Ron DeSantis has become the mainstream media’s Public Enemy No. 1. They want you to think it’s Donald Trump who really scares them, but they’ll be thrilled to see Trump as the 2024 GOP presidential nominee.
No, DeSantis is the guy they really don’t want to see in the White House. That’s why they’ve dedicated so much manpower to going after DeSantis despite the fact that DeSantis isn’t even in the 2024 presidential race. At least not yet.
They need to take him out as soon as possible, and the Associated Press is happy to hit him with whatever weapons they can find. Unfortunately, the only weapons they can find are proverbial squirt guns:
Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has advanced elements of his conservative agenda though the use of executive power, signaling how he might govern if he were elected president. https://t.co/mjuPovwqSF
— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) April 11, 2023
President Ron DeSantis might govern like Governor Ron DeSantis governs? Oh noes!
Suspending an elected Democratic prosecutor. Forbidding gender-affirming treatments for minors. Expanding the “Don’t Say Gay” law to high schools.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has exercised his executive powers to advance elements of his aggressive conservative agenda, drawing on appointees, boards and the state Constitution in a deliberate manner as he builds toward an expected presidential candidacy.
First, referring to the Parental Rights in Education law as “Don’t Say Gay” — throughout the entire article, I should note — should tell you how seriously you should take the AP’s reporting. And second of all, the AP’s examples of DeSantis using executive power are not only of things he is allowed to do as the governor, but they’re also examples of him doing the right thing.
One of DeSantis’ most high-profile uses of executive power came last year when he suspended Andrew Warren, an elected Democratic prosecutor in Tampa, using a provision in the state Constitution that allows a governor to remove officials for incompetence or neglect of duty.
In an executive order, DeSantis cited Warren’s signing of statements that he wouldn’t pursue criminal charges against those seeking or providing abortion or gender transition treatments as key reasons for the suspension.
“When you flagrantly violate your oath of office, when you make yourself above the law, you have violated your duty, you have neglected your duty and you are displaying a lack of competence to be able to perform those duties,” DeSantis said while announcing the suspension.
The AP may not be happy that DeSantis suspended Andrew Warren for not doing his job, but, well, Andrew Warren had a job to do and was not doing it. In most cases, that’s the sort of thing that’ll get you suspended. Now obviously, that’s not always true, as evidenced by the fact that the AP’s job is to do responsible journalism and they’ve clearly chosen not to do that job and haven’t been suspended from the mainstream media. But generally speaking, you’re expected to do what you’re being paid to do.
And another thing: since when is the AP so concerned about executives using executive orders? Has anyone told them what President Joe Biden has been up to for the past two-plus years?
AP – "Yay, Biden gonna cancel student debt, even though he can't via executive order"…Also AP- "can you believe this DeSantis guy signing bills from the Legislature?"
— Ohio Hog Fan (@ohiomanblotter) April 11, 2023
So like what Biden did ?
— Nikki mac🐊🐊🇺🇸 (@Nikkimac187) April 11, 2023
So he'd govern just like Joe Biden, is what you're saying. https://t.co/Sx4RoxNRYY
— Varad Mehta (@varadmehta) April 11, 2023
Crazy! How would the Republic survive a President using executive powers??? pic.twitter.com/b0tPavEAsx
— Alvaroidz (@Alvaroidz) April 11, 2023
Shall we review the treasure trove of executive orders @JoeBiden signed in his first week in office let alone the number in total so far
— Stevo1962 (@stevo1962) April 12, 2023
What a difference political party makes for embracing executive power, huh, @AP_Politics? pic.twitter.com/FVcBRKREHn
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) April 11, 2023
True story.
***
Related:
Christina Pushaw thanks the Miami Herald for its ‘great headline’ praising Gov. Ron DeSantis
***
Do you enjoy Twitchy’s conservative reporting taking on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth. Join Twitchy VIP and use the promo code SAVEAMERICA to get 40% off your VIP membership!
