Florida Gov. Introduces Robust Bill to Address ‘Lawlessness’
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) is protecting civilians with a bill that dramatically increases the penalties against crimes that occur during protests.
“What you have to have is clear and predictable penalties,” said DeSantis on Monday. “I look at what goes on in Portland and they’ll have people; they’ll arrest them. These are scraggly-looking ANTIFA types. They get their mugshot taken and then they get released. And it’s like a carousel; and on and on it goes.”
DeSantis’s proposal criminalizes assemblies during which property damage or injury occurs and punishes protestors who engage in violence or obstruct traffic during such assemblies with third-degree felony charges.
Under the bill, any person convicted of destroying a monument during a violent assembly will be hit with a second-degree felony charge; any person convicted of harassing someone at a public venue will be punished with a first-degree misdemeanor; any person convicted of attacking a police officer will be punished with a mandatory minimum sentence of six months.
In addition, any individual convicted of participating in a violent protest will lose eligibility for state benefits and state/local government employment. Any individual charged with a crime related to a violent protest will have no bail option until after his/her first court appearance.
Motorists who inadvertently kill or injure someone while fleeing a violent assembly will not be charged.
“This is what leadership looks like,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. “This is remarkable. This is a state that you want to come and vacation. This is a state where you want to grow your business. This is a state where you can be safe.”
The bill also includes a provision that reduces state funding to municipalities that appear to be defunding their police forces and enables Florida to use R.I.C.O. liability against any person or group caught organizing/funding a violent protest.
“We’re going to figure out who’s organizing and who’s funding that, and we’ll hold them accountable,” promised DeSantis, describing situations where pallets of bricks and other projectiles have been conveniently dropped off before demonstrations.
As expected, Democrats accused DeSantis of scaring civilians, harming the Black Lives Matter movement, and ignoring police misconduct.
“This effort has one goal: silence, criminalize, and penalize Floridians who want to see justice for black lives lost to radicalized violence and brutality at the hands of law enforcement,” argued Micah Kubic of the ACLU.
Florida lawmakers will begin to negotiate the language of the bill immediately, but won’t be able to approve it until March 2021. You can read the entire proposal here.
Author’s Note: DeSantis is acting exactly how a governor should protect his people during a time of unprecedented violence. If his proposal works as intended, it will dissuade people from attending protests and remove the bad actors who have turned peaceful demonstrations into violent riots.
This bill is particularly important in a state that depends on tourism and regularly hosts people from all over the world. The last thing you want during a vacation is to wind up in the middle of a protest.
Sources:
DeSantis Unveils New Legislation Cracking Down On ‘Scraggly-Looking Antifa Types’
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis calls for legislation aimed at cracking down on disorderly protests
Florida governor introduces legislation with harsh penalties for disorderly assemblies
I have a 300 pound ex foot ball player, ill tempered brother in law and if they barged in on him while at an out door restaurant with his sweet wife there would be a lot of broken jaws and heads. He would fight like Samson did fighting the atheist’s. A few years back ten punks jumped him and all ten were carted away in ambulances.
Great job, DeSantis. Run for President after Trump!
You mean after TRUMPS. Don Jr. and Eric still have to run.
LOVE IT!!!!!
Bravo to Ron in Florida for doing the right thing. And here I am stuck in lawless NY, where the mayor HELPS the Marxists, and the state is run by Andrew “the mouth” Cuomo. Florida is looking better and better. Those who can’t obey the law and attack others, whether police or civilian, belong in jail. So do the thug politicians who support them or are derelict in their jobs. If you can;t take the heat, don’t run for office. Just because a mob demands something doesn’t mean they are RIGHT or that they are entitled to it.. Most certainly they are not allowed to burn, loot and steal.
I think the governor is right with the whole proposal but I don’t understand why do we have to wait until March 2021 to get it pass.
I am so glad that we have a governor who is not afraid to do what he is to do to take care of his people. moving to Florida was the best move my wife and I did. We still have sons who live in Massachusetts and tell us how bad it is up there. Governor DeSantis reminds me of our President who doesn’t play games.He takes on issues which the dems ignore. God bless u Ron and may he look after u and your family.So happy to have voted for u.Keep up the good work.one thing I would like to have put into law is being able to carry in every state.
I wish every state would follow suite with the Florida Governor. If violent protesters do the crime they must do the time, Law and order may have it’s imperfections but violence is not justice.
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Hey, a governor that actually cares about the law abiding citizens and really wants you to vacation in the state without fear. NICE !
The ACLU is trying to mislead you into thinking the governor doesn’t care but that’s not the case. He cares about the law abiding citizens. Don’t be a law breaker.
I will never fear the police at any time. I do what I am told, I don’t argue, I don’t run, and I don’t fight. I will not feel the pain of a Tazer, nor a bullet. Now I do fear BLM and Antfia and don’t even want to be with in 5 miles of their riot protests. If these rioters come to my house and they desire to threaten me and advance after being told to leave it will be the last thing they do as I will have thought my life was in danger. I will be filming the entire exchange. After the crowd dispurses I will call the police to come pick up the bodies.
George Sorros wants to rule the world and feels HE is God. This man needs to have the entire full force of the United States Government come down on him and his sons. He is way too powerful. Google up: Businesses owned by George Sorros. Also look up his actions in WWII where he turned in his neighbors to the NAZI’s for rewards and started his wealth on blood money. The man somehow escaped being called a war criminal. I say send hjim back to Hungary.
He paid off the Clintons to come into the USA and set a root.
Finally, a REAL leader with courage.
Fantastic! I think this should be Nation wide! Then I believe that most protests will be a lot less violent! Hope it passes into law!
Well done.
Nothing else matters.
BOlivesM.
Thank you Sir!
Leave it to the clueless ACLU to get it wrong as usual.
Nice to have a governor with balls ……
I don’t suggest going out and engaging the rioters, but I am not afraid to shoot the bastards if they threaten me or mine. I bother no one, but I’m mean as hell if need be. We need governors and mayors to back the police and protect people. If they don’t then it’s time to lock and load. But only for actual violence, not loud mouths protesting in the streets.