Report: Campaign contributions influence Cuba policy

Supporters of the U.S. embargo against Cuba have contributed almost $11 million to members of Congress since 2004 in a largely successful effort to block efforts to weaken sanctions against the island, a new report shows.

In several cases, according to the report by the nonpartisan group Public Campaign, members of Congress who had supported easing sanctions against Cuba changed their positions -- and then got donations from the U.S.-Cuba Democracy Political Action Committee and its donors.

All told, the political action committee that champions the embargo and its contributors have given $10.77 million nationwide to almost 400 candidates and members of Congress, the report says.

Wasserman Schultz calls healthcare vote with anti-abortion plank 'painful'

Shortly before her town hall meeting today in Pembroke Pines, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz talked about Saturday's vote on healthcare legislation in Congress. The bill contained an amendment -- opposed by all Florida Democrats, even the two who voted against the overall bill -- that bans insurance companies that participate in the new healthcare system from covering abortion.

"I think the final bill will contain a compromise that is acceptable to both sides,'' Wasserman Schultz said. "We were very close in the House.''

Wasserman Schultz called the anti-abortion amendment "painful" but said she wanted to keep healthcare reform moving forward.

"It was simultaneously the best vote I have cast in 17 years in office and among the most difficult at the same time,'' she said. "I'm someone who has spent my whole career believing in not compromising my principles, and I had competing principles there."

Wasserman Schultz said she had no regrets having helped elect Democrat Suzanne Kosmas to Congress even though she voted against the bill. The Orlando-area congresswoman is considered one of the most politically vulnerable members in 2010.

"She understands the needs of her fiscally conservative district,'' Wasserman Schultz said. "I don't think Suzanne Kosmas votes on political calculation ever. She does what she thinks is right."

Here we go again: Wasserman Schultz, Meek to hold town hall

This just in: U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Kendrick Meek will hold a town hall meeting on the just-passed healthcare legislation from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Southwest Focal Point Senior Center in Pembroke Pines.

Can't help but wonder if the last-minute notice is intended to prevent opponents from having enough time to organize a protest. Remember Wasserman Schultz's last town-hall meeting with constituents on healthcare was over the phone in August.

Meek held a orderly public forum in early September that looked nothing like some of the raucous confrontations with members of Congress that popped up around the country.

UPDATE: Wasserman Schultz's spokesman, Jonathan Beeton, said 56,000 constituents received notices in the mail Saturday and Monday about the meeting. He blamed the late notice to the press on the flurry of activity leading up to and after Saturday's vote in Congress. He also said radio talk show host Joyce Kaufman has been rousing anti-healthcare reform activists this week, so there may be a crowd.

Two Florida Dems vote against health care bill Meek calls "historic legislation"

Florida Dems Suzanne Kosmas -- a freshman legislator who ousted a Republican in 2008 -- and Blue Dog Dem Allen Boyd were among just 39 Democrats voting against the health care bill as it narrowly cleared the House with a 220 to 215 vote margin. South Florida Democrats Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Kendrick Meek, Ron Klein, Alcee Hastings and Robert Wexler voted in favor.

Citing editorials in the Miami Herald and St. Petersburg Times in support of the measure, Meek said the legislation will "stem our state’s epidemic of the uninsured. The time came for Congress to act, and we delivered on our promise to the American people."

South Florida's Republicans voted no, with Mario Diaz-Balart calling it a "monstrosity" that will "kill jobs, devastate Medicare, impose huge tax increases and force states to make reductions in education and public safety funding."

Dems tell Pelosi they support ban on travel to Cuba

More than 50 House Democrats -- including Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Kendrick Meek, Alcee Hastings and Ron Klein --- sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi supporting current Cuba policy, which embargo-supporters say effectively squashes efforts to lift a ban on travel to Cuba.

The letter is aimed at blunting the momentum proponents of lifting the travel ban have claimed under a Democratic president and Democratic-led Congress.

"We felt it was important to show that when push comes to shove, the votes aren't there,'' Wasserman Schultz said.Proponents of lifting the travel ban, however, said they've got 180 sponsors to repeal the decades-old ban and said the letter doesn't change the outlook for getting the bill passed.

Wasserman Schultz in the running for a Dem leadership post

Debbie Wasserman Schultz and two other House Dems are "raising tons of money, dishing the cash to key House colleagues and cementing their place in Nancy Pelosi’s inner circle," Politico reports -- as they jockey to lead the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2012.

Wasserman Schultz has already given about $300,000 this year alone to Democratic candidates nationwide. She's already in charge of helping Democrats defend their seats in 2010 and "is also one of nine chief deputy whips — a skill that will be critical in the upcoming health care vote. And she has cemented her reputation as a consistent Democratic presence on cable TV. She appeared side by side with Pelosi in Sunrise, Fla., on Monday to sell health care reform to seniors, a critical voting bloc in Florida."

Deutch picks up endorsement from Wexler

Ted Deutch landed Rep. Robert Wexler's endorsement to fill the retiring Democrat's  congressional seat -- along with that of Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Alcee Hastings and Ron Klein.

The four South Floridians made the announcement during a joint press call.

"I know with absolute certainty he is the best person to represent" the district, Wexler said of Deutch. Wasserman Schultz said Wexler, the outgoing self-described 'fire-breathing liberal,' would be greatly missed, "You've just been amazing."

But, she said Wexler, who is leaving to become director of the Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation, had made sure "not to leave his constituents in the lurch," by endorsing Deutch.

"He is a remarkable legislator," she said of the state senator. Deutch said the endorsements would provide his campaign with valuable momentum. Also in the running for the Palm Beach/Broward county seat: Democrats Ben Graber and Jose Ruiz -- and potentially Broward County Mayor Stacy Ritter. On the GOP side, Ed Lynch, who last week picked up the endorsement of comedian Jackie Mason.

GOP candidate ripped for targeting Wasserman Schultz

National and local Democrats are condemning a Republican candidate who fired at a target with Debbie Wasserman Schultz's initials on it during a recent GOP event at a Pembroke Pines shooting range.

The Weston congresswoman said, "I find this type of action serious and disturbing. Tonight I am going to have to talk to my young children about why someone is pretending to shoot their mother. Trivializing violent behavior is the kind of extreme view that has no place in American politics."

In an effort at damage control in the liberal leaning congressional district, Republican candidate Robert Lowry said in a statement: "Debbie Wasserman Schultz is a fine lady and we wish her and her family well. It is her continued support for harmful policies affecting seniors and her failure to act  for the general benefit of US Congressional District 20 is what we take issue with."

A tale of two cities, one health crisis

More than half of Hialeah adults aged 18-64 -- 53.1 percent -- lack health insurance, according to Census data. That's almost three times the national average and the highest rate in South Florida. The lowest -- 13.8 percent -- is in Weston.

That disparity "could certainly be a poster child about the need for reform,'' says Robert Berenson, a physician who is a health policy expert at the Urban Institute.

The congressmen for the two cities -- Republican Lincoln Diaz-Balart for Hialeah and Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz for Weston -- agree reform is needed, but have completely different ideas on what should be done. Read more here.

Two Floridians with a front row seat to Obama speech

Ron Klein and Debbie Wasserman Schultz gave their guest tickets to tonight's speech by President Barack Obama to Floridians with experience navigating the nation's health care system. Klein's guest, Andrea Levy, 24, of Boca Raton, has cystic fibrosis and has been "fighting the disease with courage her entire life," Klein said.

Levy said she's thrilled to "witness history." She said it's "about time" for health care reform: "I’ve had 24 years experience in dealing with the difficulties of getting the right health care coverage for my illness."

Levy said she watched the coverage of some of the chaotic summer town hall meetings, but wasn't discouraged. "I'm and excited and happy people are finally interested in health care reform," she said. "I think people thought it was boring."

Wasserman Schultz invited Miramar resident Rosalyn Frazier, the head of the Broward Community & Family Health Centers.