Peter Schorsch
Democrats hope to placate bitterly disappointed base
Democrats took a fair amount of heat from their base for passing the last temporary spending resolution without a deal on DACA. Party leadership assured them next time would be different, but Monday’s vote in the Senate to end the shutdown left them dissatisfied.
Early this month, Democratic Rep. Darren Soto of Orlando quoted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York as promising House Hispanic Democrats that Senate Democrats “would lay it all on the line to protect Dreamers.” The base now believed their party would go to war on the issue.
They did, but in the end, it was more like “damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.”
In his defense, Schumer had every reason to believe Republicans would be blamed for the shutdown and make a deal. They have a poor record in shutdown battles and shown a reluctance to fight, so why would this be different?
Most everyone knew President Donald Trump would not give in, but not that many had faith Capitol Hill Republicans would stay in the trenches with him. While Democrats like Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston and other delegation Democrats dutifully tried to describe the weekend as the “Trump Shutdown,” it was clear Senate Democrats had the power to open the government, which they exercised on Monday.
With expectations set so high by Schumer and his colleagues, anything less than the GOP begging for a deal would not suffice. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi offered a shocking response to the deal brokered by her counterpart in the Senate.
“I don’t see that there’s any reason — I’m speaking personally and hearing from my members — to support what was put forth,” Pelosi said at a press briefing shortly before Schumer signaled Senate Democrats would agree to it.
Democratic activists were even harsher, saying Senate Democrats “caved.” Others said it will make it more difficult to elect Democrats in the fall.
It remains to be seen whether three-term Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson will earn more votes from moderates for his vote to end the shutdown, or fewer votes from the party base outraged that he went along with it. He described the deal as a “win for bipartisanship and common
To put it simply, the party activists do not trust Republicans to keep their commitment to holding a vote on DACA. With Florida needing disaster assistance that was languishing during the shutdown, Nelson could get a pass from the base.
The agreement calls for a vote on DACA by February 8. That is possible, but under GOP terms.
Trump is likely to get funding for his border wall in exchange for the DACA fix. That became even more likely on Saturday when Illinois Democrat Luis Gutierrez, one of the Dreamers’ biggest backers, said on CNN that in order to legalize them, he would “roll up my sleeves, go down there with bricks and mortar and begin the wall.”
Democrats may look to slow walk their base into accepting this fact. If so, they can claim victory when the Dreamers are legalized.
It’s a safe bet the Gutierrez clip will be played over and over between now and then.
Former VP to join Nelson for fundraiser
The re-election campaign for the three-term Democrat is set to get a boost next week when former Vice-President Joe Biden will come to the state for a fundraiser. Biden will appear on Monday at 1:30 p.m. to headline an event at the home of Democratic fundraisers Ben and Jennie Lou Reed in Coral Gables.
Nelson’s campaign reported raising $2.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2017 bringing his cash on hand total to more than $8 million. Fundraising will be a high priority for Nelson in 2018, primarily if GOP Gov. Rick Scott mounts a challenge for the seat.
Official FEC campaign finance reports must be filed by January 31.
Some speculate Biden will participate in numerous fundraisers for Democratic candidates and incumbents in 2017, leaving open the possibility he might make another run for President. The 75-year-old from Delaware previously ran for the White House in 1988 and 2008.
Biden and Nelson appeared together last June at the Florida Democratic Party’s Leadership Blue Dinner.
Republicans go after Nelson for government funding vote
It didn’t take long for Republicans to go after Florida’s senior Senator for voting with fellow Democrats to reject a GOP plan that would have kept the government open. A new ad from the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) linking Nelson to the “Schumer shutdown” began appearing on Facebook shortly after the Senate failed to approve the continuing resolution.
“Bill Nelson’s vote for the Schumer Shutdown will have serious, real-world consequences for Florida children and seniors, as well as our national security,” said NRSC Communications Director Katie Martin. “When it really mattered, Nelson sided with Washington Democrats instead of Florida, and voters won’t forget in November.”
According to the NRSC, by Nelson and Senate Democrats voting against the funding resolution, “374,884 Florida children will lose their health insurance, and critical funding for our troops and seniors will disappear.”
The autoplay ad can be viewed here and by clicking the image below:
“It may all be a game to Bill Nelson, but the Schumer Shutdown hurts real Floridians,” the NRSC release said.
Rubio calls out Puerto Rico governor for recent statehood push
Following Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico has earned the significant support of senior elected officials in Florida. Among the most prominent are Democratic Rep. Soto from Orlando, Democratic Sen. Nelson, Gov. Scott and Marco Rubio.
While Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello has been seeking assistance from all corners, he has also continued to push his goal that Puerto Rico become the 51st state. Rubio believes Rossello should focus more on managing the recovery than becoming a state at this time.
For example, Rossello visited Orlando recently to participate in a town hall. While praising the efforts of Floridians in state and federal government, he also demanded seats in Congress and a path to statehood.
“If I were the governor of a state or territory that does not have power, I would spend more time [there] than in Orlando,” Rubio told El Nuevo Dia, Puerto Rico’s largest newspaper. “Sometimes, when people feel criticized and under pressure, they look for someone to blame, because they did not achieve this or that. I do not think it is smart to turn the Puerto Rican issue into a partisan issue.”
Perhaps Rubio was more open to speaking his mind after Rossello laid some criticism at his doorstep. Despite Rubio being known as an advocate for Puerto Rican statehood, Rossello characterized the Senator’s vote in favor of the GOP tax reform plan in December as “a devastating blow” for Puerto Ricans.
“I am going to work on the issues of Puerto Rico, no matter what he says,” Rubio told El Nuevo Dia. “I have worked in favor of the issues of Puerto Rico before he was elected governor, and I will continue working on the issues of Puerto Rico after he is no longer governor.”
Scott maintains he is ‘not a candidate’ for Nelson’s seat
While he is widely expected to run, Gov. Scott is making it clear he is not in the race yet. In a trip last week to New Orleans — billed as trying to lure businesses to Florida — political pundits and the Governor of Louisiana felt Scott was there primarily to raise campaign cash.
“My trip to New Orleans was to try to get more companies there,” Scott said. “As you know, I have not made a decision as to whether I’m going to run for the Senate or not. I’m not a candidate. I’ve said all along I’ve got to focus on my job as Governor.”
Part of Scott’s job as Governor is to attract business and industry to the state. For 7 years, he continues to talk about “jobs, jobs, jobs.”
But his Louisiana counterpart, Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards, believes Scott is there as an all-but-announced challenger to Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson.
“Gov. Scott should call this what it is — a fundraising stop on his yet-to-be-announced U.S. Senate campaign,” Edwards said. “Louisianans would appreciate the honesty and hope that he’ll take his political contributions and leave,” Edwards offered Tuesday.
When asked by A.G. Gancarski of FloridaPolitics.com if any fundraising for his political arm Let’s Get to Work was undertaken on the trip, Scott dodged the question.
“I’m not a candidate,” Scott repeated. “We weren’t — I didn’t — A.G., I’m not a candidate.”
Gaetz to lead town hall on veterans’ health care
The first-term Republican from Fort Walton Beach will join with Concerned Veterans for America to host a town hall on Wednesday at the Hilton Garden Inn at Pensacola Airport. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. CST.
Joining Gaetz will be CVA Coalitions Director Diego Echeverri. The two will field questions on plans to expand veterans’ health care choices in the future.
“Veterans have earned access to quality health care, but unfortunately, that’s not always what they get when visiting the Department of Veterans Affairs,” said Echeverri. “We’re excited to facilitate this discussion with Rep. Gaetz and connect with veterans from around the Panhandle.”
The CVA has long advocated for substantial health care reforms at the VA. In CVA’s Fixing Veterans Health Care Taskforce, the group advocates that veterans should have the option to take their earned health care benefits and use them to access care at the VA or in the private sector.
The group is currently advocating for stabilizing the VA health care system over the short term, with multiple bills moving through the legislative process in Washington. Beyond those stopgap pieces of legislation, CVA plans an aggressive effort in 2018 to make longer-term reforms.
Dunn, Rubio lead delegation in letter to Mattis over oil drilling
If there is one thing that unites the Florida delegation, it is the prospect of oil and gas drilling off the coast of Florida. Some bring up the potential damage to beaches and tourism, while others point to oil rigs getting in the way of military base operations.
Last week, military operations were the focus as the Republican from Florida’s 2nd Congressional District and the GOP senator led the delegation in pointing out problems with the controversial proposal for drilling recently submitted by Secretary of the Department of Interior (DOI) Ryan Zinke. All 29 members signed a letter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis asking for his help to ensure military operations are not affected.
“(W)e respectfully request the Department of Defense’s (DOD) input to ensure this proposal does not adversely affect military readiness and training activities off Florida’s coasts,” they wrote. “While Secretary Zinke recently announced that Florida would be ‘off the table’ for new drilling, the DOI draft proposal still includes the possibility for both drilling and seismic testing off Florida’s coast in all three OCS planning areas surrounding Florida.”
Democratic Sen. Nelson has already challenged Zinke to submit a revised proposal that would officially take Florida “off the table.” In the meantime, the delegation seeks as many allies as it can get.
Being engaged “would allow DOD to have the certainty necessary to continue its long-term investments in the military ranges off Florida’s coasts that are vital to our military readiness and national security,” they wrote.
DeSantis to make run for governor official
After recently announcing his intentions to run for governor, the Palm Coast Republican will make it official this week. On Wednesday, he will hold a rally at the Embassy Suites in Boca Raton to launch the campaign.
“The excitement and momentum are squarely behind Ron DeSantis. He has already been endorsed by President Donald Trump, Sean Hannity, and Mark Levin —— and we haven’t even kicked off the campaign yet,” a campaign email told supporters.
DeSantis bills himself as the “#1 conservative in Florida” on his invite to the Boca Raton event, where he will build on remarks made on Fox and Friends as the year started — when he confirmed that he would in fact run.
“As a military officer, an Iraq veteran, and a proven conservative, with the support of the president, I’m in a position to exercise the leadership that can build on the great work that Governor Rick Scott has done to advance economic opportunity, reform education, and drain the swamp in Tallahassee that needs to be drained just like Washington,” DeSantis affirmed.
DeSantis is within five points of Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam among Republicans in the most recent Florida Chamber poll. Putnam has over $15 million cash on hand, but DeSantis is expected to be financially competitive.
Along with the potential fundraising power of Trump, DeSantis recently announced a formidable finance team. Some of those mentioned include Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus, casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, financial Rebekah Mercer and Palm Beach billionaire Thomas Peterffy, to name a few.
Murphy among first to announce return of salary during shutdown
As the government shutdown continued through the weekend, some members began to announce they would either return or donate their salary for each day it continues. Among the first to immediately announce their intention was Democratic Rep. Stephanie Murphy of Winter Park.
On Friday, she informed her constituents her salary would be returned to the U.S. Treasury.
“I came to Washington to hold Congress accountable to the American people,” she said in a statement issued Friday. “Members from both parties should not get paid if they cannot work together to pass a full-year budget that funds our military and critical domestic priorities. That is why I will return my salary every day that the government is shut down.
Murphy’s Democratic colleague, Hawaii Democrat Tulsi Gabbard will also return her salary to charity. Others, both Democrat and Republican, will either “withhold” or “reject” compensation.
Another growing trend is donating the amounts to various charities.
Still, Murphy and her Democratic colleagues voted unanimously to not accept the GOP funding bill that would have kept the government open while DACA and other issues are being negotiated. She explained her vote.
“Lurching from one short-term continuing resolution to another is reckless and wrong,” she said. “It degrades our military readiness, disrupts essential government services that American families rely on, and hurts small businesses that depend on federal contracts, grants, and loans.”
Bilirakis applauds local approach to sanctuary cities
The Republican from Palm Harbor praised a recent policy announcement that would keep criminals who happen to be illegal immigrants from being released into the local populations. The Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA) and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency have agreed on a process that would keep those who have broken criminal laws for being released.
Sanctuary cities have been a major source of controversy for years, but the issue has come to the forefront recently. The killing of Kate Steinle in San Francisco by an individual who had been deported multiple times, revived the debate after the shooter was freed days before by local authorities without informing ICE.
The new policy, called a Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA), was announced by Pinellas County Sheriff and MCSA Treasurer Bob Gualtieri. According to Gualtieri and the MCSA, sheriffs “may now hold criminal illegal aliens beyond their scheduled release date on state charges so that ICE may take custody and begin removal proceedings.”
Bilirakis was delighted with the arrangement.
“I am so proud of Sheriff Gualtieri and appreciative of his leadership and tireless work on this important issue,” Bilirakis said in a statement. “This is exactly the type of partnership and collaboration between governmental agencies that constituents expect and deserve.”
The plan will be rolled out in 17 Florida counties before going nationwide.
Ross laments lack of heat and hot water at VA facility
Another problematic Veterans Affairs issue has occurred and the Republican from Lakeland is not happy about it. Some of the veterans at the CW “Bill” Young VA Medical Center in Pinellas County are without hot water.
A portion of the facility has no heat or hot water since September. This is forcing those residents and patients to either take cold showers or walk across the parking lot to shower in a mobile unit.
Upon learning of the circumstances, which Ross described as “unacceptable, deplorable, and gravely disappointing,” he fired off a letter to VA Secretary David Shulkin seeking answers.
“Despite the VA being given the authority in October to move ahead with a contract to fix these issues, work has only recently begun and is estimated to last for at least three months,” Ross wrote. “To me, this situation is insulting to our Veterans, yet was completely avoidable.”
Ross noted the facility is not located in his district, but “several of my constituents in Hillsborough, Polk and Lake Counties receive care there and regularly interact with the employees and other Veterans there.”
He also pledged to “join my colleagues in the Tampa Bay delegation in requesting that these Veterans be provided with an alternative living space with working heat and hot water and for all reasonable steps to be taken to finish the repairs to Building 102 in the most efficient manner possible.”
T. Rooney joins call to release House Intel memo
Several House Republicans are calling on the Trump administration to release a four-page memo prepared by the majority on the House Intelligence Committee that deals with accusations of wrongdoing at the FBI and Obama Department of Justice. Okeechobee Republican Tom Rooney, a member of the committee agrees with letting the public see it.
The memo supposedly deals with activities within the Department of Justice and the FBI that Republicans say were either unlawful or unethical. Those who have seen the memo expressed shock at what they read, leading some to predict the investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller could end as a result.
Rooney was far more measured, but supports letting Americans read the document so they can make up their own minds.
“This memo reflects the result of months of diligent investigation by the Committee,” Rooney said. “This is why we voted to ensure that every Member of the House could read and learn for themselves our findings. As the Committee determines the most appropriate process in which to do so, I support making this memo available to the American people.”
Rooney’s statement, issued Monday, follows a growing number of Republicans who have already weighed in hoping it sees the light of day.
“The House must immediately make public the memo prepared by the Intelligence Committee regarding the FBI and the Department of Justice,” said Matt Gaetz, a Republican from Fort Walton Beach who has called for Mueller’s ouster. “The facts contained in this memo are jaw-dropping and demand full transparency. There is no higher priority than the release of this information to preserve our democracy.”
Now that the shutdown has ended, this issue is likely to become a top priority of several Republicans.
Deutch joins to introduce bill to strengthen sexual harassment policies
On the day before the government shut down, the Democrat from Boca Raton joined a bipartisan coalition to introduce legislation designed to enhance protection in the workplace in Congress. The Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 Reform Act will also strengthen responses to sexual harassment cases.
The bill amends the 23-year-old law with enhanced procedures for initiating, investigating and resolving claims against members and their offices of harassment and other accusations. Following recent claims of wrongdoing by current and former members — and the use of taxpayer funds to keep the allegations quiet — several remedies have been put forward.
“At a moment when women around the country are standing up to sexual harassment, Congress is finally taking action to strengthen our antiquated workplace protections,” Deutch, the ranking member of the House Committee on Ethics, said in a media release. “The Congressional Accountability Act passed almost a quarter of a century ago, and victims of sexual harassment in Congress have encountered a system with no transparency, little respect for the abused, and too many hurdles to seeking justice.”
Among the bill’s many provisions is ensuring that even those members who leave office will be held personally and financially responsible for their actions while in Congress. It also requires the Office Of Compliance (OOC) will publish online information on settlements every six months.
“Everyone — from Congressional interns to Members of Congress — deserves a safe workplace environment free from harassment or abuse,” Deutch said. “This bill will make it easier for victims to speak out, ensure that legal resources are available to them, and most importantly offer them a way to seek justice without fear of retribution. And when Members of Congress pay for their bad behavior, taxpayers will no longer foot the bill.”
Joining the bill as co-sponsors were Democrats Alcee Hastings of Delray Beach and Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston.
Diaz-Balart named to caucus leadership team
The Main Street Caucus has selected the veteran Miami Republican as a co-chair of the group, which consists of 76 GOP members of the House and four U.S. Senators. Most of the members come from Republican swing districts.
Diaz-Balart replaces one of the founding members, Pat Tiberi of Ohio, who recently retired from Congress. He will join Jeff Denham of California and Fred Upton of Michigan as a co-chair, serving along with Chairman Rodney Davis of Illinois on the leadership team.
“I am humbled to join Congressmen Davis, Denham, and Upton on Main Street’s leadership team,” Diaz-Balart said in a news release. “Members of this group are some of the most respected and effective Members of Congress and are involved in every important piece of legislation on Capitol Hill. I look forward to working with our colleagues to find common-sense solutions that will better the lives of Americans across the country.”
Davis welcomed the addition of his Florida colleague.
“Mario brings a long history of the kind of common sense governing we need and a new voice from the Appropriations Committee to the Main Street leadership table,” Davis said. “With Mario’s help, we are excited to deliver results our constituents are counting on, including crafting an infrastructure plan that builds on the momentum of tax reform and will keep our economy growing”
Four of Diaz-Balart’s Florida colleagues are members of the caucus. Those include Brian Mast of Palm City, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Miami, John Rutherford of Jacksonville, and Carlos Curbelo of Kendall.
Paulson’s Politics: Will open seats doom Republicans?
Currently, there are 46 open seats and 389 incumbents as we approach the 2018 congressional elections. In all likelihood, more open seats will be added as some members retire, while others will run for another political office.
The post-World War II average for incumbents is 397 according to the Vital Statistics on Congress. We have already exceeded that number by eight for 2018. If only seven more members decide to retire or seek another office, it will tie as the second lowest number of incumbents since WW II.
The fewest number of incumbents running for re-election was 368 in 1982. The reason for the record high in open seats was due to three unique factors. First, 1982 was a redistricting year, and that always results in more open seats. Second, the House banking scandal that year found scores of members of Congress overdrawing their congressional accounts. Finally, 1982 was the last year that members could retire and use their campaign funds for personal use. Many members ended their congressional careers and added hundreds of thousands of dollars to their bank accounts.
Of the 46 members not running for re-election in 2018, 31 are Republicans, and only 15 are Democrats. Although this is a sign that Republicans face difficulties in winning in 2018, it is also a direct result of Republicans holding more seats than Democrats. Republicans won 47 more seats in 2016 than Democrats (241-194) so it would be unusual if they did not have more open seats.
The Crystal Ball has recently rated the 46 open seats and found 18 of them to be competitive. Thirteen of the competitive seats are held by Republicans, including all of the top five most competitive seats. Democrats must have a net gain of six seats among the 18 most competitive if they hope to flip control of Congress.
The congressional seat rated as most likely to flip is District 27 in Florida currently held by Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the dean of the Florida delegation. Hillary Clinton defeated Donald Trump 58.5 percent to 38.9 percent, although Ros-Lehtinen carried the district by 9.8 percent.
The Democrats have a significant primary field of quality candidates, while Republicans have not been able to attract a quality candidate to the most Democratic district in America currently held by a Republican. Republicans are hoping that songwriter Angie Chirino, who has worked with Jennifer Lopez and Gloria Estefan, might be their strongest candidate.
The other open seat in Florida attracting attention is District 6 held by Republican DeSantis. DeSantis just announced he is running for governor. DeSantis has received the endorsement of President Trump who tweeted to his 46 million followers that “Congressman Ron DeSantis is a brilliant young leader, Yale and Harvard Law, who would make a GREAT Governor of Florida.” Conservative radio host Sean Hannity endorsed DeSantis, and he received the financial backing of Sheldon Adelson and other vital financial forces within the Republican Party.
DeSantis’s announcement for governor opens up his seat. The Crystal Ball has changed the rating from “safe Republican” to “likely Republican.”
The open seats have opened the door for Democrats to take control of the House in 2018. Will they be able to walk through the door or have it slammed in their face?
Former White House social secretaries call for reclaiming civility in uncivil times
One of the casualties of the current political climate in Washington D.C. — civility.
In a new book, two former White House social secretaries offer possible cures for our uncivil times.
“It really takes an effort to behave well, because it’s so easy to behave badly,” Jeremy Bernard tells The Washington Post.
Bernard and Lea Berman have co-authored a new book: “Treating People Well: The Extraordinary Power of Civility at Work and in Life.”
The pair knows a thing or two about civility in the workplace — White House social secretaries are zealously polite, as their job is to make everyone feel happy and relaxed. Bernard worked for Barack and Michelle Obama, Berman for George W. and Laura Bush (who provides the book’s forward).
“But their job was the same: Make every person who walked through the door feel welcomed, valued and comfortable,” writes the Post’s Roxanne Roberts.
“Some people heap disrespect on anyone who dares oppose them, tap into anger and manipulate it for their own benefit, and don’t seem to see anything wrong with that,” the pair write. “If bad behavior is contagious — as many studies have shown it is — we’re in an epidemic.”
While Trump’s ascension to the White House can be seen as a symptom of incivility in our society, but it was the rise of reality TV and social media that acted as an accelerator — where people can say things anonymously they would never say face-to-face.
But the book’s introduction offers readers a possible solution: “Act as if the world is watching and you cannot fail to do the right thing. Most of us like to think of ourselves as good people, and if we sense that what we’re doing is public, we’re more likely to behave reasonably.”
