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.

It is no secret that Florida continues to grow at a breakneck pace..  However, many would be shocked to learn where in Florida is growing the fastest.  According to recent numbers, the Palm Bay-Melbourne area has taken over as the fastest-growing region to move to, with Ocala placing second.

U-Haul published a report based on their company analytics on which area in their market became the most popular to move to in 2023.  According to U-Haul's report that measures one-way movers in U-Haul equipment from last year, Palm Bay-Melbourne ranked fourth.

Over 54% of all one-way U-Haul traffic was arriving in Palm Bay-Melbourne, compared to just over 45% departing, the report found.  U-Haul calculated their numbers by calculating net gain (or loss) of one-way equipment from customer transactions in 2023. Last year, over 2.5 million one-way transactions with U-Haul equipment were recorded.

U-Haul did clarify that these numbers are not meant to reflect population or economic growth. Rather, it's an effective way of seeing how states and cities are attracting and maintaining residents, according to the report.  Suburbs and cities are also clumped together by region to get a general picture of where people are moving in Florida.

"Growth in the Palm Bay-Melbourne area has been increasing at an explosive rate," said Cal Conner, president of U-Haul of Eastern Florida. "The Space Coast has many companies investing in this region and creating jobs such as Embraer, SpaceX, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin and L3Harris Technologies. We have a low cost of living compared to many of the northern cities people have left. Add to that our fantastic year-round climate, and you can see why Palm Bay-Melbourne is such a desirable area to live."

In 2022 Ocala, Florida held the title of the number 1 growing city in U-Haul's market.  But with the emergence of Palm Bay-Melbourne, Ocala has slipped, but stayed in the top 2 growing cities across several states in 2023, outranking cities like Dallas, Texas.

The post Data Finds Palm Bay-Melbourne Fastest Growing Region in Florida appeared first on The Floridian.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) recently led a group of GOP lawmakers to Eagle Pass, Texas, to demand border security. The Biden Administration has claimed they require more funds to secure the border, to which Representative Kat Cammack (R-FL) viciously replied, "If my eyes had rolled any harder, they would have rolled out of *censored*," calling the White House's counter-demand "total crap" in a recent appearance on Fox Business's Evening Edit.

Rep. Cammack continued to not mince words when she added, "[President Biden] has been given more resources for the border and securing the border than any other time in history. This is absurd. And when he says he wants more money, let us not forget that he said he wants more money to process illegals faster."

As a result, Rep. Cammack stated continuing resolutions (CRs) for the Congressional budget are "no longer an option" as a government shutdown grows closer, saying, "We have to do the appropriations process, single-issue bills and secure the damn border."

Other Florida Republicans have similarly demanded the border crisis be treated as a standalone issue before any other bills would be considered, including Representatives Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), Byron Donalds (R-FL), and Cory Mills (R-FL).

Moreover, she predicted the current crisis would drive voters away from Democrats in the 2024 Election, especially as California intends to provide free healthcare to illegal migrants and Howard County, Maryland, will create an extra seat on state school boards only migrants can vote for.

"That kind of nonsense is going to drive people from the middle of the political spectrum to vote for conservatives because they do not like what is happening to their communities. The open border policies of Joe Biden have turned every town in America into a border town," Cammack continued.

California's new law went into effect with the new year starting, which critics have said will only strain the state's Medi-Cal program further, especially as California faces spending deficit problems.

In December, officials in Maryland's Howard County argued a position on the county school board, for which only illegal immigrants could vote, could feasibly exist based on the wording of a current provision in the system, which says a position on the school board is voted upon exclusively by public school students.

The post Cammack Does Not Hold Back: 'Secure the Damn Border' 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.

With Congress getting ready to go back into session, House Republicans will continue their impeachment inquiry of President Biden. Representative Greg Steube (R-FL) appeared on Fox Business's Mornings with Maria to discuss potential developments in the process, namely regarding First Son Hunter and his refusal to give closed-door testimony.

In mid-December, Hunter Biden was subpoenaed to appear before the House to give closed-door testimony. Rather than comply, the First Son instead gave a brief statement on the Senate side of the Capitol decrying the investigation and left. Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL) later called Hunter's statement "a joke" and added it would "demonstrate how arrogant he is about the seriousness of what is going on."

Rep. Steube indicated Hunter would not comply with further subpoenas and predicted the House would vote to charge him for contempt of Congress in the coming week.

"And remember when the [former President Donald] Trump officials like Peter Navarro and Steve Bannon defied Congress and a Congressional subpoena? The [Department of Justice] charged them with contempt of Congress. Steve Bannon himself spent four months in prison. So it would be very interesting to see after the House passes the contempt resolution if the DOJ actually charges Hunter Biden like they did the Trump officials who defy Congressional subpoenas as well," Rep. Steube added, inferring a double standard will be evident otherwise.

Panelist Amber Duke asked if House Republicans had any intention of taking action against Representative Eric Swalwell (D-CA), who helped Hunter Biden arrange the press conference outside the Capitol he gave instead of testifying.

The Hill reported Rep. Swalwell used his authority to reserve the area outside the Senate wing of the Capitol for Hunter's press conference. The positioning was also intentional, as Democrats control the upper chamber.

Steube replied that House Oversight Chair Representative James Comer (R-KY) "is looking into" and "I hope that is something that the Ethics Committee is looking at" as well.

"That is aiding and abetting [in] violating a Congressional subpoena as a member of Congress," Steube explained.

The post Steube Predicts Contempt of Congress Charges for Hunter Biden 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.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) struck an important blow against Hamas, killing senior leader Saleh al-Arouri in a drone strike outside Beirut, Lebanon. Representative Mike Waltz (R-FL) appeared on Fox News's America Reports, calling the attack "a very big deal," because it demonstrated the resolve necessary to keep terrorists in check by ruthlessly hunting them down.

While certainly advantageous, Reuters reported that Mark Regev, an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel did not claim responsibility for the attack after Lebanon accused the Jewish State of trying to provoke a war. Additionally, the drone strike was "a surgical strike against the Hamas leadership," not an attack on Lebanon itself.

Al-Arouri was a key member of Hamas and considered a co-founder of the group's military wing. Additionally, he was linked to several terror attacks carried out by Hamas, including the 2014 kidnapping and murder of three Israeli civilians, and the Department of the Treasury named him a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in 2015.

Hence, Rep. Waltz called al-Arouri's death "a very big deal."

"This was the deputy commander. He was a specially designated terrorist by the United States with a $5 million bounty on his head, and if I were any Hamas leader right now, whether you are in Turkey, Beirut, or elsewhere, I would not sleep well at night. The Israelis will hunt them down," said Rep. Waltz, making a comparison to Operation Wrath of God, the decades-long campaign by Mossad to track and kill the perpetrators of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre.

Waltz further added that Israel has "every right to do this, just as we had every right to hunt down the leadership of al-Qaeda after the 9/11 strikes."

Moreover, by relentless pursuit, he argued, "this is how you take down their capabilities."

"As long as they are worried about where they are going to sleep at night, they do not have time to plot and plan like this leader did in the run-up to October 7th. This is how you keep a lid on terrorism. You keep a boot on their neck," Waltz concluded.

In the case of Hamas, Waltz has also repeatedly argued that the United States must keep Iran, the group's sponsor, under "maximum pressure" so they cannot provide Hamas with money and weapons, lest Israel will be fighting the group forever.

The post Waltz Calls Death of Hamas Leader 'Very Big Deal,' Calls For Relentless Hunting of Terrorists appeared first on The Floridian.

US Representative Cory Mills (R-Fl) expressed his commitment to either "shutdown the border or shutdown the government."

Representative Mills' comments are representative of many Republican lawmakers' willingness to compel Democrats to compromise on immigration reform and tighter border enforcement.

Mills outlined his legislative priority via X as passing "the 12 single-point Appropriation Bills with necessary cuts, reforms, economic growth strategy, and either shut the border or Shutdown the government.”

This is something I stated earlier but worth recycling:

“Get the 12 single-point Appropriation Bills with necessary cuts, reforms, economic growth strategy, and either shut the border or Shutdown the government” pic.twitter.com/hkUgX0cUaf

— Cory Mills (@CoryMillsFL) December 31, 2023

Last November, conservative lawmakers leveraged government funding to encourage Democrats and President Joe Biden to acquiesce to Republican requests for decreased spending and immigration enforcement.

A government shutdown was averted due to ex-House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy's passage of a temporary spending bill.

With such bill's expiration date nearing, Republicans are once again signaling their commitment to immigration enforcement and fiscal policy includes entering a government shutdown if necessary.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken recently visited Mexico to discuss joint immigration enforcement measures with Mexican officials. A joint US-Mexico press release described the trip reinforced both countries' mission to "address the root causes of migration, such as poverty, inequality, and violence."

However, many Republicans have accused Biden of generating the migrant crisis at the Southwest border via loose immigration laws and the deliberate lack of enforcement of existing immigration laws.

US Representative Anna Paulina-Luna (R-Fl) recently criticized Biden's immigration policies while warning of a new migrant caravan traveling towards the US through central America.

Representative Luna claimed border enforcement legislation is urgently needed to adequately regulate immigration flows across America's borders.

"To hear that this is somehow a humanitarian thing, and we need to just blanket wave these people in. One, it is stupid, but also it is a political talking point. And let me be clear about something. We absolutely have the ability to stop this, and we should " explained Luna.

The post Mills Asks Biden "Shut Down the Border or Shut Down the Government" 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.

House Republicans continue to demand action on the southern border, and the Representatives from Florida count among the most vocal. Representative Kat Cammack (R-FL) discussed the border crisis in a recent appearance on Fox Business's Mornings with Maria, saying Democrats have been ignoring the issue "at their own political peril" and Americans will recognize current policies as "not humane."

"[Democrats] ignore it at their own political peril," said Rep. Cammack, "but also at the risk of our own national security." Having visited the border herself several times, she described seeing "little children that are being trafficked. You see women who have been abused. You see grown military-age men with tattoos on their faces claiming asylum. It is clear the entire immigration system is broken."

As such, Rep. Cammack stated, "We need to bifurcate the issue," meaning the border must be secure first and foremost before any other policies are considered, similar to demands by Representatives Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), Byron Donalds (R-FL), and Cory Mills (R-FL).

Substitute host Sheryl Casone pointed out that the Biden Administration has authorized the construction of additional border walls despite initial claims they would not "because quietly they know they have got a huge problem on their hands."

Cammack agreed, saying, "We are one terrorist attack away from a major, major loss of life but [also] a breach in our national security," as Rep. Luna, Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL), and Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) has previously warned.

Moreover, Cammack highlighted the inability of Health and Human Services (HHS) to keep track of over 85,000 migrant children, for which Secretary Xavier Becerra was unable to answer in April.

"There is going to be a bombshell report that Americans are going to look up and say, 'what the heck is the Biden Administration doing? This is not a humane policy, this is not asylum," Cammack continued before speculating the border crisis is intentional, designed to "sway elections, to do things illegally," similar to speculation by Representative Carlos Gimenez (R-FL).

Nevertheless, she concluded this is precisely why Congress must demand action within the next 17 days before another government shutdown.A

The post Cammack Warns Democrats Ignore Border 'At Their Own Peril' appeared first on The Floridian.

Conservative lawmakers have rung in the new year by emphasizing the holidays' financial toll on Americans and the expected continuation of rising costs in 2024.

A study by the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) Republicans recently published reveals an average increase of $10 thousand dollars per US household in inflationary costs.

According to the report, Floridians spent nearly $13 thousand dollars more in 2023 than they did in 2021 solely to shoulder inflation.

While some have credited inflation to COVID-19, supply chain inefficiencies, and international conflict, American conservatives have blamed President Joe Biden as chiefly responsible for the dollar's devaluation.

US Senator Rick Scott (R-Fl), for example, has repeatedly claimed President Biden's fiscal policy is impoverishing Americans.

Senator Rick Scott recently released a video explaining how, according to him, Biden's agenda is undermining the US economy and weakening families' purchasing power.

"This holiday season, #Bidenomics is stretching Florida families budgets to the MAX and making the American dream feel out of reach," said Scott via X.

WATCH: This holiday season, #Bidenomics is stretching Florida families budgets to the MAX and making the American dream feel out of reach.

But it doesn't have to be this way! I'm going to keep fighting to keep big government in check. pic.twitter.com/MhEjhLxrYe

— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) December 21, 2023

For months, the US Federal Reserve has attempted to lower inflation by raising interest rates. Last July, the Fed. raised its benchmark federal-funds rate to a 22-year high.

However, Fed. officials have reportedly suggested interest rates could be significantly lowered in 2024 due to decreasing inflation in the last months of 2023.

According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly expressed her alignment with numerous other Fed officials planning for at least three rate cuts in 2024.

Government data released last week alleges 12-month inflation rates, excluding food and energy costs, could decrease to 3% in 2024.

Given the Fed targets 2% inflation when calculating interest rates and the latter's correlation with the former, reports of decreased inflation could result in lowered interest rates.

On Wall Street, news of the Fed's preparations to lower interest rates have rallied markets.

According to the WSJ, market fears neared several-year lows as investors grew increasingly confident of healthy economic growth in 2024.

The post 'New Year, Same Inflation' According to Republican Lawmakers appeared first on The Floridian.

A large caravan of migrants are working their way up to the southern border, suggested to be thousands strong. Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) posted a brief video on X (formerly Twitter) pointing out the timing of the caravan in the news cycle, how these events receive organized assistance, and that they are easily avoidable.

In addition, Rep. Luna said, "There needs to be a stand-alone border bill. Don't tie it to anything else."

There needs to be a stand alone border bill. Dont tie it to anything else. Also if you have info on the orgs that are orchestrating these, post them below. pic.twitter.com/3pQ0EBFSTk

— Anna Paulina Luna (@realannapaulina) December 28, 2023

The Hill described how the caravan began in Mexico, made up of migrants from across Central and South America and heading north from Tapachula, near the border with Guatemala. The Mexican government's slow-walking to process migrants has contributed to the caravan's creation as a means of protection.

Rep. Luna pointed out in her video that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) frequently organize these caravans, as authorities have "literally found documentation literature and for goodness' sakes, sometimes these people have cellphones that they are actually given in order to organize these massive marches to the US-Mexico border."

A follow-up post by Rep. Luna posted information about one such NGO, known as "Pueblo Sin Fronteras" ("People Without Borders"), who organized a previous caravan in 2018.

Oh gee wiz look what we have here. https://t.co/Gjir9AXDfs pic.twitter.com/JOz96EcprR

— Anna Paulina Luna (@realannapaulina) December 28, 2023

Furthermore, Luna pointed out that migrants have come from all over the world through the border, including a worryingly high number of people on the known terrorist watchlist, something she, Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL), and Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) have warned about before.

Others, Luna continued, have come from China, which Representative Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) said are likely serving as spies for the Chinese Communist Party.

"So to hear that this is somehow a humanitarian thing, and we need to just blanket wave these people in. One, it is stupid, but also it is a political talking point. And let me be clear about something. We absolutely have the ability to stop this, and we should," Luna concluded.

Luna's video came after President Biden sent Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to Mexico in order to negotiate a solution to the crisis.

Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL) and former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Tom Homan derided the meeting as a useless gesture because House Republicans already passed the Secure the Border Act in May and have been demanding the Democrat-controlled Senate and White House pass it without trying to attach funding to Ukraine and other foreign aid.

The post Luna Warns of New Migrant Caravan, Says Stand-Alone Border Bill Needed appeared first on The Floridian.

Maine has become the second state to remove former President Donald Trump from its primary ballot, sparking outrage among the right. Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) appeared on Fox News's Ingraham Angle to discuss, saying the decision "opens up Pandora's Box" and suggested such moves are a means to distract voters from Biden's polling numbers and policies.

"The idea that one bureaucrat in an executive position can simply unilaterally disqualify someone from office. That turns on its head every notion of constitutional due process that this country has always abided by for over 200 years. It opens up Pandora's Box," said Gov. DeSantis, adding that a Republican Secretary of State can remove President Biden from their state's ballot by the same logic for his handling of the border crisis, which could be interpreted as knowingly aiding and abetting our enemies.

While Maine's decision is not likely to stand by the U.S. Supreme Court, Gov. DeSantis suggested similar events about Trump's legal cases will occur throughout the coming election year because Democrats "do not want to face accountability for their failed policies," similar to comments made by Representative Cory Mills (R-FL), who has said actions have intentionally been taken against Trump shortly after damning information about Joe and Hunter Biden has been revealed.

Substitute host Jason Chaffetz asked what the Republican Party and other primary candidates should do next.

DeSantis answered that if he wins the Republican nomination, he "will be able to keep the focus on the Democratic failures, but then more importantly, after you win the election, start holding these people accountable who have weaponized the legal system to go after their political enemies. And that starts on day one, firing somebody like Jack Smith that goes to dealing with people who are violating constitutional rights at the state and local government area. Republicans have turned a blind eye to abuses of power for too long," DeSantis concluded.

Trump continues to dominate in the polls, and this latest removal will likely make the point spread even wider.

The post DeSantis Suggests Removal of Trump from Maine Ballot is to Distract from Biden's Failures 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.

With just weeks away before the Iowa Caucus, the candidates in the 2024 Republican Presidential Primary not named President Donald Trump do not seem to be gaining any real traction. Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL), who is in a (distant) second to Trump, has been under the most scrutiny, and rumors of his campaign's suspension are swirling again.

The Washington Examiner reported that Ryan Tyson, a long-time adviser of Gov. DeSantis, has supposedly said the campaign is in the "make the patient comfortable" stage, a phrase used for a person in hospice care.

However, Gov. DeSantis's communications director, Andrew Romeo, denied the quote, dismissing Tyson's remark as the "same media hit job based on unnamed sources with agendas" and said DeSantis has come out against the odds before, and the campaign will do so again in January.

Matt Gorman and Tim Hogan, political strategists for Targeted Victory and Arc Initiatives, respectively, discussed the supposed Tyson quote on Fox News's Faulkner Focus. Gorman said the issue is ultimately up to the voters.

"I think with two weeks to go, Tim [Hogan] and I both spent time on presidential campaigns. I think, at this point, it is with the voters. It is for them to make that call. The morning after voting, whether it is the day after Iowa for someone like DeSantis or Vivek [Ramaswamy] or New Hampshire with someone like [Chris] Christie, if they do not meet expectations, they will have to make some hard decisions, and they should do it quickly," said Gorman.

Hogan, meanwhile, agreed with Donald Trump in saying DeSantis's campaign has been "falling like an ailing bird from the sky" and called him "Ted Cruz without the personality instead of Trump without the drama which we were promised."

"I think he is going to stay until Iowa. He needs a first or a very good second-place finish in order to continue, in order for this campaign to go on," Hogan concluded.

The Floridian has chronicled the troubled history of DeSantis's campaign and Never Back Down super PAC, which saw multiple members quit or fired in a short span of months, and the latest Real Clear Politics poll update puts Donald Trump at an average of 51 points ahead of DeSantis.

Will Tyson's supposed remark become a self-fulfilling prophecy as Romeo's becomes self-defeating?

The post Is This the End? Rumors of Suspension Plague DeSantis Campaign 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.

The Florida Democratic Party has effectively canceled their primary race by only putting Biden's name on the ballot, despite challengers rising against the president in his own party.

In 2020, former President Donald Trump (R) faced a primary challenge from long-shot candidates himself.  Although not heavily reported, President Trump blew these Republican challengers out of the water.  Even this primary cycle, he will most likely do it again to even more prominent Republicans like Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL).

Democrats are now enraged that the Florida Democratic Party led by Nikki Fried has essentially ended the primary contest, especially US Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN).  Phillips is running for president against President JoeBiden and has accused the Florida Democratic Party of "rigging" the election in a quote given to Politico.  The congressman further stated he would consider suing, and a push at the national convention if he was not at least put on the ballot.

However, somebody had already beat Phillips to the punch.  A Tampa attorney is now suing the Florida Democratic Party for omitting primary challengers from the primary ballot.  Michael Steinberg, a former chair for the Hillsborough County Democratic Executive Committee and former candidate for Congress and the Florida Legislature filed the suit.

In the federal lawsuit, Steinberg claims the decision violates the constitutional rights of voters by excluding Phillips in an "arbitrary" fashion and violates people's due process and equal protection rights.  Steinberg has also insisted that Phillips is a legitimate candidate, making it unethical for him to be disqualified off the ballot for political reasons.

"He has appeared on numerous television news programs and his candidacy has been discussed by multiple media sources including television, print and social media," Steinberg says in his lawsuit. "The Florida Democratic Party cannot dispute the Democratic Party credentials of Congressman Dean Phillips. His platform is consistent with the platform of the Democratic Party, he is currently a member of Congress, and has mostly supported the position of President Joe Biden."

Steinberg also noted that the Democratic party in Florida has a "non-discretionary duty to prepare and approve a list of all recognized Democratic Presidential candidates, not just the ones they favor or choose."

Other candidates such as famous internet personality, Cenk Uygur and author Marianne Williamson have threatened litigation against the Florida Democratic Party for being disqualified off of the primary ballot.  These candidates have additionally raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for their campaigns.

The post Florida Democratic Party Sued for Shutting Down Presidential Primary appeared first on The Floridian.