I had a wonderful time at the Lind-Ric Apartments holiday giveaway, bringing gifts and cheer to the children in our community. Thank you to the Board of Directors for welcoming us and making this event possible!
D.C. Updates
Last weekend, a brand-new account on the prediction market site Polymarket placed a bet of over $30,000 that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro would be removed from office by the end of January. A few hours later, the Trump administration conducted its raid and capture of Maduro. The timing of this bet and the gargantuan $400,000 payout raised immediate suspicion that the individual behind the trade had inside knowledge of the administration’s planned operation. In response, I introduced the Public Integrity in Financial Prediction Markets Act of 2026 to prevent federal officials and staff from trading in political prediction markets when they have access to inside information or could influence the outcome. The bill would draw clear ethical guardrails to protect public trust, ensure that public service is never used for private gain, and crack down on the brazen corruption we see daily from the Trump Administration.
I led a bipartisan effort with Rep. Zach Nunn (IA-03) and sent a formal letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent calling for an immediate national security review of iRobot’s bankruptcy restructuring and proposed foreign acquisition. The letter raises serious concerns about the risk of a People’s Republic of China-linked entity gaining access to sensitive data from millions of American homes and advanced U.S. robotics technology and urges federal officials to scrutinize the transaction through the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and block it if necessary to protect national security and consumer privacy.
Constituent of the Week: Sherman Browne
I’m honored this week to spotlight Sherman Browne, Chief Empowerment Officer of the AIMHigh Empowerment Institute, whose life story and leadership continue to inspire students across our community. Sherman was raised in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where he first developed a passion for youth development and public service, and later moved to the Bronx, bringing with him the resilience and perspective that shape his work today. His professional path has spanned public administration, community engagement, and youth mentorship, giving him a unique understanding of the challenges and opportunities young people face. At AIMHigh, he channels that experience into a powerful model of support that provides weekly in-school empowerment sessions, one-on-one coaching, leadership development, and academic and career guidance for young men. Sherman’s belief that every student can rewrite their own story is at the heart of AIMHigh’s mission, and I’m grateful for his unwavering commitment to lifting up the next generation of leaders.
Nominate a Local Leader or Organization for Our Newsletter Spotlight
Do you know a neighbor, local leader, or organization making a positive difference in our community? We’d love to feature them in our weekly newsletter. Use the following link to submit a nomination: https://ritchietorres.house.gov/feature-nomination.
As we move forward into the year ahead, I remain committed to listening to you, standing up for our community, and delivering the results you deserve. The work ahead will not always be easy, but it is work worth doing, and I will continue to approach it with urgency, integrity, and determination. Thank you for the opportunity to serve, and I look forward to continuing this work together in the months ahead.
