President Donald Trump vetoed legislation on Tuesday that would have sent infrastructure funding to a Florida-based American Indian tribe currently suing to shut down Alligator Alcatraz.
In one of the first vetoes of his second term, Trump <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/12/congressional-bill-h-r-504-vetoed/">rejected</a> the Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act, citing the tribe&#8217;s opposition to his immigration policies and the cost of the legislation. The bill would have expanded the portion of Everglades National Park reserved for the Miccosukee Tribe and required the Department of the Interior to provide anti-flooding infrastructure for the added land. 
“My Administration is committed to preventing American taxpayers from funding projects for special interests, especially those that are unaligned with my Administration’s policy of removing violent criminal illegal aliens from the country,” Trump wrote in his veto message. “Ending the massive cost of taxpayer handouts and restoring fiscal sanity is vital to economic growth and the fiscal health of the Nation.”
Earlier this year, the Miccosukee Tribe sued the Trump administration and the state of Florida over the opening of Alligator Alcatraz, an illegal immigrant detention center in the Everglades. In September, a federal appeals court rejected the tribe’s request for a preliminary injunction to shut down the facility. 
The <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/504/text" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act</a> was passed earlier this year by unanimous consent in the Senate and by voice vote in the House. It was introduced by Florida Republican Carlos Gimenez. 
The measure would have expanded the Miccosukee Reserved Area to include an area known as the “Osceola Camp” and required the federal government to protect the land from flooding. According to Trump, the Miccosukee have already established a residential community at Osceola Camp.
The Biden administration developed a plan to invest up to $14 million in infrastructure in the area, but it never went into effect. 
“But despite seeking funding and special treatment from the Federal Government, the Miccosukee Tribe has actively sought to obstruct reasonable immigration policies that the American people decisively voted for when I was elected,” Trump wrote. This principle carries especially heavy weight here; it is not the Federal Government’s responsibility to pay to fix problems in an area that the Tribe has never been authorized to occupy.”  
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Trump also <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/12/congressional-bill-h-r-131-vetoed/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vetoed</a> a bill on Tuesday that would have continued federal funding for the Arkansas Valley Conduit, a pipeline intended to provide water to southeastern Colorado. Trump said that the project had become too expensive and was too local in scope. 
“Enough is enough,” Trump wrote. “My administration is committed to preventing American taxpayers from funding expensive and unreliable policies. Ending the massive cost of taxpayer handouts and restoring fiscal sanity is vital to economic growth and the fiscal health of the Nation.”
The two bills were Trump&#8217;s first vetoes of his second term.

President Trump Announces Aviation Safety Executive Orders In The Oval Office Of White House

Trump Vetoes Bill Benefiting Indian Tribe Suing To Shut Down Alligator Alcatraz

Colorado

Donald Trump

Florida

Illegal Immigation

This past August in Aspen, Colorado, Charlie Kirk set his team an impossible goal. 
Kirk was convinced high school was the most important outreach point, according to Josh Thifault, who spearheads the Club America initiative for Turning Point USA. It’s when young Americans decide what values they want to build their life on. By the time many reach college, where TPUSA has a massive footprint, it’s already too late.
At the Colorado meeting for TPUSA leadership, Kirk told Thifault and his team that they weren’t close to where they needed to be. They had 1,200 Club America chapters. Kirk said that number needed to be 20,000. 
That was the last conversation Thifault had with his longtime friend and boss. Since Kirk’s assassination weeks later on September 10, Thifault has made it his mission to get the 20,000 Club America chapters, honoring his friend’s final request.
Thifault says there has already been a surge of requests to start Club America chapters, taking the number from 1,200 to 3,000. He now thinks the “almost impossible goal” can be a reality.
“God has given us an opportunity to achieve Charlie&#8217;s almost impossible goal,” Thifault tells The Daily Wire. “His ways are not our ways, but it is our responsibility to see this through.” 
The response to Kirk’s political assassination has been described as a political revival on the Right, with a surge of interest in the organization. It sold out tickets for its flagship convention this weekend, America Fest, cutting off registration weeks ago because the massive convention center hit capacity.
Thifault says TPUSA has grown into more than just a conservative organization.
“We&#8217;re watching Turning Point evolve from being more than just a conservative politically-themed organization,” Thifault says. “I&#8217;m watching our students care more and more about faith, I&#8217;m watching our students care more about the social aspects of our value system. They have a lot of questions about getting married, a lot of questions about having kids.”
Thifault is capitalizing on TPUSA’s growing reach by working directly with states to put Club America chapters in every high school. The longtime TPUSA executive has secured partnerships with Florida, Tennessee, and Texas. 
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis invited 150 TPUSA students to the Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee after announcing the partnership. Texas Governor Greg Abbott held a large-scale press conference in Austin, where his Lieutenant Governor, Dan Patrick, announced a $1 million donation to the Club America and TPUSA expansion in the Lone Star State. In Tennessee, Senator Marsha Blackburn and Riley Gaines fired up the crowd of students on-site at the State Capitol to stand up for their values.
“I watched these state leaders one by one catch that vision that Charlie instilled in us before he died,” Thifault says. “It’s very important for the people in charge of the state to catch that vision. They&#8217;re not just doing it to honor Charlie, they’re doing it because they understand the way that changes the social fabric of their state.”
In Thifault’s speech at the Nashville event with Blackburn and Gaines, he predicted that it would have a permanent political impact on the state.
“You cannot fundamentally change the fabric of a nation unless the heart of the nation turns back to God, and that starts in you,” Thifault <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-and-turning-point-usa-team-up-to-start-chapters-at-every-high-school?author=Lynden+Blake&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Tennessee+And+Turning+Point+USA+Team+Up+To+Start+Chapters+At+Every+High+School">said</a> at the event. “We will look back on this day and say Tennessee was permanently a conservative state for 50 years, 100 years, because of the courage of our state leaders today.”
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-and-turning-point-usa-team-up-to-start-chapters-at-every-high-school?author=Lynden+Blake&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Tennessee+And+Turning+Point+USA+Team+Up+To+Start+Chapters+At+Every+High+School">Tennessee And Turning Point USA Team Up To Start Chapters At Every High School</a>
The partnerships ensure that Club America chapters can be formed at any school, no matter what administrators think about it. Thifault says every conservative governor in the nation should follow suit.
“I&#8217;m calling on every conservative governor in the nation to do an event like this with us and make promises, and create a culture where a leftist teacher or administrator is scared to trample on the First Amendment rights of a 15-year-old.”
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<div id="attachment_1016681" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1016681" class="wp-image-1016681 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-36-1-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-36-1-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-36-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-36-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-36-1.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Photo by Aaron E. Martinez/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images</div>
Thifault has spent the last three months calling lawmakers, scheduling meetings with governors to make Kirk’s goal of 20,000 Club America chapters a reality. 
“It&#8217;s just a lot of clipboard and tennis shoes-style activism right now.”
The boots-on-the-ground work Thifault is doing reminds him of his early days with Kirk, when they worked together a decade ago to get TPUSA off the ground. 
“Charlie was working 100 to 120 hours a week, he would be so busy that he wouldn’t have time to eat,” Thifault recalled. “He would get enough calories to stay alive by drinking a morning latte.” 
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<div id="attachment_1016691" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1016691" class="size-large wp-image-1016691" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-38-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-38-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-38-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-38-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-38.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Josh Thifault</div>
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Thifault says the surge to 3,000 chapters doesn’t even represent how much momentum is behind the initiative.
“The demand is even greater than the growth. In the weeks following Charlie’s passing, we had 135,000 people reach out, saying they wanted to start or join chapters.”
Thifault says TPUSA has been ready to respond to the demand because of Erika Kirk’s leadership. Erika took over for her husband as the leader of TPUSA and immediately went to work on doubling the infrastructure of the organization in 2026.
“She&#8217;s very passionate about this,” Thifault said. “I am thrilled not just with that, but also with her focus on the spiritual — which you&#8217;ve seen in a lot of her speeches. The reason why we&#8217;re able to grow this quickly is because Erika has continued the visions Charlie put in place.”
Erika has been praised for how quickly she stepped into the leadership role while still grieving her husband’s death. Thifault said Charlie left specific instructions on how he wanted his company to move forward in case something happened to him. 
“It was because Charlie explicitly left wishes that she take over with the goal of continuing the set vision for the organization,” Thifault says. “He was keenly aware that something could happen to him, and he wanted the train to keep going in the same direction.”
The fall tour, the biggest convention ever, and rapid expansion are all things Thifault said are because of Erika’s commitment to Charlie’s mission. 
“I cannot overstate the importance of that,” Thifault said.
TPUSA has come a long way from its first end-of-year conference in 2015, which Thifault attended. It was about 100 students, in a room with no windows, eager to hear Charlie Kirk’s message. 
Ten years later, there are 30,000 people in a convention center. It’s the first conference without Kirk, but his message lives on — build a movement rooted in faith, freedom, and love of country, and bring it to the next generation.
“What&#8217;s the best thing spiritually and culturally and politically for the nation? When a student is a teenager, show them the truth and let them build their lives on it,” Thifault said. 
He said that’s possible through Club America.
“The most efficient thing we can do as a society is to make sure that before students even become adults, they’re building their lives on the way, the truth, and the light.”

Credit: Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Charlie Kirk Gave His Team An Impossible Task. Now They’re Fighting To Make It A Reality.

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Florida has scored a significant victory in its effort to protect children from exposure to sexually explicit content, as the state can now enforce its 2023 law aimed at preventing minors from attending sexually explicit drag shows.
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On Monday, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a lower court injunction that had blocked enforcement of the law for nearly two years, allowing Florida to move forward while the broader legal battle continues. The ruling applies statewide, with the lone exception of Hamburger Mary’s, the venue that initially challenged the law.
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The appeals court’s decision follows a June U.S. Supreme Court ruling that limited the use of universal injunctions — court orders that block laws for everyone, even those not involved in the lawsuit. As a result, Florida officials regained the authority to enforce a law passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to uphold basic standards of decency where children are concerned.
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Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier praised the ruling, emphasizing that the law was designed to keep minors away from adult-themed performances depicting nudity, sexual conduct, or lewd behavior. “For two years, our law preventing children from attending sexually explicit drag shows was held up in court,” he wrote on X. “Starting today, the law is in effect thanks to a win on appeal by our office.  If you&#8217;re exposing children to lewd conduct, you&#8217;re on notice. We’re watching, Pensacola.”
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
For two years, our law preventing children from attending sexually explicit drag shows was held up in court. Starting today, the law is in effect thanks to a win on appeal by our office. 
If you&#39;re exposing children to lewd conduct, you&#39;re on notice. We’re watching, Pensacola.
&mdash; Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGJamesUthmeier/status/2000671416199389202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Conservatives argue that this is a common-sense safeguard, not an attack on free speech. As Rep. Doug Bankson <a href="https://www.wusf.org/politics-issues/2023-04-20/florida-house-passes-bills-children-drag-shows-transgender-bathroom-use">put it</a> during legislative debate in 2023, the goal is simple: “Let kids be kids” and protect their innocence.
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The law reflects broader concerns among Florida lawmakers about the rapid normalization of sexualized content and radical gender ideology aimed at children. While critics claim the statute is vague, supporters counter that its definitions mirror long-standing standards used to regulate adult entertainment and protect minors from harm. The law also prevents local governments from issuing permits for inappropriate events and allows the state to discipline venues that violate the rules.
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The ruling may have immediate implications for events such as “A Drag Queen Christmas” scheduled at a city-owned theater in Pensacola. Uthmeier has warned that government entities hosting performances that mock Christianity or promote obscene material could face legal consequences, noting that the First Amendment does not require public institutions to endorse offensive content.
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Ultimately, conservatives view this development as a reaffirmation of parental rights, public morality, and the state’s duty to shield children — the most vulnerable members of society — from sexualized performances masquerading as family entertainment.
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Drag queen with hand on hip, close-up

Florida Wins Court Battle To Enforce Law Protecting Children From Sexually Explicit Drag Shows

Children

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U.S.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed <a href="https://aboutblaw.com/bknd">suit</a> against Starbucks, claiming they “used DEI to implement illegal race-based policies for hiring and advancement.”
“Using DEI as an excuse to hire, promote, or humiliate an employee based on race violates Florida&#8217;s civil rights law, and we just filed a lawsuit to hold Starbucks accountable,” he wrote on X.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Starbucks used DEI to implement illegal race-based policies for hiring and advancement. 
Using DEI as an excuse to hire, promote, or humiliate an employee based on race violates Florida&#39;s civil rights law, and we just filed a lawsuit to hold Starbucks accountable. <a href="https://t.co/e3pK0GguQ0">pic.twitter.com/e3pK0GguQ0</a>
&mdash; Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGJamesUthmeier/status/1998796682289365005?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The suit claims Starbucks implemented policies and programs over the past five years that favor certain racial groups while discriminating against others, including white, Asian, and multiracial employees, in violation of Florida’s Civil Rights Act. The Attorney General emphasized that using DEI as justification for race-based hiring, promotion, or workplace treatment violates the state’s civil rights laws.
The lawsuit, filed in the circuit court of Florida’s 10th Judicial District, details multiple allegations. Starbucks is accused of establishing racial quotas and goals for hiring, paying employees differently based on race, tying executive compensation to race-based mentorship programs and retention of favored racial groups, and excluding certain races from networking and mentorship opportunities.
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Uthmeier notes that civil rights protections extend to all individuals, and promoting diversity does not excuse discrimination against any group. This legal challenge follows previous cases in which Starbucks faced liability for allegedly disfavoring nonminority employees, including a $25.6 million jury award to a white employee.
Starbucks, incorporated in Washington with a certificate to operate in Florida, employs 381,000 people nationwide and operates 934 stores in Florida, including at least one in Highlands County. The suit seeks declaratory and injunctive relief, damages, and civil penalties under the Florida Civil Rights Act, which prohibits employers from discriminating in hiring, compensation, promotions, or other employment conditions based on race. Florida law mirrors federal civil rights protections, which also recognize “reverse discrimination” against nonminority groups as unlawful.
The complaint outlines specific discriminatory practices at Starbucks, including:
<ol>
<li data-start="2180" data-end="2368">Race-based hiring: Starbucks has publicly set hiring goals for people of color in retail, distribution, and corporate roles and tied executive performance to achieving these targets.</li>
<li data-start="2372" data-end="2617">Race-based compensation: Employees of certain races are reportedly paid more than others with comparable experience, and promotion increases can be influenced by race. Executives reportedly plan to maintain these race-based pay policies indefinitely.</li>
<li data-start="2621" data-end="2879">Executive bonuses tied to race metrics: Executive pay has been linked to mentoring BIPOC employees and retaining employees of favored races. Even after 2024 adjustments in language to focus on “belonging,” race-based numerical targets remain in effect.</li>
<li data-start="2883" data-end="3151">Exclusive mentorship and networking: Starbucks created programs explicitly limited to certain racial groups, while reports from Florida employees indicate these policies have caused humiliation, exclusion, and a hostile work environment for disfavored employees.</li>
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The attorney general argues that these practices have caused substantial harm to Florida residents, including lost wages, denied promotions, and exclusion from professional development opportunities, as well as broader economic impacts. The suit emphasizes that Starbucks’ policies constitute a “pattern or practice of discrimination” affecting thousands of employees across the state.
The lawsuit requests the court to declare Starbucks’ policies discriminatory, permanently enjoin the company from race-based employment actions, impose civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation (potentially amounting to tens of millions of dollars), and award compensatory and punitive damages for the harm inflicted on Florida employees.

MixCollage-10-Dec-2025-01-39-PM-1866

Florida Attorney General Sues Starbucks Over DEI Policies

Florida AG Sues Starbucks Over Alleged Race-Based Hiring, Pay, And Mentorship Policies

James Uthmeier

Starbucks

A Democrat won the Miami mayoral race for the first time in nearly 30 years, beating the Trump-backed Republican by almost 20 points. 
Democrat Eileen Higgins defeated GOP challenger Emilio Gonzalez in a run-off election on Tuesday, <a href="https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/miami-mayoral-runoff-election-see-the-complete-results-here/3731997/">winning</a> 59% of the vote to her opponent’s 41%. Higgins, a 61-year-old former county commissioner, is the first Democrat to win the mayoral race in Miami since 1997 and the first woman ever elected to lead the city.
“Together, we turned the page on years of chaos and corruption and opened the door to a new era for our city — one defined by ethical, accountable leadership that delivers real results for the people,” she said.
Higgins said her victory was partly due to Miami residents being “done” with &#8220;dehumanizing and cruel” rhetoric against migrants. Throughout the campaign, she has been critical of Trump&#8217;s crackdown on illegal immigration. 
While officially a non-partisan election, Gonzalez was <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115562700432868071">endorsed</a> by President Donald Trump and Florida GOP Governor Ron DeSantis, while former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Rahm Emanuel, a former Obama chief of staff, campaigned in support of Higgins. 
Higgins&#8217; campaign page said that as mayor, she would address the “permitting process to get our government moving for small businesses and homeowners, protect tax dollars, and make City Hall work for us by building safer neighborhoods and a more affordable future.”
Gonzalez congratulated Higgins on Tuesday evening and wished her the best as she leads the city. 
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“Grateful beyond words for the thousands of Miami residents who stood with us for integrity, safety, and putting families first,” Gonzalez <a href="https://x.com/Emilioformiami/status/1998580897084252352">said</a>. “While this election didn’t end the way we hoped, our fight for accountability, transparency, and a city that works for residents, not insiders, continues. May God bless Miami and our future.”
Democrats said that Higgins’ victory was a positive sign for their party. 
“Mayor-elect Eileen Higgins’ win is a testament to what we can accomplish when we organize and compete everywhere,” Democrat National Committee Chair Ken Martin <a href="https://x.com/kenmartin73/status/1998549377405616146">said</a> on X. “Democrats have now flipped a seat that was in Republicans’ hands for nearly 30 years.”
Democrats have 8,000 more registered voters in the city, which backed former Vice President Kamala Harris over Trump during the 2024 presidential election. As a whole, the state of Florida has shifted to the right in recent years, with Trump defeating Harris by more than 13 points. 
The city’s current mayor, Republican Francis Suarez, was term-limited.

Miami To Elect New Mayor In Runoff Election Tuesday

Miami Falls To Democrats In Historic Mayoral Shift

Elections

Miami

Politics

Ron DeSantis

Eight members of a Philadelphia youth football team, the United Thoroughbreds, were <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15367101/Philadelphia-teens-theft-football-championship-game-Florida-Dicks-Sporting-Goods.html%5d">arrested</a> in Polk County, Florida, after allegedly stealing merchandise from a Dick’s Sporting Goods store while in town for the Prolifix Sportz National Championship.
The teens, all ages 14–15, had traveled from Philadelphia to Davenport for the title game against the Coco Tigers. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the group Ubered to the store on the morning of December 6 and carried out a “systematic” theft involving 47 items valued at more than $2,200.
Sheriff Grady Judd said the teens split into two groups: one boy bought a single item to obtain a Dick’s shopping bag, while the others selected items to steal. The buyer then met the rest of the group inside, and they filled the bag with stolen merchandise, including hoodies, gloves, and football accessories.
Store staff watched the alleged thefts unfold in real time on surveillance cameras and notified law enforcement. Judd emphasized that “you can’t go anyplace that you’re not on camera,” noting that the group appeared to believe they were getting away with it.
When deputies detained the teens, their coach, Raekwon (Raynone) Bynes, 29, arrived at the store and reportedly pleaded with officers not to arrest them. He then attempted to persuade the store manager not to press charges.
According to Judd, the coach dismissed the seriousness of the alleged crime and asked deputies, “Don’t you have anything better to do?” The sheriff criticized Bynes for failing to hold the teens accountable and for allowing them to leave their lodging unsupervised. Parents were contacted following the arrests.
“I don&#8217;t know if these all were starters or not,” Judd commented. “But I can tell you that we were finishers. We arrested them. We took them to the Juvenile Assessment Center. And we put them in lockup.” 
“I don&#8217;t know how you do things in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,” he remarked. “But in Polk County, Florida, we lock you up for stealing for being a thief. &#8230; We didn&#8217;t choose to arrest you. You chose to be arrested. And that&#8217;s the way it is.”
“And for the coach, you&#8217;re way off base here, buddy,” he declared. “Way off base. You&#8217;re the ultimate loser. If you&#8217;d been coaching these kids upright, if you knew where they were, if you didn&#8217;t allow them to Uber away, they would have played in a ball game Saturday night.”
All eight teens were charged with felony retail theft (over $750) and conspiracy to commit retail theft, then transported to a juvenile detention facility. Though later released, they will be required to return to Florida to face the charges. Authorities said none of the juveniles had prior records.
Judd publicly identified the suspects during a press conference, adding that their actions likely cost the Thoroughbreds their championship opportunity. With eight players jailed, the team lost the title game 26–6 to the undefeated Coco Tigers. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also commented, saying the group had “picked the wrong state — and the wrong county.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
They picked the wrong state — and the wrong county. <a href="https://t.co/NexPk1Zvux">https://t.co/NexPk1Zvux</a>
&mdash; Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) <a href="https://twitter.com/RonDeSantis/status/1998247856441065475?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Sheriff Judd contrasted the disciplined, successful Coco Tigers with the arrested teens, stressing that Polk County has a zero-tolerance policy for theft. “If you don’t steal, we’re your new best friends,” he said. “If you steal, we’re your worst enemy. Merry Christmas.”

Welcome to Florida USA

‘We’re Your Worst Enemy’: Florida Sheriff Lays Down The Law On Philly Teens Accused Of Robbing Store

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On Monday, Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order designating the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim Brotherhood as “Foreign Terrorist Organizations.”
DeSantis’s move comes after Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott declared the groups terrorist organizations last month, and President Donald Trump signed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-signs-executive-order-targeting-the-muslim-brotherhood">an executive order</a> paving the way for his administration to designate chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations. 
The Florida order says the Muslim Brotherhood’s ideology is “irreconcilable with foundational American principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” and notes the group has a history of supporting violence and terrorist attacks, including political assassinations and attacks on civilians, in pursuit of a global Islamic caliphate. It further notes that members of the Muslim Brotherhood created Hamas in 1987, a United States-designated foreign terrorist organization responsible for killing 46 American citizens in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
The order then links the Muslim Brotherhood to groups in the United States, stating that the Palestine Committee — a group created to raise financial and moral support for Hamas — founded CAIR in 1994. It adds that CAIR was named an unindicted co-conspirator in the largest terror-financing case in American history and has been associated with individuals convicted of providing, or conspiring to provide, material support to designated terrorist organizations.
“CAIR was founded by persons connected to the Muslim Brotherhood and was created, in the words of persons affiliated with CAIR, as ‘an official U.S. cover representing the Islamic community’ to conceal ties to Islamic extremist groups,” the order says.
The order directs the Florida Highway Patrol to take all lawful measures to prevent unlawful activities by the designated groups and requires all executive and cabinet agencies to block any terrorist organization listed, or any person known to have provided material support or resources to such an organization, from receiving state contracts, employment, funding, or any other government benefits or privileges.
CAIR, which calls itself “the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization,” fired back, calling the order &#8220;defamatory and unconstitutional&#8221; and accusing DeSantis of being “Israel First.” 
“Like Greg Abbott in Texas, Ron DeSantis is an Israel First politician who wants to smear and silence Americans, especially American Muslims, critical of U.S. support for Israel&#8217;s war crimes,” CAIR National and CAIR-Florida said in a statement. “Governor DeSantis knows full well that CAIR-Florida is an American civil rights organization that has spent decades advancing free speech, religious freedom, and justice for all, including for the Palestinian people.”
The group added that they plan to defeat “Governor DeSantis&#8217; latest Israel First stunt” in court. 
Last week, Abbott <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/texas-governor-urges-trump-admin-to-strip-major-muslim-civil-rights-group-of-tax-exempt-status?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Texas+Governor+Urges+Trump+Admin+To+Strip+Major+Muslim+Civil+Rights+Group+of+Tax-Exempt+Status">called on the Trump Administration</a> to strip CAIR of its tax-exempt status for its alleged ties to foreign terrorist organizations. He argued that federal investigators and court filings have identified CAIR as “a direct subsidiary of the Muslim Brotherhood” and as a “front group” for Hamas in the United States. He also cited a recent report that claims CAIR awarded $1,000 cash grants to college students who disrupted classes and intimidated or harassed fellow students “while celebrating Hamas’s October 7th attack.” 
“Americans have generous hearts, and federal law wisely creates incentives to donate to nonprofit organizations that promote the public good,” Abbott wrote. “But charity must not become a backdoor to sponsor terrorism, endanger Americans, and subvert our democracy.”
According to Trump, the “final documents are being drawn” for the Muslim Brotherhood to receive a foreign terrorist organization designation, which will be “done in the strongest and most powerful terms.”

Governor DeSantis And ICE Announce Largest Joint Immigration Enforcement Operation In Florida History

DeSantis Joins Texas In Designating CAIR And Muslim Brotherhood As Terrorist Organizations

CAIR

Muslim Brotherhood

Terrorism

Florida took legal action on Tuesday against a trio of medical organizations that promote transgender procedures on children, The Daily Wire has learned. 
Republican Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a suit against the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), the Endocrine Society, and the American Academy of Pediatrics over their support of transgender procedures on kids. The suit accuses the organizations of pushing irreversible medical procedures on gender-confused children for financial benefit. 
“For years, these groups insisted the recommendations were settled science, but behind closed doors, they knew the evidence was weak,” Uthmeier said in a video shared with The Daily Wire. “They knew the outcomes [were] uncertain, and the risks very real. Parents were not told the full story. In fact, some parents were told that if they didn’t put their kids through permanent, life-altering, sick procedures, like double mastectomies and castration, their child would commit suicide. Not only is that unethical and dangerous medicine, but it is against the law.”
Uthmeier added that “truth was replaced with political activism.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
In 2023, <a href="https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovRonDeSantis</a> signed legislation to ban so-called &#8220;gender-affirming care&#8221; for kids. Now it’s time for accountability!
Today, my office sued <a href="https://twitter.com/wpath?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wpath</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/AmerAcadPeds?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AmerAcadPeds</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/TheEndoSociety?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheEndoSociety</a> for mutilating kids and misleading families. <a href="https://t.co/RrbIfYEFEq">pic.twitter.com/RrbIfYEFEq</a>
— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGJamesUthmeier/status/1998433573993398563?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The suit was filed in the 19th Judicial Circuit Court in Saint Lucie County, Florida. It accuses the organizations of violating Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and engaging in racketeering by misleading “patients, parents, insurers, regulators, and courts about the reversibility and efficacy of pediatric sex interventions.”
The organizations’ “immoral actions capitalize on the mental distress of children — as well as the natural affections and fears [of] their parents — to help their members sell lucrative surgeries and drugs that irreversibly mutilate and chemically alter children’s bodies without providing any credible medical benefit,” a copy of the 75-page lawsuit obtained by The Daily Wire states.
The suit lays out a comprehensive history of the development of transgender procedures and how each organization has pushed guidelines that endorsed procedures like puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries that remove the breasts of girls who identify as boys. 
“Defendants have a problem: there is no credible evidence that sex interventions alleviate pediatric gender dysphoria. To convince patients, insurance companies, regulators, and judges otherwise, Defendants initiated a coordinated campaign to develop ‘clinical guidelines’ recommending sex intervention for pediatric gender dysphoria,” the suit reads. 
Uthmeier wants the court to rule that the organizations’ promotion of transgender procedures constitutes unfair trade practices, impose a civil penalty of $1 million against each defendant, block the organizations from advertising the procedures as safe and reversible, and impose a $10,000 penalty for each time a false claim about the safety of transgender procedures was made. 
“Defendants have disseminated multiple misleading advertisements with the same or similar intent (to legitimize and promote sex interventions as treatment for pediatric gender dysphoria), results (the purchase of pediatric sex interventions), accomplices (co-Defendants), victims (minors experiencing gender dysphoria and those paying for their care, such as parents, legal guardians, employers, and insurers), and methods of commission (through representations on their websites and publications),” the suit continues. 
Groups such as the American Parents Coalition, Consumers’ Research, and Do No Harm all praised Uthmeier’s actions. 
“The years-long coordinated campaign by WPATH and other medical organizations to disregard the serious health risks of sex change interventions on minors will go down as the most egregious medical scandal in modern history,” Do No Harm medical director Kurt Miceli told The Daily Wire. “These groups have obfuscated risk and misrepresented the low quality of evidence to support puberty blockers, cross sex hormones, and surgeries for children — interventions that can cause lasting harm.”

National-Conservatism-Conference-in-Washington

Florida Brings Down The Hammer On Medical Groups That Pushed Trans Procedures On Children

Florida Brings Hammer Down On Orgs That Pushed Trans Procedures For Kids

transgender surgery

WPATH

An illegal immigrant woman from Finland is accused of hurling hot coffee at a baby, its mother, and a dog during an altercation in New Smyrna, Florida, last week, The Daily Wire has learned.
Nina Kristina Jaaskelainen, 54, allegedly yelled at the mother for having her dog off leash before she threw the coffee at them, <a href="https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2025/11/17/migrant-in-custody-after-spilling-coffee-on-florida-woman-child-and-dog-deputies-say/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to WKMG. The illegal immigrant claimed that she threw the coffee on the dog because it agitated her own dog, while the mother, baby, and their pet were on her property.
Jaaskelainen first came to the United States on a tourist visa in April 1999 and was required to leave by July that same year, the Department of Homeland Security told The Daily Wire. However, she ignored her visa expiration and remained in the country for 26 years.
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“For over TWO DECADES, Jaaskelainen has been in our country illegally, skirting the law without consequence. Now, this unhinged individual has assaulted a baby, a mother, and their family dog,” Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement shared with The Daily Wire.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has since lodged a detainer with the Volusia County Jail to ensure that Jaaskelainen is handed over to the feds and processed for deportation, DHS said.
The Volusia County sheriff&#8217;s office <a href="https://www.volusiasheriff.gov/news/volusia-county-sheriff/message-from-sheriff-chitwood-on-changes-to-immigration-law.stml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cooperates</a> with federal immigration authorities, making it all the more likely that Jaaskelainen won&#8217;t be released onto the streets.
Jaaskelainen admitted that she threw the coffee at the dog, while denying that she intentionally did so to the mother and baby, according to WKMG. She later pleaded not guilty, <a href="https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/volusia-county-finland-woman-enters-plea-accused-throwing-coffee-in-dispute" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Fox 34.
She now faces two counts of battery, according to WKMG.
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Untitled design – 2025-11-24T141810.314

Illegal Immigrant Accused Of Throwing Coffee On A Baby During Florida Altercation

Department of Homeland Security

illegal immigrants

Illegal Immigration

The Trump administration unveiled a new plan last week to ramp up offshore drilling off the coasts of Alaska, California, and Florida as the president seeks to usher in a U.S. energy boom. But some members of President Donald Trump&#8217;s party, including the Florida governor, aren&#8217;t thrilled about the administration&#8217;s goal to drill for oil near the Sunshine State&#8217;s beaches and military bases.
The U.S. Department of the Interior <a href="https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/interior-launches-expansive-11th-national-offshore-leasing-program-advance-us-energy">directed</a> the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management last Thursday to open up seven additional lease areas in the Eastern Gulf for offshore drilling, an area in the Gulf of America around 100 miles off of Florida&#8217;s coast. The Trump administration also plans to open up 21 areas for lease off the coast of Alaska and six areas off the Pacific coast.
Florida Republicans, including Governor Ron DeSantis, Sen. Rick Scott, and Sen. Ashley Moody, are urging the administration to pump the brakes on the new plan. The Florida leaders want the federal government to reconsider the policy President Trump enacted during his first term, which banned offshore oil leasing off the coasts of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina through 2032.
&#8220;President Trump’s 2020 memorandum protecting Florida’s eastern Gulf waters represents a thoughtful approach to the issue. The Interior Department should not depart from the 2020 policy,&#8221; DeSantis <a href="https://x.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1991648106254069903">said</a>. The governor&#8217;s office added that the Gulf coast of Florida does &#8220;not have the same oil and gas reserves as other states in the region&#8221; and that the state &#8220;has active sites where drilling occurs on land.&#8221;
Florida politicians argue that the new oil leases threaten Florida&#8217;s pristine beaches, which attract millions of tourists each year, while also interfering with &#8220;critical&#8221; U.S. military bases on the state&#8217;s coast.
Scott, Florida&#8217;s senior senator and former governor, echoed DeSantis, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RickScottSenOffice/posts/floridas-beautiful-beaches-and-coastal-waters-are-so-important-to-our-states-eco/1386895662794430/">arguing</a>, &#8220;Florida’s beautiful beaches and coastal waters are so important to our state’s economy, environment, and military community, which is why I have fought for years to keep drilling off Florida’s coasts and worked closely with President Trump during his first term to extend the moratorium banning oil drilling off Florida’s coasts through 2032.&#8221;
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&#8220;I have been speaking to Secretary Burgum and made my expectations clear that this moratorium must remain in place, and that in any plan, Florida’s coasts must remain off the table for oil drilling to protect Florida’s tourism, environment, and military training opportunities,&#8221; Scott added.
Senator Moody said the Trump administration&#8217;s move was &#8220;HIGHLY concerning,&#8221; adding that she &#8220;will be engaging directly with the [Interior Department] on this issue.&#8221;
The Interior Department&#8217;s move to free up more areas for offshore drilling is a response to former President Joe Biden&#8217;s &#8220;restrictive&#8221; oil and gas policies, according to the Trump administration.
“Offshore oil and gas production does not happen overnight. It takes years of planning, investment, and hard work before barrels reach the market,” said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. “The Biden administration slammed the brakes on offshore oil and gas leasing and crippled the long-term pipeline of America’s offshore production. By moving forward with the development of a robust, forward-thinking leasing plan, we are ensuring that America’s offshore industry stays strong, our workers stay employed, and our nation remains energy dominant for decades to come.”
Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://uk.practicallaw.thomsonreuters.com/w-027-8408?originationContext=knowHow&amp;transitionType=KnowHowItem&amp;contextData=(sc.Default)&amp;firstPage=true">2020 memorandum</a> prevented areas off the Florida coast from being considered for &#8220;leasing for purposes of exploration, development, or production&#8221; until 2032. After signing the memorandum in 2020, Trump was criticized by some people who believed the president was seeking to gain political favor among Floridians ahead of the 2020 election.
During his 2024 presidential campaign and after returning to the White House in early 2025, Trump vowed to ramp up American energy production and bring down energy costs for Americans. To accomplish this, Trump said it was time for the United States to &#8220;drill, baby, drill,&#8221; and on his first day back in the White House in January, Trump <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/declaring-a-national-energy-emergency/">declared</a> a national energy emergency.
&#8220;A major focus of our fight to reduce inflation is rapidly reducing the cost of energy. The previous administration cut the number of new oil and gas leases by 95%, slowed pipeline construction to a halt, and closed more than 100 power plants,&#8221; Trump said during his address to Congress in early March.
A group of Florida GOP representatives, including some of Trump&#8217;s most loyal supporters in Congress, also <a href="https://x.com/FBSaunders/status/1991623831610618051/photo/1">signed</a> a letter urging the president to reconsider the Interior Department&#8217;s latest directive.
&#8220;While we wholeheartedly support your push for American energy independence and expanded oil and gas production, the [Eastern Gulf Test and Training Range] is critical to advanced weapons development, flight testing, and joint exercises essential to maintaining America&#8217;s military superiority,&#8221; the letter states.

Florida Oil Drilling

Florida Republicans Aren’t Happy With Trump’s Offshore Drilling Plan

Florida Republicans Aren't Happy With Trump's Offshore Drilling Plan

Oil and Gas

Republicans

Rick Scott

Florida has accused two massive proxy advisor firms of politicizing American retirement accounts by promoting DEI and ESG, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday.  
The suit from Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier accuses Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis of pushing companies to adopt race and sex-based quotas and embrace climate activism. The two firms comprise about 97% of the market for proxy advice in the United States, providing investment managers with guidance and research on how to vote on shareholder proposals. 
“Defendants have used this enormous influence to push their own dogmatic agenda,  one that seeks to require publicly traded companies to strictly adhere to highly controversial—and,  in some cases, illegal policies,” Uthmeier wrote in a copy of the lawsuit obtained by The Daily Wire. 
“Quotas for outright racial balancing, gender ideology that promotes genders beyond male and female, and an insistence that concerns about global climate change should influence every company&#8217;s decision-making are Defendants&#8217; basic requirements,” the suit added. 
Uthmeier&#8217;s suit, filed in the Second Judicial Circuit of Florida, accuses the companies of two counts of violating Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and state antitrust laws. Both firms <a href="https://www.wsj.com/finance/regulation/proxy-advisers-iss-and-glass-lewis-are-facing-antitrust-probes-22f0ff38?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqc1i9ZlMDA8f3aZJiR2l7fRxLMEzpcyYRtsfyc4o8X1sQlk3u_hSRE9vvDqiKE%3D&amp;gaa_ts=691f1ec8&amp;gaa_sig=xwAM0c1b63ROAM2TrL-DyCp8Kzu_81NHpUXhlHCKKdp1uc0l_r4sb2vXNv1yUslNLkGqWHiK6ScdxjQHeJ7Tgw%3D%3D">are currently</a> under investigation by the Federal Trade Commission over how they direct clients on social and climate issues. 
Together, both firms work with hundreds of thousands of Florida employees’ retirement plans worth billions, according to the suit.
The suit states that the firms have pushed left-wing ideology by “recommending votes against corporate board members who are not the right gender or do not fall in line and affirmatively voice support for Defendants&#8217; ideological agenda.”
Examples cited in the suit include Glass Lewis providing <a href="https://perma.cc/9JFW-HKEM">guidelines </a>that include recommending against boards with less than one member of “an underrepresented community” on it. It defines “underrepresented” as non-white people or sexual minorities. It will also generally recommend against a board “that fails to provide explicit disclosure concerning the board’s role in overseeing [climate change] issues.”
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ISS has adopted similar <a href="https://perma.cc/N9TG-B7X9">guidelines</a>, noting that it will generally vote against companies with no women on the board, against boards with no racial or ethnic diversity, and vote against companies it says have not taken &#8220;minimum steps” to address “climate change” risks. 
“Florida is done allowing two unaccountable foreign-owned private corporations to manipulate shareholder votes behind closed doors,” Uthmeier told The Daily Wire. “ISS and Glass Lewis claim to be neutral advisors, but they use their near-total control of the proxy-voting market to push divisive political mandates that threaten retiree savings, distort corporate governance, and undermine the rule of law. That ends now.”
The suit was supported by Will Hild, the executive director of Consumers’ Research. 
“We will continue to encourage and support aggressive enforcement action until ISS and Glass Lewis stop their abuses and commit to transparency, neutrality, and true accountability to the investors and consumers they are supposed to serve,” he said. 
In August 2023, the House Judiciary launched an <a href="https://judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/republicans-judiciary.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/letters.pdf">investigation</a> into ISS and Glass Lewis, probing their partnership with climate activist groups and pushing to &#8220;decarbonize&#8221; corporations.

EXCLUSIVE: Florida Sues Major Financial Firms Over DEI And ESG Push

EXCLUSIVE: Florida Sues Major Financial Firms Over DEI, ESG Push

Climate Change

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

finance

Investors

Retirement

A Democratic congresswoman from Florida is facing decades in prison after the Justice Department accused her of stealing more than $5 million in FEMA funds. Prosecutors allege that she diverted the disaster-relief money to support her congressional campaign and enrich her associates.
The Justice Department announced Wednesday that a Miami grand jury had indicted Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick for fraudulently obtaining federal disaster funds, laundering the proceeds, and putting the money toward her 2021 congressional race. According to the Justice Department, Cherfilus-McCormick conspired with her brother, 51-year-old Edwin Cherfilus, to steal a $5 million FEMA overpayment that was sent to their family’s health care company.
“Using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is a particularly selfish, cynical crime,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “No one is above the law, least of all powerful people who rob taxpayers for personal gain. We will follow the facts in this case and deliver justice.”
The $5 million payment was made in July 2021 after the siblings had a contract with FEMA for COVID vaccinations. The money was routed through multiple accounts to Cherfilus-McCormick’s 2021 congressional campaign and other personal accounts, according to the Justice Department. 
“This individual and her family allegedly stole money from FEMA and then laundered it through friends toward her own personal benefits &#8211; including her campaign accounts,” FBI Director Kash Patel <a href="https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/1991306995366756653">said</a>. “Today the FBI and partners at [the Justice Department] took action. No one is above the law.”
The indictment also accuses 46-year-old Nadege Leblanc, Cherfilus-McCormick’s district chief of staff, of working with the Democrat representative to funnel some of the stolen money to straw donors who then donated back to the campaign.
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An additional defendant is 41-year-old tax preparer David Spencer, who is accused of working with Cherfilus-McCormick to file a false federal tax return. The indictment says that they falsely claimed political spending and personal expenses as business deductions and inflated her charitable contributions. 
Cherfilus-McCormick faces up to 53 years in prison; Edwin Cherfilus faces up to 35 years; Leblanc faces up to 10 years; and Spencer faces up to 33 years, according to the Justice Department. Cherfilus-McCormick&#8217;s legal team <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/sheila-cherfilus-mccormick-indicted-stealing-fema-funds-campaign-rcna244889">said</a> she was &#8220;a committed public servant&#8221; and that they would &#8220;fight to clear her good name.”
Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) is expected to file a motion on Thursday to censure Cherfilus-McCormick and remove her from all committees. She currently sits on the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Veteran Affairs. 
“This is one of the most egregious abuses of public trust I have ever seen. Stealing $5 million in taxpayer disaster funds from FEMA of all places is beyond indefensible,” he <a href="https://x.com/RepGregSteube/status/1991317294870392922">said</a>. “Millions of Floridians have relied on FEMA after devastating hurricanes, and that money was supposed to help real disaster victims.”
Cherfilus-McCormick is also under investigation by the House Ethics Committee.

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