It didn’t take long after the tragic condominium building collapse in Surfside, Florida for Democratic Gubernatorial candidate, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried to politicize the deadly event by taking not one, but two political swipes at Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Just as Gov. DeSantis landed in Miami to access the building collapse, Commissioner Fried tweeted,” What‘s next, burning books?” in response to a Salon.com story that reported on DeSantis signing of a bill that would mandate students and college professors to divulge their political beliefs and viewpoints.
Gov. DeSantis held a joint press conference with state and local officials, including Democratic Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, to update reporters on the rescue efforts. DeSantis then met with displaced families from the Champlain Tower building. DeSantis has since signed an Executive Order declaring a state of emergency for Miami-Dade County.
Then, just this morning, Fried fired off another attack against DeSantis over his scheduled send-off of dozens of law enforcement officers in Pensacola he had committed to Texas and Arizona to help meet their border security needs.
“I just can’t. There is a real emergency in Florida but Ron is so thirsty for@FoxNews air time that this is what he’s doing today,” tweeted Fried.
Fried was responding to POLITICO Reporter Matt Dixon’s tweet announcing the send-off where he used image capture from The Florida Channel of DeSantis making his announcement in Pensacola.
I just can’t. There is a real emergency in Florida but Ron is so thirsty for @FoxNews air time that this is what he’s doing today. https://t.co/RYhfH6AtlZ
— Nikki Fried (@NikkiFried) June 25, 2021
Fried mentioned Fox News but failed to say that on his Fox News appearance, DeSantis discussed the ongoing search and rescue efforts in Surfside.
According to his official schedule, DeSantis will spend the bulk of his Friday afternoon in Surfside and Bal Harbour meeting with local leaders, first responders, and grieving families.
Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, CFO Jimmy Patronis, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Sen. Lauren Book, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Rene Garcia, Sen. Jason Pizzo, and many other local officials have been on the ground in Surfside.
Democrats Wasserman Schultz, Book, Pizzo, and Cava, have refrained from using the tragedy as a platform to score political points against DeSantis or any other Republican.
Fried was in Surfside Thursday evening accessing the building collapse, but no word on if she will be there on Friday.
