State Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book (D-FL) has announced that the legality of abortion will be on the ballot in the 2024 election. Nearly 900,000 signatures and a threshold of verified petitions from at least 14 different congressional districts in the Sunshine State for this to happen.

Leader Book mentioned in a social media post that this issue is about "freedom, healthcare, and safety" for women.

We did it! As of today, the Florida Division of Elections is reporting that the Abortion Ballot Initiative has SURPASSED both the raw total petition number and congressional district spread needed to PUT ABORTION ON THE BALLOT!

Signatures came from everyone and everywhere,… https://t.co/gjMs96q67F

— Lauren Book (@LeaderBookFL) January 5, 2024

"We did it! As of today, the Florida Division of Elections is reporting that the Abortion Ballot Initiative has SURPASSED both the raw total petition number and congressional district spread needed to PUT ABORTION ON THE BALLOT! Signatures came from everyone and everywhere, proving once again this is not a Republican or Democratic issue — it’s about freedom, healthcare, and safety," said Leader Book.

She continued, "No woman and no doctor should fear imprisonment over abortion care. No woman or mother should face death because she can’t get proper care. That’s what this fight is about, and that’s why we will win."

In October, The Floridian obtained a petition that was being circulated during a political event at Florida State University.

Per the petition, no Florida law will “prohibit” or “restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health.

This is how the potential amendment will read if the pro-choice movement is persuasive enough for Floridians come November.

“No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider. This amendment does not change the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion.”

In April of 2023, Governor and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis (R-FL) signed legislation that banned abortions after six weeks. It passed by a vote of 26-13 in the State Senate and 70-40 in the State House of Representatives.

After the decision from the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, states around the country have had their own say on the abortion issue. It could be the most important topic of the 2024 election.

The post Lauren Book, Pro-Choice Coalition Celebrate Abortion Returning to Ballot in 2024 Election appeared first on The Floridian.

The House Oversight Committee has announced they will be holding President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress. Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL) responded to the announcement on social media after Hunter paraded around the Capitol on the day he was supposed to appear in front of the Oversight Committee.

First, the Oversight Committee’s initial comment mentioned that Hunter Biden has broken two lawful subpoenas.

CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS

Hunter Biden blatantly defied two lawful subpoenas when he did not appear for his December deposition. Next week, we will consider a resolution and accompanying report to hold him in contempt of Congress for violating federal law. @JudiciaryGOP will…

— Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) January 5, 2024

“Hunter Biden blatantly defied two lawful subpoenas when he did not appear for his December deposition. Next week, we will consider a resolution and accompanying report to hold him in contempt of Congress for violating federal law. The House Judiciary Committee will also hold a markup,” wrote the House Oversight Committee’s social media account.

Rep. Donalds stated that Hunter Biden’s defiance and especially his stunt of speaking in front of the Capitol (on the Senate side) has landed him in contempt of Congress.

On Dec. 13, Hunter Biden blatantly defied our subpoenas to appear for a deposition.

Instead, he chose to give a speech on the Senate-side of the US Capitol Complex with his attorney & Eric Swalwell.

We are now moving forward with the process to hold him in contempt of Congress. https://t.co/LNv41S3VyD

— Congressman Byron Donalds (@RepDonaldsPress) January 5, 2024

“On Dec. 13, Hunter Biden blatantly defied our subpoenas to appear for a deposition. Instead, he chose to give a speech on the Senate-side of the US Capitol Complex with his attorney & Eric Swalwell. We are now moving forward with the process to hold him in contempt of Congress,” said Rep. Donalds.

In his speech on Dec. 13, Hunter Biden lashed out against House Republicans, claiming they "distorted the facts by cherry-picking lines from a bank statement, manipulating texts I sent, [and] editing the testimony of my friends and former business partners and misstating personal information that was stolen."

Rep. Donalds suggested the speech was written by defense attorney Abbe Lowell and noted Hunter spoke near the Senate wing of the Capitol "because he knew House Republicans were in the Oversight hearing room ready to do this deposition. He had no intentions of complying with a Congressional subpoena.

"His statement was a joke, and for him to show up on Capitol Hill, give a presser, not even a presser [but] read a statement, took no questions from the press, got back in the car, and left demonstrates how arrogant he is about the seriousness of what is going on," Rep. Donalds continued.

Hunter Biden could face one to 12 months in prison if he is found liable for contempt of Congress.

The post Hunter Biden Held in Contempt of Congress, Donalds Confirms appeared first on The Floridian.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody (R-FL) has sent a public records request to the Atlantic Coast Conference (Florida State University plays in) as the school engages in a legal battle with the collegiate league.

When FSU was left out of the College Football Playoff (CFP) last month, AG Moody sent a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) to the CFP Selection Committee, demanding “all communications” to or from the Southeastern Conference (SEC), Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and ESPN, and all 10 conferences in FBS football, as well as the compensation of Committee members.

There are worries that ESPN (which owns the rights to the programming of the CFP in its entirety – the official rankings release show and all three playoff games) chose Alabama over Florida State because it would result in better ratings.

However, in a separate (but similar) legal matter, Florida State’s Board of Trustees decided to sue the ACC in an attempt to leave the conference by challenging the grant of (media) rights and the $130 million exit fee.

Florida State estimates it would cost $572 million to leave the conference immediately.

With all this information in mind, Moody is calling for the ACC to release the conference’s “ESPN Agreement” as well as other documents. Florida State – and now the State of Florida, represented by Moody – believes that these documents should be public record.

“One of Florida’s top universities is facing the possibility of forfeiting more than half a billion dollars, and the ACC is refusing to hand over the agreements at the center of this astronomical financial penalty,” said AG Moody. “They are unlawfully keeping these documents locked away in North Carolina. However, North Carolina and Florida state laws are clear that these agreements are public records and must be handed over immediately. Today, I am taking action to ensure FSU and the public are able to review these agreements.”

Alongside the ESPN Agreement, Moody’s office has called for a public release of the Multi-Media Agreement between the ACC and ESPN, the 2014 Amended Multi-Media Agreement, the ACC Grant of Rights Agreement, as well as “any other executed agreements between the ACC and the Walt Disney Company.”

This is a developing story.

The post AG Moody Comes to FSU's Aid in Legal Battle Against Atlantic Coast Conference appeared first on The Floridian.

Republicans in both chambers of the Florida Legislature introduced the Kamala Harris Truth in Slavery Teaching Act, bringing some controversy alongside it. State Senator Shevrin Jones (D-FL) provided a statement, calling the bill an “aimless, desperate trolling of Vice President Harris.”

The legislation, introduced by State Senator Blaise Ingoglia (R-FL) and State Representative Kiyan Michael (R-FL) looks to require instruction on the history of African Americans to “include a comprehensive account of the sociopolitical circumstances surrounding slavery, including which political parties supported slavery by adopting pro-slavery tenets as part of their platform, etc.”

The Democratic Party supported slavery at that time.

State Sen. Jones declared that this bill is a display of “political games” in Tallahassee.

“Yet again, MAGA Republicans in Tallahassee are shamelessly playing political games as a means to distract from their lack of action and plans to address the challenges facing everyday Floridians,” said Jones. “It is disheartening, though unsurprising, to see them resort to aimless, desperate trolling of Vice President Harris –tactics familiar to women and people of color in public life– rather than focusing on the issues that are top of mind for the people they serve.”

He continued, accusing Republicans in Florida of hypocrisy as they allegedly want to keep politics out of while injecting “blatant partisanship into education.”

“These same elected officials claim they want to keep political ideology out of the classroom, but then inject blatant partisanship into education every chance they get. Our schools don’t need more politicians involved in decision-making or attacking educators who have dedicated their lives to serving our communities,” said Jones.

Finally, Jones insinuated that both State Sen. Ingoglia and State Rep. Michael account for the “dramatic party realignment” – perhaps alluding to the supposed “party switch” of the 1960s.\

“It would do both Senator Ingoglia and Representative Michael a world of good to research the party of Lincoln they claim to be part of AND the dramatic party realignment that has happened in this country in the last 150 years. They cannot have it both ways, claiming to be on the side of freedom and civil rights when they are walking a different walk and actively dismantling Floridians’ rights and freedoms,” concluded Jones.

Ingoglia and Michael’s bill was filed on Wednesday.

The post Shevrin Jones Accuses FL GOP of 'Trolling' Kamala Harris with Slavery Bill appeared first on The Floridian.

Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Representative Vern Buchanan’s (R-FL) Rachael Booth Act has officially been signed into law by President Joe Biden (D). The law aims to “fix a gap in current law that prevents some individuals who suffer domestic abuse at the hands of a service member from receiving much-needed financial assistance.”

The bill was a part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the 2024 fiscal year (FY24).

Upon the news of its passing, Sen. Rubio thanked Rep. Buchanan for his efforts on the legislation.

The Rachael Booth Act is now law! First introduced in 2021, this law will fix a gap in current law to help individuals who were domestically abused by service members. Thank you Rep @VernBuchanan for working with me on this. https://t.co/SdOB7lojXc pic.twitter.com/H5qoQ0ZIjO

— Senator Marco Rubio (@SenMarcoRubio) January 3, 2024

“The Rachael Booth Act is now law! First introduced in 2021, this law will fix a gap in current law to help individuals who were domestically abused by service members. Thank you Rep. Vern Buchanan for working with me on this,” said Sen. Rubio.

When the NDAA initially made its way through both chambers of Congress, Rubio stated that the bill was a “common sense solution” to a problem enabled by a loophole.

“The Rachael Booth Act is a bipartisan, common sense solution to an urgent problem. This law will fix the error that prevented victims whose cases are handled by civilian courts from being eligible for transitional compensation. I am proud to have named this law after a courageous Floridian who shed light on the current system,” said the Florida senator.

Upon the bill’s introduction in July, Rep. Buchanan mentioned that he was pleased to see the Rachael Booth Act included in the FY24 NDAA.

“Just as our men and women in the Armed Forces sacrifice for their country, so too do military spouses. In times of crisis, it’s critical that they are able to access these benefits in a timely and efficient manner,” Buchanan said. “I’m pleased to see our legislation included in this year’s NDAA to help domestic abuse victims like Rachael get back on their feet as soon as possible.”

Rachael Booth is a constituent of Rep. Buchanan in Lithia, Florida, according to Rep. Buchanan’s press release. After her abusive husband was found guilty of domestic abuse in a civilian court but then was discharged from the Armed Forces on an unrelated offense, Booth was unable to receive the financial assistance – Transitional Compensation (CP) – she should’ve been eligible for.

Buchanan and Rubio’s legislation would allow military dependents who have suffered domestic abuse to receive TC regardless of the reasoning for the service member’s discharge.

Both the House and Senate versions of the bill had bipartisan support.

The post Rubio and Buchanan's Rachael Booth Act Signed into Law appeared first on The Floridian.

Harvard President Claudine Gay as resigned from her position.  Her resignation comes just weeks after failing to share whether calling for the genocide of Jews would violate university standards.

The House of Representatives passed a bipartisan resolution condemning their testimonies.

The measure also called for the remaining university presidents to resign (UPenn’s Elizabeth Magill stepped down on Dec. 9). All four members of “The Squad” (AOC, Tlaib, Omar, Pressley) voted against the resolution. The resolution passed by a tally of 303-126.

Representative Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) – one of the authors of the bipartisan resolution alongside Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY) – said the action that Congress took “made it clear” that Gay’s choice not to condemn anti-Semitism was unbecoming of the prestigious university.

The Presidents of UPenn and now Harvard have resigned after their abhorrent testimonies before Congress.

My bipartisan resolution with @RepStefanik made it clear that their words were unacceptable & that leaders who fail to condemn antisemitism will be held accountable. pic.twitter.com/RgYpHZM2F3

— Congressman Jared Moskowitz (@RepMoskowitz) January 2, 2024

“The Presidents of UPenn and now Harvard have resigned after their abhorrent testimonies before Congress. My bipartisan resolution with Rep. Stefanik made it clear that their words were unacceptable & that leaders who fail to condemn antisemitism will be held accountable,” said Rep. Moskowitz.

Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) released a statement following the announcement, mentioning that it was a “good thing” she stepped down.

Harvard’s president Claudine Gay demonstrated that academic integrity dies with wokeism. Good thing she resigned.

— Rep. Brian Mast (@RepBrianMast) January 2, 2024

“Harvard’s president Claudine Gay demonstrated that academic integrity dies with wokeism. Good thing she resigned,” said Rep. Mast.

Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) said Gay’s resignation was “good, but not good enough” as she remains employed by the university.

Good, but not enough. @Harvard still plans to keep her on faculty. That’s not okay.

People who embrace Hamas terrorism and refuse to condemn anti-Semitism have NO PLACE at American universities, and she should be fired.https://t.co/HkLWrwiLAH

— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) January 2, 2024

“Good, but not enough. Harvard still plans to keep her on [the] faculty. That’s not okay. People who embrace Hamas terrorism and refuse to condemn anti-Semitism have NO PLACE at American universities, and she should be fired,” said Sen. Scott.

Representative Vern Buchanan (R-FL) declared that although the now-former Harvard President has resigned, there is still work to do (referring to MIT President, Sally Kornbluth).

Harvard President Claudine Gay is resigning today.

While she should have been fired for her disgusting failure to combat anti-Semitism and condemn calls for the “genocide of Jews,” this is the right decision.

TWO down, one to go.

— Rep. Vern Buchanan (@VernBuchanan) January 2, 2024

“Harvard President Claudine Gay is resigning today. While she should have been fired for her disgusting failure to combat anti-Semitism and condemn calls for the ‘genocide of Jews,’ this is the right decision. TWO down, one to go,” said Rep. Buchanan.

Should President Kornbluth resign, Congress will have some early vindication to begin 2024.

The post Harvard President Claudine Gay's Resignation Brings Vindication for Congress in the New Year appeared first on The Floridian.

State Senator Joe Gruters (R-FL) has introduced legislation labeled SB 1168 – relating to forms of identification. While one of the main focuses of the bill is to expand the acceptable forms of ID for voter registration to include “United States passport cards, identification cards issued by a federally recognized tribal nation or Indian tribe, and United States Merchant Mariner Credentials,” the other (and perhaps more controversial) focus of the bill includes denoting a citizen’s status on their driver’s license.

The bill text reads:

“Licenses issued to individuals who submitted any of the documents required pursuant to s.322.08 (2) (c)5., 7., or 8. must include ‘NC’ to denote that such individual is a noncitizen.”

For those who are citizens and are concerned that they’ll have to renew their driver’s license, SB 1168 also states that “The following forms of identification are considered current and valid if they contain the name and photograph of the applicant and have not expired:

• United States passport or passport card.
• Debit or credit card.
• Military identification.
• Student identification.

As well as a multitude of other forms of identification.

SB 1168 has a companion in H 1101 which was introduced by State Representative Lauren Melo (R-FL).

State Sen. Gruters is no stranger to controversy, however.

In June, Gruters (R-FL) has recently claimed Gov. DeSantis intentionally vetoed several Sarasota County projects because he endorsed former President Donald Trump (R) for his White House bid.

"The Governor is clearly upset I endorsed Donald Trump for President, and so he took it out on the people of Sarasota County," said Sen. Gruters.

He believes that Gov. DeSantis removed efforts to rebuild Midnight Pass, relocate a fire station, and widen Fruitville Road, as well as a list of other things through the line-item veto from the "Framework for Freedom” budget due to his endorsement of Trump.

"Simply because I support his political opponent, the governor chose to punish ordinary Floridians who want better water quality, less traffic congestion, and increased resources for disabled children to find gainful employment. It's mean-spirited acts like this that are defining him here and across the country," Gruters concluded.

This is a developing story.

The post Gruters Introduces Bill Requiring Driver's Licenses to Showcase Citizenship Status appeared first on The Floridian.

State Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book (D-FL) has made another announcement regarding the progress of abortion getting on the ballot in the state of Florida in 2024. On Dec. 22, she declared that the issue is “on track” for voters to decide on in November.

Initially, the Florida state senator showcased the abortion coalition’s progress that’s been made to get the issue in front of voters come November.

BIG news: Florida is ON TRACK to put abortion on the ballot in 2024!

We’ve got MORE than 1.4M petitions collected to put abortion on the ballot — we need 891,523 verified petitions, and we’re over collecting to be safe not sorry!

93% of the needed petitions have been…

— Lauren Book (@LeaderBookFL) December 22, 2023

“BIG news: Florida is ON TRACK to put abortion on the ballot in 2024! We’ve got MORE than 1.4M petitions collected to put abortion on the ballot — we need 891,523 verified petitions, and we’re over collecting to be safe not sorry! 93% of the needed petitions have been VERIFIED by Supervisors of Elections (the verification process will continue into the new year!),” said State Sen. Book.

She continued providing evidence of the success of the movement and said that this was their “moment” to capitalize on.

“12 of 14 Congressional Districts have OFFICIALLY met the threshold of # of VERIFIED petitions needed to qualify for statewide geographic spread — we’re confident we’ve collected what we need, pending SOE verification! This is our fight … this is our moment … and WE WILL WIN!” said Book.

Now, Congressional District 23 (held by Representative Jared Moskowitz, D-FL) has become the 13^th district to approve, moving the issue one step closer to qualification.

BIG NEWS

Thanks to all of the incredible volunteers & our @RFCBroward team, CD 23 has officially qualified as one of the 14 needed congressional districts to put abortion on the ballot!

Stay tuned for more information as supervisors of elections across the state… pic.twitter.com/xMJh5V844e

— Lauren Book (@LeaderBookFL) December 31, 2023

“BIG NEWS: Thanks to all of the incredible volunteers & our RFC (Reproductive Freedom Clinic) Broward team, CD 23 has officially qualified as one of the 14 needed congressional districts to put abortion on the ballot!” said Sen. Book.

She continued, “Stay tuned for more information as supervisors of elections across the state continue to verify the more than 1.4 Million petitions we’ve collected! For now, we celebrate each win & recommit to this important fight!”

In October, The Floridian obtained a petition that was being circulated during a political event at Florida State University.

Per the petition, no Florida law will “prohibit” or “restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health.

This is how the potential amendment will read if pro-choice activists manage to get the required 800,000 signatures needed to get the measure placed on the ballot.

“No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider. This amendment does not change the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion.”

In April of 2023, Governor and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis (R-FL) signed legislation that banned abortions after six weeks. It passed by a vote of 26-13 in the State Senate and 70-40 in the State House of Representatives.

After the decision from the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, states around the country have had their own say on the abortion issue.

The post Lauren Book, Abortion Coalition Moves Step Closer to Abortion on 2024 Ballot in Florida appeared first on The Floridian.

Former State Representative and State Senate candidate Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-FL) shared his frustration with a recent gun bill that was filed in the state’s upper chamber that loosens restrictions on "weapons of war."

According to Smith, the bill HB 1124 – filed by State Senator Jonathan Martin (R-FL) – relaxes existing gun legislation by changing the broad term of “firearm” to “handgun” and eliminates the three-day waiting period to buy an AR-15.

“A Florida GOP Senator just filed HB 1124 completely eliminating our 3-day waiting period to buy AR-15s. Loosening access to the same weapons of war used to kill 49 people at Pulse nightclub + 17 people in Parkland is as dangerous as it is disgraceful. Have we learned nothing?” said Smith.

A Florida GOP Senator just filed HB 1124 completely eliminating our 3-day waiting period to buy AR-15s.

Loosening access to the same weapons of war used to kill 49 people at Pulse nightclub + 17 people in Parkland is as dangerous as it is disgraceful.

Have we learned nothing? pic.twitter.com/A7T8Fxy5s0

— Carlos Guillermo Smith (@CarlosGSmith) December 29, 2023

One of the changes that HB 1124 provides is the “Mandatory 3-day waiting period, excluding weekends and legal holidays, is imposed between the purchase and delivery at retail of a handgun.” The original text said that the bill applied to all “firearms.”

Smith acknowledged the change in the bill from firearm to handgun appears seven times in the text.

The former state representative lost a narrow race to now-State Representative Susan Plasencia (R-FL) by about 2,000 votes and nearly four percentage points in District 37. When Smith became a state legislator he represented District 49, but had to run for District 37 in 2022 after the map in Florida was redrawn.

Smith won by huge margins in each of his three general elections for District 49 (2016, 2018, 2020), but each year his support dipped from 39 points to 29 points, and finally 24 points, respectively.

In April, U.S. Representative Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-FL) commented on Smith's campaign, calling him a dedicated servant to Florida who should be elected to the state Senate.

"Electing people who actually give a damn about us is a priority for me. Especially in states, like Florida, where fascist right wing leaders are working tirelessly to rip away our rights," Frost expressed on social media. "We are going to be endorsing and supporting non-traditional, progressive candidates across the state," Frost vowed, noting that "in the Florida House, Carlos told truth to power and never held back when it came down to fighting for working people."

Currently, Smith’s possible primary opponent(s) and possible general election opponents are unknown.

The post Former Progressive Lawmaker Questions Move to Loosen Restrictions on 'Weapons of War' in Florida appeared first on The Floridian.

Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book (D-FL) announced that abortion is currently on track to be on the ballot in the state of Florida in the 2024 election.

The Florida state senator showcased the abortion coalition’s progress that has been made to get the issue in front of voters come November.

BIG news: Florida is ON TRACK to put abortion on the ballot in 2024!

We’ve got MORE than 1.4M petitions collected to put abortion on the ballot — we need 891,523 verified petitions, and we’re over collecting to be safe not sorry!

93% of the needed petitions have been…

— Lauren Book (@LeaderBookFL) December 22, 2023

“BIG news: Florida is ON TRACK to put abortion on the ballot in 2024! We’ve got MORE than 1.4M petitions collected to put abortion on the ballot — we need 891,523 verified petitions, and we’re over collecting to be safe not sorry! 93% of the needed petitions have been VERIFIED by Supervisors of Elections (the verification process will continue into the new year!),” said State Sen. Book.

She continued providing evidence of the success of the movement and said that this is their “moment” to capitalize on.

“12 of 14 Congressional Districts have OFFICIALLY met the threshold of # of VERIFIED petitions needed to qualify for statewide geographic spread — we’re confident we’ve collected what we need, pending SOE verification! This is our fight … this is our moment … and WE WILL WIN!” said Book.

In October, The Floridian obtained a petition that was being circulated during a political event at Florida State University.

Per the petition, no Florida law will “prohibit” or “restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health.

This is how the potential amendment will read if pro-choice activists manage to get the required 800,000 signatures needed to get the measure placed on the ballot.

“No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider. This amendment does not change the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion.”

In April of 2023, Governor and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis (R-FL) signed legislation that banned abortions after six weeks. It passed by a vote of 26-13 in the State Senate and 70-40 in the State House of Representatives.

After the decision from the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, states around the country have had their own say on the abortion issue.

The post Lauren Book Declares Abortion 'On Track' to be on Ballot in 2024 appeared first on The Floridian.

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows has removed former President Donald Trump (R) from the state’s primary ballot, citing the U.S. Constitution’s 14^th Amendment “insurrection” provision.

Bellows served as a Democratic state senator before being selected by the state legislature to serve as the Secretary of State. In 2014 she ran for the U.S. Senate but lost to incumbent and current Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), according to Ballotpedia.

The Trump campaign released a statement regarding the decision.

According to The Hill, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung mentioned that this move is “a disenfranchisement” of the American people.

“We are witnessing, in real-time, the attempted theft of an election and the disenfranchisement of the American voter,” spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement. “Make no mistake, these partisan election interference efforts are a hostile assault on American democracy.”

Florida Governor and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis (R-FL) provided his thoughts during an appearance on Fox News. He questioned the idea of “one bureaucrat” deciding who can and cannot appear on a ballot.

DESANTIS reacts to Maine removing Trump from the ballot:

"It opens up Pandora's Box. Can you have a Republican Secretary of State disqualify Biden from the ballot? Because he's let in 8 million people illegally, a massive invasion."

"We win when we hold Biden accountable and… pic.twitter.com/TT0NSaMKro

— DeSantis War Room (@DeSantisWarRoom) December 29, 2023

"It opens up Pandora's Box. Can you have a Republican Secretary of State disqualify Biden from the ballot? Because he's let in 8 million people illegally, a massive invasion," said Gov. DeSantis. He also stated, "We win when we hold Biden accountable and talk about the issues that matter to the American people."

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis commented on the Trump ruling in Maine and even called for an investigation by the Department of Justice.

I am immediately calling for an investigation by the Department of Justice into Civil Rights violations. We all know that if a Red State did this to Biden they’d dispatch the FBI all over the place… https://t.co/ppLE5bMJbS

— Jimmy Patronis (@JimmyPatronis) December 29, 2023

“I am immediately calling for an investigation by the Department of Justice into Civil Rights violations. We all know that if a Red State did this to Biden they’d dispatch the FBI all over the place…” said CFO Patronis.

On Dec. 19, Colorado took the same action against the 45^th President when the state’s supreme court voted 4-3 to deny Trump from the state primary.

According to Ballotpedia, the Colorado Supreme Court is the 16^th most liberal court in the United States. It does not have a single right-leaning justice. All justices are either considered an “Intermediate,” a “Mild Democrat,” or a “Strong Democrat.”

This is a developing story.

The post Trump Removed from Maine State Primary Ballot appeared first on The Floridian.

Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL) appeared on Hannity on Wednesday, which was guest hosted by former White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany. Border security was discussed on the program.

The Florida congressman said that both he and House Republicans have devised a plan to limit illegal border crossings and bring solutions to the problem once and for all.

Rep. Donalds’ legislation – the Reform Immigration Through Biometrics Act, introduced almost two months ago – would formulate a “biometric exit system” for immigrants on non-permanent visas to “track and prevent overstays, a significant, but often overlooked form of illegal immigration,” according to Fox News.

Rep. Donalds mentioned this in his appearance on Hannity, as well as a social media post.

Biden created the humanitarian & national security crisis at our border.

This is the solution:
HR 2 – Secure the Border Act of 2023
HR 6138 – Reform Immigration Through Biometrics Act

Don’t bring up Ukraine until OUR border is secure.

Secure AMERICA FIRST.
It must be done. pic.twitter.com/uGiEX6y7cF

— Congressman Byron Donalds (@RepDonaldsPress) December 28, 2023

"Biden created the humanitarian & national security crisis at our border. This is the solution: HR 2 – Secure the Border Act of 2023 HR 6138 – Reform Immigration Through Biometrics Act Don’t bring up Ukraine until OUR border is secure. Secure AMERICA FIRST. It must be done," said Rep. Donalds.

On the program, he said, “House Republicans have a plan. We’ve had one for a very long time. I have a plan that adds to this and creates an actual exit biometric system, something that the 9/11 Commission recommended that we do post-9/11. He continued, “The federal government still hasn’t completed that work. But this is bigger than that. You have an administration Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and everyone else. They do not want to do the simple job of securing the border.”

The Florida congressman continued, “And so now when you have a massive catastrophe, which they created, now they’re going down to Mexico to see what can be done. The answer is simple: to follow House Republicans, HR2, it’s the plan.”

Finally, Donalds gave a message to the left side of the aisle and the White House relating to foreign aid.

“And let me be very clear, we’ve been telling this to the Democrats in the Senate and Joe Biden, don’t even talk to us about Ukraine until the southern border is secure. Secure America first, then we can have conversations about everything else, but this must be done. It simply cannot wait,” concluded Donalds.

The Florida congressman represents the Sunshine State’s 19^th District.

The post Donalds: No Ukraine Discussions Without Border Security appeared first on The Floridian.

Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL) announced that she and her team secured over $1 billion in federal grants for the Tampa Bay area in 2023. This includes over $10 million in “aid, benefits and refunds to veterans, seniors, small businesses, and families.”

The $1 billion was acquired through a total of 207 federal grants.

“The Tampa and St. Petersburg constituent services team works tirelessly to cut through red tape on behalf of families, veterans and businesses,” said Rep. Castor. “In a year with an unprecedented number of passport cases and the implementation of the historic Honoring Our PACT Act, my office has delivered favorable results to our neighbors and veterans across the Tampa Bay area.”

She continued, “I couldn’t be prouder of my dedicated casework team that went above and beyond working weekends to save many Tampa Bay families thousands of dollars as they faced disruptions in their overseas travel due to this year’s unprecedented surge of passport issues. Their expertise and compassion are critical to ensuring that veterans receive the benefits they have earned, and that Social Security and Medicare benefits are delivered on time.”

In Rep. Castor’s statement, she provided a list of issues and concerns that were addressed by her office throughout 2023. That list included investments that “right the wrongs of the past” with more “inclusive highway connections,” as well as other concerns.

“I love my hometown and am committed to lifting every neighbor by revitalizing neighborhoods through meaningful environmental justice, supporting our youth, combatting extreme heat, and improving health outcomes for Black mothers and babies,” said Castor. “There is so much to look forward to in the new year, as I champion investments that improve our lives through the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act to the Tampa Bay area and into your pockets.”

Recently, Castor called Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) the “Grinch” after he turned down a $320 million federal infrastructure grant.

The rationale for the decision was based on the notion that the grant was “politicized” to address climate change, according to Business Insider. The grant would’ve been facilitated through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s (BIL) Carbon Reduction Program (CRP).

The post Castor Announces Her Office Secured $1 Billion in Federal Grants for Tampa Bay appeared first on The Floridian.

Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) reintroduced two pieces of bipartisan legislation known as the Hydrogen for Trucks Act of 2023 and the Hydrogen for Ports Act to the House of Representatives. The bills, brought forth as well by Congresswoman Katie Porter (D-CA) would promote hydrogen in “heavy-duty transportation.”

According to Rep. Bilirakis’ press release, the Hydrogen for Trucks Act would “incentivize heavy-duty vehicle owner-operators to purchase hydrogen trucks and fueling infrastructure, while the Hydrogen for Ports Act would promote the use of hydrogen-fueled equipment at ports and in shipping applications.”

Hydrogen serves as a promising resource in the future of electricity and sustainability. However, it has been slow to get off the ground in comparison to other energy sources such as solar, wind, and nuclear.

However, as the Bilirakis press release points out, hydrogen produces no tailpipe emissions, and with heavy-duty vehicles accounting for a quarter of emissions on the road, the prospect of hydrogen could serve as a long-term solution.

"As we grapple with energy affordability and our responsibilities to the future, we need to encourage energy innovation and pursue an ‘all-of-the-above' approach," said Bilirakis. "Hydrogen fuel cell technology is a promising solution, and our bipartisan bill will better enable Americans and small businesses to harness the full potential of this reliable resource."

Moreover, Rep. Porter provided her thoughts as well, stating that these pieces of legislation would “advance innovation” and strengthen the American economy.

“California leads the nation in clean energy research, so Californians know firsthand how investing in the technology of tomorrow strengthens our economy while safeguarding our environment for future generations,” said Rep. Porter.

She continued, “Hydrogen is a promising, clean fuel source for industries that struggle to find reliable clean-energy alternatives, like trucking and maritime shipping. Our bipartisan bills would advance innovation in hydrogen technologies, making our economy more resilient and globally competitive.”

In the upper chamber, Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Chris Coons (D-DE) were ahead of the curve in terms of reintroducing this bill to the 118^th Congress.

Despite Bilirakis and Porter’s package including two bills, Sen. Cornyn and Coons’ package includes both the Hydrogen for Ports Act and the Hydrogen for Trucks Act as well as the Hydrogen for Industry Act and the Hydrogen Infrastructure Finance Innovation Act.

Sen. Cornyn gave his thoughts in March.

“Hydrogen is a versatile energy source, but we lack the infrastructure to reap its benefits for a wide range of industries,” said Senator Cornyn. “This legislation would help make hydrogen more accessible and cost-effective so businesses and consumers can utilize this reliable energy resource.”

The bill stalled in the Senate after it was first introduced. However, with bicameral and bipartisan backing, it could gain some traction.

The post Bilirakis Reintroduces Two Bipartisan Bill to Promote Hydrogen-Powered Transportation appeared first on The Floridian.

Senators Rick Scott (R-FL) and Marco Rubio sent a letter to the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA) Janet Coit to call for the application of the Fishery Resource Disasters Improvement Act (FREDI).

According to Sen. Scott’s press release, the bill has the potential to “improve the fishery disaster assistance process at the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service and restore confidence and faith in the fishery disaster assistance process by increasing transparency and user experience when applying for relief.”

Alongside Sen. Scott, Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and Roger Wicker (R-MS) wrote that before FREDI was put in place, the logistics of the NOAA online system was subpar.

Prior to the enactment of FREDI, the fishery disaster assistance process had been met with a high degree of frustration from stakeholders and policymakers,” wrote Sens. Scott, Rubio, and the lawmakers. “It was impossible to track the progress of a disaster assistance request through NOAA’s online system. Under FREDI, NOAA now has clear deadlines to make timely decisions for determinations and approval of spending plans, which stakeholders in our states are desperately waiting for.”

Moreover, they continued that tracking will allow better up-to-date information regarding data submission.

“We believe it is important for stakeholders to understand and track the step-by-step process for a fishery disaster request. This tracking would allow stakeholders to follow the process from submission of data to decisions made by NOAA and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Stakeholders would be able to follow the status of their request as each division of NOAA examines the data, just like consumers track packages through the shipping process from a vendor to delivery,” wrote the lawmakers.

Earlier in December, Sen. Scott's No Budget No Pay Act made the annual National Taxpayers Union (NTU) “No Brainers” list for the year 2023.

The bill would “prohibit Members of Congress from receiving their salaries if they fail to pass a concurrent budget resolution and the required appropriations bills by the start of each fiscal year.”

The post Scott, Rubio Call for Logistics Improvement at NOAA appeared first on The Floridian.

Over the weekend, Florida State University officially sued the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in an attempt to leave the conference after joining it in 1991. The lawsuit’s main purpose is to challenge the grant of (media) rights and the $130 million exit fee.

One of the main points for FSU is their argument that the ACC has failed to withhold its fiduciary responsibilities among other complaints.

The suit – brought forth in Leon County Circuit Court – will be presided over by an FSU alumnus, Judge John C. Cooper.

FSU Board of Trustees vs Atlantic Coast Conference
Judge John C. Cooper assigned to the case in Leon County
He’s an FSU alumnus pic.twitter.com/CtMEKIXCWL

— Matt Baker (@MBakerTBTimes) December 26, 2023

Florida State University’s Board of Trustees (BOT) and its Chairman Peter Collins called the ACC’s withdrawal penalties “draconian” should they attempt to leave and join another conference.

“The underperformance by the ACC has ramped up dramatically in just the last few years,” said Collins. “The ACC has also unfairly — and we believe illegally — sought to prevent members from exploring their fundamental right to withdraw by threatening to impose an astounding and pernicious half-billion-dollar penalty. It’s simply unconscionable.”

FSU President Richard McCullough added that he “fully supports” the BOT’s decision.

“I fully support the Board’s decision to take this legal action against the ACC. It is becoming painfully apparent that Florida State’s athletic ambitions and institutional priorities are no longer served by the ACC’s leadership,” said President McCullough.

As other schools were able to move conferences relatively quickly like Texas, Oklahoma (to the SEC), UCLA, and USC (to the BigTen), Florida State has been on the wayside in terms of being able to climb the economic ladder and place themselves in a position to generate more revenue.

They blame the ACC for this, as the university’s press release mentioned that FSU’s inability to play in the College Football Playoff (CFP) was pretty much the last piece of evidence they needed to know that the conference was hurting, not helping.

“The lawsuit says the College Football Playoff’s ‘stunning decision’ to exclude the undefeated Seminoles from the 2024 championship ‘crystalizes’ years of ACC failures that threaten the conference’s fiscal viability. Trustees said at a Board meeting today, however, that they’ve been considering taking legal action for more than a year because of the ACC’s overall mismanagement,” the press release says.

It continued by providing a passage from the lawsuit, saying, “The ACC has negotiated itself into a self-described ‘existential crisis,’ rendered itself fiscally unstable and substantially undermined its members’ capacity to compete at the elite level,” and that “In doing so, the ACC violated the contractual, fiduciary and legal duties it owed its members.”

This is a developing story.

The post Florida State Sues ACC Over 'Draconian' Withdrawal Fees, Fiduciary Irresponsibility appeared first on The Floridian.

Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL) is referring to Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) as a “grinch” this Christmas after he rejected the $320 million federal grant for transportation infrastructure.

The rationale for the decision was based on the notion that the grant was “politicized” to address climate change, according to Business Insider. The grant would’ve been facilitated through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s (BIL) Carbon Reduction Program (CRP).

In a letter to Gov. DeSantis, Rep. Castor and five other Democratic U.S. Representatives from the state of Florida call for the Florida governor to reverse course as the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) had a plan in place to use the funds for “public transit, safe rest stop areas, and reduced congestion.” However, Gov. DeSantis denied the proposal.

“This decision constitutes a stark policy reversal, following months of FDOT planning and the development of the state’s Carbon Reduction Strategy, a prerequisite step for Florida to receive the program’s $320 million in funding,” wrote the lawmakers. “FDOT’s own documents outline the importance of the Carbon Reduction Program — and the investments it would have provided — to the state’s transportation goals. Such goals include: providing safe and convenient transportation options, improving traffic flow and reducing congestion and idling, improving energy efficiency, and reducing climate impacts.”

Castor and the legislators continued by saying that “the people of Florida deserve answers” regarding his decision.

“Plainly, your repeated rejection of federal investment opportunities will lead our state to a future with more traffic fatalities, higher energy and transportation costs, and worse air pollution. The people of Florida deserve answers, and they deserve a Governor who will not sacrifice the best interests of our state to further an extreme agenda,” they stated.

The Democratic lawmakers brought up the fact that a reversal from DeSantis is not unprecedented. Recently, the Florida governor had a change of mind on energy-saving rebates. The lawmakers believe it was due to pressure from Castor and her fellow legislators.

They concluded, “After months of pressure from Castor and her colleagues, Gov. DeSantis appears to have reversed his decision on the energy-saving rebates. DeSantis also blocked investments for electric vehicles, EV charging and solar for all - all of which would lower costs for Florida families. Bah, Humbug!”

The signers of the letter alongside Rep. Castor included Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), Darren Soto (D-FL), Maxwell Frost (D-FL), and Lois Frankel (D-FL).

The post Castor Calls DeSantis 'The Grinch' After Turning Down $320 Million Infrastructure Grant appeared first on The Floridian.

Governor and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis (R-FL) spoke at a campaign event in Hawkeye State just weeks before the Iowa Caucuses, where he spoke on the idea of "draining the swamp" and limiting the sluggishness of the bureaucracy in the federal government.

Specifically, the Florida governor brought up the prospect of Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution which gives the President of the United States the ability to fire government employees.

"Well, look, so you have Article II power, people say all this stuff, here's the thing: firing people for cause is inherent in Article II. Yes, there'll be litigation over it, but I think we would win on this stuff, and I think that Presidents have not been willing to use Article II power. We're going to use it to be able to shape this bureaucracy in a way that is going to be accountable to the American people," said Gov. DeSantis.

So what does the Constitution say exactly? It says this:

"He shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States, whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by law: but the Congress may by law vest the appointment of such inferior officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments." - Article II, Section II

With this in mind, The National Constitution Center provided some interpretations by Constitutional law professors who believe that this issue has already been pretty much settled.

“Those cases do not determine, however, whether Congress may limit the President’s own removal power, for example, by conditioning an officer’s removal on some level of ‘good cause.’ The Supreme Court first gave an affirmative answer to that question in Humphrey’s Executor v. United States(1935), which limited the President’s discretion in discharging members of the Federal Trade Commission to cases of “inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.’” - Professors John O. McGinnis and Peter M. Shane

Should Gov. DeSantis reside in the White House, he has a case and, more importantly, precedent, to possibly significantly reduce the number of federal employees in Washington D.C.

The post DeSantis Points to Constitution as Permission to Drain the Swamp appeared first on The Floridian.