Delegation for 8.27.24: Park place — on the air — Venezuela — TRACE — National Guard

Park alarms

A plan to build lodging and, at one point, golf courses in Florida’s state parks united the congressional delegation against a common enemy: the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

A proposal to set aside parts of nine separate parks for lodging, pickleball and disc golf drew broad condemnation and criticism of Gov. Ron DeSantis. None generated as much anger as a plan to build multiple golf courses at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Stuart.

Sens. Marco Rubio, Rick Scott, and Rep. Brian Mast led a letter to DeSantis signed only by Republican elected officials, calling the proposal “absolutely ridiculous.” Public outcry appeared to scuttle that plan, with the Tuskegee Dunes Foundation, the organization that promoted it, announcing the group would withdraw it from consideration.

But Mast, a Stuart Republican, continued to pursue records on state plans about how the proposal formed.

He isn’t the only member of the U.S. House to criticize DeSantis’ administration for contemplating the development of state parks. Rep. Kathy Castor, a Tampa Democrat, got in on the act last week.

“I adamantly oppose Gov. DeSantis’ radical plan to, literally, pave paradise and put up a pickleball court,” she said in an extended statement.

She firmly blamed the Republican Governor and trashed the proposal regarding environmental issues.

“This move marks the latest effort by the Governor to prioritize profits over the planet, following his administration’s repeated anti-environment, anti-climate actions,” Castor said.

The DEP in Florida, meanwhile, has defended the plans while delaying scheduled public meetings until September. The agency did nix the plans for the golf courses at Dickinson Park but said it would still work with the Tuskegee Dunes Foundation to find a more suitable location. The agency will also still consider development plans of varying magnitude at eight other parks.

A plan for Topsail Hill Preserve State Park includes dedicated large portions of the 1,640 acres of land for disc golf courses and a 350-room lodge, for example. For another proposal, a post from DEP shows a six-story lodge officials want built at Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine.

Florida airwaves

Reported ad buys show Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump going on air in Florida — at least in his home county. Trump’s presidential campaign purchased a $48,000 cable buy in West Palm Beach, according to AdImpact.

According to Medium Buying, the ads will start airing Tuesday and run in 15-second spots through Sept. 2. The campaign appears to be purchasing ads on cable news outlets through the Effectv interconnect in the West Palm Beach market.

But the small buy doesn’t necessarily indicate that Florida will be in play.

Trump won Florida in 2020 by three percentage points even when losing nationwide. That exceeded expectations at the time before Republicans expanded a voter registration advantage to more than 1 million voters.

The Florida ad buy appears to be limited only to the single TV market but the one that includes Mar-a-Lago and its high-wealth neighbors, many of them donors accustomed to a swing state barrage of advertising in a Presidential Election year.

Venezuelan concerns

Florida Republicans in Congress stressed the need for a bipartisan rebuke of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro after suspicious election results.

Rubio and Scott issued a bipartisan statement urging a united front against the socialist leader. Three Florida lawmakers joined that statement: Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart, Carlos Giménez and María Elvira Salazar. But on the Senate side, it also included Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia, Dick Durbin of Illinois and Michael Bennett of Colorado, as well as Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.

“This is not about political ideology; this is about defending the will of the Venezuelan people who voted overwhelmingly for Edmundo González as their duly elected president, under the leadership of opposition leader María Corina Machado, and who should be sworn in on Jan. 10, 2025,” the statement reads.

“The U.S. should use all available authorities to hold accountable those responsible for this undemocratic and illegitimate action.”

Last week, Florida officials drafted bipartisan legislation to be considered in the House and Senate.

Rebranding runaround

The U.S. bars certain brands associated with the Chinese government doing business stateside. However, Scott said many have responded by simply rebranding.

The Naples Republican sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen voicing concerns over recent reports of companies changing names to open U.S. offices and skirt restrictions.

“Chinese firms such as Hesai Group have been exploiting legal loopholes to rebrand themselves under new names like ‘American Lidar’ and establish subsidiaries in the U.S. heartland,” Scott said.

“These maneuvers are designed to evade restrictions on Chinese military entities operating in the U.S. This deceptive practice not only undermines our regulatory frameworks but also jeopardizes the safety and privacy of American citizens. And, all the while, is misleading to investors and business partners.”

Hesai, which manufactures lidar light sensors, sued the Defense Department in May after being added to a list of contractors tied to the Chinese military.

“No Chinese governmental or military entity has sought to exert influence or control over the Hesai Group’s management, strategy or research-and-development operation,” a lawsuit reads, as reported by Reuters.

Scott said he didn’t buy that and raised concerns that information gleaned here could be used by a subsidy doing work in the U.S. for espionage or data collection. He also questioned how the company continues to earn 20% of all its revenue from America and said a stronger regulatory framework should be implemented to safeguard national security.

“The stakes are high, and we cannot afford to be complacent,” Scott wrote. “The Chinese Communist Party’s aggressive expansionist policies and disregard for international norms pose a direct threat to our way of life. We must remain vigilant and proactive in defending our national interests and ensuring that our economic and security policies reflect the urgency of this challenge.” This proactive defense of national interests should instill a sense of security in the audience about the country’s political strategies.

Rogue investigation

A bipartisan panel, including three Florida lawmakers, will look at the assassination attempt on Trump. But some Florida Republicans say that is not enough.

Rep. Cory Mills, a Winter Park Republican, convened the first meeting of an independent panel of House Republicans that he formed with Rep. Eli Crane of Arizona. He plans to focus on testimony from whistleblowers who question if security oversights at the Butler, Pennsylvania, shooting were intentional.

“Given the stage of the untimeliness at which point this is being conducted, you will see at this stage where I think that criminal gross negligence and purposeful intent will be indistinguishable,” Mills said. “There was a lot of things we could point to as critical failures.”

However, he said he has conducted over 1,000 security advances on events for the State Department and others.

The event included testimony from Dan Bongino, a former Secret Service agent-turned-conservative pundit (and Florida resident).

The panel also includes Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Fort Walton Beach Republican who said Bongino’s discussion of security lapses was especially troubling.

“They haven’t learned the lesson,” Gaetz said of the Secret Service. “He’s told us, decade after decade, we should not expect the lesson to be learned through osmosis.”

Gaetz suggested that at the very least, federal bureaucracy appears to have covered up aspects of the security lapses.

TRACE paper

Rep. Aaron Bean is trying to address concerns about China’s influence by focusing on America’s school system. The Fernandina Beach Republican has pushed for months for Congress to pass his Transparency in Reporting of Adversarial Contributions to Education Act (TRACE) (HR 8649).

“American schools are for education, not espionage. We cannot allow our students — the future of our great nation — to be corrupted by foreign adversaries who are systematically and aggressively attempting to influence our nation’s K-12 schools,” Bean said.

“That’s why it’s so important we solidify the rights of parents to know how foreign influence may be impacting their child’s classroom and take concrete steps to deter the ability of foreign nations to reach America’s youth. I want to thank Sen. Cruz for joining me in this critical effort and spearheading this legislation in the Senate.”

Now, he has a Senate sponsor. Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, dropped a version of the bill in the Senate hopper, giving the legislation a more straightforward path to the Oval Office.

“The Chinese Communist Party expends vast resources to control what Americans see, hear and ultimately think,” Cruz said. “The CCP continues to target American educational institutions, as do other foreign adversaries. The TRACE Act will give parents the transparency they need and deserve and help safeguard classrooms from foreign influence. The House has already passed this bill. I urge my Senate colleagues to take it up expeditiously and pass it.”

Hardening the Guard

The National Guard Association of Florida honored the contributions of the first Green Beret to serve in Congress.

Rep. Michael Waltz, a Saint Augustine Beach Republican, was presented the MG Ronald O. Harrison Distinguished Service Award from the National Guard, named after Harrison, the Adjutant General of the Florida National Guard from 1992 until 2001.

The award acknowledges individuals for exceptional outstanding service or contributions to the National Guard over an extended period. Waltz serves on the House Armed Services Committee and chairs the Subcommittee on Readiness.

“I am deeply honored to receive the MG Ronald O. Harrison Distinguished Service Award and to be recognized by the National Guard Association of Florida,” he said.

“The work that the National Guard Association of Florida does to fight for its members is invaluable, and I am thankful to have played a part in supporting those who serve our great state and country. Having served 22 years in the National Guard and five years in the U.S. Army, I am immensely proud to continue advocating for those who wear the uniform and protect our freedoms.”

Senior services

According to the World Population Review, Florida’s median age remains higher than 90% of states, and its seniors rely on specific government offerings. Rep. Laurel Lee will host a special Community Senior Fair in Brandon this week focused on those resources.

According to a release from the Thonotosassa Republican’s Office, the event will “feature government constituent services, community resources, and health and wellness services.”

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, a Plant City Republican, will attend. Local organizations, including Seniors in Service and Moffitt Cancer Center, and local government officials for Hillsborough County will also attend.

The event will be held at the Brandon Senior Center from 9 a.m. to noon and is free.

13 Folds

Three years after a terrorist attack in Afghanistan took the lives of 13 service members, several members of the delegation pushed for recognition of those lost.

Reps. John Rutherford, a Jacksonville Republican, and Díaz-Balart, a Hialeah Republican, filed the 13 Folds of Honor Act, adding a script to be read at any official flag-folding ceremony, including burials. While the meaning of each of 13 folds of a flag would symbolize unity and respect for veterans and their families, the Congressmen also said it should represent each of the lives lost at the Abbey Gate attack.

“This legislation honors all our brave service members, especially the 13 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation,” Díaz-Balart said.

“Their heroism is etched in the heart of our country, and behind each of them stands a Gold Star Family whose strength and resilience continue to inspire. While no words can ease the pain of their loss, the 13 Folds of Honor script symbolizes our profound gratitude and unwavering respect for their service. My deepest thanks to Former Commander Dr. J.B. Holmes of the Golden Gate VFW Post 7721 for his tireless commitment to our veterans and for championing this meaningful tribute.”

Rutherford said the legislation would create an appropriate and enduring legacy.

“We owe a debt of gratitude to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms,” Rutherford said. “This bill will codify the meaningful tribute said while folding a burial or ceremonial flag in memory of the fallen.”

Tributes and criticisms

Separately, Mast issued a statement slamming President Joe Biden over the withdrawal from Afghanistan, during which those deaths happened.

He also attended an event at Arlington National Cemetery with Trump to honor the lives lost at Abbey Gate.

“I am both honored and saddened to join President Trump this morning to lay wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery on the anniversary of the bombing at Abbey Gate,” Mast said.

“America lost these 13 heroes because they had the courage to serve selflessly, and we lost these 13 heroes because of the ignorance and arrogance of politicians who treat America’s warriors as disposable.”

On this day

Aug. 27, 1984 — “Ronald Reagan announces teacher will be first space passenger” via Education Week — President Reagan, in a move he said was designed to exemplify the importance of education in America, announced an elementary- or secondary-school teacher would be the first private citizen to fly on a space-shuttle mission. “When the shuttle lifts off, all of America will be reminded of the crucial role teachers and education play in the life of our nation,” the President said during award ceremonies for the 262 winners of the Secondary School Recognition Program. “I can’t think of a better lesson for our children and our country.”

Aug. 27, 1900 — “James Carroll infects himself with yellow fever” via the Library of Congress — The Army physician allowed an infected mosquito to feed on him to isolate the means of transmission of yellow fever. Carroll developed a severe case of yellow fever, helping his colleague, Army pathologist Walter Reed, prove mosquitoes transmit this often-deadly disease. Before these findings, epidemics of yellow fever were common in the American South. Uncertain of how the disease was transmitted, many people would leave the South for the Summer, the season in which the epidemics were most common, returning after the first frost. During the 1888 yellow fever epidemic in Jacksonville, the government offered railroad transportation out of the area.

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