A bill draft has been filed in the Florida Senate minutes after the announcement that President Donald Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan Grand Jury on 30 counts related to alleged business fraud. The bill, "SPB 7050: Elections" could change Florida's "Resign to Run" law which, as currently written, would require Governor Ron DeSantis to resign as Governor at least ten days before qualifying to run for President, if he decides to run. His resignation would not go into effect until assuming a new office.
The bill which was filed tonight at 6:08pm on the Florida Senate Bill Registry, states:
"A bill to be entitled
(PRELIMINARY DRAFT) An act relating to elections; providing legislative intent; providing an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
Section 1. The Legislature intends to revise laws relating to elections.
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023."
Investigative Journalist and Former Florida Congressional Candidate Laura Loomer, who has led a grassroots effort to oppose the change to Florida's Resign to Run Law, discovered the bill had been posted to the Florida Senate Website.
"Today as it was announced that President Trump was indicted by a Soros District Attorney, DeSantis's henchmen in the FL legislature chose TODAY as the day to file the bill to amend the Florida Resign to Run law so that @GovRonDeSantis won't have to resign as Governor to Run for President," Loomer tweeted.
Holy shit. Along with refusing to say President Trump’s name in his statement today, @GovRonDeSantis and his goons chose TODAY, the day President Trump got indicted, as the day to introduce the draft of the bill to change Florida’s Resign to Run law.
They did this today, hoping… pic.twitter.com/DmuCRSNBnu
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) March 31, 2023
Less than two hours after the announcement of President Trump's indictment, DeSantis responded and announced "Florida will not assist in the extradition request given the questionable circumstances at issue with this Soros-backed Manhattan prosecutor and his political agenda." He called the indictment of President Trump "Un-American" and "the weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda."
The weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda turns the rule of law on its head.
It is un-American.
The Soros-backed Manhattan District Attorney has consistently bent the law to downgrade felonies and to excuse criminal misconduct. Yet, now he is…
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 30, 2023
UPDATE: An Amendment was added on April 25, 2023 that will repeal the requirement for a Florida State Office holder to resign their current office to run for President or Vice President, paving the way for Governor Ron DeSantis to run for President in 2024 without resigning as Governor if he chooses to.
Read the proposed bill below.
