DeSantis Labels Florida House 'Obstructionists' in Latest Example of Infighting

Gov. Ron DeSantis launched his newest volley of attacks against the Republican-led Florida House on Monday, blasting the lower chamber for blocking his priorities and allegedly cozying up to liberal trial lawyers.

His comments at a Panama City Beach press conference are the latest stab in the hot-and-cold feud between DeSantis and House Speaker Danny Perez, marked by a months-long tug-of-war over budget vetoes, illegal immigration, tax cuts, and the governor's priority bills.

"They have this massive supermajority that they built off the work of many others...and they're trying to undo a lot of the stuff that I and others worked for over many, many years," DeSantis said at the Monday afternoon press event.

"Who are they doing the bidding for? Not you, but people like Morgan and Morgan," he continued, referencing Democrat super-donor and North Florida trial lawyer John Morgan. "[The House is] just gonna obstruct for the sake of obstructing. That's not what you voted for.

"It's just because they gotta be obstructionists. It's just because they gotta be different," DeSantis added, noting that while the Senate is discussing one of the governor's priority bills banning police from stopping boaters without probable cause, the House still hasn't scheduled it for a hearing.

This was the governor's fourth press event where he's blasted the House in the past week. It also comes amid four social media videos posted from his office since last Monday, in which he's accused House leadership of not focusing on Floridians while catering to special interests.

The overarching clash between the Legislature and DeSantis is a rapid change of pace for the firebrand governor, who's enjoyed overwhelming compliance in both chambers throughout his tenure. But when Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton publicly opposed his call for a special session in January, ultimately forcing a compromise immigration bill as the leadership's final product, tensions began to simmer.

Perez has since led the charge to override nearly $5 million in the governor's budget vetoes from last year, proposed a dueling tax cut proposal to the governor's, and his Representatives have alleged that the First Lady's charity, Hope Florida, is out of compliance with state laws.

"For some reason, it seems the last week or so the governor has been a little more emotional," Perez said last week, responding to a question from The Floridian on his relationship with the governor, who Perez said had been "cordial" to him in person despite filming social media videos bashing the House in his office.

He also pushed back on DeSantis's claim that he's working with trial lawyers, pointing out that the House has moved tort legislation opposed by the trial bar.

"To say that this is for the trial bar, I think is wrong, I think it's desperate to say that, because it's just inaccurate," Perez said.