AP urges Ron DeSantis to end harassing tweets aimed at reporter

pushaw 5 art
In a since-deleted tweet, Pushaw retweeted the article with the message “drag them,” which led to abusive messages being sent to him.

The Associated Press called on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to end “harassing behavior” by one of his press aides against an AP reporter who received threats and other online abuse.

Incoming AP CEO Daisy Veerasingham sent a letter Friday to DeSantis protesting tweets by press secretary Christina Pushaw directed at a Tallahassee, Florida-based reporter in response to a story he wrote pointing out one of DeSantis’ multimillion-dollar donors invests in a company making the COVID-19 treatment drug Regeneron. DeSantis has been touting the monoclonal antibody treatment throughout the state.

In a since-deleted tweet, Pushaw retweeted the article with the message “drag them,” which led to abusive messages being sent to him.

A screenshot of Pushaw’s since-deleted tweet. (Image via Twitter.)

DeSantis should “assure the people of Florida that there is no place” for such behavior in their government, Veerasingham, AP’s vice president and chief operating officer, wrote. She will become AP’s CEO in January.

“While we can disagree about stories, it is unacceptable and dangerous for a public official to encourage the systemic bullying of journalists,” Veerasingham wrote.

Pushaw said she did not mean her “drag them” comment to be taken as a threat, and she deleted it because she realized not everyone would know what it means.

Associated Press


13 comments

  • Alex

    August 20, 2021 at 5:52 pm

    DeAnus likely wrote them himself.

    Good practice for Trumpism part 2.

  • Pat Whaley

    August 20, 2021 at 6:23 pm

    So what did she mean by “drag them”?
    DeSantis and his team hate being challenged. That’s what happens when you look suspicious.

  • Tom Palmer

    August 20, 2021 at 6:44 pm

    What a bunker mentality up there.

    • Tom

      August 21, 2021 at 8:02 am

      Palmer, you should be aware that Gov Ron does multiple events a day with press availability. He makes 2 to 3 stops a day and almost always takes 2 , 3 or 4 questions at most events. Reporters ask questions on all topics. My goodness.

  • Jmjusa

    August 20, 2021 at 7:16 pm

    Poor Associated(to demon-rat)DE-pressed..
    Start a go-fund-zer account to help pay for this taliban style of attack tweeting…
    Grow a pair….

    • Alex

      August 20, 2021 at 8:02 pm

      (Note who is the least biased and most reliable please)

      Which news sources should we be reading?
      The aim was to rank the publications by the least amount of bias with the most amount of reliability in their reporting.
      The following 15 news sources ranked the highest under this metric.
      🟢AP, 79.2%
      🟢Reuters, 78.9%
      🟢Weather.com, 75.9%
      🟢ABC News, 73.9%
      🟢The Advocate, 73.9%
      🟢Bloomberg, 72.9%
      🟢National Public Radio, 72.9%
      🟢Wall Street Journal, 72.1%
      🟢The Hill, 72.1%
      🟢Financial Times, 71.9%
      🟢LA Times, 70.8%
      🟢PBS, 70.6%
      🟢Al Jazeera, 70.5%
      🟢CBS, 70.3%
      🟢Fortune, 69.8%

      https://towardsdatascience.com/how-statistically-biased-is-our-news-f28f0fab3cb3

      • Tom

        August 21, 2021 at 7:55 am

        Good going taliban Alex.
        You advocate Al Jazeera, really?
        I’m sure you will subscribe to taliban nightly. Only a few on that so called list area truly objective. WSJ leads the pac. Most are shills, a few innocent and positive. List doesn’t matter. You have paid liberal extremist operatives within media now. Your Manchurian types. They do purposeful Dem hit jobs like AP did. I’m sure the 60 mints hit job earlier deserves a Emmy from you. Half of society do not believe most of these liberal rags.

        The Pulitzers to reporters on the fake Russia/mueller hoax story proved it.
        You are definitely on dark side of the ledger. Seek help.

      • Matthew Lusk

        August 22, 2021 at 12:16 pm

        All 100% bias. Biased ranking. Biased reporting. Biased contorting. Gold Medal Twistie Dismount.

      • [email protected]

        August 27, 2021 at 7:51 am

        The headline is biased – most of the fair and unbiased “facts” are way down the ledger. It’s not the reporting it’s the positioning that is politicalized and biased. Typical in all reporting and indicates the liberal or conservative preferences of the agencies out there.
        But this headline could kill. As the fact that breakthrough infections prove the treatments are 100% recommended.

        Having been around politics a long time all we can do is try and get the facts where they lay. But many, many more do not take the time or go much beyond the headlines.

  • Tom

    August 21, 2021 at 8:24 am

    AP puts out fake hit news story. It gets carried by dailies within state, across the country and so it goes. FP carries it and Dums like Alex and PeterH comment with lies. AP executive should be more concerned with what reporter shares. I don’t recommend targeting of anyone but media needs to step back and understand it’s impact.
    A more fair outline was needed.AP’s President needs to look within. Renegeron has been bought and made available. It is brilliant move by Gov and appropriate to offer and encourage it. Regardless, what Alex, PeterH, Frankie, and other Manchurians may think.

    No law, no statute has been violated. Griffin is a major investor in Repub and conservative circles. Gov is lawful, You don’t lose your const. rights to do so. Frankly, it’s a lot of nothing.

  • Anna

    August 21, 2021 at 1:38 pm

    My neighbor’s aunt makes 62 every hour on the internet..tti she has been without work for eight months but the previous month her revenue was 19022 only working on the laptop 5 hours a day..

    check this …… http://SwagTip.com

  • Sonja Fitch

    August 21, 2021 at 3:22 pm

    Is this Duffus Desantis new woman?

  • Rob

    August 23, 2021 at 10:44 am

    Or you know… Just get off twitter. Welcome to the internet.

Comments are closed.


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