 1: (Stephen) Breyer resigns, says Court “needs aggressive progressive justices.” July 4. (Joe) Biden picks (Kamala) Harris for Court. Harris resigns as VP. July 5. Biden picks (Mitt) Romney as VP, says national unity needed for the world crisis.

—@RepJimBanks: Have we ever seen a President attack and malign the free press like Joe Biden has??

—@BRhodes: What Fox News has done to this country is infinitely more offensive than anything Joe Biden said.

Tweet, tweet:

—@Dabbs346: Ron Johnson tells Charlie Kirk that “all these athletes [are] dropping dead on the field” after the COVID vaccine. #wisen

—@JacobRubashkin: Where the “DeSantis can beat (Donald) Trump in 2024″ talk falls short is, why would any other GOP hopeful step aside for DeSantis? If you believe a DeSantis candidacy makes Trump beatable, why let DeSantis be the only one who takes a shot? He doesn’t command the loyalty that Trump does.

—@MarcACaputo: There’s certainly much to criticize DeSantis for — especially his de-emphasizing of the benefits of vaccines, which are so far the best tool to fight COVID But when it comes to school openings & masking, the criticisms of those policies have yet to match the reality

—@AGAshleyMoody: It’s abundantly clear that there is a purposeful effort to undermine the success of FL by @JoeBiden. His reckless immigration policies, attacks on our #1 cruise industry & shutdown of @GovRonDeSantis‘s successful monoclonal program are just a few examples of the #FedWarOnFL.

—@TedLieu: Rep Matt Gaetz is entitled to the presumption of innocence. He is not entitled to sit on the House Judiciary Committee that has oversight over the Department investigating him for sex crimes with a minor. @GOPLeader needs to remove Rep Gaetz from the Committee.

Tweet, tweet:

Tweet, tweet:

—@Gehrig38: Every year the conversation revolves around who didn’t get in. Like all-star voting, who got cheated. I say it every year and especially this year, focus on who did get in. @davidortiz deserved a 1st ballot induction! Congratulations my friend you earned it! #bigpapiHoF