Debbie Wasserman Schultz statement on the results of the Florida Republican primary

 Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz released the following statement tonight on the results of the Florida Republican primary:

“Mitt Romney’s victory tonight in the Florida GOP primary comes as no surprise – Romney and his Super PAC outspent his nearest opponent by running 13,000 ads to Newt Gingrich's 200, carpet- bombing the airwaves with negative ads. In fact, Romney’s campaign has already spent more on negative ads than John McCain did during his entire presidential run.

“Tonight, Romney was successful in buying his way to victory – but with every passing Republican contest, he becomes weaker with key general election swing and independent voters should he make it that far. That’s because Mitt Romney has made it clear he will say anything, take any position on any given day and before any given audience and will distort any fact about his or his opponents' record to win.

"But voters are paying more attention than Mitt Romney gives them credit for. They know he has declared support for both an extreme Tea Party agenda that would gut Social Security and Medicare and a budget plan that would end Medicare as we know it and shifts costs onto the backs of America’s seniors. They also know Romney has doubled down on his incredibly out-of-touch positions of letting foreclosures hit the bottom and expanding tax breaks to the wealthiest few at the expense of the middle class. And despite his double-speak in Florida, Mitt Romney has done nothing to dissuade voters from the notion that he is the most anti-immigrant significant major party candidate for president in generations.

"The reason Mitt Romney's negatives have soared with independent voters nationally and in key states, even as he has won one contest on his home field and bought his way to victory in another, is because the more voters learn about his extreme and out of touch positions the less they like him and the less they trust him to lead."

When Mitt Romney Comes to Town

Cindy Lerner

Mayor, Pinecrest, FL; Florida Chair, Democratic Municipal Officials

It's never good news when Mitt Romney comes to town.

It wasn't good news when Romney was in the business world, experience upon which he has staked his entire candidacy. Just ask the folks at Dade Behring.

After Romney's investment firm bought the profitable medical-equipment company and ran it into the ground, 850 workers in Miami -- and twice as many nationwide -- lost their jobs. For most businesses, that would count as a devastating failure. For Romney and his fellow corporate raiders at Bain Capital, it was a rousing success: they made nearly $250 million by driving Dade Behring into bankruptcy.

Romney is running as a self-described "job creator," but the facts at that factory and so many others across the country tell a much different story. His own business partner even admitted the idea was never to put people to work -- it was to put money in their pockets by making profit at any cost. Like one of Romney's victims at Dade Behring said, "He didn't create jobs. He slashed and burned jobs."

As voters discover the truth about the kind of business Romney practiced, the candidate is finding out that coming to town now means bad news for his popularity. The more voters learn about him, the less they like him. It's not hard to see why.

Romney has profited handsomely at the expense American taxpayers, enriching himself off Medicare fraud at another medical business that he oversaw. Damon Corporation pleaded guilty to defrauding the Medicare system of $25 million while Romney served on its board of directors, which cost taxpayers $40 million. The U.S. Attorney called it a case of "corporate greed run amok" and the company was fined $119 million. Again, not an experience most business leaders would remember fondly. But when Damon was sold, Romney walked away with $473,000.

Of course, Romney doesn't want Floridians to think about the workers he laid off, the greed for which the companies he oversaw were punished, or the fortune he made in the process. So he's running on what he calls a record of job creation.

But Romney has flailed and failed while trying to explain that claim. He used to claim Bain created more than 10,000 jobs, then "tens of thousands." In recent weeks he's offered figures ranging from 100,000 to 120,000 to just "thousands." His gyrations inspire more dizziness than confidence.

And Floridians should ask themselves: if Romney's time at Bain prepared him so well to create jobs from elected office, why did Romney leave Massachusetts 47th in job creation and bleeding manufacturing jobs at double the national average?

This week the Florida sunshine will expose even more of Romney's record and ideas. They'll pale in comparison to the president's record of creating more than 3 million jobs over 22 straight months of private-sector growth, and his vision of a fair, job-creating economy that's built to last and rewards hard work and responsibility.

Just last week the president came to Disney World to announce new support for our travel and tourism industry. His campaign has already been here for months, with nine offices across the state and an army of volunteers who have held thousands of one-on-one conversations and planned hundreds more events in the coming weeks.

After the Republicans go home next week and the national media follow them out, the president's campaign will still be here talking with Floridians about his record of job-creation, transparency and restoring the values that made America great. For Mitt Romney, that's just more bad news.

Invitation To Be On The Radio Today at 3pm

We are based in Boston, but broadcast progressive radio shows in a growing network of cities, including Tampa. This week, we are live in Fort Lauderdale at the Floridian Restaurant and talking to local and national democrats about the Florida primary. We are reaching out to see if you might have any contacts who are able to attend this live broadcast tomorrow. It will take place between 3-7 PM at the Floridian Restaurant at 1410 E Las Olas Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. 

Guests on tomorrow's show include Dan Reynolds (President, Broward County AFL-CIO), and US Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. 

We invite you and any of your contacts to attend this live broadcast, and join us for an afternoon of political talk, good food and a trivia contest. Stop by for the whole show, or just for a quick bite to eat and some conversation with folks who share your views!

Debbie Wasserman Schultz, has released the following statement on RNC Chair Reince Priebus' comparison of President Obama to the Italian cruise ship captain who’s come under media fire for apparently abandoning his sinking vessel

The DNC Chair, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, has released the following statement on RNC Chair Reince Priebus' comparison of President Obama to the Italian cruise ship captain who’s come under media fire for apparently abandoning his sinking vessel:

“Chairman Priebus should be ashamed of his comments comparing President Obama to the captain of the wrecked Italian cruise ship. That he would compare the President of the United States with a man now charged with manslaughter for his actions shows a lack of respect for the President that is beyond the bounds of appropriate political discourse. More importantly, it shows a galling lack of sensitivity for the victims of this tragedy and their families, as well as those still living in anguish because their loved-ones are still missing.

“Chairman Priebus crossed the line. People died, and he is exploiting and making light of a tragedy for political purposes. I call on Chairman Priebus to apologize for his comments and for the hurt he may have caused in making them."

Rally to Defeat Amendment 8!

Almost 200 people turned out yesterday to hear Andrew Rosenkranz, Howard Simon, and Barry Lynn at the Rally to Defeat Amendment 8!  It was literally standing room only!  The speakers were incredible, especially Barry Lynn, who had the audience roaring with laughter again and again.  It was a wonderful event!  

    I am attaching four Broward Vote No on Amendment 8 Coalition flyers, which you can print out and share with friends, family and neighbors.  Amendment 8 is dangerous and must be defeated!  If you'd like to join us in the effort to defeat Amendment 8, please notify Alan Scheib at alanscheib@gmail.com or at 954-217-2958.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FLYER

Alan G. Ehrlich

Mitt Romney’s ties with Damon Corporation, a company that was fined for Medicare fraud

Democrats just released a report on Mitt Romney’s ties with Damon Corporation, a company that was fined for Medicare fraud. From Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz:   

Now, as Romney campaigns across Florida, including courting voters in my congressional district, he must answer troubling questions about his time as a board member at Damon Corporation, a medical testing company that was fined over $119 million in criminal and civil fines for a large-scale Medicare defrauding scheme, and his debunked story about his role in uncovering and reporting the fraud to federal investigators.

As for what this means for Romney, the email continues:

Romney has repeatedly claimed that his success in the private sector has been—and would continue to be—an asset for the country, but it’s increasingly clear that Romney’s success came through questionable means at the expense of hardworking taxpayers. Laying off workers, defrauding Medicare, bankrupting companies, and storing millions of dollars in notorious off-shore tax havens may have brought Romney success as a corporate raider, but these aren’t the qualities that would serve America’s middle class families well.

GOP debate: Candidates bicker over illegal immigration

Illegal immigration dominated the beginning of a CNN debate Thursday in Tampa, Fla. with presidential candidates Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney clashing over rhetoric and approaches to dealing with approximately 11 million people who have entered the United States illegally.

Each of the four Republicans still in the presidential race were asked for their position on illegal immigration, but the conversation quickly became a tête-à-tête between the two frontrunners, who accused each other of offensive language and of failing to grasp what the nation must do to solve the problem.
Read the story here.

Last Redistricting Meeting Tomorrow

Tomorrow, members of the House Redistricting Committee will meet to discuss and vote on proposed maps for Florida's state House, state Senate and congressional districts. The meeting represents the final committee stop for the House's proposed maps before those options head to the House floor. Meeting details are below:

What:                   House Redistricting Committee Meeting

Date:                     Friday, January 27, 2012

Time:                    9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. EST

Location:             404 House Office Building, Tallahassee, FL

View Live:          House Broadcasts

                                                      

During tomorrow's meeting, Members will consider five timely filed amendments. Each amendment is listed below for your reference.  In addition, a summary of the amendments can be found here:

·         State House map: Amendment 1 (H000H9049) to HJR 6011 (H000H9027) by Vice Chair Precourt

·         State House map: Amendment 2 (SPUBH0177) to HJR 6011 (H000H9027) by Chair Weatherford

·         Congressional map: Amendment 1 (H000C9047) to HB 6005 (H000C9043) by Vice Chair Precourt

·         Congressional map: Amendment 2 (SPUBC0170) to HB 6005 (H000C9043) by Chair Weatherford

·         State Senate map: Amendment 1 (S000S9008) to HJR 6001 (S000S9004) by Vice Chair Precourt

Mitt Romney Denies He Is Mexican-American

Mitt Romney laughed off the suggestion on Thursday that if elected he would be the country’s first Mexican-American President. The Univision host Jorge Ramos cheekily asked about Romney’s Mexican heritage, referencing the fact that Romney’s father was born in a Mormon encampment in Mexico.

“I would love to be able to convince people of that,” Romney joked in response. “Particularly in a Florida primary.” But, he added, “I don’t think people would think I was being honest with them if I said I was Mexican-American.”

The Florida primary on January 31 is the first time in this cycle that the candidates have had to appeal to Latino voters. Whereas in Iowa and New Hampshire, Romney was courting white audiences as the far-right candidate on immigration, Romney is now moderating his stance for a Florida audience, where 11% of registered Republicans are Latino. Gingrich has struck a more moderate tone on immigration and Romney needs to win over at least some of this community.

READ MORE....

Retain Judge Lopane Kick Off

 

 

Please join the Committee to Retain Judge Lopane and Deputy Campaign Treasurers Robert Butterworth Esquire, Samuel Goren, Esp., and Collins Forman, Esq. for a

 

Campaign Kick Off Rally

 

Thursday, February 9, 2012

5:30 p.m.

Tap 42

1411 South Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale

 

Please  RSVP to retainlopane@retainlopane.com

RSVPs are appreciated but not required.

 

 RETAINLOPANE.COM    Retain Lopane P.O. Box 350223, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33335

Political advertisement paid for and approved by Nicholas "Nick" Lopane, Non Partisan, for Circuit Court Judge, Group 5.

  

Dear Colleagues and Friends of Nick, 

   As you know, with your assistance Judge Lopane was appointed to the Circuit Bench in 2010, however, Judges in Florida are required to run in their first election cycle following their appointment then every 6 years thereafter. Judge Lopane's election will be this Fall 2012, although he does not have an opponent, his campaign committee is active and vigorously promoting his candidacy.  Your help is needed! If you would like to assist in this endeavor then please join us for a kickoff rally on his behalf and for some fun and refreshments. This is an open event, so please feel free to invite whomever you would like to accompany you, and to forward this email freely.

 

Thank you.

 

JOHN PAVSNER, ESQ.

JMP@Pavsnerlaw.com

Committee to

RETAIN JUDGE NICK LOPANE

P.O. Box 350223

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33335

 

Political advertisement paid for and approved by Nicholas

"Nick" Lopane, Non Partisan, for Circuit Court Judge, Group 5.

Rep. Wasserman Schultz Statement on 39th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

“Today we mark an incredible milestone – 39 years since the Supreme Court of the United States guaranteed the women of this country the right to make their own reproductive health decisions. As a woman, mother, daughter, friend and policy maker, I honor this anniversary by reaffirming my commitment to protecting women’s rights and encourage the women in my life and in my district to take care of their health. 

"Just last Friday, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that the Obama Administration would not bow to pressure from anti-choice religious organizations asking for an exemption from the Affordable Care Act’s requirement to provide free birth control without a co-pay. Thanks to this decision, women working at religiously affiliated organizations, such as hospitals and universities, will not be denied access to the no-cost contraceptives made available through health care reform.

“This will benefit the more than 98 percent of women who use birth control at some point in their lives. I applaud President Obama for standing with women and once again proving that this Administration values women’s health. We must continue working to protect a woman’s constitutional right to choose — as part of her right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."