Lawyer turned ‘grim reaper’ en route to Panama City Beach

Daniel Uhlfelder, shown dressed as the Grim Reaper.

The “Grim Reaper” is taking his tour to Panama City Beach on Saturday to protest the decision by state politicians and local leaders to reopen the beaches to tourists.

“Governor (Ron) DeSantis is literally forcing people to take a risk with their lives to get money to feed their family, pay bills and rent,” lawyer Daniel Uhlfelder said.

“Instead of flying private planes up to Washington for lunch with the President, he should be here explaining why ordinary Floridians are having to put their lives on the line for his failures.”

In recent days, Uhlfelder has begun placing a cross for every Floridian lost to COVID-19.

“One for each lost,” he said on Twitter.

Beaches are open in Florida. So we have begun putting out crosses to remember the number of Floridians lost in the county. One for each lost. pic.twitter.com/excf0O0p2t

— Daniel Uhlfelder (@DWUhlfelderLaw) May 15, 2020

Uhlfelder – who doubles as the grim reaper — said he is also upset by DeSantis’ “failure to help unemployed workers and small businesses.”

“Our economy is largely based on tourism and thousands of local workers and small businesses don’t know where the next paycheck is coming from,” Uhlfelder said. The online enrollment for unemployment has been an abject failure, the CARE Act grants have failed to materialize and it seems a sweetheart deal with big banks and businesses has been done at the expense of the small businesses who are the backbone of our economy.”

“Employees who have been making unemployment insurance payments for just such these moments have been abandoned and left with no support,” Uhlfelder said. “They’ve seen their benefits stopped and small businesses are being told by their banks: ‘Sorry, the money has already run out.’