Apparently, Florida’s Division of Kids and Households employs nobody who understands the First Modification. That’s the one logical rationalization for the letter it despatched to the Orlando Sentinel, telling the paper to stop and desist reporting on the shady charity spearheaded by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ spouse, Casey.
The paper hasn’t printed the story but, however FDCF nonetheless accuses it of threatening foster households to make unfavorable statements in regards to the beleaguered Hope Florida Basis.
That is an apparent case of prior restraint, which is the place the federal government makes an attempt to censor speech earlier than it’s printed. It’s arguably the worst manner the federal government can violate the First Modification. The Supreme Courtroom addressed this practically 100 years in the past in Close to v. Minnesota, which invalidated a Minnesota regulation that allowed a choose to dam any publication deemed obscene or scandalous, stating that it violated the First Modification.
You don’t must be a authorized scholar to have realized about this elementary constitutional safety. It’s important to be solely reasonably conscious of American historical past. Then-President Richard Nixon famously tried to dam publication of the Pentagon Papers, saying the publication of the historical past of U.S. involvement in Vietnam would jeopardize nationwide safety. The Supreme Courtroom didn’t agree and dominated that The New York Occasions and different papers may publish the fabric.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, proper, and his spouse, Casey DeSantis, go away Japan’s prime minister’s official residence in April 2023.
DeSantis’ administration is scrambling to cowl up Casey DeSantis’ involvement with the charity, significantly as a result of the scandal may compromise her gubernatorial ambitions. Ron is term-limited, so there’s a genius plan to only have Casey take his place. If this sounds acquainted, it’s as a result of rabid segregationist Alabama Gov. George Wallace obtained round that state’s time period limits by having his spouse run for governor in 1966. Her election allowed Wallace to function a shadow governor.
The DeSantis household’s obvious plan to emulate Wallace has taken successful, although, due to the investigation into the Hope Florida Basis. That is type of a large number, so buckle up.
First, the state established a charity often known as the Hope Florida Basis to obtain personal donations, which it could then distribute to church buildings and nonprofits. Casey made it her signature initiative, however it was remarkably unhealthy at its core operate of distributing cash. In its first 12 months, it gave away lower than 5% of the donations it obtained. It additionally reportedly did not carry out required audits and to file taxes on time—till reporters got here calling.
In September 2024, the DeSantis administration settled with a big well being care firm that had overbilled the state’s Medicaid program, requiring the corporate to pay Florida $67 million. The administration then diverted $10 million of that settlement to the Hope Florida Basis even though it was cash designed to make Florida residents complete. The Hope Florida Basis all of the sudden obtained good at giving freely cash, swiftly passing it on to DeSantis-affiliated PACs set as much as block Florida’s poll initiative to legalize leisure marijuana. These PACs then rotated and despatched thousands and thousands to Florida’s state Republican Get together.
This didn’t come to gentle as a result of some left-wing rag was attacking Casey DeSantis. As a substitute, state Republican lawmakers kicked issues off, and now prosecutors are investigating the charity as properly.
That is small-fry corruption in contrast with the huge lawlessness of the Trump administration, however Ron has at all times been a bargain-basement Trump, so it is smart he’d attempt to comply with in these prison footsteps. Republicans are totally dedicated to utilizing the federal government to grift.
It isn’t simply that Ron and Casey DeSantis are seemingly taking taxpayer {dollars} away from Florida residents to assist their very own pet initiatives. Their actions present they don’t assume Florida residents need to know the place their cash goes, they usually don’t need to learn publications crucial of DeSantis. That’s a profound and deep disdain for the folks Ron DeSantis professes to serve.
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