Staff Reports
As Kavanaugh process nears end, what are the political ramifications?
One way or another, the saga surrounding the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court is nearly over. No matter one’s view on his suitability, most of America outside the Beltway is ready for the process to end.
It has gotten ugly on Capitol Hill as well as surrounding areas. Hundreds of “Stop Kavanaugh” vigils are taking place across the country. Protesters are swarming the halls of Congress, forcing the Capitol Police to beef up security.
Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and his wife were recently driven from a dinner table at a Washington restaurant. On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell faced angry protesters as he arrived at Washington’s Reagan National Airport.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is even fighting over the wording of tweets. President Donald Trump discarded the measured approach previously taken and began to attack the testimony of Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford, drawing rebukes from Democrats and Republicans alike.
McConnell is defiant and guaranteed a Senate vote on Kavanaugh will come this week.
“I want to make it clear to these people who are chasing my members around the hall here, or harassing them at the airports, or going to their homes,” McConnell said Wednesday. “We will not be intimidated by these people.”
With the arrival of the report from the FBI, McConnell set in motion a process that allowed Senators to read the report, then conduct a vote on Friday that would break a filibuster — if it goes the way he and Republicans hope. A final confirmation vote would come Saturday.
When it ends on Saturday, many are wondering what the final month of the campaign season will bring. Polls will begin to show whether Republicans are becoming as energized as Democratic voters have been for months.
So far, generic ballots are maintaining Democratic leads of five to eight points. The Real Clear Politics average of polls gives them a nearly eight-point lead.
Republicans will have a difficult time holding on to the House unless the Kavanaugh hearings rile their voters up to 2014 levels and cause enough independents to switch sides. On the Senate side, recent polling in red states should give Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson some pause.
Fox News polls released Wednesday show GOP Senate candidates in Tennessee and North Dakota surging into the lead, while incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill in Missouri, who is opposing Kavanaugh, is tied. Trump won those states by huge margins.
Florida is best described as a purple state, but 2016 demonstrated that enough Republicans and independents could defy conventional wisdom. Nelson was ahead by anywhere from five to nine points in polls released last week, but now multiple surveys have the incumbent tied with Gov. Rick Scott.
There is also nothing like anti-media sentiment to motivate Republicans and conservatives. While Trump stokes this emotion daily, the coverage of the Kavanaugh process even has the attention of some of their own.
One-time delegation Republican, now independent, MSNBC host Joe Scarborough blasted the media’s “biased” and “one-sided” coverage earlier this week. However accurate that assessment may or may not be, Republicans believe it to be true.
The true effect of the Kavanaugh hearings will be known soon enough. Fixing the damage to Capitol Hill relationships and the fabric of the country will take a lot longer.
New Obama endorsements: Some happy, some not
A few weeks ago, former President Barack Obama announced a wave of 81 endorsements for federal and state races around the country. Naturally, all the approvals were Democrats, but none of them were from Florida.
Earlier this week, he provided a second round of approved candidates, but this time Floridians were included. Among the 20 from this state are two delegation incumbents and four challengers.
Today, I’m proud to endorse even more Democratic candidates who aren’t just running against something, but for something — to expand opportunity for all of us and to restore dignity, honor, and compassion to public service. They deserve your vote:” Today, I’m proud to endorse even more Democratic candidates who aren’t just running against something, but for something — to expand opportunity for all of us and to restore dignity, honor, and compassion to public service,” Obama said. “They deserve your vote.”
Nelson and Rep. Stephanie Murphy in Florida’s 7th Congressional District have Obama’s support for another term. The former President also gave a thumbs up to CD 6 candidate Nancy Soderberg, CD 18 hopeful Lauren Baer, CD 26 nominee Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and Chris Hunter, who is challenging veteran Republican Gus Bilirakis in CD 12.
Soderberg is competing against Mike Waltz for an open seat, Baer is challenging first-term Republican Brian Mast, and Mucarsel-Powell is campaigning against two-term Republican Carlos Curbelo (see below).
A notable omission was former Clinton cabinet member Donna Shalala, who is trying to flip the District 27 seat currently held by Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. Also left out was District 25 candidate Mary Barzee Flores and Kristen Carlson, who is also running for an open seat in District 15.
Others passed over includes Charlie Crist in CD 13, who was seemingly tied to Obama forever after the (in)famous welcoming hug in 2009 that cost Crist so dearly. Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz was Obama’s choice to lead the Democratic National Committee during a major part of his presidency but did not make the list.
Those not receiving the Obama seal of approval were disappointed, with some statewide hopefuls saying so publicly. The former president did not indicate if a third round will come closer to Election Day.
Nelson, Scott square off
This week, Nelson and Scott held their first televised debate of the campaign. In a razor-thin race for Nelson’s seat, consultants and pundits were looking for a big gaffe or moment that might tilt the election one way or another.
While that did not happen, there were several exchanges presented to the audience on Telemundo with both having the opportunity to reinforce their campaign talking points. Nelson claims Scott cannot tell the truth, while the governor says the three-term incumbent has “done nothing” during 40 years of public service.
To watch some highlights, click on the image below:
With health care a top issue in campaigns across the country, Nelson reminded voters that Scott declined to expand Medicaid in Florida. On gun control, Scott proudly pointed to his leadership on enacting a new state law that placed some restrictions on gun ownership.
The issue of Puerto Rico and the state and federal response following Hurricane Maria became an important topic following Puerto Rico Gov. Carlos Rossello’s endorsement of Nelson. Scott ticked off a list of actions taken by the state to help the island commonwealth, while Nelson responded by tying Scott to Trump and the widely-panned federal response.
Both blamed the other for the outbreak of toxic algae in South Florida. On immigration, Nelson wants the 2013 comprehensive reform bill reinvigorated, while Scott calls for protecting DACA immigrants and securing the border.
On the issue of the day, Nelson said he could not support Kavanaugh because the nominee lacks the temperament to be a Supreme Court Justice, an opinion formed after the judge’s combative encounters with Senate Democrats last week. Scott called the entire confirmation process a “circus” and supports confirmation.
The next debate is scheduled for October 16 to be aired on CNN and moderated by Wolf Blitzer.
Rubio urges improved school safety
As part of a broad effort to enhance school safety, Rubio and several bipartisan members of Congress have signed on to create a central authority to help new and existing schools improve safety features. Rubio led a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos calling for the Department and the Federal Commission on School Safety to include the new commission in their final recommendation on the matter.
The letter urges DeVos “to ensure tight coordination and collaboration of effort among all federal agencies that are working on different aspects of school safety to eliminate duplication, redundancy, and waste of valuable resources.” The Commission, led by Secretary DeVos, also includes Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen.
“Our nation’s educators are trained to teach and are not always equipped to identify weaknesses in school safety,” they wrote. “They are also not the experts on what are the best, most cost-effective ways to harden schools. However, the federal government can compile best practices and resources for educators that would like assistance on how to improve school safety without detracting from school elements that are conducive to learning.”
Rubio worked closely with Max Schachter — father of Parkland shooting victim, Alex Schachter, and CEO and founder of Safe Schools for Alex — who also testified before the Federal Commission on School Safety on the importance of ensuring our children are safe at school.
Joining Rubio in signing the letter was Nelson and 20 bipartisan members of the Florida delegation.
Taxpayer advocates salute GOP delegation
The National Taxpayers Union (NTU) has announced their 2017 scorecard for both the House and Senate with few surprises. Most Republicans gain high marks, and most Democrats earn failing grades.
Among the 240 House Republicans, 66 earned the organization’s Taxpayer Friend Award. Four of those were from Florida: Rep. Ted Yoho of Gainesville, former Rep. Ron DeSantis, Rep. Francis Rooney of Naples and Rep. Daniel Webster of Clermont.
“Every dollar spent in Washington, is a dollar taken out of a hardworking American’s pocket,” said Webster. “I ran for Congress pledging to get our fiscal house in order and get government off the backs of hardworking Americans and job creators. Job creators get to keep more of their hard-earned profits, allowing them to expand business, hire more people, pay better wages, and offer more generous benefits.”
Rubio was one of 15 Senators to win the award.
The five award winners constituted the five As earned by the delegation. Ros-Lehtinen earned a C+ while the other Republicans earned Bs. Nelson and all 11 House Democrats won Fs.
NTU included 98 Senate votes and 198 House votes in the 2017 scorecard. The organization states its rating program is designed to calculate a member’s voting record on fiscal responsibility by evaluating every vote that has an impact on tax, spending, trade, and regulatory policy utilizing a methodical weighting system.
Despite have a 17-12 Republican majority within the delegation, the state’s 52 percent average score was the lowest among southern states.
Dunn blasts VA for mass cancellation of patient tests
This week, USA Today revealed that since 2016, VA hospitals around the country had canceled more than 250,000 radiology tests ordered by doctors. The VA Inspector General is in the process of conducting an audit.
The revelations brought a strong reaction from Republican Rep. Neal Dunn of Panama City, who represents a district with thousands of active duty military and retirees.
“The recent reports of mass cancellations of medically necessary diagnostic appointments at VA hospitals across the country is incredibly troubling,” said Dunn, who is also a medical doctor. “Over the last decade, the VA has dealt with scandal after scandal as we witnessed veterans dying on long waiting lists and being denied the care they have earned. These actions are completely unacceptable.”
The inspector general audit covers nine VA hospitals around the country. Among those are the facilities in Tampa and Bay Pines.
At the Tampa facility, as many as 10 people were reportedly tasked with the job, one administrative staffer testified in a deposition in a lawsuit filed by technicians. Multiple employees testified they canceled orders by date and did not consult any doctors before doing so, nor was there patient contact
The VA said many of the orders were outdated or duplicated. The agency said it welcomes the oversight and is working with the inspector general to improve cancellation guidelines.
Soto tops in bills launched, enacted
Some freshman members of Congress are busier than others, but when it comes to introducing bills and getting them passed, none was more active than Rep. Darren Soto of Orlando. According to a legislative analysis, the first term Democrat introduced 29 bills during the current session of Congress with two becoming law.
The analysis and data came from Quorum, a software company the provides analytics and trends to Congress. The average number of bills proposed by first-term members was 14.
Soto and New York Republican John Faso were the only two in the freshman class to have two bills signed into law. Faso introduced 21 bills while the member presenting the most, Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, had 31 but none were adopted.
Among the group were 13 members who introduced legislation and had at least one enacted. Those from among the delegation on that list were Murphy, Mast, Democrat Al Lawson of Tallahassee.
Curbelo not completely closing door on backing Gillum
Without question, Curbelo is already overcoming a few odds to be in a race that “leans Republican.” That is the consensus of election pundits who slightly tilt the District 26 race the incumbent’s way against Mucarsel-Powell, his Democratic challenger.
There are more Democrats than Republicans in the district, which went for Hillary Clinton in 2016 by double digits. The two-term incumbent knows it would not be leaning GOP if he consistently lined up behind House leadership every time, especially on big issues, then went home to South Florida to try to explain some of his votes.
While he favored the Republican tax cuts enacted in 2017, he also led a charge to get immigration bills out of limbo and onto the Senate floor. Curbelo was one of only a handful of Republican co-sponsors of the DREAM Act.
Curbelo displayed his moderate approach by offering his views on the governor’s race between his former delegation colleague, Ron DeSantis, and Democrat Andrew Gillum. Neither were his first choices for either party.
“If there’s anything for me to lament in this governor’s race is the two candidates who represent the extremes of the spectrum, won (the primaries),” he was quoted in The Hill.
Knowing Republicans running statewide seldom do well in southeast Florida, Curbelo said he did not completely close the door on backing Gillum.
“I’m going to watch the debate,” Curbelo said. “For right now I don’t anticipate abandoning Ron, but I’m going to watch the debates,” he said.
Environmental group calls on CD 26 candidates to help Arctic refuge
While Curbelo and Mucarsel-Powell differ on issues involving South Florida, the environmental group Alaska Wilderness Action is turning to them for help with its pledge campaign to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The organization is calling on both candidates in Florida’s 26th Congressional District to support the group’s efforts.
“Conservation and the environment consistently poll as priorities for voters in the 2018 midterms and are especially critical issues in competitive House district held by centrist Republicans,” said Leah Donahey, the group’s political director.
“That’s why we have called on Representative Curbelo and his challenger, Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, to pledge to protect the Arctic Refuge.”
Alaska Wilderness Action says Mucarsel-Powell has taken the pledge, and they remain hopeful Curbelo will as well. “He has shown himself willing to work across the aisle on climate change, opposed the inclusion of the Arctic Refuge oil and gas leasing in last year’s tax bill, and he has come out strongly against offshore drilling off Florida’s coast,” Donahey said of Curbelo.
“He should understand, as well as anyone, that if we can’t protect the Arctic Refuge, which had been set aside for more than half a century, how can we hold the line along Florida’s sensitive coastal waters?”
While Curbelo did oppose the inclusion of the Arctic drilling provision in last year’s tax bill, he ultimately voted for the law.
Shalala joins Democrats, union pushing living wage, better conditions
Three South Florida Democratic women candidates for the House rallied together Tuesday at Miami International Airport to demand better working conditions for airport workers. The event, organized by the local chapter of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) featured CD 27 candidate Shalala, Barzee Flores and Mucarsel-Powell.
The candidates gathered by the airport’s flagpoles to demand a living wage for airport workers as well as other benefits. The SEIU, the country’s largest union for property service workers in the United States, has long argued for higher wages for current employees and significantly raising the minimum wage.
“Elect all the Democrats, and we will put a union label on Florida,” Shalala said to the crowd. “My opponent does not believe in the living wage. She believes that the Trump economy has lifted everyone.”
Republican Maria Elvira Salazar is challenging Shalala.
The union argues that the current system, where airport employees work under subcontractors, results in lower wages and fewer opportunities for benefits. According to Ana Tinsly, the union’s spokeswoman in Florida, said airport employees work under subcontractors, which results in lower wages and less opportunity for benefits.
“At the Miami airport, we have a lot of issues with hazardous conditions,” said SEIU spokeswoman Ana Tinsley, “ … and general issues like a lack of benefits.”
Nigerian political party turns to Ballard Partners
Ballard Partners gained another foreign client when the People’s Democratic Party of Nigeria signed the firm’s DC office to a $1.1 million per year lobbying contract. The contract, worth $90,000 per month, became effective on September 21.
The firm will lobby on measures to improve Nigeria’s relationship with the United States as well as assist the West African nation in “maintaining political and security conditions free of intimidation and interference” ahead of the country’s 2019 presidential election.
With violence rocking Nigeria, concerns for election security have intensified. Washington-based think-tank Fund for Peace recently named Nigeria as the 14th least stable country in the world in its 2018 “Fragile States Index.”
Ballard Partners’ head Brian Ballard chaired the Trump Victory organization in Florida during the 2016 presidential election and is viewed as one of a handful of lobbyists close to Trump. Those ties led him to expand his firm to Washington shortly after Trump’s inauguration.
In the nearly two years since opening its doors in D.C., Ballard Partners has added numerous clients, from major American businesses such as Amazon, Sprint and Uber, to the governments of the Dominican Republic, Qatar, the Maldives, Turkey and Mali.
On this day in the headlines
October 5, 2003 — After heaping criticism on President George W. Bush during a feisty speech to national Democratic Party leaders, Sen. Bob Graham acknowledged Saturday that he is evaluating his presidential campaign strategy and did not explicitly rule out leaving the race. Graham said he had consulted with former President Bill Clinton and Senate leaders, none of whom urged him to abandon the campaign.
Pointedly asked if he was dropping out, Graham said: “We are committed to this race. We are looking at the ways to be the next President of the United States.”
October 5, 2009 — Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan predicted on Sunday that the unemployment rate would pass 10 percent and stay there for a while, and a second stimulus plan is not needed now. He spoke favorably of extending unemployment benefits and tax credits for health insurance options the Obama administration is considering for people laid off during the recession.
“This is an extraordinary period, and temporary actions must be taken, especially to assuage the angst of a very substantial part of our population,” Greenspan said on ABC’s This Week. With more than 15 million people out of work, unemployment reached 9.8 percent in September, the highest rate in 26 years.
