Opponents of SW Ranches prison protest Wasserman Schultz ... in Aventura

An immigration rights group that is fighting against a planned privately-operated immigration detention facility in Southwest Ranches will hold a protest tomorrow at 11 a.m. at U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz's (D-Weston) office in Aventura.

The prison has created a war between the tiny Broward town of Southwest Ranches and neighboring Pembroke Pines -- read more about the about-face from Pines at PolitiFact.com and Wasserman Schultz's letter about the project. And it has created an odd coalition in an attempt to stop it: immigration rights supporters and suburban residents whose fears include living near immigrants accused of crimes.

From the press release from the Florida Immigrant Coalition:

"Since 2011, residents of Southwest Broward, immigrant communities and diverse advocates have been working to stop the building of this massive immigration prison in the town of Southwest Ranches by for-profit prison giant, Corrections Corporation of America (CCA). These efforts include several requests to Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz to withdraw a letter of support she sent to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director, Gary Mead, in April 2011, and to intervene with ICE to stop the project. Despite overwhelming and broad opposition, she has refused to withdraw her support to the proposed prison.
 
"For close to a year, we've been nicely yet persistently saying that Latino and immigrant families in her district and all over South Florida will be hurt by this prison.” says Maria Rodriguez, Executive Director for the Florida Immigrant Coalition. “Our fears and tears will no longer go unheard and ignored! The Congresswoman should represent the interests of all Florida families, not for-profit prisons."

Arrests, domestic violence, blog wars. Yup. Another day in Broward's vicious GOP congressional race

The Shark Tank Blog, which bags Congressional candidate Karen Harrington, recently took a bite of her fellow Republican, Ozzie deFaria, for two arrests in 2005 and 2006 when he scuffled twice with his estranged wife's boyfriend. The full blog and links to the arrest reports are here.

The "court records from his 2005 Domestic Violence case and his 2006 Arrest for Repeat Domestic Violence and Battery are painting a very disturbing pattern of domestic violence and perhaps some serious anger management issues," blogger Javier Manjarres opines.

DeFaria's campaign is pushing back, blaming Harrington for The Shark Tank's blog (which Manjarres denies) while pointing to yet another website, called truthaboutjaviermanjarres.com, that attacks Manjarres.

Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, whom the Republicans want to topple, must be grinning at the internal Republican conflict.

Following are links and excerpts of letters to Harrington from deFaria and his ex, Elaine Seibold, as well as Manjarres' response ( Download From deFaria and Download From Seibold

Florida's congressional Democrats hold their own Medicare meeting, no Republicans allowed

Democratic Reps. Alcee L. Hastings, Corrine Brown, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Kathy Castor, Ted Deutch, and Frederica Wilson are scheduled to meet this week to talk about Medicare -- but they're not inviting the Republicans in the Florida delegation. 

Hastings, the Democratic chairman of the delegation, says he'll host the meeting Thursday morning "to highlight the importance of Medicare to Florida, and the impact of Medicare changes on Florida's beneficiaries."

We've reached out to Democrats and Republicans in the Florida congressional delegation, but no word yet on why GOP Reps. Sandy Adams, Gus Bilarakis, Vern Buchanan, Ander Crenshaw, Mario Diaz-Balart, Connie Mack, John Mica, Jeff Miller, Rich Nugent, Bill Posey, David Rivera, Tom Rooney, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Dennis Ross, Steve Southerland, Cliff Stearns, Daniel Webster, Alan West or Bill Young weren't invited.

From Temple Israel bema, teen decries "bullying" of Debbie Wasserman Schultz, decries tactics of Mitt Romney congregant

In the back-and-forth between Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Mitt Romney's Miami-Dade co-chair, Stanley Tate, over an Israel speech, we haven't heard from one person who was deeply affected: Lauren Trushin, the 16-year-old girl who was confirmed Friday night and was looking forward to having the congresswoman speak.

But Wasserman Schultz was uninvited after, according to a close reading of Lauren's speech, Tate made a fuss -- not the congresswoman. Tate's allies say the congresswoman was the fit-pitcher.

"What I learned from the member who made the threats is that... people who engage in bullying get their way when people don’t stand up to them," Lauren said in her speech.

"I have learned some hard lessons recently, and I can’t help but be disappointed that I was not able to hear Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz speak tonight. I find it upsetting that anyone would take a stand against a prominent Jewish politician making a speech about the State of Israel, and make threats and misstatements."

The incident underscores the strong emotions in the fight for the Jewish vote -- even at liberal-leaning synagogues like Temple Israel. President Obama's campaign, incidentally, is advertising on a Temple Israel's UStream channel that features, among other things, a recording of the Shabbat service in question.

Temple Israel cancels Wasserman Schultz speech

Miami's Temple Israel yanked a program featuring Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz after a high-profile Republican donor quit the congregation in protest of the Democratic congresswoman's involvement.

Stanley Tate, a well-known philanthropist who started Florida's pre-paid college tuition program, resigned from the temple in protest after he learned Wasserman Schultz would be talking about Israel Friday night and he wouldn't get a chance at rebuttal.

Both are highly political people. As chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, Wasserman Schultz is one of President Barack Obama's top mouthpieces. Tate is a co-chair of Mitt Romney's campaign in Miami-Dade County, and also has a national role in the GOP presidential candidate's campaign.  

Tate's resignation, first reported by the Shark Tank blog, came after he asked the temple's leadership to let him speak in response to Wasserman Schultz. When they wouldn't do so, Tate said he would leave the congregation.

"She's the chairperson of the Democratic National Committee," he said. "The topic is U.S.-Israel relationship. There cannot be any conversation on that topic, none,  unless it has to do with the politics."

It's not unusual for Florida politicians -- or any political figures -- to speak at religious institutions, and Wasserman Schultz's office said she is regularly invited to do so. The temple is just outside her congressional district, which straddles Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

The temple's president, Ben Kuehne, said that while they "certainly embrace the congresswoman's willingness to participate in one of our programs," the board decided "it's unwise to proceed with the program tomorrow."

Invoking DNC chair and Sen. Nelson, RNC's Priebus calls on Obama to revoke Castro visa

Talk about strange political bedfellows. Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus is invoking Democratic Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in his call to revoke the visas of Mariela Castro et al.

Here's what Priebus just tweeted: "Officially invite @DWSTweets to join me in Miami for a press conference calling on @BarackObama to revoke visas granted to Cuban officials"

Doubt he'll get a response.

Background story is here. Press release follows:

WASHINGTON - Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus released the following statement calling on President Obama to revoke the visas that were recently granted to Cuban officials:

"President Obama should listen to his Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Senator Bill Nelson of Florida. He should change course and revoke the visas granted to Cuban officials. America should not be in the business of welcoming leaders of the oppressive Castro regime to our country," said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus.

"Democrats and Republicans disagree on many things, so when we come together on an issue, President Obama should take notice. As Senator Nelson said, granting visas to the Castro regime simply 'makes no sense.'

"At a time when an American sits in Cuban jail for helping the Jewish community gain access to the Internet, we should not be rolling out the red carpet for Communists with an atrocious human rights record. America must stand for freedom and with those fighting for it."

DNC Chair Wasserman Schultz breaks with Obama (and Bush) over Castro visa

First, Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson opposed the Obama Administration's decision to award a visa to the niece of Fidel Castro. Now comes Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Broward Congresswoman who -- like Nelson -- is tough on Cuba and was put in quite a spot by the decision of Obama.

Trying to straddle both worlds of Obama loyalist and Cuba hardliner, Wasserman Schultz noted that Mariela Castro had three times visited the United States when President Bush was in office in 2001 and 2002. And there was nary a peep of protest. But back then, it appears, no one really knew about it.

Still, it's clear she opposes the decision now as she would have then.

Here's a statement from her congressional office: “The Bush Administration set a bad precedent by granting Mariela Castro a waiver in 2001 and 2002, as I believe that such visa requests should not be accepted because of the ongoing human rights abuses in Cuba. While I respect my colleagues, it's important to note they did not criticize President George W. Bush for granting Ms. Castro a waiver in 2002. Politics has no place when we are standing up for human rights."

This isn’t the first time that Wasserman Schultz’s South Florida-infused Cuba policy has conflicted with her fellow Democrats over Cuba policy. A May 2011 story noted that, though Obama and Wasserman Schultz are friends, they differ on Cuba policy

“Obama has backed greater engagement with Cuba; Wasserman Schultz opposes easing restrictions on the Castro government and as a freshman legislator helped found the Cuba Democracy Caucus, a bipartisan group of pro-embargo legislators that works to thwart efforts to ease the embargo.

“It’s not going to be something that creates any daylight between the president and myself,” she said. She’s not talked Cuba policy with Obama recently, she said.”

In November 2009, Wasserman Schultz rallied 52 other Democrats in the House to oppose lifting the Cuba embargo. They sent a letter to then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi supporting current Cuba policy, which embargo-supporters said effectively killed a bill to open Cuba to tourists.

Also, in 2008, Wasserman Schultz’ relationship with fellow South Florida Reps and Cuba hardliners Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Mario Diaz-Balart and Lincoln Diaz-Balart left the Democrat on the sidelines when she was supposed to be helping to raise money to support the Republicans’ opponents.

John McCain endorses Ozzie deFaria in crowded GOP primary v. Debbie Wasserman Schultz

We don't blog every endorsement in every race, but Sen. John McCain's decision to endorse Republican Ozzie deFaria in the GOP primary for Debbie Wasserman Schultz's seat is a big deal. DeFaria's folks remind us that McCain got over 41,000 votes in Broward County and over 76,000 votes in Miami Dade in the 2008 Presidential Primary.  He won Broward County 41% to 24% over Romney in Broward and 49% to 26% over Giuliani in Miami Dade.

The press release:

Weston, FL - The Ozzie deFaria for Congress campaign is proud to announce the endorsement of United States Senator and former Republican Presidential nominee John McCain.

 

Senator McCain said: "We need more people with Ozzie deFaria's business experience in the United States Congress. As a business leader who helped create thousands of jobs, Ozzie knows how to get America's economic engine back on track. I am confident he will be a consistent conservative leader who will serve the American people with honor and integrity. It is imperative that we have highly qualified conservative candidates like Ozzie to challenge extreme liberals like Debbie Wasserman Schultz."

 

Ozzie deFaria said: "I am truly honored and humbled to receive the support of Senator John McCain. He is an American hero who has always put our country first. His record fighting government waste and pork barrel spending is one I hope to emulate in the United States Congress. I look forward to working with Senator McCain in the coming years."    

 

In February, Ozzie was named an "On the Radar" candidate as part of the National Republican Congressional Committee's prestigious Young Guns program. He is a first generation citizen who has lived the American dream without one government handout. He worked his way through college and then climbed the ranks at AT&T to become an executive managing a $1.5 billion portfolio. He left AT&T to serve as the CEO and COO of other firms. Throughout his career, Ozzie helped create over 2,000 private sector jobs and added $800 million to the economy.

Ozzie is set to give Debbie Wasserman Schultz her first serious challenge for Congress. He has reported more in total receipts than Wasserman Schultz's general election opponents in 2008 and 2010 combined. 

Top Dems distance themselves from Hilary Rosen. DNC: she doesn't work for us

Republicans are jumping all over Democrat Hilary Rosen for saying last night on CNN that Mitt Romney's wife, Ann Romney, has never worked. Conservatives say that amounts to an attack on stay-at-home-moms.

**Update: Rosen apologized.

Obama's campaign and advisers quickly distanced themselves from Rosen. President Obama's campaign manager said she should apologize. No way, says Rosen.

Now the Democratic National Committee is as well, saying that she doesn't work for them -- despite a Wall Street Journal report saying last month that she was a DNC advisor to Chairwoman and Broward Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

"She's not an adviser to the DNC - the DNC's contract for media services is exclusively with Anita Dunn," said spokesman Brad Woodhouse via email. Asked about the journal article, Woodhouse said "I don't have any idea what the wsj's source for that is - our contract is exclusively with Anita Dunn."

Rosen works at Dunn's firm.

In "Jewbag" flap, Wasserman Schultz stands by aide

The head of the Democratic National Committee, Broward Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, is sticking by a Jewish-outreach aide who was embarrassed last week by an old Facebook posting where she joked about “Jewbags.”

The aide, Danielle “Dani” Gilbert (who is Jewish like Wasserman Schultz) quickly apologized for the six-year-old anti-Semitic slur. But by then, the Facebook posting had gone viral.

Also, Democratic sources started leaking stories that her hiring at the DNC exposed a rift with President Obama’s campaign.

Wasserman Schultz on Monday said Gilbert should be forgiven. She said it also showed the perils of social media in today’s campaign world.

“She was 20 when she posted that picture,” Wasserman Schultz said. “I spoke to my own children and gave that unfortunate posting as an example of how, no matter what you think is funny among your friends, nothing on social media is private.”