|
Chairman's
Message
Florida backs the
blue
Florida is the most law
enforcement-friendly state in the nation
Governor
DeSantis and the Republican Legislature continue to make Florida the
most law enforcement-friendly state in the nation. The Governor signed
into law legislation that incentivizes Floridians to join law
enforcement and out-of-state law enforcement professionals to bring
their skills to the Sunshine State.
“While
other parts of the country are mistreating, marginalizing, and
defunding law enforcement, in Florida we continue to prioritize and
appreciate our law enforcement officers,” Governor DeSantis said.
“This legislation encourages Floridians to pursue careers in law
enforcement and attracts high quality law enforcement officers from
other states who are sick and tired of the mistreatment they
experience to bring their skills to Florida.”
From $1,000
scholarships to $5,000 bonuses to $25,000 adoption incentives,
Governor DeSantis said, “We are putting our money where our mouth is,
and we are backing the blue.”
“Florida is
the most pro-law enforcement state in the nation, and this new law is
the perfect example of how our leaders back the blue,” Attorney
General Ashley Moody said. “As the wife of a law enforcement officer,
it is so important to me that we support the courageous men and women
who swear an oath to protect and serve.”
HB 3 will
improve the recruitment and retention efforts of Florida’s law
enforcement agencies by:
- Providing
signing bonuses of up to $5,000 to newly employed law enforcement
officers in Florida through the creation of the Florida Law
Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment Program.
- Covering
tuition, fees and up to $1,000 of eligible education expenses for
trainees enrolled in a law enforcement officer recruit training
program through the creation of the Florida Law Enforcement Academy
Scholarship Program.
- Offering a
reimbursement program to pay for up to $1,000 of equivalency training
costs for certified law enforcement officers who relocate to Florida,
or to members of the special operations forces who become full-time
law enforcement officers in Florida.
Read more: https://www.flgov.com/2022/04/01/governor-desantis-signs-hb-3-the-strongest-law-enforcement-recruitment-and-support-initiative-in-the-nation/
Earlier in
the week, Governor DeSantis announced that for the second straight
year, first responders will receive a $1,000 bonus. The budget
includes $125 million for the bonuses, which will benefit local
government police officers, sheriff’s deputies, paramedics, EMTs, and
firefighters throughout the state.
Read more: https://www.flgov.com/2022/03/31/governor-ron-desantis-announces-first-responders-will-receive-1000-bonuses-for-second-year-in-a-row/
___
Biden’s border
crisis is about to get much worse
Although
the media stopped reporting on it long ago, America’s southern border
crisis has continued unabated. As many as two million people illegally
entered the U.S. across the overwhelmed border in the past year, but a
new policy change to end Title 42 by the Biden administration will
make his human debacle even worse.
Governor
DeSantis condemned the Biden administration’s reckless termination of
Title 42 as even the feds expect another mass influx of illegal
immigrants to come across. Title 42 has been in place since March 2020
and allows border agents to quickly expel migrants attempting to enter
the United States.
“Joe
Biden’s reckless border policies have allowed more than 2 million
foreigners to enter our country illegally via the southern border,”
Governor DeSantis said. “Revoking Title 42 authority will supercharge
the already skyrocketing flow of illegal aliens, increasing drug,
human, and sex trafficking. Biden is failing miserably to faithfully
execute the law and is violating his oath of office.”
According
to reports, Biden administration officials are anticipating a “mass
migration event” once Title 42 officially ends on May 23.
“Based on
what I am being told by officials in South and Central America, expect
Biden’s decision to end Title 42 to lead to the biggest migration
crisis in U.S. history,” Sen. Marco Rubio said. “It’s not just what
Title 42 technically does, it’s what migrants think getting rid of it
means.”
Immigration
is a federal responsibility, but the Biden administration refuses to
enforce our laws. Governor DeSantis and the Legislature have fought to
protect Floridians from the dangerous impacts of the lack of
immigration enforcement.
For the
2022 Legislative session, Governor DeSantis proposed sweeping
legislation to fight illegal immigration and protect Floridians. The
Legislature responded by passing Senate Bill 1808, which holds
accountable private entities that knowingly or recklessly assist in
resettling illegal immigrants into Florida and strengthens E-verify
enforcement.
Read more: https://www.flgov.com/2022/04/04/governor-desantis-condemns-biden-administrations-termination-of-title-42/
FLORIDA
No patient will be
blocked from loved ones in Florida
Governor
DeSantis signed the No Patient Left Alone Act to guarantee Florida
families the fundamental right to visit their loved ones in hospitals,
hospices and long-term care facilities.
The new law
says that no health care facility in Florida may require a vaccine as
a condition of visitation and every health care facility must allow
their residents and patients to be hugged by loved ones.
“Throughout
the pandemic, the federal government has waived protections for
families to visit their loved ones in hospitals and long-term care
facilities. That is unacceptable,” Governor DeSantis said. “Here in
Florida, we recognize that family and human connection is one of the
most important aspects of physical, mental, and emotional well-being
and we are ensuring Floridians are never again denied the right to see
their relatives and friends while in hospitals or nursing
homes.”
Although
the Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
reinstated federal visitation protections for long term care
facilities in late 2020, CMS continues to waive visitation policies
for hospitals, enabling them to not allow visitors for patients. With
this new law, Florida now guarantees this right.
“Understanding firsthand the emotional toll of caring for
my father during the pandemic, this bill is a necessity not only for
patients, but also family members that desperately want to play an
active and in-person role in their loved ones’ care,” Lieutenant
Governor Jeanette Nuñez said.
Read more: https://www.flgov.com/2022/04/06/governor-ron-desantis-signs-bill-to-guarantee-visitation-rights-for-patients-and-their-families/
_____
Real infrastructure
boosts Florida communities
Governor
DeSantis announced $4.2 million for the City of Monticello through the
Governor’s Florida Job Growth Grant Fund to extend wastewater services
to the I-10 and SR-59 exchange. The project will support future
commercial development, enabling business expansion and access for
customers.
“Making
sure that Florida is in the best position for job growth is the best
way to ensure that Floridians can support their families,” Governor
DeSantis said.
The Florida
Job Growth Grant Fund is an economic development program to help
provide public infrastructure and workforce training across the
state.
Governor
DeSantis also announced $5.4 million for Hamilton County through the
same Governor’s Florida Job Growth Grant Fund for the buildout of a
57-acre parcel at the intersection of I-75 and SR-6 in Hamilton
County. The planned development will include a logistics park and
travel center and will have the potential for future manufacturing
opportunities.
“Bringing
innovative opportunities to Florida’s rural communities does much more
than create jobs,” Governor DeSantis said. “Projects like this pave
the way for a bright future for rural communities by supporting new
developments, economic growth, and workforce
opportunities.”
Read more: https://www.flgov.com/2022/04/05/governor-ron-desantis-awards-more-than-5-4-million-to-hamilton-county-through-the-florida-job-growth-grant-fund/
Read more: https://www.flgov.com/2022/04/05/governor-ron-desantis-awards-more-than-4-2-million-to-city-of-monticello-through-the-florida-job-growth-grant-fund/
_____
Democrats' woke
politics, corporations, threaten US industrial
revival
Senator
Marco Rubio wrote a column recently on Fox Business that spelled out
how American businesses have become assets of the Chinese Communist
Party. Here’s his column :
As
often happens in Congress, a bipartisan and targeted effort to address
a genuine issue is being threatened by partisan politics and Wall
Street.
Republicans introduced the Creating Helpful
Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) Act, which became law 15
months ago, to revitalize America’s lagging semiconductor
industry and protect against supply chain disruptions. It
was exactly the type of pro-America industrial policy I called for in
December 2019 at the National Defense University.
Due to COVID-19
and the war in Ukraine, supply-chain disruptions are no longer
hypothetical – they are hurting Americans every day. And that is to
say nothing of the threat posed by our reliance on Communist China for
everything from rare-earth minerals to pharmaceutical ingredients.
Despite
the dangers we face, however, the CHIPS Act has yet to be funded.
Instead, it has become a political football, with Democrats using the
funding process to advance their woke priorities. These games threaten
to dilute the program’s impact.
Funding
for the CHIPS Act is part of a larger bill that is supposed to help
America compete with Communist China. As part of their effort to pass
that bill last year, Senate Democrats inserted requirements that
semiconductor producers receiving CHIPS funding "provide … data on the
racial diversity of their workforce" and that the government
prioritize companies that make "efforts to hire individuals from
disadvantaged populations" when allocating funding.
House
Democrats went a step further, requiring the creation of an "Office of
Opportunity and Inclusion" at the U.S. Department of Commerce, much
like the "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" regimes that companies and
institutions have established to curry favor with social justice
activists. If Democrats get their way, CHIPS investment decisions will
be guided by the woke agenda, not common sense.
Read more: https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/dems-woke-politics-corporations-threaten-revival-sen-marco-rubio
Cheryl:
FYI, I have italicized these columns over the years to set them off as
another visual element and to avoid the quotes within quotes. But I
can roll with whatever.
_____
New Senator Rubio
campaign video
Senator
Rubio this week released a campaign video on the border aimed at Val
Demings and Title 42.
Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOtMwYahcHg
_____
AG Moody
sues Biden administration for not deporting illegal immigrants who commit
crimes
Attorney
General Ashley Moody is bringing a multi-state lawsuit against
President Joe Biden for failing to enforce federal immigration law by
not deporting illegal immigrants convicted of crimes.
The
attorneys general of Alabama and Georgia joined Attorney General Moody
in a complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief, arguing that the
president is failing to perform the duties required by Congress by
continuing to operate under unlawful immigration enforcement
priorities. The Biden administration is refusing to detain and deport
criminals in the country illegally—directly contrary to federal
law.
The
immigration enforcement priorities are also contrary to precedent set
by presidents of both political parties. As Obama administration
Solicitor General Donald Verrilli recognized, “Congress has told the
Department of Homeland Security that it has to prioritize the removal
of criminal aliens.”
“The Biden
administration’s refusal to deport criminals here illegally after they
complete their sentences makes us all less safe,” Attorney General
Moody said. “Biden’s lax immigration policies are exacerbating the
opioid crisis, facilitating human trafficking and further jeopardizing
overall public safety. As Attorney General, I will continue fighting
these unlawful immigration policies until the president is forced to
do his job and secure the southwest border.”
Read more: http://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrel.nsf/newsreleases/4A40A75946D134CE8525881A005CD858
_____
Patronis invites
Elon Musk to move Twitter to Florida!
Elon Musk
has become by far the largest shareholder of Twitter. With his
well-known dislike of their cancel culture proclivities in mind,
Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis sent the self-made billionaire a letter
inviting him to move the social media company to Florida to change the
woke culture at Twitter:
“Congratulations on becoming the largest individual
shareholder of Twitter. As you are well aware, little-by-little
Twitter has drifted away from its mission of providing a forum for the
free flow of ideas, and I'm hopeful that with your influence this
platform can unwind some of its garbage-adjacent censorship policies.
With that in mind, I would like to invite you and your team to the
Sunshine State to experience all of the reasons why you should
consider moving Twitter headquarters out of California and to the Free
State of Florida. I think Twitter's culture could benefit from being
in a state that values liberty and has not been taken captive by the
thought police (unlike California). There is no Ministry of Truth
here. Just freedom, beaches and a lot of opportunity.”
Read the full letter: https://myfloridacfo.com/campaigns/cfopressoffice/Elon-Musk-Twitter4522.pdf
_____
Lt. Gov.
Nuñez
awesomely corrects media on every point in NPR
interview on Parental Rights in Education bill
Lt. Gov.
Jeanette Nuñez was interviewed on NPR this week with the normal line
of media questions on the Parental Rights in Education bill, and
simply hit a home run. Here are some highlights:
What the bill says
“First and
foremost, the bill is about not just protecting parents' rights but
empowering parents. This bill is about three fundamental things. It is
about making sure that school districts will not have the ability to
shield or hide information from parents about services offered to
their children. Secondly, the bill prohibits classroom instruction
about sexual orientation or gender identity in grades K through three.
It does not reference discussions or questions that students may have.
It is specific about classroom instruction. And then finally, it
ensures that whenever a questionnaire or health screening is given to
any student in the K through three grades, parents will receive it
first, and they'll provide permission for the school to administer
said questionnaires.”
…
Age
appropriate
“The bill's
very specific about prohibiting classroom instruction grades K through
three. There's no denying it. Again, read the bill. However, as it
relates to the higher grades, it says as age appropriate,
developmentally appropriate. And so I think that when you look at age
appropriateness, whether it's regarding Holocaust curriculum, human
trafficking or other curriculum, I think we all agree that it should
be age appropriate.”
…
Disney
“We will
never back down from a fight, especially when it's a matter of
principle. And when you look at Disney, when you look at where they
have come on this position, on this issue, they have kowtowed to an
agenda that we believe is a radical agenda. And for them to say
they're going to work to repeal this bill, well, good luck with
that.
Read or listen here: https://www.npr.org/2022/04/01/1090355106/florida-lt-gov-says-good-luck-to-attempts-to-repeal-so-called-dont-say-gay-law
ICYMI
Apparently, the
Miami Herald doesn’t know what satire means
Outkick
perfectly nailed the Miami Herald’s latest lameness when it tried a
gotcha story on Governor DeSantis that only revealed they don’t know
what satire means, or how politicians fundraise. A colossally
nonsensical story, except for pure entertainment value. Even the
mighty Babylon Bee might not be able to satire this one!
Here’s
Outkick’s take:
In its
latest attempt to take out Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the lib lib
media, led this time by the Miami Herald, thinks it has finally
cornered the rising political star over a fundraising deal with satire
site The Babylon Bee.
Tuesday, the newspaper pumped out a headline
proclaiming, “DeSantis calls out ‘fake news,’ but his campaign used
fake news site to raise cash” as if that was the biggest gotcha in
newspaper history. What the Herald eventually told its readers was the
fact that DeSantis’ campaign committee paid The Babylon Bee to raise
some money via the satirical site that everyone with a brain
understands is satirical.
“The
governor’s campaign committee, as well as the associated Friends of
Ron DeSantis political action committee, paid the conservative-leaning
satire website The Babylon Bee a combined $15,000 last year for
services related to online fundraising, according to state campaign
finance records,” the Herald proclaimed.
And?
Whether
you love Ron DeSantis or hate the guy’s guts, this has to be the worst
gotcha in newspaper history, especially when, as the Herald reports,
“it isn’t uncommon” for political campaigns to hire out “partisan news
sites” to solicit readers for cash.
It gets
even worse for the Herald.
When
contacted by the newspaper for a quote, Sheila Krumholz, executive
director of Open Secrets, which is in the business of tracking money
in politics, explained to the reporter why DeSantis’ campaign
committee would throw a few bones towards the satirical Babylon
Bee.
“They
want to reach people who might not know about your campaign, but might
be persuaded to learn more,” Sheila said.
Exactly.
Read more: https://www.outkick.com/the-miami-herald-really-thinks-it-got-gov-ron-desantis-this-time-over-babylon-bee-deal/
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.
|