Expulsion — redistricting — communism — xylazine — horse meat

Expulsions looming

After the Easter recess, Washington was full of talk about an upcoming “expulsion week.” Two members resigned before any votes took place, and now attention is on two Florida lawmakers, Reps. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and Cory Mills, who faced major scandals over the past year.

Cherfilus-McCormick has faced the possible end of her career since November, when Justice Department prosecutors announced she was indicted on a charge of allegedly stealing $5 million in disaster relief funds to pay for her congressional campaign.

She was already being investigated by the House Ethics Committee for similar accusations. Last month, a panel found her guilty of 25 violations of House rules. The full Committee will meet next week to discuss possible sanctions, including expulsion.

However, many lawmakers want to address these issues before the Midterms, so Cherfilus-McCormick may not last that long. Republicans have asked her to resign for months, and some Democrats joined them after her Ethics trial. Rep. Greg Steube, a Sarasota Republican, has had an expulsion resolution ready since last year.

The situation became more serious on Monday when both Rep. Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat accused of sexually assaulting several staffers, and Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican under investigation for an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide, announced they would resign from Congress.

Their resignations followed Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s announcement that she would file a joint resolution to expel both members. This move seemed to address leadership’s concerns about affecting the chamber’s close partisan balance by removing members for misconduct. It was notable that both a Democrat and a Republican left the House on the same day, although leaders have not confirmed any agreement.

This suggests that if Cherfilus-McCormick is expelled early, a Republican colleague might be removed as well. Many lawmakers mention Mills, who has faced strong criticism from Republican women over several personal scandals.

These scandals include an alleged assault of his live-in girlfriend, Sarah Raviani, founder of Iranians for Trump, in his Washington apartment. Raviani did not press charges. Another girlfriend, Lindsey Langston, got a restraining order against Mills after she said he threatened to release private photos. Mills was married during both relationships but is now divorced.

Mills was also being investigated for allegedly making money from defense contracts while serving in Congress and has been accused of exaggerating his service record. In 2025, he faced several censure threats, including one from Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina.

Recently, Mace was among several lawmakers who said that Cherfilus-McCormick and Mills should leave Congress. Until Monday, that list also included Gonzales and Swalwell. Rep. Andy Ogles, a Tennessee Republican, named the same four in a podcast with conservative commentator Benny Johnson.

Expulsions are still rare in the House. Only six members have ever been forced out, with former Rep. George Santos of New York being the most recent. However, many others have resigned while facing criminal or ethical investigations.

Will Cherfilus-McCormick and Mills soon join those lists? We should know in the next few days.

Their departures would also affect Florida, where many candidates in the 7th and 20th Congressional Districts are waiting to see if a Special Election will be called before the Midterms if either seat becomes vacant soon.

Redistricting risks?

President Donald Trump has strong-armed Republican-led states into redistricting to maximize GOP advantage in the Midterms. But could he back off the plan?

Pollsters with a long history of working with Republican campaigns in Florida released a deep dive that shows redistricting could put more GOP seats in Florida at risk.

Alex Alvarado of the Civic Data and Research Institute said his modeling shows even a defensive redistricting aimed at shoring up seats already represented by Republicans could backfire.

The consultant said election results from 2018 to 2024, when Florida shifted from a swing state to a solid Republican one, show the GOP’s advantage mostly comes from strong individual candidates.

“Aggressive redistricting strategies aimed at maximizing Republican seat count may paradoxically increase Republican vulnerability to adverse electoral conditions,” he wrote.

Republicans now hold 20 of Florida’s 28 U.S. House seats. But much of that success depends on incumbents doing well, especially among voters who aren’t registered to a party. In many cases, the incumbents holding office now overperform the baseline Republican support in seats, Alvarado said. But any change in lines forces those incumbents to campaign among voters who never saw their names on the ballot.

“Redistricting inherently reduces or eliminates these advantages through new boundaries, incumbent displacement, and loss of constituent service benefits,” Alvarado wrote.

Platform for communism?

NBC News’ decision to conduct a sit-down with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has angered Sen. Rick Scott. The Naples Republican called the leader of Cuba a “brutal, illegitimate communist dictator” who “thrives on propaganda.”

“If NBC is going to air this interview, they should use it to hold Díaz-Canel and the Castro regime accountable for what they are — an illegitimate communist dictatorship — and ask real questions to expose the truth,” he said.

Scott wanted to know why, after a mass pardon of 2,000 political prisoners, none had been released, based on reports from Human Rights Watch. He also wanted to know where profits from an overseas doctor export program go, and if the program will end.

He also wanted an explanation of why Cuba hosts intelligence gathering by China, Iran and Russia, nations hostile to the U.S. and when the nation will next allow free and fair elections. Scott also pressed on reasons why family members of the late dictator Fidel Castro still enjoy privileges unavailable to the rest of the island’s citizens.

“The Cuban people deserve freedom, transparency, democracy, and Patria y Vida — not more lies and propaganda. We will not be fooled.”

NBC’s Kristen Welker did press Díaz-Canel on one controversial matter: a U.S. demand that he step down. After first asking whether she had ever asked that of any other world leader and whether the question came from the State Department, she asked whether he would step down as a condition of U.S. policy change.

“We are not subjected to the designs of the United States,” he replied in Spanish.

Xylazine alarms

Another drug on Florida’s streets has caught the attention of Sen. Ashley Moody. The former Florida Attorney General announced her support for legislation cracking down on xylazine, a tranquilizer used by pets but now abused by humans.

The Combating Xylazine Act would classify the narcotic as a Schedule III drug, the same as ketamine or anabolic steroids. Authorities say xylazine is also being added to fentanyl to extend its effects.

“As the former Florida Attorney General, I was one of the first to warn Floridians about the dangers of xylazine — a dangerous substance intended for veterinary use for large animals, that is being found mixed in with illicit fentanyl powder,” she said.

“I’m proud to continue this fight in the U.S. Senate by co-sponsoring the Combating Xylazine Act to keep Floridians safe.”

According to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), about 30% of fentanyl seized in 2023 contained xylazine, up from 25% of seized powder the prior year. Abuse of the drug has gone up fivefold since 2020, according to the agency. The narcotic has shown up in fentanyl seizures now in 49 states, and that includes only products analyzed by the DEA.

She wants the federal agency tracking the drug’s manufacturing across the country and taking steps to ensure products distributed for legitimate veterinary uses don’t end up in the hands of people.

Hellenic partnership

The Florida National Guard this week announced a partnership with the Hellenic National Guard in Greece. U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kim Guilfoyle, a Floridian before her assignment, announced the partnership last week.

“We are committed to making sure we have the best fighting forces in the world, ready to tackle the challenges of the future,” Guilfoyle said. “Congratulations, Greece and Florida!”

The development thrilled two members of the Florida delegation of Greek descent. Reps. Gus Bilirakis, a Palm Harbor Republican, and Jimmy Patronis, a Fort Walton Beach Republican, cheered the arrangement.

“This partnership represents a meaningful step forward in strengthening the strategic relationship between the United States and Greece and deepening cooperation between two vital allies,” reads a joint statement from the lawmakers.

“Florida and Greece share long-standing ties rooted in shared democratic values, regional security interests, and a strong people-to-people connection fostered by the vibrant Greek American community in our state.”

Bilirakis and Patronis said the arrangement would benefit military readiness, interoperability, disaster response coordination and joint training.

“This partnership reinforces Greece’s role as a pillar of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and underscores the United States’ enduring commitment to its allies. The collaboration between the Florida National Guard and the Hellenic National Guard will strengthen both forces and contribute to collective security, resilience, and preparedness,” they said.

“As proud Americans of Greek heritage from Florida, we are excited to support this historic partnership and commend the State Department, the Department of War, and National Guard leadership in both nations for advancing this important initiative. We look forward to seeing this relationship grow and deliver lasting benefits for the United States, Greece, and the broader trans-Atlantic alliance.”

Eat a horse?

As horse advocates visited Washington, Rep. Vern Buchanan vowed to end the slaughter of the animals for equine meat.

The Longboat Key Republican said he has continued to pursue passage of the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act (HR 1661), which would end the practice.

“Protecting America’s horses from slaughter is a commonsense, bipartisan priority that reflects our values as a nation,” Buchanan said. “We are building strong momentum in Congress and working alongside advocates across the country to finally end this inhumane practice. I will keep pushing to get the SAFE Act signed into law.”

He announced a fresh push for the legislation as the Wild Beauty Foundation held its Lost Horses Washington, D.C. Fly-In to advocate for the protection of mustangs, wolves and other animals in their natural habitat. Buchanan said the event gave the bill momentum.

“I’m grateful for groups like the Wild Beauty Foundation who are raising their voices and bringing attention to the urgent need to protect America’s horses,” Buchanan said.

Bradenton hearing

Meanwhile, Buchanan also hosted a field hearing in his home District this morning. The House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, which Buchanan chairs, held a meeting at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine’s (LECOM) Bradenton campus.

With Rep. Jason Smith, the House Ways and Means Chair, also in attendance, the Subcommittee expected to hear from a number of Florida experts on the state of health care and the medical profession.

Witnesses included Drs. Mark Kauffman, LECOM’s Dean of Academic Affairs; Christopher Davis, founder of the Reveal Vitality and Longevity Institute; Stelios Rekkas, Manatee Surgical Alliance’s medical director; Patrick Hwu, Moffitt Cancer Center president and CEO; and Scott Darius, Florida Voices for Health executive director.

Faster reservoir

The Army Corps of Engineers just announced an expedited timeline for completing the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir.

At an event in Belle Glade, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle said the project would be completed by 2029, five years early, with certain work delegated to Florida officials.

“The Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir will improve the flow of clean water when and where it’s needed to restore the Everglades, protect drinking water, and fuel economic certainty in Southern Florida,” Telle said.

“The action announced today is a monumental step toward Making America Beautiful Again, enforces the timeline to complete the EAA Reservoir by 2029, and indisputably solidifies President Trump as The Everglades President.”

Rep. Brian Mast, who has long advocated for the project, attended the event and cheered the development.

“HUGE win for the Everglades and the St. Lucie Estuary! Instead of being over budget and behind schedule, today’s announcement will get the EAA Reservoir completed nearly five years earlier than anticipated,” he posted. “Let’s get it done!”

Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, a Hialeah Republican, similarly greeted the news warmly.

“As co-chair and co-founder of the Congressional Everglades Caucus, I’ve secured and delivered $6.5 billion in overall federal funding for Everglades restoration and preservation. I commend Gov. Ron DeSantis for leading Florida in this effort alongside President Donald Trump’s vision for protecting one of America’s national treasures.”

Security in an AI world

A grant worth more than $1 million will fund the establishment of a cybersecurity center at Palm Beach State College. The funding will help purchase modern instructional equipment and software to ensure students receive hands-on training in a sphere reshaped by artificial intelligence.

Rep. Lois Frankel, a West Palm Beach Democrat, kicked off a news conference announcing the grant.

“With this investment, they’ll be able to modernize existing labs with high-performance workstations, advanced AI platforms and cutting-edge data tools, bringing the students up to date in a very rapidly changing world,” Frankel said.

“Artificial intelligence and cybersecurity are no longer optional. It is essential — protecting patient records in hospitals, keeping small businesses from being shut down by ransomware, safeguarding our financial institutions and transactions, protecting critical infrastructure from power systems and emergency services.”

PBSC President Ava L. Parker said the project would be critical to the college and the local economy.

“This center is more than a building or a lab — it’s a promise to our students, to our community, and to our future workforce,” Parker said. “It will serve as a hub for innovation, hands-on learning and collaboration with industry leaders as we prepare students to take on the rapidly changing world of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.”

Frankel secures the dollars through the community project funding process.

Dignity from dissent?

Rep. María Elvira Salazar has touted a growing bipartisan support base for her immigration plan for several years. Now, the bill has started to generate some loud dissenters within her own party.

The legislation garnered some significant attention in the last two weeks, especially after Rep. Brandon Gill, a Texas Republican, posted, “The Dignity Act is mass amnesty and would constitute a terrible betrayal of our voters.” Several other conservatives, including DeSantis, agreed with the sentiment.

But that prompted Salazar, a Coral Gables Republican, to slap down the assessment. The legislation provides a pathway to legal residency for longtime immigrants in the U.S., but not amnesty, she insists.

“Dignity is the only solution that fixes immigration and empowers the goals of President Trump’s agenda. Amnesty is what we have now,” Salazar posted. “People in the shadows. Using resources without consequences. Free roads. Free schools. Free hospitals. Dignity is the opposite. We seal the border into law, so no future President can undo it. We focus deportation where it belongs, on criminals and recent arrivals. We provide accountability, require restitution, and re-establish the rule of law.”

The attention on the bill has generated significant debate online, and even a death threat against the Florida Congresswoman.

But it also has continued to gain support. On Friday, Salazar will be part of an immigration roundtable in the House, where she also plans to hold a news conference with Rep. Veronica Escar, a Texas Democrat co-sponsoring the bill.

Jay Timmons, CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, will also participate, and the Association already endorsed the legislation.

At the same time, more lawmakers have come out against the bill, including Rep. Randy Fine, an Atlantic Coast Republican.

“I won’t vote to give amnesty to one illegal immigrant, let alone millions. Illegals can have dignity at home,” he posted.

But the growing consternation around the legislation shows it may be gaining traction.

Back to the trail

One of Florida’s top Republican strategists is back in the field again.

James Blair, who served as White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative, Political, and Public Affairs since Trump’s return to the White House, will leave his post for the Midterms to lead an effort to keep congressional majorities.

Trump announced the shift on Truth Social.

“James Blair, my Deputy Chief of Staff, is one of the brightest political minds in the Country who has done tremendous work to prepare Republicans to defy long-standing history and win the Midterms, just as he helped me do in 2024, by a landslide,” Trump posted.

“James never wavered from the fight because he is a political warrior! Now, James will be taking a short leave of absence to lead the charge from the outside against the radical left.”

Blair worked closely with Susie Wiles, now the White House Chief of Staff, but previously worked on numerous federal campaigns, including several for Florida lawmakers.

On this day

April 14, 1865 — “Abraham Lincoln assassinated” via Ford’s Theatre — Actor John Wilkes Booth learned President Lincoln would attend a performance of the comedy “Our American Cousin” that night at Ford’s Theatre — a theater Booth frequently performed at. He realized his moment had arrived. By 10:15 that evening, the comedy was well into its last act. In the Presidential Box, President and Mrs. Lincoln and their guests, Major Henry Rathbone and his fiancée, Clara Harris, laughed at the show along with the audience — not knowing that Booth was just outside the door. Booth likely handed his calling card to Charles Forbes, the President’s messenger, who was seated outside the door, and entered the vestibule of the box.

April 14, 1981 — “Landing of the first Space Shuttle mission” via NASA — The rear wheels of the space shuttle orbiter Columbia touched down on Rogers Dry Lake at Edwards Air Force Base, NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center (then Dryden Flight Research Center), in Southern California, to complete a stay in space of more than two days. Astronauts John W. Young, STS-1 commander, and Robert L. Crippen, pilot, were aboard the vehicle. The mission marked the first NASA flight to end with a wheeled landing and represented the beginning of a new age of spaceflight that would employ the same hardware repeatedly.

Happy birthday

Best wishes to Rep. Patronis, who turned 54 on Monday, April 13.

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Peter Schorsch publishes Delegation, compiled by Jacob Ogles, edited and assembled by Phil Ammann and Ryan Nicol.