Lincoln Diaz-Balart

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Lincoln Diaz-Balart
Lincoln Diaz-Balart
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's 21st district
Incumbent
Assumed office 
January 5, 1993–
Preceded by None (District created after the 1990 census)
Succeeded by Incumbent
Born August 13, 1954 (age 52)
Havana, Cuba
Political party Republican
Spouse Cristina Diaz-Balart
Religion Roman Catholic

Lincoln Rafael Diaz-Balart (born August 13, 1954), American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing Florida's 21st congressional district (map). He was born in Havana, Cuba and is the son of the late Cuban politician Rafael Diaz-Balart and a nephew by marriage of Fidel Castro. He was educated at American School of Madrid, Madrid, Spain, New College of Florida, Cambridge University, and Case Western Reserve University. He was a lawyer and a state legislator before entering the House.

In 2000 and 2002, he ran for re-election without opposition. Both in 2004 and now in 2006, he was unsuccessfully challenged by Frank J. Gonzalez[1], a libertarian Democrat. He is a member of the House Rules Committee and House Committee on Homeland Security, and was a sponsor of the Homeland Security Act. Diaz-Balart is married to Cristina Diaz-Balart, and has two children: Lincoln and Daniel. His brother, Mario Diaz-Balart, is also a congressman, representing the 25th district of Florida.


Of the congressman, Rolling Stone columinist Matt Taibbi wrote:

"I turned on C-Span the other morning... and saw an amazing thing.... Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Republican of Florida, was howling on the House floor about the lack of "openness" demonstrated by the new Democratic leadership. 'In bill after bill after bill,' he shouted, 'the minority is closed out!' ...I've spent a good deal of time in the Rules Committee in the past few years and I watched [Congressman Diaz-Balart] sit there with a gloating, cat-who-has-just-eaten-mouse smile as the likes of Jim McGovern, Louise Slaughter and Alcee Hastings begged, literally begged to have this or that amendment allowed (or "made in order," as they say in Congress) so that it could be voted on by the whole Congress. Since Dreier for the most part couldn't be bothered to show up at the committee hearings, it was usually Diaz-Balart who sat in the chairman's chair and chided the Democrats or their witnesses to 'shut up.'... Now this guy is standing up in Congress and blasting the Democrats for exactly the same thing. "[2]

[edit] Cuba

Diaz-Balart plays a prominent role in the Cuban-American lobby, and was active in the failed attempt by relatives of Elian Gonzalez to gain custody of the six year old from his Cuban father.[1]

During his career Diaz-Balart has advocated a naval blockade and military force to be deployed against Cuba, [2] also calling for the U.S. to assassinate his aunt's former husband, Fidel Castro. [3] Diaz-Balart has defended Velentin Hernández, convicted of murdering Luciano Nieves, a fellow Cuban exile who supported negotiations with the Cuban government,[4] and lobbied extensively for the release and pardon of Cuban exile Orlando Bosch, who had been convicted of terrorist acts and has also been accused of involvement in the 1976 bombing of Cubana Flight 455 which killed 73 people, helping organize an "Orlando Bosch day" to gain support for his release.[5] He also attempted to block Jimmy Carter's visit to the island in 2004. [6]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Politicization of Elian Gonzalez Often at Cross-Purposes With Law. CNN transcripts.
  2. ^ Ann Louise Bardach. Cuba confidential. p50
  3. ^ Congressman Diaz-Balart Says U.S. Should Consider Assassination of Fidel Castro. Wayne Smith. CIP senior fellow. March 31, 2004.
  4. ^ Our Man's in Miami. Patriot or Terrorist? Washington Post. April 17, 2005.
  5. ^ The ghost of terror past. Salon.com.
    ‡ Who is a terrorist? South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Wayne S. Smith. May 31, 2002.
    ° Congressman Diaz-Balart Says U.S. Should Consider Assassination of Fidel Castro. Wayne Smith. CIP senior fellow. March 31, 2004.
  6. ^ Ann Louise Bardach. Cuba confidential. p351. "Ignoring the growls of the Reich team and attempts by Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Lincoln Diaz-Balart to block the visit, the Bush administration reluctantly granted approval"
    ‡ Will Jimmy Carter Become First President to Visit Castro in Cuba? CNN transcripts.

[edit] External links


Preceded by
District Created		 Representative of the 21st Congressional District of Florida
1993—present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent


Florida's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators: Bill Nelson (D), Mel Martinez (R)

Representative(s): Jeff Miller (R), Allen Boyd (D), Corrine Brown (D), Ander Crenshaw (R), Ginny Brown-Waite (R), Cliff Stearns (R), John Mica (R), Ric Keller (R), Gus Bilirakis (R), Bill Young (R), Kathy Castor (D), Adam Putnam (R), Vern Buchanan (R), Connie Mack IV (R), Dave Weldon (R), Tim Mahoney (D), Kendrick Meek (D), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R), Robert Wexler (D), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R), Ron Klein (D), Alcee Hastings (D), Tom Feeney (R), Mario Diaz-Balart (R)

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