DeSantis Loses COVID Lawsuit in Another Blow to His Failing Campaign
As Florida Governor Ron DeSantis hopes for the White House to continue to head from bad to abysmal, his campaign was just handed another blow.
Out on the campaign trail, DeSantis has tried to run on his “COVID success” as a kind of in-your-face “Freedom Fighter” who kept Florida open and working when others closed. However, a recent settlement in a lawsuit paints a very different picture, one that says the Governor’s COVID policies cost “thousands of lives.”
Among the efforts DeSantis has made to try to arrest his slide among Republican hardliners included positioning himself as a champion for “medical freedom” and defying federal health guidance to advise Floridians against taking new COVID-19 booster shots.
The settlement ends a two-year legal battle between the DeSantis administration and a coalition of Democrats, open government advocates, and media outlets that began in June 2021 when the Florida health department ended daily updates of COVID cases, deaths, and vaccinations on its online dashboard.
The department will pay the plaintiffs’ $152,000 legal bill and resume regular posting of the data that DeSantis’s communications team insisted at the time was no longer necessary because cases had “significantly decreased” and that Florida was “returning to normal.”
In reality, as DeSantis dismissed reporting on the pandemic as “media hysteria,” the Delta variant of the virus was just taking hold, and cases and fatalities spiked to a record 385 a day in Florida by September 2021. Simultaneously, Florida led the nation in pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations.
Critics, including those who filed the suit, dubbed DeSantis “the Pied Piper of COVIDvid, leading everybody off a cliff” as he forged ahead with an executive order banning mask mandates in schools, having already signed legislation awarding himself veto power over coronavirus mandates set by municipalities.
“Twenty-three thousand Floridians died during the Delta surge, and not only did the DeSantis administration restrict information on COVID during that time, but they also repeatedly downplayed the severity of the outbreak to fit their political narrative and help DeSantis run for president. That decision cost lives,” said Carlos Guillermo Smith, a Democratic former state congressman who filed the lawsuit against the Florida health department, later joined by the Florida Center for Government Accountability.
“Our school leaders were struggling to make informed decisions about how to mitigate the spread of COVID, whether it be masking or social distancing policies, or other strategies. They needed data, they needed information, but the state made it unavailable, then said it didn’t exist.
“The DeSantis administration was caught red-handed lying about the existence of these public records in court, repeatedly claiming that the records we were requesting didn’t exist, then saying even if they did exist, they would not share them because they were somehow exempt,” he said.
The settlement marks yet another failure for the governor’s sagging run for his party’s presidential nomination. Several recent surveys, nationally and in early-voting states, show DeSantis so far behind Donald J. Trump that the former President and his campaign no longer even consider DeSantis a threat.
DeSantis who?
That’s what I said as Florida went from the covid-death-capital of the world to fucking-a-skippy overnight.
Guess the lady he fired for telling the truth gets her sweet…….. justice.
https://www.npr.org/2020/06/29/884551391/florida-scientist-says-she-was-fired-for-not-manipulating-covid-19-data
There you go again. Lying. You can’t back up your claims about Florida being the Covid death capital. You lying piece of shit
We really need to dump trump. I agree 100% with his political agenda but I’m afraid he’s unelectable. I have decided to support niki Haley or Tim Scott. Haven’t decided yet. But I’m afraid to chance retard joe getting another term. And I’m not so sure that I believe the polls. I’m proud to have had trump as our president but with the damage he has poured on him, guilty or not, it’s not worth the chance. I’m extremely proud of him for the great scotus justices and the federal judges that he nominated. Long live president trump. But somewhere else. Perhaps in congress someday if he can be exonerated from the charges. But if our country and freedom survives we need to keep Biden out of the White House
What a pathetic statement! If you can’t be positive concerning President Trump why not keep quiet?
I hope that I’m wrong. But people can be gullible and stupid when it comes to listening to the bullshit from the left. I’m being realistic. But don’t worry. If trump gets the nomination he has my vote. And I’m not saying that I won’t support him in our primary. I’m just worried about it being easier to steal the election with Trump on the ballot since they got away with it last time. I’m worried about our country and our children and grandchildren. We are already losing them to communism in many of our so called schools. Along with gender bullying and grooming I firmly believe that Trump won the last election. But he had to be punished for beating the queen bitch of the left in 2016. I believe that Trump is innocent. But look at what happened. The damned courts wouldn’t even make the crooked bastards comply with the election laws. I guess they were afraid of ending up like Scalelia
Demanding someone shut up because his statements bug you is equivalent to admission that you can’t refute him.
California and Texas had more COVID cases and more deaths. The “scientist”, Rebekah Jones you mention has been convicted of several crimes. Rebekah Jones is a piece of work!
They are bigger states, population wise.
What convictions Gary: for outing DeSantis on his covid counting, she settled I think. The other was a plea, put on probation, for cyber stalking her boyfriend, she said impregnated her and ran, so she posted a little revenge porn. People make mistakes. No guilty convictions Gary.
Mr Lucas: *https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2022/09/09/floridas-tough-covid-summer-now-what-editorial* All time, a number have them ranked in the top ten, around slot 9, but that may include the DeSantis lies. How did I lie this time? Last two times you got shot down. Premature aren’t you?
JoeyP and the rest: he will not get through by the very nature of already been held liable, his company convicted, with more convictions assured. The NY case underway now I believe it about punishment; guilt has already been established by a judge —- I think. “When a New York judge ruled on Sept. 26 that Donald J. Trump had committed fraud by inflating his assets, he effectively said that the heart of the case against the former president would not be subject to debate during his trial.” NY Times. He has also been held liable for sexual abuse, defamation, and “digital” rape. The digital rape charge was a beautiful thing given he was appealing the defamation over the fact they did not convict, under NYS definition of rape which requires penis penetration, but in the appeal the judge said, based on the evidence, and the witnesses, that he got her alone, slammed her against the wall, lifted her skirts, went under her pantyhose, inside her panties and penetrated her with his fingers. That’s the guy you support for President. He will get nailed in the hush money case too, he’s co-conspirator 1 where the other guy went to jail. That’s where he paid a porn star for sex while Melania was busy birthing the Barron. Nice memories, eh Barron.
Funny story: Cohen goes to jail, mouths off, get out on medical necessity for house arrest, getting tell-all book ready, and Trump, the white knight of free speech, get’s him locked up again for exercising free speech. Man, what a guy. What a President.
Dan Tyree — there is hope for America yet!!!! +1. And today, another one bites the dust: Sydney Powel. Since she was in the “room,” can’t wait till she spills the beans on Trump. She can’t lie or the plea is off and the judgement will be even harsher. Hope she had her phone recorder on.
What a HOOOT. I followed with great intensity the COVID stats as released by Johns-Hopkins and other authorities for two years, including microscopic detail. Florida, with the exception of one spike, protected its citizens very well, compared to other states (ESPECIALLY blue states), despite its collectively higher age age, with disproportionate residency of senior citizens, who constitute a much riskier component of the population re: suffering COVID infection and mortality.
Florida generated numbers far better than my state of Michigan, whose governor used the virus in the most manipulative, parasitic and damaging ways possible. Gov. Wretched Gretchen killed 10,000 alone when she ordered nursing homes with little to no resources and experience with COVID to admit new residents infected with COVID, despite full awareness that the virus was sure to ravage the nursing home population.
Same story as New York state, where either 30K or 40K nursing home residents died after mega-corrupt Gov. Cuomo forced wholly unprepared nursing homes to admit sick and dying COVID victims, after which he — like the doofus “Stetson” can’t resist doing — lied thru his teef about his policies and the destruction he wreaked.
Everyone knows the worst-afflicted states in terms of Covid transmission and mortality have been the lefttwit havens like California, NY, New Jersey, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada and Massachusetts. And thus it unfolded throughout the pandemic.
The nations most successful in fending off COVID were those that allowed effective treatments like Ivermectin — countries like Japan and India. Despite claims for the somewhat effective drugs developed during the pandemic, those drugs didn’t approach the effectiveness of Ivermectin, which had a track record as a wonder drug dating back to at least the 1950s. Wiki described Ivermectin as one of the safest drugs in use around the world, and its effectiveness spanned most or all of the family of mammals. Our family started using it over 2 decades ago to protect our pets, but it’s always been principally a human treatment.
It was particularly interesting to compare Michigan during the pandemic years with the nation of Sweden, which is such a close match to us in population, culture, latitude, racial makeup, industry and more. Sweden was the one country worldwide that refused to lock down for COVID, saving its economy. The result: the China virus struck down one-half to one-third of Swedes than it claimed in Michigan. It wouldn’t be surprising if DeSantis modeled his decisions to open Florida on actions taken by the Swedish government.
It was also amusing to view leftwerp “public health” authorities, particularly discredited liars like Fauci, as they kept changing the storyline on whether to distance oneself 6 feet, 3 feet, 2 feet or 20 feet from others; whether to wear one mask or two or maybe three; what age groups should be vaxed; whether masks were needed outdoors; how long to wash hands if one touched something that wasn’t pristine (even though there was no documented case of Wuhan flu transmission from touching a surface that someone with COVID previously touched); when schools and other institutions should be opened, if ever; how COVID developed (as if there was any REAL doubt); and other fine points.
It’s now pretty much conceded universally that anti-COVID measures ripped the national economy apart, contributed enormously to the worst inflation in 4 or 5 decades, far worsened mental health problems throughout the population, cost many students a full year of learning and otherwise clobbered society, with little to no benefit.
These facts are undoubtably scary for little not-see goobers like “Stetson,” but that’s his burden to bear.
What a hoot. I followed the COVID stats as released by Johns-Hopkins and other authorities intensely for two years, including microscopic precision. Florida, with the exception of one spike, protected its citizens very well, compared to other states (ESPECIALLY blue states), despite its disproportionate residency of senior citizens, who comprised the vast majority of COVID-related deaths.
Florida performed many times better than my state of Michigan, whose governor used the virus in the most manipulative and parasitic ways possible. Gov. Wretched Gretchen killed 10,000 alone when she ordered nursing homes with little to no resources and experience to admit new residents infected with COVID, despite full awareness that the virus would likely ravage the nursing home population.
It was the same story as New York state, where either 30K or 40K residents of nursing homes died after mega-corrupt Gov. Cuomo forced wholly unprepared nursing homes to admit sick and dying COVID victims, after which he — like the doofus “Stetson” can’t resist doing — lied thru his teef about his policies and the destruction he wreaked.
Everyone knows the worst-afflicted states in terms of Covid transmission and mortality have been the leftnik havens like California, NY, New Jersey, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada and Massachusetts. And thus it unfolded during the full length of the pandemic.
The nations most successful in fending off COVID were those that allowed effective treatments like Ivermectin — countries like Japan and India. Despite claims for the somewhat effective drugs developed during the pandemic, those drugs didn’t approach the effectiveness of Ivermectin, which had a track record as a wonder drug dating back to at least the 1950s. Wiki described Ivermectin as one of the safest drugs in use around the world, and its effectiveness spanned most or all of the world of mammals. Our family started using it over 2 decades ago to protect our pets, but it’s always been principally a human treatment.
It was particularly interesting to compare Michigan during the pandemic years with the nation of Sweden. They are so alike — in population, culture, latitude, racial makeup, industry and more. Sweden was the one country that refused to lock down for COVID, which saved its economy, and yet COVID struck down one-half to one-third of Michigan’s pandemic load. It wouldn’t be surprising if DeSantis modeled his decisions to open Florida on actions taken by the Swedish government.
It was also amusing to view leftwerp “public health” authorities, particularly discredited liars at the CDC, as they kept changing the storyline on whether to distance oneself 6 feet, 3 feet, 2 feet or 20 feet; whether to wear one mask or two; what age groups should be vaxed; whether masks were needed outdoors; how long to wash hands if one touched something that wasn’t pristine (even though there’s never been a single documented case of COVID transmission from touching a surface that someone with COVID previously touched); when schools and other institutions should be opened; and other fine points.
It’s now pretty much conceded universally that anti-COVID measures ripped the economy apart, contributed enormously to the worst inflation in 4 or 5 decades, far worsened mental health problems throughout the population, cost many students a full year of learning and otherwise clobbered society, with little to no benefit.
I realize these facts are scary to little not-see goobers like “Stetson,” but that’s his burden to bear.
If the “lady” fired by Florida was such a truth-teller, how’d she become a convicted felon, LOL?
“Teflon Don” POTUS Trump will get THROUGH all this! He has my VOTE . . . and DeSantis is an EXCELLENT governor of Florida.
There’s no way to know if Trump even makes it through the campaign, let alone wins. His chances will largely hinge on developments he has little to no influence over.
In point of fact, in recent decades our presidents and White Houses have performed so badly that they engendered victory from their opponents.
George H.W. Bush made Bill Clinton president. Clinton made George W. president. George W. Bush made Obama president. Obama made Trump president. Trump may have made Groper Joe president.
Trump’s populist popularity is almost universally overrated. Trump didn’t actually win the White House in 2016; in fact, he received almost TEN MILLION fewer votes than the three leftnik parties contending for the vote — the Democrat, Libertarian and Green parties. Because they split the Demn base three ways, Shrillary’s electoral-vote total dropped below Trump’s. Had the two minor parties not run campaigns, Shrillary would have scored a landslide Electoral College victory.
So to be exact, Trump didn’t win in 2016. Shrillary won the presidency for him by being such a noxious person and stealing delegate votes from Bernie Sanders.
Before getting confident about Trump’s chances, consider that a Republican candidate for president has only won a majority of the electoral vote one time since Reagan was president. Demnocrat nominees outpolled Republican nominees in 1992, 1996, 2000, 2108, 2012, 2016 and 2020.
Quid Pro Groper Joe and Donald Trump would make a great cage match, but they’re so burdened by personal garbage that any outcome is possible.
But it’s almost impossible to believe that the Demns would wager their vast apparatus of money and influence on Groper Joe. Whether BiteMe goes voluntarily or not, it’s almost certain he’ll be replaced as his party’s nominee, even if they have to Epstein him. His two vicious German shepherds who have bitten people more than 20 times (over 30 times, according to CNN) probably were being trained to attack HIM but kept showing mercy.
Look for someone like Michelle Obama to be selected as a replacement for Joe at the national party convention — an outcome I’ve suspected for a year or two, with others like Ted Cruz buying into it now.
As for Trump, he ran on a promise to build a security wall and then ignored his pledges for two years. He made all kinds of promises on border security and then didn’t even fill vacant Border Patrol positions. He blew the federal budget out (like Obama and Groper Joe). He appointed rabble and detritus to key federal positions like the CIA, NSA, FBI, IRS, Department of Justice, and the State Department.
What’s he gonna run on this time?
There’s no way to know if Trump even makes it through the campaign, let alone wins. His chances will largely hinge on developments he has little to no influence over.
In point of fact, in recent decades our presidents and White Houses have performed so badly that they engendered victory from their opponents.
George H.W. Bush made Bill Clinton president. Clinton made George W. president. George W. Bush made Obama president. Obama made Trump president. Trump may have made Groper Joe president.
Trump’s populist popularity is almost universally overrated. Trump didn’t actually win the White House in 2016; in fact, he received almost TEN MILLION fewer votes than the three leftnik parties contending for the vote — the Democrat, Libertarian and Green parties. Because they split the Demn base three ways, Shrillary’s electoral-vote total dropped below Trump’s. Had the two minor parties not run campaigns, Shrillary would have scored a landslide Electoral College victory.
So to be exact, Trump didn’t win in 2016. Shrillary won the presidency for him by being such a noxious person and stealing delegate votes from Bernie Sanders.
Before getting confident about Trump’s chances, consider that a Republican candidate for president has only won a majority of the electoral vote one time since Reagan was president. Demnocrat nominees outpolled Republican nominees in 1992, 1996, 2000, 2108, 2012, 2016 and 2020.
Quid Pro Groper Joe and Donald Trump would make a great cage match, but they’re so burdened by personal garbage that any outcome is possible.
But it’s almost impossible to believe that the Demns would wager their vast apparatus of money and influence on Groper Joe. Whether BiteMe goes voluntarily or not, it’s almost certain he’ll be replaced as his party’s nominee, even if they have to Epstein him. His two vicious German shepherds who have bitten people more than 20 times (over 30 times, according to CNN) probably were being trained to attack HIM but kept showing mercy.
Look for someone like Michelle Obama to be selected as a replacement for Joe at the national party convention — an outcome I’ve suspected for a year or two, with others like Ted Cruz buying into it now.
As for Trump, he ran on a promise to build a security wall and then ignored his pledges for two years. He made all kinds of promises on border security and then didn’t even fill vacant Border Patrol positions. He blew the federal budget out (like Obama and Groper Joe). He appointed rabble and detritus to key federal positions like the CIA, NSA, FBI, IRS, Department of Justice, and the State Department.
What’s he gonna run on this time?