>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, VACCINE ACCESS OPENS TO ALL RESIDENTS 16 AND OVER AS VARIANT CASES CLIMB IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINES SAYS IT WILL REQUIRE ALL PASSENGERS TO BE VACCINATED FOR COVID-19 DESPITE OPPOSITION TO VACCINE PASSPORTS FROM FLORIDA'S GOVERNOR.

AND WE'LL CHECK IN ON THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN TALLAHASSEE.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO.

I'M STEVE MORT.

WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT.

WE'RE I'M VERY GLAD TO SAY WE HAVE MY COLLEAGUE NANCY ALVAREZ BACK WITH US IN THE STUDIO FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN A YEAR.

NANCY BOY, WHAT A YEAR IT'S BEEN?

>>WHAT A YEAR, STEVE.

I WAS IN THE GARAGE OF MY HOUSE BROADCASTING FROM THERE FOR THE LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.

AND THEN I'VE BEEN GONE FOR THE LAST MONTH FROM THE SHOW BECAUSE OF SOME HEALTH NEWS THAT I WANTED TO PASS ALONG.

AND IT'S REALLY SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

IT IS ABOUT ME, BUT REALLY I WANT TO MAKE IT MOSTLY ABOUT YOU, OUR VIEWERS.

WE'RE GOING TO BE PASSING ALONG A LINK FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO SCHEDULE A MAMMOGRAM.

AND I'M SHARING THIS BECAUSE DURING MY ANNUAL MAMMOGRAM IN FEBRUARY, DOCTORS NOTICED A LUMP IN MY RIGHT BREAST.

THAT LUMP TURNED OUT TO BE CANCER.

IT WAS STAGE ONE AND IT WAS CURABLE AND MANAGEABLE BECAUSE I HAD MY MAMMOGRAM ON SCHEDULE LIKE I WAS SUPPOSED TO.

NOW I DO NOT HAVE A FAMILY HISTORY.

I DID NOT FEEL A LUMP OR FEEL ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY.

I HAVE BEEN TOLD MULTIPLE TIMES MY MAMMOGRAM SAVED MY LIFE, BUT REALLY IT WAS ALL THE WOMEN WHO CAME BEFORE ME, SURVIVORS I'VE DONE STORIES ON, FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS WHO'VE BATTLED CANCER, WHO MOTIVATED ME TO MAKE THAT APPOINTMENT EVERY YEAR.

SO REALLY I'M SHARING THIS TO PAY IT FORWARD.

IF YOU'RE WATCHING THIS TONIGHT, PLEASE ACT.

IF YOU PUT OFF GETTING A MAMMOGRAM OR ANY NEEDED CANCER SCREENING BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC OR BECAUSE YOU'RE BUSY OR UNINSURED, PLEASE MAKE THAT APPOINTMENT.

DOING THAT SAVED MY LIFE AND REALLY IT COULD SAVE YOURS AS WELL.

SO I JUST WANTED TO PASS THAT ALONG.

>>JUST REALLY IMPORTANT INFORMATION, NANCY.

IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION ON WHERE YOU CAN GET A MAMMOGRAM NEAR YOU, HEAD ON OVER TO FREEMAMMOGRAMS.ORG AND CLICK ON FLORIDA.

OKAY, WELL, LET'S BRING IN OUR PANEL FOR THIS WEEK.

JOINING US, KARLA RAY OF WFTV, CHANNEL 9 AND STEVE LEMONGELLO OF THE ORLANDO SENTINEL.

HE COVERS POLITICS FOR THE SENTINEL.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

WELL, GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS RECEIVED THE ONE SHOT JOHNSON AND JOHNSON VACCINE LAST WEEK, ACCORDING TO HIS OFFICE, NOT ON CAMERA THOUGH.

THIS WEEK, PRESIDENT BIDEN ANNOUNCED EVERY AMERICAN ADULT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR VACCINATION BY APRIL 19TH.

FLORIDA, OF COURSE HIT THAT GOAL TWO WEEKS EARLY, OPENING UP ELIGIBILITY ON MONDAY TO ANYONE 16 AND OLDER.

>>LONG LINES AT THE FEMA VACCINATION SITE AT VALENCIA'S WEST CAMPUS THIS WEEK, THE LOCATIONS NOW ADMINISTERING THOUSANDS OF JOHNSON AND JOHNSON'S ONE SHOT VACCINE DOSES A DAY AS EFFORTS ARE STEPPED UP TO VACCINATE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE IN THE SHORTEST TIME POSSIBLE.

BUT AS THE PACE OF VACCINATIONS INCREASES THE ISSUE OF COVID VARIANTS LOOMS LARGE.

THE UK VARIANT KNOWN AS B117 IS NOW BELIEVED TO BE THE DOMINANT STRAIN, BUT THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN ORANGE COUNTIES CONFIRMED CASES OF SEVERAL OTHER VARIANTS, INCLUDING THOSE FIRST IDENTIFIED IN BRAZIL, CALIFORNIA, AND SOUTH AFRICA.

>>YOU ALWAYS ASK, SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED?

SO I WOULDN'T BE HERE IF I WASN'T CONCERNED, BUT CONCERN ISN'T PANIC.

>>WHILE TRIALS HAVE SHOWN SOME VACCINES PROVIDE GOOD PROTECTION AGAINST VARIANTS, EPIDEMIOLOGISTS SAY THEIR EMERGENCE INCREASES THE IMPORTANCE OF REDUCING THE NUMBER OF UNVACCINATED PEOPLE IN ORDER TO REACH HERD IMMUNITY AND PREVENT FURTHER MUTATIONS.

>>EVENTUALLY THERE MAY BE SOME MUTATIONS THAT ARE ABLE TO EVADE OUR CONTROL MEASURES.

AND SO THIS IS WHY IT'S SO CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW WHILE WE HAVE REALLY GOOD AND EFFECTIVE VACCINES THAT WOULD CONTINUE THE PANDEMIC PRECAUTIONS TO CONTAIN THE SPREAD AND TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF NEW INFECTIONS >>IN CENTRAL FLORIDA COLLEGES HAVE BEGUN VACCINATING STUDENTS.

UCF THIS WEEK STARTED ADMINISTERING 6,000 DOSES OF THE PFIZER VACCINE.

>>SO KARLA, WE SAW IN OUR STORY THERE LONG LINES FOR VACCINES THIS WEEK AT THE FEMA SITE THAT'S OFFERING THE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON SHOT.

SO THERE REALLY SEEMS TO BE SIGNIFICANT DEMAND NOW THAT ACCESS HAS OPENED UP TO THE 16 AND UP CROWD.

>>YEAH, THE DEMAND WAS CERTAINLY HIGH ESPECIALLY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEK WHEN THAT NEW ELIGIBILITY OPENED UP TO EVERYONE, ALL ADULTS AND THEN THE 16 AND UP FOR PFIZER.

BUT THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, WE DID SORT OF SEE AN EB AND FLOW.

BY MIDWEEK, THERE WERE SOME SITES THAT WERE PUTTING OUT THE CALL SAYING, "COME, NOW WE HAVE DOSES.

WE DON'T HAVE A LINE."

SO IT'S BEEN REALLY INTERESTING AND IF YOU DRILL DOWN COUNTY BY COUNTY, THERE IS STILL SOME DISPARITIES THERE LOOKING AT SOME OF OUR SMALLER COUNTIES, OSCEOLA, SEMINOLE COUNTY, THEY JUST NOT ARE GETTING THE DOSES THAT WE'RE SEEING IN ORANGE COUNTY, ESPECIALLY AT THE FEMA SITES.

SO I THINK IT DEPENDS WHERE YOU LOOK, BUT CERTAINLY THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GET A VACCINE HAVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SO NOW.

>>YEAH, WE SWITCH IT OVER TO STEVE NOW.

AND STEVE WE TALKED LAST WEEK ABOUT GOVERNOR DESANTIS' OPPOSITION TO VACCINE PASSPORTS.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE.

COULD NORWEGIAN'S ANNOUNCEMENT NOW THAT IT WILL REQUIRE PASSENGERS TO BE VACCINATED, RUN INTO CONFLICT WITH THE STATE.

AND COULD WE SEE OTHER COMPANIES MAKING THE SAME MOVE HERE?

>>YEAH.

IT'S GOING TO BE VERY TRICKY FOR GOVERNOR DESANTIS HIM PUTTING OUT THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER BANNING VACCINE PASSPORTS.

ESSENTIALLY THOUGH THE ORDER IS JUST, IT REALLY DOESN'T HAVE THE POWER OF LAW EXCEPT IF IT SAYS, "WELL, IF YOU DO VACCINE PASSPORTS AND IF YOU HAVE A GRANT WITH THE STATE, THEN YOU WON'T HAVE TO HAVE THAT GRANT ANYMORE."

SO IT'S SORT OF WEAK AS IT IS, UNLESS THE LEGISLATURE MOVES FORWARD WITH A BAN.

AND LIKE YOU SAID, NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINES IS STARTING TO REQUIRE VACCINATION PASSPORTS.

THE NBA INCLUDING THE MIAMI HEATS AND POSSIBLY THE MAGIC, THEY'RE GOING TO BE HAVING SOME SORT OF A VACCINATION PASSPORT THING.

THEY'LL GET YOU INTO SORT OF A PREMIERE LEVEL DOWN BY THE COURTS.

IT'S STILL UNCLEAR WHAT DISNEY IN THE PARKS ARE GOING TO DO.

THAT'S ANOTHER MAJOR MAJOR THING.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE VERY QUESTIONABLE, HOW MUCH IMPACT HIS BAN IS GOING TO HAVE.

>>IT'D BE VERY INTERESTING TO WATCH FOR SURE.

AND OF COURSE WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE VARIANTS.

THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH EPIDEMIOLOGIST, ALVINA CHU SAID THIS WEEK CASES OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN VARIANT HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED IN ORANGE COUNTY.

SO THAT'S PROBABLY CONCERNING TO HEALTH OFFICIALS, KARLA.

AND LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THIS COULD MEAN GOING FORWARD.

>>YEAH.

I THINK THE VARIANTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SORT OF THE WILD CARD HERE AND THE THING THAT IS MOST CONCERNING TO ALL THE DOCTORS THAT WE TALK TO AND WE INTERVIEW.

AND FLORIDA HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN AMONG THE LEADING STATES FOR THE NUMBER OF THESE TYPES OF VARIANTS.

AND I THINK THAT THAT IS THE UNDERLYING MESSAGE IN THE PUSH TO GET THE VACCINE OUT TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T KNOW HOW THESE VARIANTS WILL SPREAD BECAUSE THEY ARE SORT OF THE NEW FACTOR IN THIS PANDEMIC.

SO CERTAINLY THE SYMPTOMS COULD BE WORSE AND WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE DEADLIER VARIANTS OF THIS DISEASE.

SO THAT'S THE MESSAGE FROM HEALTH OFFICIALS.

>>YEAH.

STEVE, LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT A 60 MINUTES DOCUMENTARY THAT WE HAD THIS WEEK.

60 MINUTES HAS GOT A LOT OF PUSHBACK OVER ITS REPORT LAST SUNDAY, WHICH ACCUSED GOVERNOR DESANTIS OF FUNNELING COVID VACCINES TO WEALTHY ENCLAVES AND OF COURSE PRIORITIZING DONORS AS WELL.

IT'S A STORY WE'VE FOLLOWED IN RECENT MONTHS HERE ON THE SHOW.

WHY IS THIS 60 MINUTES REPORT IN PARTICULAR DO YOU THINK RECEIVE SUCH A BACKLASH AND COULD IT BOLSTER THE GOVERNOR?

I'VE SEEN SOME TALK OF THAT.

>>SURE.

YEAH, DESANTIS HAS SPENT THE LAST THREE DAYS, INCLUDING THE ENTIRE PRESS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY PUSHING BACK ON THE 60 MINUTES THING.

YOU MENTIONED THE CRITICISM THAT HE'S GOTTEN OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS HERE IN FLORIDA ABOUT THESE WEALTHY ENCLAVES GETTING IT, WHERE THE DEVELOPER WAS A DONOR.

HE SORT OF REALLY IGNORED THAT PART AND JUST SORT OF FOCUSED ON THE ACCUSATIONS ABOUT WHETHER THE PUBLIC'S GOT PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT FOR A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS DONATION TO HIS CAMPAIGN.

NOW HE SAYS THAT THAT'S NOT TRUE.

HE SORT OF JUMPED ON SORT OF THE FACT THAT 60 MINUTES SEEMS TO HAVE NOT MENTIONED WALGREENS AND CVS.

SO HE'S TRYING TO PUSH BACK VERY VERY HARD.

HE KNOWS THIS COULD BE DAMAGING AND IT'S QUITE POSSIBLY RIGHT THAT HE MIGHT USE THIS AS A WAY OF GETTING SUPPORT TO SAY, "LOOK, MEDIA IS AGAINST ME AGAIN."

>>YEAH.

AND JUST TO REMIND YOU, YOU CAN JOIN THIS CONVERSATION AS WELL ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE'RE ON WUCF TV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM.

>>ALL RIGHT, NEXT TONIGHT, A CHECK IN ON THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN TALLAHASSEE.

I SAT DOWN THIS WEEK WITH UCF POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR AUBREY JEWETT TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE BILLS BEING CONSIDERED BY LAWMAKERS.

WE STARTED BY TALKING ABOUT HB 1, WHICH INCREASES PENALTIES FOR VIOLENT PROTESTORS.

REPUBLICANS SAY THE SO-CALLED ANTI-RIOT BILL AIMED AT PREVENTING PUBLIC DISORDER WHILE PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF PEACEFUL PROTESTORS.

>>THEY WOULD SAY, "IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT PROTESTING, IT'S ABOUT THE RIOTING."

OF COURSE, WHAT THE CRITICS POINT OUT IS THAT MOST OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE ILLEGAL ALREADY ILLEGAL.

YOU CAN'T RIOT IT.

THAT'S ILLEGAL.

A PEACEFUL PROTEST IS LEGAL, BUT RIOTING, VIOLENCE, PROPERTY DESTRUCTION, THOSE THINGS ALREADY ILLEGAL.

THEY ALREADY HAVE LAWS AGAINST THEM.

AND PARTICULARLY SAY, CIVIL LIBERTIES GROUPS ARE CONCERNED THAT IF SOMETHING LIKE THIS PASSES, IT MAY HAVE A CHILLING EFFECT ON PEOPLE EXERCISING THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO PEACEFULLY PROTEST, BECAUSE THERE'LL BE WORRIED THAT A FEW INSTIGATORS MIGHT DO SOMETHING AND THEN ALL OF THEM WILL END UP GETTING THE ARRESTED.

>>THE GEORGIA GOVERNOR, BRIAN KEMP SIGNED A BILL WITH A RANGE OF VOTING RESTRICTIONS RECENTLY.

FLORIDA LEGISLATORS LOOKING TO DO THE SAME WITH A SERIES OF BILLS THAT WOULD BAN GROUP SAY FROM GIVING WATER TO PEOPLE STANDING IN LINE ALSO CHANGE MAIL-IN VOTING RULES TO INCLUDE CHANGES TO REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS AND ELIMINATING DROP BOXES, WHICH WERE VERY POPULAR IN THE LAST ELECTION HERE IN FLORIDA.

HERE'S A CLIP OF SENATOR BAXLEY WHO'S BEHIND THE BILL THAT TACKLES MAIL-IN VOTING.

TAKE A LISTEN.

>>WE HAD A GREAT ELECTION.

IT WAS VERY SMOOTH, BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO MOVE IN FLORIDA.

WE'RE VERY MOBILE STATE AND I SEE PEOPLE MOVE SOMETIMES THREE OR FOUR TIMES IN A YEAR EVEN.

AND SO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT LOSING THESE LIVE BALLOTS AND LOSING CONNECTION WITH IT, WE REASSERT EACH YEAR THAT THAT'S THE WAY YOU WANT TO VOTE.

>>WHAT ARE THE DEMOCRATS SAYING ABOUT THESE REFORM EFFORTS HERE IN FLORIDA?

>>WELL, I THINK FOR MOST DEMOCRATS, THEY LOOK AT THIS AT BEST AS LEGISLATION THAT'S UNNEEDED.

WE JUST HAD AN ELECTION THAT BY ALL ACCOUNTS, EVERYBODY INVOLVED SAID WAS ONE OF THE BEST ELECTIONS THAT FLORIDA EVER HAD IN TERMS OF ELECTION ADMINISTRATION, BEING SMOOTH, LACK OF FRAUD, PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO TURN OUT AND VOTE, ET CETERA.

SO UNDER THE BEST OF CIRCUMSTANCES TO SAY IT'S UNNEEDED, BUT UNDER THE WORST OF CIRCUMSTANCES, THEY SAY, "LOOK, THIS IS A NOT SO VEILED ATTEMPT TO CRACK DOWN ON VOTING IN THE MINORITY COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR AND JUST GENERALLY PEOPLE WHO MORE SUPPORT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

>>THE GOVERNOR HAS PUT FORWARD A PRETTY AMBITIOUS BUDGET.

THE ECONOMY IS DOING BETTER THAN INITIAL PREDICTIONS HAD CALLED FOR.

IS THE GOVERNOR LIKELY TO GET WHAT HE WANTS.

HE WANTS A BILLION, FOR EXAMPLE FOR A RESILIENT FLORIDA PROJECT.

IS HE GOING TO GET WHAT'S ON HIS WISHLIST DO YOU THINK?

>>I THINK THE GOVERNOR WILL GET QUITE A BIT OF WHAT HE IS PUSHING FOR.

AND MAINLY IRONICALLY IT WILL BE BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT ARE POURING IN TO THE STATE, WHICH AGAIN, A LOT OF REPUBLICANS DIDN'T VOTE FOR THAT STIMULUS BILL.

ONE OF OUR US SENATORS, SENATOR SCOTT SUGGESTED THAT FLORIDA AND OTHER STATES AND REPUBLICAN STATES NOT EVEN TAKE THAT STIMULUS MONEY, BUT THE FACT REMAINS, WE ARE GOING TO GET MULTI BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INTO THE FLORIDA BUDGET, THE BIG DRACONIAN CUTS THAT PEOPLE WERE FEARING A YEAR AGO DON'T LOOK LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO MATERIALIZE.

AND IT DOES ALLOW THE GOVERNOR TO HAVE A MUCH MORE AMBITIOUS AGENDA FOR SPENDING THAN HE OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO.

>>ALL RIGHT.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT HB 1.

THIS HAS BEEN A PRIORITY FOR THE GOVERNOR, STEVE, SINCE THE BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTEST.

IT'S PASSED THE HOUSE, BUT IS IT LIKELY TO SURVIVE IN THE SENATE IN ITS CURRENT FORM?

>>YEAH.

SO THE SENATE HAS ALWAYS SORT OF ACTED AS SORT OF A WAY OF COOLING THE STUFF THAT COMES FROM THE HOUSE OVER THE LAST 20 OR SO YEARS.

IT'S STOPPED BEING THE CASE A LOT TO THE LAST FEW YEARS, AS PEOPLE FROM THE HOUSE HAVE MOVED INTO THE SENATE AND THEY'VE JUST BEEN A SORT OF VERY VERY CONSERVATIVE, BUT IT WAS A SORT OF TIED IN THE COMMITTEE, BUT IT WAS SORT OF MOVED TO THE FLOOR DIRECTLY BY THE SENATE PRESIDENT, BUT IT'S STILL UNCLEAR.

THIS IS A VERY VERY CONTROVERSIAL BILL.

LIKE THE PACKAGE SAID, IT WOULD ESSENTIALLY CRIMINALIZE EVEN ON TOP ESSENTIALLY IT WOULD TAKE PEACEFUL PROTESTS.

IF ONE OR TWO PEOPLE JUST BRANCH OUT AND DO SOMETHING ILLEGAL BREAK A WINDOW OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, EVERYONE INVOLVED IN PROTESTS COULD BE PART OF THIS ESSENTIALLY A CRIME NOW BECAUSE OF THIS BILL.

SO IT'S VERY VERY CONTROVERSIAL AND IT SORT OF REMAINS TO BE SEEN IF IN FACT, THE SENATE WILL ACT AS SORT OF LIKE THE COOLING MECHANISM THAT IT HAS IN THE PAST.

>>SO WE ALSO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE UNEMPLOYMENT SYSTEM, WHAT A SOURCE OF STRESS FOR PEOPLE DURING THE PANDEMIC, KARLA, AND YOU COVERED A LOT OF IT.

WE DID AT CHANNEL 9.

THERE ARE A SERIES OF BILLS, INCLUDING ONE THAT WOULD OVERHAUL THE CONNECT WEBSITE AND OTHERS THAT WOULD INCREASE BENEFITS.

WHAT DO LAWMAKERS WANT?

>>AND YOU SAID IT, NANCY, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF EFFORTS TOWARD FIXING THIS PROBLEM.

I THINK FIRST AND FOREMOST, EVERYBODY AGREES THAT THE CONNECT SYSTEM CATASTROPHICALLY FAILED LAST YEAR AND THAT NEEDS TO BE A FOCUS POINT MOVING FORWARD.

SOMETHING THAT HAS REALLY GOTTEN BIPARTISAN SUPPORT ALMOST SURPRISINGLY IS INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF BENEFITS THAT PEOPLE COULD QUALIFY FOR FLORIDA AMONG THE LOWEST OR IF NOT THE LOWEST FOR A WEEKLY PAYMENTS TO 75 A WEEK.

SO THERE'S AN EFFORT TO INCREASE THAT, BUT ALSO TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS FOR GETTING APPROVED FOR THESE BENEFITS AND ALSO CREATING A SORT OF AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS A PRIORITY AND THAT PROBLEMS ARE BEING FIXED RIGHT AWAY INSTEAD OF SEEING WHAT WE SAW LAST YEAR WITH SO MANY PEOPLE WAITING MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS TO GET PAYMENT.

>>YEAH IT WAS JUST STRESSFUL.

SO LET'S LOOK AT THE VOTING NOW.

THERE ARE SEVERAL EFFORTS IN TALLAHASSEE THAT MIRROR THE LEGISLATION ON VOTING PASSED IN GEORGIA.

SO OBVIOUSLY GEORGIA WAS A FOCUS IN THE ELECTION, BUT FLORIDA WAS NOT.

WHY DO LAWMAKERS SAY THEY'RE NECESSARY?

>>YEAH.

THIS COMES AFTER A FLORIDA REPUBLICANS INCLUDING THE GOVERNOR PRAISED JUST HOW WONDERFULLY SMOOTH THE 2020 ELECTION WENT, ABSOLUTELY GREAT, NO REAL PROBLEMS.

AND CERTAINLY A MONTH LATER, AS YOU SAID, FOLLOWING ALL THESE OTHER STATES BILLS COMING UP AND PLACES LIKE GEORGIA AND PLACES LIKE THAT, SUDDENLY IT'S ANNOUNCED THAT, "OH, WELL, WE NEED TO RESTORE CONFIDENCE IN THE ELECTION SYSTEM BY GETTING RID OF DROP BOXES.

MOST DROP BOXES ARE ESSENTIALLY MAKING IT HARDER TO REGISTER TO HAVE A MAIL-IN BALLOT."

MOST CONTROVERSIALLY, FLORIDA IS ECHOING GEORGIA IN PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM GIVING WATER AND FOOD TO PEOPLE ON LINE TO VOTE.

SO IT IS SORT OF QUESTIONABLE WHY FLORIDA REPUBLICANS SUDDENLY DECIDED THAT THEY NEEDED TO DO THIS, ESPECIALLY AFTER PRAISING IT SO MUCH.

SO A LOT OF CONTROVERSY THERE.

FLORIDA DOESN'T GO AS FAR AS GEORGIA DOES.

GEORGE'S BILL ESSENTIALLY WOULD ALLOW THE STATE TO JUST GO IN AND JUST GO INTO COUNTIES AND TAKE OVER THE ELECTION SYSTEMS THERE.

BUT LIKE I SAID, FLORIDA DOES HAVE THAT SORT OF VERY CONTROVERSIAL NO WATER PROVISION, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT LED A LOT OF COMPANIES START TO BOYCOTT GEORGIA AND INCLUDING THE MLB, WHICH MOVED THE ALL-STAR GAME OUT.

SO IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN, WILL BUSINESSES TREAT FLORIDA AS THEY DID GEORGIA, IF THIS BILL PASSES.

>>KARLA, LET'S TALK ABOUT ANOTHER PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT IS NOW HEADED TO THE HOUSE FLOOR.

THAT'S A BAN ON TRANSGENDER FEMALES TAKING PART IN GIRLS OR WOMEN'S HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE SPORTS.

IT'S ANOTHER ISSUE THAT'S REALLY BEEN FRONT AND CENTER IN DOZENS OF REPUBLICAN LED STATES.

HOW DID THIS RAPIDLY BECOME A PRIORITY FOR REPUBLICANS?

>>YEAH, IT'S KIND OF FUNNY.

BEFORE I HEARD ABOUT THIS IN FLORIDA, I ACTUALLY SAW IT HAPPEN IN A STATE THAT I USED TO LIVE IN SOUTH DAKOTA, WHERE IT HAS BEEN A REALLY HOT TOPIC FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

AND CONSERVATIVES ARE FRAMING THIS AS A WAY TO PROTECT WOMEN'S AND GIRLS' SPORTS FROM UNFAIR COMPETITION, BUT CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS INCLUDING THE ACLU HAVE COME OUT AND TALKED ABOUT THIS AND HOW PROBLEMATIC THIS COULD BE FOR TRANS RIGHTS, REALLY CHIPPING AWAY THOSE RIGHTS MORE AND MORE.

IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS REALLY A LITMUS TEST FOR CONSERVATIVES AND REPUBLICANS AT THE STATE LEVEL TO SEE WHO WILL SUPPORT THIS TYPE OF LEGISLATION AND WHO WILL EMERGE AS SORT OF A LEADER IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY LOOKING AHEAD TO 2024.

IT DOESN'T REALLY SEEM TO BE FIXING AN ISSUE THAT A LOT OF SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY HERE IN FLORIDA ARE DEALING WITH.

>>YEAH.

AND THERE'VE BEEN SO MANY PIECES OF LEGISLATION WORKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE IN THE COMING WEEKS HERE ON THE PROGRAM.

AND OF COURSE, PAYING FOR LAWMAKERS PRIORITIES IS PART OF THE BUDGET DANE HAPPENING NOW IN TALLAHASSEE AS WELL.

YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THE FLORIDA SENATE'S 2021 BUDGET PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE THAT'S AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

ALL RIGHT, FINALLY, TONIGHT, CONGRESSMAN MATT GAETZ AND HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH FORMER SEMINOLE COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR JOEL GREENBERG.

GREENBERG FACES TRIAL LATER THIS YEAR ON 33 FEDERAL CHARGES, INCLUDING SEX TRAFFICKING, STALKING AND FINANCIAL CRIMES.

THE PROBE INTO MATT GAETZ IS REPORTED TO HAVE SPUN OUT OF THE INVESTIGATION INTO GREENBERG.

GAETZ DENIES HAVING SEX WITH PROSTITUTES AND A 17 YEAR OLD.

AND HE SAYS, HE'S THE VICTIM OF AN EXTORTION PLOT INVOLVING ISRAEL AND IRAN.

WHILE I ASKED POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR AUBREY JEWETT, WHETHER GAETZ IS LIKELY TO BE ABLE TO REMAIN IN CONGRESS NOW.

>>WELL, I DO THINK THAT CONGRESSMAN GAETZ CAN HOLD ON IF THIS PROVES TO JUST BE INNUENDO, RUMOR OR GOSSIP YOU'RE ASSOCIATED WITH AN INVESTIGATION, BUT IF NO CHARGES ARE EVER BROUGHT AND HE IS NOT FORMALLY CHARGED WITH ANYTHING THAT I ABSOLUTELY THINK IT COULD HANG ON.

I'VE SEEN POLITICIANS EMERGE FROM MUCH WORSE QUITE FRANKLY.

IF THIS JUST ALL SORT OF DIES DOWN AND MATT GAETZ WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME, CHOSE THE WRONG FRIEND, I THINK GAETZ POTENTIALLY COULD ESCAPE.

BUT THE SILENCE THAT YOU SEE AMONG REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES IN CONGRESS, I THINK TELLS YOU TWO THINGS, ONE THEY'RE WAITING.

THEY THINK THAT IT'S AT LEAST A 50-50 SHOT THAT THESE CHARGES MAY TURN OUT TO BE REAL CHARGES NOT JUST YOU'RE AFFILIATED WITH THIS INVESTIGATION.

AND TWO, I THINK IT SHOWS THAT HE DOESN'T REALLY HAVE THAT MANY TRUE FRIENDS IN CONGRESS.

>>AND OF COURSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT FROM THE REPORTING, THIS PROBE SPUN OUT OF THAT INVESTIGATION OF THE FORMER SEMINOLE COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR, JOEL GREENBERG, HE'S ACTUALLY AWAITING TRIAL.

>>JOEL GREENBERG IS THE FORMER TAX COLLECTOR OF SEMINOLE COUNTY.

IRONICALLY, HE WAS ABLE TO WIN THAT POSITION FOUR YEARS AGO AS A REFORMER WHO WAS GOING TO CLEAN UP THE OFFICE.

AND I MIGHT ADD THAT GREENBERG AS THE TAX COLLECTOR, MOST PEOPLE WOULD THINK OF TAX COLLECTOR AS BEING THE ULTIMATE ADMINISTRATOR, THAT WE JUST WANT SOMEBODY THAT DOES A GOOD JOB, COLLECTS THE TAXES, OVERSEES DRIVERS' LICENSES AND CAR REGISTRATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

INSTEAD, HE REALLY TREATED IT AS A VERY PARTISAN POLITICAL POSITION.

HE TOOK STANDS QUITE OFTEN ON HIGH PROFILE AND CONTROVERSIAL POLITICAL ISSUES THAT HE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ANY SAY OVER, BUT HE TOOK STANDS ON THEM NONETHELESS.

AND SO YEAH, HE WAS QUITE WELL-KNOWN.

>>I ALWAYS THOUGHT PERSONALLY, BEFORE ALL THIS ALLEGATIONS OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITY CAME DOWN, I THOUGHT HE'S JUST MISPLACED.

HE'S IN THE WRONG OFFICE.

HE REALLY SHOULD BE RUNNING FOR CONGRESS OR STATE LEGISLATURE.

SOMETHING THAT REALLY IS A MUCH MORE PARTISAN POLITICAL OFFICE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HE REALLY SEEMS TO BE INTERESTED IN DOING.

HE DOESN'T REALLY SEEM TO BE INTERESTED IN THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF BEING A GOOD TAX COLLECTOR.

HE REALLY SEEMS TO BE INTERESTED AND MAKING HIGH PROFILE STATEMENTS ABOUT CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES.

AND SO UNLESS THINGS COME OUT MUCH DIFFERENTLY THAN I EXPECT.

I DON'T THINK HE'S EVER GOING TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY AT THIS POINT.

>>WELL, THE SENTINEL HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK ON THIS STORY.

SO FROM YOUR REPORTING, STEVE, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE MORE CONTROVERSIAL WAYS THAT STOOD OUT FOR YOU AS FAR AS HOW GREENBERG RAN HIS OFFICE?

>>SURE.

YES.

SO OUR REPORTERS HERE AT THE SENTINEL HAVE BEEN COVERING THIS GUY FOR YEARS NOW.

AND THERE WAS CHARGES THAT HE DID SORT OF PUSH BITCOIN AS A BIT MAJOR THING THAT PEOPLE COULD PAY THEIR TAXES WITH BITCOIN, SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON THAT, IS CHARGED WITH SPENDING A LOT MORE MONEY ON THAT.

HE USED A BADGE TO PULL OVER SOMEONE WHO WAS SPEEDING, WHICH HE SORT OF GOT A SLAP ON THE HAND FOR.

HE ESSENTIALLY WANTED HIS EMPLOYEES TO BE ARMED, AS IF LIKE HE'S TAX COLLECTING IN THE WILD WEST OR SOMETHING.

NOW MATT GAETZ ESSENTIALLY PROMOTED GREENBERG TO WANT TO RUN FOR CONGRESS JUST ABOUT SIX MONTHS INTO HIS BEING TAX COLLECTOR.

SO YEAH, YOU DON'T THINK OF TAX COLLECTOR AS A CRAZY, PARTISAN CONTROVERSIAL POSITION, BUT HE MADE IT ONE.

>>AND KARLA, OUR COLLEAGUE AT CHANNEL 9, JEFF LEVKULICH FIRST REPORTED THIS WEEK ON DETAILS OF GREENBERG'S SURRENDER IN MARCH TO DEPUTIES.

AND SOME OF THE DETAILS IN THAT REPORT WERE REALLY EYEOPENING.

>>YEAH.

DISTURBING.

IF YOU DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT JOEL GREENBERG'S HISTORY, I WOULD SAY THAT THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY OUT OF CHARACTER FOR HIM AND BASED ON THE REPORTING THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST, BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT WITH THE SEMINOLE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WHEN HE WAS PICKED UP ON THAT WARRANT FOR VIOLATING HIS CONDITIONS OF RELEASE ON HIS FEDERAL CHARGES, HE MADE SUICIDAL COMMENTS.

HE MADE COMMENTS ABOUT PILLS, ABOUT FIREARMS, ABOUT AN IED, AND HAD TO REALLY NEGOTIATE WITH THEM FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE COMING OUT OF HIS HOME THERE IN HEATHROW TO EVENTUALLY BE TAKEN TO THE SEMINOLE COUNTY JAIL.

AND I CAN TELL YOU FROM BACK WHEN HE WAS RUNNING FOR OFFICE, WE UNCOVERED THAT HE HAS A HISTORY OF A BAKER ACT WHERE HE WAS THREATENING TO HARM HIMSELF YEARS AGO.

AT THAT TIME, HE JUSTIFIED THAT BY SAYING THAT IT WAS A REACTION TO A PRESCRIPTION DRUG THAT HE WAS TAKING TO TRY TO QUIT SMOKING.

BUT CERTAINLY IF YOU'VE EVER INTERVIEWED HIM YOU KNOW THAT HE HAS A BIT OF A SHORT FUSE AND IT JUST TAKES SOMETHING LIKE THIS, A STRESS LIKE THIS, I THINK TO DRAW HIS MENTAL HEALTH INTO QUESTION.

AND I THINK THAT THAT COULD COME UP AT HIS TRIAL LATER THIS SUMMER.

>>INTERESTING.

AND STEVE, THERE HAS BEEN MORE REPORTING THIS WEEK ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CONGRESSMAN GAETZ AND JOEL GREENBERG.

YOU TOUCHED ON IT A LITTLE BIT.

WHAT MORE DO WE KNOW ABOUT THAT RELATIONSHIP AND THE INVESTIGATION INTO GAETZ?

>>YEAH.

THE INVESTIGATION INTO GAETZ SORT OF STEMS OUT OF THIS GREENBERG THING IS ESSENTIALLY, WAS GAETZ INVOLVED IN THE SORT OF SEX TRAFFICKING OF PROSTITUTES AND ALSO UNDERAGE WOMEN.

AND THERE'S EVEN MORE STUFF COMING OUT THE OTHER DAY, CBS REPORTING THAT JASON PILOZOLO, A LOCAL MARIJUANA EXECUTIVE ESSENTIALLY FEDS ARE LOOKING NOW INTO WHETHER HE TOOK GAETZ TO THE CARIBBEAN AND WHETHER THERE WAS SEX TRAFFICKING INVOLVED THERE.

AND THIS SORT OF ADD WHY GAETZ IS SO INVOLVED HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

HE PUSHED PILOZOLO TO BE ON THE ORLANDO AIRPORT BOARD.

HE PUSHED PILOZOLO TO BE SURGEON GENERAL OF THE ENTIRE STATE.

SO YEAH, FOR SOMEONE WHO REPRESENTS PENSACOLA IN CONGRESS, GAETZ SEEM TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME HERE WITH HIS FRIENDS.

AND THAT'S ESSENTIALLY THE MAIN THING THAT THE FEDS ARE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW.

>>SO WHAT IS MATT GAETZ SAYING ABOUT ALL THIS?

HE TWEETED THIS WEEK, "NO SURPRISE THAT BIZARRE CLAIMS ARE MADE ABOUT ME AFTER I TOOK ON THE MOST POWERFUL INSTITUTIONS IN DC.

BIDEN'S DOJ WANTS TO PERVERT THE TRUTH, THE LAW TO GO AFTER ME, I WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED OR EXTORTED AND NO, I AM ABSOLUTELY NOT RESIGNING, " BUT THIS WAS AN INVESTIGATION REPORT THAT STARTED DURING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, WASN'T IT, KARLA?

>>YEAH.

AND AS FAR AS WE KNOW, IT WAS ATTORNEY GENERAL WILLIAM BARR WHO LAUNCHED THIS INVESTIGATION, FIRST STARTED ASKING ABOUT THIS.

AND IF YOU FOLLOW THE LOGIC THAT THIS WAS THE SPURRED BY THE GREENBERG INVESTIGATION, JOEL GREENBERG WAS FIRST ARRESTED IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR IN THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC AND AT THAT TIME, WHEN HE RESIGNED FROM THE OFFICE, YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT ALL OF THE EVIDENCE THAT WAS POTENTIALLY PULLED FROM THE SEMINOLE COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE, DEVICES, COMPUTERS, PAPER RECORDS.

SO IF THIS IS ALL INTERTWINED, IT WOULD MAKE SENSE THAT POTENTIALLY EVIDENCE WAS FOUND WITHIN THE TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE TO TIE GAETZ TO GREENBERG.

>>AND JUST FINALLY, STEVE, IF YOU CAN BRIEFLY FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP PUT OUT A STATEMENT THIS WEEK, RESPONDING TO A REPORT IN THE NEW YORK TIMES, WHICH CLAIMED GAETZ SORT OF BLANKET PARDON FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.

HOW HAS MR. TRUMP RESPONDED?

>>TRUMP ESSENTIALLY SAID NO HE NEVER ASKED FOR A BLANKET PARDON AND HE ALSO SAID THAT THERE'S BEEN NO CHARGES AGAINST GAETZ AND HE'S TOTALLY INNOCENT, BUT TO BE FAIR HE SAID THAT ABOUT A LOT OF PEOPLE.

>>AND YOU CAN FIND MUCH MORE OF MY INTERVIEW WITH AUBREY JEWETT ON OUR WEBSITE.

IT'S AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

>>WE'VE COVERED A LOT.

AND THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

OUR THANKS TO KARLA RAY OF WFTV CHANNEL 9 AND STEVE LEMONGELLO OF THE ORLANDO SENTINEL.

IT'S GREAT TO BE BACK HERE WITH YOU, STEVE.

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

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, HAVE A GOOD AND SAFE WEEKEND.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.