Southeast
‘Sinking the Democratic Party’: Biden’s Cuba move spurs rare bipartisan condemnation in key electoral state
President Biden’s proclamation removing Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terror caused an uproar in Florida, notably among the president’s fellow Democrats.
The rare political unity in the Sunshine State was pronounced after Biden certified on Tuesday that Havana’s Miguel Diaz-Canel regime has “not provided any support for international terrorism” during the preceding six-month period.
Biden’s declaration also claimed Havana provided Washington with assurances it will not support terrorism in the future, and that the U.S. maintains its “core objective” of “more freedom and democracy” for the Cuban people.
However, Democratic Floridians were up in arms at the development.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz, in heavily-blue Broward County, told Axios on Tuesday that the outgoing president is doing lasting political damage.
“This is Joe Biden literally sinking the Democratic Party in the state of Florida,” he said. “Big time.”
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Once the most notable “swing state” — rife with ballot “hanging chads” and the “Brooks Brothers Riot” of the 2000 election — Florida has seen a major rightward lurch in recent years.
State Gov. Ron DeSantis orchestrated an electoral blowout of Republican-turned-Democrat Charlie Crist in 2022, and President-elect Trump shocked the state by flipping Miami-Dade County red in 2024.
Trump lost Miami-Dade by 30 points in 2020, but won by 11 points in November. The county has a sizable Latino and specifically Cuban-American population — highlighted by its famed “Little Havana” neighborhood along U.S. Highway 41.
“Just as we try to patch the hole in the boat, Biden punches another hole in it,” Moskowitz told the outlet.
“Florida is a red state, and Biden just waved the white flag of surrender.”
Meanwhile, Florida Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried said she is “disappointed” at the decision.
“We condemn in the strongest terms Cuba’s removal from this list, as well as any possible lifting of economic sanctions, and call on the Biden Administration to reverse course immediately.”
Fried said in a statement that generations of Floridian Cuban-Americans have shared stories of the Castro regime’s oppression, and that Diaz-Canel is Raul Castro’s “hand-picked successor” as the first non-Castro to lead Cuba since Fulgencio Batista was overthrown by the Castro brothers in 1959.
Following the terror-sponsored designation change, Havana officials reportedly pledged to release more than 500 political prisoners — for which the Catholic Church had been negotiating for some time.
As the news fell just ahead of Cuban-American Sen. Marco Rubio’s confirmation hearing to be Trump’s secretary of state, a spokesperson for Biden told Axios the timing is strictly coincidental.
Rubio is one of several lawmakers — and residents — of South Florida whose parents or grandparents fled the Communist nation.
Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla. — the only Cuban-born member of Congress — called Biden a “pathetic coward” for his decision to drop Cuba’s terror-sponsor designation.
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Gimenez added that Rubio will “pulverize the [Castro/Diaz-Canel] regime once and for all.”
He told Fox News Digital that Biden’s decision is “morally bankrupt” and geopolitically “treacherous,” for a malign regime that sits less than 90 miles from the edge of his own congressional district’s Monroe County boundary.
Gimenez went on to warn that the decision ignores Cuba’s coziness with the Chinese Communist Party, and intelligence sharing with Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro and Nicaraguan leader Daniel Ortega.
“The [Cuban] dictatorship must be confronted and isolated — never appeased.”
He praised Florida leaders from Biden’s side of the aisle for being willing to speak out at such an important time.
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, a Republican whose Miami-Dade district abuts Gimenez’, said he is “disgusted but not surprised” by what he called Biden’s “final acts of betrayal to the security interests of the United States.”
President Biden, left, removed Cuba’s state sponsor of terror designation on Tuesday, saying that the regime of Miguel Diaz-Canel, right, has “not provided any support for international terrorism” in the past six months.
As Moskowitz and other Democrats warn of the damage being done to the Democratic Party by moves such as the removal of Cuba’s terror-sponsor designation, several Florida Democrats have fled the party and praised Trump in recent weeks.
Maureen Porras, the vice-mayor of Doral, Florida — the tony Miami suburb where Trump owns a golf club and resort — told The Floridian her now-former party “prioritized minority opinions” and “neglected to… address the real issues affecting our community.”
Meanwhile, State Reps. Susan Valdes of Tampa and Hillary Cassel of Hallandale Beach, Florida, recently changed their affiliation from Democratic to Republican.
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An aircraft aborted takeoff at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) on Friday morning, with passengers using emergency slides to deboard, according to a statement the airport posted online, which noted that four passengers reported minor injuries.
“Four passengers are reporting minor injuries; one was transported, the remaining three were treated on scene,” the airport stated.
The incident involved a Boeing 757-300 with 201 customers, two pilots and five flight attendants aboard, Delta Air Lines indicated in an email to Fox News Digital.
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In this photo illustration, the Delta Air Lines company logo is seen displayed on a smartphone screen. (Piotr Swat/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
“Delta’s flight crew followed established procedures to suspend the takeoff of flight 2668 from Atlanta (ATL) to Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) after an indication of an engine issue,” the company noted in an emailed statement.
“Nothing is more important than the safety of our people and customers, and we apologize to our customers for their experience. We are working to support our customers and get them to their destinations as safely and quickly as possible,” the statement added.
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2015/08/31: A Delta Air Lines Boeing 757-300 parked at the stand at Los Angeles Int’l airport. (Fabrizio Gandolfo/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The airport noted in its statement that operations had been delayed because of the episode and continuing severe weather.
“The aircraft and the runway are expected to be cleared shortly,” the airport noted.
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“2024 was a great year for Delta with our results reflecting differentiation from the industry and increased durability,” CEO Ed Bastian noted, according to a Friday press release about the airline’s financial results for the December quarter as well as the year of 2024.
“Sharing Delta’s success is core to our culture, and I’m excited to recognize our people’s outstanding efforts with $1.4 billion in profit sharing payments next month,” he said.
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GRAPHIC: New Orleans Police Department body camera footage released Friday morning shows officers responding to the scene of a New Year’s terrorist attack on Bourbon Street that left 15 dead, including attacker Shamsud-Din Jabbar.
The NOPD footage obtained by Fox News Digital through a public records request shows officers confronting Jabbar, still in his white Ford-150 that he rammed through Bourbon Street around 3:15 a.m. on Jan. 1.
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An NOPD officer responds to the New Year’s terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in bodycam footage. (NOPD)
The footage shows several officers approaching Jabbar’s truck, which was rented in Houston, at which point he begins firing at police from beneath a deployed airbag. Loud gunfire can be heard in the approximately 13 seconds of footage released by NOPD Friday.
“After the officers surrounded the pickup truck, the driver fired at them. Three officers – Sergeant Nigel Daggs and Officers Christian Beyer and Jacobie Jordan – returned fire. The driver was pronounced deceased on scene,” NOPD said in a Friday press release. “Officer Jordan, along with Officer Joseph Rodrigue — who did not discharge his firearm — each sustained a gunshot wound to their thigh during this incident.”
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Jabbar shoots from beneath a deployed airbag. (NOPD)
Rodrigue sustained a fractured shoulder, and both officers were transported to a hospital for treatment. They have since been released. All involved officers were placed on administrative reassignment following the tragedy.
Officers Jordan and Beyer have been with NOPD for less than two years. Daggs is a 21-year member of the department and Rodrigue is a nine-year member.
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The video also shows several civilians running from the gunfire. NOPD has previously stated that two officers were injured in the shootout that ultimately killed Jabbar.
New Orleans police confront terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar on Jan. 1, 2025. (NOPD)
A total of 35 people were injured in the attack, on top of the 14 civilians who were killed.
The FBI continues to investigate the New Year’s terrorist attack, which they say was motivated by ISIS extremism.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers star wide receiver Mike Evans can add one more honor to his already illustrious resume — his own holiday.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Friday that Jan. 10, 2025, is Mike Evans Day.
“Florida celebrates Mike Evans for his profound dedication to the sport of football, making countless memories for fans across the Sunshine State and across the country,” DeSantis said in a statement.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans smiles during a news conference after a game against the New Orleans Saints Jan. 5, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
“Mike Evans was named the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee for the fourth time in his career due to his unyielding commitment to giving back to the Tampa Bay community and improving the lives of countless others through his Mike Evans Family Foundation.”
DeSantis also listed the many accomplishments Evans has achieved on the field.
“Evans’ career includes 168 games played, over 830 receptions for a total of over 12,684 yards and 105 career receiving touchdowns,” a statement said.
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis holds a press conference to speak in opposition to Amendment 4, which would limit government interference with abortion in Florida, at the Grove Bible Chapel in Winter Garden, Fla. (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
“Evans’ record of accomplishment has included selection to the Pro Bowl five times and inclusion as a second-team All-Pro in 2016 and 2023.”
The Florida governor also noted how Evans accomplished his eleventh consecutive 1,000 yard season, which he achieved in the waning moments of the Bucs’ win Sunday.
With Evans’ eleventh consecutive 1,000-yard season, he tied the legendary Jerry Rice’s all-time record. Evans has never finished a season with fewer than 1,000 yards.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) celebrates with wide receiver Jalen McMillan (15) after a reception to put him over 1,000 yards for the season in the second half against the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium. (Jonathan Dyer/Imagn Images)
Evans was selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Buccaneers and became an immediate star.
While Evans may be happy about getting his own day, he has a playoff matchup to think about.
Evans’ Bucs are playing the Washington Commanders at home at 8 p.m. ET Sunday in the wild-card round.
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