3 Important Area Visits over the Last Week

 We've had several high profile visits from important groups and individuals over the last week.

Mr. Ryan Newman--the General Counsel to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis--is introduced to the Federalist Society of the Emerald Coast on Friday, June 24th in Pensacola at the Artel Gallery

First off, we had the General Counsel to the Governor of Florida, Ryan Newman, at the Federalist Society of the Emerald Coast Meeting on Friday.  More than 80 attendees--including dozens of current and former Judges from the 4-county area, locally elected officials, state representatives, judicial candidates, former Mayor Ashton Hayward, State Attorney Ginger Madden, and many others--had an informative question and answer session with this important and powerful attorney.  After introductory remarks, where Mr. Newman discussed how he went from the U.S. Army as a Tank Platoon Commander, to Law School at the University of Texas, to interning for then Solicitor General of Texas Ted Cruz, to private practice, then back to work for now Senator Cruz, to working as Ron DeSantis' lawyer.  An interesting tidbit that elicited some chuckles from the crowd was when Newman recounted being offered the job by DeSantis with the caveat that before he come down he just needed to go ahead and take and pass the Florida Bar  😀.....The discussion was heavy on legal theory, the importance of textualists and originalists on the bench, the chevron deference issue, and how Newman came to the position of being DeSantis' attorney.  He went in depth on the important work he does in assisting in the process of appointing judges statewide.  It was a very compelling conversation that folks in the audience genuinely enjoyed. (Interesting that very few questions came from the audience about the Dobbs decision by the U.S. Supreme Court which had been handed down earlier that day.)

Mr. Ryan Newman--the General Counsel to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis--speaks to the Federalist Society of the Emerald Coast on Friday, June 24th in Pensacola at the Artel Gallery

Mr. Ryan Newman--the General Counsel to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis--speaks with Circuit Court Judge Gary Bergosh and to the Federalist Society of the Emerald Coast members on Friday, June 24th in Pensacola at the Artel Gallery

On Tuesday the 28th-- the Triumph Gulf Coast Board of directors held their regular meeting here in Pensacola at the Pensacola International Airport.  It was a rather short meeting--with two Bay County projects discussed as well as one $1.5 Million Dollar project for Escambia County that was pitched to the board by Florida West Executive Director Scott Luth.  Two members who will be rolling off the board, former Senate President Don Gaetz and Mr. Matt Terry-an appointee of the Senate President Wilton Simpson--were given warm send-offs by the board, staff, and members of the audience.  Notably, Pensacola member David Bear will be taking over the chairmanship of this important board that is overseeing the disbursement of $1.5 Billion in Oil Spill penalty funds earmarked by the Florida Legislature for the 8 westernmost Florida counties that received the most profound impacts from the BP oil spill of 2010.  So we will likely see more of these important meetings here in Pensacola--rather than Okaloosa, Walton, or other counties further to our East.

The Triumph Gulf Coast Board of Directors met Tuesday in Pensacola at the Pensacola International Airport.

Florida West CEO Scott Luth describes Project Arbor to the Triumph Gulf Coast Board of Directors--who met Tuesday in Pensacola at the Pensacola International Airport.

And then on Wednesday Congressman Matt Gaetz came to town and joined Senator Doug Broxson, NAS Pensacola CO Terrance Shashaty, former NAS Pensacola Skipper Tim Kinsella, and a room full of dignitaries, elected officials, business owners, and others to discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with attempting to once again permit base access to civilians at NAS Pensacola--chiefly to allow for visitors to the museum.  It was a very informative meeting with lots of ideas presented and some good information disseminated about the current ways in which civilians can access the base to play golf and also the process by which folks with relatives buried at Barrancas National Cemetery can access gain access to the base to visit the graves of their loved ones.  Additionally, CAPT Shashaty gave the group updates on his efforts to get two different waivers approved by higher Navy command--one which would allow for the vetting of museum visitors off base, with subsequent transportation to the museum via buses.  This idea appears to have broad support and a high likelihood of approval.  The other waiver in the works would once again allow for civilians to drive their privately-owned vehicles (POV's) on the base--much like the way things were before the terrorist attack and COVID.  On that particular waiver--no definitive timeline for approval was given nor was there any assurance from anyone that it would be approved.  So the takeaway from the meeting was that there are lots of folks interested in getting the base opened up again---but there are numerous challenges as well.  More to come on this topic I am sure.