Republican lawmaker Anthony Sabatini compares mask advocates to 'Nazis'

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Sabatini continues his provocative social media tour, this time targeting masks.

In a Friday morning tweet, a Republican member of the Florida Legislature compared those advocating wearing masks for virus protection to “Nazis.”

Rep. Anthony Sabatini, the controversial Lake County state Representative, suggested reading material for what he called “mask Nazis” on Twitter.

He suggested slides from health websites of various Scandinavian countries discouraging mask wearing. It is unclear when the slides were produced.

It is also uncertain why Sabatini, involved in a number of legal challenges to local mask requirements, invoked Nazism as a comparison for those who believe that masks should be worn.

The comments continue as positive tests, percentage of positive tests and demand for tests continue, potential leading indicators for hard decisions for health care administrators.

However, this is just the latest in a series of controversial statements that, if precedent is instructive, will roil the left, leave the right standing effectively mute, and confound those who would seek to sanction him.

A Sabatini comment this Spring about AR-15s greeting “protesters” in his home county did not upset the Republican House Speaker enough to take action.

“Attention potential ‘protesters’ coming near Lake County, FL. This is an AR-15 — this will be a very common sight upon illegal entry at any Lake County business — FYI!”

Democrats flagged the tweet with appeals to House Speaker Jose Oliva to address the matter. However, the Hialeah Republican said Sabatini’s social media output was of no concern.

The AR-15 comment was “provocative,” Oliva said, but “directed specifically at a hypothetical party.”

Democrats wanted Twitter to “remove this account for violence,” but the play failed.

Twitter could not “identify any violation” of the rules.

In the end, the Florida Democratic Party blasted Twitter, saying the social media network “may think it’s okay to incite violence.”

The House Republican previously had opined on how the civil unrest in the streets of Minneapolis should be handled.

“Lock up every one of these disgusting, lawless thugs destroying the city of Minneapolis,” Sabatini counseled on Twitter before adding more legal advice.

“They should each be arrested and prosecuted to the FULL extent of the law,” he added. “Shame on the politicians that pander to this destruction!”

House Democrats took issue with that too, but to no avail.

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10 comments

Charles Gerdes
June 26, 2020 at 12:04 pm

So those “socialists” in Scandanavia are your “go to” health care experts Rep. Sabatini. Good to know.
Sonja Fitch
June 26, 2020 at 12:50 pm

Nazi. ??? ! You are ducking stupid white man!!!! We have limited choices for all to have a chance jerk! Stay home. Wash hands social distance and wear the damn mask!!!! May god have mercy on your soul!!!
- M Kap
  July 4, 2020 at 6:15 am
  
  Republican Anthony Sabatini has less brains than goldfish. Seriously the healthcare professionals of this state are not only sick and tired of these idiots.
  
  A new wave of medical Republicans are coming for you. In the next 5 to 10 years lawyer politicians will be a rarity.
BlueHeron
June 26, 2020 at 1:00 pm

I would be willing to bet that Rep. Sabatini does not know that there were 43 added cases yesterday for his county. They are up to almost 1000.
Does he not know that his county is thisclose to Seminole 144 cases yesterday, Osceola 99 cases yesterday,Orange County which he should know includes ORLANDO recorded almost 750 cases yesterday.
Guess he doesn’t know. Me thinks he doesn’t care
I wish there was a way to get bat-shit people like him to just shut up.
Sam
June 26, 2020 at 1:23 pm

Gotta respect this guy for working so hard to be the number one douchebag in the state, way to go! In all seriousness, I actually think that shunning is the best approach for this mask enforcement question, and I think we should start with him.
Frankie M.
June 26, 2020 at 1:53 pm

People this dumb shouldn’t be allowed to procreate. Why doesn’t he direct his ire at the gestapo agents currently shutting down my favorite watering holes at the beach? Seems like a more productive use of his time. On a side note gabby sabatini isn’t the only one losing his shite. Ronnie Duhsantis is showing signs of cracking up. Between crying to the media and adding 20 pounds of stuffing dude needs a vacay stat. Maybe he can go golf with Trump or unwind in Montauk or the Catskills with Andew. Maybe get him a hug or a dog. Maybe Casey can buy him a Peloton?
MJ
June 27, 2020 at 8:47 am

Great job Rep Sabatini! You make Florida proud!!
- SANDRA OLIVA
  June 29, 2020 at 12:16 pm
  
  Great job Rep Sabatini!! YOU MAKE FLORIDA DEAD ! DON’T YOU DODOs READ…OH THAT’S RIGHT … YOU NUMBSKULLS “DON’T *BELIEVE* IN SCIENCE. HERE’S HOPING YOU DO BELIEVE IN FUNERALS, YOU WILL SOON BECOME AN EXPERTS ON DEATHS…DEATHS THAT YOU CAUSED.
  
  EVER HEAR OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF SOMEONE BEING “A DANGER TO OTHERS”? THAT’S WHY PSYCHIATRISTS “PUT AWAY” THOSE WHO DELIBERATELY CAUSE OTHERS’ DEATHS.
  WE HAVE A ROOM RESERVED FOR DESANTIS, SABATINI AND ALL THE OTHER NAZI NEO-MEDIEVALISTS NOW IN OFFICE!
  
  MY ORGANIZATION HAS A PLAQUE:
  
  “ON MY HONOR, I WILL NEVER NEVER NEVER AGAIN VOTE FOR ANY REPUBLICAN” IN FACT, I WILL HAUNT EVERY REPUBLICAN STARTIN NOW, FOR KILLING OFF MY FAMILY TO KISS UP TO THE THATCHED-ROOFED ONE. STUPIDS, CRAZIES, ALL ALL ALL OF YOU. DON’T TRY TO SPEAK IN OUR TOWN EVER AGAIN!
Ron
June 27, 2020 at 10:53 am

All the hate posts from the brainwashed masses on here ! WOW ! Funny how only the left believes that free speech and thought belongs strictly to them , anyone who thinks differently is castigated ruthlessly ! Very narrow minded small people . Unless you’re wearing a N-95 mask or better then those rags over your face are as effective as using a section of chain link fence for an umbrella . So many gullible folks out there who believe all the fear mongers on the popular MSM channels and can’t think critically for themselves.
Hester
June 28, 2020 at 11:09 am

Ron is correct. I am an ER doctor and unless you are wearing a “FRESH” N95 mask you are simply standing behind a screen door.

Now, I do agree that sabatini does speak like a fool, we all have our god given freedoms. You have the freedom to stay home and not go into a crowded public place if you choose not to wear a mask.

Likewise you have the freedom to be a good citizen and wear an N95 mask in public.

Despite the hysteria about the “numbers” being up, according to the CDC and NPR (both known for not being conservative leaning) the median age of new positives here in Florida is 35. The fatality rate is way down. At this point in time less than 1.5%. It is very apparent that the young handle this virus much better then those 70 and above.

This tells us that we have done a good job of protecting the must vulnerable. Let’s continue to protect those most at risk, while at the same time living our lives using the best practices. Wear a mask, wash your hands, and let’s stop pretending all the protests/riots of the past month have nothing to do with this increase in new cases.