Politics

US Senators to Press Tillerson and Mattis on New War Authority

Published

9 years ago

October 30, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s national security brain trust faces Congress on the need for a new war authorization as the deadly ambush in Niger is igniting a push among many lawmakers to update the legal parameters for combat operations overseas.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson are scheduled to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Monday. They told the panel behind closed doors three months ago that a 2001 law gave the military ample authority to fight terrorist groups.

But that’s a position that won’t wash with a growing number of congressional Republicans and Democrats, many of whom were startled by the depth of the U.S. commitment in Niger and other parts of Africa. They’ve argued that the dynamics of the battlefield have shifted over the past 16 years and it’s well past time to replace the post-Sept. 11 authorization with a law that reflects current threats.

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said last week he believed most Americans would be surprised by the extent of the operations in Africa that U.S. forces are involved in. Kaine and Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., are sponsoring legislation to install a new war authority for operations against the Islamic State group, al-Qaida and the Taliban.

“I don’t think Congress has necessarily been completely kept up to date and the American public, I think, certainly has not,” Kaine said after leaving a classified briefing conducted by senior Pentagon officials on the assault in Niger that killed four American soldiers.

Roughly 800 U.S. service members are in Niger as part of a French-led mission to defeat the extremists in West Africa. There are hundreds more American forces in other African countries.

U.S. troops also are battling an enemy — Islamic State militants — that didn’t exist 16 years ago in a country — Syria — that the U.S. didn’t expect to be fighting in. Nor did the 2001 authorization anticipate military confrontations with the Syrian government. Trump in April ordered the firing of dozens of Tomahawk missiles at an air base in central Syria and American forces in June shot down a Syrian Air Force fighter jet.

Beyond that, Trump approved a troop increase in Afghanistan, the site of America’s longest war, and the U.S. backs a Saudi Arabia-led coalition carrying out airstrikes in Yemen.

“As we face a wide array of threats abroad, it is perhaps more important than ever that we have a sober national conversation about Congress’ constitutional role in authorizing the use of military force,” Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., the committee chairman, said in a statement.

But previous attempts to ditch the old authorization and force Congress to craft a new one have failed. Democrats in the House complained that Speaker Paul Ryan used underhanded tactics after an amendment was stripped from a military spending bill that would have repealed the 2001 war authorization 240 days after the bill was enacted. Proponents of the measure said eight months was enough time to approve new war authority.

GOP leaders said voting to rescind existing war authority without a replacement in hand risks leaving U.S. troops and commanders in combat zones without the necessary legal authority they need to carry out military operations.

A similar effort in the Senate led by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., also came up well short. Paul, a member of the committee and a leader of the GOP’s noninterventionist wing, has accused his colleagues of surrendering their war-making power to the White House.

Florida

Republican Rep. Paula Stark Disqualified From Ballot, Giving Democrats Opportunity to Flip House District 47

Published

3 days ago

June 13, 2026

FNN NEWS

Republican Rep. Paula Stark Disqualified From Ballot, Giving Democrats Opportunity to Flip House District 47

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — Florida State Rep. Paula Stark has been disqualified from seeking reelection in Florida House District 47 after failing to satisfy candidate qualifying requirements before the noon Friday filing deadline.

According to state election records, Stark’s candidacy was disqualified due to a deficiency involving required financial disclosure filings, commonly referred to as Form 6. Florida law requires candidates for legislative office to timely submit all qualifying documents, including financial disclosure forms, to appear on the ballot.

Form 6 Financial Disclosure Requirement

Form 6 is a public financial disclosure document required for state elected officials and candidates. The form requires candidates to disclose assets, liabilities, sources of income, and other financial interests.

The disclosure includes a sworn certification stating: “Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have read the foregoing Form 6 and that the facts stated in it are true.”

Candidates are required to complete, sign and timely file the disclosure as part of Florida’s qualifying process. Failure to properly file required qualifying documents, including Form 6, by the statutory deadline can result in disqualification from the ballot.

Democrats Advance to Primary Election

With Stark removed from contention, Democrats now have an opportunity to capture the Republican-held seat in House District 47.

The only candidates remaining in the race are:

Jorge Figueroa, President of the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida
Anthony Nieves, a state investigator

The two Democrats will compete in the Aug. 18 Democratic Primary, with the winner becoming Representative-Elect.

House District 47 covers portions of Osceola County and has been represented by Stark since her election to the Florida House.

The disqualification was among the most notable developments of Florida’s 2026 candidate qualifying period and significantly alters the political landscape in a district Republicans had hoped to retain.

Central Florida News

State Rep. Bruce Antone Wins Reelection Unopposed

Published

4 days ago

June 12, 2026

Willie David

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — Florida State Representative Bruce Antone has won reelection to the Florida House after qualifying for the 2026 election cycle without opposition.

Antone, who represents portions of Orange County, remains the longest-serving Democratic state lawmaker in Orange County and one of the most senior members of Florida’s Democratic legislative delegation.

Following his reelection, Antone thanked supporters in a statement posted on Facebook.

“Today, I was reelected to the Florida House of Representatives. I didn’t have any opposition. Thank you to everyone who has supported me during my time and tenure in the Florida House of Representatives,” Antone wrote.

Under Florida election law, candidates who qualify for office without opposition are automatically elected and do not appear on the ballot.

Antone will begin another term in the Florida House as lawmakers prepare for the 2027 Legislative Session in Tallahassee.

Florida

Alan Grayson Returns to Politics, Eyes Cory Mills’ Congressional Seat

Published

4 days ago

June 12, 2026

FNN NEWS

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. (FNN) — Former U.S. Congressman Alan Grayson, one of Florida’s most recognizable Democratic firebrands, has entered the race for Florida’s 7th Congressional District, setting up what could become one of the state’s most closely watched congressional contests of 2026.

Grayson’s late entry adds a high-profile name to the Democratic primary as the party seeks to unseat incumbent U.S. Representative Cory Mills. The race is expected to generate significant political attention and sharp contrasts between Democrats and Republicans heading into the August primary and November general election.

THE RETURN OF A DEMOCRATIC FIREBRAND

Among Democrats, Grayson remains known for his outspoken criticism of Republican leaders and his combative political style. Supporters view him as a proven campaigner and effective debater who built a national profile during his time in Congress.

Grayson was first elected to Congress in 2008, representing Florida’s 8th Congressional District. After serving one term, he was defeated by a Republican challenger in 2010. He returned to Congress in 2012 after winning election in Florida’s 9th Congressional District and served two additional terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.

ETHICS QUESTIONS SURROUND INCUMBENT

Mills enters the race while facing ongoing scrutiny related to ethics matters.

The Office of Congressional Ethics previously investigated Mills and reported that government contracts had been awarded to entities owned by Mills since January 2024. In November 2025, the House Ethics Committee established an investigative subcommittee to examine allegations involving potential fraud and two reported incidents involving Mills’ conduct toward women.

Mills has denied wrongdoing.

DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY TAKES SHAPE

Grayson joins a Democratic field that includes former Navy nuclear reactor plant supervisor Marialana Kinter and former NASA’s Chief of Staff Bale Dalton.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has identified Florida’s 7th Congressional District as a top target in Democrats’ effort to regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives and backed Dalton.

REPUBLICAN CHALLENGERS EMERGE

On the Republican side, former FOX 35 news anchor Ryan Elijah, businesswoman Sarah Ulrich, and self-described “Reagan Republican” Don Johnson are challenging Mills in the Republican primary.

LOOKING AHEAD

With Grayson’s entry, Florida’s 7th Congressional District is poised to become one of the state’s most competitive and closely followed races. The contest now features a well-known Democratic firebrand, an incumbent facing ethics scrutiny, and multiple challengers from both parties seeking to capitalize on voter dissatisfaction and shifting political dynamics.

Florida’s primary election is scheduled for Aug. 18, 2026.

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