Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried tore into Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Thursday over a slew of recently signed legislation targeting protests and election procedures, declaring that Florida is “no longer a free state.”
Speaking at a press conference hours after DeSantis signed a sweeping election bill into law, Fried cast the governor as an authoritarian figure bent on curbing basic rights and controlling the flow of information out of his administration. In particular, she noted how he had barred media outlets, except for Fox News, from covering the signing of the elections bill on Thursday.
“He did this in a closed location with only political supporters, using our taxpayer dollars, with the only camera watching was Fox News,” Fried said. “He is using Fox News as a state news source. We see this in other locations across the world — China, Venezuela. Authoritarian regimes have state-run presses. Not here in America.”
Fried, the lone Democrat in statewide elected office in Florida, is believed to be nearing a run for governor, and has amped up her public criticism of DeSantis in recent months. She hammered the governor on Thursday for pushing the election reforms even after he touted the accuracy and efficacy of Florida’s 2020 election.
What a dopey thing to say. I hope most Americans use their common sense and logic and see that this is just another of their propaganda power plays. Showing ID, verifying signatures and only allowing U.S qualified citizens to vote is not only free but HONEST.
It’s like duhhhh!!!
It’s not like Fox news was the only network to get invited.
This thing is, who wasn’t invited and they let their feelings know they were hurt.
Booo hoo.
The only way she has a chance to win is if DeSantis runs for president. Otherwise she only has a snowballs chance in Florida.