Former Rep Lincoln Diaz-Balart, brother of sitting congressman, dead at 70
Former Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., has died at the age of 70, his brother and current House member Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., announced.
"Defender of the silenced and oppressed, author of the democracy requirement for the lifting of U.S. sanctions against the Cuban dictatorship, and the author of the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA). Lincoln's legacy of achievements will endure for generations, and continues the work of the Congressional Hispalic Leadership Institute (CHLI) which he co-founded in 2003," Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart said in a statement about his brother.
Lincoln Diaz-Balart served Floridians as a member of the Republican Party. The Cuban refugee first got into politics by "leading the Florida Young Democrats and running an unsuccessful campaign for the Florida legislature as a Democrat in 1982," his congressional biography states.
He formally switched his party allegiance in 1985 and was elected to the Florida legislature in 1986. Then, he "sponsored laws strengthening sentences for crimes against law enforcement officers, increasing penalties for drug-related money laundering, providing low-interest loans for home construction, creating a statewide program to combat substance abuse, and establishing disclosure rules for Florida companies doing business with Cuba," according to the biography.
White House Will Not Release Visitor Logs During Trump's Second Term
He was sworn into Congress in January 1993 and served until his retirement in 2010. That same year, his brother Mario won the election to succeed him in the 21st Congressional District.
Read On The Fox News App
Diaz-Balart leaves behind his wife of 48 years, Cristina; his son Daniel; two grandsons and three brothers. He was preceded in death by his first son, Lincoln Gabriel.
Rubio Signs Declaration To Expedite $4B In Arms To Israel 'Wrongly Withheld' By Biden
"Lincoln's profound love for the United States, and his relentless commitment to the cause of a free Cuba, guided him throughout his life and his 24 years in elected public service, including 18 years in the U.S. House of Representatives," Mario's announcement said. "We will miss him infinitely."Original article source: Former Rep Lincoln Diaz-Balart, brother of sitting congressman, dead at 70
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ohio Democrats select former state rep Kathleen Clyde as new state party chair
Ohio Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Clyde. (Photo provided.) Former state Rep. Kathleen Clyde has been elected as the next Ohio Democratic Party chair. Clyde was elected Tuesday night by members of the party's State Executive Committee. 'I'm grateful to Ohio Democrats for putting their trust in me during this critical election cycle, and I'm looking forward to getting to work,' Clyde said in a statement. 'With every statewide office and a U.S. Senate race on the ballot, Ohio has key opportunities to elect Democrats who actually work for Ohioans and get our state back on the right track.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Current chair Liz Walters announced last month she will step down from the role no later than June 30. Walters, who was appointed chair in 2021, will be the new CEO of TargetSmart, a Washington, D.C.-based Democratic political data analysis firm. She was the first woman to be Ohio Democratic Party chair. Former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown endorsed Clyde for party chair. Brown lost to Republican Bernie Moreno in the 2024 election. Brown has yet to announce if he is running for office in 2026. Clyde served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2011 to 2018. She ran for Ohio Secretary of State in 2018, but lost to Republican Frank LaRose. In December 2018, she was appointed to the Portage County Commission. She ran for a full term as commissioner in 2020 but was defeated by Republican Tony Badalamenti. Ohio state Sen. Bill DeMora, D-Columbus, and Greene County Democratic Party Chair Kim McCarthy both dropped out of the race to be state party chair last week. Ohio Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Brunner is the only Democrat currently holding any statewide office in Ohio. Republican incumbent Ohio Supreme Court Justice Patrick Fischler is challenging Brunner for her seat in 2026, unable to pursue another term in his own seat due to age restrictions. Republicans currently control the state high court 6-1. All four statewide executive offices of governor, attorney general, auditor, and secretary of state are up for open election in 2026, with all of the current Republican incumbents term-limited out of running for the same positions again. Former Ohio Health Department Director Dr. Amy Acton is currently the only Democratic candidate running for Ohio governor. Republican candidates include businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and former Morgan County school board president Heather Hill. Current Republican Ohio Auditor Keith Faber is running for attorney general in 2026; current Republican Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague is running for secretary of state in 2026; and current Republican Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose is running for auditor in 2026. Current Republican Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost had been running for governor, but recently dropped out of the race after the Ohio Republican Party endorsed Ramaswamy. Bryan Hambley, a cancer doctor with University of Cincinnati Health, is the only announced Democratic candidate for Ohio Secretary of State. No other Democrats have yet announced their candidacy in 2026 for Ohio auditor, treasurer, or attorney general. Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, announced last week she is stepping down from her leadership role at the end of the month, but she has not said whether she will seek a statewide office. The last time any Democratic candidates won any of Ohio's statewide executive offices was in 2006, when Ted Strickland was elected governor, Marc Dann was elected attorney general, Rich Cordray was elected treasurer, and Jennifer Brunner was elected secretary of state. They were all swept out of office in the 2010 cycle. Also in 2006, Democrat Sherrod Brown was elected to his first of three terms in the U.S. Senate, defeating then-incumbent U.S. Senator and now-incumbent Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, before being defeated himself in 2024. Follow Capital Journal Reporter Megan Henry on Bluesky. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Hamilton Spectator
20 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
A bid for bail by former New Jersey US Sen. Menendez is rejected by appeals court as prison looms
NEW YORK (AP) — A bid for bail by former U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez while he appeals his bribery conviction was rejected Wednesday by a federal appeals court, a week before the veteran New Jersey politician is scheduled to report to prison. Menendez, 71, was convicted last July of selling his clout for bribes. FBI agents who searched his home three years ago found $480,000, some of it stuffed inside boots and jacket pockets, gold bars worth an estimated $150,000 and a luxury convertible in the garage. Prosecutors said that in exchange, Menendez performed corrupt favors for the New Jersey business owners. They said he tried to protect the men and associates from criminal investigations, helped two in business deals with foreign powers and met with Egyptian intelligence officials before helping that country access $300 million in U.S. military aid. Menendez, a Democrat, has insisted that he is innocent and is seeking to overturn his conviction. He is scheduled to surrender to federal prison authorities on Tuesday. A three-judge panel on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied his bail motion in a brief order issued Wednesday. The decision did not include a rationale, but it said one of the three judges would have granted the motion. An email seeking comment was sent to his attorneys. Menendez, who once served as chair of the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee, resigned his seat a month after his conviction. He had been in the Senate since 2006. Two business owners also were convicted last year along with Menendez. His wife, Nadine Menendez , was convicted in April of teaming up with her husband to accept bribes from the business owners. Her trial was delayed after she was diagnosed with breast cancer and required surgery . Her sentencing has been set for Sept. 11. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Axios
21 minutes ago
- Axios
Incensed House Democrats plan ICE funding war
House Democrats, incensed at being repeatedly denied access to ICE facilities, are warming to the idea of using the appropriations process to force policy changes at the agency if they retake Congress. Why it matters: ICE-focused protests and pressure from their grassroots are forcing Democrats to inch away from their instinctively defensive crouch on immigration. But there is internal division on how far to go. "You've got a situation where our base is demanding more and more of us every day," said one House Democrat, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The lawmaker added that "a number of us have been told by constituents that we have to be willing to get shot" while trying to conduct oversight at ICE facilities and "be able to make news out of it." Many Democrats are still scarred by GOP attacks on the #AbolishICE movement and hesitant to take steps that appear to be aimed at dismantling or downsizing the agency. State of play: Just over the weekend, House Democrats in California and New York were refused access to ICE facilities in their respective states to perform checks on detained migrants. Reps. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) and Norma Torres (D-Calif.) have alleged that ICE officials even sprayed "some type of irritant into the air to push us back." Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) is being prosecuted by the Justice Department for allegedly assaulting law enforcement — which she denies — during a visit to an ICE facility in her state during which she was initially refused entry. What they're saying: Congressional Hispanic Caucus chair Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) said he believes Democrats should "reassess the funding possibilities. Absolutely." He said of being denied access to an ICE facility this weekend: "They ask for money, right? And then ... I go there and they don't allow us to go and check out the facilities." Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), a member of Democratic leadership, told Axios, "Everybody's on board with the fact that what's going on right now is not right, and ... reform is needed." "This administration is ... rounding people up by mistake — they don't care," said Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), chair of the center-left New Democrat Coalition. "We can't let that happen." Zoom in: Key Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee signaled that ICE is on the table as part of a broader effort to scrutinize Trump administration spending. "There will be a review of everything ... looking at what are the kinds of things we can do to get our government back on track," said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the panel's ranking member. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.), the ranking member of the homeland security subcommittee, told Axios: "We're going to look at all funding. ... What's happening right now is really bad." Between the lines: A clash is already brewing over how far to go — with some progressives eyeing actual funding cuts as moderate border hawks draw a bright red line in opposition to that idea. "Some of us would like to see it completely broken down ... I've been talking about reducing funding," said Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.). Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) criticized "hypocrisy" among Democrats, "where folks want to campaign against ICE when we're in the minority, but then when we're in the majority, we continue to funnel unfettered funds with absolutely no guardrails." Centrist Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), a member of the Appropriations Committee, told Axios he is "sure there will be a push," but he "will not support reducing ICE" funding. The bottom line: Even centrists like Cuellar aren't ruling out supporting potential policy riders to appropriations bills to try to reform the agency. "It's a policy. The men and women, they're the same. It just depends what policy comes down," he told Axios. Ramirez, for her part, was clear-eyed that "you're not going to see an abolishing of ICE" even though "some of us might want that."
