Staff Reports
Don’t expect further significant legislation from Congress this year
On Friday, members of the House and Senate were among those flocking to Reagan National and Dulles Airport to get out of Washington as quickly as possible. Hours before they had passed a $1.3 trillion spending bill that had Republicans like Rep. Matt Gaetz fuming at the cost and the process, while Democrats like Sen. Bill Nelson celebrating the package of goodies coming to Florida.
The lawmakers were either flying home or heading out on vacation. Congress does not reconvene until April 9 and 10.
With 2018 being an election year, that fact brings good news and bad news, depending on one’s point of view. The good news is there will likely be no more legislating, while the bad news is … there will likely be no more legislating.
The successes, failures and the campaign issues are mostly set for the 30-second commercials and campaign mailers. Republicans will have tax cut/reform as their significant achievement, along with the addition of Neal Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.
If Saturday’s March For Our Lives rally is any indication, Democrats will use the lack of any significant gun control measures to get young voters to the polls. This voting bloc is ordinarily undependable, but may well turn out in more significant numbers this year.
Democrats will also ask to be put in the majority to pass DACA legislation by any means necessary. Donald Trump’s executive order ending Dreamer protection as of March 5 was put on hold by a federal judge, thereby easing the pressure for quick legislative action.
The Democratic base has been unhappy with their party’s leadership to get anything done in this area. They now have some breathing room because the Republican base is now equally unhappy with their leadership for the spending bill.
A DACA fix is one area where legislation could come before November if the injunction on Trump’s action is somehow lifted. Kendall Republican Carlos Curbelo, who is in a tight race for re-election, would dearly love to cast a vote for the Dreamers.
Another issue that could enter the campaign is the Supreme Court. Rumors are heating up that Justice Anthony Kennedy, the Court’s swing vote, may retire this summer.
Should that happen, Trump would likely make an appointment as soon as possible. If the Senate Judiciary, chaired by Iowa Republican Charles Grassley, is unable to get the confirmation process completed by October, the GOP would campaign frantically to keep their majority just on that issue alone.
Anyone care to make a wager on another Gorsuch-like nominee getting through a Judiciary Committee headed by California Democrat Diane Feinstein?
While legislation from Washington is likely wrapping up for the year, that does not mean the politics will take even one day off. Perhaps someone should ask Stormy Daniels for her view on all of this.
Rubio, a lead villain among gun violence marchers
The March for Our Lives rallies around the country generated hundreds of thousands of youthful participants in Washington and around the country. As the main event in Washington was approaching its conclusion, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio issued a statement supporting their right to march, but there were two sides to the issue.
“However, many other Americans do not support a gun ban,” he said. “They too want to prevent mass shootings, but view banning guns as an infringement on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens that ultimately will not prevent these tragedies.”
Rubio was mocked during the rally and according to one of the student leaders said the Senator is operating on a false premise.
“We’re not trying to take anyone’s guns away, and the NRA wants people to think that,” said Cameron Kasky, a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. “So, the second we want to put common-sense resolutions on these assault weapons, the NRA will say they are trying to steal every single one of your guns, and people believe them. Fortunately, the majority of the American people see past this.”
During the rally, price tags with the figure of $1.05 were in plentiful supply. Douglas High student David Hogg said they took the figure “Rubio took from the NRA, and we divided it by every single student in the state of Florida. So, this is how much we’re worth to the Florida government. It’s our price tag.”
Rubio, Nelson announce gun violence prevention bill
Both Florida Senators came together Thursday to announce a bill designed to prevent gun violence tragedies that have plagued Florida and the nation in the recent past. The Extreme Risk Protection Order and Violence Protection Act, co-sponsored by Rhode Island Democrat Jack Reed, is also known as a “red-flag” bill that would encourage states to pass legislation barring people with mental-health issues from obtaining firearms.
“I think, among the things that we could do after Parkland, one of the most effective is a gun violence restraining order,” Rubio said in a video statement. “The state of Florida passed one a few weeks ago. In that time, there’s been at least three documented attempts in which it’s either in the process of being used or has been used.”
The Florida bill, signed by Gov. Rick Scott on March 9, allows for law enforcement to seize weapons and prevent individuals from obtaining firearms. All three Senators agreed
“We must do all we can to keep our communities safe, which includes empowering law enforcement and family members concerned about loved ones to act and help keep guns out of the hands of those who pose a threat to themselves or others,” Nelson said. “I hope we can continue to work together on common-sense solutions, such as requiring universal background checks and getting assault rifles off our streets.”
The bill would also require that all appropriate levels of law enforcement be notified when a protection order was issued.
Booker featured guest at Nelson fundraiser
Florida’s senior Senator is set to welcome another well-known colleague to raise funds for his re-election campaign next month. Hopefully, this one will actually happen.
New Jersey Democrat Cory Booker is scheduled to come to Tallahassee on April 14 to boost Nelson’s cash coffers. The event will be held at the home of Altha Manning.
Booker is seen as a rising star in national Democratic politics, with several convinced he will be part of a large field looking to run for president in 2020. The former mayor of Newark, New Jersey was sworn into his first term in the Senate in 2013.
Nelson was scheduled to have another big fundraiser in November with Minnesota Democrat Al Franken serving as the headliner. Just days after the event was announced, Franken was accused of improper conduct with multiple women, and the fundraiser was canceled. He resigned from the Senate in January.
Nelson’s path to a fourth term is uncertain. No prominent Republican has stepped forward to take him on, but Gov. Scott is seriously considering mounting a challenge.
Florida challengers get boost from NewDemPAC
A political action committee aligned with the New Democrat Coalition has expanded the list of candidates it may fully endorse for the fall election. The 16 candidates named last week to their “watch list,” comes with a $1,000 check and more support if they decide to endorse their candidacy.
Two Floridians are on the list. NewDemPAC has their eyes on Nancy Soderberg, who is running to replace the vacating Marineland Republican Ron DeSantis, and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who is mounting a challenge against Carlos Curbelo of Kendall.
Earlier this month, the group placed Lauren Baer, who is challenging first-term Republican Brian Mast of Palm City, among their first group of 16 candidates they fully endorse. It comes with increased support for the primary with additional help for the general election.
According to their website, the New Democrat Coalition consists of 68 “forward-thinking Democrats in the House of Representatives who are committed to pro-economic growth, pro-innovation, and fiscally responsible policies. New Democrats believe the challenges ahead are too great for Members of Congress to refuse to cooperate purely out of partisanship.”
Those Floridians included among the membership are Al Lawson of Tallahassee, Stephanie Murphy of Winter Park, Val Demings and Darren Soto of Orlando, and Charlie Crist of St. Petersburg. All are first-termers.
On the other hand, the former Chair of the Democratic National Committee, Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston, is also included among the 68. So is the outspoken ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff of California.
Dunn challenges barriers to agricultural trade
Tariffs and trade are hot topics in Washington these days, and two Congressmen have come together to propose a way to eliminate unnecessary trade barriers. Panama City Republican Neal Dunn and California Democrat Jimmy Panetta are tackling the trade barriers that are hurting American exports and hindering innovation and advancement in agricultural technologies.
They have introduced The Growing American Food Exports Act, which amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act of 1990. The measure would update a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service program that funds efforts to harmonize international reviews of agricultural production technologies.
“In North Florida, agriculture is vital to the economy, and our farmers are using new technologies to grow food that is more resistant to pests and disease, require less water, and cost families less at the grocery store,” Dunn said in a release. Unfortunately, government regulations abroad often lag behind innovation on American farms, which prevents local farmers from selling their abundance to America’s trading partners,”
“Removing these trade barriers and strengthening relations with our global partners will level the playing field for North Florida’s agricultural products.”
While both states have a significant agricultural component to their economies, Panetta also focused on the technology benefits contained in the bill.
“The central coast of California is a national leader in agriculture research and innovation. From USDA’s Agriculture Research Service station in Salinas to our local colleges and universities, our researchers are constantly improving the way that our food is being grown through technological advancements,” Panetta said.
“The bill I introduced with Congressman Neal Dunn authorizes USDA to promote these emerging agriculture technologies abroad and ensure that trade regulations are based on sound science.”
Lawson hosts agriculture roundtable
This week, Tallahassee hosted a roundtable on agriculture issues featuring members of Congress. Democrat Lawson of Florida’s 5th Congressional District hosted Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson of Minnesota to address issues affecting both the agriculture industry and rural communities.
During the two-hour dialogue, held at the Tallahassee Community College Center for Workforce Development, discussed federal crop insurance, nutritional programs and trade enforcement laws administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He also sought input from the more than 100 attendees, which included area farmers and agriculture industry representatives.
“The Farmers Roundtable provided me the opportunity to talk one-on-one with the men and women who put food on America’s tables and to receive their feedback on how we can better serve them,” Lawson said in a statement. “The issues we discussed are critical for our nation’s growers and have a strong impact on the agriculture system.”
Peterson discussed the reauthorization of the Farm Bill and its contents, which include providing tools needed by the nation’s farmers. This was the second farmer’s roundtable hosted by Lawson, who serves with Peterson on the Agriculture Committee.
Agriculture is a more than $120 billion industry in Florida. This includes 9.5 million acres of farmland in production and one of the most reliable pillars of Florida’s economy supporting more than 2 million jobs.
Castor blasts ‘Republican sabotage’ of Affordable Care Act
On the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), several Democrats are urging colleagues to fix the troubled program as premiums are set to rise. Among those includes Kathy Castor of Tampa, who laments the “Republican sabotage” of the nation’s health care law.
Castor said the Republicans “failure to act on sensible bipartisan proposals to stabilize health insurance markets in (last week’s) Omnibus funding bill will lead to higher premiums for families across Florida and the country.”
She points out that the Affordable Care Act has reduced the uninsured rate of Floridians by 7.5 percent. Castor said it “would have been even lower if Florida Republicans and Governor Scott did not refuse to expand Medicaid coverage like most states.”
In addition to insurers leaving the ACA marketplace, the requirement that everyone who can afford to have health insurance buy coverage (aka “the individual mandate”) was repealed as part of the tax cut/reform bill passed in December. The individual mandate was an irreplaceable part of the ACA.
“It is crystal clear that Trump and the Republican Congress are responsible for higher health care costs due to the ongoing Republican sabotage of the Affordable Care Act,” Castor said.
Giffords joins Deutch, Nelson to laud students behind gun control effort
On the eve of the March For Our Lives rally in Washington, several members of Congress gathered outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington for a news conference. The event was organized by Democratic Sen. Nelson, Democratic Rep. Ted Deutch of Boca Raton, and Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.
A featured guest was former Democratic Congresswoman Gabby Giffords of Arizona, who was critically wounded in an assassination attempt in 2011. Giffords did not speak, but her husband, former astronaut Mark Kelly, offered strong support for the renewed effort toward gun control.
“This election in November could turn out to be a referendum on what Congress collectively has not done on this issue for so many years, and when that happens we’re going to see some real change,” Kelly said.
Nelson spoke fondly of the efforts of the students behind the rally and the pressure to enact more gun regulations.
“These students have spoken out with such eloquence, such determination, such hope,” he said. “Their hope gives me hope; their determination gives me determination.”
Deutch was pleased with the budget deal that was enacted on Friday because of the funding provided for better school security. He later warned in a tweet that “These young men and women will not accept inaction. Their voices will be heard.”
Former CD 27 candidate not happy to receive Shalala solicitation
In this era of hyper-partisanship, there are some transgressions among fellow party members that are unforgivable. According to a former candidate for Florida’s 27th Congressional District, current candidate Donna Shalala crossed a line.
Scott Fuhrman, who ran against Miami Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen in 2016, was not happy to receive a solicitation for a campaign contribution from the Shalala campaign. It turns out that when Fuhrman was running against Ros-Lehtinen, the former University of Miami President and Clinton Cabinet member donated to Ros-Lehtinen.
“You do know that she donated to my opponent, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, last cycle? Are you seriously asking me for money?” Fuhrman responded. His parting shot was simply “GFY.”
In addition to Ros-Lehtinen, Shalala has donated more than $21,000 to Republican candidates over the past decade. She has given more than $230,000 to Democrats over that same period.
“Questioning Donna Shalala’s credentials as a Democrat is ridiculous on its face, as her name is synonymous with the Democratic Party,” her campaign adviser, Fernand Amandi, said in a written statement. “Her pedigree as a Democrat is unassailable, just ask the three living Democratic Presidents that she’s worked with and for.”
The Shalala campaign’s solicitation to any Democrat they can think of is understandable. Nearly a dozen have said they are running for the seat being vacated by Ros-Lehtinen. Of those, six have raised at least $250,000.
Fuhrman initially decided he wanted to give it another try in 2018 but withdrew last June. CD 27 is widely expected to flip from Republican to Democrat in the November election.
Trujillo confirmed as Ambassador to OAS
Another Floridian is headed for service in the Trump administration. Late last week, state Rep. Carlos Trujillo of Miami was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS).
Trujillo, who has represented the 105th district since 2010, was initially nominated by Trump on October 26, 2017. Maryland Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin placed a hold on the nomination.
Upon his nomination, Trujillo tweeted thanks to Trump for “placing your trust in me. Humbled by this incredible opportunity.”
He comes to the position while the OAS membership is dealing with significant issues in Venezuela, an OAS member. Other members include Cuba, other nations from the Caribbean, Central and South America and the United States.
“Growing up in Miami, the diversity of the community means you know people who are struggling from Venezuela because of [President Nicolás] Maduro, from Nicaragua because of the Sandinistas — you see how all these policies affect people in their very own community,” Trujillo told the Tampa Bay Times. “Most of the people I represented for the last seven years were affected by these policies.”
Former Florida Congressman among possible Shulkin successors
The job of Secretary for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is currently filled. At least for now.
Rumors are running rampant that David Shulkin will soon be replaced, but Shulkin is fighting for his job. Nagging issues with the agency, plus a mini-scandal involving travel, has put his role at the VA in jeopardy.
Should he lose that fight, several potential candidates, including former GOP Congressman Jeff Miller from Pensacola, are among the pool of successors.
Miller was the Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee before retiring in 2016. In 2017 he joined the DC firm McDermott Will & Emery, lobbying on veterans’ issues.
While any nominee would likely produce a bruising confirmation battle, Miller has a track record of demanding accountability at the VA. The revelations of improper conduct by VA employees began to come to light during his tenure as chairman of the committee.
It was those revelations that led to the ouster of then-Secretary Eric Shinseki and replaced by Robert McDonald. Trump nominated Shulkin on January 11, 2017, and received a rare unanimous confirmation vote by the Senate on February 13, 2017.
Miller is not commenting on the rumors.
On this date in the headlines
March 27, 1988 — The Rev. Jesse Jackson blitzed Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis in the Democratic Primary in Michigan by a nearly two-to-one margin. While Dukakis has the means to recover, the third-place finish by Missouri Rep. Richard Gephardt meant the end of the road for his presidential hopes.
March 27, 2013 — The U.S. Supreme Court tackled the issue of same-sex marriage when they heard a case challenging the state of California’s voter-approved Proposition 8, which permitted same-sex marriage. It marked the Court’s first major examination of gay rights in a decade.
(The Court did not come down on the side of same-sex marriage in this case, but two years later ruled in another case that same-sex marriage was a right.)
DeSantis becomes a dad again
Casey and I are blessed to welcome our son Mason Joseph DeSantis. 8lbs, 4oz and very strong! Both baby and mom are doing great. pic.twitter.com/dRMPDgsL9y
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantisFL) March 26, 2018
