Delegation for 6.28.24: Debate spin — coral care — China — dead letters — gunplay

Spin room

The eyes of most of the political world turned toward the cycle’s first presidential debate, held in Atlanta between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. While much of the punditry focused on Biden’s almost shockingly weak performance onstage, the stakes for Florida’s congressional delegation may have been on who was invited to the spin room.

Trump made headlines ahead of the event by saying his likely (but still unannounced) running mate this year would be in attendance. Indeed, the Florida men still reportedly on the shortlist could be found at the CNN event.

Sen. Marco Rubio was spotted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, speaking to clusters of reporters and sometimes appearing with North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.

Rep. Byron Donalds was also in attendance. The Naples Republican was among the first surrogates from either campaign to arrive in the spin room; he shared pictures and comments on social media throughout the night.

“MAGA takes flight,” he posted with a picture of himself first-bumping with Vivek Ramaswamy, a business owner and entrepreneur reportedly under consideration at points.

So, when will a decision be made on who Trump wants as Vice President if he wins a return trip to the White House? Rubio addressed the vetting process in an interview with CNN. “We’ll know who it is at some point in the next two weeks,” the Miami Republican said.

NBC News reported that Trump narrowed his list to three people, including Rubio, Burgum and Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, who was at the debate. However, most coverage still includes Donald Trump on the list, and he did participate in an event in Atlanta with Black leaders this week organized by the Trump campaign.

Of course, picking either Florida man would have consequences for Trump, who has claimed Florida as his legal state of residence since his first term in 2019. Experts have differing views on how easy the potential constitutional bar on Electoral College members voting for two members of their home state would be. Still, in a close election, the question needs to be resolved.

But clips of both Florida lawmakers still in the mix peppered post-debate coverage, giving Florida voiced plenty of airtime, even beyond the participation of a Mar-a-Lago candidate in the main event.

Coral care

It’s time to respond to coral bleaching as a health emergency, according to members of the Florida congressional delegation.

Rubio, a Miami Republican, and Rep. Darren Soto, a Kissimmee Democrat, led a bicameral push for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to deploy greater resources to save Florida’s reefs.

The lawmakers led a bipartisan letter to NOAA Administrator Richard Spinrad urging him to finalize the implementation of the Restoring Resilient Reefs Act (S 2429), legislation sponsored by the lawmakers, passed by Congress, and first implemented in 2022.

“Florida’s coral resources are already facing the dire consequences of stony coral tissue loss disease, as well as last summer’s marine heat wave and bleaching event, and we must be prepared to respond to possible impending coral health emergencies,” the letter reads.

“The Florida Reef Tract is the third-largest coral barrier reef in the world, offering critical ecological, economic, and ecosystem service benefits to South Florida. The reef is a haven for biologically diverse wildlife, including endangered species, an economic engine for Florida’s tourism economy, and a natural defense for our coastal communities against hurricanes and storm surges. Last summer, the Florida Reef Tract suffered from a severe marine heat wave leading to coral bleaching, further stressing this crucial ecological resource, which has been declining for decades. Marine temperatures in the Florida Reef Tract are already anomalously high, and it is possible that a marine heat wave similar to the one which occurred in the summer of 2023 could harm corals this summer.”

Sen. Rick Scott, a Naples Republican, co-signed the letter. So, too, did Republican Reps. Gus Bilirakis, Carlos Giménez, Bill Posey and Michael Waltz, along with Democratic Reps. Kathy Castor, Lois Frankel and Jared Moskowitz.

The law cited in the letter allows NOAA to mobilize public dollars and private donations in coordination with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and address an environmental emergency. As conditions worsen in South Florida, lawmakers said they expect NOAA to respond quickly to the long-term health of the reefs.

Divesting from China

A trio of bills filed by Scott this week aims to increase transparency and ensure American investors don’t unknowingly support Chinese sabotage of the U.S. economy.

“Communist China will stop at nothing to exploit American markets and take advantage of U.S. investors and companies doing business within its country,” the Naples Republican said. “Hardworking Americans are doing their best right now to save as much money as possible, especially as Bidenflation continues to work against them and put their retirement goals further out of reach. Now is the time to take action to ensure that those nest eggs are in the right hands away from malign influence.”

The Safeguarding U.S. Financial Leadership Against Communist China Act would prohibit index and mutual funds from investing in Chinese companies under threat of civil penalties. The Stop Funding the CCP Through A-Shares Act would prevent the selling of such shares on securities exchanges controlled by the Chinese Community Party.

Finally, the Timely Rejection of Adversarial and Dangerous Enterprises and Securing American Financial Exchanges (TRADE SAFE) Act, which was co-introduced by Rubio, would stop companies on specific government blacklists from making a public offering in the U.S. or list securities on U.S. exchanges. That includes companies sanctioned on the Non-SDN Chinese Military-Industrial Complex and the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List.

“These pieces of legislation will ensure that no American dollars will end up in the hands of a country actively working against America in an attempt to undermine our national security. Putting real protections in place is paramount to ensuring Americans’ money is working for them — and not helping fund a foreign military that wishes to destroy our way of life. Every American deserves clarity and peace of mind about how their money is being invested, and this legislation will help bolster those transparency efforts.”

The Coalition for a Prosperous America endorsed the entire legislative package.

“The CCP’s weaponization of U.S. capital markets and American retail investors to fund its malign activities is only possible because of Wall Street firms’ fiduciary malfeasance and complicity,” said Zach Mottl, Chair of the CPA Board. “Wall Street is directly helping Beijing raise capital for Chinese military and forced labor firms — undermining U.S. national and economic security, the integrity of our capital markets, and putting U.S. firms who comply with existing securities laws at a disadvantage to raise capital. Sen. Scott’s legislative package represents the most comprehensive solution to putting an end to this threat.”

Judicial review

Reports that some federal judges want someone else presiding over Trump’s classified documents case have Rep. Matt Gaetz furious. The Fort Walton Beach Republican — and close Trump ally — sent a letter to District Judge Cecilia Altonaga, Chief Judge for the Southern District of Florida, alleging potentially unethical behavior by jurists. He sent the message after The New York Times reported that two judges, including Altonaga, had urged District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, to decline to take the case.

“I am well aware of the dynamics of a collegial court, and the facts, as reported by the media, may be wrong,” Gaetz said. “There is nothing untoward in a senior colleague explaining to a more junior colleague about the pitfalls of an assigned case and providing options to her. But the article suggests much more than that.”

According to a news release announcing the letter, Gaetz will ask Altonaga, appointed by former President George W. Bush, whether she tried to reassign the case wrongly to another Judge, a “more liberal” one.

The questions from Gaetz come amid increased criticism of whether Cannon has exhibited hostility toward prosecutors seeking what many consider the most serious charges Trump faces in four cases. Numerous delays in the trial likely mean it won’t begin before the Presidential Election gets decided in November.

Lost mail

Members of Congress in North Florida and South Georgia banded together to demand an evaluation of postal services at the Jacksonville Regional Processing & Distribution Center.

Rep. Kat Cammack, a Gainesville Republican, and Rep. Buddy Carter, a Georgia Republican, co-led a letter to Postmaster Louis DeJoy demanding greater transparency and operational review of the facility.

“Since the beginning of the new year, our offices have been inundated with complaints regarding delivery delays and lost mail,” the letter states. “Some of our constituents have lost confidence in the postal system that was established before the founding of the United States. It is unacceptable for your tenure atop this department to stain a more than two-century-old reputation.”

Reps. Aaron Bean, John Rutherford and Waltz, all Northeast Florida Republicans, co-signed the letter.

“Our constituents rely on the USPS for timely delivery of newspapers, lifesaving medications, and all other types of parcels,” the letter states. “We hope to restore the reputation of the Jacksonville RPDC center by ensuring it has the tools and personnel necessary to operate effectively.”

Environmental funding

Bean otherwise found reason for Northeast Florida to celebrate, as the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee cleared several environmental projects for inclusion in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA).

This includes funding for a feasibility study for the Fort George Inlet erosion control project in Jacksonville to reduce or eliminate the accelerating loss of Little Talbot Island State Park lands. It also included authorization of a National Coastal Mapping Study to better direct Army Corps of Engineers project priorities and a change in language to allow outside parties to help procure easements and real estate involved in beach renourishment projects.

“The Committee’s passage of this bill is a down payment on rebuilding America’s water infrastructure. WRDA 2024 will unleash the power of our coastal communities, sustain American jobs, and provide authorization for Corps projects critical to addressing the unique needs of communities in Northeast Florida and the entire nation,” said Bean, a Fernandina Beach Republican. “From fisherman to shrimpers and from the First Coast to the Everglades, this bill is a massive victory for the 4th District. And I’m particularly proud to have played a role in ensuring Northeast Florida’s voice was heard loud and clear.”

Action on guns

A report from Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared gun violence a public health crisis and called on Congress to ban assault-style guns for civilian use. The report from the Miami native was greeted with enthusiasm by one member of the delegation.

Rep. Maxwell Frost held a news conference outside Congress welcoming the recommendations. The Orlando Democrat alluded to the Pulse mass shooting in which a shooter killed 49 people, a tragedy in the district he now represents, and he also discussed the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School less than two years later.

Frost praised Murthy’s “holistic” examination of gun violence and the policy recommendations.

“I believe that this is a great signal there is going to be even more to come to so we can save the lives of more people from the senseless crime of gun violence,” he said.

Murthy also recommended university background checks and a ban on high-capacity magazines, as well as punishments for those who fail to store firearms properly or who use them in public places.

“People want to be able to walk through their neighborhoods and be safe,” Murthy told The Associated Press. “America should be a place where all of us can go to school, go to work, go to the supermarket, go to our house of worship, without having to worry that that’s going to put our life at risk.”

Biotech advancement

A health care roundtable in Land O’Lakes gave Scott and Bilirakis a chance to convene with biotech industry leaders. Both Republicans said the federal government must loosen restrictions on new technology, which National Institutes of Health estimates indicate take 10 to 15 years to bring to market at a cost of around $2.8 billion.

“With millions of Americans suffering from debilitating conditions and health care costs continuing to rise, we must continually seek ways to improve patient outcomes through the accelerated development of more effective treatments and cures,” said Bilirakis, a Palm Harbor Republican who serves on the House Health Subcommittee.

“Technological advancements such as cell and gene therapies hold great promise for life-changing breakthroughs in health care. We want to harness that potential by removing unnecessary bureaucratic roadblocks that stymie innovation and increase costs, all while maintaining the highest safety standards. I appreciated the input of local stakeholders and national health care leaders about strategies we can employ to achieve these goals.”

The lawmakers also toured the new Moffitt Cancer Center campus in Speros.

“It was great to be at the new Moffitt Speros campus in Land O’ Lakes today with Congressman Gus Bilirakis and see innovation in health care in action,” Scott said. “As Florida’s Governor and U.S. Sen., I’ve fought hard to make the Sunshine State a leader in cancer treatment and disease research. Moffitt is a huge partner in that work to provide families with access to affordable, world-class care and I’m excited to see what the future holds.”

Dr. Patrick Hwu, President and CEO of Moffitt, said the campus will help advance treatment itself, and welcomed conversations about speeding up any processes possible.

“We are laser-focused on bringing groundbreaking cancer therapies to our patients and saving more lives today and tomorrow,” Hwu said. “Speros will help us accelerate discoveries in cell and gene therapies, immunotherapies and more to deliver leading oncology care.”

Treatment denied

A House-passed budget for the Homeland Security Department included an amendment from Rep. Greg Steube limiting health care to those entering the country illegally.

If the Sarasota Republican’s bill becomes law, it will bar Immigration and Customs Enforcement from processing medical claims by those in the agency’s custody. The measure passed on a 235-176 vote.

“My amendment garnered bipartisan support because it’s common sense: the VA has no business working for illegal immigrants in (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) custody. (Veterans Affairs) personnel should not lift a finger for illegal immigrants while thousands of veterans are forced to wait to receive the benefits they deserve,” Steube said.

“This bipartisan effort reaffirms our commitment to upholding the promises made to our nation’s service members.”

Bigger investigation

The House Ethics Committee expanded its investigation of Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick.

The news comes months after the House Committee announced it would investigate whether the Miramar Democrat violated campaign finance laws in 2022.

Ethics Committee Chair Michael Guest, a Mississippi Republican, and Ranking Member Susan Wild, a Pennsylvania Democrat, announced that the Ethics Committee had voted to expand the jurisdiction of an Investigative Subcommittee based on a new referral from the independent Office of Congressional Ethics.

The investigation will look into whether Cherfilus-McCormick “(1) engaged in improper conduct in connection with community project funding requests; (2) misused official funds for campaign purposes; and/or (3) violated campaign finance laws and regulations in connection with her 2024 re-election campaign.”

Cherfilus-McCormick downplayed the significance of the investigation’s expansion.

“Expanding the scope of the inquiry by itself does not indicate that any violation has occurred or reflect any judgment or decision by the Committee,” reads a statement provided by Cherfilus-McCormick’s House Office.

“The Congresswoman continues to take this matter very seriously and intends to cooperate with the House Ethics Committee and its investigative subcommittee to address the allegations that have been raised. To respect the Ethics Committee’s process, we will have no further comment at this time.”

Incidentally, the same day the Ethics Committee announced the expansion, Cherfilus made two announcements about funding projects in her district. These included a $725,000 grant for the Riviera Beach Police Mobile Command Center and $750,000 for a North Lauderdale Law Enforcement License Plate Reader System.

On this day

June 28, 1969 — “Police raid on Stonewall Club sets off first gay riot” via Michelle Garcia of the Advocate — The demonstrations were touched off by a police raid. This was the last in a series of harassments that plagued the Village area for the last several weeks. Plainclothes officers entered the club at about 2 a.m., armed with a warrant, and closed the place on grounds of illegal selling of alcohol. Employees were arrested and customers were told to leave. Patrons gathered outside the street and were joined by other Village residents and visitors. The police behaved, as is usually the case when they dealt with gay people, with bad grace and were reproached by “straight” onlookers.

June 28, 1971 — “Supreme Court overturns Muhammad Ali’s draft evasion conviction” via Somerset County Library System of New Jersey — Ali, classified as draft-eligible, considered himself a conscientious objector and would not serve if drafted. His application for conscientious objector status was denied. He was stripped of his title by the World Boxing Association and of his boxing license by the New York State Athletic Commission and others. He was convicted in June of a felony of refusing the draft. Ali continued to appeal, and the case eventually reached the Supreme Court. His conviction was overturned by a unanimous vote of 8-0, with the Court citing technical errors by the Justice Department.

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