Latest news with #JaredMoskowitz
Miami Herald
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Republicans believe they can flip this seat in a Florida blue bastion. Here's why
Here's an email that a few years ago wouldn't have landed in a journalist's inbox: 'Over the weekend, chaos erupted in the streets of Los Angeles... While law enforcement struggled to restore order, out of touch Democrat Jared Moskowitz remained silent.' What makes it notable isn't the topic of the email, or the fact that Moskowitz isn't from California. It's who sent it: the National Republican Congressional Committee, an organization dedicated to electing Republicans to the House. The NRCC has put Moskowitz, a two-term Democratic congressman from Parkland, on its target list of seats Republicans want to flip in 2026. Moskowitz represents District 23, covering Fort Lauderdale and northern Broward County as well as a swath of southern Palm Beach County, an area that's traditionally been represented by Democrats. Moskowitz didn't face a strong Republican opponent in the last two elections and national Republicans didn't pay much attention to him until now. But the GOP believes it can win this congressional seat, potentially attracting national attention and money next year. Whether Republicans can actually pull this off remains to be seen, but, more importantly, the focus on Moskowitz's district signals the changing political landscape of Florida and how emboldened the GOP feels. While Miami-Dade County flipped red last year in the presidential election, flipping Broward still seems unlikely given Democrats' 240,000-plus voter-registration advantage over Republicans in the county. But President Donald Trump made inroads there in 2024, making local elections closer than they would have been in the past. Picking up individual seats in Broward no longer looks like a far-fetched proposition for the GOP. Still, defeating Moskowitz wouldn't be easy. He's seen as a pragmatic moderate — he served as Florida's director of emergency management in Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration. He's a good fundraiser. In a district with a large Jewish constituency, Moskowitz, who's Jewish himself, has been a staunch defender of Israel and spoken up against antisemitism. At the same time, there are signs that he might have angered some of the Democratic Party base. As WLRN reported, Moskowitz's name was booed by a crowd of about 450 activists when it was announced that he wouldn't be attending an April town hall hosted by the activist group Hope and Action Indivisible. Moskowitz's victories in 2022 and 2024 had the smallest margins of any congressional races in Florida. He defeated Republican Joe Kaufman by less than 5 percentage points last year. His district leans Democratic but not by as large of a margin — about 6% as of October 2024 — as other nearby districts. While Joe Biden carried District 23 by a 13.2-percentage-point margin, Kamala Harris barely won it with a margin of 1.9 points, according to an analysis by The Downballot. Moskowitz's own campaign has called his 2026 reelection bid 'one of the most competitive in the country' in fundraising emails, the Sun Sentinel reported. The Herald Editorial Board reached out to his office but did not hear back. The NRCC has sent out news releases and has run digital ads attacking Moskowitz, but will the organization actually spend money to defeat him? The answer to that question will probably rest on whether his GOP opponent is able to raise money and show they are credible. So far, George Moraitis, a Broward County attorney and former state representative, is considered to be the Republican front-runner in the race. In his first four weeks as a candidate, he raised $152,369, almost as much as Moskowitz did in the first three months of the year, the Sentinel reported. But Moraitis still has a long way to go given that competitive congressional races can cost millions. And there's the Trump factor. With the party in the White House normally losing House seats in midterms, the results of next year's elections will also depend on how the president is doing. Will his tariff war cause a recession, or will his popularity bounce back ahead of next November? There are many unknowns in the race for District 23, but this much seems clear: The repercussions of Florida's the rightward shift will likely continue, and even Democratic strongholds might not get spared. Click here to send the letter.
New York Post
04-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Rep. Jared Moskowitz floats bill to exempt Israel, Ukraine from Trump tariffs
WASHINGTON — Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) introduced a bill Wednesday to spare Israeli and Ukrainian imports from reciprocal tariffs that President Trump has set to take effect next month — if the executive action doesn't get paused further by federal courts. The Supporting American Allies Act would shield Israel from a US-imposed 17% tariff and Ukraine from a 10% tariff that will be implemented July 8 without any more court interventions. 'At a time when American families are rightfully demanding action to lower costs, the Trump Administration instituted the largest tax increase since 1968,' Moskowitz said in a statement. 'That's what their tariffs are — a tax on American families that makes goods inaccessible, threatens retirement accounts, and takes a sledgehammer to US economic growth.' 4 Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) introduced a bill Wednesday to exempt Israel and Ukraine imports from reciprocal tariffs that President Trump has set to take effect next month. TNS 'I support efforts to increase domestic manufacturing, but those efforts shouldn't come at the expense of our global standing, our national security, and the strength of our economy,' he added. 'Congress has to stand up to the destruction these tariffs are threatening against American families and our allies Israel and Ukraine, and I'm leading the charge to do it.' A federal trade court initially paused Trump's global tariffs last week, but was overruled shortly after by an 11-judge panel on the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. 4 'Congress has to stand up to the destruction these tariffs are threatening against American families and our allies Israel and Ukraine, and I'm leading the charge to do it,' Moskowitz said. AP States and small businesses that brought the legal challenge have until Thursday to respond to that ruling. Senior White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has claimed that the additional revenue from the reciprocal tariffs alone would top $3 trillion over the next decade, but independent analysts like the Penn Wharton Budget Model have projected $3.4 trillion in revenue as the total received from the entire Trump tariff regime. Other sources like the Yale Budget Lab have forecast tariffs costing each American household $2,200 annually. 4 Israel dropped all duties on the US in April after Trump first announced his global tariffs plan. AP The bill, which is backed by Reps. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Dan Goldman (D-NY), is likely a last resort for tariff opponents in Congress should the Trump administration prevail in court challenges over the reciprocal duties. A companion version introduced in the Senate by Nevada Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto was voted down by Republicans shortly after Trump's global tariffs were announced. Israel dropped all duties on the US in April. That same month, Ukrainian officials expressed openness to zeroing out their tariffs as well before the president delayed them from taking effect. 4 Russia was never hit with the reciprocal tariffs due to previous economic sanctions preventing 'any meaningful trade' with the US, according to the White House. AP Russia was never hit with the reciprocal tariffs due to previous economic sanctions preventing 'any meaningful trade' with the US, according to the White House. House and Senate Republicans over the past wek have been calling for tougher sanctions to help wind down Moscow's more than three-year war with Ukraine.
CBS News
01-06-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Rep. Jared Moskowitz discusses the likely consequences of FEMA budget, staff cuts
One-on-one with Rep. Jared Moskowitz Jim goes one-on-one with Jared Moskowitz on a variety of topics, with a focus on the congressman's belief that cuts made to FEMA will hinder its ability to be ready to respond what hurricane season might bring. Guest: Rep. Jared Moskowitz/D-Florida 23rd District About the issue The Federal Emergency Management Agency is "not ready" for hurricane season in June, according to an internal review obtained by CBS News— as FEMA contends with staff cuts and a push by President Trump to eliminate the nation's disaster relief agency. The powerpoint presentation was created after FEMA's new acting leader, David Richardson, ordered the agency to review hurricane preparedness, with storm season roughly two weeks away. In a series of slides, dated May 12, FEMA identified apparent problems at the disaster relief agency, including a need to "refocus on its core mission while preparing for the 2025 Hurricane Season." "As FEMA transforms to a smaller footprint, the intent for this hurricane season is not well understood, thus FEMA is not ready," said one of the slides.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Florida Democrat: FEMA ‘is going to fail this summer'
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) warned Wednesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is ill prepared for hurricane season and 'is going to fail this summer.' In remarks at a House Rules Committee hearing Wednesday, Moskowitz said the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) steep budget cuts and grant pauses have made FEMA inefficient and risk sending hurricane-prone states into bankruptcy if they don't get approval for federal aid when the next storm hits. 'Remember that 'DOGE'? Remember the E at the end of DOGE? The word 'efficiency'?' Moskowitz asked in his remarks. 'Nothing at FEMA has been made more efficient.' 'In fact, I would tell you that the secretary of Homeland Security has turned FEMA into the Newark Airport, OK? It is going to fail this summer,' Moskowitz continued, referring to the staffing and logistical issues at the New Jersey international airport. 'And so look, there's no doubt that FEMA needed reform, but what they've done at Homeland is they've taken something that needed help and they broke it further,' Moskowitz said. He noted that some of the most at-risk states are areas represented by Republican leadership — such as Louisiana, where Speaker Mike Johnson (R) and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R) are from. 'Louisiana goes bankrupt without FEMA, when there's a hurricane that comes in from the Gulf of Mexico or the Gulf of America, comes right into Louisiana, they're bankrupt,' Moskowitz said, noting the same is true for Alabama and Mississippi, especially when tornadoes strike. 'Those states go bankrupt without FEMA. And yet, I don't see my Republican colleagues calling out the administration on how we're going to save FEMA and reform it,' he added. In recent months, the White House has taken numerous steps to strip funds from FEMA, which has long been a target for some Republicans. FEMA ended its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, intended to help communities prepare for natural disasters, labeling it 'wasteful and ineffective.' The agency canceled applications from 2020 and 2023 and reabsorbed unclaimed funds. FEMA has also frozen nearly $10 billion in disaster aid for nonprofits pending review. Moskowitz, who served as Florida's director of Emergency Management before joining Congress, noted funding freezes have led to delays in payments to vendors and states, disrupting disaster-prevention efforts. Moskowitz accused Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem of failing to warn the president of the impact of some of the cuts that the department is making. 'There's dramatic improvement that needs to be done at FEMA. But I'm deeply concerned at what's happened at Homeland, and I don't think the president is aware of the current condition that the secretary has put him [in] and the men and women that work there and the states that are going to go to FEMA and rely on them to help them in their time of need,' Moskowitz said. 'And those resources are going to come slower.' He pointed to his background in emergency management. 'Let me remind you: I did this for a living, for a Republican governor. I worked for Ron DeSantis for two and a half years, took my political hat off, so I'm not giving you partisan coverage. I'm giving you the current state of affairs in an agency that has been absolutely destroyed.' A DHS spokesperson fired back at Moskowitz and defended actions at FEMA, saying the agency 'is fully activated in preparation for Hurricane Season.' 'Under Secretary Noem and Acting Administrator Richardson, FEMA is shifting from bloated, DC-centric dead weight to a lean, deployable disaster force that empowers state actors to provide relief for their citizens,' they said in a statement. 'The old processes are being replaced because they failed Americans in real emergencies for decades.' Updated at noon EDT. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Florida Democrat: FEMA ‘is going to fail this summer'
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) warned on Wednesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is ill prepared for hurricane season and 'is going to fail this summer.' In remarks at a House Rules Committee hearing Wednesday, Moskowitz said the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) steep budget cuts and grant pauses have made FEMA inefficient and risk sending hurricane-prone states into bankruptcy if they don't get approval for federal aid when the next storm hits. 'Remember that DOGE? Remember the E at the end of DOGE? The word efficiency?' Moskowitz asked in his remarks. 'Nothing at FEMA has been made more efficient.' 'In fact, I would tell you that the secretary of Homeland Security has turned FEMA into the Newark airport, OK? It is going to fail this summer,' Moskowitz continued, referring to the staffing and logistical issues at the international airport in New Jersey. 'And so look, there's no doubt that FEMA needed reform, but what they've done at Homeland is they've taken something that needed help and they broke it further,' Moskowitz said. He noted that some of the most at-risk states are areas represented by Republican leadership — such as Louisiana, where Speaker Mike Johnson (R) and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R) are from. 'Louisiana goes bankrupt without FEMA, when there's a hurricane that comes in from the Gulf of Mexico or the Gulf of America, comes right into Louisiana, they're bankrupt,' Moskowitz said, noting the same is true for Alabama and Mississippi, especially when tornadoes strike. 'Those states go bankrupt without FEMA. And yet, I don't see my Republican colleagues calling out the administration on how we're going to save FEMA and reform it,' he added. In recent months, the White House has taken numerous steps to strip funds from FEMA, which has long been a target for some Republicans. FEMA ended its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, intended to help communities prepare for natural disasters, labeling the program 'wasteful and ineffective.' The agency canceled applications from 2020 and 2023 and reabsorbed unclaimed funds. FEMA has also frozen nearly $10 billion in disaster aid for nonprofits pending review. Moskowitz, who served as Florida's director of Emergency Management before joining Congress, noted funding freezes have led to delays in payments to vendors and states, disrupting disaster-prevention efforts. Moskowitz accused Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem of failing to warn the president of the impact of some of the cuts that the department is making. 'There's dramatic improvement that needs to be done at FEMA. But I'm deeply concerned at what's happened at Homeland, and I don't think the president is aware of the current condition that the secretary has put him [in] and the men and women that work there and the states that are going to go to FEMA and rely on them to help them in their time of need,' Moskowitz said. 'And those resources are going to come slower.' He pointed to his background in emergency management. 'Let me remind you, I did this for a living, for a Republican governor. I worked for Ron DeSantis for two and a half years, took my political hat off, so I'm not giving you partisan coverage. I'm giving you the current state of affairs in an agency that has been absolutely destroyed.' The Hill has reached out to Homeland Security and FEMA for comment.
