You may have seen those annoying Youtbe ads for SHEIN, a Chinese fashion retailer. At the end of November, the company filed for a US Initial Public Offering (IPO), which means it wants to be on our stock market. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) expressed concerns over the development in a recent letter to NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange, telling them to ensure SHEIN will behave transparently over its potential use of forced labor and its conduct.

The concern over forced labor comes from the fact that 90% of China's cotton production is based in Xinjiang, using Uyghur forced labor. SHEIN stands credibly accused of using this cotton in its products, a story Bloomberg has covered since 2022.

More suspiciously, SHEIN products bought in the US are shipped directly from China, and most are under the $800 de minimis threshold, meaning they do not have to pay import duty. The problem with this, Sen. Scott wrote, is this means they are less subject to scrutiny and can dodge the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act more easily.

As a result, Sen. Scott put forth multiple questions for the NYE and NASDAQ to answer about SHEIN, such as ensuring they are not using forced labor, beheld to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), or will comply with auditing and investing standards.

"These questions must be answered before moving forward with any listing on American financial exchanges," said Scott, adding, "Americans have already lost tens of billions of dollars on failed Chinese company IPOs in recent years, including Didi Global and Luckin Coffee. These frauds allow Communist China and their non-market economy to distort our free and open market, rob U.S. citizens of their savings, and give companies the benefits of access to U.S. markets without the responsibility of following the same laws as their competitors. It is in your interest to prevent this from occurring once again."

Scott first called out SHEIN's attempted entry into the US stock market in late November, saying, "Allowing continued IPOs for companies operating at the will of the CCP only hurts the integrity of our free & open system & our capital markets."

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For several months, Houthi rebels from Yemen have been attacking international shipping in the Red Sea. A coalition of the United States, the United Kingdom, and other countries recently warned the group to cease their attacks or be punished. Representative Cory Mills (R-FL) did not express confidence in the warning in a recent appearance on Fox and Friends First, especially as the Houthis are part of a larger plan by America's adversaries to disrupt the West.

Rep. Mills pointed out that the Biden Administration had removed the Houthis from the foreign terrorist organization (FTO) list, added by President Trump.

Additionally, he compared the situation to the aftermath of the Maersk Alabama hijacking in 2009 (the subject of the 2012 film Captain Phillips with Tom Hanks).

"You saw where they were actually starting to patrol the internationally recommended transit corridor to ensure that we had commercial lanes open," said Rep. Mills, adding that three Houthi boats were sunk on New Year's Eve by American Naval forces, warning the crisis could escalate.

Moreover, Mills continued, "I want to paint a broader picture for the American people, which the incident that is occurring with this attempt to block commerce or disrupt commerce is part of the bigger geopolitical plan by the China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea alignment."

On top of disrupting trade in the Middle East, Mills pointed out China's investments in Panama as a means of influencing trade in the Western Hemisphere, "using economic coercion to try and cut off and increase trade tariffs on the Panama Canal."

In June, Representative Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) similarly warned of investments along the Panama Canal by the Chinese, as the Republic becomes dangerously friendly to China, up to no longer recognizing Taiwan as a country.

Mills has not minced words in blasting the Biden Administration's foreign policy, recently saying that "Obama/Biden’s own Secretary of Defense stated that Joe Biden has been wrong on EVERY foreign policy issue," and that the President "has emboldened our adversaries through weakness, and America’s position on the work stage is taking a hit. We’ve got to bring back Trump's foreign policies and a peace through strength mindset."

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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.

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The Israeli -Hamas conflict has become the United States' biggest foreign policy issue in the past three years.  However, the conflict has impacted voting in the United States in a way many would not expect, with young people siding with former President Trump (R) on the issue over President Joe Biden (D).

The United States has been a long-standing ally of the state of Israel since its inception in the 1940s.  Liberal and conservative presidential administrations alike have reaffirmed support for Israel throughout the region in different ways.  However, the issue has become partisan for voters this time.

Young Americans have been a sure voting block for Democrats in recent decades, but the 18-29 age group solidly prefers Donald Trump when it comes to the current conflict in Gaza.  According to a New York Times/Siena College poll released on Tuesday, 72% of registered voters aged 18-29 disapprove of Biden's handling of the conflict.

Since young people virtually always show up to the polls for Democrats on Election Day, this issue may be critical for President Biden to tackle as Trump now leads this demographic of voters overall by 6 points among registered voters aged 18-29 years old. In July of 2023, Biden led voters in this age group by 10 points.

Last presidential election, exit polls showed Biden winning this age group by 21%.  Among all registered voters Trump holds a narrow 2% to Biden, which may be tight, but is greater than what might be expected if the 2020 election was used as a reference to predict 2024.

While this may be good news for Donald Trump, not all of the numbers are in this Republican's favor.  A recent poll has found that around 40% of Jewish Israelis support Joe Biden, and only about a quarter want to see Trump take office again.  This number used to be in Trump's favor with 63% in 2020, and 17% backing Biden.

This creates ambiguity as to whether Biden is handling the crisis in the Middle East well.  The numbers could also be due to Trump's odd and newfound rivalry with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who Trump is reported to have called to be impeached following the October 7th massacre.

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Is the perception of Democrats being the anti-Israel party accurate? Representative Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) reiterated that the Democrats in the House who are critical of the Jewish State are a small minority during the "Common Ground" segment on Fox News' Special Report with Bret Baier, saying that out of 214, only twelve can be considered consistently anti-Israel, and also spoke on the Biden Administration's response to a recent attack on US troops in Iraq.

Rep. Moskowitz did concede there was "a split" among Democrats over Israel but reminded viewers "You have seen dramatic bipartisan support" for it as well.

"There are a dozen or so, and some join them from time to time, but the overwhelming majority of Democrats, along with my colleagues across the aisle, support Israel. If you look at the bill [on] Israel's right to exist, there was only one 'no' vote on that in Congress," said Rep. Moskowitz, evidently referencing a resolution voted on near the end of November, with the single "no" vote" coming from Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY).

Additionally, Moskowitz offered commentary on a recent drone strike ordered by the Biden Administration after Iran-backed militants injured three American soldiers in an attack. This marked the 103rd attack on US installations in Iraq and Syria, which House Republicans such as Representative Cory Mills (R-FL) have said deserve a stronger response.

Moskowitz, on the other hand, said while these Iranian proxies are pushing the envelope, he did "think [the administration] should respond forcefully, but make sure, obviously, they do not give opportunity for someone to take advantage and widen the war."

As a result, he concluded, "This is going to take a while, and then obviously there is going to be time thereafter to figure out what happens with the remainder of Gaza and the West Bank and the Arab world, what will happen when Hamas's military capabilities are completely destroyed."

Representative Mike Waltz (R-FL) similarly speculated on what happens after the war, pointing at the problem of Iran being able to fund Hamas and the difficulty of deradicalizing the remaining Palestinian population.

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The State of Israel intends to destroy Hamas once and for all after their horrific October 7th attack. But what comes after? Representative Mike Waltz (R-FL) discussed Israel's post-war goals in a recent appearance on Fox News' The Story with Martha MacCallum, saying the Jewish State will have difficulty in conquering Hamas as long as Iran can fund them and the challenge of demilitarizing and deradicalizing Palestine.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently stated there are three conditions for peace necessary for the war to end: Destruction of Hamas, demilitarizing Gaza, and deradicalizing the Palestinians—however, Rep. Waltz suggested "a lot of questions on whether Israel is going to occupy [Gaza] or some international force is going to occupy, like how that is going to happen."

Additionally, he said Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will likely contribute towards the deradicalization process.

Nevertheless, Rep. Waltz warned, "Israel is just going to be mowing the grass in Gaza, it is going to grow back [and] terrorism is going to come back as Iran is flush with cash," reiterating the point that Iran sponsors Hamas and will continue to do so until the Biden Administration will "do a one-eighty and reverse course on its Iran policy, go back to maximum pressure and dry up their coffers that are fueling terrorism across the region," something the Florida Congressman has been calling for before the October 7th attack.

Substitute host Bret Baier pointed out that deradicalizing a population is difficult, especially one you were fighting.

Waltz agreed, saying, "It is going to take the international Arab and Islamic community to step in," saying Jordan, the Gulf States, and Egypt "are willing to take a greater role, and that is going to be absolutely critical."

Moreover, as the United States enters an election year, Waltz speculated, "What kind of staying power does President Biden and his administration have with Israel?"

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The US launched several retaliatory strikes against Iran-backed militants in Iraq over Christmas after they attacked American troops earlier that day, injuring three. Representative Cory Mills (R-FL) appeared on Fox and Friends First to discuss, saying these retaliatory strikes mean little in the broader geopolitical perspective, and condemned the US's military interventionism without any real goals and ignoring domestic problems such as the southern border.

"What you are seeing is the interlinking of what is also happening in Israel," said Rep. Mills, explaining that Hamas and the Houthis, both backed by Iran, have escalated their attacks since October, as the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) seek to destroy Hamas and the Houthis have attacked shipping in the Red Sea, calling these "continuations of terroristic behavior by the Iranians."

More importantly, Rep. Mills argued, "We have to understand that the geopolitical alignment of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea needs to be a broader topic for us to be discussing, not looking at attacks as singular areas."

Contributor Joey Jones compared the situation to the Iraq War following the September 11th attacks, saying Americans will be left trying to figure out how we are at war in these countries after the October 7th attacks in Israel by Hamas.

Mills replied that he and other members of Congress are seeking to revoke the Authorized Use of Military Force (AUMF) passed in 2001 and reassert Congress's sole authority to declare war, citing the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan as a perfect example of why it needs to be rescinded.

"This George W. Bush, neoconservative world police kind of mentality or ideology does not work. It drains down our treasures, it costs us American lives with no real understanding of US national security interests," said Mills, further adding that "we should not be in Iraq or Syria to begin with."

"Let us bring our troops home to start thinking about how we actually build up a robust defense here at home when we have open borders that are actually allowing an invasion," Mills continued, repeating the warnings of other Florida Republicans such as Representative Anna Paulina Luna, Governor Ron DeSantis, and Senator Rick Scott.

"So let us prioritize the real priorities here, which is our southern border and American lives, not trying to protect the borders of nations or get a sense of interventionist warfare that we do not have a real solution for how we actually see success," Mills concluded.

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The Biden Administration recently performed a prisoner exchange with Venezuela's Maduro regime, with one of the most high-profile prisoners the U.S. released being Alex Saab, a Maduro ally accused of bribery and money laundering. Several Florida lawmakers, including Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), Representative Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), and Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) condemned the freeing of Saab, calling it the latest case of appeasement by America under Biden.

For additional context, Saab was extradited to the U.S. in 2021 for his supposed involvement in a money laundering scheme for Venezuela's benefit and helping the regime evade U.S. sanctions. In return, the Biden Administration bargained for the release of ten Americans and twenty Venezuelan political dissidents, including aides of opposition candidate Maria Corina Machado.

The most notable prisoner freed by Venezuela as part of the exchange was "Fat Leonard" Francis, accused of leading an extensive bribery scheme within the U.S. Navy throughout the Pacific, for which he pled guilty. However, Francis escaped house arrest and fled the country last September, only to be detained by Venezuela on his way to Russia.

Sen. Rubio called the exchange "shameless" in a recent statement, saying this further incentivizes America's adversaries to kidnap and detain Americans, echoing a statement by Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) in August after the Biden Administration paid $6 billion to Iran in exchange for five American hostages.

"President Biden’s actions to reward the taking of American hostages by first lifting sanctions, releasing Maduro’s nephews, and now Alex Saab is shameless. Saab is the architect of Maduro’s corruption and money laundering operation that deprived resources from the people of Venezuela. Unfortunately, this exchange will only embolden dictators to kidnap more Americans," said Sen. Rubio.

On X (formerly Twitter), Rep. Gimenez similarly called the exchange "pathetic" and warned of the same incentivization for kidnapping Americans.

"Denouncing the Biden Administration’s pathetic release of Maduro regime agent & crime lord Alex Saab back to #Venezuela! The Biden Administration’s dangerous actions are putting American citizens at risk of being kidnapped around the world," Rep. Gimenez tweeted.

#SOSVenezuela

Denouncing the Biden Administration’s pathetic release of Maduro regime agent & crime lord Alex Saab back to #Venezuela!

The Biden Administration’s dangerous actions are putting American citizens at risk of being kidnapped around the world. pic.twitter.com/M5H0bI7ipp

— Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez (@RepCarlos) December 20, 2023

Rep. Diaz-Balart called the exchange "the latest demonstration of the Biden Administration’s appeasement of the anti-American, narcotrafficking Maduro regime," adding it was "Infuriating and dangerous, but not a surprise."

Today, we see the latest demonstration of the Biden Administration’s appeasement of the anti-American, narcotrafficking Maduro regime. Infuriating and dangerous, but not a surprise.https://t.co/fMrkGD8aaq

— Mario Díaz-Balart (@MarioDB) December 20, 2023

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The persecution of Catholics under Dictator Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua has continued to receive international condemnation. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) recently wrote to Pope Francis I, urging him to double his efforts in having Bishop Rolando Jose Álvarez Lagos released from prison in the Central American country.

Bishop Álvarez has been highly critical of the Ortega regime, leading to his arrest in 2022. In February, he was sentenced for refusing to leave Nicaragua with the 222 political dissidents the United States received earlier this year. According to Auxiliary Bishop Silvio Jose Baez, Álvarez would not allow himself to be exiled unless the Pope told him to, which broke down negotiations with the Vatican earlier in July.

Sen. Rubio's letter said, "Evidence has since been revealed that strongly suggests that Bishop Álvarez has endured torture at the hands of the Ortega regime," making the effort to secure the Bishop's release all the more urgent.

"As you know, Bishop Álvarez has been a loyal shepherd of the Catholic faith and the essential dignity of all human life in Nicaragua, since his ordination in 1994," Sen. Rubio added, saying Álvarez's actions "led the Ortega regime to view the Catholic Church as a threat to its illegitimate rule."

Pope Francis has publicly condemned Ortega's imprisonment of Álvarez, comparing it to Nazi Germany and calling the Nicaraguan dictator "unstable" in February.

Rubio and other members of Florida's Congressional delegation have been vocal critics of Ortega and his Sandinista regime, publicly condemning the various acts of persecution against the Catholic Church and other political dissidents.

Last August, Rubio demanded increased sanctions against Nicaragua after evidence suggested there were "more than 190 attacks against the Catholic Church, its bishops, priests, faithful, and houses of worship," including "a shameful act of arson and sacrilege in the Managua Cathedral."

More recently, Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) described how Ortega outlawed pilgrimages and shut down Catholic media. Additionally, the regime allowed a 2018 wildfire in the Indo Maiz Biological Reserve to burn without intervention, harming ethnic minorities in the region.

Finally, this August saw a Catholic Church in Nicaragua ransacked and desecrated by the Sandinistas, drawing condemnation from Rubio, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), and Representatives Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) and Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL).

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House Republicans continue to stand firm in demanding border security and aid to Israel before funding Ukraine from President Biden and Senate Democrats. Representative Cory Mills (R-FL) lobbed a nasty zinger against Biden as he attempts to constrain Israel in their war with Hamas.

"If Israel had a Burisma, and they were paying out Hunter Biden, maybe Joe would be more interested in Israel," said Rep. Mills in a recent appearance on Fox Business's Varney & Co.

Host Stuart Varney referenced a recent statement from President Biden, who said Israel risks losing support from the international community as their campaign against Hamas continues. Senate Democrats have also proposed stipulating "conditions" the Jewish State must abide by if they wish to receive further aid from the United States, which Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) called "unacceptable and un-American" at the end of November.

Rep. Mills agreed with Sen. Scott's sentiment, calling Biden's recent statement "absolutely ludicrous."

Additionally, he pointed out the hypocrisy of Biden and Democrats withholding support for Israel, "who is trying to eliminate an Iranian terrorist organization," yet are "okay with $200 billion-plus in spending for Ukraine."

Other House Republicans such as Representative Mike Waltz (R-FL) and Matt Gaetz (R-FL) have previously called out Biden's and Democrats' willingness, if not eagerness, to send money to Ukraine without a clear strategy and seeming lack of oversight, considering the country's infamy for corruption.

"It makes me think that maybe if Israel had a Burisma and they were paying out Hunter Biden, then maybe Joe Biden would be more interested in Israel than he was for his son, who was getting $86,000 a month from Burisma in Ukraine," Mills continued, for which Varney audibly had to stifle a laugh.

Moreover, Mills got in another burn against Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) by referring to him as a Democrat "who continue[s] to stay on the same song and dance that [Washington DC] has seen forever, which is the Biden 'America Last' agenda" in addition to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) when Varney asked if House Republicans had leverage over the White House and Senate to get border security and the standalone Israel aid package offsetting Internal Revenue Service (IRS) expansion funds through.

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Chinese cyberattacks have recently hit American utility services on the West Coast as China continues ramping up its aggression against the United States. Representative Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) appeared on Fox Business's Evening Edit to discuss the situation, warning that artificial intelligence (AI) is making such attacks easier and represents "a real threat to the American homeland."

The Washington Post reported on cyberattacks against an unnamed West Coast port, a water utility in Hawaii, and one oil and gas pipeline. Hackers also attempted to break into the Texas power grid, though they were unsuccessful. While no disruption of operations occurred in these attacks, they pose a dire threat as conflict over Taiwan inches closer.

"It is becoming more and more apparent to us that China is preparing to launch some kind of all-out cyberattack on the United States if we find ourselves in conflict with them over Taiwan," Rep. Gimenez told The Evening Edit. "And what is really scary about it is that it used to take an army of folks launching all of these attacks against us, but now with artificial intelligence, just a handful of people can start to launch cyberattacks all over the United States using artificial intelligence, and it is becoming a real threat to the American homeland."

Host Elizabeth MacDonald asked Rep. Gimenez what the US can do to protect itself, which was the point of a recent House Homeland Security Committee hearing.

The Florida Congressman replied it would largely be a battle to determine "who has the smarter artificial intelligence," but resilience would also be important, "so that if in fact, an attack does penetrate our systems, either grid pipelines or etcetera, that we can disconnect that and go back to more of a manual method so that we are not as vulnerable as we could be if we just relied on digital systems."

In July, Representative Laurel Lee's (R-FL) Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) extension passed unanimously in the House, keeping security standards for US chemical facilities up to date in the event of a cyberattack.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has visited Washington seeking money for the ongoing war with Russia, which House Republicans refuse to give unless President Biden and Senate Democrats secure the southern border. Representative Mike Waltz (R-FL) discussed the standoff in a recent appearance on Fox Business's Cavuto Coast to Coast, saying the demands have nothing to do with politics and that border security is a more immediate priority for the United States, while Washington "is looking through a soda straw."

The Hill reported that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) spoke with Zelensky and reiterated that any further aid to Ukraine must come with security for America's border, saying "These are our conditions because these are the conditions of the American people."

Rep. Waltz further clarified that House Republicans are "trying to fix [President Biden's] bad policy" and "This is not about politics, this is about national security," especially when FBI Director Christopher Wray recently stated that the threat of a terror attack perpetrated by a border crosser is higher than ever.

Additionally, Rep. Waltz said those in favor of funding Ukraine do not have a clear objective in mind, unable to answer questions such as "How do we get out of this stalemate in Ukraine that Biden's dithering has backed us into? So border [and] strategy before you just talk about blank checks from the American people," a sentiment he expressed in a September op-ed.

Host Neal Cavuto reiterated that while Americans do not want Russia to win, they want to know where their money is going.

Waltz agreed, saying, "The American people do not just look at this through kind of a soda straw like Washington does. They are looking at gas prices, they are looking at 8% mortgage rates; they are looking at inflation that is killing their paycheck. They are looking at our out-of-control border and saying, 'Hey guys, what is your priority here?"

Moreover, he concluded with a reminder to viewers that the demand for border security does not mean Ukraine will receive no further funding. Instead, the border is simply a greater priority.

"We need to talk about policy changes, not money. Washington loves to talk about money and troop movements, [but] let us talk about goals and strategy," Waltz concluded.

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Educational institutes are a prime target in China's attempts to subvert the United States, not only in colleges and universities but K-12 schools. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) detailed examples of how the Chinese have infiltrated schools nationwide in a recent op-ed for the New York Post and has introduced legislation to combat it.

While Sen. Rubio noted in his op-ed that many colleges and universities have eliminated the Chinese-tied Confucius Institutes, others maintain them under new names and structures. Additionally, there are now Confucius Classrooms, programs that function like the Institutes but on a grade-school level.

More worryingly, China's influence on American education is not always obvious, for schools have raked in billions of dollars from Chinese sources through gifts and contracts.

"Too many of these gifts and contracts are not cases of good-faith collaboration between scholars. They are cases of outright bribery and manipulation," wrote Sen. Rubio.

To this end, Rubio introduced the Protecting Education from Malign Foreign Influence Act, which would prevent educational institutes "owned, operated, or controlled by covered persons," which, in this case, means anyone with ties to adversarial foreign governments or associated entities, from receiving federal funding.

Additionally, schools would have to develop policies identifying these covered persons and preventing them from entering relationships that grant them influence over students, faculty, and staff. A third highlight relating to institutions of higher learning would lower the minimum amount of a foreign-sourced gift or contract from $250,000 to $50,000, owing to the "bribery and manipulation" mentioned in Rubio's op-ed.

The bill also has provisions for K-12 education, which includes similar prohibition of federal funds to schools tied to adversarial governments and prevention of covered persons from entering relationships with faculty and staff.

In his press release, Rubio called current measures combating the influence of foreign adversaries in education "incomplete and disappointing," and "this bill aims to close those gaps, securing a robust defense against malign foreign influence in our classrooms."

In February, Representative Mike Waltz (R-FL) introduced legislation denying federal funds to Chinese-owned or operated schools with the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC).

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China continues facing a scourge of respiratory illness that could potentially spread abroad. Representative Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) demanded a restriction on traveling to the country because not only does he trust anything the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) says about the sickness but also because "the American public will not stand for another lockdown" in a recent appearance on Fox Business's Varney & Co.

Host Stuart Varney asked if implementing a travel suspension now was "a little dramatic," to which Rep. Gimenez said the surge of respiratory illness coming out of China "sounds kind of like deja vu again" and that he would "rather err on the side of protecting the American public and American children."

While the World Health Organization (WHO) postulated this was a case of people being more vulnerable to sickness after three years of COVID-19 restrictions, Rep. Gimenez echoed Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) by saying he "does not believe anything the World Health Organization says, they are in the pocket of the Chinese Communist Party and so until we find out independently what this is all about, I think that we need to err on the side of caution."

In May, Sen. Rubio released a report compiling circumstantial evidence that the Chinese lied about the origins of COVID-19, saying it was from the Wuhan wet market when, in fact, it was from the Institute of Virology through an accidental leak.

Varney then asked Gimenez if the United States would be under lockdown again.

"I do not think the American public will stand for another lockdown," Gimenez answered, "But one of the things that we need to make sure of is what is this mysterious illness that is now attacking the respiratory system of children, and how do we protect our children?"

Nevertheless, he reiterated, "I do not think that we are going to be looking at any kind of lockdown. I think the American public will not stand for it, frankly, after what happened to us and COVID-19."

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How media covers the ongoing Israel-Hamas war is a significant driver in making it so polarizing for Americans. Florida Attorney General (AG) Ashley Moody, who is leading a coalition of 14 state Attorney Generals, wrote to several major media companies warning they could have been hiring Hamas sympathizers in their coverage of the conflict, which could constitute material support for a terrorist organization.

Writing specifically to CNN, the Associated Press (AP), Reuters, and the New York Times (NYT), AG Moody and the 13 other AGs inquired to "ensure that you are following federal and state law," and that "If your outlet’s current hiring practices led you to give material support to terrorists, you must change these policies going forward. Otherwise, we must assume any future support of terrorist organizations by your stringers, correspondents, contractors, and similar employees is knowing behavior."

The letter cites several instances of six freelance reporters who worked with these outlets seemingly collaborating with Hamas or possessing knowledge of the October 7th attack in advance. Specifically, the Israeli government and the pro-Israel media watchdog Honest Reporting alleged the reporters began covering the attack unusually early in its occurrence. In particular, Hassan Esaliah, who worked with the Associated Press, was photographed with one of the attack's masterminds, Yahya Sinwar.

Additionally, the letter noted that photographs taken of Hamas parades and celebrations of the attack collected by NYT could not have been feasibly taken by someone without ties to the organization, casting further suspicion.

While the journalists and their employers denied foreknowledge, Esaliah was fired by the AP.

As a result, AG Moody reminded the news outlets of what constitutes material support for terrorist organizations and warned them to ensure employees are thoroughly vetted.

"We will continue to follow your reporting to ensure that your organizations do not violate any federal or State laws by giving material support to terrorists abroad. Now your organizations are on notice. Follow the law," the letter concluded.

Moody's letter comes hot on the heels of comments made by Representatives Mike Waltz (R-FL) and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), both of whom recently warned that Hamas is "winning" the information war being fought in addition to the physical fighting.

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Early in November, House Republicans passed a standalone bill to send aid to Israel as it battles Hamas, a bill that the Senate has voted against. Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) suggested the reason why Senate Democrats oppose the bill is out of "soft antisemitism" and an attempt to placate the pro-Palestine portion of their base in a recent appearance on Fox's Bottom Line.

Additionally, Rep. Mast accused Senate Democrats of being "soft" on reducing spending since the House's bill provides Israeli aid by offsetting $14 billion in costs from the expansion of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

"They are soft on making sure that we are appropriate with our spending, cutting spending somewhere when we are going to spend somewhere else. They do not like that as policy," said Rep. Mast, adding that Democrats, led by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) seek to impose "conditions" on Israel's ability to fight its war with Hamas to receive the money.

Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) recently blasted this call for conditions as "unacceptable and un-American," and said no conditions should be imposed on Israel's aid "until Hamas is destroyed."

As a result, Mast called this a "soft antisemitism" embraced by the Democratic Party to hold on to the pro-Palestine voters and deny Republicans a political victory.

"They still need to find a political way for the Democrat Party to say, "Listen, you people that are supporting these terrorists and think that these terrorists are okay; we are not going to be that hard on you. We are going to find a way to say Israel must be doing something wrong." They are trying to find a way to do that. Because again, for them, it is always the partisan political objective over a national security objective for the Democrat Party," Mast concluded.

In mid-November, Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL) similarly demanded Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) "do his job" and get Senate Democrats to pass the House's Israel aid bill, going so far as to say he should "get his head out of his... and come back to reality."

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Have a tip, story, new job, or announcement for The JUICE?  Reach out: Javier@floridianpress.com

Defending Expelled Rep. George Santos

With his state and national poll numbers lagging behind former President Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican presidential primary race, Fox News “Hannity” Show’s ‘DeSantis vs. Newsom

...READ MORE

Debbie Wasserman Schultz-Democrats are united to lower child care, health care and home and energy costs.

Republicans were divided on whether to keep a con man in Congress.

We need serious leaders, not more unwarranted distractions.

Rep. Cory Mills -The bottom line is today’s unprecedented action taken by the House could influence and endanger George Santos’ right to a fair trial by playing judge, jury, and executioner.

Click here to listen to my full statement on the expulsion of Rep. Santos.

Donalds Criticizes George Santos Being Expelled—By The Floridian's Grayson Bakich—The House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to expel Representative George Santos (R-NY) for allegedly stealing campaign funds and other charges...

RPOF Chairman Christian Ziegler Accused of Sexual Battery—By The Floridian's Daniel Molina

Rubio Calls for China Travel Ban as Disease Spreads—By The Floridian's Jackson Bakich—An outbreak of pneumonia or a similar respiratory illness has appeared in China, though details remain murky. Because of this lack of understanding...

DeSantis and Newsom Spar Over ‘Freedom’ on Debate Stage—By The Floridian's Daniel Molina

Mast Engages in Feud in Foreign Affairs Hearing—By The Floridian's Daniel Molina—In a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) found himself in a bit of a banter with a Democratic colleague over the border and its security.

Trump Hosts Fundraiser in South Florida During Next GOP Debate—By The Floridian's Jim McCool

Newsom Brings out the Best of DeSantis in Debate—By The Floridian's Jackson Bakich

Rubio, Cruz Introduce Bill to Reauthorize Sanctions on Venezuela—By The Floridian's Jackson Backich—Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) has introduced the Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Reauthorization Act...

Juice—12.1.2023—Defying DeSantis: 'Woke' School Teacher in Florida Targets Children, Pushes Trans and BLM on Them—More...

The Last Squeeze is squeezed by Javier Manjarres, Jim McCool, and Daniel Molina

The post Last Squeeze🍊—12.1.2023—Defending a Congressional Con Artist—DeSantis, Rubio, Trump, Donalds —More... appeared first on The Floridian.

Israel and Hamas agreed to a truce in order to exchange hostages and prisoners, which has gone into its sixth day. Representative Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) spoke on MSNBC's Morning Joe about the ongoing developments, saying this was the right way forward. However, he also warned that "Israel has lost the information war" and that Hamas "wants more Palestinians to die" in addition to Israelis.

"Hamas did not just take Israelis hostage, but they are holding Palestinians hostage by using them as human shields in order to sell that propaganda around the world. They want more Palestinians to die, unfortunately, so they can feed that over social media," said Rep. Moskowitz, adding that placing priority on getting the hostages out "is definitely the path forward."

At the same time, he stated, "We are going to either run out of hostages or it is clear Hamas does not know where they are. And we are going to back to how this started because Gaza cannot continue with Hamas in control."

Host Joe Scarborough pointed out that President Biden has "privately" warned Israel to "not give Hamas what it wants, which is scenes of civilians being killed by Israeli bombs," asking Rep. Moskowitz if he felt the same way.

"I agree that Israel has lost the information war," he answered, sharing a sentiment with Representative Mike Waltz (R-FL). However, Moskowitz said, "Some of that has nothing to do with how Israel is prosecuting the war. It has to do with [the fact] that there is a double standard when it comes to Israel, and Hamas has built a propaganda machine."

Furthermore, countries such as Russia and China are boosting pro-Hamas voices on the internet (such as through TikTok), which influences Americans' perspectives. As a result, while Moskowitz believed "Biden is giving Israel good advice... and not give Hamas those things, Hamas is going to manufacture them anyway."

A prime example Moskowitz gave occurred just recently, as prisoners held in Israel "were totally fine, and then all of a sudden, they get over into Gaza, and there are videos of them all bandaged, saying that their arms were broken. That they were tortured." However, corroboration on this is currently needed.

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