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Governor Attacks Apple for Threatening to Remove Twitter from App Store
Governor Ron DeSantis joined a growing chorus of Republicans criticizing Apple after Twitter owner Elon Musk claimed the tech giant threatened to remove Twitter from its App Store, strengthening the GOP’s ties to Musk and amplifying their shared criticism of major tech companies.
Removing Twitter from the App Store would be a “huge, huge mistake and a really raw exercise of monopolistic power,” DeSantis said Tuesday while speaking at an event in Duval County, adding that he believes the move would call for a congressional response.
Apple has not publicly responded to Musk, who tweeted about the alleged threat Monday afternoon, or confirmed that it threatened to remove Twitter’s app.
DeSantis speculated Apple’s alleged threat was based on Musk’s reinstatement of Twitter accounts that were “unfairly and illegally suspended for putting out accurate information about Covid,” he said, though Musk has said it’s unclear why Apple issued the warning.
Ohio Senator-elect J.D. Vance (R) also criticized Apple in similar terms, tweeting Monday that the move “would be the rawest exercise of monopoly power in a century,” hours after Musk initially made the allegation about Apple in a tweet.
Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), who serve on the House and Senate Judiciary committees’ antitrust panels, along with Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), also called on Congress Monday to take legislative action to limit Apple’s and other tech giants’ control over the app market.
Since taking ownership of Twitter in October, Musk has loosened the company’s content moderation policies and reinstated a number of accounts that were previously banned for violating the platform’s policies including former President Donald Trump’s. The moves have aligned Musk with lawmakers on the right who have blamed tech companies for unfairly censoring information.
Musk has taken ambiguous political stances for years as he’s donated to candidates from both parties, but he urged voters on Election Day this year to cast their ballots for GOP candidates.
Apple has faced antitrust allegations over its App Store policies in the past. The bill Lee called on Congress to pass on Monday, the Open App Markets Act, has bipartisan support, including backing from Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal (CT), but it has yet to make it out of committee. The legislation would prevent tech companies that operate app stores from forcing developers to use their systems and punishing ones who don’t, while also requiring fair prices for consumers.
ATTORNEY GENERAL ASHLEY MOODY
Attorney General Moody Announces Multistate Action Against CarMax Over the Disclosure of Safety Recalls
Attorney General Ashley Moody announced a multistate action against CarMax Auto Superstores, Inc. As a result of a nationwide investigation by Attorney General Moody and 35 other attorneys general, CarMax is now required to disclose open unrepaired recalls related to the safety of used vehicles before consumers make the purchase. CarMax must also pay the states $1 million.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “This nationwide action will be industry changing—requiring CarMax to be transparent with customers and ensure they have all the information about unrepaired vehicle recalls before they make a purchase.”
CarMax will continue to use the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration’s vehicle identification number tool to provide this important safety information to consumers. Consumers can also avail themselves of this tool to check for any open recalls on their vehicles.
This industry-changing settlement requires CarMax to clearly and conspicuously disclose to consumers that a used vehicle is subject to an open, unrepaired recall and the safety risks of that recall before a purchase is made. CarMax must present the consumer with copies of any open recalls and obtain the consumer’s signature before presenting any other sales paperwork. CarMax is also required to include hyperlinks for vehicles advertised online and QR codes for vehicles on the lot that link directly to any open recalls on the vehicle so consumers can access this data as they shop. Additionally, CarMax agrees to not represent vehicles as “safe” or have been repaired for “safety” issues.
In addition to Florida, represented by Consumer Protection Division Multistate and Privacy Bureau Chief Patrice Malloy and Senior Assistant Attorney General Diane Oates, the attorneys general from the following states participated in this action: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
To read a copy of the multistate agreement, click here.
AG Moody Files for Injunctive Relief Against MV Realty
Attorney General Ashley Moody on Thursday filed a complaint for injunctive and monetary relief against Florida-based MV Realty and its principals for deceptive, unfair and unconscionable business practices that result in homeowners signing away home equity for a paltry upfront payment. The defendants offer homeowners $300 to $5,000 as a cash loan alternative in exchange for an agreement to use the company as an exclusive listing broker. However, after accepting the payment, homeowners discover that MV Realty files a 40-year lien on the property that requires paying 3% of the value of the home to MV Realty, regardless of whether the company ever provides any real estate listing services.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “For many Floridians, their home is their most important asset and the cornerstone of their financial stability. For a company to prey on unsuspecting homeowners in a way that locks them into a 40-year obligation designed to siphon away equity from the property is disgraceful. Today, I filed legal action to end this deceitful practice and protect Florida homeowners from further harm.”
According to the complaint, MV Realty offers a small payment to consumers with the promise that there is no obligation to return the cash, and the homeowner will owe MV Realty nothing unless and until the home is sold. However, what is not clearly disclosed is that the company records a lien on the home so that if at any time within 40 years the home is foreclosed upon or transferred to heirs upon the homeowner’s death, or if homeowners simply wish to cancel the deal, MV Realty attempts to take 3% of the home’s value.
Moreover, the liens often make it difficult or sometimes impossible for the homeowner to refinance or otherwise tap into home equity. Additionally, the company uses abusive and deceptive telemarketing practices, including calling millions of people on the National Do-Not-Call Registry and leaving millions of unwanted, pre-recorded voicemails.
To view the complaint, click here.
Attorney General Moody’s action seeks to enjoin enforcement of MV Realty’s contracts with consumers, enjoin future deceptive and unfair practices, return the money the defendants wrongfully took from homeowners and impose civil penalties for defendants’ willful violations of the law.
AG Adds Urgent Alert to One Pill Can Kill Webpage
This week, Ashley Moody added an urgent alert to her One Pill Can Kill webpage. For years, the Attorney General has warned about the prevalence of fentanyl in the nation’s illicit drug supply. New statistics now show that the proliferation of deadly fentanyl is getting much worse.
A recent report by the Drug Enforcement Administration found that six out of ten fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl. This is a drastic increase from 2021, where four out of ten pills were found to have a lethal dose. This is a 50% increase in just one year, and the main cause of this skyrocketing statistic is the crisis at our southern border with Mexico.
While the AG will continue to fight in court to force the federal government to enforce public-safety immigration laws, she cannot stress enough how vital it is to never use drugs—as lethal amounts of fentanyl are increasingly being discovered in so many illicit substances creating a dramatic increase in overdose deaths. With this latest development, her warning is more important now than ever before, as we are quickly moving from ‘One Pill Can Kill’, to ‘One Pill WILL KILL.’
For more tools and resources to help you join the fight to end the opioid crisis, visit DoseOfRealityFL.com.
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER JIMMY PATRONIS
Moves Money from Black Rock
Thursday, Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced that the Florida Treasury will begin divesting $2 billion worth of assets currently under management by BlackRock. The State Treasury will immediately have Florida’s custody bank freeze approximately $1.43 billion worth of long-term securities and remove them as the manager of approximately $600 million worth of short-term overnight investments. These taxpayer funds are invested by asset managers as part of Florida’s Treasury Investment Pool. By the beginning of 2023, the State Treasury will have divested from BlackRock’s management of all short and long-term investments and relocated investment responsibilities to other fund management entities.
CFO Jimmy Patronis said, “As Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, it’s my responsibility to get the best returns possible for taxpayers. The more effective we are in investing dollars to generate a return, the more effective we’ll be in funding priorities like schools, hospitals, and roads. As major banking institutions and economists predict a recession in the coming year, and as the Fed increases interest rates to combat the inflation crisis, I need partners within the financial services industry who are as committed to the bottom line as we are – and I don’t trust BlackRock’s ability to deliver.”
“BlackRock CEO Larry Fink is on a campaign to change the world. In an open letter to CEOs, he’s championed ‘stakeholder capitalism’ and believes that ‘capitalism has the power to shape society.’ To meet this end, the asset management company has leaned heavily into Environmental, Social, and Governance standards – known as ESG – to help police who should, and who should not gain access to capital.”
“Using our cash, however, to fund BlackRock’s social-engineering project isn’t something Florida ever signed up for. It’s got nothing to do with maximizing returns and is the opposite of what an asset manager is paid to do.”
The Florida Department of Financial Services manages approximately $60 billion in taxpayer money.
Does the State of Florida Owe You Money?
Florida's Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis is appealing to Floridians to search the unclaimed property website to determine if you, your family, or your business have money or property you may have forgotten about but are rightfully entitled to.
The Holiday Money Hunt is in full swing, and the CFO is encouraging everyone to spread the word this holiday season and help Floridians recover and claim cash that has been unknown or lost. Florida currently has $2.5 billion total in unclaimed property accounts. One in five Floridians has unclaimed property just waiting to be claimed, and it only takes a few minutes. He encourages everyone to search now for unclaimed property for yourself, your friends, and your loved ones at Home (myfloridacfo.com). It's your money, claim it today!
Florida Legislature to Meet in Special Session on Property Insurance, Hurricane Relief the Week of December 12th
In October, Governor Ron DeSantis called for a Special Session to "address solutions to stabilize Florida’s property insurance market that will introduce more competition and policies that will lower prices for consumers."
The Legislature will convene for this Special Session beginning Monday, December 12, 2022, through Friday, December 16, 2022.
Governor DeSantis also said he wanted the Legislature to establish more permanent solutions for property taxes, provide additional economic relief to Southwest Florida, and implement necessary reforms to the property insurance market.
Category Four Hurricane Ian and Category One Hurricane Nicole caused catastrophic damage and fatalities in our State. Governor DeSantis, First Lady DeSantis, CFO Patronis, AG Moody, the leadership teams of multiple State agencies, first responders, and private organizations took immediate and unprecedented action to rescue, recover, and rebuild.
The Special Session meetings will be broadcasted and archived on the Florida Channel here. Please reach out to my staff at 321-409-2025 if you have any difficulty viewing the Special Session in real time or through the archive.
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