In the News
South Florida Sun Sentinel Dubs Missing Marco Rubio “The Man Who Wasn’t There”
A new editorial from the South Florida Sun Sentinel slams Marco Rubio for skipping out on his job and voting against Floridians’ interests. Citing Rubio’s votes against infrastructure funding and new reporting that revealed Rubio failed to attend years’ worth of hearings on European security issues, the Sun Sentinel criticized Rubio for putting his self-serving agenda ahead of what’s best for Florida.
Read more from the editorial below:
South Florida Sun Sentinel: Editorial: Chasing daylight, Rubio descends into darkness
Key points:
- Since Joe Biden became president, Rubio has been The Man Who Wasn’t There. He has joined other Republicans in skipping committee meetings to stall key Biden appointments.
- One stands out. Biden nominated the eminently qualified Deborah Lipstadt to be special envoy in fighting global antisemitism. In South Florida, which Rubio claims to represent, that’s almost a local issue. But Lipstadt’s nomination has stalled for eight months in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Rubio is the second-ranking Republican.
- The commission is evenly divided among Democrats and Republicans. Rubio could break that deadlock by voting to confirm Lipstadt. Instead, he has displayed another profile in cowardice.
- Rubio doesn’t do much better when he shows up to vote. His hypocrisy is on display. After voting for COVID-19 relief during the Trump administration, Rubio voted against the 2021 American Rescue Plan. Among other things, it extended the child tax care credit that Rubio once wanted expanded.
- Rubio voted against the infrastructure bill that got 18 Republican votes in the Senate. Rubio later demanded that the Biden administration prioritize money for Florida’s airports, which will get $240 million from the legislation that Rubio rejected.
- Rubio voted against the bill to increase competitiveness with China by creating more domestic supply chains. Pre-Biden, Rubio said the country needed more domestic supply chains.
- But we call particular attention to Rubio’s record on Ukraine. Though he regularly misses committee meetings, Rubio never misses a chance to appear on Fox News. Under friendly questioning, he seeks to pass himself off as a serious-minded senator.
- But while Rubio has criticized Biden for supposedly not helping Ukraine enough, Rubio voted against the spending bill to keep the government operating. It has $13.6 billion for Ukraine. The money will supply weaponry and humanitarian aid and support increased U.S. deployment to Eastern Europe.
- In addition, Business Insider reported that since 2017, Rubio has missed nearly 50 meetings of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Many of the topics related to Ukraine and NATO.
- Rubio is seeking a third term this year. It’s past time for him to start working for Florida.
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