“Fried Praises Biden, Says Administration ‘Understands Climate Crisis’” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – “Going Green” has been a slogan that many of Florida’s elected officials campaigned on over the last few election cycles. With the 2020 midterm election is just months away from officially kicking off, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried is continuing to push climate change legislation in the Florida legislature before she makes her expected gubernatorial run for office against Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). In a joint press conference with State Senator Tina Polsky and State Rep. Kelly Skidmore, Commissioner Fried reasserted her position on climate change and praised the Biden administration’s efforts to address the issue, adding that Florida was the “natural place for the Biden Administration to start” implementing their climate agenda. It’s a “Great opportunity to really advance energy, and climate, and water, and carbon solutions,” said Commissioner Fried. “The administration understands the climate crisis, and we’ll continue to be working together with the administration on some of these issues.” During the Q & A portion of the press conference, we asked Fried if a “broader climate change program” like the Green New Deal, would serve Florida better and any current legislation. Fried half-stepped the question, saying that Floridians “have to get behind this climate crisis” more so than in any other state in the union.

“Democrat Senator Polsky Calls Green New Deal ‘Political’” by The Floridian’s Jim McCool – Today at the Florida Capitol, Senator Tina Scott Polsky (D-29) joined Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried (D) to reveal their plan for energy environmental aid to the state of Florida. Senator Polsky and Rep. Skidmore’s legislation would advocate to empower the Department of Agriculture in addressing Florida-specific climate change issues. Polsky claims that the inefficiency on the current climate and energy situation stems from, “not giving the commissioner [Fried] the ability to run the office of the energy the way that they should. And they’re trying to strip those powers away.” The Floridian approached Senator Polsky after the press conference to ask her some questions about the climate bill. More specifically, if the Green New Deal as proposed by Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-NY) would benefit Floridians. “I think anything we can do to benefit the climate change situation is what we need to do,” said Sen. Polsky. “I don’t want to label anything “Green New Deal” because that just creates a whole new host of other issues, but the point of it is to do what we can for the climate while at the same time creating new jobs. That’s why it is called the “New Deal” that’s what Franklin Roosevelt did.”

“Frank Artiles’ Home Raided in Possible Connection to 2020 Campaign ‘Plant’” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Former controversial Florida state Senator Frank Artiles (R) received a rude awakening early this morning as Miami-Dade law enforcement officials raided his Palmetto. Bay home. The reason for the raiding is believed to be tied to an investigation that involves a no-party candidate that likely contributed to the swaying of a Miami-Dade Senate race. On election night, while attending a party for another candidate, Artiles is alleged to have publically bragged about the “plant,” a candidate by the name of Alex Rodriguez, who had previously never been a candidate before. Rodriguez also had not been registered as a Republican until days before he filed as a candidate in the race. Florida Rep. Ileana Garcia (R) was the winner of the race with 34 votes after a three-day recount in the 2020 election. Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle’s office released a statement, saying it could not “confirm or deny the existence of any possible investigation,” but officers from her public corruption office were present at the scene. Erin Isaac, a spokeswoman for the Republican committee that ran Senate Republican campaigns, in December, argued that she wasn’t aware of Artiles’ involvement in the race of Senate District 37. Senate President Wilton Simpson (R), leader of the political committee, also argued that he was not aware of any involvement from Artiles in recruiting Rodriguez.

“Republicans Disregard Democrat Attacks Against Rubio as “Swamp Games”” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Although names have not emerged as official Democratic senatorial candidates for Florida Senator Marco Rubio’s (R) seat, a number of likely candidates have been touted. In response to an attack ad by Democrats against Rubio, Rubio and Republicans contendd that it’s an example of “swamp games” from Democrats, citing that they “launched a pricey and outrageous ad against Senator Marco Rubio… because he opposed Pelosi’s Liberal demands in the latest COVID-19 bill.” One Democrat that is considered a likely candidate for Rubio’s seat is Florida Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D), who is also the Blue Dog Coalition leader. Just two days ago, her political committee released attack ads against the incumbent Republican, arguing that “Rubio has repeatedly betrayed Florida by voting to take away health care, attacking immigrant communities, and standing with Donald Trump.” The social media ad then questions, “do you think he should be reelected?” The Democratic National Committee has also criticized Rubio in a new advertisement, but Rubio and Republicans are disregarding the attacks as “swamp games.” “Liberals crammed the latest COVID-19 relief package with their Socialist and Far-Left agenda knowing that Republicans would not let them get away with their out-of-control spending on liberal pet projects,” said the Senate Republicans in an email response to the attacks.

“Biden Urges Migrants ‘Don’t Come Over’ As Border Surge Grows” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – Faced with a border disaster crisis, hand-crafted by his eagerness to rescind many of his predecessor’s deterrent policies combined with past rhetorics of naive promises that have enticed a massive surge of migrants crossing the U.S. southern border, President Biden is offering a new blunt message to asylum-seekers — “Don’t come over.” In an exclusive interview with ABC News on Tuesday, host George Stephanopoulos asked the president, “Do you have to say quite clearly, ‘Don’t come?'” “Yes, I can say quite clearly: Don’t come over,” Biden said in response in a preview interview clip shared Tuesday evening that was conducted following his COVID relief victory “Help Is Here” tour in Darby, Pennsylvania. “We are in a process of getting set up, and it’s not going to take a whole long time it’s to be able to apply for asylum in place. So don’t leave your town, or city or community,” he added. Biden claimed that there was a surge in the last two years of Trump’s presidency, though he acknowledged that his own border crisis “could be” worse. When asked if it was a mistake “not to anticipate” such a surge along the southern border that is “getting worse by the day.” However, Biden officials were warned before taking office that making any sudden immigration move during a global pandemic would lead to chaos at the border. Ignoring the warning from the previous administration and some democrat lawmakers who represent border district, Biden just shortly after being sworn-in took quick executive action to undo several Trump-era immigration policies by ending the construction of Trump’s signature U.S-Mexico southern border wall and immediately suspended the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) — known as the “Remain in Mexico” policy.

“Trump Considering Potential 2024 Presidential Run If GOP Reclaims Both House And Senate in 2022” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – Former President Trump hinted Tuesday that he won’t make a final decision on making an ultimate comeback in 2024 until he sees the Republican Party “take back the House and do better in the Senate” in the 2022 midterm. “Based on every poll, they want me to run again but we’re going to take a look and we’ll see,” Trump told Fox News’s Maria Bartiromo in a rare wide-ranging interview Tuesday evening. “First steps first, we have to see what we can do with the House.” Trump has teased a potential 2024 bid while he was in the middle of contesting the 2020 election, saying at that time a comeback would be his last resort if the ongoing legal challenges failed at overturning the 2020 “rigged election.” The former president noted the Republican unpredicted gains made in the House during the 2020 general election as reasons he believes the party has a “very good chance” to take back the majority and finally retire House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). However, regarding the GOP taking back the Senate, Trump emphasized his belief the upper chamber having a “chance to do better,” if there is “better leadership,” referencing without mentioning his name, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). Trump has remained critical of the Senate GOP leader following the second impeachment trial in February. Despite McConnell being one of the 43 GOP Senators in voting to acquit, he delivered a blistering condemnation of the former president shortly after.

“Roach Pledges to Vote for GOP Big Tech Bill” by The Floridian’s Jim McCool – After the GOP Big Tech Bill passed the appropriations committee, Representative Spencer Roach (R-79) pledged to, “vote up, on the bill”, when it hits the floor of the Florida House. Roach, the author of HB 233 claims that we should, “embrace the diversity of viewpoint”, adding he is all for, “intellectual freedom.” Roach believes that the big tech bill, and his HB 233 to fight cancel culture on college campuses tackle the same issue. One difference however is that the big tech legislation specifically offers protections to political candidates, where HB 233 singles out college students. In response to this, Roach claims he would, “love to see the bill extended like that, I am not sure that it will be. I think we have to start somewhere, and this may be what it takes to get it across the finish line.” Roach then shifted the conversation towards very prominent political names such as former Lieutenant Governor Jeff Kottcamp (R), “who was canceled from Facebook, so if they can do that to a former lieutenant governor, they can do that to any of us.” Obviously, Donald Trump (R) was a topic of conversation. As he is now a Florida resident, the bill applies to him as well. Roach believes that if the bill is to pass then former President Trump will be permitted back onto Twitter and other social media applications.

“Trump Says Biden’s Border Crisis Is ‘Destroying Our Country’” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – Former President Trump on Tuesday railed against President Biden for “destroying our country” in creating a crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, blaming his successor for “eroding” his administration progress and immigration policies that caused a massive wave of migrants arriving at the border and is only “going to get much worse.” “Well, my policies were working better than they’ve ever seen on the southern border. The wall was almost complete, we just had a fixed little sections, but they’ve chosen to stop right in the middle,” Trump said during an exclusive 20-minute telephone interview with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo Tuesday evening. “They could have it finished in a month, and it would be just magnificent… but they’re destroying our country, people are coming in by the hundreds of 1000s. Young children are coming in and they leave their homes and they come up because they think it’s going to be so wonderful and frankly, our country can’t handle it,” Trump continued. “It is a crisis like we’ve rarely had, and certainly we’ve never had on the border, but it’s going to get much worse. I mean, what you’re seeing now is very bad, record numbers but it’s going to get much, much worse. With a little bit of time, you’ll see those numbers, expand at a level like you’ve never seen before,” he added. Reports over the weekend indicate that more than 4,200 unaccompanied migrant children were being held in the short-term holding facilities, with nearly 3,000 of those children in Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody had been held longer than 72 hours. Last week, more than 3,250 unaccompanied minors were reported being detained at the border, more than tripled the level than it was just two weeks prior.

“Lawmakers Want to ban Smoking in Beaches & Parks” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – A new bill has been introduced and unanimously passed by the Environment and Natural Resources Committee in the Florida Senate. The bill in question would allow counties and cities to enact restrictions on smoking on beaches and public parks that they own. Jason Brodeur (R), the Chairman of the committee, introduced an amendment that was also passed, and the amendment would prevent local government from banning pipe smoking or cigar smoking on parks and beaches. This is an issue that Florida Republicans have long wanted to address. Last year, Florida State Senator Joe Gruters (R) introduced a similar bill because only the Sunshine State is allowed to ban any type of smoking at beaches. This year, it appears that Gruters is enlisting the support needed to make his case across the state of Florida. Florida is home to 67 county park systems, and it also includes more than 400 municipal park systems. A staff analysis of the bill found that “it. Is estimated that, of the roughly 6 trillion cigarettes smoked annually worldwide, up to two-thirds of cigarette buts are discarded as litter.”

“DeSantis: Biden ‘Created This Crisis’ Along Border” by The Floridian’s Jim McCool – Amid what the GOP has labeled the illegal immigration “Border Crisis“, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) joined Judge Jeanine on Fox News to officially call out the Biden administration, saying they have, “created this crisis.” During his time as Governor, DeSantis has banned sanctuary cities and instituted E-Verify, a web-based system that helps employers assure that their employees are legally permitted to work in the U.S. These policies have aligned DeSantis with Trump Republicans, and has ignited talks of him running for the Presidency in 2024. “Biden is going in the absolute wrong direction. Trump had it right at the border, Biden’s got it wrong.” — Gov. Ron DeSantis DeSantis contended that Biden’s mishandling of the border is intentional, claiming that this is, “ideological”, however, DeSantis still believes that, “most of the American people are going to be strongly opposed to this and hopefully they’ll reverse course.” The governor plainly summarized his thoughts on the border crisis, “Trump had it right at the border, Biden’s got it wrong.”

“Florida House Responding to Rising sea-Level Concerns” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Environmental issues like rising sea levels continue to threaten the Sunshine State, and lawmakers are working to effectively respond to the growing concern. This week, the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee approved SB1954 unanimously. It includes providing up to $100 million a year on projects that would respond to flooding and sea-level rise, and it also paves the way for a grant program for local governments. Florida Senator Ray Rodrigues (R), a sponsor of the bill, argued that “under this grant program, the Department of Environmental Protection will provide grants to local governments to cover the cost of community resilience planning.” As an example, Rodrigues added that this would include “conducting vulnerability assessments and developing plans and policies to allow communities to prepare for the threat from flooding and from sea-level rise.” According to SeaLevelRise.org, “the sea level around Florida is up to 8 inches higher than it was in 1950.” Moreover, “the sea level around Virginia Key, Florida, has risen by 8 inches since 1950.” The “speed of rise has accelerated over the last ten years and it’s now rising by 1 inch. Every 3 years.” The proposal is part of a plan that Florida House Speaker Chris Sprowls (R) introduced last month, which includes a plan spanning three years to address statewide flooding and sea-level resilience. This plan would annually be updated by the Department of Environmental Protection.

“‘The View’ Host Surprised at Media Coverage of Cuomo, Complains About FL Gov ‘DeathSantis’” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) has faced mounting calls for him to resign amidst sexual assault allegations. The calls have ranged from prominent Republicans to Democrats like New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D), who called for Cuomo to be investigated. mThough some critics have argued that the mainstream media is upholding a double standard by not covering the Governor and his allegations, there are others that argue that the media is focusing too much on Cuomo. This week, Sunny Hostin from the View slammed networks for covering Cuomo, saying that the networks should do a better job at covering other Governors like “Governor DeathSantis” and others for their COVID-19 response. Governor Ron DeSantis (R) himself has faced mounting criticism from Democratic leadership in the Sunshine State. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried (D) called DeSantis’ response “criminal” while asking for the Department of Justice and the FBI to “step in” and investigate. However, the Governor may have been given a new moniker this week as Sunny Hostin, a host on the View, slammed the Governor, calling him “Governor DeathSantis.” “We’re talking every week… feels like practically every day about Cuomo and asking him to step down and asking him to resign without truly due process, without investigations, which are ongoing,” Hostin said.

“GOP Big Tech Bill Passes Appropriations Committee” by The Floridian’s Jim McCool – Yesterday, the House appropriations committee convened at 3:50 to discuss current bills, one of them being the latest GOP big tech legislation sponsored by Rep. Blaise Ingoglia (R-35). The Big Tech bill, which Governor Ron DeSantis (R) has touted as, “the most ambitious reforms yet proposed for combatting political censorship”, has also caught some bipartisan backlash for being a “weak” bill and being too ambiguous. Rep. Randy Fine (R-53) although a proponent of taking down big tech, did see a problem with allowing too much power to political candidates, referencing a candidate in his last election that made bold anti-Semitic remarks online. The main point Ingoglia was trying to drive home was to, “hold both parties accountable” as he repeated this throughout his presentation. This tactic seemed to work as even prominent Democrat, Rep. Joseph Geller (D-100) applauded Ingoglia’s goals, but still voted no. Public testimony was lead by Laura Loomer (R), a woman who is currently a Congressional candidate in FL District 21, who spoke before the committee regarding censorship and how it has affected her.

“Rodrigues’ Pro-2nd Amendment SB 1884 Passes Florida Senate Committee” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – Gun owners in Florida just got another boost of support after the Community Affairs Committee in the Florida Senate voted in favor of passing State Senator Ray Rodrigues’ “Preemption of Firearms and Ammunition Regulation” (SB 1884). According to Sen. Rodrigues’ bill, individuals would be able to sue counties and local municipalities for damages if those governments infringe upon their 2nd Amendment rights by imposing firearm and ammunition regulations. “An act relating to the preemption of firearms and ammunition regulation; amending s. 790.33, F.S.; providing that written or unwritten policies are subject to provisions allowing for recovery of damages if such policies violate specified provisions; providing that a plaintiff challenging a local government regulation concerning firearms is considered a prevailing plaintiff for certain purposes in specified circumstances; providing an effective date.” “I stand in support of this good bill,” said Senator Dennis Baxley (R). “It’s pretty exciting to see some bills for Liberty and protect the people’s individual freedom. And I don’t know anything that’s more local than that than your own home, your own life, your own constitutional rights that are being run over.”

“Major Changes to Bright Futures Program Pass Florida Senate Committee” by NBC Miami’s Ari Odzer – Florida’s Bright Futures scholarship program has paved the way over the years for thousands of high school students to go to college. Students earn either 75% or 100% of tuition and fees at any Florida state university or college, based entirely on their performance in high school. So any change to the program generates controversy. On Tuesday the Florida Senate’s education committee approved Senate Bill 86, which would make radical alterations to Bright Futures. On a 5-4, party-line vote, with Republicans in the majority, the committee passed the legislation which would tie the amount of aid students receive to the majors they choose in college. The bill directs the state’s Board of Governors to compile a list of areas of study, and deem some of them more likely to lead to jobs than others. Students choosing those favored areas of study would get more Bright Futures money. “I really don’t think the major has, should have, any bearing on how much Bright Futures scholarship you would be awarded,” said Ellen Barnett, a Broward mother who has a child in high school and one at a state university. “I just don’t want to see students pigeonholed into certain majors simply because that’s going to allow them to afford college." Republican state Sen. Manny Diaz says the idea is to warn students about what they’re getting into.

“Florida Gov. DeSantis credits Sunshine State pandemic ‘success’ to open economy” by Fox News’ Brittany De Lea – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis this week said his state handled the pandemic effectively, despite the criticism he took for keeping business largely open throughout the past year. DeSantis lamented that the formula being used to administer federal funding to states is based on unemployment rates at the end of 2020, suggesting it penalizes a state like Florida that has kept business solvent and kept individuals employed. "Those lockdowns have not worked, they’ve done great damage to our country. We can never let something like this happen again," DeSantis said during a press conference on Tuesday. "Florida took a different path – we’ve had more success as a result." The Florida Republican added that by awarding the funds based on that formula, instead of by state population, the government is favoring states that have handled the pandemic ineffectively – like New York, California and Illinois. During a separate press conference in Naples on Wednesday, DeSantis credited "different policies" for the fact that the Sunshine State is doing "much better" than states like New York and New Jersey.

“Florida bill seeks to block trans athletes from girls teams” by News 4 Jax/AP’s Brendan Farrington – Transgender women and girls couldn’t play on girls and women’s school sports teams under a bill passed by a Florida House committee on Wednesday. The bill, called the Fairness in Women's Sports Act, would require that anyone participating in girls and women's sports at the K-12 and college level be biologically eligible to do so. If challenged, they would have to get confirmation from a health care provider that they are female. That could include a doctor examining their genitals. "The act is pro-women and pro-girls and only acknowledges the biological differences between men and women," said Republican Rep. Kaylee Tuck, the bill's sponsor. But Democrats slammed the proposal, calling it discriminatory against transgender girls and women. Republicans in Congress and more than 20 state legislatures are pushing for similar bans, though supporters, including Tuck, largely haven’t been able to cite examples of transgender students’ participation causing problems. The House Secondary Education & Career Development Subcommittee voted 13-4 to approve the bill, with all “no” votes cast by Democrats. The measure is based on an Idaho law that has been blocked by a federal court while a lawsuit challenging its legality proceeds. Tuck used Allyson Felix as an example. Felix is the only woman to win six track and field gold medals in the Olympics.

“DeSantis pushes $106M proposal to turn Florida into ‘leader in civics education’” by Local 10s Hatzel Vela, David Selig, and Andrea Torres – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday that he wants the state to allocate $106 million toward turning the state into the “national leader in civics education.” He announced the plan during a news conference in Naples. The proposal creates a civics seal of excellence for teachers who want more training. Those who complete it will receive a $3,000 bonus. DeSantis said $16.5 million will fund the training aspect, adding that understanding the U.S. Constitution is “a lost art.” “Instead, they engage in these politicized academic fads,” he said. The Republican governor pointed out that the curriculum will not include critical race theory, an intellectual movement that focuses on the effects that historical racism has had on modern life. Civil rights scholars have also used it to address other types of discrimination. “Teaching kids to hate their country and hate each other is not worth one red cent,” DeSantis said. Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said Miami-Dade County Public Schools doesn’t teach the curriculum that DeSantis alluded to. Carvalho also said civics is already a state-required course for seventh-grade students. “We do not politicize our teaching,” Carvalho said. “We do not allow idealogy to permeate into our classrooms.”

“Ex-Florida senator’s home raided in bogus candidate probe” by News 4 Jax/ AP’s Curt Anderson – The home of a former Republican state senator in Florida was raided Wednesday by law enforcement officials looking into his support of a bogus candidate in a legislative race. Boxes of material were taken out of the Palmetto Bay home of Frank Artiles, who multiple media reports say has been implicated in a plot to plant a candidate in a Miami-area state Senate race to defeat the Democratic incumbent. That race was won by Republican Ileana Garcia by just 32 votes over Democrat Jose Javier Rodriguez in the 2020 election out of about 215,000 votes cast. The alleged sham candidate Alex Rodriguez — not the baseball player, but an auto parts dealer — ran as a non-party candidate and has the same last name as the Democrat. Artiles had not been charged with any crime or wrongdoing as of Wednesday. Efforts to reach him via social media or a phone call were not successful. According to the Miami Herald, Artiles bragged about installing Alex Rodriguez in the Senate race in several public settings. One of them, the newspaper reported, was at a restaurant in Lake Mary during an election night party for state Sen. Jason Brodeur. “That is me, that was all me,” Artiles said of the South Florida Senate race. The current Senate president, Wilton Simpson, declined comment on the matter Wednesday. Artiles is no stranger to controversy.

“Florida Ag Commissioner backs legislation seeking to reduce carbon emissions” by WCJB Staff – State Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried previewed legislation creating a greenhouse gas registry Wednesday. It would require agricultural interests to report regularly on what they have done to decrease their carbon footprint. Options include sequestering carbon in the soil, reducing methane emissions and producing renewable energy. By reducing the footprint, Fried said farmers could be eligible for millions in federal grants. “Climate change impacts everybody. Impacts everybody differently, but it has an impact on every single element of our state. And so it is real. It is here. It is not a partisan issue. This can provide farmers with much-needed financial help while saving our environment for generations to come,” said Fried. The legislation, filed by Democrats in the House and Senate, has yet to get a hearing in either chamber from the GOP-led Legislature.

“Man charged with killing 8 people in Atlanta; 6 were Asian” by Tampa Bay Times/ A – A white gunman was charged Wednesday with killing eight people at three Atlanta-area massage parlors in an attack that sent terror through the Asian American community, which has increasingly been targeted during the coronavirus pandemic. A day after the shootings, investigators were trying to unravel what might have compelled 21-year-old Robert Aaron Long to commit the worst mass killing in the U.S. in almost two years. Long told police that Tuesday’s attack was not racially motivated. He claimed to have a “sex addiction,” and authorities said he apparently lashed out at what he saw as sources of temptation. But those statements spurred outrage and widespread skepticism given the locations and that six of the eight victims were women of Asian descent. The shootings appear to be at the “intersection of gender-based violence, misogyny and xenophobia,” state Rep. Bee Nguyen said, the first Vietnamese American to serve in the Georgia House and a frequent advocate for women and communities of color. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said that regardless of the shooter’s motivation, “it is unacceptable, it is hateful and it has to stop.” Authorities said they didn’t know if Long ever went to the massage parlors where the shootings occurred but that he was heading to Florida to attack “some type of porn industry.”

“Eric Trump floats turning family's Florida golf resort into casino: report” by The Hill’s Joseph Choi – Eric Trump’s son of former President Trump and head of the Trump Organization, floated the idea of turning one of his family’s Florida golf courses into a casino, according to a Washington Post report published Wednesday. “Many people consider Trump Doral to be unmatched from a gaming perspective — at 700 acres, properties just don’t exist of that size and quality in South Florida, let alone in the heart of Miami,” Eric Trump said in an email to the Post. The Post reports that Florida Republicans are preparing to submit a bill that would allow developers to transfer gambling licenses to areas that have normally prohibited gambling and would also block local governments from intervening. The state currently limits gambling to mostly tribal areas and horse racing properties. Eric Trump declined to say to the Post whether his company was supporting the bill. The Post notes that before running for president, Donald Trump spent several years lobbying for Florida lawmakers to approve new casino licenses. “I think gambling is a good thing for Miami," the former president once said to the Miami Herald. Donald Trump famously opened a casino in Atlantic City that ended in bankruptcy in the '90s. The building once known as the Trump Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City was demolished in February.

National:

“Biden tells migrants 'don't come' to US as border crisis surges” by Fox News’ Joseph A. Wulfsohn – President Biden is now urging migrants planning on embarking to the United States not to come. During an interview with ABC News that is set to air during Wednesday's "Good Morning America," Biden was asked by George Stephanopoulos if it was a "mistake" for his administration not to "anticipate" the surge at the southern border following the 2020 presidential election. Biden responded by pointing to other surges at the border in both 2019 and 2020, but Stephanopolous pushed back, saying "this one might be worse." "Here's the deal: we are sending back people," Biden insisted before dismissing his critics who accuse him of encouraging migrants during the election to come when he takes office. "Do you have to say quite clearly, 'don't come?'" Stephanopoulos asked. "Yes, I can say quite clearly: don't come," Biden responded, later adding, "Don't leave your town or city or community." Thousands of migrant children are arriving at the border and are being placed in various facilities, though the White House still insists the overwhelming surge is not a "crisis."

“Columbia University hosting 6 separate graduation ceremonies based on income level, race, ethnicities” by Fox News’ Sam Dorman – Columbia University is planning to hold six additional graduation ceremonies for students according to their race and other aspects of how they identify. The New York City school's website details graduation ceremonies for Native, Asian, "Latinx" and Black students taking place for Columbia College, Columbia Engineering, General Studies and Barnard College at the end of April. Another dubbed "FLI Graduation" is for "first generation and/or low income community." The school also hosts a "Lavender" graduation for the "LGBTIAQ+ community." Due to coronavirus restrictions, the ceremonies will take place online. It's unclear when the separate ceremonies were announced, but Sunday was the deadline for nominating individuals in Columbia College, Columbia Engineering and General Studies for the "Multicultural Affairs Graduation Cords." Columbia University did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment. The university on Tuesday issued a statement on Twitter regarding the graduation ceremonies, saying the events "exist in addition to, not instead of, University-wide commencement and individual school Class Days," and are "voluntary" and "open to every student." "These events are important, intimate and welcoming spaces for students aligned with these groups to come together to celebrate their achievements if they wish," the university wrote in a tweet. "They are organized in tandem with students and student groups."

“8 killed in shootings at 3 metro Atlanta spas. Police have 1 suspect in custody” by CNN’s Jamiel Lynch – Video evidence suggests "it is extremely likely" that the same person was responsible for the three deadly shootings at massage parlors in the metro Atlanta area, police said Tuesday. Eight people were killed and one person was wounded in the attacks. Two of the shootings were at spas across the street from each other in northeast Atlanta and the other happened about 30 miles away in Cherokee County to the northwest of the city. "Video footage from our Video Integration Center places the Cherokee County suspect's vehicle in the area, around the time of our Piedmont Road shootings," the Atlanta Police Department said in a news release. "That, along with video evidence viewed by investigators, suggests it is extremely likely our suspect is the same as Cherokee County's, who is in custody. Because of this, an investigator from APD is in Cherokee County and we are working closely with them to confirm with certainty our cases are related." Officials in each jurisdiction said there were no immediate indications of motive and said it is unclear whether the shootings were related. The suspect in the Cherokee County shootings was taken into custody in Crisp County, about 150 miles south of Atlanta, around 8:30 p.m. -- about 3 1/2 hours after the killings. The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office identified him as Robert Aaron Long, 21, of Woodstock. In a video on the Crisp County Sheriff's Department Facebook page, Sheriff Frank Reynolds said the agency and the highway patrol were alerted Long was headed their way. After his vehicle was spotted, a chase ensued on Interstate 75 and a state trooper performed a maneuver that sent the SUV out of control. "The suspect was take into custody without incident ... and transported to the Crisp County jail," the official said.

“US sanctions 24 Hong Kong and Chinese officials ahead of Blinken meeting with Beijing” by CNN’s James Griffiths – Washington has sanctioned 24 Chinese and Hong Kong officials over Beijing's ongoing crackdown on the city, ahead of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's meeting with top Chinese diplomats in Alaska later this week. The sanctions were introduced under the Hong Kong Autonomy Act (HKAA), which was passed by the United States last year in response to the imposition by Beijing of a new national security law in Hong Kong that bans secession, subversion and collusion with foreign forces. Among those sanctioned are Wang Chen, a member of the 25-person Politburo, one of China's top lawmaking bodies, and Tam Yiu-chung, the only Hong Konger on the committee that drafted the national security law.

Many figures on the list released by the State Department Wednesday had previously been barred by the Trump administration from traveling to the US, along with their family members. Designation under the HKAA brings with it financial sanctions, which can include restrictions on banking, loans from US financial institutions, buying property or dealing with US entities. Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam, who was previously sanctioned under the HKAA, has said the move effectively cut her out of the global banking system, forcing her to stockpile cash because banks will not do business with her.

“Russia, Iran Acted to Influence 2020 Presidential Election, Report Says” by WSJ’s Dustin Voltz and Warren P. Strobel – The leaders of Russia and Iran last year ordered their governments to attempt to influence U.S. voters’ choices in the presidential election and undermine the public’s faith in American democracy, a U.S. intelligence assessment released Tuesday said. Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized a range of intelligence operations intended to hurt Joe Biden’s presidential campaign and support President Trump’s re-election, while Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei approved a digital scheme to undercut Mr. Trump’s re-election bid, the declassified report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said. China didn’t undertake an effort to influence voters, considering but ultimately forgoing one because neither candidate appeared sufficiently favorable to Beijing to risk its being caught by the U.S., the report said. The report also found that Cuba, Venezuela and the militant group Hezbollah took some steps to influence the election as well, though it described those as generally smaller in scale to Russia’s and Iran’s meddling. The report released Tuesday said intelligence agencies had high confidence in their findings, though it specifically doesn’t include any assessment of how much the alleged foreign meddling affected the election. It marked the first time the U.S. blamed Mr. Putin and Ayatollah Khamanei for their nation’s efforts to meddle in the 2020 presidential contest, though Mr. Putin had previously been accused of orchestrating a more-comprehensive interference operation in 2016. That operation included the hack and leak of Democratic emails and was intended to bolster Mr. Trump, according to U.S. intelligence agencies and a bipartisan Senate review.

“Kim Jong Un’s Sister Warns U.S. Not to Cause a Stink With North Korea” by WSJ’s Timothy W. Martin – Kim Jong Un’s sister warned that the U.S. should avoid causing a stink with North Korea if the two countries are to enjoy a peaceful relationship, as a pair of top Biden administration officials traveled to the region. In a Tuesday state-media report, Kim Yo Jong, the younger sister of the North Korean dictator, railed against combined military exercises between the U.S. and South Korea that began last week. The trainings have for years been scaled-down affairs, having moved to computer simulations. But the Kim Jong Un regime has long been irked by the exercises, choosing to view them as U.S. hostilities. Ms. Kim mostly levied insults at the Seoul government and didn’t mention President Biden by name. But she singled out the new U.S. administration, which she said has been “trying hard to give off [a] powder smell in our land,” according to the English language version of the report. “If it wants to sleep in peace for [the] coming four years, it had better refrain from causing a stink at its first step,” said Ms. Kim, deputy director of the North’s propaganda and agitation department. The North Korean state-media missive, a hallmark of the regime’s foreign affairs, came as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin were in Japan, with plans to next travel together to South Korea. The visits represent the first foreign trip for each. North Korea’s denuclearization is a key focus for the stops in Tokyo and Seoul.

“Biden says Cuomo should resign if sexual misconduct allegations are true” by Reuters’ Staff – U.S. President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo should resign if the allegations of sexual misconduct against him are confirmed by an investigation. New York state Attorney General Letitia James last week named a team of outside lawyers to lead a probe into accusations that Cuomo harassed women through unwanted, sexually suggestive comments or inappropriate physical contact, including unsolicited kissing. Asked in an interview with ABC News whether Cuomo should step down if the investigation finds the allegations are true, Biden said: “Yes. I think he’ll probably end up being prosecuted, too.” Cuomo, a 63-year-old divorced father of three daughters in their 20s, has denied any misconduct and vowed to cooperate with the inquiry by James’ office. “A woman should be presumed to be telling the truth and should not be scapegoated and become victimized by her coming forward,” Biden said. “There should be an investigation to determine whether what she says is true.” New York’s two U.S. senators, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, last week urged Cuomo, a fellow Democrat, to resign, saying he had “lost the confidence” of New Yorkers. The state legislature has said it would open an impeachment investigation into the allegations.

“In landmark ruling, Japan court says not allowing same-sex marriage is 'unconstitutional'” by Reuters’ Elaine Lies – A Japenese district court on Wednesday ruled that not allowing same-sex couples to marry is “unconstitutional”, setting a new precedent in the only G7 nation not to fully recognise same-sex partnership, though it rejected demands for damages to be paid. The ruling, the first in Japan on the legality of same-sex marriages, is a major symbolic victory in a country where the constitution defines marriage as being based on “the mutual consent of both sexes.” As it currently stands, same-sex couples can’t inherit their partner’s assets - such as the house they may have shared - and also have no parental rights to any children their partners may have. Though partnership certificates issued by individual municipalities around the nation help with renting places to live and hospital visitation rights, they still don’t allow the same full legal rights as for heterosexual couples. The Sapporo District Court threw out the demand for damages by the six plaintiffs - two couples of men and one of women - who had asked that the Japanese government pay 1 million yen each in acknowledgment of the pain they suffered by not being able to legally marry.

“Biden to hold first news conference March 25” by Politico’s Nick Niedzwiadek – President Joe Biden will hold his first formal news conference on March 25, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday. While the president has periodically taken questions from reporters, Biden has been under increased fire from conservative news outlets — as well as some political allies — for waiting longer than some predecessors to hold a media availability after taking office. Should the March 25 date hold, Biden will have gone more than two full months without holding a news conference to start his tenure. Recent past presidents have typically done so within their first month as a good-faith gesture toward the free press. The White House is stepping up its media presence as part of an effort to promote the recently enacted $1.9 trillion stimulus package and tout the continual progress in scaling up coronavirus vaccinations. On Tuesday, Biden traveled to Pennsylvania, and other emissaries are also spreading out across the country as part of a planned blitz. The Biden administration initially won plaudits for reinstating daily press briefings, a practice that atrophied under former President Donald Trump, who preferred to act as his own spokesperson and often engaged with reporters in freewheeling exchanges that caused heartburn for his administration. Earlier in his political career, Biden had a reputation for committing gaffes, and he and his team had been cautious to ensure message discipline on the campaign trail and during the first weeks of his presidency. However, the president has at times strayed, with his comments that states rushing to lift Covid-related restrictions were exhibiting “neanderthal thinking.” The derisive remark stoked Republican outrage for days as Congress worked to push through the relief package.

“Biden open to bringing back talking filibuster” by Politico’s Benjamin Din – President Joe Biden suggested he’d back changes to the Senate filibuster, urging a return to previous practices that required objecting lawmakers to hold the floor. “I don’t think that you have to eliminate the filibuster,” Biden said in an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, an excerpt of which aired on Tuesday evening. “You have to do it what it used to be when I first got to the Senate back in the old days. … You had to stand up and command the floor, you had to keep talking.” “You’ve got to work for the filibuster,” he added. Biden’s remarks on filibuster reform are his strongest to date; White House press secretary Jen Psaki said earlier Tuesday that the president’s preference was “not to make changes” to filibuster rules, but that he was also “open to hearing ideas.” Biden, a longtime creature of the Senate, is facing a growing call among Democrats and progressives to push for ending the legislative filibuster, which requires 60 votes to move forward on most legislation in the Senate. It’s an issue that has alarmed those in his party, who hold the majority in a 50-50 Senate with Vice President Kamala Harris’ tie-breaking vote, and are worried about potential gridlock. But in his interview, Biden did not explicitly say whether he wanted to eliminate the 60-vote threshold. And it’s not clear how much of a change reinstating the talking filibuster would bring. Under the current Senate rules, a senator can still seize the floor and delay, depending on the procedure.

“Senate Republicans plot their Covid aid payback” by Politico’s Burgess Everett and Caitlin Emma – After getting steamrolled by Democrats on President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid plan, Republicans are planning to fight back. And it could mean an autumn of stalemates over raising the debt ceiling, spending cuts and unemployment benefits. Despite overseeing trillions of dollars of red ink during Donald Trump’s presidency, the GOP is rediscovering its past embrace of fiscal discipline. And the party can exert itself on a series of politically painful votes where Democrats will need cooperation in the months ahead. Senate Democrats’ 50-member majority will need at least 10 GOP votes to fund the government, prevent major Medicare cuts and perhaps most importantly, raise the debt ceiling this year — and Republicans say they don’t intend to make things easy. “What keeps me up at night is our national debt and how much we’re paying right now. So it is a huge concern,” said Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.). “We’re certainly going to dig in on those issues.” Unless Democrats somehow manage to scrap the filibuster, the 50-vote Senate Republican minority will find itself wielding impressive leverage against a president who pushed forward on a party-line Covid stimulus and aggravated many in the GOP. On big issues, Democrats are "going to have to negotiate at some point,” said Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.)