THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT...

EARLY VOTING IS UNDER WAY IN THIS MONTH'S PRIMARIES.

WE'LL LOOK AT THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE IN THE SUNSHINE STATE AS FLORIDIANS HEAD TO THE POLLS.

PLUS, THE ROLE OF DARK MONEY IN FLORIDA ELECTIONS.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪MUSIC♪ >>HELLO, I'M STEVE MORT, AND WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT, WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT YOU.

JOINING US THIS WEEK IN THE STUDIO, CHRISTOPHER HEATH COVERS POLITICS FOR WFTV, Channel nine.

AND JASON GARCIA WRITES THE SUBSTACK SEEKING RENTS.

YOU'VE ALSO GOT A PODCAST NOW AS WELL JASON.

>>YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

WE'’’RE GROWING FAST.

>>EXCITING STUFF.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, GUYS, FOR COMING IN.

APPRECIATE IT.

WELL, FIRST TONIGHT, EARLY VOTING IS UNDERWAY IN THIS MONTH'S PRIMARY ELECTIONS IN FLORIDA.

IT COMES AGAINST A WEEK OF HIGH POLITICAL AND LEGAL DRAMA HERE IN THE SUNSHINE STATE AS FBI AGENTS RAIDED FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S MAR-A-LAGO RESORT IN PALM BEACH, SPARKING A FURIOUS RESPONSE FROM MANY NATIONAL AND STATE REPUBLICANS.

>>SENATOR MARCO RUBIO ON WEDNESDAY, IN A LETTER TO THE TRUMP APPOINTED FBI DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHER WRAY WROTE: FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS, TWEETING FROM HIS POLITICAL ACCOUNT, WROTE: BUT DEMOCRATS VYING TO CHALLENGE THE GOVERNOR WERE QUICK TO PUSH BACK.

NIKKI FRIED RESPONDING: AND HER COMPETITOR FOR THE DEMOCRATIC GUBERNATORIAL NOMINATION, CHARLIE CRIST, WROTE >>WELL, BEFORE WE DISCUSS THIS, LET'S HEAR FROM PAVIELLE HAINES A POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR AT ROLLINS COLLEGE.

I ASKED HER HOW THIS WEEK SHE VIEWS THE POLITICAL FALLOUT FROM THE MAR-A-LAGO RAID.

>>I DO THINK THAT IT IS GOING TO SORT OF RALLY REPUBLICAN VOTERS WHO FEEL THAT THEY ARE UNDER ATTACK.

THAT HAS BEEN A MESSAGE PUT FORTH BY THE DEMOCRAT OR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY FOR QUITE A WHILE THAT REPUBLICAN VALUES ARE UNDER THREAT.

OUR WAY OF LIFE IS UNDER THREAT.

AND I THINK THIS SORT OF BRINGS ALL OF THOSE FEELINGS UP AGAIN.

SO IT MIGHT HELP TO DRIVE TURNOUT SOMEWHAT.

SO YOU SUBSCRIBE TO THE ASSESSMENT THAT THIS COULD BE PURELY FROM A POLITICAL STANDPOINT AND NOT NECESSARILY A LEGAL ONE.

A WIN FOR REPUBLICANS.

WOULD THAT EXPLAIN WHY GOVERNOR DESANTIS, WHO'S SEEN AS A 2024 RIVAL TO DONALD TRUMP, HAS BEEN SO CRITICAL OF THE FBI ACTION?

IF WE'RE THINKING ABOUT SOMEONE WHO MIGHT CHALLENGE DONALD TRUMP IN 2024 IN THE PRIMARY, AND IT LOOKS LIKE DESANTIS IS A STRONG CONTENDER, BUT HE IS IN KIND OF A TRICKY SITUATION POLITICALLY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST HE'S BEEN A STRONG SUPPORTER OF DONALD TRUMP.

AND I THINK HE IF HE IS PLANNING ON RUNNING, HE DOES NOT WANT TO ALIENATE TRUMP SUPPORTERS.

HE WANTS TO KEEP THEM ON HIS SIDE.

THEN HE ALSO HAS TO BRING IN SORT OF THE REST OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AS WELL.

SO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, CONDEMNING THE FBI, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE POTENTIALLY RIVALS, I THINK IS A SMART MOVE.

LIKE I SAID, HE DOES NOT WANT TO ALIENATE TRUMP SUPPORTERS AT THIS POINT.

AND SO BY ALIGNING HIMSELF WITH TRUMP IN THIS MOMENT, HE MAKES SURE THAT HE'S NOT BURNING ANY OF THOSE BRIDGES.

>>WELL, WE SHOULD NOTE THIS STORY WAS FIRST BROKEN BY THE PUBLISHER OF FLORIDA POLITICS, PETER SHAW.

CHRIS, LET ME COME TO YOU FIRST ON THIS.

I MEAN, THERE IS AN EFFORT, I THINK, IN THE FLORIDA COURTS BY THE CONSERVATIVE GROUP JUDICIAL WATCH TO GET THIS SEARCH WARRANTS UNSEALED.

BUT AS OF THURSDAY MORNING, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THIS FBI RAID?

WELL, RIGHT NOW, ALL WE KNOW IS THAT THE BASIC STEPS WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS.

SO YOU HAD AGENTS GO BEFORE A FEDERAL JUDGE, MAGISTRATE SHOW SOME CAUSE, SHOW SOME PATH THAT WOULD LEAD POSSIBLY TO AN INDICTMENT AND SHOW THAT THERE WERE SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT THEY COULD ONLY OBTAIN THROUGH THIS MANNER.

IN OTHER WORDS, YOU CAN'T HAVE A MORE DELICATE LIKE GETTING THEM TO BE HANDED OVER.

YOU NEED TO PHYSICALLY ENTER A HOUSE AND OBTAIN THEM.

YOU HAVE TO HIT A PRETTY HIGH BAR TO GET A FEDERAL SEARCH WARRANT.

CLEARLY, THEY HIT THAT BAR.

THEY WENT IN.

THEY SEARCHED.

WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY TOOK, IF THEY FOUND WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR.

AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHERE WE STAND.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT DONALD TRUMP OR HIS ATTORNEYS OR BOTH HAVE A COPY OF THIS WARRANT.

AS OF THIS MOMENT, THEY HAVE NOT RELEASED IT.

DOJ IS UNLIKELY TO RELEASE IT.

SO THIS IS KIND OF WHERE WE STAND.

>>YOU WERE AT MAR-A-LAGO THIS WEEK MIXING WITH THOSE TRUMP SUPPORTERS WHO ARE RALLYING FOR THE FORMER PRESIDENT OUTSIDE.

WHAT WAS THE SENTIMENT THAT YOU WERE GETTING FROM THEM?

>>A LOT OF SUPPORT.

BUT YOU GOTTA REMEMBER, I MEAN, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SPACE OUTSIDE MAR-A-LAGO TO PARK OR REALLY STAND AROUND.

IT'’’S ONE SMALL BRIDGE LEADING IN.

>>ON THAT CAUSEWAY, RIGHT?

>>PLUS, IT'S FLORIDA.

IN AUGUST.

IT WAS VERY HOT, VERY HUMID.

SO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO SHOW UP TO WAVE FLAGS AND SUPPORT TRUMP, THESE ARE DIEHARD TRUMP SUPPORTERS, 100% BEHIND HIM, VERY MUCH ANGRY AT THE FBI.

LOTS OF SIGNS SAYING DEFUND THE FBI.

AND A LOT OF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WOULD CALL WHAT ABOUT ISM?

WELL, WHAT ABOUT HUNTER BIDEN?

WHY HAVEN'T YOU FOUND HILLARY'S EMAILS?

AND IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT THE ONE INVESTIGATING THIS.

I'M JUST SIMPLY REPORTING ON WHAT HAPPENED.

BUT, YEAH, THIS IS 100% SUPPORT AND 100% DISMISSIVE OF WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS DOING.

>>WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT HUNTER BIDEN IN THE LAST FEW DAYS, JASON.

I MEAN, REPUBLICANS ARE USING THI AS I TALKED ABOUT WITH PAVIELLE HAINES AS KIND OF A RALLYING CRY.

DO YOU SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BEING A WIN FOR REPUBLICANS AND COULD IT HELP THE GOP IN FLORIDA KIND OF LEADING INTO THE MIDTERMS?

I MEAN, THE POLLS HAVE KIND OF SHOWN A BIT OF A TIGHTENING.

>> YEAH, OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO IS TURN THIS INTO SORT OF A POLITICAL RALLYING CRY AND A MOTIVATOR, I AM HARD PRESSED TO THINK THAT IT IS SOMEHOW A WIN FOR A PARTY WHEN IT'S, YOU KNOW, STANDARD BEARER.

IT'S THE MOST POPULAR PERSON IN THAT PARTY HAS JUST BEEN HAD THEIR HOME RAIDED BY THE FBI.

RIGHT.

>>IT'S A CERTAINLY IN NORMAL TIMES THAT WOULD BE THE CASE, RIGHT?

>>RIGHT.

RIGHT.

RIGHT, EXACTLY.

SO, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ONE REPUBLICAN THAT POTENTIALLY THIS DOES HELP IS GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS, RIGHT?

YOU KNOW, HIS YOU KNOW, THERE'S THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT HE WANTS TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT HIMSELF.

AND THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE IN THE WAY TO THAT IS DONALD TRUMP, RIGHT?

SO IF THIS THIS TAKES DONALD TRUMP OFF THE BOARD, THAT'S GOOD FOR RON DESANTIS.

I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED FOR ALL HIS PUBLIC THEATRICS ABOUT THIS AND REFERENCES TO REGIMES IN BANANA REPUBLICS THERE.

RON DESANTIS IS PRETTY HAPPY ABOUT WHAT JUST HAPPENED.

>>WELL, THAT'S INTERESTING, ISN'T IT?

WHAT JASON SAYS THERE, CHRIS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE NEW YORK TIMES QUOTED A SENIOR GOP STRATEGIST AS SAYING THIS IS A BAD DEVELOPMENT FOR DESANTIS BECAUSE IT PUT HIM IN THE POSITION OF HAVING TO COME OUT PUBLICLY AND DEFEND DONALD TRUMP.

>>WELL, HERE'S THE GREAT THING.

SEVERAL MONTHS FROM NOW, JASON OR I WILL BE CORRECT, BECAUSE I WILL DISAGREE ON THE POINT THAT THIS IS GOOD FOR DESANTIS BECAUSE I THINK TRUMP, WHEN YOU LISTEN TO THE RALLIES HE'S HAD PRIOR TO THE WARRANT BEING EXECUTED AT MAR-A-LAGO, HE'S RUNNING ON THREE.

HE ISN'T RUNNING TECHNICALLY YET, BUT HE'S KIND OF WRAPPING UP HIS HIS PITCH TO VOTERS IN THREE WAYS.

THINGS WERE GOOD UNDER ME ECONOMICALLY.

THINGS ARE BAD UNDER BIDEN, AND I'M BEING PROSECUTED AND PERSECUTED BY JOE BIDEN AND THE DEEP STATE.

AND VIS A VIS IF I'M BEING ATTACKED, YOU'RE BEING ATTACKED.

I DON'T KNOW HOW.

IF YOU'RE RON DESANTIS, YOU SAY I CAN DIFFERENTIATE MYSELF FROM DONALD TRUMP ON THOSE THREE PRONGS AND DISAGREE WITH HIM ON THAT.

I THINK TRUMP HAS KIND OF PAINTED HIMSELF IN A PRETTY GOOD CORNER AND THE RALLYING CRY AROUND DONALD TRUMP.

YOU'VE SEEN IT FROM REPUBLICANS ACROSS THE BOARD AFTER THE WARRANT WAS EXECUTED AT MAR-A-LAGO.

THEY'RE FALLING IN LINE ONCE AGAIN BEHIND HIM.

NOW, DOES THAT CHANGE IN SIX MONTHS?

IF THE TRUMP SUPPORTED CANDIDATES FOR SENATE IN ARIZONA AND IN PENNSYLVANIA AND IN GEORGIA LOSE AND MITCH MCCONNELL DOESN'T GET THE SENATE BACK AND THEY BLAME DONALD TRUMP POTENTIALLY.

BUT AS WE SIT RIGHT NOW, I THINK, YEAH, THIS IS BETTER FOR TRUMP THAN IT IS FOR DESANTIS.

>>I MEAN, DOES IT KIND OF SURPRISE YOU, THOUGH, THAT WE SAW THESE REPORTS THAT THAT GOVERNOR DESANTIS PLANS TO CAMPAIGN FOR TRUMP, ENDORSED CANDIDATES IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.

THIS IS POLITICAL CAPITAL.

DESANTIS IS HANDING OUT SOME OF HIS POLITICAL CAPITAL, HOPING THAT DOWN THE LINE HE CAN GO TO THESE PEOPLE AND SAY, YOU OWE ME.

THE THING TO REMEMBER ABOUT THAT IS DESANTIS'’’ ENTIRE SORT OF PITCH TO DONORS AND ULTIMATELY TO VOTERS IS THAT HE'S DONALD TRUMP WITHOUT THE BAGGAGE, RIGHT?

>>YEAH.

>>SO ALIGNING WITH THESE CANDIDATES MAKES SENSE.

HE'S DONALD TRUMP WITHOUT HAVING HIS HOME JUST RAIDED BY THE FBI, RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

YOU KNOW, TRUMP AND OTHER REPUBLICANS ARE FUNDRAISING OFF THIS FBI RAID.

ANY OF ANY OF US WHO GET THE EMAILS FROM THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN WILL KNOW THAT THE INBOX IS FILLING UP.

BUT GOVERNOR DESANTIS HAS ALREADY SURPASSED TRUMP RIGHT IN FUNDRAISING TOTALS.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT HIS FINANCIAL BACKERS?

WHERE'’’S HE GETTING ALL THIS MONEY?

>>WELL, HE'S GETTING IT FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

A LOT OF MONEY IS COMING IN FROM BILLIONAIRES AND 100 MILLION AND $100 MILLIONAIRES OR HOWEVER YOU SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SEEING A LOT OF THE SUPER WEALTHY REPUBLICAN IDEOLOGICAL DONORS.

AND WHAT THAT'S PROBABLY LOOKING AHEAD TO IS THEY WANT A PRESIDENT WHO WILL MAKE SURE THEY PRESERVE PRESERVE FAVORABLE TAX RATES ON CAPITAL GAINS.

SO MAKING SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO TAX INCOME EARNED FROM STOCK INVESTMENTS LESS THAN WE TAX INCOME EARNED FROM WAGES.

RIGHT?

IN FLORIDA, THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF MONEY COMING IN FROM BUSINESS INTERESTS.

SO JUST TO GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE STATE'S BIGGEST BUSINESS LOBBY GROUPS, ASSOCIATED INDUSTRIES OF FLORIDA.

THIS IS ESSENTIALLY THIS IS ESSENTIALLY SIX COMPANIES.

IT'S THE BIG SUGAR, IT'S FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT, IT'S DISNEY, IT'S HCA, THE PRIVATE HOSPITALS, AND IT'S FLORIDA BLUE.

THEY'VE GIVEN MORE THAN $2 MILLION TO RON DESANTIS JUST SINCE HE'S BEEN ELECTED GOVERNOR.

SO HE IS BOTH RAISING FROM A LOT OF IDEOLOGICAL DONORS.

WHO'RE LOOKING AHEAD TO A DESANTIS PRESIDENCY AND FROM A LOT OF TRANSACTIONAL DONORS IN FLORIDA THAT ARE LOOKING FOR MORE FAVORS FROM THE DESANTIS GOVERNORSHIP.

>>TRUMP PLEADED THE FIFTH A LOT OF TIMES THIS WEEK TO NEW YORK INVESTIGATORS LOOKING INTO HIS BUSINESSES.

IF YOU WERE RON DESANTIS AND LOOKING AT THIS, WOULD YOU BE CALCULATING THAT THIS MIGHT PUSH UP THE TIME SCHEDULE FOR A POSSIBLE 2024 ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE FORMER PRESIDENT?

I WOULD SAY YES, FOR NOT JUST THAT REASON, INSOFAR AS YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, ISOLATE OUT SOME OF THOSE DONORS AND REALLY ISOLATE A LOT OF CANDIDATES WHO MIGHT BE THINKING ABOUT DIPPING A TOE IN AND FLYING THAT FLAG.

NOW, AHEAD OF THE MIDTERMS.

BUT IT ALSO THEN PROVIDES A LEVEL OF LEGAL PROTECTION, BECAUSE YOU'RE NO LONGER A FORMER PRESIDENT WHO MIGHT RUN FOR REELECTION.

YOU ARE A FORMER PRESIDENT WHO IS RUNNING.

AND WHILE THERE IS NO STATUTORY LANGUAGE OUT THERE THAT SAYS THAT YOU CAN'T TOUCH A PERSON ONCE THEY DECLARE THEY'RE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT, THERE IS AN ASSUMPTION THAT LET'S TRY AND REALLY BACK OFF IF SOMEBODY IS RUNNING JUST SO THAT WE DON'T INTERFERE.

POLITICS WITH THE RULE OF LAW.

>>EARLY VOTING OF COURSE, IS UNDERWAY.

THE BIG STATEWIDE RACE, OF COURSE, CRIST VERSUS FRIED.

ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, HOW DO YOU THINK HOW DO YOU SEE THINGS SHAPING UP NOW THAT NIKKI FRIED CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN PUSHING THIS SORT OF NARRATIVE THAT THE RACE IS TIGHTENING?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> I MEAN, THEY'RE PUSHING THAT NARRATIVE.

AND LISTEN, THE POLLS SHOW RIGHT NOW THAT THERE'S A PPP POLL THAT HAS FRIED ONLY DOWN SEVEN.

A ST. PETE POLL HAS FRIED DOWN 30.

BUT AS WE ALL KNOW FROM FOUR YEARS AGO, ASK GOVERNOR GWEN GRAHAM ABOUT POLLING HEADING INTO THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.

IT'S A CLOSED PRIMARY.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE DEALING WITH BASICALLY A THIRD OF THE ELECTORATE THAT CAN VOTE IN A CLOSED PRIMARY.

AND OF THAT, HOW MANY SHOW UP?

SO IT'S HARD TO SAY.

I THINK CHRIS PROBABLY HAS THE ADVANTAGE JUST BASED ON THE POLLING AND KIND OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING ON THE GROUND.

BUT WE'LL FIND OUT A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

>>I GUESS WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL THEN WHAT YOU CAN SEE MY FULL INTERVIEW WITH PAVIELLE HAINES FROM ROLLINS ON OUR WEBSITE.

OKAY.

NEXT TONIGHT, LET'S SWITCH TO POLICY AND ANOTHER TWIST IN THE CULTURE WARS.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS LAST WEEK SUSPENDED THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY STATE ATTORNEY.

THE GOVERNOR SAID ANDREW WARREN WAS GUILTY OF NEGLECT OF DUTY FOR VOWING NOT TO PROSECUTE THOSE SEEKING OR PROVIDING ABORTIONS OR GENDER AFFIRMING CARE IF IN VIOLATION OF STATE LAW.

>>WE DON'T LET PEOPLE IN ONE PART OF THE STATE TO HAVE VETO POWER OVER WHAT THE ENTIRE STATE DECIDES ON THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES.

THE CONSTITUTION OF FLORIDA HAS VESTED THE VETO POWER IN THE GOVERNOR, NOT AN INDIVIDUAL STATE ATTORNEYS.

AND SO WHEN YOU FLAGRANTLY VIOLATE YOUR OATH OF OFFICE, WHEN YOU MAKE YOURSELF ABOVE THE LAW, YOU HAVE VIOLATED YOUR DUTY, YOU HAVE NEGLECTED YOUR DUTY, AND YOU ARE DISPLAYING A LACK OF COMPETENCE TO BE ABLE TO REFORM THOSE DUTIES.

AND SO TODAY WE ARE SUSPENDING STATE ATTORNEY ANDREW WARREN EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.

>>WELL, WE'’’LL TALK IN MORE DEPTH ABOUT THE FLORIDA BOARD OF MEDICINE AND TREATMENTS FOR TRANSGENDER MINORS NEXT WEEK ON THE PROGRAM.

BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SUSPENSION FIRST, JASON.

ANDREW WARREN, HE'S AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, RIGHT?

AND HE HADN'T ACTUALLY YET DECLINED TO PROSECUTE ANY CASES.

I MEAN, HOW'S HE RESPONDED TO THIS MOVE?

>>OH, HE'S GOING TO FIGHT AGGRESSIVELY TO KEEP HIS JOB.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.

THIS IS IT IS SORT OF AN UNPRECEDENTED PREEMPTIVE REMOVAL.

RIGHT?

AND ULTIMATELY, THIS LANDS IF HE FIGHTS IT IN THE FLORIDA SENATE, WHICH WE COULD BE LOOKING AT A VOTE OVER WHETHER OR NOT TO REMOVE AN INDEPENDENTLY ELECTED STATE ATTORNEY PRIMARILY OVER ABORTION.

RIGHT?

IS THRUSTING THAT EVEN FURTHER INTO THE SPOTLIGHT RIGHT BEFORE THE ELECTION.

00;13;54;03 - 00;13;55;24 IT'S A REAL POWDER KEG.

>>AND WE WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH THESE TENSIONS BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND STATE ATTORNEYS HERE IN OUR REGION.

FORMER NINE JUDICIAL CIRCUIT STATE ATTORNEY ARAMIS AYALA, NOW RUNNING FOR FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL.

RIGHT?

CLASHED WITH WITH THEN GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT IN 2017.

>>IN 2017, RICK SCOTT HAD THE CHANCE TO DO EXACTLY WHAT RON DESANTIS DID AND SUSPEND HER FROM OFFICE.

WHAT DID HE DO INSTEAD?

HE SIMPLY SAID ALL OF THE DEATH PENALTY CASES THAT COME TO THE NINTH WILL BE SENT TO ANOTHER STATE ATTORNEY.

YOU'RE NO LONGER HANDLING DEATH PENALTY CASES.

AND HE HAD A LOT OF PRESSURE ON HIM TO FULLY SUSPEND HER FROM REPUBLICANS ACROSS THE STATE.

AND HE SAID, NO, I'M ONLY TAKING AWAY THESE SPECIFIC CASES.

SO, YES, THIS IS A THIS IS A HUGE DEPARTURE FROM VERY RECENT PRECEDENT.

AND AS YOU ALREADY MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WARREN SIMPLY INDICATED THAT HE WAS GOING TO DO THESE THINGS.

AYALA HAD FLAT OUT SAID SHE WAS AND SHE HAD A CASE RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER, THE MARK KEITH LLOYD CASE THAT WAS GOING TO BE A DEATH PENALTY CASE.

SO VERY DIFFERENT SITUATION, BUT VERY DIFFERENT WAYS OF HANDLING IT AND EASILY UNPRECEDENTED BY THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION.

YEAH.

>>YEAH, JASON, YOUR FORMER COLLEAGUE AT THE SENTINEL, SKYLER SWISHER, WROTE A PIECE WHERE HE SORT OF DREW A CONTRAST BETWEEN HOW THE POWERS OF THE STATE ATTORNEYS ARE ADDRESSED VERSUS THE SORT OF CONSTITUTIONAL SHERIFF IDEA WHERE SHERIFFS SORT OF SAY WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE GOING TO ENFORCE THE LAW.

IT DOES SEEM LIKE THERE'S A BIT OF HYPOCRISY AT PLAY THERE.

>>OH, OF COURSE, YEAH.

I MEAN, ULTIMATELY, THESE SORTS OF THINGS AREN'T REALLY ABOUT THE POLICY THAT THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.

IT'S ABOUT CREATING A FIGHT.

RIGHT?

IT'S ABOUT CREATING A CULTURE WAR FREE TO DISTRACT FROM ALL THE SORT OF ECONOMIC STUFF THEY'RE DOING.

SO JUST FOR INSTANCE, THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION IN HIS FOUR YEARS AS GOVERNOR HAS RAISED TAXES ON FLORIDA CONSUMERS BY MORE THAN $1,000,000,000.

BUT HE'S ALSO MADE SURE TO PICK FIGHTS WITH BLACK LIVES MATTER, WITH DRAG QUEENS.

NOW, BY REMOVING ANDREW WARREN AND SAYING IT WAS ABOUT IS ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY AND ABORTION RIGHTS, THESE ARE ALL ABOUT KEEPING PEOPLE FOCUSED ON THESE CULTURE WAR FIGHTS.

AND THAT'S THAT'S THE VALUE THAT COMES IN.

THAT'S THE POINT OF IT.

RIGHT?

>>WELL, JASON THINKS IT'S ABOUT DISTRACTION.

WHAT DO YOU THINK, CHRIS?

>>WELL,I MEAN, LISTEN, LET'S GO BACK TO I THINK A COUPLE OF TIMES AGO WHEN I WAS ON THIS PROGRAM, WE WERE HEADING INTO A REDISTRICTING FIGHT.

AND THAT SAME REDISTRICTING FIGHT GOT MASKED UP BY THE DAY BEFORE THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ANNOUNCED THAT WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE GOING AFTER DISNEY AND ELIMINATING THE REEDY CREEK IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.

SO NO, THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION CLEARLY KNOWS WHAT IT IS DOING AND HOW IT WANTS TO EXECUTE ITS POLICY AND LISTEN, AND YOU CAN HAVE THE ARGUMENT OVER WHETHER IT'S GOOD POLICY OR BAD POLICY OR WHETHER IT'S POLITICALLY MOTIVATED.

AND THAT IS, I THINK, A FAIR AND HEARTY DISCUSSION THAT PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE AND PAY ATTENTION TO THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN DIFFERENT PLACES.

BUT CLEARLY, THEY'RE INTERESTED IN PURSUING POLICY AND PURSUING POLITICAL AT THE SAME TIME.

AND SOMETIMES THERE IS SOME OVERLAP BETWEEN THE TWO.

>>AND THEY WOULD CERTAINLY SAY THAT THESE ARE POPULAR POLICIES SUPPORTED BY THE MAJORITY OF FLORIDIANS.

SO I GUESS WE'LL SEE HOW FLORIDIANS VIEW THAT AT THE POLLS.

AND BE SURE TO JOIN THIS CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE'RE AT WUCFTV, ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND ALSO ON INSTAGRAM.

ALRIGHT, NEXT TONIGHT, THERE ARE CALLS FOR A FEDERAL PROBE INTO THE ROLE OF DARK MONEY IN FLORIDA POLITICS.

THE CALL FROM CONGRESSWOMAN KATHY CASTOR, A TAMPA DEMOCRAT, COMES AFTER A SERIES OF REPORTS ON SO-CALLED GHOST CANDIDATES AND THE USE OF VARIOUS SECRET TACTICS TO SWAY ELECTIONS AND INFLUENCE POLICY.

IN FLORIDA.

THE REPORTING FROM THE ORLANDO SENTINEL AND OTHER OUTLETS DIGS INTO THE WORK OF POLITICAL CONSULTANTS WHOSE CLIENTS HAVE INCLUDED MAJOR UTILITIES SUCH AS FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT.

BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT THE LATEST NEWS, I SPOKE THIS WEEK WITH ANNIE MARTIN, ONE OF THE LEAD REPORTERS ON THIS AT THE SENTINEL.

AND I ASKED HER TO TAKE US BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THIS STORY IN 2020.

>>THERE WERE INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES WHO FILED TO RUN IN THREE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE STATE SENATE RACES.

AND THESE CANDIDATES DID NOT CAMPAIGN FOR THE POSITIONS.

THEY DIDN'T DO INTERVIEWS WITH REPORTERS, WHICH IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL.

YET THEY WERE PROMOTED IN AN ADVERTISING BLITZ AS PROGRESSIVE ALTERNATIVES TO THE MAJOR PARTY CANDIDATES.

WE RECEIVED A BIG BATCH OF DOCUMENTS FROM AN ANONYMOUS SOURCE LATE LAST YEAR THAT SHOWED THAT THESE CONSULTANTS WHO WERE RUNNING THE DARK MONEY NONPROFIT THAT SENT OUT THE ADS PROMOTING THE GHOST CANDIDATES WERE WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH EXECUTIVES AT FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT AS CONSULTANTS DURING THE 2020 ELECTION AND IN THE YEARS PRIOR.

WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THE DOCUMENTS CAME FROM, BUT WE'VE CONFIRMED THAT THEY ARE AUTHENTIC AND THEY SHOW THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FP&L AND THESE CONSULTANTS.

FLORIDA POWER LIGHT, FOR ITS PART, TOLD US IN AN INTERVIEW IN JUNE THAT MATRIX HAD DONE GOOD WORK FOR THEM.

They had the consultants had done good work over the decade THAT THEY HAD WORKED WITH THEM.

THE FLORIDA POWER LIGHT CEO ERIC SILAGY SAID HE IS VERY ADAMANT THAT FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT DID NOT DIRECT THEM TO ENGAGE IN THESE ACTIVITIES AND DIDN'T HAVE ANY AWARENESS OF THEM WHILE THEY WERE GOING ON.

>>ANNIE MARTIN FROM THE ORLANDO SENTINEL.

JASON, YOU WORKED WITH ANNIE ON THAT EARLY REPORTING ON THE GHOST CANDIDATES IN THOSE STATE SENATE RACES THAT SHE MENTIONED.

BUT WE'RE STILL EVEN NOW, RIGHT, LEARNING MORE ABOUT FROM THE STATE ATTORNEYS INVESTIGATIONS INTO THESE ALLEGED EFFORTS.

WHAT'S THE MOST RECENT REPORTING SHOWN?

>>YEAH, THERE'S STILL REALLY DIGGING DEEPLY INTO THE MONEY TRAIL BECAUSE ULTIMATELY IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF OF $700,000 TO $1,000,000 WERE SPENT ON THIS.

AND WE'RE STILL TRYING TO TRACK DOWN WHERE EXACTLY THAT CAME FROM.

SO WHAT THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT SHOWS, THEY HAVE TRACED THIS MONEY FROM A NONPROFIT THAT WAS SET UP BY THESE CONSULTANTS TO FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT.

THAT MONEY CAME FROM A DIFFERENT NONPROFIT CONTROLLED BY A DIFFERENT BIG BUSINESS REPUBLICAN LOBBYIST CONSULTANT.

AND NOW THEY'VE TRACED IT BACK TO YET ANOTHER.

IT CAME FROM OR IT MAY I SHOULD STRESS THE TIMING IS UNCLEAR RIGHT NOW BUT THEY HAVE RELEASED RECORDS IT'S JUST THE MONEY MAY HAVE COME FROM YET ANOTHER NONPROFIT, THIS ONE CONTROLLED BY REPUBLICAN CONSULTANTS DEEPLY INVOLVED WITH RUNNING SENATE CAMPAIGNS FOR SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP.

SO IT'S YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS MONEY MAY HAVE PASSED THROUGH AT LEAST THREE CHAINS.

AND WE STILL DON'T KNOW THE ORIGINAL DONORS YET.

>>I MEAN, TAKE US INSIDE THE WORLD OF THESE DARK MONEY NONPROFITS.

I MEAN, THESE REPORTED ACTIVITIES ARE NOT JUST LIMITED TO GHOST CANDIDATES.

THAT ISSUE, RIGHT?

>>OH, YEAH.

YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

THIS HAS BECOME, YOU KNOW, IN ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND IN FLORIDA, AN ENORMOUS SOURCE OF CAMPAIGN FUNDING.

AND WHAT WHEN PEOPLE SAY DARK MONEY, USUALLY WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS A 501C FOR NONPROFIT.

THEY CALL THEM SOCIAL WELFARE OR WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS.

AND A DONOR LIKE A FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT WILL GIVE $1,000,000 TO A 501C4 AND THEN THE 501C4 WILL TURN AROUND AND MAKE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS.

AND IT DOES NOT AS A 501C4 SOCIAL WELFARE ORGANIZATION, IT DOES NOT ACTUALLY HAVE TO DISCLOSE WHO GAVE IT MONEY.

SO ALL YOU WILL EVER SEE IS, YOU KNOW, SOME CANDIDATE RUNNING FOR OFFICE GOT $1,000,000 FROM MOTHERS FOR MODERATION.

RIGHT?

AND YOU CAN'T EVER FIND OUT VIA PUBLIC RECORDS WHERE MOTHERS FOR MODERATION GOT ITS MONEY.

AND THAT'S WHAT A DARK MONEY GROUP IS.

>>CHRIS, USING DARK MONEY DOESN'T ALWAYS EQUATE TO ILLEGALITY.

RIGHT?

BUT IT DOES RAISE ETHICAL QUESTIONS.

AND WE SAW THAT MOST RECENTLY IN THE CASE OF A BAR IN TALLAHASSEE.

>>YEAH.

FP&L APPARENTLY IS A BAR IN TALLAHASSEE WHERE LOBBYISTS AND LAWMAKERS CAN GET TOGETHER FOR A DRINK.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S PRIVATE.

THEY KNOCK ON THE DOOR, A LITTLE SPEAKEASY TYPE THING.

I MEAN, THEY'VE GOT THAT.

THERE'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, FP&L'’’S CONNECTIONS TO AN ONLINE CONSERVATIVE NEWS OUTLET TO PUBLISH SPECIFIC STORIES AND GO AFTER SPECIFIC PEOPLE.

SOME OF THIS MONEY IS, YOU CAN TRACE IT ALL THE WAY BACK.

AND AS JASON SAID, SOME OF THIS MONEY GETS OUT THERE.

IT'S VERY FUNGIBLE.

IT MOVES FROM POT HERE TO POT HERE TO POT HERE.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU'RE LIKE, WAIT, HOLD ON.

WHERE'D THAT CASH COME FROM?

WHO KNOWS WHERE ELSE MOVING FORWARD?

WELL, WE HAVE THOSE OPEN RECORDS LAWS, RIGHT?

BUT WHY WOULD A LARGE COMPANIES SUCH AS A UTILITY WANT TO KEEP ITS DONATIONS SECRET OUT OF THE PUBLIC VIEW?

>>YEAH, THERE'S TWO MAIN REASONS WHEN WE'LL TALK IN THE IN TERMS OF MAKING CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS BECAUSE LIKE CHRIS WAS ALLUDING TO WE ALSO SEE THESE DARK MONEY GROUPS USED TO FUND A VARIETY OF REALLY SORT OF, YOU KNOW, LINE BLURRING ETHICAL ACTIVITIES LIKE SURVEILLING REPORTERS AND LEGISLATORS OR PAYING FOR, YOU KNOW, PRIVATE BARS AND THE LIKE.

BUT IN THE CONTEXT OF CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS, THERE ARE TWO MAIN REASONS WHERE YOU SEE THIS, PARTICULARLY THIS MONEY IS USED TO PLAY IN PRIMARIES.

SO, FOR INSTANCE, YOU SEE THIS A LOT ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE WHERE THERE MIGHT BE A PROGRESSIVE SORT OF DEMOCRAT THAT SUPPORTS, FOR INSTANCE, RAISING CORPORATE TAX RATES, RUNNING AGAINST A CENTRIST OR CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRAT WHO, YOU KNOW, WOULDN'T RAISE CORPORATE TAX RATES.

SO COMPANIES LIKE A FLORIDA POWER LIGHT OR LIKE A DISNEY WILL WANT TO GET MONEY TO THAT CENTRIST DEMOCRAT.

THAT'S WHO THEY WANT TO WIN.

BUT IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY, PARTICULARLY, VOTERS ARE SUPER SUSPICIOUS.

SO IF A CANDIDATE GETS $1,000,000 FROM FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT, THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY BACKFIRE ON THAT CANDIDATE.

SO THEY WANT TO GET THIS MONEY TO THESE CANDIDATES IN A WAY THAT VOTERS CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHO'S BEHIND THE OTHER PLACE YOU SEE IT IS PARTICULARLY IN COMPETITIVE RACES.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S A HANDFUL OF THE SEAT IS HEAVILY GERRYMANDERED, BUT THERE'S A HANDFUL OF COMPETITIVE RACES WHERE, YOU KNOW, A DEMOCRAT OR A REPUBLICAN, IT'S NOT CLEAR WHO'S GOING TO WIN.

AND SO FOR A LOT OF THESE THESE TRANSACTIONAL DONORS, PARTICULARLY A COMPANY LIKE FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT, WHOSE PROFITS ARE ULTIMATELY CONTROLLED BY THE STATE, IT WANTS TO COVER ITS BASES.

SO IT WANTS TO GET MONEY TO BOTH CANDIDATES, BUT IT DOESN'T WANT REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP TO KNOW THAT IT IS ALSO FUNDING THE DEMOCRAT BECAUSE THEY MIGHT FACE RETALIATION.

SO IT'S ABOUT HIDING THE MONEY FROM BOTH THE PEOPLE IN POWER AND FROM VOTERS.

>>I MEAN, THE FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT CASE, THAT COMPANY HAS STRENUOUSLY DENIED ANY WRONGDOING.

IT SORT OF SAID IT DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT SOME OF THE TACTICS OF THE CONSULTANTS THAT IT HAS HIRED, BUT HAS THIS TAKEN A TOLL ON THE COMPANY?

CERTAINLY IN TERMS OF ITS NAME?

I MEAN, ARE THERE ARE NOW CALLS FOR AN INVESTIGATION?

>>THERE ARE CALLS.

WE'LL SEE WHERE THAT GOES.

I MEAN, WE'RE REGULATED MONOPOLY IN THE STATE.

YOU GET YOUR POWER FROM DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LIVE.

IT IS DETERMINED WHEN YOU MOVE INTO YOUR HOUSE OR YOUR APARTMENT, YOUR ADDRESS DETERMINES WHO'S SELLING YOU POWER SO YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE.

IT'S NOT LIKE YOU CAN GET ANGRY AT FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT AND SWITCH TO DUKE TOMORROW.

YOU COULD MOVE, BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT.

SO NO.

AND SO WILL THERE BE AN INVESTIGATION?

PROBABLY NOT, ANY ONE WITH ANY REAL TEETH.

BUT YEAH, IT DOES AS IT MAY BE GIVEN A, YOU KNOW, BLACK EYE TO THEIR IMAGE.

SURE.

DOES IT HURT HOW MANY CUSTOMERS THEY HAVE AND HOW MUCH ELECTRICITY IS BEING USED?

NOT IN THE LEAST.

>>YOU KNOW, ALL THIS ATTENTION ON DARK MONEY, JASON, IS IT STILL HAPPENING IN CURRENT ELECTION CYCLES?

WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THESE GHOST CANDIDATES.

IS THIS STILL A TACTIC THAT IS USED ON A REGULAR BASIS?

>>OH, ABSOLUTELY.

AND I'LL JUST GIVE YOU I MEAN, DARK MONEY IS, IF ANYTHING, BECOMING MORE AND MORE COMMON.

I'LL GIVE YOU JUST ONE EXAMPLE THAT'S BEEN IN THE NEWS HERE IN ORLANDO RECENTLY.

THERE IS A GROUP LED BY REPUBLICAN CONSULTANTS THAT IS OUT THERE PAYING FOR ADS, TRYING TO HELP NIKKI FRIED WIN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY FOR GOVERNOR OVER CHARLIE CRIST.

RIGHT?

AGAIN, REPUBLICANS TRYING TO HELP FIGURE OUT TRYING TO HELP A DEMOCRAT THROUGH A DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.

AND THAT'S ALL HAPPENING THROUGH DARK AND GRAY MONEY CHANNELS.

>>AND WHAT ABOUT THE INFLUENCE OF DARK MONEY ON LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS?

AND HOW IS THE LEGISLATURE IN THE PAST RESPONDED TO THESE ALLEGATIONS ABOUT DARK MONEY?

>>WHAT YOU FIND IN THE PAST IS LEGISLATORS ARE VERY UPSET WHEN IT'S USED AGAINST THEM AND THERE'S A LOT OF PROMISES TO REFORM IT AT THAT POINT UNTIL THEY GET TO TALLAHASSEE AND THEN THEY BECOME PART OF THE SYSTEM.

AND THEN SUDDENLY IT DROPS OFF THE ISSUE, IT DROPS OFF THEIR RADAR AS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.

I'LL JUST GIVE YOU ONE QUICK EXAMPLE ABOUT THIS THE GUY WHO'S THE CHAIRMAN OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF FLORIDA RIGHT NOW, IT'S A GUY BY THE NAME OF JOE GRUTERS.

HE'S A STATE SENATOR FROM FLORIDA.

WHEN HE RAN FOR ELECTION, THERE WAS LIKE A HUGE DARK MONEY EFFORT TO STOP HIM FROM WINNING THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY.

AND HE SURVIVED IT.

HE WON IN SPITE OF THAT.

AND HE WAS COMMITTED TO THIS IDEA THAT WE NEED TO STOP THE ABILITY OF COMMITTEES TO PASS MONEY AROUND FROM EACH OTHER, THAT BASICALLY YOU CAN'T IF YOU'RE A POLITICAL COMMITTEE OR ONE OF THESE NONPROFITS, YOU CAN'T GIVE IT TO ANOTHER POLITICAL COMMITTEE TO SORT OF MUDDY THE WATER TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

THIS WAS SOMETHING JOE GRUTERS SPECIFICALLY CALLED FOR.

HE IS NOW, OF COURSE, MUCH MORE POWERFUL AND ENTRENCHED IN LEADERSHIP.

HE HAS NO INTEREST IN PURSUING THIS IDEA ANYMORE.

>>INTERESTING.

WELL, IT'S AN ISSUE THAT CERTAINLY, AS YOU SAY, IS ENTRENCHED IN FLORIDA POLITICS.

AND WE'LL KEEP AN EYE ON IT HERE ON NEWSNIGHT.

AND YOU CAN FIND LINKS TO THE ORLANDO SENTINEL AND FLOODLIGHTS REPORTING ON DARK MONEY, ALONG WITH A LINK TO JASON'S SUBSTACK AND PODCAST SEEKING RENTS ON OUR WEBSITE WUCF DOT ORG BUT THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

MY THANKS TO CHRISTOPHER HEATH AND JASON GARCIA.

THANKS FOR COMING IN, GUYS.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, TAKE CARE AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK.

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