Florida GOP Chairman Evan Power slammed Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan on Wednesday after a State Attorney investigation and subpoenas to Jacksonville leaders revealed that Deegan's office was allegedly keeping an illegal registry of gun owners carrying firearms into city buildings.
“It should be no surprise to anyone that liberal Donna Deegan is now under investigation for trampling the Second Amendment,” Power said. “I join with Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, former Mayor Lenny Curry, and others in calling out this direct assault on the rights of law-abiding citizens."
In his statement, Chairman Power assured that Mayor Deegan's attacks against Second Amendment (2A) rights "will not stand."
"Those responsible for this reckless, lawless behavior must be held accountable — not just in the courtroom, but in the court of public opinion," Power added.
According to Florida Statutes 790.335, "a list, record, or registry of legally owned firearms or law-abiding firearm owners is not a law enforcement tool and can become an instrument for profiling, harassing, or abusing law-abiding citizens based on their choice to own a firearm and exercise their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms as guaranteed under the United States Constitution."
Back in 2023, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed permitless carry into Florida law. The law went into effect on July 1 of that year, the same day Mayor Deegan took office.
Deegan, a Democrat, has maintained that the policy predates her administration. Lenny Curry, a Republican, was Jacksonville's mayor previously.
"Floridians deserve leaders who protect their freedoms, not radical liberals like Donna Deegan who think they’re above the law," Power concluded.
