Delegation for 6.13.23: Courtside — spy vs. spy — biggest loser — it’s a riot

Court date

On Tuesday, the legal journey of former (and would-be) President Donald Trump winds into a South Florida courtroom.

The Mar-a-Lago Republican is scheduled to appear in federal court around 3 p.m. following his indictment on 37 charges related to classified information transported at the end of his term from the White House to his Florida estate.

The matter is proving politically polarizing, like other investigations of Trump, and supporters have called for everything from peaceful protests in Miami to the scouting of local bridges to prepare for military resistance. Miami authorities expect as many as 50,000 to show up in the streets today.

For his part, Trump has continued campaigning for President. He returned to Florida as he prepared for a day in court but plans to be at a fundraiser in Bedminster, New Jersey, Tuesday evening.

Trump has continued asserting the Department of Justice case against him is politically motivated and a weaponization of government.

“(President) Joe Biden just stated he never spoke to Attorney General (Merrick) Garland about Indicting his political opponent, who just happens to be leading him, by a lot, in the polls,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Used to say the same thing about Hunter’s business partners until that was revealed to be a lie! Met with them many, many times. Crooked Joe and his thugs are destroying America!”

Trump also promised, should he win the presidency, to bring charges against Biden.

“Now that the ‘seal’ is broken, in addition to closing the border and removing all of the ‘criminal’ elements that have illegally invaded our country, making America energy independent and even dominant again, and immediately ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, I will appoint a real special ‘prosecutor’ to go after the most corrupt President in the history of the USA, Joe Biden, the entire Biden crime family and all others involved with the destruction of our elections, borders and country itself!”

Republicans in the Florida congressional delegation defended Trump and attacked Democratic leaders, alleging the left faces a different set of consequences when Democrats lead the Justice Department.

Rep. Michael Waltz, a St. Augustine Beach Republican, pointed to a POLITICO report on Biden officials who previously shared classified information with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

“Talk about a double standard: Biden’s sitting National Security adviser Jake Sullivan sent top secret emails to Hillary Clinton’s private account and the DOJ didn’t do a damn thing about it. No wonder Americans are losing faith in our justice system.”

But delegation Democrats said Trump’s real problems can’t be explained away by pointing fingers elsewhere.

“Former President Trump has been charged with violating the Espionage Act,” tweeted Rep. Darren Soto, a Kissimmee Democrat. “He is alleged to have willfully refused to produce secret documents despite numerous opportunities to do so. This is now the second indictment facing Trump and shows no one is above the law.”

Rep. Kathy Castor, a Tampa Democrat, encouraged people to simply go over the indictment and learn about what evidence prosecutors’ documents contain to justify bringing a case forward.

“Read Trump’s federal grand jury indictment, 37 crimes: willful retention of national defense info, violation of Espionage Act, conspiracy to obstruct justice re: hiding classified documents, corruptly concealing documents and false statements to law enforcement,” she tweeted.

“No one is above the law in America. I look forward to the day when the chaos and division unleashed by Trump ends for the sake of our country.”

But to date, there has been little sign of political figures breaking away from standard loyalties. Rep. Carlos Giménez, a Miami-Dade Republican, shared a photo on social media of himself golfing with Trump ahead of the court date.

“Yes, I played golf with President Trump this week,” he posted. “We need Donald Trump back in the White House because this country cannot afford another four years of Joe Biden!”

Spy games

The Florida congressional delegation’s longest-serving congressional Representatives spoke with one voice on the threat of a Chinese spy station operating in Cuba.

Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart, dean of the delegation, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the delegation’s Democratic Co-Chair, penned a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The Hialeah Republican and Weston Democrat wrote of a shared concern about intelligence gathering less than 100 miles from Florida soil.

The two sought all available information on planned and active eavesdropping on the island.

“This escalation is the latest step in a long series of Chinese interventions in the Western Hemisphere and is a perfect demonstration of the evolution in their approach to the region,” the letter reads. “After years of debt diplomacy, exploiting its economic leverage over Latin American and Caribbean countries to exact diplomatic victories like eliminating relations with Taiwan, China is now shoring up its alliances with Latin America’s despotic regimes, including Cuba.”

The two stressed China has strengthened relationships with numerous Latin American nations with poor human rights records and a history of authoritarianism. This holds a particular threat for a nation so geographically close to the U.S.

“The benefits for Cuba’s autocrats are clear: rather than liberalizing its government, restoring human rights, and freeing political prisoners to induce sanctions relief, the regime can continue to lean on China’s economic heft to prop themselves up,” the letter reads. “In return, the CCP’s security services enjoy unfettered access to monitor American troops, assets, and communications from less than 100 miles away.”

The letter also pointedly criticized an “unwise withdrawal of U.S. leadership in Latin America and the Caribbean,” though without singling out the sitting administration.

“We recognize that the Biden Administration has prioritized expanding U.S. influence in the Western Hemisphere,” the letter reads.

“However, we also strongly believe that the United States must continue to take swift action to confront China’s malign influence before it reaches the borders of our state, and urge you to use every political, diplomatic, economic, and counterintelligence tool at your disposal to hinder future security cooperation between Cuba and China.”

Chinese and Cuban officials both denied to Reuters that any spying station exists. Meanwhile, White House spokesperson John Kirby told the press this week that administration officials voiced concerns for years about the potential of Chinese spying taking place from Cuba, but that won’t interfere with a visit by Blinken to China this week.

Chinese imports

Sen. Marco Rubio rallied a bipartisan collection of Senators to demand sanctions on China over the treatment of Uyghurs.

But the Miami Republican isn’t happy with the administration’s enforcement of policies.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) added two companies to an import ban list — Xinjiang Zhongtai Chemical and Ninestar — following the passage of the Rubio-sponsored Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.

But Rubio said that shows an unserious level of attention.

“While today’s announcement by DHS to punish more bad actors is welcomed, it is just a drop in the bucket and must go further,” Rubio said.

“The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act requires the U.S. government to block all imports from Xinjiang, as well as from programs that transfer Uyghurs elsewhere in China unless the companies involved can prove their supply chains are free of slave labor. That is clearly not happening. Instead, the Biden Administration’s current case-by-case approach is giving a free pass to many companies still profiting from slave labor.”

Homeland Security officials stressed all subsidiaries of the two companies are also covered by new sanctions and said they will enforce the law.

“This Administration is committed to eradicating forced labor from U.S. supply chains and will do so while facilitating legitimate trade and strengthening the U.S. economy,” said Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

“Our Department will not tolerate governments abusing human rights and will continue to restrict all goods at our ports of entry that use materials or workers from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region where the People’s Republic of China aggressively oppresses and exploits Uyghurs and other Muslim-majority communities.”

Trillion-dollar loser

Sen. Rick Scott has spotlighted inflation rates regularly since Biden took office. Now, he’s blasting the head of the Federal Reserve for failure to dull the impact.

He criticized Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell as responsible for a $1.2 trillion loss on its portfolio.

“Jay Powell is a trillion-dollar loser,” Scott said in a statement. “He might be the first trillion-dollar loser in American history. Under his watch, the Fed has managed to lose more than $1.2 trillion of taxpayers’ hard-earned money in the last year. It’s gross incompetence and when (it’s) paired with the wildly reckless spending of the Biden administration, it’s no wonder why we have massive inflation and debt.”

Scott, who is up for re-election next year, said he’s hearing from voters who can’t shoulder the rising costs of living.

“I am hearing from families all over Florida that are struggling to make ends meet, unsure how they are going to cover bills and save for retirement due to the burden of Biden’s inflation crisis. So, when I hear of leaders in this country like Jay Powell, who are supposed to be good stewards of the American public, be completely reckless, it makes me furious,” he said.

“The Fed does not have an independent Inspector General, it employs about 23,000 people and is losing nearly $3.4 billion every day. Enough is enough. We must have real accountability now. Would you bank with the Fed?”

At the Monetary Policy Conference last month, Powell gave remarks that stressed the Fed’s goals of reducing inflation to 2%.

“We think the failure to get inflation down will not only prolong the pain but also increase, ultimately, the social cost for getting back to price stability,” Powell said.

Saving the rioters

The courts continue to sentence individuals directly involved in planning and executing the riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Panhandle Republican, has maintained those individuals were scapegoated by a weaponized government and will hold a “field hearing” today to highlight the stories of those poor Americans just trying to derail democracy.

He will hold this hearing at the Capitol Visitor Center, along with several other pro-Trump members of Congress including GOP Reps. Andy Biggs, Paul Gosar, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Troy Nehls and Ralph Norman.

Witnesses will include Brandon Straka, a pro-Trump social media influence who pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct for egging protesters on in a speech, and John Strand, who was convicted of five charges related to the riot. The family of Matthew Perna, who committed suicide awaiting sentencing, and Ronald McAbbee, who faces charges of assaulting Capitol Police, will also testify.

“The federal government’s targeting of American patriots, mismanagement of overhyped cases, and unjust prosecutions of Jan. 6, 2021, defendants are a case study in this weaponization,” reads a meeting announcement from Gaetz’s Office.

“Since that day, we have seen unprecedented deviations from standard law enforcement practice, outward political pressure from the FBI Washington Field Office, strong-arm prosecutorial tactics, outsized jail sentences, perjury before Congress, and more.”

Water farming

The future of Florida farmland has long been a priority to Rep. Kat Cammack, a Gainesville Republican. Now she’s making it clear she isn’t only concerned with dry land. She co-chairs the bipartisan Aquaculture Caucus with Rep. Ed Case, a Hawaii Democrat, and filed legislation to boost sustainable marine farming.

“Aquaculture should be one of our priorities as we grow our focus on food security,” Cammack said. “In Florida, we’ve seen the benefits of aquaculture firsthand — breeding, raising and harvesting shellfish, fish and aquatic plants in our waters. We’ve demonstrated that it’s possible to provide healthy, fresh food that’s produced sustainably at home to support our growing population.”

Of note, redistricting last year shifted Florida’s 3rd Congressional District to include many coastal Big Bend communities on the Gulf of Mexico.

The Advancing the Quality and Understanding of American Aquaculture (AQUAA) Act would support the development of the industry in the United States by advancing access to investment capital, developing sustainable marine aquaculture to complement sustainable fisheries and ecosystem-based management, clarifying the federal regulatory regime for sustainable offshore aquaculture, supporting research and technology, and reducing the seafood trade deficit by expanding the domestic supply of seafood.

“Our bipartisan, bicameral AQUAA Act would provide a consistent efficient regulatory umbrella to help fully unlock the potential of open ocean aquaculture in a sustainable, environmentally sensitive and science-based way and grow economies for coastal states and food security for the nation,” Case said.

Cutting the cord

Anyone who watches a cop drama knows people are entitled to one phone call when they get arrested. But too often, Rep. Gus Bilirakis said prison inmates place unlimited calls from custody.

The Palm Harbor Republican will introduce the Eliminate Non-approved Devices and Contraband Electronics Limiting Links to Society in Confined Environments for Longer Lasting Safety (END CELLS in CELLS) Act. If passed, that would boost penalties on those in federal prison caught smuggling wireless communication devices into institutions. The bill would also outlaw providing prisoners, including in state and local custody, being given or retaining custody of a phone or other device.

It’s not just about cutting off the outside world to prisoners, Bilirakis said, but stopping convicts from re-victimizing people.

“Americans deserve the confidence of knowing that once a criminal has been locked away, the perpetrator cannot continue to victimize others from behind bars,” he said. “We have seen prisoners use illegal devices to facilitate escape attempts, coordinate murders and endanger children to sexual predators. Enough is enough! We can lower the incidence of criminal acts taking place from behind bars by cracking down on those who smuggle electronic devices into prisons and on those who are found in possession of these illegal devices.”

Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis and Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco quickly endorsed the legislation.

“One of the most fundamental rules in securing a facility is controlling an inmate’s ability to plan an escape or contraband introduction with someone on the outside,” said Nienhaus, also Florida Sheriffs Association. “It is also important, when trying to dismantle a criminal enterprise, to limit the ability of those incarcerated leaders to run the organization from prison. Therefore, if we want to give our prison administrators the tools they need to prevent escapes, reduce contraband, and hold criminals accountable, we must send a very clear message that prisoner-accessible cellphones will not be tolerated. It is simply a common-sense measure from Congressman Gus Bilirakis, who is known for his common-sense approach to these critically important public safety issues.”

Cracking the stonewall

Stonewalling Congress seems to be a constant conflict during times of divided government. Now is no exception, as the Republican-controlled House Oversight Committee subpoenas documents and testimony from the FBI on a number of matters.

Now Rep. Byron Donalds, a Naples Republican serving on the committee, has filed a bill requiring the executive branch to send reports on every subpoena sent or received in the past fiscal year. If law, the Agency Subpoena Compliance Act would publish agencies with a 2% funding reduction for each week of delays.

“Joe Biden and the Democrats like to use the balance of Democracy as a cheap political slogan while consistently subverting the rule of law and the very system of government they claim to be saving,” Donalds said. “Congress has the constitutional obligation to place checks on the Executive, and efforts by this administration to evade accountability won’t fly under the House GOP majority. I am proud to introduce this bill and bring much-need accountability to this lawless administration.”

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a St. Petersburg Republican, signed on as a co-sponsor.

Gun runners

During a visit to the Bahamas, Vice President Kamala Harris announced the administration will invest $100 million in the Caribbean region to help combat a rise in weapons trade amid unrest in Haiti.

“Through the U.S. law enforcement agencies, we are supporting a recently established Caribbean Crime Gun Intelligence Unit in Trinidad and Tobago to train officials in firearms investigations and help bring criminals to justice,” Harris said.

“And we will stand up a Haiti Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit in collaboration with the Haitian National Police to facilitate investigation and prosecution of firearms and human trafficking, which affects the entire region.”

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, the first Haitian American in Congress, has pushed for the administration to step up engagement for months and welcomed the move.

“I applaud the Biden-Harris Administration for their support of a multinational force to address the insecurity that is plaguing Haiti and help restore order to the country,” the Miramar Democrat said. “This announcement demonstrates that the Biden-Harris Administration recognizes that the deep suffering faced by Haitians cannot continue any longer, and a robust, multilateral solution is warranted. The Haitian Diaspora firmly supports an international response, as the consequences of inaction are far too severe. A multinational force — working in tandem with Haiti’s leaders and the United Nations — will ensure stability and promote good governance.”

The initiative includes the Justice Department appointing a special coordinator to handle all weapons smuggling cases in the Caribbean, according to PBS. State Department officials also plan to open new embassies in the Eastern Caribbean.

“Haiti’s problems should be solved by Haitians, but Haiti lacks the necessary tools to address this ever-worsening chaos,” Cherfilus-McCormick said. “It’s our responsibility as neighbors and allies of Haiti, as Americans, to respond to this humanitarian fight.”

Israeli sustainability

A decadeslong relationship between the U.S. and Israel most notably has relied on shared foreign policy interests, but there have been benefits in science and shared research as well. Rep. Lois Frankel, a West Palm Beach Democrat, wants that to continue well into the future.

She filed a bipartisan bill with Rep. Joe Wilson, a South Carolina Republican, which would reauthorize a continued partnership between the United States Agency for International Development Israeli Agency for International Development and Cooperation. That effort has focused on sustainability projects in developing nations, from dispatching smart-agriculture technology in Albania to expanding drip irrigation systems in Guatemala.

“Israel and the United States have a special relationship,” Frankel said. “This legislation will allow our joint efforts to continue to boost green energy production, water technology, education, and food security in developing countries while fostering goodwill.”

Wilson said this would build on a 75-year history of cross-sector collaboration.

The bill boasts support from the American Jewish Committee (AJC), American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Anti-Defamation League and Jewish Federations of North America.

“Recent development cooperation between the United States and Israel has led to collaboration on agricultural, water, and energy projects in Central America and Europe. These projects have enabled the sharing of American and Israeli know-how and technology and are helping to improve lives. Over the last almost three years, the Abraham Accords have opened new pathways to cooperation between Israel and Arab states, pointing the region toward a new era of peace,” said Jason Isaacson, Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer at the AJC.

“We applaud Representatives Frankel and Wilson for their legislation to reauthorize this important development partnership and their effort to include regional Arab partners. Such multilateral cooperation further strengthens the Abraham Accords and demonstrates the United States Government’s commitment to advancing shared goals through international development.”

On this day

June 13, 1967 — “Thurgood Marshall appointed to Supreme Court” via History.com — President Lyndon Johnson appointed Court of Appeals Judge Marshall to fill the seat of retiring Supreme Court Associate Justice Tom C. Clark. The great-grandson of slaves, Marshall was born in Baltimore, Maryland. After studying under the tutelage of civil liberties lawyer Charles H. Houston, he received his law degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C. He joined the legal division of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, of which Houston was director, and two years later succeeded his mentor in the organization’s top legal post.

June 13, 1866 — “14th Amendment passed” via the Zinn Education Project — This Amendment, known as one of the three Reconstruction Amendments, granted citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States.” The 14th Amendment forbids states to deny any person “life, liberty, or property, without due process of law” or to deny any person “equal protection of the laws.” The amendment was adopted on July 9, 1868. The 14th Amendment was designed to grant citizenship to and protect the civil liberties of people recently freed from slavery. However, there were soon to be limitations on those protections.

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Delegation is published by Peter Schorsch, compiled by Jacob Ogles, edited and assembled by Phil Ammann and Ryan Nicol.