Sunburn — The Morning Read Of What’s Hot In Florida Politics — 2.9.22

By Peter Schorsch

Good Wednesday morning.

Sen. Danny Burgess is joining Tampa Bay’s largest law firm.

Shumaker announced Wednesday that it was adding the lawmaker and former head of the Florida Department of Veteran’s Affairs to its legal team “to help expand Shumaker’s reach in Tampa Bay and beyond.”

In addition to Burgess, the firm is bringing on Zephyrhills City Attorney Matthew Maggard.

“Danny and Matthew are respected leaders with strong ties in Pasco County. Adding them to the firm will allow Shumaker to serve new clients and continue its exciting growth,” said Ron Christaldi, Shumaker’s Tampa Managing Partner and the President and CEO of Shumaker Advisors Florida.

Burgess earned his law degree from Barry University and his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of South Florida. He is also a Major in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Shumaker said his law and community experience will be an invaluable resource for Shumaker clients.

“Shumaker handles some of the most cutting-edge cases, with a prestigious team of attorneys who stand out as difference makers in Tampa Bay,” Burgess said. “I am thrilled to join this elite group of innovative leaders and look forward to helping clients solve complex problems.”

Burgess, a Zephyrhills Republican, will work out of Shumaker’s Dade City Office, which provides a full range of services to businesses, individuals, and estates throughout the United States and internationally, emphasizing representation of publicly held companies and other growth enterprises.

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The First Amendment Foundation has selected Florida Supreme Court communications director Craig Waters for its 2022 Pete Weitzel/Friend of the First Amendment Award.

FAF said Waters’ pick was in recognition of his “groundbreaking use of the internet and video technology to open the workings of the Florida Supreme Court — and the state court system — to the public.”

The award comes as Waters prepares to retire after 35 years working for the court. During his tenure, he established the Supreme Court’s initial website, organized the statewide broadcast and worldwide livestreams of Supreme Court oral arguments — most notably those related to the 2000 presidential election recount — and helped bring the court into the social media age.

“No one in this state has done more to open up justice in Florida to the public than Craig Waters,” said Pamela Marsh, executive director of the First Amendment Foundation. “He has dedicated his entire career to the public’s free access to the judicial system and its records. Craig has been an advocate for everything we stand for at the First Amendment Foundation.”

First Amendment Foundation Board of Trustees chair Amy Hollyfield added, “It is an honor to recognize Craig Waters for his relentless work for transparency in Florida’s court system.”

Waters will receive the award during the Florida Supreme Court’s retirement reception at 2:30 p.m. The reception will be held at the Florida Supreme Court’s library and is open to the public.

The Pete Weitzel/Friend of the First Amendment Award was created in 1995 to recognize the significant contribution to open government by Pete Weitzel, the former senior editor of the Miami Herald and the founder and Director Emeritus of the First Amendment Foundation.

Past recipients include former Gov. Charlie Crist, former Attorney General Bob Butterworth, former FSU President Sandy D’Alemberte, former House Speaker Peter Rudy Wallace and former Senate Presidents Jim Scott, Toni Jennings and Joe Negron.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@ashishjka: Quick update on the state of the pandemic in the U.S. Nationally, Infections are down 60%. Hospitalizations down about 30%. Deaths have largely plateaued at a very high 2500+ per day. Beneath the headlines, we see dropping infections in every part of the country.

—@ChristinaPushaw: Gov. (Ron) DeSantis 2020: Opens Schools Dems 2022: Schools are open because of us. Say thank you. Gov DeSantis 2021: Protects parents’ right to decide whether or not their own kids wear masks in schools. Dems 2022: School masks are optional because of us. Say thank you.

—@SenRickScott: No one has done more to grow and expand the Republican Party than @GOPChairwoman. The @GOP is making historic investments in the @NRSC and because of their support, we have been able to grow our grassroots fundraising to unprecedented levels.

Tweet, tweet:

—@JosephBHarding: Things that matter to Americans and @POTUS is silent on: — Rising gas prices — empty shelves — affordable housing — not starting another war What is our President worried about? He is worried about my bill that empowers parents. He is worried about @GovRonDeSantis. Red wave.

—@Name_u_Know: I hope it’s not lost on folks that while supporters of HB1239 are saying that the bill won’t reduce direct care, the amended bill literally will reduce the minimum standard of direct care by CNAs from 2.5 to 2.0. That’s clear, harmful math.

—@ByJasonDelgado: CFO @JimmyPatronis on PIP insurance & Floridians: “My phone doesn’t ring off the hook with people complaining about PIP …” “Now I’ll tell you what … If their insurance rates go up, they will burn down the Capitol.”

—@RenzoDowney: Time for bills to start dying? Senate Community Affairs doesn’t have time to extend its meeting this afternoon. Ethics & Elex is using the room next to continue considering @FLSurgeonGen. Before public input, Sen. (Travis) Hutson warns, “Bills will die if we don’t get this going.”

Tweet, tweet:

—@DKThomp: One of the most popular modes of commentary is what you could call DGAF Populist. DGAF Populists — Rogan, Chappelle, Maher — are anti-PC, anti-GOP, anti-left, anti-neurotic, anti-“woke,” pro-“do your thing,” economically left, culturally libertarian, and linguistically rude