A shocking tweet by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis raises serious concerns.
DeSantis accuses U.S. attorney general Merrick Garland, of “weaponizing the DOJ” against parents.
“Attorney General Garland is weaponizing the DOJ by using the FBI to pursue concerned parents and silence them through intimidation,” DeSantis stated.
“Florida will defend the free speech rights of its citizens and will not allow federal agents to squelch dissent,” he added.
DeSantis pledges to resist Garland’s order that the FBI address violence threats against teachers and school officials.
Garland instructed the FBI and U.S. Attorney offices to meet with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials within 30 days.
Their goal is to stop what the DOJ called an “increased harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence towards school board members, teachers, and workers in our nation’s public schools.”
Many parents are now standing up for their kids against restrictive coronavirus-related policies at schools.
DeSantis supported these parents and their parental rights.
DeSantis responded that it was too early to predict what steps he would take to challenge the DOJ’s order.
DeSantis stated that he will be closely monitoring the situation to “protect the rights of Floridians against government overreach or the inappropriate politicization of federal law enforcement.”
“Several Florida school board members, including Democrats and Republicans, have reported receiving threats and harassment from activists on both ends of the political spectrum,” a statement from DeSantis stated, in part.
“This is wrong, and anyone who is a victim of a crime should report it to their local police department. Florida law enforcement is perfectly capable of responding to crimes in Florida, and we have never heard the FBI suggest otherwise.”
“However, disagreement is not harassment,” the statement continued to say.
“Protest is not terrorism, unless it involves rioting, looting, and assault, like some of the left-wing protests of summer 2020.”
“Again, all of those actions are crimes in Florida and will be prosecuted, regardless of political context,” the statement continued. “Governor DeSantis condemns any attempt by the federal government to silence free speech. It is despicable and anti-American.”
Attorney General Garland is weaponizing the DOJ by using the FBI to pursue concerned parents and silence them through intimidation.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) October 5, 2021
Florida will defend the free speech rights of its citizens and will not allow federal agents to squelch dissent.
