Latest news with #AshleyMoody
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Students as spies? US-China educational ties strained by rising claims of espionage
Chinese spies at Stanford University. American and Chinese pawns for Beijing at Duke Kunshan. Chinese student scouts near a military site in Michigan. Advertisement These are some of the 'bombshell' allegations that have been fuelling online buzz and US government efforts to sever educational ties between the US and China in recent months. A day after The Stanford Review – a student-run conservative newspaper – published a report on May 7 alleging that Beijing was conducting a 'widespread intelligence-gathering campaign' on campus, Senator Ashley Moody, Republican of Florida, cited the piece as evidence that Congress must pass her bill to prevent all Chinese citizens from obtaining US student visas. Similarly, months after a Duke University student published an account of her experiences with Chinese media during a trip to China, two US representatives wrote to Duke's president seeking to shut down Duke Kunshan, the university's joint campus with Wuhan University in China, alleging that it was helping to facilitate Chinese propaganda and intellectual property theft. And, months after claims that Chinese students were spying near a military site in Michigan, the University of Michigan – facing pressure from lawmakers – announced it would end its partnership with Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Advertisement Capping this trend, the State Department announced last week it would 'aggressively' revoke visas of Chinese students, including those with 'connections' to China's Communist Party and in 'critical fields', citing Beijing's 'intelligence collection' and theft of US research. Lawmakers and government officials involved say that US engagement with Chinese students and universities must be restricted to protect national security.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Editorial: Rick Scott, Ashley Moody must defend against political storms by backing emergency funding
1It's June 1, the official start of hurricane season. And Floridians know, for sure, that there is a storm coming. But when? Where? How bad will it be, and how much help can the state expect as it rebuilds? Those are questions that can't be answered. That's because this storm is of human origin — a swirling morass of short-sighted buyouts pushed by Donald Trump's DOGE bounty hunters, potential budget cuts and a threatened shift in the way the nation funds disaster recovery. Even if Florida dodges a direct hit by a major hurricane this year, the uncertainty of storm-prediction capabilities and recovery aid are likely to drive Florida's property insurance industry into a maelstrom of uncertainty, potentially fueling catastrophic rate increases. The only hope lies in restoring the hard-won stability that, until last year, Floridians had grown to rely on. And there's still a chance for two key leaders — our U.S. senators, Ashley Moody and Rick Scott — to defend Florida's chances of surviving brutal storm seasons. Both have ample reason to know what's at stake. Moody, who until recently served as state attorney general, witnessed the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, which caught southwest Florida underprepared for a last-minute course shift. As governor, Scott oversaw turbulent storm seasons, including 2017, when Hurricane Irma forced the largest mass evacuation in the nation's history. Both of them witnessed the slow, painful slogs to recovery every time a major storm hit Florida. As the Senate responds to the starvation-level budget approved by the House last month, they owe it to Floridians to tilt the national spending plan back to rationality. That includes repairing the tattered U.S. weather-monitoring system by filling more than 550 vacancies at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service. The nation needs qualified meteorologists and scientists, whose predictions give storm-vulnerable areas the best chance of bracing for impact — and no state needs help more than Florida, which has incurred more hurricane losses than any other state over the past 10 years. And no state would suffer as badly as Florida if the current situation persists. Geography is obviously a factor: The state is exposed to both Gulf and Atlantic storms, which can rake any point in its nearly 8,500 miles of shoreline and often shift course with little warning. Reporting by CBS and the Miami Herald show that NWS and NOAA outposts across the state are critically understaffed — something called out in a letter signed by five former heads of the NWS, published in these pages last month. 'NWS staff will have an impossible task to continue its current level of services. Some forecast offices will be so short-staffed that they may be forced to go to part-time services,' they wrote. The loss of forecasters is compounded by the short staffing among technicians responsible for maintaining the radar arrays that detect and analyze storm activity. 'Our worst nightmare is that weather forecast offices will be so understaffed that there will be needless loss of life,' they wrote. That should be everyone's fear. Reconstituting the nation's storm-prediction resources won't be easy. There are only so many qualified meteorologists, radar technicians and other critical personnel to fill these vacant positions, and many who departed took retirement deals that could complicate attempts to rehire them — a clear illustration of the penny-wise, pound-foolish impact of DOGE's blindly draconian cuts. Any delay in fixing the damage could be fatal for as-yet uncountable Floridians. Scott and Moody must also make it clear that federal aid will be available to any part of this nation hit by natural disasters. Recent actions by the Trump administration — denying federal aid for other parts of the nation that have been hit by devastating storms and other emergencies — make the warning even sharper. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is holding back funding that was promised months or even years ago, while denying emergency aid. Among the rejected pleas: Aid for a Washington state town that was three-quarters destroyed by wildfire, and help following an Arkansas storm event with tornadoes and giant hail that killed three people. Most alarming, the administration slashed funding last week for North Carolina's Hurricane Helene recovery, a storm that left 230 people dead and thousands without power for weeks. Ironically, Trump blasted the Biden administration in January for not doing enough to help Helene's victims. These incidental denials could be just the start. If President Trump makes good on his threat to shift disaster response to the states, Florida and other states on the front lines of climate change will be the first to suffer. While the president may speak deceptively of 'reform,' Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has been far more blunt: She wants to shut FEMA down. And while we appreciate Scott's sense of timing, taking a tour of Florida to promote disaster preparedness, this is not a burden that can be carried by Florida residents and businesses alone. That's why Scott, Moody and other GOP senators in disaster-prone states should join forces and make it clear: The nation should not abandon Florida and other states to the winds of fate. Certainly the nation's disaster-recovery framework could be improved. But an abrupt denial of funding now could carry devastating consequences — not just for states on the front lines, but on the nation. Floridians have the right to expect their senators to defend their interests. The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Executive Editor Roger Simmons and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Contact us at insight@
Fox News
28-05-2025
- Business
- Fox News
State Department says it will 'aggressively' revoke visas for Chinese students
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday the U.S. will begin "aggressively" revoking visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields. "Under President Donald Trump's leadership, the U.S. State Department will work with the Department of Homeland Security to aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields," Rubio wrote in a statement. The State Department will also revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People's Republic of China and Hong Kong. In March, House Republicans introduced the Stop Chinese Communist Prying by Vindicating Intellectual Safeguards in Academia Act, also known as the Stop CCP VISAs Act. In an interview with FOX Business on May 12, Florida Senator Ashley Moody criticized providing visas to Chinese nationals. "How can we keep offering 300,000 student visas to Chinese nationals every year when we KNOW they are legally required to gather intelligence for the CCP? The answer is simple: we can't," Moody wrote in a post on X. "@StanfordReview's report on CCP espionage on campus should shock everyone and verify what I have been saying. We need to pass my STOP CCP Visas Act to protect our national security."
Fox News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Florida Sen Moody rolls out measure to expedite removal of criminal illegal immigrants
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Ashley Moody will roll out a measure on Wednesday that will expedite the removal of criminal illegal immigrants from the United States involved in gangs, foreign terrorist organizations or convicted of any felony on U.S. soil, Fox News Digital has learned. Moody, R-Fla., is expected to introduce her legislation Wednesday morning, titled "The Expedited Removal of Criminal Aliens Act." Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., is co-sponsoring the legislation. Moody's team told Fox News Digital that the legislation is "critical" to supporting the Trump administration's immigration priorities. "Following four years of systematic dismantlement of our country's immigration and national security structure under Joe Biden, the American people gave President Trump a mandate to clean up Biden's mess," Moody told Fox News Digital. "Democrats and lower-level partisan judges, however, have sought to block his efforts at every turn." Moody told Fox News Digital that they have claimed that "dangerous criminal illegal aliens and MS-13 gang members like Kilmar Abrego Garcia are just family men living quiet lives in America, and they couldn't be more wrong." "Democrats have fought against the quick removal of illegal aliens who have committed atrocious crimes against children or even those that have been convicted of murder," Moody said. "It makes no sense." Moody's bill authorizes the expedited removal of an immigrant who is a member of a criminal gang or organization; a member of a foreign terrorist organization or has provided material support to such an organization; or has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor. Those potential felony or misdemeanor convictions include any assault of a law enforcement officer, any sexual offense, any crime of domestic violence, any stalking offense, any crime against children or any violation of a protection order. "Today we are finally putting common-sense immigration policies first by introducing legislation to authorize the expedited removal of dangerous criminals and prevent activist-judges from keeping known terrorists, criminals and gang members on American soil and endangering our communities," Moody told Fox News Digital. Moody's bill comes amid a court battle over Abrego Garcia — the Salvadorian migrant and alleged MS-13 member who was deported from Maryland to El Salvador in March. Abrego Garcia was suspected of partaking in labor/human trafficking, according to a 2022 Homeland Security Investigations report obtained by Fox News. The report also stated that "official law enforcement investigations" revealed that Abrego Garcia was a member of the notorious gang MS-13, which Trump has designated as a terror organization. A Homeland Security Investigations report also notes that in October 2019, the Prince Georges County Police Gang Unit identified Abrego Garcia as a member of the notorious Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang. Abrego Garcia was also recently revealed to have a record of being a "violent" repeat wife beater, according to court records filed in a Prince George's County, Maryland, district court by his wife, Jennifer Vasquez. The Trump administration has continued to maintain it was right to deport Abrego Garcia to CECOT, despite many Democrats suggesting he was wrongly deported, even going as far as to say he was kidnapped by the administration.
CBS News
16-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Trump whistleblower Alexander Vindman eyeing Florida Senate run
Alexander Vindman, the whistleblower who triggered Donald Trump's first impeachment, is considering a run for the United States Senate next year against Florida Republican Ashley Moody. In an exclusive interview with CBS News Miami, the retired lieutenant colonel said he was approached about running and was discussing it with close friends and advisors. "I think that the Democrats need to win in some very, very difficult places in order to wrestle control back," he explained during an interview scheduled to air Sunday morning on Facing South Florida. "I'm not sure if Florida is the place to do that. It might be. My worldview is that Trump is going to hurt a lot of people, and this will be a referendum [on Trump] and there'll be an opportunity for people power to manifest. Folks will show up that stayed on the sidelines last time, or that got more than they bargained for with Donald Trump. So, I don't think the state is too far gone by any means. I certainly don't believe that. I just don't know if I'm the right person to do that or if that's the right role for me." Moody, the state's former attorney general, was appointed in January to the Senate by Governor Ron DeSantis to replace Marco Rubio after Rubio became Trump's Secretary of State. Moody has won statewide office twice, when she was elected AG in 2018 and 2022. But she has never had a serious contender in any of her elections and politically she had tended to fade into the background, often standing in the shadows during press conferences. The Senate election in 2026 will be to finish the remaining two years on Rubio's term. The winner of that election would have to run again in 2028. Vindman, 49, who has lived in Broward County since 2023, admitted that the path in Florida would be a difficult one as Republicans currently outnumber Democrats by more than 1.2 million voters. "I don't shy away from a challenge, so it wouldn't be that," he said, referring to the state's Republican bent. "But I also, don't want to be some sort of sacrificial player. I'd want to do something that actually is meaningful because the costs are pretty high." "Costs meaning being away from my daughter, being able to provide for my family," he continued. "So, I'd want to do something I think could achieve some results." In November, his identical twin brother, Eugene, was elected to Congress from Virginia. Alex Vindman said he worked closely on that campaign and learned a great deal. "I think my twin brother's campaign gave me a healthy sense of how hard you have to work in order to reach your community," he said. "And he went to places that were hard, that were resistant to somebody that had a D at the end of their name. But he did the hard work, and he was successful. And he's doing a great job of representing his community now, focusing on constituent services. So, I think it gives me certainly a better understanding for my work right now – helping veterans get elected." Vindman is working with the group Vote Vets, an organization seeking to elect more veterans to public office. "I think veterans, by and large, get things done," he said. "They are not extreme voices. They tend to be more moderate voices. Because they work in an environment that's representative of the country, having to bring teams together to compromise in order to achieve a common mission. I think veterans in that regard are very, very strong. They deliver for the public." If he did get into the race, Vindman may not be alone in the Democratic primary. CBS News Miami has also learned that Josh Weil, who ran for Congress in the special election last month against Randy Fine, is also considering a statewide run. Weil proved to be an adept fundraiser in his campaign, raising more than $10 million in small dollar donations. Weil lost by 14 points – but many Democrats saw it as a positive sign, since the last Republican who ran in that seat had won it in November by 33 points. In a statement to CBS News Miami, Weil said: "Voters want leaders who will stand up and fight for regular people against billionaires and corporations, and focus on lowering the cost of living. That message resonated with voters across all backgrounds in the recent special election. I'm now considering how I can take the enthusiasm we generated and best serve Florida moving forward." Given his connection to Donald Trump, a Vindman candidacy would immediately nationalize, and potentially energize, a race in a state that many national Democrats have written off. Vindman was born in the Kyiv in 1975 when Ukraine was still part of the Soviet Union. His father fled Russia when Alex and his twin brother, Eugene, were four years old. They were part of a wave of Soviet Jews who settled in the United States in the late seventies. Vindman grew up in Brooklyn, joined the military, was awarded a Purple Heart when an I-E-D blew up his convoy in Iraq, and ultimately rose through the ranks to become the director of European Affairs for the National Security Council during President Trump's first term. An expert on Russia and Ukraine, Vindman was in the situation room on July 25, 2019, when he heard what he considered a deeply troubling phone conversation between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski, in which Trump asked Zelenski to investigate the Biden family as a favor to him while also threatening to withhold military aid. Vindman reported what he heard, and it was because of Vindman that Trump was impeached by the House for the first time. Trump was acquitted by the Senate and shortly afterwards Vindman was fired from the NSC staff. After 22 years in the military, he eventually resigned his commission. Since then he has been an outspoken critic of Trump. He's written two books, including "Here, Right Matters," which chronicles his family story and why he felt a sense of duty to report what the President said during the call with Zelenski. Evan Power, the chair of the Republican Party of Florida, dismissed Vindman as a viable candidate. "Donald Trump won Florida by 13 points," he said. "The last thing our state wants is someone who was part of the obstruction of the first Trump Administration. Vindman should take his lies and his political opportunism elsewhere." Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried told CBS News Miami, "Alex Vindman has been an incredible example of what it means to selflessly serve our country. As we fight back against Donald Trump's extreme agenda, Alex is a perfect example of the caliber of Democrat that we need stepping up to lead."
