Peeking inside the finances of top pols
New financial documents due July 1 give some insight into the lives of those angling or running for top jobs in state government.
Under Florida law, elected officials must post paperwork with the Commission on Ethics detailing their net worth, stock holdings, real estate and debt. Many top pols are tardy, a Playbook review found. But others got their documents in ahead of the Fourth of July weekend, as Gov. RON DESANTIS gears up afterwards to announce his choices for state chief financial officer and lieutenant governor.
The person widely viewed as the frontrunner for CFO, for instance, state Sen. BLAISE INGOGLIA (R-Spring Hill), filed his financial report early. It shows he has a net worth of $28 million — twice as much as what he listed the year before.
Asked about the increase, Ingoglia, a homebuilder, told Playbook he had a piece of property he bought about eight years ago that he'd previously listed on his disclosure at its purchase price. Ahead of filing the latest form, he had several interested buyers and had the property appraised, so he updated the listing to reflect its current value.
Much of Ingoglia's other assets are in property, and he also has an E-Trade account that shows holdings in companies like Amazon and Apple.
Another elected official who hopes to be CFO after the 2026 election is state Sen. JOE GRUTERS (R-Sarasota), who has President DONALD TRUMP's endorsement, but he hadn't filed his disclosures as of this morning and told Playbook it would be released 'soon.' The job of Florida chief financial officer pays just less than $140,000 annually, while state lawmakers make under $30,000 because they usually hold down other jobs.
Disclosure requirements ask elected officials to record what their financial situation was on December 31, 2024, meaning circumstances may have changed in the last seven months. The law does not require them to disclose a spouse's finances.
Those who don't file by Sept. 1 start to incur late fines. State Attorney General JAMES UTHMEIER is among those who haven't yet filed his disclosure. It's already known he took a pay cut when he left his job as DeSantis' chief of staff this year to become AG. DeSantis tends to pay top aides between $180,000 and just more than $200,000, while the AG job pays just under $140,000.
The form for state Sen. JAY COLLINS — who's considered to be a top candidate DeSantis is considering for lieutenant governor — wasn't immediately available as portions are being redacted for security reasons.
State Agriculture Commissioner WILTON SIMPSON, who'll be eligible to run for another term for his current office if he chooses, has a net worth of nearly $20 million. The former Florida Senate president and egg farmer makes just under $140,000 from his elected office.
These documents could also shed light on future 2026 gubernatorial candidates, though those currently not in elected office — such as former Rep. DAVID JOLLY — don't have to disclose their finances until they quality for the ballot. GOP Rep. BYRON DONALDS will file a disclosure with the House later this year, but it won't require him to state his net worth because federal ethics rules differ from Florida rules.
State Sen. JASON PIZZO of Sunny Isles Beach hasn't yet filed his state-required documents, telling Playbook he would post them 'soon,' but his net worth from last year was $59 million, mostly from an inheritance he received when his father passed away. Pizzo told POLITICO that he'd told Democrats before he left the party that he planned to spend at least $25 million of his personal wealth on a campaign. He still plans to run for governor, but as an independent.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget that Playbook should look at? Get in touch at: kleonard@politico.com.
Programming note: We'll be off this Friday but will be back in your inboxes on July 7.
... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ...
IN OPERATION — 'The first detainees were expected to arrive at Alligator Alcatraz late Wednesday night, even as the immigration detention facility in the Florida Everglades has already faced some operational issues with security and water intrusion,' report Ana Ceballos, Syra Ortiz Blanes, Alex Harris and David Goodhue of the Miami Herald.
'On Wednesday evening, the gates of the facility were bustling with traffic. Three white vans escorted by sedans drove into the compound. The vans looked like those previously used by immigration authorities to transport migrants, although it's unclear who was in them.'
POURING RAIN — 'Alligator Alcatraz opened Tuesday without a water view. Then it rained. Shortly after President Donald Trump left the brand new detention facility to hold immigrants in the middle of the Everglades, a garden-variety South Florida summer rainstorm started. The water seeped into the site — the one that earlier in day the state's top emergency chief had boasted was ready to withstand the winds of a 'high-end' Category 2 hurricane — and streamed all over electrical cables on the floor,' report Syra Ortiz Blanes, Ana Ceballos and Alex Harris of the Miami Herald.
Florida division of emergency management response: 'Overnight, the vendors went back and tightened any seams at the base of the structures that allowed water intrusion during the heavy storm, which was minimal,' said spokesperson STEPHANIE HARTMAN, per Spectrum News 13's Jason Delgado.
— 'Florida Rep. Angie Nixon calls immigrant detention centers 'concentration camps' on CNN,' reports David Bauerlein of the Jacksonville Florida Times-Union.
PRONOUN RULING — 'A federal appeals court narrowly sided with the state of Florida, ruling that a state law doesn't violate a transgender public school teacher's First Amendment rights by preventing her from telling students her preferred pronouns,' reports Stephany Matat of USA Today Network — Florida.
'The 2-1 opinion by a panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals shot down a preliminary injunction granted last year, in which a lower court judge said that Hillsborough County high school teacher Katie Wood's right to free speech was infringed.'
NEW STATUE — 'DeSantis [on Wednesday] unveiled a Thomas Jefferson statue that will be on display in the Jefferson County courthouse leading up to the state's celebration of America's 250th birthday next year,' reports Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics.
PENINSULA AND BEYOND
MARGARITAVILLE WARNING — Uthmeier sent a letter to Key West commissioners Wednesday warning them that they are obligated to have local law enforcement assist with federal illegal immigration enforcement. If they don't reverse their decision to opt out, he warned, then the governor may remove certain elected officials from office.
The commissioners voted Monday to end the agreement, even though Uthmeier has said that under state law all local governments have to participate and that breaking the agreement was illegal. In his Wednesday letter, Uthmeier accused commissioners of turning Key West into a 'sanctuary city' and noted instances of arrest in Key West this year, including of undocumented immigrants who'd been convicted of sex offenses.
— 'Coral Gables Commission rejects repeal of city election shift, censures sponsoring member,' by Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics.
...HURRICANE HOLE...
STORM WATCH — 'The National Hurricane Center continued Wednesday to keep track of a weather system that could form off one of Florida's coasts this weekend that could develop into the season's next tropical depression or storm,' reports Richard Tribou of the Orlando Sentinel.
'In its 8 p.m. tropical advisory, the NHC said an area of low pressure was forecast to develop either off of Florida's Gulf Coast or in the Atlantic along a weakening frontal boundary. The latest NHC outlook shows the potential system shifting more north-northeast than in earlier forecasts.'
CAMPAIGN MODE
MOSKOWITZ FACING POTENTIAL CHALLENGER — 'Scott Singer, the term-limited mayor of Boca Raton, may run for Congress,' reports Anthony Man of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
'Singer said he hasn't made a decision, despite speculation among some Republicans this week that he was on the verge of entering the race in the Broward-Palm Beach County 23rd Congressional District. He didn't foreclose the possibility. 'I love public service and haven't ruled out any opportunities to continue to serve our community,' Singer said in a phone interview.'
— 'Anna Eskamani raises nearly $100K in 2 weeks for Orlando Mayor bid,' reports Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics.
DATELINE D.C.
THIS MORNING — 'House Republican leaders said early Thursday morning they have made a breakthrough with the megabill holdouts and are preparing to advance the legislation in the coming hours,' reports POLITICO's Calen Razor and Mia McCarthy.
'Speaker Mike Johnson, heading onto the House floor around 2 a.m., said he had secured the votes to proceed and that final passage of the GOP's domestic policy bill will follow later in the morning. A vote on the procedural measure setting up final consideration remains open after several hours of voting.'
WILL FLORIDA FINALLY GET A COMMITTEE CHAIR? 'Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.) has formally launched a bid to become chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, according to a letter of intent obtained by POLITICO. Gimenez's office confirmed that he has notified the Steering Committee of his intention to run,' reports POLITICO's Bethany Irvine and Ali Bianco.
A Gimenez spokesperson told POLITICO of Gimenez's career in public office: 'The reason why he's served for 25 years and hasn't lost an election is because he's a straight shooter, people trust him.'
DEMOCRATIC OPPOSITION TO 'ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ' — Rep. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ on Wednesday led a letter from all members of Florida's Democratic delegation to demand DeSantis reverse course on building the 'Alligator Alcatraz' detention center.
'We are seriously concerned about the future treatment of immigrants at this facility,' members wrote. 'It is also important that we uplift grave concerns over the environmental and tribal impacts of your decision.'
All Democrats from the delegation signed on to the letter, ending it with: 'Florida's River of Grass is no place for a prison.'
INSIDE RUBIO'S NSC — 'Since [Secretary of State Marco] Rubio took over the NSC, he has shrunk its staff by more than half,' reports POLITICO's Nahal Toosi. 'It now has fewer than 100 people, according to a person familiar with the NSC process. Arguably more importantly, Rubio has imposed changes to what's called 'the interagency process' — a key function of the NSC that involves coordinating policy and messaging across government agencies and departments.
'That process, two people told me, is now one in which important meetings aren't held, career staffers are often in the dark about what's expected of them and some people or their institutions try to take advantage of power vacuums.'
— 'DOJ overruled prosecutors to get deal for Trump-linked governor,' by Ben Penn of Bloomberg Law.
ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN
BIRTHDAYS: (Friday) State Rep. Tiffany Esposito ... state Rep. Randy Maggard … (Saturday) state Rep. Michelle Salzman … Randy Hanna, dean and CEO of Florida State University Panama City … (Sunday) state Sen. Joe Gruters … former state Rep. MaryLynn Magar.
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