Florida Democratic Party Statement on the Protest Bill Announced by Governor Ron DeSantis
On Monday, Governor Ron DeSantis along with incoming Republican Leaders announced their intention to pass a bill that places unreasonable and severe punishments on those who protest.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Terrie Rizzo released the following statement in response:
“This bill is a radical political stunt by Governor Ron DeSantis. The fact that he and the Republican legislators can come up with a plan to criminalize peaceful protests while ignoring our broken unemployment system and COVID-19, shows just how little they actually care about Floridians.
“Real leaders step up in moments of crisis, but today’s actions again prove that Governor DeSantis is weak. He can’t meet this moment, actually get the virus under control and unite Floridians— so instead, he is resorting to cheap, political stunts meant to appease Donald Trump in an election year and stifle the movement for racial equality and justice.”
ICYMI: Fried hammers DeSantis over coronavirus on eve of Florida cabinet meeting
On Monday, Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried held her own “Cupboard” meeting to address issues Ron DeSantis has not with the cabinet. Fried discussed economic, health and election issues that “she says the state Cabinet and lawmakers should have addressed throughout the coronavirus pandemic.”
The meeting came a day before the first time the independently elected cabinet will meet in person since February. Commissioner Fried has requested the cabinet hear updates on COVID-19, Florida’s economic recovery, elections security, and on the broken unemployment system – all of which DeSantis has refused to add to agenda.
Sun Sentinel. 9/22/20. “Fried hammers DeSantis over coronavirus on eve of Florida cabinet meeting”
- “On the eve of a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, Fried said Gov. Ron DeSantis shouldn’t have been allowed to solely address issues such as an overwhelmed unemployment system, problems in health-care reporting, election security and how federal CARES Act stimulus dollars will be spent by the state.”
- “’When the body in which we serve, the Florida Cabinet, that you elect, doesn’t provide information and leaves state businesses pending for months, while canceling meeting after meeting, I have to step up and lead,’ said Fried.”
- “‘This isn’t hypothetical. People are asking how their government is addressing COVID-19. How we plan to help feed hungry families. How we will be dealing with a budget deficit. And how we will conduct safe elections while ensuring the sacred right to vote. It is our job as constitutional officers to give the people answers. And if the Cabinet can’t, and the governor won’t, then I will.’”
- “Fried was joined in the online event by several policy officials and state Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez, a Miami Democrat who has been pushing for DeSantis and Republican legislative leaders to call lawmakers back to Tallahassee to address a state revenue shortfall created by the pandemic.”
- “Florida Policy Institute Chief Executive Officer Sadaf Knight warned that covering a projected state budget shortfall is contingent on Congress lifting restrictions on the use of CARES Act dollars.”
- “DeSantis, Fried, Moody and Patronis on Tuesday will hold their first in-person Cabinet meeting since February.”
Florida Democratic Party Statement on U.S. Surpassing 200,000 Coronavirus Deaths
The United States passed the grim milestone of more than 200,000 lives lost to coronavirus. The U.S. has 4% of the world’s population, but 20% of the world’s coronavirus deaths. In response, the Florida Democratic Party chair Terrie Rizzo released the the following statement:
“As we mark another tragic milestone in the coronavirus pandemic, we mourn with those who are grieving a loved one. Tragically, our loss did not have to be so great. President Trump knew this would be a deadly pandemic, but ignored the warnings and refused to prepare us for a threat experts saw coming — and we are seeing the heartbreaking consequences of his continued inaction. A president’s ultimate job is to protect the people, and Donald Trump failed. We must hold him accountable in November.”
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