Politics

Dems fear Trump re-election if ex-Starbucks CEO Schultz runs

Published

5 years ago

January 28, 2019

NEW YORK (AP) — Some of the most influential forces in Democratic politics revolted Monday against former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz’s prospective presidential bid, insisting that an independent run would unintentionally help President Donald Trump win another four years in office.

The critics included the Democratic chairman of Schultz’s home state, another billionaire businessman who long flirted with an independent run of his own, former President Barack Obama’s chief strategist, and the most powerful super PAC in Democratic politics.

“If Schultz entered the race as an independent, we would consider him a target. … We would do everything we can to ensure that his candidacy is unsuccessful,” said Patrick McHugh, executive director of Priorities USA, which spent nearly $200 million in the 2016 presidential contest.

Specifically, he seized on Schultz’s apparent willingness to cut entitlement programs such as Medicare and Social Security to narrow the federal deficit.

“The bottom line,” McHugh said, “is that I don’t think Americans are looking for another selfish billionaire to enter the race.”

The intense pushback in the early days of the 2020 campaign reflects the passion Democrats are bringing to the race to deny Trump a second term. Rank-and-file voters and party officials alike are anxious about any hurdle that would prevent them from seizing on Trump’s unpopularity.

While no independent has won the presidency since George Washington, Democrats fear that Schultz would almost certainly split their vote and give Trump an easier path to re-election. Yet Democrats concede that they had few tools to dissuade Schultz from launching an independent campaign — as he told CBS’ “60 Minutes” on Sunday he was considering — though many were skeptical that he would actually follow through.

Schultz felt the passion of the anti-Trump resistance moments after he took the stage Monday evening in New York City to promote his new book.

“Don’t help elect Trump, you egotistical billionaire!” a protester shouted before being ejected by security.

In an interview with The Associated Press after the appearance, he acknowledged that his prospective run might be “threatening” to some Democrats, but said, “my heart’s in the right place.”

The 65-year-old billionaire confirmed that he has identified as a Democrat his entire life. But Schultz suggested his moderate approach might attract a significant number of Republican voters frustrated with Trump in addition to Democrats turned off by the party’s embrace of liberal policies, such as universal health care and free tuition at public universities.

“Who’s to say that lifelong Republicans given the choice between Donald Trump and a far-left liberal, progressive Democrat — if they had a better choice where are they going to go?” he asked. “My views are squarely in the middle.”

Schultz said he would make his decision in the “summer-fall” after spending the coming months traveling around the country — in part promoting a new book — to test whether there’s interest in an independent presidential candidate, according to a person familiar with his planning. Asked how much of his personal fortune he’d be willing to spend on the election, he said only: “I’m going to do what’s necessary.”

Schultz’s team has polled on the viability of a third-party run and believes there is an opening, though they have not shared the specifics of their internal surveys.

He’s being advised by a team with experience in both parties, including Steve Schmidt, who worked on Republican John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign, and former Obama adviser Bill Burton, who joined Schultz at his Monday appearance in New York.

Schultz’s team also includes Republican pollster Greg Strimple, GOP strategist Brooks Kochvar, former journalist Erin McPike and Rajiv Chandrasekaran, another former journalist who has worked closely with Schultz since 2015.

Yet history — and the reality of a political system designed to favor major-party candidates — suggests that Schultz may do little more than play spoiler should he decide to run. Bloomberg, who studied the possibility of an independent run of his own in the past, offered Schultz a direct message based on his own experience.

“The data was very clear and very consistent. Given the strong pull of partisanship and the realities of the electoral college system, there is no way an independent can win. That is truer today than ever before,” Bloomberg, who is considering a Democratic 2020 bid, said in a statement.

He continued: “In 2020, the great likelihood is that an independent would just split the anti-Trump vote and end up re-electing the president. That’s a risk I refused to run in 2016, and we can’t afford to run it now.”

The angry voices were far and wide, and they included Obama’s former chief strategist, David Axelrod, along with Democrats from Schultz’s home state.

“If Schultz decides to run as an independent,” Axelrod tweeted, Trump “should give Starbucks their Trump Tower space rent free! It would be a gift.”

Tina Podlodowski, the Democratic chairwoman in Washington state, where Schultz has lived for decades, discouraged him from running as an independent.

“A billionaire buying his way out of the entire primary process does not strengthen democracy,” she said. “It only makes it more likely that our democracy will be further strained under another four years of President Donald Trump.”

Perhaps trying to elevate Schultz, who is not well known among Democratic primary voters, Trump himself weighed in on Monday, tweeting that Schultz “doesn’t have the ‘guts’ to run for President!”

The Seattle billionaire was in New York Monday to promote his latest book, “From the Ground Up: A Journey to Reimagine the Promise of America.” After New York, he has stops this week in Tempe, Arizona; Seattle; and San Francisco — but no dates listed for the early voting states of Iowa or New Hampshire.

On paper, Schultz offers a number of qualities that might appeal to voters. He grew up in public housing in New York City’s Brooklyn borough and became the first person in his family to graduate from college.

He’s also been a longtime Democratic donor, contributing to the campaigns of Obama, Hillary Clinton, New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, and Washington Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, among others. In Monday’s interview, he said McCain was the only Republican he had ever donated money to.

The soft-spoken businessman has also criticized Trump, telling employees that the president was creating “chaos” and hurting business; calling Trump’s tax cuts for corporations unnecessary and reckless; and vowing to hire 10,000 refugees after Trump issued an executive order banning travel from seven mostly Muslim nations.

The Democratic National Committee declined to address Schultz directly. Spokeswoman Xochitl Hinojosa offered only this response: “We are focused on defeating Donald Trump, and anyone who shares that goal should vote for the Democrat nominee in 2020.”

Politics

Suspended Democratic State Attorney Andrew Warren Seeks Re-Election

Published

1 day ago

April 17, 2024

FNN NEWS

TAMPA, Fla. – In a video released Tuesday morning, State Attorney Andrew Warren announces he will seek re-election to a third term as State Attorney for Hillsborough County, Florida. Warren, a Democrat, points to his proven record of reduced crime, increased public safety, and improvements to the justice system as he declares his candidacy in the race, which will appear on the November 2024 general election ballot.

“Today, I’m running for election as State Attorney to serve the people—all the people—of Hillsborough County. I’m running to keep our neighborhoods safe. I’m running to fight for victims and to make our criminal justice system better,” Warren declares in the video.

Warren has twice been elected by Hillsborough County voters, in 2016 and 2020.

During his first 5 1/2 years in office, before he was illegally suspended by Gov. Ron DeSantis, Warren worked with prosecutors, law enforcement, and community partners to:

· Reduce crime in Hillsborough County by more than 30%

· Make Hillsborough the safest large county in Florida, according to state statistics

· Invest in safety through prevention and rehabilitation, and by addressing mental health and addiction

· Target child predators, convicting an average of one predator every four days the courthouse was open

· Create and expand civil citation programs, disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline

· Establish a Community Council and a Racial Justice Work Group

· Become a national leader in transparency, launching a groundbreaking public Data Dashboard

· Reduce the criminalization of poverty

· Pursue drunk drivers with aggressive sanctions to reduce repeat offenses

· Adopt the Disarming Domestic Abusers policy to protect victims of domestic violence

A native Floridian and former federal prosecutor, Warren and his wife Alex are parents of three children—their daughters Elliot and Lucy, and their late son Zack.

The announcement video is now live on Warren’s Facebook and X/Twitter pages. It encourages supporters to visit Warren’s website, AndrewWarrenFL.com, to sign up for updates or contribute to the campaign.

While outlining his successes in office, Warren also highlights the suspension that installed an unelected political appointee into his position last year—an appointment that is illegitimate, according to prominent Florida legal experts, including a former Attorney General and Supreme Court Justice.

“On August 4, 2022, Ron DeSantis threw out your vote. He illegally forced me from office under armed guard,” Warren says in the video. “My late son. My beautiful daughters. My strong wife. They inspire me to serve others—to do good. That’s why I took DeSantis to court.”

As an image in the video quotes federal Judge Robert Hinkle’s January 20, 2023 ruling that Warren “was diligently and competently performing the job he was elected to perform,” Warren says, “The judge ruled that I did my job and the suspension was unconstitutional. But our fight is not over”—referring to Judge Hinkle’s conclusion that he lacked the authority to reinstate Warren. On January 11, 2024, the appellate court affirmed Judge Hinkle’s findings regarding the constitutional violation while clearly stating that Judge Hinkle has the authority to reinstate Warren.

Even as Warren awaits reinstatement, his announcement Tuesday affirms that in addition to winning in court, Warren intends to be back on the ballot so voters can emphatically make it clear that they decide who represents them—not a governor who broke the law and abused his power for a political stunt.

“I’m running to protect our values, for a woman’s right to choose, for a fair and just system, and—above all—for freedom and democracy,” Warren says. “I’m running to do what’s right. It’s what I’ve always done, as a former federal prosecutor, as a father, and as your State Attorney. I’m Andrew Warren, and together, it’s time we reclaim the future of this community—our community. Join us in this fight.”

Politics

State Rep. Bruce Antone’s Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day Bill Signed Into Law By The Governor

Published

6 days ago

April 12, 2024

FNN NEWS

ORLANDO, Fla. – Yesterday, Governor DeSantis signed into law HB 1227, Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day. House Bill 1227 creates the 22^nd state designated holiday in the State of Florida, which is the 4^th Thursday in March.

The bill recognizes the Tuskegee Airmen, African American fighter pilots, who trained near Tuskegee Institute now known as Tuskegee University. The pilots formed part of the 332nd Fighter Group which was comprised of four squadrons of African American pilots in the 15th Air Force during World War II. The Airmen were also known as the “Red Tails,” a nickname acquired from the painted tails of 332nd fighter planes, which flew over 200 missions in the performance of defending heavy bombers from enemy interceptors.

“I’m pleased, and the Tuskegee Airmen are pleased, that Governor DeSantis signed HB 1227 into law which commemorates and honors the Tuskegee Airmen,” said Representative Antone.

Florida has become one of at least 10 other states to recognize a day designating the “Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day” on the fourth Thursday in March of each year as a legal holiday. This special day honors the Tuskegee Airmen, who were the first Black military pilots in the United States armed forces.

Politics

Governor DeSantis Signs 5 Pieces of Legislation to Protect Children from Predatory Grooming and Other Sexual Offenses

Published

1 week ago

April 10, 2024

Willie David

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis signed five pieces of legislation to enhance and create additional criminal punishments for abusing children through grooming or other sexual offenses. These bills provide law enforcement with more tools to keep kids safe and ensure sexual predators and offenders are punished to the fullest extent of the law.

“In Florida, we let kids be kids, and we protect children from those who seek to harm them,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Today’s anti-grooming legislation punishes those who seek to prey on children and rob them of their innocence. Florida will continue to be the best state in the country to raise a family.”

“A child’s safety and innocence should never be compromised, but when it is, the laws of our state should provide swift and severe punishment,” said Executive of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Director Dave Kerner. “Our residents and law enforcement should have every tool to prevent these terrible people from ever having the opportunity of taking advantage of children. Parents in Florida can rest easier knowing that their children are safe and protected. Governor DeSantis has always been a strong supporter of families, and today’s bill signings are just another example of his dedication and leadership in putting the people of Florida first.”

“By criminalizing the repeated graphic and sexual speech to minors, child predators will now face felony charges before causing physical trauma to their victims,” said Senator Jonathan Martin. “This bill creates a first in the nation law that provides prosecutors another tool to prosecute those who seek to harm our youth.”

“As a retired Green Beret, I have always been and will always be a protector, and this bill continues that history,” said Senator Jay Collins. “HB 305 increases the maximum age of a child victim from 16 to 17 whose out-of-court statements may be admissible, and ensures the first offense of specified sex trafficking offenses involving minors requires designation of the defendant as a sexual predator. We must always protect those at risk.”

The bills signed today include:

HB 1545, which protects children from grooming activities and other sexual offenses.
HB 1131, which establishes a grant program within the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to create online sting operations to target sexual predators.
HB 1235, which creates stricter guidelines for sex offender registration.
SB 1224, which strengthens the role of the Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office and implements new training requirements to ensure law enforcement properly assesses a domestic violence situation.
HB 305, which expands the evidence that can be presented to a jury in sex-abuse cases where the victim is a minor and increases penalties on those who take part in sex trafficking of minors.

HB 1545 creates the criminal offense of harmful communication to a minor. This bill:

Prohibits an adult from engaging in a pattern of communication to a minor that includes explicit and detailed verbal descriptions of sexual activity.
Increases penalties for child exploitation crimes such as promoting sexual performances or possessing child pornography.
Establishes this conduct as a third-degree felony, strengthening the punishments associated with child exploitation and making them more severe.

HB 1131 creates an Online Sting Operations Grant Program within the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). This bill:

Requires FDLE to award grant funding on an annual basis for sting operations.
Allocates funding to be used on computers, electronics, software, and other digital assets to conduct online child predator sting operations.

HB 1235 establishes stricter guidelines for sexual offender registration. This bill:

Prevents sex offenders from using a temporary residence to avoid registration.
Requires sex offenders to register vehicles and vessels used as living quarters with the state.
Requires international travel to be reported ahead of time.
Makes it more difficult to qualify for registration removal.

SB 1224 strengthens the Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office and helps law enforcement better assess domestic violence situations. This bill:

Creates a new role within the Guardian ad Litem Office to assist children aging out of foster care to successful independent living.
Establishes the Fostering Prosperity grant program for youth and young adults aging out of foster care to facilitate trade school opportunities and financial literacy instruction and to provide college preparation tools.
Creates a lethality assessment that requires responding law enforcement officers to a domestic violence incident to determine if a domestic violence victim is at risk of death or serious injury and respond appropriately. This was inspired by Gabby Petito who was tragically murdered by her fiancé Brian Laundrie.

HB 305 makes several changes to existing law pertaining to offenses involving children. This bill:

Allows a hearsay statement made by a minor, regardless of age, to be admitted as evidence.
It also requires offenders convicted of human trafficking minors to be registered sex offenders on the first offense.