Claire Heddles

I spent the last 2 weeks reading through 28,000+ messages in a Miami young Republican group chat

FIU College Republicans recruitment chair: “This isnt even my worst one 😔”

FIU Turning Point USA prez: “Yeah I’m in a few on telegram that are definitely worse lmao”

‘Nazi heaven’: Inside Miami campus Republicans’ racist group chat The chat is the subject of a Florida International University police investigation.

‘Nazi heaven’: Inside Miami campus Republicans’ racist group chat

Logs show violent calls to kill Black people, more than 400 uses of n-word, regularly describing women as “whores," using slurs to talk about Jewish & gay people and musings about Hitler.

www.miamiherald.com/news/politic...

Trump Nominates Two Republicans to FEC, Paving Path to End Monthslong ‘Shutdown’ The nominees have been on the president’s desk for months while the election agency languished without enough commissioners to carry out high-level responsibilities.

NEW: After months of inaction, Donald Trump nominates two Republicans to the Federal Election Commission, which lost most of its powers 9+ months ago because it didn't have enough commissioners to operate.

— w/ @taylorgiorno.bsky.social in @notus.com www.notus.org/money/federa...

From private jets to tacos: Florida’s immigration spending surged last summer The state has paid more than $166K for restaurants and catering, $717K for travel and $1.7 million to law firms in its immigration crackdown.

The state has paid more than $166K for restaurants and catering, $717K for travel and $1.7 million to law firms in its immigration crackdown.

Haiti oil money, local mayors surface in new Cherfilus-McCormick allegations A new report accuses the Congresswoman’s advisers of setting up shell companies to funnel money from an oil company to her 2022 campaign.

A new report accuses the Congresswoman’s advisers of setting up shell companies to funnel money from an oil company to her 2022 campaign.

New fundraising platform tied to Trump’s son stands to profit off Trump library The platform charges a 3.5% donation processing fee, meaning Trump’s library could amount to millions in profit for the newly launched company.

If Trump Jr. is benefitting, "every donor who gives through this platform would not only be helping fund Trump’s legacy through his presidential library, but also helping line the pockets of the Trump family," one ethics expert said.

www.miamiherald.com/news/politic...

Trump Jr. is one of the largest shareholders on the Board of Directors for the new platform’s parent company.

He was compensated with company stock worth more than $2.8 million in 2024, almost 10 times as much as the next highest-paid board member.

New fundraising platform tied to Trump’s son stands to profit off Trump library The platform charges a 3.5% donation processing fee, meaning Trump’s library could amount to millions in profit for the newly launched company.

The conservative fundraising platform PSQ Impact landed Trump's library foundation as a client, despite having just launched last month.

Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., could stand to benefit from the deal.

www.miamiherald.com/news/politic...

National Republican midterm hopes are falling on Florida’s redistricting process Florida is one of the few places the GOP can still add seats before the midterms — and one of the few states barring partisan gerrymandering

Florida is one of the few places the GOP can still add seats before the midterms — and one of the few states barring partisan gerrymandering

Republicans Have Joined the Effort to Stave Off Trump’s Dismantling of a Key Weather Center Rep. Jeff Hurd and three other Republicans signed on to a letter with Colorado lawmakers requesting continued funding for the Boulder-based center.

EXCLUSIVE: Four House Republicans, including Colorado Rep. Jeff Hurd, joined Democrats to challenge the Trump administration’s dismantling of the nation’s leading weather and climate research institution.

At Barton Springs, Trans Existence Becomes Resistance Following a transphobic incident earlier this year, community members gathered to "protect trans joy."

Featured story: On a stone slab by the cold waters of Austin’s Barton Springs, transgender Texans celebrate existence. Against the best efforts of the state, they’re still here, laughing and swimming in the heat of a late-August afternoon.

"there's a new serif in town"

FL has suspended 25 rules using DeSantis’ yearslong immigration state of emergency Florida has suspended 25 statutes and rules using the immigration state of emergency justification, according to a Miami Herald review.

Florida has suspended 25 statutes and rules using the immigration state of emergency justification, according to a Miami Herald review.

The current state of emergency was set to expire Saturday. DeSantis’ team indicated he’ll extend his emergency declaration for a 19th time, stretching it into its fourth calendar year.

Some of the laws and rules the state will be able to keep circumventing include:

FL has suspended 25 rules using DeSantis’ yearslong immigration state of emergency Florida has suspended 25 statutes and rules using the immigration state of emergency justification, according to a Miami Herald review.

Florida has suspended 25 laws and rules using DeSantis’ yearslong immigration state of emergency

www.miamiherald.com/news/politic...

Trump’s library foundation got special treatment from the IRS during the government shutdown Nonprofit attorneys said the 10-day turnaround Trump’s foundation got on its tax-exempt status application is “virtually unheard of.”

Gift link: Trump’s library foundation got special treatment from the IRS during the government shutdown

www.miamiherald.com/news/politic...

Trump's foundation requested the speedy processing from the IRS, saying it needed to access lawsuit settlement money

One attorney said "circumstances like that, where the funds are gonna get there at some point," are not typically sufficient for rarely granted expedited approval

The foundation filed their application on 10/10 and was approved by 10/20.

The next day, the IRS announced it would "not be processing applications or determinations for tax-exempt status" or any organizations during the shutdown.

www.irs.gov/newsroom/sta...

Trump’s library foundation got special treatment from the IRS during the government shutdown Nonprofit attorneys said the 10-day turnaround Trump’s foundation got on its tax-exempt status application is “virtually unheard of.”

NEW: The IRS approved the Trump library foundation's tax-exempt status application in just 10 days, during the government shut down.

Nonprofit attorneys told me its "extraordinary" and "virtually unheard of" to get approved that quickly.

www.miamiherald.com/news/politic...

Exclusive: Tax docs show Trump library is counting on a $1B fundraising haul The IRS gave Trump’s library foundation special treatment during the government shutdown, granting speedy approval of its application for tax-exempt status.

"Exclusive: Tax docs show Trump library is counting on a $1B fundraising haul"

@claireheddles.bsky.social for @miamiherald.com

Exclusive: Tax docs show Trump library is counting on a $1B fundraising haul The IRS gave Trump’s library foundation special treatment during the government shutdown, granting speedy approval of its application for tax-exempt status.

Exclusive: Tax docs show Trump library is counting on a $1B fundraising haul over 3 years

The IRS also gave Trump’s library foundation special treatment during the government shutdown, granting speedy approval of its application for tax-exempt status.

www.miamiherald.com/news/politic...

Trump just turned Miami’s mayoral race into a referendum on himself Emilio González’s team said they didn’t seek out the endorsement, but González has positioned his race as a way to “push back this blue wave.”

Emilio González’s team said they didn’t seek out the endorsement, but González has positioned his race as a way to “push back this blue wave.”

Trump's War on Drug Cartels Could Hurt Colombia's Own Efforts Against Them The current diplomatic breakdown with Colombia ties back to Venezuela.

As the United States inches toward war with Venezuela, you'd think the Trump administration would want to solidify its relationship with Colombia.

It's been the USA's biggest ally in Latin America for decades.

It's Venezuela's neighbor.

Nope.

@notus.com:

www.notus.org/foreign-poli...

Meta earns $3.5 billion every six months from showing Faceboon and Instagram users 15 billion “higher legal risk” scam ad impressions a day, internal documents state.

That haul vastly exceeds how much the company expects regulators
To fine it for running scam ads.

www.reuters.com/investigatio...

Florida attorney general goes to bat against transparency in Trump library case “If the AG gets his way, then it will embolden every government agency in Florida to be vague, secretive and obfuscate important matters that they’re going to discuss at their meetings.”

AG Uthmeier is taking fight to higher court in Trump library sunshine law case, raising the stakes for the future of open gov in FL

“If the AG gets his way, then it will embolden every government agency in Florida to be vague, secretive."

South Florida fears as Obamacare subsidies may end in 2026 South Florida Obamacare enrollees worry subsidy expirations could double premiums in 2026, forcing choices between medication, rent and keeping insurance.

South Florida Obamacare enrollees worry subsidy expirations could double premiums in 2026, forcing choices between medication, rent and keeping insurance.

USDA transfers $13B into ‘slush fund’ for future tariff relief The move has left the department incapable of delivering some mandatory farmer aid programs, and is raising concerns in Congress.

EXCLUSIVE: The USDA moved $13 billion from an account designed to support farmers into another designed to provide emergency relief from President Trump’s tariffs, but the funding is now largely sitting in limbo without any immediate function. buff.ly/df2gm1b

Millions of Americans Risk Having Their Power Shut Off as the Shutdown Drags On States are running out of money for annual energy-assistance payments for the lowest-income Americans — and the government can’t send out more until the shutdown ends.

We’re running out of money to help the poorest Americans keep the lights on and the heat running

If the shutdown doesn’t end soon, millions of Americans may see their electricity turned off or fuel deliveries stopped for the coldest winter months

New shutdown problem: Miami is the U.S. capital for seniors on food stamps Florida is warning families not to expect their EBT cards to be reloaded next month, increasing pressure on Congress to end the government shutdown.

NEW @miamiherald.com:

Seniors in Miami-Dade — the county with the highest share of food stamp beneficiaries with one elderly member in the household — risk going hungry as federal government shutdown continues

(GIFT LINK)

Florida AG to defend Miami Dade College after court temporarily blocks Trump library Attorney General James Uthmeier called the case a “bogus lawsuit” after a judge temporarily blocked the college from handing over the land.

Florida AG to defend Miami Dade College after court temporarily blocks Trump library

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