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Chairman's
Message
First Lady DeSantis
is Cancer Free
Today Governor Ron DeSantis announced that First Lady
Casey DeSantis is cancer free, and thanked everyone for their thoughts
and prayers. Our First Lady is an inspiration to us all and her
courage has inspired many facing the same battle.
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Governor DeSantis
liberates students from “COVID theater”
It seems
there are some things only Governor DeSantis is willing to say, but we
all know is true.
One of
those moments came during a press conference on cybersecurity training
at the University of South Florida, where several high school students
were arrayed behind the Governor, and all were dutifully masked up.
All of the adults were unmasked, even while these youth have all along
been the least vulnerable to COVID, and with Omicron have essentially
zero risk. Why were they masked?
Like he so
often does, Governor DeSantis said what most common sense Americans
have been thinking for a very long time. Enough already.
The
Governor walked to the podium but addressed the students first: “You
do not have to wear those masks. Please take them off. Honestly, it's
not doing anything. We've got to stop with this Covid theater. So if
you wanna wear it, fine, but this is ridiculous.”
And that
folks, is what the science says. There was absolutely no reason for
them to be masked at their expense beyond theater for some adults. As
usual, the Democrat media avoided the merits of the Governor’s point —
which are unassailable — and spun it into “bullying.” Seriously. So
desperate. But also as usual, they are wrong. Governor DeSantis
actually was liberating the students, allowing them to breathe freely
and all of us to see their faces. Their faces showed it.
It was a
wonderful sight as most of them smiled broadly when they took the
masks off. This is exactly the principled, evidence-based leadership
that Governor DeSantis has been showing all along. And Florida and our
students are better for it.
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President Trump
Freedom Tour hits Florida
For one
historic day, the American Freedom Tour is coming to Florida March 19
at FLA Live Arena in Fort Lauderdale! It’s time for conservatives to
get motivated and defend freedom.
The
American Freedom tour will be in Fort Lauderdale. Come see President
Donald J. Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Candace Owens, Dan Bongino, Sarah
Huckabee Sanders and many, many more live and in person. Get your
tickets now. This is a historic, must-attend event featuring America’s
top insiders and influencers. Register today. Build important
relationships, help promote a conservative agenda and protect
America’s future.
To
register: https://americanfreedomtour.com/events/244/gop
FLORIDA
Florida launches
cybersecurity and IT training expansions
Governor
DeSantis announced $20 million for cybersecurity and IT training
opportunities while visiting Cyber Florida — the Florida Center for
Cybersecurity at the University of South Florida.
Starting
next week, the University of South Florida will use the money to begin
coordinating three regional partnerships to develop workforce
education clusters in cybersecurity for middle school, high school and
college students. Last school year, nearly 143,000 Florida middle and
high school students were enrolled in career and technical education
programs that accelerate cybersecurity and IT pathways.
“This
funding will not only create opportunities for Floridians seeking jobs
in this important field but will also improve our national defense,
protect Floridians and their businesses, and maintain the integrity of
our elections,” Governor DeSantis said. “By doubling available
opportunities in this field, Florida continues to lead.”
In 2019,
Governor DeSantis set the goal of making Florida the number one state
in the nation for workforce education by 2030. So far, Florida has
invested over $3.5 billion to expand workforce education and training
programs in the state. Globally, the shortage of cybersecurity
professionals is estimated to be about 2.7 million. In Florida, there
are an estimated 22,000 unfilled cybersecurity-related jobs. The U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that cybersecurity employment
growth will be around 31 percent over the next few years, with average
median wages around $104,000 annually.
Read more: https://www.flgov.com/2022/03/02/governor-ron-desantis-announces-20-million-to-create-cybersecurity-and-information-technology-workforce-education-opportunities/
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Florida provides
$7.1 million to help with tornado recovery
Governor
Ron DeSantis announced the availability of more than $7.1 million in
funding and resources to help families recovering from the impacts of
recent tornadoes in Southwest Florida on January 6. The Florida
Department of Economic Opportunity has also sent people to Charlotte
and Lee counties to help homeowners in need.
Following
the federal
government’s denial of Florida’s request to provide assistance to
individuals impacted by the tornadoes, Governor DeSantis and the
Florida Division of Emergency Management launched a donation portal to
provide immediate relief for disaster survivors impacted by the
tornadoes. The donation portal is available at FloridaDisaster.org/Assistance.
“Victims of
these tornadoes in Southwest Florida deserve assistance to kickstart
their recovery process,” Governor DeSantis. “Despite the Biden
Administration’s failure to help Floridians in need, I will continue
working with state agencies to find ways that we can assist our
residents who have been devastated by these tornadoes.”
Read more: https://www.flgov.com/2022/03/01/governor-ron-desantis-announces-over-7-1-million-available-to-floridians-impacted-by-southwest-florida-tornadoes/
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$4.4 million for
Southeast Florida rural infrastructure
Governor
DeSantis announced more than $4.4 million for communities in Southeast
Florida to build and improve rural infrastructure.
Indian
River County will use the money to attract new industry opportunities
to the Headwaters Commerce Park. Broward County will use the funding
to increase internet accessibility and provide rental assistance to
residents. Monroe County will use funds to make improvements to a
community waterfront park that will be a multi-use
location.
“By
connecting Floridians with the resources they need to create jobs,
support new talent, and help businesses to stay open and grow, we are
supporting Florida’s economic resiliency,” Governor DeSantis said. “I
will continue seeking strategic approaches to long-term opportunity
for all Floridians.”
Read more: https://www.flgov.com/2022/02/28/governor-ron-desantis-announces-more-than-4-4-million-in-funding-to-southeast-florida-communities-through-deos-rural-infrastructure-fund-community-development-block-grant-programs/
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Senator Rubio comes
on strong at CPAC
Senator
Marco Rubio released a new video with highlights from his speech at
the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando last week.
Here’s one such highlight:
“There are
people that perhaps have never voted the same way any of you have in a
presidential race. And they’re really angry. And they’re getting rid
of school board members because they’re coming for their kids. And
they’re getting rid of local government officials because they’re
coming for their business. And they’ll get rid of federal leaders that
are coming for their freedom.”
Watch Senator Rubio CPAC highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61QXo_JJST4
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AG Moody leads 26
other states in Supreme Court fight for religious freedom
Leading 26
other states, Attorney General Moody is urging the Supreme Court of
the United States to reverse the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling
on Joseph A. Kennedy v. Bremerton School District.
In this
case, the Ninth Circuit failed to uphold the constitutional rights of
a high school coach who was punished for praying alone on a football
field in view of students.
“High
school coaches, like other government employees, do not check their
constitutional rights at the door when they agree to pursue a career
of public service,” AG Moody said. “We should be encouraging people of
faith to pursue noble careers educating and coaching our
youth.”
The amicus
brief argues that:
- Contrary
to the Ninth Circuit’s opinion, Supreme Court precedents do not hold
that a public employee’s private speech, like Coach Kennedy’s private
prayer, is exempt from First Amendment protection;
- Allowing
the school district to justify its discriminatory actions under the
Establishment Clause not only conflicts with settled constitutional
principles, but it also creates problems for both public employers and
employees; and
- The Ninth
Circuit’s curtailment of First Amendment liberties is detrimental to
public service. Private religious expression and public service can
and must coexist.
Read more: http://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrel.nsf/newsreleases/D8A56E1453E04297852587F90078F04D
Read the amicus brief: http://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/WF/GPEY-CC5TKD/$file/21-418+tsac+Arizona.pdf
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CFO and State Fire
Marshal Jimmy Patronis Honors Urban Search & Rescue Task Forces 1
and 2 During “Year of the US&R”
Chief
Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis honored
members of Florida’s Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Task Forces 1
and 2 during a ceremony in Miami as a part of his “Year of the
US&R” statewide tour.
Following
the tragic Surfside Condo Collapse, CFO Patronis fought to secure $10
million in funding for equipment and training to support Florida’s
dedicated US&R task forces. CFO Patronis was joined by members of
the Florida fire service community, the Florida Professional
Firefighters, the Florida Fire Chiefs Association and elected
officials to honor members of US&R Task Forces 1 and 2 with
Surfside Memorial Challenge Coins. The CFO distributed nearly 160
challenge coins to US&R Task Forces 1 and 2.
“It was an
honor to be in Miami today and recognize the brave men and women of
Florida’s US&R Task Forces 1 and 2. I saw the work of God when
hundreds of Florida’s Urban Search & Rescue Team members fought,
and kept fighting, for any hopes of life,” CFO Patronis said. “They
worked 12 hour shifts in the Miami summer, cutting rebar, cutting
concrete, filling 5-gallon buckets of debris, hand-by-hand. These men
and women battled fire, they battled rain, they battled the heat.
Their boots and gloves were destroyed. On that mound of rubble, I saw
hell on Earth. But I also saw God’s presence in the men and women that
fought with every ounce of their being to save lives.”
“As the
State Fire Marshal, I felt compelled to do something to honor these
heroes for everything they sacrificed,” he said. “In today’s ceremony,
we honored them with a challenge coin and a ribbon for them to wear on
their uniform. The challenge coin represents respect, unity and
courage, values that Florida firefighters live by. It is my hope that
these coins are passed on through generations of their children, and
their children, and their children, so that everyone knows that heroes
walk amongst us.”
IMPORTANT REMINDER: You have the ability to
greatly expand the beliefs and ideas of the Republican Party of
Florida by sharing out Facebook and Twitter posts. Please follow and
retweet us on Twitter @FloridaGOP, and like and share us on Facebook
at FloridaGOP. We can win over others only if we all pitch in to
reach them with our message.
ICYMI
Press Release from
Republican Party of Florida:
Lockdown Adam
Hattersley is not for Florida
While CFO
Jimmy Patronis has fought alongside Governor Ron DeSantis to keep
Florida open and free, Democrat candidate for Florida’s CFO, Adam
Hattersley, advocated for lockdowns and mandates like the mandatory
masking of children and closing beaches and businesses.
Adam
Hattersley has opposed Governor DeSantis at every turn and supports
draconian mandates. He is not a friend to our hard-working business
community. If you have a family, run a business, work for a business
or love that Florida is free and open, you aren't going to like
Lockdown Adam.
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More ethics issues
for Val Demings
An ethics
complaint says Val Demings inappropriately used taxpayer dollars by
sending a campaign-style mailer outside her district.
The
Washington Free Beacon has the story:
House Dems Block Investigation Into Dem
Senate Candidate
Democratic leadership in the House is shutting down
an investigation into illegal use of taxpayer funds by Rep. Val
Demings (D., Fla.), who was caught abusing mailing privileges as she
runs in a high-profile statewide race.
The
Washington Free Beacon has learned that the bipartisan House
Communications Standards Commission last month opened an investigation
into Demings following a complaint that she sent a 12-page,
campaign-style mailer to Floridians outside her district. The
Democratic chairwoman of the commission, Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (Pa.),
told her Republican colleagues in a letter obtained by the Free Beacon
that she does "not believe that further inquiry is warranted" and on
Tuesday will vote against investigating the matter further. Her vote
against further action will effectively end the
investigation.
Following the commission's initial investigation of
the complaint, Demings in a three-page letter from attorneys at Elias
Law Group, obtained by the Free Beacon, admitted that the mailings
went outside her district. The firm was founded by longtime Democratic
operative Marc Elias. Scanlon's campaign also employed Elias for
"legal services," having paid his previous law firm thousands of
dollars since 2019.
"This
is just the latest example of Democrats twisting rules, process, and
precedent to cover up the violation of a member," a senior
congressional aide with knowledge of the matter told the Free Beacon.
"On top of that, the involvement of a partisan attorney like Marc
Elias, who simultaneously represents the chair of the Commission, only
further raises issues of a conflict of interest. This was a valid
complaint filed with the Commission and a clear-cut violation of the
rules, yet the Democrat members of the Commission are not only moving
towards dismissing the complaint but are actively blocking any
attempts to further look into the matter."
Read more: https://freebeacon.com/democrats/house-dems-block-investigation-into-dem-senate-candidate/
Social
Media Highlights
REMEMBER: @FloridaGOP and retweet and
share. The Republican message must be spread around the state, and you
are integral to making that happen.
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