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- On Ukraine aid, TRUMP-directed Congressmen voted NO. I am particularly disappointed and appalled. Sadly, the first Green Beret in Congress, our St. Johns County Congressman MICHAEL GEORGE GLEN WALTZ (R- St. Augustine Beach), voted NO. (Our other Congressman from St. Johns County, former Jacksonville Sheriff JOHN HENRY RUTHERFORD, voted YES).
On Ukraine aid, TRUMP-directed Congressmen voted NO. I am disappointed in one of our two St. Johns County Congressmen, MICHAEL WALTZ, who voted against Ukraine aid. (Our other St. Johns County Congressman, former Jacksonville Sheriff John Henry Rutherford, voted YES). As to Waltz's vote, as Henry Kissinger would say, "On vot theory?" (William Safire wrote in 2002 about Kissinger at a Washington, D.C. football game: "I recall sitting in Edward Bennett Williams's box at a Redskins game in Henry's heyday. Our quarterback threw a touchdown pass, but an official threw a flag for offensive interference. ''Bad call!'' shouted Williams. Former Chief Justice Earl Warren, in the next seat, shook his head sadly and said, ''Poor judgment.'' Henry leaped to his feet, shook his fists and yelled, ''On vot theory?'')
MICHAEL GEORGE GLEN WALTZ, the new chair of a powerful subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee, and the first Green Beret in Congress, we expected better from him.
One of my Georgetown University economics professors, the late Lev Eugene Dobriansky, and other Ukrainian-Americans worked for decades to help support freedom for Ukraine. (His work may be found by an Internet search, with some interesting CIA clip files). Dobriansky helped spearhead memorials to the Victims of Communism. Prof. Dobriansky also played a role in the construction of another Washington, D.C., monument - a statue of Taras Shevchenko, near DuPont Circle in Washington, D.C.
Now that Ukraine is free, Vladimir Putin's political prostitutes in America, led by DONALD JOHN TRUMP and Republicans, want to cut off aid to Ukraine amidst PUTIN's illegal, immoral colonialist war of aggression. We saw it coming. In 2016, TRUMP demanded and got language weakening of support for Ukraine from the Republican platform.
DONALD JOHN TRUMP is a VLADIMIR PUTIN dupe. Is Rep. WALTZ one, too?
Sounds like fourteen Florida's Republican Congressmen need to be asked about their being allied with PUTIN. These TRUMP-directed Congresscritters were wrong.
Our national security interests require us to support Ukrainian independence against Russian imperialism.
From Palm Beach Post/GANNETT:
MTG trolled for opposing foreign aid package. But Florida Republicans also mostly voted no.
Antonio Fins, from Palm Beach Post/GANNETT
Of the $95 billion in the aid bill, roughly two-thirds of the dollars are earmarked for beleaguered Ukraine forces trying to beat back a Russian invasion launched more than two years ago.
Pundits, including conservative media, trolled "Moscow Marjorie" Taylor Greenefor the GOP Georgia congresswoman's opposition to aid for Ukraine, but Florida's Republican congressional delegation also solidly voted against the foreign aid package that contained billions for Israel and Taiwan as well.
On Tuesday night, GOP U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott voted no on the $95 billion aid bill of which roughly two-thirds of the dollars are earmarked for the beleaguered country trying to beat back a Russian invasion launched more than two years ago. On April 20, 14 of Florida's 20 Republican House members voted to reject the measure and its $61 billion for Ukraine.
The legislation passed Congress despite former President Donald Trump's complaint that America's allies in Europe should be shouldering more of the conflict's financial burden. "Why can’t Europe equalize or match the money put in by the United States of America in order to help a Country in desperate need?" Trump asked rhetorically on social media as the House prepared to vote over the weekend.
Most Florida Republican lawmakers get F grades, a handful earn As for helping Ukraine
The advocacy group Republicans for Ukraine castigated Pensacola Congressman Matt Gaetz, who has demanded the end of assistance to Ukraine to force a peace deal, saying he is "parroting Russian propaganda" and Rubio for being "hypocritical" in claiming that stemming the flow of immigrants into the United States is a more serious priority given the senator voted against the border security package two months ago.
"It really is a representation of how the Republican Party has transformed with a new wave of isolationism," said John Conway, Republicans for Ukraine strategy director. "The Republican Party has fundamentally changed under the leadership of Donald Trump. It is unimaginable to think about a Republican Party not supporting our democratic allies abroad against a Russian invasion by a dictator. This is where the party is. It is now split."
The group, started by conservative commentator Bill Kristol and others, did give five Florida House Republicans A grades for their votes. Conway said their support helped push the aid package "across the finish line" demonstrated "it's more important to be supporting our democratic allies in Ukraine than fighting this battle at home between" Taylor Greene and Gaetz on one side "and pro-democracy Republicans at the other."
President Joe Biden signed the measure on Wednesday afternoon, and fired a salvo at the Trump-led Make America Great Again faction within the GOP.
"For months, while MAGA Republicans were blocking aid, Ukraine has been running out of artillery shells and ammunition," Biden said. "Meanwhile, [Russian leader Vladimir] Putin’s friends keep giving him — are keeping him well supplied. Iran sent him drones. North Korea has sent him ballistic missiles and artillery shells. China is providing components and know-how to boost Russia's defense production."
Florida GOP lawmakers cited border, Hamas, U.S. debt among reasons for no votes
Rubio, in remarks on the U.S. Senate floor, said he supported the assistance to Ukraine, as well as Israel and Taiwan, but called the measure "blackmail" to purportedly clear the way for legislation on the U.S. southern border. Rubio, said to be on Trump's running mate list, voted no on a border bill in February that was negotiated by conservative Republican U.S. Sen. James Lankford.
Scott said he is a "steadfast" supporter of Israel but argued the legislation lacked "safeguards, like my Stop Taxpayer Funding of Hamas Act" he insisted is necessary to prevent the Biden administration from appeasing "radical pro-Hamas extremists."
In the House, Florida's lawmakers joined scores of House Republicans in voting no, with Gainesville area U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack complaining that some members waved Ukrainian flags in the chamber after the vote.
But it was Greene who was most outspoken, even threatening to seek House Speaker Mike Johnson's ouster. That sparked the derision, with the New York Post headlining a cover “Nyet, Moscow Marjorie” and other media reporting that Russian state television lauded Greene as "a beauty" and "demonstrably heterosexual."
The six Florida Republicans who voted for the foreign assistance included U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Miami.
"The strategic alliance between our most dangerous adversaries, such as communist China, Russia and the terrorist State of Iran, poses a direct threat to our national security," Diaz-Balart said in a statement last week. "There is nothing our adversaries would love more than for the United States to fail to stand with our friends in their time of greatest need. We have no time to spare. Passage of this aid package is critical."
The lone Florida House Democrat to oppose the measure was U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost of Orlando.
Antonio Fins is a politics and business editor at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at afins@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
