Scott Powers- Alcee Hastings
- close the state
- Congress
- COVID-19
- Darren Soto
- Debbie Mucarsel-Powell Powell
- Debbie Wasserman Schultz
- Donna Shalala
- Florida's congressional delegation
- Frederica Wilson
- Lois Frankel
- members
- new coronavirus
- Ron DeSantis
- statewide
- stay-at-home order
- Stephanie Murphy
- Ted Deutch
- U.S. House of Representatives
- Val Demings
Ten of Florida’s congressional Democrats sent a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis Wednesday urging him to shut down the state to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.
The letter, led by Rep. Ted Deutch of Boca Raton, asks DeSantis to issue a shelter-in-place order for the entire state.
“We are concerned that you have not yet joined many other states with ongoing community spread that have issued statewide shelter-in-place orders to protect their residents and their health care systems. We urge you to take this action in Florida in response to the COVID-19 outbreak,” the Democrats wrote. “The Florida Department of Health has confirmed over 1,400 cases in our state and 20 people have died. Without an FDA-approved vaccine or treatment for COVID-19 our already-strained health care system could be overwhelmed. That is why we need a statewide order as soon as possible.”
In addition to Deutch, the letter was signed by Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell of Miami, Alcee Hastings of Palm Beach Gardens, Frederica Wilson of Miami Gardens, Donna Shalala of Miami, Lois Frankel of West Palm Beach, Stephanie Murphy of Winter Park, Darren Soto of Kissimmee, and Val Demings of Orlando.
DeSantis has repeatedly declined recommendations to lock down the entire state, contending that Florida’s outbreaks are geographically isolated and such orders are better handled locally. Many counties and cities have issued such orders, most recently Orange County, where a stay-at-home order goes into effect Thursday night for 1.3 million people.
The Democrats pointed to the states where Governors have issued stay-at-home orders: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Of the 10 states with the most confirmed cases in America, only Florida and Georgia do not have statewide stay-at-home orders.
With the highest concentration of older residents of any state, Florida is at even greater risk of serious impacts on the health of our residents and burden on our health care system, the Democrats contend.
6 comments
DisplacedCTYankee
March 25, 2020 at 8:15 am
I said it before and I’ll say it again. Governor MAGA won’t take a crap until DT gives him permission.
4 Horsemen
March 25, 2020 at 8:27 am
Spot on. If they had more test kits they would see that Tampa International is a hot spot. You can do the rest of the math from there.
Thanks to Fox News for keeping the lies pumped up and making the brain washed base vote straight ticket.
Thomas Knapp
March 25, 2020 at 8:36 am
Compromise is the American way, and I see an opportunity here to make that happen.
As a pilot/test program, how about we shut down part of the stategovernment — all the politicians go home, all the state employees get furloughed — to see if this shutdown stuff really helps.
The rest of us can give it 90 days and then decide whether we let them come back, or join them, or neither.
Marlene
March 25, 2020 at 8:53 am
He can’t hear you. Head too far up tRump’s behind.
Connor
March 25, 2020 at 10:30 am
DeSantis and possibly Trump has already lost six votes from a family that voted for both of them. Just waiting to see who will challenge DeSantis.
Nicholas
March 25, 2020 at 10:21 pm
Governor DeSantis is a very,very good man. We are extremely fortunate to have him here in Florida at this very time. We really dont deserve him, but here he is!
His wisdom shines to the rest of the nation. Biden, Shultz, the delegation who signed US UP FOR LOCK UP IN MASS, and the rest of you here are the totalatarians, not The President or the Governor.
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