Judge says DeSantis’ congressional map is unconstitutional, orders lawmakers to draw new one

A judge Saturday ruled that Gov. Ron DeSantis’ redrawn congressional districts in North Florida violate the state’s constitution and ordered the GOP-led Legislature to create a new map.

Judge J. Lee Marsh’s ruling is a rebuke to the governor, who previously vetoed the Legislature’s attempts to redraw Florida’s congressional maps and pushed lawmakers to approve his map that dismantled a North Florida seat formerly held by Rep. Al Lawson, a Black Democrat.

“Plaintiffs have shown that the Enacted Plan results in the diminishment of Black voters’ ability to elect their candidate of choice in violation of the Florida Constitution,” Marsh wrote in his ruling.

The section violated is commonly referred to as the Fair Districts Amendment, which states that lawmakers can’t redraw congressional districts that “diminish” minority voters’ ability to elect someone of their choice.

The congressional map pushed by DeSantis broke up Lawson’s district, which linked Black neighborhoods and towns stretching from just west of Tallahassee to Jacksonville. Lawson, who lost election last year, previously said he would consider running for his old seat if lawmakers reinstate it to a similar configuration as when he held it.

Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd, in a text message, said that he disagrees with the decision and that the state will appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court.

The case stems from a lawsuit brought by various groups, including Black Voters Matter, Equal Ground, Florida Rising and the League of Women Voters of Florida. The groups sued over the new maps in April 2022, after DeSantis signed the new congressional maps into law.

“This is a significant victory in the fight for fair representation for Black Floridians. As a result, the current discriminatory map should be replaced with a map that restores the Fifth Congressional District in a manner that gives Black voters the opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice,” said Olivia Mendoza, director of litigation and policy for the National Redistricting Foundation, which initiated the lawsuit.

She added in her statement that DeSantis “pushed for the discriminatory map that targeted Black voters with precision.”

Florida gained one congressional seat in 2022 due to population growth for a total of 28 districts. The Republican-controlled Legislature last year enacted congressional maps that would have benefited Republicans in 16 of those districts.

But DeSantis vetoed those maps and instead convinced the Legislature to enact his, which paved the way for Republicans to win 20 out of 28 seats. Some Republicans credited DeSantis with helping the GOP win a slim majority in the House.

DeSantis had argued that Lawson’s old district violated the U.S. Constitution’s equal protection clause, though the U.S. Supreme Court recently sided with Black voters and struck down Alabama’s congressional maps after the high court determined it likely violated the Voting Rights Act.

In a statement, Lawson said that he’s happy with the judge’s ruling but that it’s still too early for him to say what he’ll do next.

“My only goal right now is to ensure that fair representation is returned to the people of North Florida,” he said.

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In hurricane-torn Florida, Biden urges Congress to shore up emergency funding

Speaking from one of Florida’s regions hardest hit by Hurricane Idalia, President Joe Biden called on Congress to quickly boost FEMA’s disaster fund budget that a series of natural disasters across the country has depleted.

“Every American rightly expects FEMA to show up when they are needed to help in a disaster,” Biden said in Live Oak on Saturday. “I’m calling on the United States Congress, Democrats and Republicans, to ensure the funding is there to deal with the immediate crises, as well as our long-term commitments to the safety and security of the American people.”

On Friday, the White House announced that it had asked Congress to approve $4 billion in emergency disaster aid, which adds to a $12 billion request made last month. But that funding request could face significant hurdles amid a larger congressional spending fight this fall.

FEMA currently has around $3.4 billion left in its emergency disaster fund, and its dwindling balance is forcing the federal government to restrict its usage to life-threatening emergencies. That stipulation limits the agency from helping bankroll projects that aim to rebuild infrastructure that disasters have damaged in recent years.

After a wildfire destroyed parts of Maui and storms that have hit communities on both coasts in the past month, Biden has sought to show that his administration has responded to the crises in full force. The federal government’s shrinking disaster fund could impair those efforts if further disasters come.

FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell, who has become a face of the Biden administration’s response to natural disasters, has also pressed for Congress to boost funding.

"I want to stress that while immediate needs funding will ensure we can continue to respond to disasters, it is not a permanent solution,” Criswell said at a press briefing this week. “Congress must work with us on the supplemental request that the administration has made on behalf of FEMA.”

As he made remarks from Florida, flanked by state and local officials, Biden made an effort to characterize FEMA’s funding as a non-partisan issue. Gov. Ron DeSantis, notably, did not meet with Biden as he surveyed the hurricane’s damage in Florida on Saturday.

“Senator Rick Scott, who was with me today, I want to thank him for his cooperation, his help,” Biden said. “He shares the view I do about FEMA, they’re doing an incredible job. But the work, in a sense, is just beginning. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”

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Biden and DeSantis: A show of unity that wasn’t

LIVE OAK, Fla. — Joe Biden’s trip to Florida on Saturday to survey the damage caused by Hurricane Idalia presented an opportunity for a Democratic president and a prominent GOP presidential candidate to project unity amid a crisis.

It didn’t happen.

Up until Friday afternoon, it was widely expected 2024 political rivals Biden and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis would appear together as they have before during times of crisis, including after the deadly Surfside condo collapse in 2021 and last year when Hurricane Ian demolished seaside communities along Florida’s gulf coast. But Friday evening, DeSantis’ office surprised the White House when it announced the Republican had no plans to meet with the president, citing “security preparations” that would disrupt recovery efforts.

As Biden left Washington on Saturday morning, the president briefly confirmed he didn’t expect to meet with DeSantis, adding, “We are going to take care of Florida.”

Biden and the first lady were in Live Oak, Fla., Saturday afternoon, where they received an aerial tour of communities struck by the storm and participated in a briefing with federal personnel, local officials and first responders. Biden then toured the Live Oak community and met with residents who were impacted by Hurricane Idalia, a devastating storm that struck Florida earlier this week and left more than 6,000 homes damaged and at least one person dead.

DeSantis didn’t hold a public presser Saturday, though in the days leading up to the hurricane and in its aftermath, the governor held public briefings, sometimes multiple a day, to provide updates on the storm and recovery efforts. His office said around noon the governor was leaving Keaton Beach, near where the storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane, and later stated that DeSantis also helped distribute meals in Horseshoe Beach, a small community in Dixie County on the Gulf Coast.

The governor’s office Saturday did not provide further details on why he skipped the meeting with Biden.

White House press secretary Karine Jean Pierre told reporters on Air Force One that Biden had informed DeSantis of his trip during a phone call Thursday and that the governor did not give any indication that he wouldn’t meet with the president.

“We’re going to let the governor speak for himself. Of course he is welcomed. Of course he is welcomed to be with the president today,” Jean Pierre said. “Our focus, and we’ve said this — you’ve heard the president say this — this is not about politics. It doesn’t matter if it’s a red state or a blue state, the president’s going to show up and be there for the community.”

White House officials on Saturday reiterated that the trip was planned in close coordination with FEMA and state and local leaders to avoid impact on ongoing response operations. The president was accompanied by Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The location of Biden’s visit was mutually agreed upon by both the White House and the governor’s office, Criswell said, adding that DeSantis did not tell the FEMA administrator that he wouldn’t be meeting with Biden before his office went public with a statement. She said that she understands ongoing concerns about some of the rural coastal areas she visited with DeSantis on Thursday that still have limited access but that both sides agreed the president could visit Live Oak due to “limited impact.”

“They’re well on their way to the road to recovery,” Criswell said.

While the governor was a no-show Saturday, Florida GOP Sen. Rick Scott, who has long sniped with DeSantis, attended the briefing in Live Oak, donning an embroidered “45” hat. Scott posted on social media Friday night that he would be with the president in Suwannee County during the visit, where he planned to push Biden to approve his disaster relief legislation.

Saturday would have been Biden and DeSantis’ first event together since the Florida governor announced he was running for president.

The two leaders have repeatedly clashed on a number of issues, with DeSantis railing against Biden’s policies on immigration, the pandemic, LGBTQ issues and the economy. While Biden doesn’t shy away from criticizing DeSantis, in recent months Vice President Kamala Harris has also taken a more public role in attacking the governor, skewering DeSantis over Florida’s 6-week abortion ban and blasting him after he defended the state’s new Black history standards.

Both leaders could potentially have gained from a show of bipartisanship. Biden, who makes empathy a centerpiece of his political persona, could have reminded voters he’s willing to work across the aisle during a crisis. In red-tilting Florida, showing up also gives the president an opportunity to excite state Democrats, who are struggling to gain political power in a key battleground state.

For DeSantis, who built a reputation clashing with opponents, striking a bipartisan chord Saturday could have allowed him to again show the nation that he can get things done during a natural disaster — even with political adversaries.

Kimberly Leonard contributed to this report.

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‘A poet of paradise’: Presidents, pols pay tribute to Jimmy Buffett

Politicians poured one out Saturday for Jimmy Buffett, the bard of “boats, beaches, bars and ballads,” who passed away Friday night at 76.

President Joe Biden released a statement paying tribute to the “Margaritaville” singer, saying he and the first lady “had the honor to meet and get to know Jimmy.”

“A poet of paradise, Jimmy Buffett was an American music icon who inspired generations to step back and find the joy in life and in one another,” Biden wrote. “His witty, wistful songs celebrate a uniquely American cast of characters and seaside folkways, weaving together an unforgettable musical mix of country, folk, rock, pop, and calypso into something uniquely his own.”

Both Bill and Hillary Clinton expressed their condolences, with the 2016 Democratic nominee writing “Fair winds and following seas, dear Jimmy.”

“Jimmy Buffett’s music brought happiness to millions of people,” former President Bill Clinton wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “I’ll always be grateful for his kindness, generosity, and great performances through the years, including at the White House in 2000. My thoughts are with his family, friends, and legion of devoted fans.”

Florida Democratic Chair Nikki Fried also took to X to remember Buffett, who popularized and built a commercial empire around the Key West lifestyle.

“Jimmy Buffett was an icon,” Fried wrote. “He inspired generations to laugh and enjoy life. He brought communities together through his music. He was a fierce advocate for cannabis legalization, the torch has been passed. Fins Up!”

“Jimmy Buffett was a legendary musician who lived his life knowing it was always 5:00 somewhere,” Texas Rep. Ted Cruz wrote on X. “Rest in peace to this American icon who brought happiness to so many.”

Former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake wrote: “Thank you for bringing so much happiness to this world. Rest in Paradise, Jimmy Buffett.”

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Russia declares Nobel Prize-winning journalist 'foreign agent'

Putin's own spokesman had previously admitted Dmitry Muratov "works according to his own values."

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DeSantis will not meet with Biden in Florida on Saturday

Ron DeSantis will not meet Joe Biden on Saturday when the president comes to Florida to survey damage from Hurricane Idalia, the governor's administration said Friday.

The governor’s office, in a statement, said the visit will disrupt recovery efforts.

“We don’t have any plans for the Governor to meet with the President tomorrow,” said Jeremy Redfern, DeSantis’ spokesperson, in a statement. “In these rural communities, and so soon after impact, the security preparations alone that would go into setting up such a meeting would shut down ongoing recovery efforts.”

The two rivals and political enemies were expected to meet on Saturday to jointly survey damage from Hurricane Idalia, a devastating storm that struck Florida earlier this week and left more than 6,000 homes damaged and at least one person dead.

DeSantis and Biden previously appeared together and projected unity after almost 100 people were killed in a terrifying condo collapse north of Miami Beach in 2021, and they worked together last year after Hurricane Ian demolished seaside communities along Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Senior White House officials said recently it was important for the president to speak with DeSantis after a 21-year-old white man killed three Black Floridians in a racially motivated Jacksonville shooting last week and, again, in the aftermath of the latest hurricane so Biden could offer federal support.

Yet in a sign of how quickly the trip was put together, Florida GOP Sen. Rick Scott was still waiting on details on Biden’s visit less than 24 hours before the trip.

The White House did not immediately respond to request for comment.

DeSantis, during a Friday morning press conference, also said he warned Biden by phone that Saturday’s trip could be “very disruptive” to some of the hardest hit communities because the White House’s “whole security apparatus” could congest roadways in the rural areas.

The hurricane made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday near Keaton Beach on the Gulf Coast. The area is one of the most rural regions in Florida far away from major cities.

Biden and DeSantis signaled a willingness to put aside politics before Saturday’s visit. On Thursday, Biden joked that he’s spoken so frequently with DeSantis about the storm response that “there should be a direct dial, the two of us — Gov. DeSantis and I.” Biden also approved a major disaster declaration for Florida and sent Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to the state Thursday.

“I think [DeSantis] trusts my judgment and my desire to help, and I trust him to be able to suggest that this is not about politics, this is about taking care of the people of his state,” Biden said earlier this week.

For his part, DeSantis said this week that helping people affected by Idalia is a top priority. “That has got to triumph over any type of short-term political calculation or any type of positioning,” he said. He also toured damaged areas with Criswell.

DeSantis frequently rails against Biden’s policies on immigration, LGBTQ issues, the economy and pandemic policies. He has sued the administration numerous times, including over border policies, university accreditation and for failing to approve a measure that would allow Florida to import cheaper prescription drugs from Canada.

On the Republican presidential debate stage on Aug. 23, the governor portrayed Biden as a useless leader relegated to his basement. He called out the president for what he said was an insufficient, tone-deaf response to the Maui wildfires.

"As somebody that's handled disasters in Florida, you've got to be activated,” he said. “You've got to be there. You've got to be present.”

Biden and his administration also doesn’t shy away from criticizing DeSantis. In recent months, Vice President Kamala Harris has taken a more public role in attacking the governor. Harris skewered DeSantis over Florida’s 6-week abortion ban — which the governor signed into law — and criticized him after he defended a middle-school curriculum that would instruct students that “slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.”

Speaking in Orlando at the African Methodist Episcopal church in August, Harris said “there is no roundtable, no lecture, no invitation we will accept to debate an undeniable fact: There were no redeeming qualities of slavery.”

Adam Cancryn contributed to this story.

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Schumer moves to split House and Senate Republicans ahead of potential shutdown

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he'd blame House Republicans for any government shutdown if they fail to pass spending legislation by the end of the month.

In a “Dear Colleague” letter sent Friday morning, Schumer sought to drive a wedge between House and Senate Republicans — offering praise for both Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and ranking Republican Susan Collins (R-Maine), a lawmaker with whom Schumer is often at loggerheads.

“We cannot afford the brinkmanship or hostage-taking we saw from House Republicans earlier this year when they pushed our country to the brink of default to appease the most extreme members of their party,” Schumer wrote.

The chamber passed all 12 appropriations bills out of committee on a bipartisan basis, he boasts. That drew an implicit contrast to the House, where Speaker Kevin McCarthy has broken faith on his spending caps deal with President Joe Biden, and is instead pushing partisan proposals that don’t have a prayer of becoming law.

“The only way to avoid a shutdown is through bipartisanship, so I have urged House Republican leadership to follow the Senate’s lead and pass bipartisan appropriations bills,” the majority leader continued.

Schumer’s letter comes just a day after Minority Leader Mitch McConnell underscored the need for bipartisanship to keep the government open in a Kentucky speech that was quickly overshadowed by the Republican’s health scare.

“The speaker and the president reached an agreement, which I supported, in connection with raising the debt ceiling, to set the spending levels for next year,” McConnell said. “The House then turned around and passed spending levels that were below that level. … [T]hat’s not going to be replicated in the Senate.”

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