TheDrewSteeleShow

The Biden White House is defending President Biden’s decision to assert executive privilege over his interview with Special Counsel Robert Hur — preventing Congress from obtaining his audio recordings — asserting that Biden made the decision “at the request of the attorney general.” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre addressed a question regarding Biden’s decision to block the release of the audio of his interview with the Special Counsel. ---------------- A federal judge has struck down a portion of recently changed Florida election law barring noncitizens from handling voter registrations for third party groups. The law was changed by SB 7050 in 2023, which instituted a $50,000 fine for the organizations if they violate the noncitizen provision. ----------------- Media outlets are reporting that a new Florida law revising and updating the state’s energy policy was an attempt by Republicans to turn climate change into a “culture war issue.” Outlets like the Washington Post and Tallahassee Democrat specifically highlighted how the legislation removed climate change as a priority for the state to address in it’s energy policy.

President Joe Biden’s campaign demanded a ban on audiences during the proposed presidential debates with former President Donald Trump. The demand appears to be designed to reduce the risk of any Biden protestors attending the event. Anti-Israel protestors often appear at Biden’s public events. ------------ Gov. Ron DeSantis signed three bills on Wednesday combatting the climate agenda pushed by “green energy zealots.” The slew of legislation slashes climate agenda directives in Florida’s energy policy, places a greater emphasis on nuclear energy and focusing on cost efficiency for Floridians, bans state holdings for Chinese Communist Party-linked companies, and bars state investments into companies that utilize “forced labor.” --------------

Former President Donald Trump will remain gagged during his criminal trial in Manhattan, a New York appeals court ruled Tuesday. Trump can now petition the New York Court of Appeals. The gag order prevents Trump from making public comments about witnesses participating in the trial, counsel other than Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, “members of the court’s staff and the District Attorney’s staff, or … the family members of any counsel or staff member, if those statements are made with the intent to materially interfere with … counsel’s or staff’s work” on the case. It also encompasses prospective jurors.

Former President Donald Trump decried election interference as he arrived at a Manhattan courthouse on Monday to begin the fourth week of his criminal trial. The numerous indictments against Trump are meant to politically sabotage his reelection campaign, Trump believes, buoyed by reports of multiple meetings between the Biden administration and Trump prosecutors. ---------------- Ex-White House press secretary Jen Psaki is being forced to retract a false claim in her new book that President Biden did not check his watch during the dignified transfer of 13 US troops killed in the Afghanistan withdrawal. In her May 2024 tome “Say More,” Psaki attacked her former boss’s critics, who she said seized on the callous moment to make “him appear insensitive, concerned only about how much time had passed,” claiming he “only looked at his watch after the ceremony had ended.” -------------- Gov. Ron DeSantis signed anti-human trafficking legislation on Monday that amends awareness and reporting procedures, as well as regulates adult entertainment businesses. The bill prohibits the owner of an adult entertainment establishment from employing anyone under the age of 21. The owner would receive a first degree misdemeanor if they were found illegally employing anyone that age for any form of labor.

Tensions rose when anti-Israel protesters with the group Queers for Palestine blocked traffic on Saturday outside Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Protesters used their cars to block the exit at Interstate 4, the New York Post reported Sunday. Video footage shows several of them standing behind the vehicles and holding banners, one of which read “Free Palestine” and had what appeared to be a Mickey Mouse image on it. ------------------ A new poll conducted in Florida found that the abortion ballot initiative voters will decide on this November could have enough support to pass. Released by the Florida Chamber of Commerce, the poll placed the abortion initiative’s support at 61%. It found that 29% oppose, and 10% remain unsure. -------------

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) officially owes his gavel to Democrats. An overwhelming 163 Democrats chose to continue Mike Johnson’s coalition government with the essential co-Speaker Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), voting to table a motion from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-GA) to strip Johnson of his gavel. ----------------- Florida announced on Tuesday a lawsuit against the federal government for attempting to require the state to cover costs for child gender sex transition treatments, which ultimately violates state law. President Joe Biden’s Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are attempting to require Florida to specifically fund drugs and surgeries for the gender transition of children, the state said. ---------------- Gov. Ron DeSantis emphasized a law and order message on University of Florida’s campus Wednesday, following dozens of pro-Hamas protests that were hosted at schools around the country. “We’ve seen a lot of failures of leadership, we’ve seen some of these schools get overrun, that is not happening here in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said during a press conference.

Judge Aileen Cannon on Tuesday delayed the May 20, 2024, trial date for the documents case involving former President Donald Trump indefinitely, signaling it would not take place before the November 2024 presidential election, according to a filing. ------------------- Anti-Israel protesters gathered outside of George Washington University (GWU) President Ellen Granberg’s home on Tuesday evening. A crowd of protesters was seen protesting outside Granberg’s residence in Washington, DC, while chanting, “We the students have the power,” “Granberg in your ivory tower,” and, “Granberg, Granberg, we know you, are complicit in genocide too.” ----------------- Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation on Tuesday renewing the state’s popular sales tax holidays, as well as implementing other forms of tax relief, totaling around $1.5 billion. The bill, HB 7073, was sponsored by Rep. Stan McClain, R-Ocala. The tax holidays remove sales tax on certain products at various points throughout the upcoming fiscal year in order to relieve financial burden on Floridians in times of need.

Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA) said on this week’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “The Sunday Show” that the Department of Justice should investigate “right-wing organizations” who supported former President Donald Trump “training up in the hill” for a civil war. --------------- Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) failed to concede to Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) after a two-hour meeting Monday in which the duo continued pressing for Johnson to resign and end his coalition government with Democrats. -------------- Gov. Ron Desantis bashed Columbia University for having “capitulated” to pro-Hamas protestors by canceling spring commencement ceremonies. DeSanits’ office also celebrated the effort by all college and university presidents in Florida for keeping each schools’ ceremony on schedule, regardless of protester threats.

Anti-Israel protesters participating in an encampment at Columbia University defied an order from administration officials to clear out, threatening to “burn” the university. Columbia University gave protesters an ultimatum of Monday at 2:00 p.m. to gather their belongings and “leave the encampment,” according to photos of a paper from the university posted to the Instagram account of Aidan Parisi, a suspended student of the university. ---------------- Amidst what has been termed a “property insurance crisis” in Florida, numerous homeowners in the region have reported receiving notices of policy termination from Progressive, while Florida Republican leaders say the state’s insurance market is “improving.” Progressive is a leading property insurance provider nationwide. It is issuing over 100,000 non-renewal notices to homeowners after it announced a partnership with Loggerhead Insurance to shift some property insurance policies last year.

Kristi Noem, a contender to become Republican Donald Trump's vice presidential running mate, defended herself on Friday against Democratic attacks over her account of shooting a dog on her family farm. Noem, the governor of South Dakota, describes killing an "untrainable" dog called Cricket which she "hated" in an upcoming memoir, excerpts of which were first published by The Guardian on Friday. She also said she shot to death a goat. ------------------ Protesters at an anti-Israel “encampment” in Harvard Yard removed an American flag from University Hall, the central administration building, and flew a Palestinian flag in its place Saturday before university staff intervened. ---------------- Former Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos announced his candidacy for Florida’s 8th Congressional District after fully qualifying for the 2024 election on Friday. Haridopolos received the endorsement of multiple conservative figures in Florida politics, including current district eight Republican Rep. Bill Posey, who is set to retire at the end of the year.

A majority of Supreme Court justices sympathized with Donald Trump’s attorneys’ arguments that a president does enjoy some level of immunity that endures past the term of office. The court heard oral arguments regarding if Trump is immune from prosecution on charges of attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election, as Special Counsel Jack Smith claims. ------------ Florida leaders reacted to the U.S. Department of Education’s new Title IX rules as the state plans to fight the new rule. “Florida rejects Joe Biden’s attempt to rewrite Title IX,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said. “We will not comply and we will fight back.”

A band of migrants brawled outside of a Midtown hotel in New York City where they were seen fighting with sticks, belts, bats, and even traffic cones. “At least a dozen asylum seekers squared off Sunday afternoon outside The Row hotel on Eighth Avenue, with one out-of-control migrant seen swinging a bat menacingly at the mob before one of the combatants is taken to the ground and pummeled by four others,” reported the New York Post. ----------------- An Arizona grand jury indicted several important allies of former President Donald Trump — including former Trump attorney and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Arizona Republican Chair Kelli Ward, and former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows — for their roles in disputing the results of the 2020 presidential election. ---------------- Florida plans to fight the U.S. Department of Education’s new Title IX rules that were released last week. In a letter to superintendents obtained by Florida’s Voice, Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. said the rule will not take effect until Aug. 1, and that the state “will fight this.” “At Governor Ron DeSantis’ direction, no educational institution should begin implementing any changes,” the letter stated.

Hundreds of anti-Israel protesters gathered outside of Sen. Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) home in Brooklyn, calling for the United States to “stop arming Israel.” Video footage posted to X showed what appeared to be hundreds of protesters gathered in the street outside of Schumer’s home for a “Seder in the Streets” on the second day of the Passover Jewish holiday. -------------- Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation on Tuesday investing more funds into red tide mitigation and research. He also celebrated the expansion of Florida’s wildlife corridor. “HB 1565, this is gonna continue our red tide mitigation and technology and development initiative,” DeSantis said. “It was set to expire this year, this removes the expiration date.”

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) delivered President Joe Biden a $61 billion gift on Saturday afternoon, reversing his months-long pledge to never advance foreign aid without first securing America’s border. Multiple Democrats — and possibly a few Republicans — cheered; shouted, “Ukraine;” and waived Ukrainian flags as the Ukraine aid vote closed. ------------

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) made history Thursday night just before midnight by essentially surrendering Republican majority control to Democrats. For the first time in recorded history — since the House began keeping records — the House Rules Committee relied on minority party votes to overcome objections from the majority and advance a rule bill to the House floor. ------------- Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation on Thursday allowing for schools to create a volunteer chaplain program to provide support services for students. He noted that the state won’t allow satanists to take advantage of the program, saying satanism is “not a religion.” The governor also signed a bill allowing for “patriotic organizations” to be invited to public schools in order to share resources with students, such as the Boy Scouts of America.

The Chinese Communist Party is secretly lobbying the U.S. Congress regarding TikTok, according to Capitol Hill staffers familiar with the situation. The Chinese Embassy has been holding meetings with congressional employees to lobby against the legislation that would force a sale of TikTok or else ban the Chinese app in the United States, two Capitol Hill staffers familiar with China’s lobbying efforts told Politico. ------------- Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation on Wednesday requiring that schools teach the accurate history of communism in classrooms. The legislation requires “age and developmentally appropriate” instruction on the history of communism, beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.

Republican House members have delivered their articles of impeachment for President Joe Biden’s pro-migration border chief to the Senate. The unprecedented impeachment of a sitting cabinet member comes after Biden and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas opened the border to at least seven million poor migrants, in addition to the annual inflow of more than one million legal immigrants and contract workers. Overall, Biden and Mayorkas have welcomed roughly one illegal, quasi-legal, or legal migrant for every American birth since 2021. -------------- Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation on Tuesday limiting the amount of times a non-parent can challenge a school library book in a given district. The bill, HB 1285, also requires that struggling public schools who choose to convert into charter schools must finalize their contract within one year of making the decision. Rep. Jennifer Canady, R-Lakeland, and Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills sponsored the legislation that ultimately limits individuals who do not have children in a school district to one book objection per month.

According to a new USA Today/Ipsos poll, 57% of Floridians favor a state ballot initiative aiming to constitutionally protect access to abortion up to the point of fetal viability. That total is 3% shy of the required 60% needed to pass. The poll has a margin of error of 4.1%, and was conducted April 5-7 among 1,014 Florida adults. The measure had gained 34% among Republicans, 63% among Independents and 78% among Democrats. The poll question specifically referenced allowing abortion up to 24 weeks. The ballot initiative does not make clear a week designation. ---------------- New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan has yet to say that former President Donald Trump can attend his son Barron Trump’s high school graduation, refusing to rule on the former president’s request to not attend the trial that specific day for that event. Monday was the start of the criminal trial at the hands of Democrat Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who charged Trump with 34 felonies, accusing him of falsifying business records in relation to payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels. As Breitbart News pointed out, Trump is not being accused of “covering up a sex scandal.” Trump has denied all charges against him, but, if convicted, he could face jail time.

The administration of leftist President Joe Biden did not move to renew expiring sanctions in Iran’s drone and ballistic missile production at the United Nations in October, shortly after the Iran-backed massacre of an estimated 1,200 people in Israel and Saturday’s unprecedented direct missile assault by Iran on the country. -------------- Home insurance costs in Florida are predicted to increase an additional 7% in 2024, according to Insurify. Insurify noted that the surge in home insurance costs across the country are driven by climate-related disasters and economic inflation. Over the two-year period from 2021 to 2023, there was a notable uptick in the average annual rate in the U.S., surging by 19.8% from $1,984 to $2,377. Insurify predicted the country’s annual projected rate in 2024 will rise by 6% to $2,522. ------------- Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation on Thursday increasing voter registration integrity in Florida. HB 135 prohibits the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles from changing an individual’s party affiliation without the person’s consent in writing. After verifying the voter registration information and receiving the individual’s electronic signature, the bill requires the department to provide the applicant with a printed receipt detailing the submitted voter registration information and documented change of party affiliation.

President Joe Biden backed a bill House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) hopes to pass on Friday that would reauthorize a controversial surveillance bill. President Joe Biden’s administration announced its support for H.R. 7888, the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (RISAA), a bill to reauthorize Section 702 of the Communications Decency Act. Section 702 is a law that is meant to target foreign adversaries but often surveils Americans’ private communications without a warrant. --------------- Former NFL running back O.J. Simpson died on Wednesday after a long battle with cancer. He was 76. ------------- The ballot initiative attempting to constitutionally protect abortion in Florida has a rocky path to being approved this November, according to a new Emerson College poll. The poll, conducted April 9-10 – after the Supreme Court of Florida approved the measure for November ballot placement – found that only 42% plan to vote “yes” on the initiative. It found that 25% plan to vote “no,” but a large portion – 32% – said they are “unsure.”

2:48 Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) Republican colleagues dealt him another blow Wednesday by killing a motion to allow a vote on his proposed Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) reauthorization. ------------ At a recent event with donors, Gov. Ron DeSantis expressed that he plans to help former President Donald Trump raise cash to defeat President Joe Biden in November. Florida’s Voice independently confirmed with multiple sources present at the event that DeSantis made the comments. NBC first reported the news. While DeSantis endorsed Trump for president in his campaign dropout announcement, speculation continued about potential ongoing ill will between the two.

The Arizona Supreme Court issued a historic decision on Tuesday, ruling that the state must abide by a 123-year-old law which bars all abortions except to save the life of the mother. The law, which goes back as far as 1864, also calls for a prison sentence of two to five years for abortionists. Justices heard arguments in the case, Planned Parenthood of Arizona v. Mayes/Hazerigg, in December, and were asked to answer whether Arizona’s 15-week abortion limit signed into law in March of 2022 overrides the older law. --------------- The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recently issued a report confirming Burmese pythons have been slithering their way more frequently into Southwest Florida. According to the FWC, Burmese python sightings have increased in western Charlotte County, Lee County, and southern Sarasota County from 2015-2024. The snake has been specifically documented within the townships of Rotonda, Placida, Englewood, Gasparilla Island, and Port Charlotte.

President Joe Biden will announce Monday that student debt held by ten million Americans will transfer to taxpayers, White House officials told reporters Monday. The plan to convey student loan debt to taxpayers is widely seen as a political move to gain electoral traction among young voters, who largely do not approve of Biden’s leadership. ------------------ Former President Donald Trump officially announced his position on abortion on Monday, ending months-long speculation about how he would handle the issue should he be elected in November. In a video posted to Truth Social, Trump said the issue of abortion is about “the will of the people” and should be left up to states to decide. The 45th president touted his role in nominating the Supreme Court justices who ultimately overturned Roe v. Wade in their Dobbs decision — ending 50 years of an invented constitutional right to abortion and sending the issue back to individual states and their elected representatives.

When a rare total solar eclipse sweeps across North America on Monday, scientists will be able to gather invaluable data on everything from the Sun’s atmosphere to strange animal behaviors — and even possible effects on humans. It comes with the Sun near the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, setting the stage for a breathtaking display: The corona will glow spectacularly from the Moon’s silhouette along the path of totality, a corridor stretching from Mexico to Canada via the United States. -------------- Democrats in Congress want to rename a corrections facility in Miami after former President Donald Trump, in response to a GOP effort to rename the Dulles International Airport after him. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., joined fellow Democratic Reps. Gerry Connolly of Virginia and John Garamendi of California in filing the measure. The facility would be renamed to “Donald J. Trump Federal Correctional Institution.”