With Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ (R) announcement of the “Combatting Violence, Disorder and Looting and Law Enforcement Protection Act,” there’s been pushback from Democratic lawmakers that have called it an attempt at creating an authoritarian police state.
In response to the proposal, Democratic lawmakers organized a virtual press conference to discuss their thoughts on the proposal, which received disapproval from across the board of panelists.
Hosted by Florida Rep. Shevrin Jones (D), the lawmaker called it a “total violation of civil liberties,” saying that it is a blatant overreach… undermining the constitution.”
Jones expressed that “we were built and shaped as a result of peaceful demonstrations and protests,” adding that, for Republicans, it’s “a desperate violation of our constitutional rights” before warning the Governor that “I’ll tell you like my mother used to say to me – you know better.”
Florida Rep. Anna V. Eskamani (D) also attended the press conference, expressing that this legislation is just another example of “Governor DeSantis… taking a page from President Trump’s playbook.”
State Senator Oscar Braynon II (D) optioned that the Governor should call lawmakers into a special session, but he argued that the likes of that happening are slim because he’s “done such a piss poor job with COVID” that DeSantis does not “want us to address his track record” as Rep. Eskamani added.
Moreover, she slammed DeSantis and Republicans for supporting a proposal that is “tone deaf,” “scary and dangerous.”
The lawmakers voiced their support for continued protests, citing that nobody on the panel supported rioting or looting, and Florida Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D) clarified that “the threat to Floridians is not defunding the police, the threat to Floridians is defunding public schools.”
In turn, vowing to continue fighting for the rights of Floridians across the state, Rep. Jones warned the Florida Governor, admitting that “you’ve just declared war on our civil rights.”
