Delegation for 1.21.25: Day One — pardon me — unanimous — Venezuela — abortion outrage

Florida man inaugurated

President Andrew Jackson served as Florida’s military Governor for nine months. President Harry Truman routinely met at the “Little White House” in Key West for retreats. President George H.W. Bush vacationed regularly in Boca Raton for decades after his time in office.

However, a full-time Florida resident was not sworn in as President of the United States — until Monday. That changed when President Donald Trump took office in his second term.

And Florida celebrated the fact through inauguration festivities over the last few days.

The Florida House hosted an inauguration watch party. The Republican Party of Florida held its own ball, billing speeches by members of the Florida congressional delegation, including Reps. Kat Cammack, Byron Donalds and Cory Mills, all Republicans, of course.

Even Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Parkland Democrat, found time to swing by.

Many members also crowded into the Capitol Rotunda to attend the inauguration, which was moved inside due to the weather.

“The American people wanted real change, and I look forward to supporting your agenda in getting our country back on track and undoing the damage done, both domestically and abroad, by the previous administration,” posted Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, a Hialeah Republican and dean of the delegation.

But the prominent Florida figure in the room was Trump himself. This marks the start of his second term in the White House, and during his first four years in office, Trump frequently hosted guests at his Mar-a-Lago home. However, at the 2017 inauguration, Trump remained a public and legal resident of New York.

He shifted his residency to Florida in 2020 but lost re-election later that year and skipped the inauguration. Trump returned to Washington as a registered Florida voter, ready to put the Florida Man stamp on the day.

“I return to the presidency confident and optimistic that we are at the start of a thrilling new era of national success,” Trump said. “A tide of change is sweeping the country. Sunlight is pouring over the entire world, and America has the chance to seize this opportunity like never before.”

Oath Keepers, Proud Boy

Hours later, Trump signed a first round of executive orders, some of which directly impacted Florida and several residents.

Those ranged from the symbolic (Florida’s longest coast now overlooks the Gulf of America) to the internationally critical (Cuba landed back on a state sponsor of terror list less than a week after coming off).

Perhaps Trump’s most controversial act came with pardons and commutations given to several people involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol that aimed to disrupt the certification of President Joe Biden’s 2020 victory.

Trump commuted the sentences of several members of Florida’s chapter of the Oath Keepers: Kelly Meggs, Joseph Hackett, Kenneth Harrelson and David Moerschel. Meggs, head of the Florida chapter, had been sentenced to 12 years in prison, according to the Military Times, on charges of seditious conspiracy. Meggs worked closely with Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, who had an 18-year sentence commuted, to plan an actual storming of the Capitol and organize militia members to attend. The leaders had received some of the longest sentences of anyone criminally charged with the Jan. 6 events. Harrelson was sentenced to four years, while Hackett and Moerschel earned three-year sentences for their involvement.

Joseph Biggs, a Proud Boys member from Ormond Beach, had a 17-year sentence commuted by Trump. Prosecutors said Biggs led a group of rioters chanting “Whose House? Our House” to tear down fencing and burst through barricades at the Capitol. Biggs famously bragged on video, “We’ve gone through every barricade thus far.”

Trump also vowed to dismiss all pending charges against other Jan. 6 participants. Attorneys for former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio of Miami say he could be released Tuesday after being sentenced to 22 years.

Those other J6 pardons

While Trump pardoned the Jan. 6 participants, Biden also issued some controversial pardons on his way out of office. One was preemptive pardons for every member of the House’s Jan. 6 Committee, which investigated the lead-up to the riot.

This includes former Rep. Stephanie Murphy, a Winter Park Democrat. Murphy did not respond to requests to comment but has defended the work of the committee that spent two years looking into how the actions of Trump and his supporters planned the storming of the Capitol. She previously called the committee’s work an “apolitical effort to understand the efforts to undermine our democratic system.”

A recent report from a Republican House committee, though, undermined that as a partisan effort and accused former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, the Committee’s Vice Chair, of wrongly speaking with witnesses ahead of testimony.

Now, some sitting members of the delegation want members subpoenaed to appear before Congress themselves.

“Hours before Biden leaves the Oval Office for good, he preemptively pardons … Jan. 6 Committee members who destroyed evidence,” alleged Rep. Greg Steube, a Sarasota Republican, on X. “They can no longer use the 5th Amendment to protect themselves.”

Unanimous confirmation

The Senate unanimously confirmed now-former Sen. Marco Rubio to become the nation’s next Secretary of State.

The final vote of 99-0 came after an unquestionably smooth confirmation process in a chamber where Rubio served for more than 14 years. In a confirmation hearing last week, the Miami Republican stressed that Trump would set foreign policy but would bring a deep commitment to keeping the U.S. in a leadership position on world affairs.

“We have to have alliances. But we have to have alliances with strong, capable partners,” Rubio told Senators last week.

That makes the Miami Republican the first of Trump’s Cabinet picks to take office, paving the way for a rapid transition. In November, Trump nominated Rubio as Secretary of State, elevating a former rival to one of his Cabinet’s most important, high-profile positions.

The vote made Rubio the nation’s first Hispanic (and first Cuban American) Secretary of State. A product of South Florida’s politically active Cubano community, the son of immigrants also brings a more acute focus on Latin America and the Caribbean.

Even Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, praised Rubio.

“Sen. Rubio is an example of a qualified nominee we think should be confirmed quickly,” Schumer said.

“Earlier today, he was unanimously reported at a committee with full support from Democrats and he should be quickly confirmed here on the floor. While I certainly do not agree with many of Sen. Rubio’s positions, in this instance, the new administration needs to have a Senate confirm Secretary of State as soon as possible. So, I’ll vote ‘yes.’”

Venezuela’s non-ruling class

Florida’s now-senior Senator made a foreign policy statement at the inauguration.

“I’m incredibly proud to attend President Trump’s inauguration today and to be joined by Venezuela’s President-elect Edmundo González,” said Sen. Rick Scott.

The Unitary Platform coalition candidate stood in for María Corina Machado when she was barred from running against incumbent Nicolás Maduro. Biden’s State Department recognized that González was the leading vote-getter last year.

“President-elect González was elected by the people of Venezuela, under the leadership of María Corina Machado, and is a beacon of hope for a new day of freedom for those oppressed by murderous dictator Nicolás Maduro,” Scott added.

“As Maduro deprives the Venezuelan people of their rightful leader, openly threatens the United States and holds Americans hostage, we must make clear the United States will hold Maduro accountable and will not take these threats lightly. As Governor and Sen., I’ve stood with the people of Venezuela in their fight for freedom and democracy, and I’m looking forward to having a strong partner in President Trump back in the White House who will do the same.”

Flags down

When Democrats waved Ukrainian flags on the floor during a budget vote, Cammack voiced displeasure at the time. “Only one flag has a place in the chamber and it’s Old Glory,” she posted on social media in April.

Now, the Gainesville Republican wants that sentiment codified. She introduced a resolution that would prohibit the flying of flags for any foreign nation — Ukraine, Israel or any other — on the House floor. The only exceptions would be official exhibits and lapel pins for House members.

Tweet, tweet:

“On the floor of the United States House of Representatives, there should only be one flag on display: ours,” Cammack said.

“We make serious decisions on behalf of the American people and their taxpayer dollars on the House floor. This business should be carried out beneath no other banner than our stars and stripes to remind us of who we represent and why this nation is the greatest in the history of the world. I’m glad to have earned the support of dozens of my colleagues who join me in standing up for the American people and putting our nation before all others.”

Touchdown

A state championship football team just earned a spot in the Congressional Record and a new trophy for the main office display case.

In December, Rep. Mike Haridopolos, an Indian Harbor Beach Republican, congratulated the Cocoa High School football team on the House floor. According to Florida Today, the team won its third straight 2A state championship.

“I would like to take this opportunity to commend and celebrate the exceptional leadership of their head coach, Ryan Schneider, whose dedication to excellence have been instrumental in guiding these young athletes to achieve success on and off the field,” Haridopolos said.

“Furthermore, I would like to express my gratitude to Cocoa Mayor Mike Blake for his support of the team and his efforts to promote athletics within our community. To the many seniors who will continue their athletic careers at exceptional universities across the country, I wish you the best of luck, and I hope you will continue to make Brevard proud.”

Remote votes for moms

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna hasn’t convinced House leadership to allow members on parental leave to vote by proxy. Now, she hopes a bipartisan group of lawmakers will help force the matter.

The St. Petersburg Republican told CNN she is filing a discharge petition allowing House members to vote from home for a period following the birth of a new child. Last Congress, she pushed for a six-week grace period, and as she seeks bipartisan support, she is now seeking 12 weeks for both new mothers and fathers.

“I don’t think that it’s right for the leadership, especially Republican leadership, that prides itself on being pro-family, to be so anti-family,” Luna told CNN. “And really, it’s a slap in the face to every single constituent that we’ve had that sent us to Washington D.C.”

Notably, Luna delivered her first child in 2023, her first year in office. That made her just the 12th member of Congress ever to give birth while in office. This year, she will rally votes with Rep. Brittany Pettersen, a Colorado Democrat who will soon be the 14th. Other voices, including Murphy, have lobbied outside Congress for the change.

Speaker Mike Johnson, however, has resisted calls to change House policy on proxy voting and indeed suggested doing so would be unconstitutional.

Farm funds

Rep. Scott Franklin will have more say on how much federal funding supports American agriculture. The Lakeland Republican secured the Vice Chair gavel on the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee.

“It’s an honor to return to the House Appropriations Committee to allocate critical resources, rein in wasteful spending and restore fiscal sanity,” Franklin said. “I’m proud to continue supporting our nation’s hardworking farmers, ranchers, growers and producers who keep the world fed and provide millions of jobs for Americans.”

He moves into the No. 2 spot in the Subcommittee’s majority while Congress continues negotiating an overdue Farm Bill. Franklin also landed a place on the House Energy and Water Development Subcommittee and the House Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee.

Franklin said he was excited to “craft budgets that prioritize our energy independence and fund critical water projects that fuel our economy and protect our environment” and to “bolster national security projects that strengthen U.S. global leadership and enhance programs that improve service member and veteran quality of life” on those panels respectively.

AIDS money for abortions

As the Biden administration wound down, Díaz-Balart, a Hialeah Republican, found fresh reason for outrage. That included revelations that U.S. foreign aid funded abortions in Mozambique.

Reuters reported the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief program funded nurses employed by the Centers for Prevention and Disease Control in Africa who performed procedures to terminate pregnancies despite a ban on the use of foreign aid for that purpose.

That prompted a joint statement from Díaz-Balart, Alabama Republican Robert Aderholt, Chair of the House Appropriations Committee and Oklahoma Republican Tom Cole, Chair of the House Appropriations Committee and House Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

“American values and law dictate a zero-tolerance policy for the funding of abortions through federal taxpayer dollars,” the statement reads. “We are outraged to learn this standard has been violated under the non-watchful eye of the Biden Administration, only notifying Congress on their way out the door.

“PEPFAR has saved the lives of millions of innocent people and strengthened global health for decades. Its intent is to protect lives — not terminate them. This disgraceful perversion of a successful and bipartisan initiative demands stringent accountability. We demand a thorough investigation and dismissal of any official found to have taken part in this egregious violation. Whether malicious intent or extreme negligence, this can never be allowed to happen again. Disregard for compliance or oversight will not be tolerated. Life must be protected — we will not stand down on this matter.”

Sub-Cabinet appointments

Trump’s executive orders included official Cabinet nominations for Rubio and Bondi, who is awaiting confirmation as Attorney General.

He also formally gave nods to several non-Cabinet level appointments in significant roles. Those included formally nominating former Rep. Dave Weldon to run the Centers for Disease Control and John Phelan as Navy Secretary.

However, several other Floridians will hold prestigious positions, including in Bondi’s and Rubio’s offices. Todd Blanch was nominated for Deputy Attorney General in Bondi’s Justice Department, while Jacob Helberg will serve as an Undersecretary of State, overseeing economic growth, Energy, and the Environment.

Emil Michael will serve as the Pentagon’s Defense Undersecretary in charge of Research and Engineering, while Keith Sonderling was nominated for Deputy Labor Secretary.

On this day

Jan. 21, 1977 — “Jimmy Carter pardons draft dodgers” via POLITICO — President Carter, in his first full day in office, fulfilled a campaign promise by granting unconditional pardons to hundreds of thousands of men who had evaded the draft during the Vietnam War by fleeing the country or by failing to register with their Selective Service boards. The blanket amnesty generated a good deal of criticism from veterans’ groups and others who disapproved of the idea of letting perceived unpatriotic lawbreakers get off scot-free. On the other end of the political spectrum, the pardon came under fire from amnesty groups for not having addressed deserters, or soldiers who were dishonorably discharged or violent civilian anti-war demonstrators.

Jan. 21, 1981 — “Iran Hostage Crisis ends” via History.com — Minutes after Ronald Reagan’s inauguration as the 40th President of the United States, 52 U.S. captives held at the U.S. embassy in Tehran, Iran, were released, ending the 444-day Iran Hostage Crisis. The crisis began when militant Iranian students seized the U.S. embassy in Tehran. The Ayatollah Khomeini, Iran’s political and religious leader, took over the hostage situation, refusing all appeals to release the hostages, even after the U.N. Security Council demanded an end to the crisis in a unanimous vote. With the assistance of Algerian intermediaries, successful negotiations began between the United States and Iran.

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