Republican National Committee: RNC ELECTION INTEGRITY UPDATE!

Republican National Committee

RNC ELECTION INTEGRITY UPDATE!

Peter M. Feaman

National Committeeman for Florida

Virginia Election Process Explainer and RNC Election Integrity and Field Efforts in Virginia

Important Topline Process Facts about Virginia’s Elections

√ Polls open at 6 am and close at 7 pm.

√ Absentee ballots postmarked by election day and arriving by noon on Friday will be counted. Absentees can also be “cured” for some deficiency by the voter up to noon on the Friday after the election.

√ The state Department of Elections has instructed localities to stop counting absentees at 11 pm on election night. However, localities have been pre-processing ballots for several days and we expect a large percentage of absentee results, including those from early voting, to be released on election night. Localities will count remaining ballots on Wednesday and Thursday or can wait and count the remaining absentee ballots on Friday after the receipt and cure deadlines.

√ Provisional ballots are also counted after election day and will result in some changes to the election night totals.

√ The local canvass begins on Wednesday, 11/3 and will be complete in all localities on or before Tuesday, 11/9. The canvass process may reveal errors (e.g. number transpositions) in the initial precinct returns that result in changes to the election results.

√ The State Board of Elections will certify the election on Monday, 11/15 and a recount request is due within 10 days from then. Virginia state courts will set the date(s) for any recounts.

√ There are no automatic recounts in Virginia. The losing candidate may request a recount if the margin between the two candidates is within one percent (1%). The losing candidate must pay for the recount if the margin is outside of .5%, otherwise the state/localities pay.

√ A recount is relatively limited in Virginia. It is mostly done by machine with hand counting of ballots that are unscannable, have write-in votes, or have under or overvotes.

RNC Integrity Efforts in Virginia

The RNC has been intensely engaged in election integrity operations in states with 2021 elections, especially Virginia. The RNC has full-time staff in Virginia dedicated solely to election integrity efforts, including recruiting, training, and deploying thousands of volunteers, lawyers, and staff for poll watching and other election oversight efforts. The RNC has a cadre of experienced Virginia experts and attorneys engaged to ensure the election is administered properly and in accordance with Virginia law. Our efforts are comprehensive and involve political, legal, data, and communications facets.

√ The RNC has eleven staff members in Virginia focused on integrity operations, including poll watcher recruitment, training, and shifting.

√ The RNC shifted over 3,413 poll watching shifts in the early voting period alone.

√ The RNC has over 90% of election day shifts already filled, with that number increasing as we recruit additional poll watchers.

√ Working with the Youngkin Campaign, Republican National Lawyers Association, and other groups, we have engaged an estimated 500 attorneys who will be involved with our integrity efforts in Virginia. These lawyers will be in key localities such as Fairfax and Loudoun counties and at central absentee counting precincts. Lawyers will also be monitoring the canvass process in the days following the election.

√ We have additional capacity to significantly ramp up lawyer engagement in the days following the election and will also assist down ballot campaigns in close races.

√ The RNC has funded a War Room which will serve as the central command center for election day decision-making and to triage incident reports submitted by poll watchers and attorneys in the field. The War Room is led by experienced Virginia election law attorneys and will be functional in the days after the election until the results are certain.

√ The RNC has engaged voting systems and Virginia election administration experts to triage any equipment malfunctions or irregularities.

√ The Youngkin Campaign has the capability to litigate in all regions of the state on election day and after, especially in key localities where there have been problems historically. We will litigate when necessary and in any potential recounts or post-election legal proceedings.

√ The RNC is also supporting two lawsuits in Virginia seeking to ensure transparency and obtain important records from election officials.

The RNC also has staff and attorneys deployed in other states with key elections on Tuesday, including New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

Individuals can find other relevant information at EDO.Virginia.GOP. They can report incidents via email at [email protected], by phone at 804-292-2014, or by text message at 804-292-2014.

RNC Field Efforts in Virginia

The RNC has been building field operations in states with targeted elections in 2021, as well as 2022. For the 2021 elections, Virginia has received the most support for building out an expansive field team to elect Republicans up and down the ballot. Through the guidance and support of the RNC, the Virginia field team has been able to break voter contact records in the state by targeting voters in key areas to ensure Republican victories this November.

√ The Virginia Victory Team consists of over 100 staffers dedicated to voter turnout operations, including volunteer recruitment, training, canvassing, and phone efforts.

√ The team in Virginia has knocked on more than 3 million doors and made over 4.2 million phone calls, for a record-breaking total of nearly 7.5 million voter contacts!

√ Since the Republican primary, the Virginia Victory Team has held over 800 trainings and engaged over 16,000 volunteers across the Commonwealth, activating them in voter contact and election integrity efforts.

√ Working with RNC Data, 72 House of Delegate campaigns have converted from i360 to RNC Data. The Virginia team has spent a significant amount of time and resources to support Republicans running at all levels across the state, from School Board to House of Delegates.

√ The field team has organized more than 12 deployments with organizations such as Young Republicans and College Republicans. Over 250 volunteers have traveled to Virginia from states including Alabama, Delaware, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia.

√ Utilizing RNC Data, the Virginia field team has been targeting low-turnout, and low- propensity voters through voter contact efforts. Since the start of early voting in Virginia, the field team and RNC Data have been updating the universe of targeted voters daily to remove anyone who has voted. By utilizing dynamic scripting, the team has been able to specifically message voters at the door or on the phone based on their voting method.

√ The RNC and Virginia field team have been instrumental in the planning and production of events around the state, all culminating in a ten-day, fifty-stop bus tour with crowd sizes as large as 4,000 attendees! The team has utilized these events to not only further their volunteer recruitment and supplement data, but also to create opportunities for our RNC Communications to showcase the difference in enthusiasm between Youngkin and McAuliffe.

The RNC also has field operations and staff in other states with key elections on Tuesday, including New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

In 2021, the RNC has surpassed more than 12,500,000 million voter contacts and activated more than 43,000 volunteers nationwide.

Red Wave: 12 Republican Nationwide Wins in Tuesday’s Election

Republicans won big Tuesday around the nation with 12 significant accomplishments that bode well heading into the 2022 midterms.

1. Pennsylvania’s Judicial Victories

Republican Kevin Brobson defeated Democrat Maria McLaughlin for a position on Pennsylvania’s highest court with about 52 percent of the vote.

The win will maintain the composition of the states’ court. The victory is important because in 2022, the court will weigh cases on election integrity, state redistricting, and abortion.

Former Pennsylvania deputy attorney general Megan Sullivan also defeat Democrat Timika Lane for a spot on the appellate court, which hears cases on civil and criminal appeals.

Attorney Stacy Wallace won her race for the Commonwealth Court, where suits involving state agencies are heard.

2. Republicans Flip Texas State House Seat 118

Republican John Lujan reclaimed the special election runoff for Texas House District 118. The district is Democrat leaning on the south side of San Antonio with a large amount of Latino voters.

In 2020, Biden won the district by 14 points. Lujan flipped the seat by 300 votes.

“This speaks loudly that people are concerned about conservative values,” Lujan said about his victory. “You know, we want to secure our border, we want to grow our economy.”

3. Minneapolis Votes “No” on Abolishing Police

Continue reading on Breitbart by clicking here.

RNC’S NEWSLETTER OF OCTOBER 22, 2021 – BY PETER M. FEAMAN

RNC’S NEWSLETTER OF OCTOBER 22, 2021 – SHARED BY PETER M. FEAMAN

Republican National Committee

RNC WEEKLY NEWSLETTER – OCTOBER 22, 2021

Peter M. Feaman

National Committeeman for Florida

[email protected]

Welcome to the RNC weekly newsletter – The Republican Week – bringing you the biggest moments from the week.

THE MAIN THING: RNC Launches New Ad Slamming Democrats’ Attacks on Parents

The Republican National Committee (RNC) released a new ad slamming Democrats’ plan to silence parents who want a say in their kids’ education. As Democrats continue to prioritize their political agenda over students, Republicans continue to fight for parents’ right to oversee their children’s education.

FOX News reported: “Republicans have contested that following nearly two years of strict COVID measures and arguments about the role of critical race theory in schools, parents want a greater say in their children’s education.”

Why this matters: “Democrats want to control our children’s education and silence parents who have an opinion.”

RNC Chairman Ronna McDaniel: “The American people know the truth – parents, not unions or bureaucrats, are best equipped to oversee their children’s education.”

How we got here: Biden and Democrats feel entitled to imposing their values and beliefs on your children.

Biden made the unprecedented decision to weaponize the Justice Department and FBI against parents who question their children’s curriculum.
Biden’s Attorney General Merrick Garland admitted this week DOJ launched probe into concerned parents
Democrat Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe claimed that parents shouldn’t be “telling schools what they should teach.”

Bottom Line: Republicans believe that parents—not government bureaucrats—are best equipped to understand their kids’ needs and that every child in America should have access to quality education, regardless of zip code.

______________________________________________________________

Red State Rebound: Republicans Lead on Jobs

The data is clear: States with GOP leadership are showing stronger job recovery and lower unemployment. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released state jobs numbers on Friday showing Republican policies work.

Jobs recovered:

17 of the top 20 states for jobs recovered from the pandemic are led by Republicans
The top 14 states are all led by Republicans

Unemployment rate:

16 of the top 20 states with the lowest unemployment rates are Republican-led
The top 11 states with the lowest unemployment rate are Republican-led
Nine states – all Republican – have unemployment rates at or lower than where they were before the pandemic began

The numbers don’t lie: Republican governors and legislatures continue to deliver commonsense, conservative economic leadership amidst the devastating policies of Biden’s Build Back Broke agenda,” said RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel.

“Red states continue to attract working families and small businesses alike with strong local economies and pro-small business policies.”

While blue state governors promote anti-growth policies that have kept businesses locked down and incentivized workers to stay home collecting unemployment, Republicans are delivering an economic recovery.

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HISTORIC HIGH: Nearly 200k Illegal Immigrants Apprehended In September

Biden’s Out of Control Border Crisis: In September, 192,001 illegal immigrants were apprehended attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border, making this the highest number for September in DHS history.

It’s a 233 percent increase over last September, and a 300 percent increase from the average number of September apprehensions during the Trump administration.
14,358 unaccompanied children were apprehended.
Over 1.4 million illegal immigrants have been caught attempting to cross the border since Biden took office.

Biden hasn’t been to the border in at least 10 years, or ever. CNN confirmed FOX News reporting, raising serious doubt if Biden has ever been

Biden lied on Thursday night during a CNN townhall, saying: “I have not had a whole hell lot of time to get down” to the border. Yet, he has spent most weekends at his beach home.

In both July and August, there were over 200,000 illegal immigrant encounters.

In October, officials are expecting as many as 400,000 illegal encounters.
Majority of Americans disapprove of Biden’s handling of the border crisis, with just 33 percent approving of the job he is doing.

Bottom Line: Biden’s border crisis is out of control.

______________________________________________________________

NEW EPISODE: “Real America” Podcast Featuring Rep. Tony Gonzales

In the latest episode of “Real America,” Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel sat down with Texas Congressman Tony Gonzales to discuss the crisis at our border, Joe Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, and Democrats’ wasteful spending.

This podcast release was in conjunction with the grand opening of the RNC’s new Hispanic Community Center in Congressman Gonzales’ district in San Antonio, Texas.

More from Townhall: Hispanic-American GOP Congressman Tony Gonzales has a few thoughts on Dems pushing open borders

“Just get involved. You’d be amazed on how much less powerless you’ll feel as you’re starting to get involved in there. That’s how we save this country. But it’s not just the people in Congress, it’s all of us.” – Rep. Gonzales

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Making Inroads: RNC Opens Two New Community Centers

This week, the Republican National Committee opened two new community centers.

Our Black American Community Center in College Park, Georgia opened on Wednesday.
Our newest Hispanic Community Center opened in San Antonio, Texas. It’s the third such office we’ve launched in the Lone Star State.

Why this matters: The RNC is making inroads and investments in minority communities ahead of 2022.

Paris Dennard, RNC National Spokesperson and Director of Black Media Affairs, said: “We know that there are Black Republicans, and we are not a monolith when it comes to our vote bloc. And so we use it as a place where people could come and get information.”
Jaime Florez, RNC Hispanic Communications Director, said: “This is the party of freedom and opportunities, and most Hispanics came to this country fleeing from those socialist ideas that we had in our countries.”

Key component of our strategy: Building relationships with minority communities Democrats have long taken for granted. Republicans are excited to take our message of freedom, economic opportunity, and family values to voters in every community across the country.

Track record: In 2020, Republicans netted 15 seats in the House of Representatives. In each of those seats that flipped to the GOP, the elected winner was either a woman, minority, or veteran.

RNC ELECTION INTEGRITY UPDATE – October 6, 2021

RNC ELECTION INTEGRITY UPDATE!

Peter M. Feaman

National Committeeman for Florida

[email protected]

State Legislation Highlights

States Legislatures sine die: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho (Senate), Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

States in Special Session: Alabama, Alaska, Iowa (10/5), Maine, Texas

North Carolina

Last week Governor Cooper vetoed SB360, which related to lawsuits challenging NC statutes or constitutional provisions. The legislation would have empowered the House Speaker and Senate President Pro Tempore to jointly approve any settlement or consent judgment in litigation to which they are both parties. This type of legislation would have prevented any collusive settlements between Democrat officials and left-wing plaintiffs, especially in election disputes.

Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Senate State Government Committee approved SB573, which will allow any PA registered voter to be a poll watcher in any precinct in the state of Pennsylvania, there will not be a requirement to be a resident of the county, municipality, or precinct. Also, candidates for office will be able to appoint two poll watchers per precinct and each political party will have the opportunity to appoint three watchers per precinct, increasing the total number to three.

Michigan

On Friday, the RNC submitted a comment opposing a new rule proposed by the Michigan Secretary of State regarding the Signature Matching for Absent Voter Ballot Application and Absent Voter Ballot Envelopes. The proposed rule creates a new standard that if a signature differs in an obvious and significant manner from the one on file, it would still be considered valid because there are not multiple differences. In other words, even a signature with one huge significant and obvious difference from the one on file would have to be treated as valid. Additionally, the proposed rule mandates that a signature must be treated as valid if there are any redeeming qualities, meaning if there were nine factors which indicate a signature is fraudulent, but just one factor – such as one letter in a signature matches one letter in the signature on file – that one “redeeming quality” would mean that the signature must be treated as valid.

National Litigation Highlights

Federal Election Commission v. Ted Cruz for Senate, et al.

On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Senator Cruz’s challenge to 52 U.S.C. § 30116(j), which imposes a $250,000 cap on the amount of money candidates can be reimbursed for personal loans to their campaigns. Senator Cruz argues the cap violates the Constitution by “burden[ing] the core First Amendment rights of candidates, committees, and contributors.” Tasked with evaluating other contribution restrictions, lower courts have applied an array of legal standards. Senator Cruz’s case represents an opportunity for the Court to clarify the appropriate legal standard for evaluating political contribution restrictions.

State Litigation Highlights

Arizona

A new lawsuit, Mi Familia Vota et al v. Hobbs et al., was filed in AZ challenging SB1485, which removes voters from the permanent mail ballot list if a voter does not vote by mail in two straight election cycles and SB1003, which requires voters to “cure” signature-less ballots by 7PM on election day. The RNC and the NRSC have moved to intervene to defend the laws.

Last week, the Maricopa County Superior Court ruled that four budget bills, HB2898, SB1824, SB1825, and SB1819, were partially or wholly unconstitutional due to their failure to comply with Arizona’s Constitutional requirement that the title of a bill must properly encompass its subject matter. SB1819 was ruled wholly unconstitutional, this is most notable due to the number of election-related provisions in the bill, for example the ability for the AZ Dept. of Game and Fish to provide voter registration to applicants, requirement for the AZ SOS and county recorders to post their voter registration events on their website within 24 hours after the event, and a requirement for the AZ SOS to provide access to the statewide voter registration database. Read the full list of the provision struck down and analysis of the ruling HERE.

Florida

The RNC and NRSC were granted intervention in all four lawsuits challenging provisions of SB90.

Georgia

The RNC, NRSC, NRCC, and GA GOP were granted intervention in eight lawsuits challenging provisions of SB202, including the Department of Justice lawsuit against the state. The RNC, NRSC, and GA GOP have moved to intervene in a ninth lawsuit challenging provisions of SB202.

Iowa

The RNC, Iowa GOP, NRCC, and NRSC were granted intervention to defend against the lawsuit challenging provisions of SF413 and SF568.

Missouri

The Missouri Supreme Court heard argument this week in ACLU of Mo. V. Ashcroft, in which the ACLU is challenging the implementation of Missouri’s ballot referendum statute by Secretary of State of John Ashcroft. The ACLU claims that Ashcroft acted improperly when he rejected a referendum petition sample sheet (the first step in exercising the referendum power guaranteed in the Missouri Constitution) submitted by the ACLU. Ashcroft rejected the ACLU’s sample sheet, which was filed in an attempt to oppose new abortion regulations, on the grounds that the challenged acts are emergency measures and thus ineligible for the referendum process. The Circuit Court found, and the Appeals Court affirmed, that Ashcroft’s actions were impermissible since Missouri’s referendum statute only gives the Secretary of State the power to reject a sample sheet on the basis of form and requires him to approve the sample sheet if it is sufficient as to form.

Pennsylvania

Last week, the RNC filed an amicus brief in an important lawsuit filed by the Public Interest Legal Foundation (“PILF”) regarding voter registration list integrity. The case deals with potentially over 100,000 noncitizens that were registered to vote in Pennsylvania.

In September 2017, Al Schmidt, a Philadelphia City Commissioner revealed that a so-called “glitch” allowed noncitizens to register to vote when applying or renewing their driver’s licenses through the Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles.
The Department of State has refused to disclose pertinent records regarding the so-called “glitch” that allowed noncitizens to register to vote.
PILF, pursuant to the public records inspection provision of the National Voter Registration Act, filed a lawsuit against Pennsylvania demanding transparency and the disclosure of records regarding the so-call “glitch”.

During a hearing last Wednesday the en banc Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court (paywall) questioned the constitutionality of a 2019 law allowing any voters to cast their ballot by mail.

Vermont

Last Monday, the RNC sued the cities of Montpelier and Winooski, Vermont over their new town charters that allow noncitizens to vote in their municipal elections. The suit also raises important concerns about how the laws will be implemented and whether non-citizens will end up on the same voter registration lists used for state-level and federal elections. The RNC is joined in the suit by the Vermont Republican Party and several concerned Vermont voters.

In May, the town charters were approved by Vermont’s Democrat state Senate.
In June, Vermont’s Republican Governor vetoed the legislation.
That same month, the legislature overrode the Governor’s veto.

RNC Chairwoman McDaniel wrote an op-ed about the lawsuit in Breitbart and spoke about it on Newsmax.

Rep. Scott Franklin: The Ready Room – October 20, 2021

Hello Friend,
Welcome to my e-newsletter, the Ready Room. As a retired Naval Aviator, the Ready Room is special to me because it’s where fellow aviators meet to brief and debrief missions. This is my weekly briefing to you on my mission in Congress. Please follow me on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and YouTube for regular updates on how my team and I are working to serve you in Congress.

Opposing Reckless Spending

A picture of the outside steps of the U.S. Treasury Department (Courtesy U.S. Treasury Department)

Last Tuesday, Speaker Nancy Pelosi recalled members of Congress to vote on a bill to increase our country’s national debt ceiling. While we do not want to default on debt that we owe, the costly $5 trillion in new spending congressional Democrats are trying to pass threatens the economic prosperity of our nation. I opposed this measure because it puts our country on a dangerous track by spending money we simply do not have. It jeopardizes our fiscal health by forcing our children to pay tomorrow for today’s reckless spending. We must make tough decisions on spending before Congress continues to put our country into further debt.

We Must Restore Accountability in Our Military

U.S. forces board a Chinook helicopter in Afghanistan (Courtesy U.S. Department of Defense)

As a veteran and member of the House Armed Services Committee, I’m deeply troubled by the lack of accountability across the ranks in our military. The recent withdrawal from Afghanistan was an epic failure and tragically led to the death of 13 service members and countless Afghan civilians. Despite this horrible result, not a single leader at the Pentagon has been held accountable. We need accountability at the top levels of our military. Good order and discipline are critical to combat effectiveness and the safety and well-being of our military. It starts by holding every service member at every rank accountable for their actions. Click here to read more of my thoughts on this issue in my latest op-ed at the Lakeland Ledger.

Thank You, Farmers!

Various pumpkins and other vegetables are put on display
at Kim’s Cabbage Patch

Last Tuesday was National Farmers Day, which celebrates the hard-working farmers from across our nation. I’m grateful for the many farmers here in Central Florida who work tirelessly to provide for our country. Whether it is strawberries, citrus, cattle, or many other agricultural products, our farmers have produced a rich agricultural tradition we can all be proud of.

Happy Birthday, U.S. Navy!

On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress established a naval force to disrupt British sea power. 246 years later, the U.S. Navy continues to guard the seas and protect U.S. national security interests. As a former Naval Aviator, I am grateful to be part of the Navy’s incredible legacy and I look forward to celebrating many more birthdays to come. Happy birthday to all my fellow sailors!

Test Your Knowledge #CivicsWithScott!

Which of the following cities did not serve as the Capitol of the United States?

a. Philadelphia

b. New York

c. Annapolis

d. Richmond

Last Week’s Question: What is the title given to the longest serving member of the House of Representatives?

a. President Pro Tempore
b. The Elder
c. Dean – Correct Answer
d. General Secretary

I’m honored to represent you in Congress. For more information on constituent services, current legislation and to sign up for my e-newsletter, please visit my website at franklin.house.gov.

Best regards,

C. Scott Franklin

From the Desk of Senator Mario Rubio

Note from Marco

Grassroots Leaders –

Skyrocketing inflation is affecting families across our nation. Prices on common goods haven’t been this high in over a decade, but Joe Biden’s administration refuses to accept any responsibility for this rising inflation.

Meanwhile, my liberal opponent, Val Demings, and her radical allies in Congress are continuing to push a $3.5 TRILLION socialist spending spree. We cannot allow Democrats to turn America into a Socialist country, which is exactly what will happen if we don’t stand up for what we believe in. My campaign released a video that you can share on FACEBOOK and TWITTER that highlights the danger to Florida families that Val Demings and this radical spending spree poses. Click on the links to watch, and then please share with your friends!

Next on the list of the Biden Administration’s failures is their handling of the immigration crisis on our Southern border. Under Kamala Harris’ failed leadership as Border Czar, illegal border crossings are up over 300%! I have repeatedly called on Joe Biden to REPLACE Harris as Border Czar, and instead install someone who actually understands the importance of stopping the flow of illegal immigrants. And in a show of total hypocrisy, this administration has decided foreigners legally traveling to the U.S. will need proof of vaccination and a negative Covid-19 test to enter, but foreigners illegally crossing the border do not need to be vaccinated or tested before being released into communities in Florida and around the country.

Last week I wrote an op-ed for Fox News explaining why John Kerry needs to be fired immediately from his job as Joe Biden’s Climate Czar. Reports have recently surfaced showing John Kerry taking upwards of $1 million dollars from a company profiting from slave labor in China. It’s inexcusable that the same people who pride themselves as social justice warriors decide to turn a blind eye to the very real human rights abuses happening at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party–and in John Kerry’s case, while profiting from them. John Kerry has been a staunch opponent of my Uyghur Forced Labor Act, which would make it impossible for products made with slave labor in Xinjiang to be imported into the United States. Now we know why. Read my full Op-Ed HERE.

Friend, we have a real campaign on our hands. The radical left continues to flood the state with cash to help my Pelosi Puppet opponent, Val Demings. Over the last few months, Val Demings brought in over $8 million from her national liberal donor network, an enormous sum which will give her the resources she needs to win in Florida. We can’t let that happen.

While Demings continues to rely on her base of national liberal donors, and is focused on raising woke money on Facebook, our best chance of fighting back is you, our grassroots supporters. To help us win this tough battle will you please sign up to volunteer and help deliver our positive message of results to voters? I need your help. Florida needs your help. Our great nation needs your help. Sign up HERE.

Thank you for your continued support!

Senator Marco Rubio

Marco in the News

Op-Ed: It’s Time to Fire John Kerry, Biden’s Ethically Challenged Climate Czar

“Rumors have swirled in Washington about President Joe Biden’s climate czar John Kerry and his opposition to taking concrete action against the Chinese Communist Party’s use of slave labor. Now, we may have an answer about his reluctance to take action: according to a new report, Kerry and his wife have at least $1 million invested in a Chinese investment group called Hillhouse China Value Fund L.P…”

Op-Ed: Our Navy is 246 Years Old and More Important Than Ever

“America’s inability to secure global trade routes would be devastating to our nation and our people… a lot has changed over the past 246 years, but some things remain the same. While we are not under threat of invasion, America is more dependent on global trade than ever before…”

Dems Find Their Anti-Rubio Warrior in Val Demings

For months, the Florida congresswoman challenging Sen. Marco Rubio in 2022 seemed nowhere to be found…now Demings has an answer for her whereabouts: She was campaigning almost exclusively on Facebook, growing an army of small-dollar donors across the nation on her way to raising a staggering $8.5 million in the most recent fundraising quarter —$2.4 million more than Rubio reported and more than any Senate challenger in the country between July and October.

Op-Ed: Focused on Climate, Biden Ignores Slave Labor

“By nearly all accounts, the Biden administration is choosing to ignore the Chinese Communist Party’s egregious human rights abuses to strike a deal on climate. In other words, it is willing to accept Beijing’s use of arbitrary detention on an unimaginable scale, slave labor, systematic rape, coercive abortion, forced sterilization, organ harvesting, and more because, in Nancy Pelosi’s words, “climate is an overriding issue…”

Rubio Calls on Biden Administration to Blacklist Huawei Spin-Off Honor

Republican U.S. senators led by Marco Rubio on Thursday called on the Biden administration to blacklist Honor, a former unit of embattled Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, describing the firm as a threat to national security.

In a letter dated Thursday, seen by Reuters, Rubio described Honor as essentially an “arm” of the Chinese government with newly unfettered access the same prized U.S. technology currently denied to Huawei. The letter adds to a growing chorus of China hawks calling for the blacklisting.

Rubio Slams ‘Desperation’ Biden To Salvage Dead Iran Deal

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) lambasted the Biden administration’s “desperation” in pushing their failed efforts to revive the Iran Nuclear Deal with Iran, despite the Iranian regime’s countlessly snubbing the U.S. in their compliance refusal to resume indirect talks while they rapidly advance its nuclear programs in assembling a nuclear weapon.

China’s Latest COVID Cover-Up: Beijing Says It Will Test Thousands of Blood Samples in Hunt for Virus’s Origins

China is preparing to test thousands of blood samples from Wuhan taken in the early months of the pandemic – away from the eyes of outside observers in what many fear will become Beijing’s latest COVID cover-up. Since China alerted the world to a mysterious virus circulating in Wuhan in December 2019, a debate has been raging over its true source.

Florida Republicans Want Biden to Sanction Non-Cubans Who Do Business with the Regime

A group of Republicans in Congress wants to give the president widespread authority to sanction non-Cubans who do business with the country’s defense, security and intelligence sectors, the latest policy response from Washington after widespread pro-democracy protests in Cuba in July.

Miami’s entire Cuban-American contingent in Congress is backing the bill. Republican Sen. Marco Rubio and GOP U.S. Reps. Carlos Gimenez, Mario Diaz-Balart and Maria Elvira Salazar are co-sponsoring the legislation.

Townhall Op-Ed: Federal Policy Needs to Incentivize American-Made Vehicles to Create Jobs

“Some Republicans recently have embraced a working-class agenda to recapture those disaffected hard-working Americans, many who supported Donald Trump for president. They don’t care about the top line number of the plan, because they know they are not going to see that money. What they want are provisions that will create jobs.”

Rubio wrote, “When the conflict is between working Americans and a company whose leadership has decided to wage culture war against working-class values, the choice is easy — I support the workers.”

Rubio Advising Group Pushing for GOP Diversity, the ‘Right Leaders Network’

A group intent on expanding Republican power over state-level offices is rolling out a national effort to diversify and grow the GOP, led by an advisory council featuring several potential future presidential contenders. Its goal is “prioritizing electing more women, as well as candidates from communities of color and diverse backgrounds.” Leadership includes Sens. Marco Rubio and Tim Scott, as well as former U.N. Ambassador and ex-South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.

Greg Steube hits rare out-of-the-park home run during Congressional Baseball Game

by Virginia Aabram, Breaking News Reporter

September 30, 2021

Rep. Greg Steube literally knocked one out of the park at the Congressional Baseball Game on Wednesday. Watch video here.

The Florida Republican’s slam, which hit the bleachers two rows back, was the first out-of-the-park homer at a Congressional Baseball Game in over 40 years, the last time being when former Rep. Ron Paul did so in 1979.

Steube, an Iraq War veteran , is the first congressman to hit the ball out of a Major League Baseball park, as the annual game wasn’t held at Nationals Park, home of the Washington Nationals baseball team, until 2009.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS PRESS LEADERS NOT TO HELP SQUABBLING DEMOCRATS PUSH INFRASTRUCTURE TO FINISH LINE

Steube celebrated with a leisurely trot back to home base, where he was swarmed by his teammates. His hit helped secure the Republicans’ narrow 13-12 victory over their Democratic colleagues, marking only the third victory for the GOP during the last 13 annual contests to raise money for charity. Steube was also the Republicans’ starting pitcher, during which he wore a “Save America” cap signed by former President Donald Trump.

President Joe Biden attended the game, where he was greeted with a mix of cheers and boos.

RNC Challenges Vermont Legislation Giving Voting Rights to Non-Citizens

WASHINGTON, D.C – The Republican National Committee (RNC) and the Vermont GOP (VTGOP) are today suing the cities of Montpelier and Winooski, Vermont over their new town charters that allow noncitizens to vote in their municipal elections. This radical scheme passed by Vermont Democrats, to allow foreign citizens to decide American elections is a blatant attack on election integrity and violates the state constitution which requires Vermont voters to be U.S. citizens.

“Democrats are trying to dismantle the integrity of our elections. In addition to attacking widely supported safeguards like voter ID, Democrats also want foreign citizens to vote in American elections. Republicans are fighting back on this far-left assault against election integrity — unlike radical Democrats, we believe that our elections should be decided solely by American citizens. This is a matter of principle and we will fight in all 50 states to ensure this remains the case.” – RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel

The RNC is joined in the suit by the Vermont Republican Party and several concerned Vermont voters. The suit also raises important concerns about how the laws will be implemented and whether non-citizens will end up on the same voter registration lists used for state-level and federal elections.

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Senator Kelli Stargel is recipient of the 2021 CFDC Chair Award

The recipient of the 2021 CFDC Chair Award is Senator Kelli Stargel. Central Florida Development Council (CFDC) Chair Dr. Angela Garcia Falconetti said Senator Stargel’s impact on economic development has been profound, making her the “top choice” for this award.

Watch video of award presentation by clicking here.

‘Playing politics’: Partisan divide evident in Polk as Jan. 6 inquiry starts – The Ledger

‘Playing politics’: Partisan divide evident in Polk as Jan. 6 inquiry starts

Published July 31, 2021

Prominent Republicans downplay riot, question equal justice

Gary White

The Ledger

As the U.S. House investigates the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, local opinions on what happened that day and how it is being investigated diverge dramatically along party lines. While many Americans regard the insurrection, which disrupted the counting of votes in the 2020 presidential election, as one of the nation’s worst days, prominent local Republicans don’t see it that way.

“I’d call it a protest with a little bit of riot in there because people damaged stuff,” said J.C. Martin, chairman of the Polk County Republican Party. “People who damage stuff should be prosecuted. But it’s certainly not an insurrection because insurrections don’t happen if nobody’s armed. It’s been so politicized by the Washington Democrats, as far as they’re trying to make this like it’s some overthrow of the government kind of thing. If people wanted to overthrow the government, I think they would probably have weapons.”

Merriam-Webster defines an insurrection as “an act or instance of revolting against civil authority or an established government.”

Royal Brown III, a Republican and Trump supporter from Winter Haven, called the Jan. 6 assembly a peaceful demonstration by citizens petitioning the government over what he insisted was “a stolen election.”

Catherine Price, chairwoman of the Polk County Democratic Party, described the riot as “an armed insurrection.” “These people were there because of disinformation propagated by the president of the United States,” Price said in reference to former President Donald Trump. “And did some people get hurt? Yes. Were some people being very violent? Yes, they were. And do the Republicans want this to go away? Yes, they do. It’s a pretty hard thing to disavow.”

There have been no reports of guns found among those who breached the Capitol. Rioters did seize shields and batons from police and use them as weapons, according to court records, some used flagpoles to break windows and others carried chemical irritants and zip ties. At least 535 people have been arrested in connection with the Capitol riot, and five Polk County residents have been indicted so far. At least three face charges of assaulting police officers.

Martin, a Winter Haven resident, accuses Democrats of exaggerating the seriousness of the Capitol breach for political gain. He repeatedly mentioned House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, in criticizing investigations of the Capitol attack. He accused the Department of Justice, which is overseeing the criminal cases, of being swayed by political concerns. “Pelosi is playing politics with the Capitol Police and the (Joe) Biden Department of Justice,” Martin said. “They’re just trying to make this a political event, and that’s all they’re trying to do. I’m just disgusted by how they’ve handled the whole thing.”

A House select committee investigating the Capitol attack held its first hearing Tuesday. The committee is dominated by Democrats after earlier negotiations to create a bipartisan panel collapsed when Senate Republicans blocked passage.

Comparisons to 2020 riots

For three months after the 2020 election, Trump repeatedly insisted, without credible evidence, that he had actually won and that fraud had changed the outcome. Courts rejected nearly all of legal team’s challenges to results in several states.

Members of Congress met on Jan. 6 to certify the Electoral College results from each state. For weeks in advance, Trump cited the gathering as the final chance to block Biden’s election, and during a rally that day he warned that Biden would be “an illegitimate president” and told supporters, “We can’t let that happen.”

Trump supporters fought with police officers, pushed down barricades and smashed glass to enter the Capitol. The chaos forced members of Congress to halt proceedings and flee their chambers. They returned hours later to resume discussions and soon ratified Biden’s election.

The U.S. Capitol Police’s union reported that more than 140 officers were injured. One, Brian Sicknick, died the next day as a result of strokes, according to a medical examiner’s report that ruled it a natural death. Two Capitol Police officers committed suicide within days of the attack.

One of the rioters, Ashli Babbitt, died after being shot by a police officer as she tried to enter a corridor just outside the House chamber.

In discussing Jan. 6 and its aftermath, Martin repeatedly invoked the violence that erupted in some cities last year following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s (Jan. 6) a protest that’s in the past, just like all these city protests where all the cities got burned, except that because there were Republicans that were protesting, they’re actually getting tried in courts,” he said, “where in Democrat cities, they’re just letting all these people that burned down all these minority businesses to the ground, they’re just letting them walk.”

Prosecutors in Portland indeed have declined to prosecute most of those arrests during demonstrations last summer and offered deferred prosecution agreements to some accused of assaulting police officers.

Brown said those in attendance on Jan. 6, including his wife, Glynnda White, demanded that Congress “do the right thing” and not certify Electoral College votes from Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, states that Biden won.

Brown, president of the Winter Haven 9-12 Project, said that no looting occurred at the Capitol, though government officials say the rioting caused more than $2 million in damage. Brown’s emailed responses to questions included many references to Black Lives Matter and Antifa, a loose affiliation of far-left groups.

This image taken on Jan. 6 shows Jonathan Pollock of Lakeland holding a riot shield taken from an officer as he approaches the U.S. Capitol, according to an arrest affidavit.

“Nothing was looted or burned down as in multiple incidents by BLM/ANTIFA over the year 2020, no one was shot and murdered in broad daylight as done by BLM/ANTIFA activists in 2020, no cops beaten or killed as in multiple incidents by BLM/ANTIFA over 2020,” Brown wrote.

Price, of Lake Wales, said those who committed crimes during rioting that swirled out of social-justice protests last summer should be prosecuted, just as she wants to see Capitol rioters held accountable. “The position I would always take is in a peaceful society there’s never a justification for people becoming violent in these kind of situations,” Price said. “So I would never justify that under any circumstances, and I would expect the law to deal with people fairly in either situation.”

‘Murder’ of Babbitt

The fatal shooting of Babbitt has become a point of partisan contention. Video shows that she was among a group of rioters outside the Speaker’s Lobby, a corridor that borders the House chamber. As others kicked at doors and smashed windows, Babbitt tried to climb over a door and an officer shot her through the glass.

The Department of Justice investigated and cleared the officer, who has not been publicly named. Trump has claimed that the officer was head of security for a “high-ranking” Democrat in Congress, though the law enforcement sources have refuted that, according to NBC News.

Martin said the officer should be identified. “How is that transparent democracy, when the guy kills a protester and Nancy Pelosi tells the Capitol Police to keep it secret?” Martin said. “That’s just ridiculous.”

Brown called Babbitt’s fatal shooting a murder and said it had not been investigated.

Though Martin and other Republicans describe Pelosi as controlling the Capitol Police, the reality is more complicated. Congress has oversight of the agency through committees in both houses, consisting of Democrats and Republicans. The Capitol Police Board, which directs security at the Capitol, includes members who must be confirmed by Congress.

Price dismissed Republican efforts to portray Babbitt as a martyr and said law-enforcement officers displayed “a great deal of restraint” during the riot. “What were these police officers supposed to do when this woman started coming through the window in the House chamber?” Price said. “They don’t know what these people are armed with. These people have breached the perimeters around the Capitol. They don’t know if they’ve got weapons.”

Kat Gates-Skipper of Lake Wales, president of the Veterans Republican Club of Polk County, said she has many friends who traveled to Washington for Trump’s rally on Jan. 6. She said none of them entered the Capitol. “The main purpose of that day was to do a peaceful protest — sorry, a peaceful gathering,” she said. “I do not use the word ‘protest.’ It was a peaceful gathering of supporters, and they were there as Americans to show support but not to have any, no protest, no breaking laws, no nothing.” Gates-Skipper said that a few “renegades” broke off and engaged in violence. “And some of those could have been, I don’t know, could have been Trump supporters,” she said. “But you and I weren’t there. We don’t know how they reacted, so we can’t specifically say.”

Capitol police officers in riot gear push back demonstrators who try to break a door of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington.

Claims of agitators

Many who fought with police or entered the Capitol wore clothing bearing Trump’s name, and some made statements on social media indicating their loyalty to him. All of the local suspects have been identified as Trump supporters.

But Gates-Skipper said she thinks the mob included Democrats and members of Black Lives Matter who intended to cause trouble. Asked how she knows that, she said friends who were at the Capitol overheard conversations and shot video to support the claim. “They witnessed a lot of things, and they want to remain anonymous and I trust these people that have given me this information,” she said. “So it was witnessed, it was documented.”

Martin declined to acknowledge that the Capitol attack was carried out by Trump supporters. “People have different motivations,” he said. “I don’t know. I wasn’t there, so I couldn’t tell you whether somebody that’s dragging a Trump flag has been identified as a Trump supporter or whether it was somebody that was actually a Trump supporter.”

Brown described the Jan. 6 riot as a Capitol Police “setup” and claimed that many who took part represented Black Lives Matter or Antifa. He cited videos that he said showed officers allowing demonstrators to enter the building. “The only ‘destruction’ that occurred was a BLM/ANTIFA person trying to break a window,” Brown wrote. “Trump supporters are on video pulling this person repeatedly off this window.”

Brown claimed that “agitators” from BLM and Antifa positioned themselves on light poles and statues with megaphones and urged others to storm the Capitol. He said Trump supporters ignored those pleas.

Brown cited as an example of an agitator “the idiot and obvious non-Trump supporter with no shirt and wearing horns.” That description fits Jake Angeli, also known as Jacob Chansley, who has been widely identified as a Trump loyalist and a proponent of QAnon, a far-right conspiracy theory claiming that Trump aimed to unearth a cabal of Satanic child traffickers led by Democrats and Hollywood celebrities.

This photo, included in the FBI affidavit that led to Corinne Montoni's arrest, shows the Lakeland woman inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, an FBI agent reported.

Asked for evidence of a Capitol Police “setup,” Brown cited video showing Capitol Police opened doors and invited demonstrators into the building. The lapses in security on Jan. 6 are one subject the House committee plans to investigate, but the first hearing included testimony from officers who fought against rioters. Brown alleged that Pelosi refused requests to add security before the expected demonstration. That echoes a claim by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-California, that Pelosi vetoed requests for a National Guard presence, though in fact the president has sole authority to activate the Guard. The House Sergeant at Arms, who later resigned, resisted requests from the Capitol Police to bring in Guard troops for support, according to Politifact. The Sergeant at Arms reports to Pelosi.

Martin called for authorities to release all video shot at the Capitol on Jan. 6. The FBI has relied on videos from officers’ body cameras for many arrest warrants, including those of some local suspects, and has released still images. But the video, part of the evidence in those cases, has not been made public. Altogether, investigators are examining more than 16,000 hours of video, NPR reported.

Martin blasted the Capitol Police for announcing that it will open a field office in Tampa (along with one in San Francisco), in part to investigate threats made against members of Congress. A spokesman said the majority of threats come from Florida or California.

Florida has had more residents arrested on Jan. 6 charges than any other state. “And the fact that they want to make this more of a thing by opening up a U.S. Capitol Police office in Tampa now?” Martin said. “Just to try to expand on this whole issue for political gain is just ridiculous.”

‘Prosecuted by media’

Brown questioned whether those accused in the Jan. 6 attack are receiving due process. He claimed that some are being held “under deplorable conditions” and being denied their constitutional rights to a speedy trial and defense counsel. “Are they not entitled to be assumed innocent until proven guilty?” Brown wrote. “It doesn’t appear so — in fact it appears they are being prosecuted by the media in the court of public opinion by leftists. If they are charged under the unconstitutional Patriot Act and held indefinitely without charges this is wrong.” Most of the Jan. 6 suspects have been released as they await trial, but some have been held in solitary confinement before trial. Even some Democrats, such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, have criticized that practice, while the D.C. Department of Corrections said it is intended for the safety of the defendants and jail guards.

Gates-Skipper said anyone proven to have committed crimes at the Capitol should face justice. But she said she understood why many questioned the FBI’s evidence against Jonathan Pollock, a North Lakeland resident who is accused of assaulting three officers, in reaction to a recent Facebook post from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office seeking assistance in finding him. “The American people have lost faith in our justice,” she said. “That’s why you get those comments, because they have lost faith in what’s right and what’s wrong, how things have been (taken) out of context.”

Price and Gates-Skipper did find concurrence on one matter: They want to see the nation’s leaders address serious issues rather than get bogged down in squabbles over the Jan. 6 investigation. But they offered clashing descriptions of the import of the Capitol breach.

Gates-Skipper said the media was “making a mountain out of a molehill” in coverage of Jan. 6 and its aftermath. “I’ll be glad when this whole thing is over, to be honest with you,” she said. “I’m sick and tired of hearing about this thing of Jan. 6. We’ve got other things to worry about.”

Price said the criminal investigations are proceeding as they should, but she worries that congressional disputes over the House’s Jan. 6 probe are diverting attention from such matters as the COVID-19 pandemic, health care and the environment.

“We’ve got serious problems in this country and in the world, and what’s happening is people are arguing over these kinds of ridiculous things,” Price said. “We as a community need to come together, and we need to start dealing with the real issues that are going on instead of this kind of tit-for-tat business.”

Gary White can be reached at [email protected] or 863-802-7518. Follow on Twitter @garywhite13.