Delegation for 1.9.24: Border battle — public housing — Navy man — junk — Ziegler out

Image via AP.

Border dispute

As Congress heads toward funding deadlines in February, border security looms large, and members of Florida’s congressional delegation have their attention turned to immigration.

Speaker Mike Johnson included several Florida lawmakers in a CODEL visit to the border in Eagle Pass, Texas, including Reps. Aaron Bean and Dan Webster. Both Republican lawmakers called the experience illuminating, as individuals crossed the border in broad daylight not far from members of Congress.

“During our visit, we heard from Border Patrol agents, local landowners, federal, state, and local officials on how President Biden’s open border policies have affected border communities and the operations at the southern border,” said Webster, a Clermont Republican. “While the (Joe) Biden administration attempts to downplay the extent of this crisis, I witnessed the desperate need for policy change.”

It was a return trip for Bean, and the Fernandina Beach Republican said things have only worsened.

“Last year, I visited the southern border, and I am outraged that this administration has made zero progress nor substantial effort to protect our nation from the siege of illegal immigrants at our border,” he said.

“From China to Latin America and Iran to Guinea, our porous border is an open wound being taken advantage of by criminals, human traffickers, cartels, and even terrorists from around the world. Our southern border remains open for one reason and one reason only: because President Biden and Senate Democrats will not shut it down. House Republicans have a plan — H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act. To end the chaos at the border, we must enforce the law and protect the American citizens we serve.”

House Republicans have urged Senate passage of HR 2, legislation sponsored by Rep. Marío Diaz-Balart, a Hialeah Republican. But other delegation members have pushed back on rhetoric about closing the border completely.

Rep. Maxwell Frost said Congress needs to remember the number of immigrants coming to the U.S. fleeing desperate conditions. He stood with immigration advocates this week in his home district and asserted that a speedy path to citizenship would be the better policy,

“I am the son of a refugee and an asylum-seeker,” the Orlando Democrat said at a news conference.

“Our teachers, our health care workers, our nurses, people who are working every day to make Central Florida Central Florida, are immigrants.”

Help from HUD?

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) dispatched inspectors to Opa-locka to check on public housing status there.

Rep. Frederica Wilson, a Hollywood Democrat, accompanied HUD Regional Administrator Jennifer Riley Collins on a tour of Glorieta Gardens, where officials saw mold, mushrooms and sewage backup in units, according to The Miami Times.

“We acknowledge that these are unacceptable living conditions in several apartments and throughout this complex,” Collins said.

Wilson, in remarks to the media, compared the housing to conditions in third-world countries. “I’ve traveled the world, I have been to Sowe, to South Africa,” she said, “the Philippines, where the poorest of the poorest (live) and you can enter their homes without passing out.”

Sen. Marco Rubio issued a statement saying improvements were long overdue. His office has filed complaints to HUD for five years. The Miami Republican made apparent that the effort to improve conditions will be bipartisan.

“For years, the residents at Glorieta Gardens have endured inhumane living conditions, including mold, pests, rodents, sewage and flooding,” Rubio said.

“I have been raising concerns since 2018, and Congresswoman Wilson and I will continue to advocate for the residents of Glorieta Gardens. I hope HUD’s site visit leads to strong accountability measures, so the residents receive the safe, healthy living standards they are guaranteed under the law.”

In the Navy

The wealthiest member of Florida’s congressional delegation continues to give his salary to charity.

Sen. Rick Scott recently announced he would forward a portion of his salary to the Navy SEAL Foundation.

“Ann and I both come from military families,” Scott said on behalf of himself and his wife, “and I was proud to serve in the U.S. Navy. We know well that our men and women in uniform and their families make so many sacrifices on behalf of our nation.

“That’s why it’s a top priority of ours to give back to those who dedicate their lives to this nation and defend our freedoms. We’re glad to support the Navy SEAL Foundation and its commitment to helping special forces members and their families succeed during their time in service and when transitioning into civilian life.”

Bill Strong, Chair for the Navy SEAL Foundation Evening of Tribute, thanked the Scotts for the donation.

“Thanks to their generosity and the generosity of other leading patrons, we will raise a record amount of money in support of the Navy SEAL Foundation on Jan. 11,” he said.

State changes

A special meeting of the Republican Party of Florida attracted multiple delegation members to Tallahassee to cast votes to remove Christian Ziegler as Chair and install Evan Power as his successor.

That included Reps. Byron Donalds and Matt Gaetz, two members with specific reasons for shutting the door on a sex scandal plaguing the party since November. Ziegler was ejected from his leadership post less than a year into the job and remains under criminal investigation for rape and video voyeurism.

Earlier this year, Donalds, a Naples Republican, whipped votes for Ziegler when he ran for state Chair, and both men’s wives have worked on school choice issues and education reform together. Gaetz, a Fort Walton Beach Republican, seemed to put his scandal behind him in 2023 when federal prosecutors told him he was no longer the target of the sex trafficking scandal. Having a state Chair accused of living a libertine lifestyle of threesomes undermined Ziegler’s family values brand and tarnished those around him.

Incidentally, both members of Congress are rumored candidates for Governor in 2026.

Meanwhile, Rep. Neal Dunn, a Panama City Republican, also attended the meeting, which took place in his district. He arrived intent on seeing Power, a Tallahassee GOP leader, elected as the new GOP leader in the Sunshine State.

“He’s been a perfect Leon Republican Chair,” Dunn said.

Power won in a landslide.

Critical condition

The hospitalization of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, or rather, the failure to publicize the situation, has many Republicans agitating for answers.

Gaetz, a House Armed Services Committee member, wants a hearing on the Department of Defense’s (DOD) failure to communicate Austin’s condition, reportedly even to the White House. In a statement to Armed Services Committee Chair Mike Rogers, he suggested the timeline is unacceptable.

“Over the weekend, a breaking news report found that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin had been quietly admitted to an intensive care unit for four days on New Year’s Day,” Gaetz said.

“His backup, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, supposedly took over his duties while vacationing in Puerto Rico. The Secretary of Defense serves as the linchpin through which the President commands and controls our armed forces. The DoD’s failure to inform the White House, Congress and the American People of Secretary Austin’s incapacitation reflects the lack of leadership, competency and transparency throughout the entire Biden administration.”

Rep. Mike Waltz, a St. Augustine Beach Republican, is also on the committee and expressed outrage.

“If the Secretary of Defense is hospitalized, the military chain of command needs to know, especially with heightened tensions in the Middle East,” he posted on X.

“For weeks, American sailors and service members have been attacked by Iran-backed proxies. Who was providing authorization for strikes and communicating orders from the President? Key authorities are delegated from the President only to the Secretary of Defense. … I don’t know whether it’s more concerning that the chain of command literally didn’t exist for multiple days, or the White House apparently communicates so little with the Pentagon that nobody noticed the Defense Secretary missing at a time of two major wars!”

Junk fees

In a separate battle for the underprivileged, Frost this week co-led a letter with Rep. Jimmy Gomez, a California Democrat, praising Federal Trade Commission (FTC) steps to crack down on junk fees.

Last year, the Democratic lawmaker filed legislation seeking to promote transparency and reduce hidden costs burdening renters. The FTC has rules under consideration right now that would address the same issues administratively.

“As the third of Americans who are renters struggle to afford rising rent prices, with over 20 million renters reporting that the increasing cost of rent threatens their financial security, added and dishonest fees make it even harder for them to secure affordable housing,” the letter reads.

The lawmakers pushed for rapid enforcement of the policy.

“The Commission’s proposal will end this unfair practice by requiring landlords to disclose the amount, purpose, and refundability of all rental fees up front, cutting down on bogus fees to save renters thousands of dollars each year.”

In total, 10 lawmakers signed the letter.

Firewalling voter rolls

A data breach compromising personal information for Washington, D.C., voters have Rep. Laurel Lee seeking answers. The Thonotosassa Republican chairs the House Elections Subcommittee, and she sent a letter with Rep. Bryan Steil, a Wisconsin Republican chairing the House Administration Committee, asking for security assurances from the D.C. Board of Elections.

“This breach is especially troubling because it appears that the Board did not realize its full extent until two weeks later,” the letter states.

“For Americans to have confidence in our elections, they must have reason to believe that voter databases and voter information are safe, secure, and not susceptible to malicious access or manipulation. Unfortunately, this hack raises the possibility that malicious actors could replace voters’ information replaced with false information, including improper removal of voters from the rolls, improper additions of ineligible individuals or false names to the rolls, or improper or false markings about a voter’s ballot return status, which might allow bad actors to prevent certain voters from casting ballots, allow other voters to cast multiple ballots, or permit ineligible people or false names to cast ballots.”

Lee’s Office voiced frustration that election officials didn’t reveal the hacking occurred until Dec. 22, two and a half months after the breach. The letter asks how officials can ensure no data was changed or compromised. The lawmakers want answers to questions before Jan. 18.

Reluctant heroes

Rep. Greg Steube’s Office continues to connect veterans in his district with a national effort to collect soldiers’ stories. His office announced that Phillip Stotz, an Army veteran living in Venice, now has his story in the Veterans History Project Series and is available to view online.

Stotz discussed operations during the Vietnam War. “They had this name for what we did. It was patrolling and it was called search and destroy,” he said. “What it actually was was using ourselves for bait to get in a gunfight.”

Florida’s 17th Congressional District boasts one of the highest concentrations of veterans in the country, and Steube said it’s crucial to preserve their stories.

“Thank you to my fellow Army veteran for sharing his story of being drafted into the Vietnam War,” the Sarasota Republican said. “So many of our country’s veterans didn’t ever plan on serving, but their contributions and experiences are an integral part of our nation’s history.”

Stotz falls into that category.

“My goal was to work in the farm machinery industry, which I eventually did for 40 years, but that whole thing was interrupted by being drafted in 1968,” he said. “I did not want to participate in the military. It wasn’t my idea, but I didn’t have a choice in it. I made the best of it by going to Officer Candidate School.”

Housing help

A first-time homebuyer program in Tamarac will receive a $350,000 infusion of federal dollars from Community Project Funding. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick announced the grant.

“South Florida is on the front lines of our nation’s housing crisis. We cannot sit by as an entire generation of Americans are denied the American Dream,” the Miramar Democrat said.

“I was proud to deliver this critical funding, which will help more Floridians find an affordable place to live and not have to worry about putting a roof over their heads. With its existing funds, Tamarac was only able to assist five to seven households per year. Thanks to this investment, Tamarac can now support triple the number of households.”

Her office said that in Florida’s 20th Congressional District, more than 63% of residents spent 30% of their income on rent, much higher than the national average.

Tamarac leaders said the program should ease the transition into ownership.

“The Tamarac community is very thankful to Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick for supporting homeownership and being a champion for affordable housing,” said Carolyn Francis-Royer, Tamarac Housing & Community Development Manager.

“Without these funds, many families will not experience the joy of homeownership. This funding will certainly strengthen our purchase assistance program, allowing us to help more families realize their American Dream.”

On this day

Jan. 9, 1952 — “Harry Truman warns of Cold War dangers” via History.com — In his 1952 State of the Union address, President Truman warned Americans that they were “moving through a perilous time” and called for vigorous action to meet the communist threat. Though Truman’s popularity had nose-dived during the previous 18 months because of complaints about how he handled the Korean War, his speech received a standing ovation from members of Congress and special guest Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Truman spent much of his speech addressing foreign policy concerns. The primary focus was on meeting the communist challenge. The President declared that the United States was confronted with “a terrible threat of aggression.”

Jan. 9, 2018 — “Trump administration ends protections for more than 200,000 Salvadorans” via CNN — The Trump administration will end protections for certain nationals of El Salvador, a move that could leave more than 200,000 immigrants who have lived in the U.S. more than 15 years without any legal status, the Department of Homeland Security announced. The termination will come with an 18-month delay, as the administration also recently ended other recent Temporary Protected Status for other countries. That time will allow individuals who have lived under the status to either seek other means of staying in the U.S. or prepare to leave.

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