February 1, 2022
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
By: Zac Anderson
Anti-Defamation League Florida tweet mentioned
Gov. Ron DeSantis accused Democrats Monday of trying to "smear" him over how his administration's responded to a neo-Nazi demonstration in Orlando over the weekend.
Republican leaders across Florida condemned the neo-Nazi rally, with U.S. Sen. Rick Scott tweeting Sunday that "the hateful & anti-Semitic demonstrations reported in Florida today have no place in our state."
But DeSantis didn't weigh in until asked about it during a press conference Monday afternoon in Palm Beach County, and the governor's press secretary drew attention for a tweet that questioned whether the incident was staged.
"Do we even know they're Nazis?" said DeSantis spokeswoman Christina Pushaw in a tweet that later was deleted. "Or is this a stunt like the 'white nationalists' who crashed the (Virginia Gov. Glenn) Youngkin rally in Charlottesville and turned out to be Dem staffers? I trust Florida law enforcement to investigate and am awaiting their conclusions."
Pushaw's tweet drew rebukes from Democrats and Jewish leaders.
"We are alarmed that @ChristinaPushaw would first give cover to antisemites rather than immediately and forcefully condemning their revolting, hate-filled rally and assault," the Anti-Defamation League Florida tweeted, adding: "We expect any public official, especially a voice for @GovRonDeSantis, to address the fears of the Jewish community thoughtfully – not with this troubling and careless approach."
DeSantis defended his administration Monday as a strong supporter of Israel and said Democrats are using the Orlando rally to "smear me as if I had something to do with it."
"They try to play games to try to politicize, why would they do that?" DeSantis asked. "Why would they want to elevate a half-dozen malcontents and try to make this an issue for political gain?"
Democrats are trying to distract from President Joe Biden's record, DeSantis added.
The governor called the neo-Nazi demonstrators "jackasses" and said "state law enforcement is gonna hold them accountable because they were doing stuff on the overpass." It is illegal to demonstrate on a highway overpass.
U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, a Democrat running for governor, took issue with the governor's reaction to being questioned about the neo-Nazi rally Monday, which focused more on Democrats than the demonstrators.
"It should be easy, Ron. Condemn the Nazis," Crist tweeted.
Follow Herald-Tribune Political Editor Zac Anderson on Twitter at @zacjanderson. He can be reached at [email protected]
Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune
URL: https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/politics/2022/01/31/gov-ron-desantis-and-press-secretary-christina-pushaw-over-nazi-rally-response/9293703002/