Jacob Ogles
Rep. Anthony Sabatini ripped all of Florida’s Republican leadership during a rant at a Brevard County conservative virtual event.
The Lake County Republican labeled House Speaker Chris Sprowls, ”a complete and total liberal,” called longtime lawmaker Thad Altman a “cuck” and a “senile fool,” and even suggested Gov. Ron DeSantis initially acted “cowardly” about pandemic lockdowns and mask mandates.
“I’m just so absolutely disgusted by every damn Republican in the state of Florida,” he railed.
Sabatini, a second-term member of the House, chose to run for Congress next year instead of another term in the Legislature, That’s in part, he said, because he’s tired of the “insanity.”
“I’ve enjoyed my time in Tallahassee but I’m at the point now where I’m just so done with the games,” he said.
With the video leak from the Moms For Liberty Brevard chapter, it may be few people of influence want him in the state Capitol either.
His harshest words seemed reserved for Altman, an Indialantic Republican and former Senator. Sabatini praised Chandler Langevin, who filed as a Primary opponent to Altman and attended the Moms For Liberty meeting as well.
“We need to get rid of Thad Altman,” Sabatini said. “The guy is an idiot. That man is a senile fool that does not belong in office. He is a cuck, and he is a Democrat in clothing. He has absolutely no business serving in the state of Florida.”
But the biggest share of ranting came at the expense of Sprowls. Sabatini has repeatedly called for a Special Session to outlaw employers requiring vaccines for workers and to pass legislation stopping school mask mandates. He blamed Sprowls and “liberal” Senate President Wilton Simpson for failing to address these matters legislatively or stepping in as businesses and local governments respond to a surge in COVID-19 cases with student mask requirements and threats to fire unvaccinated employees.
“These coward, RINO, spineless invertebrate scumbags in our state Legislature have sat back and done nothing and let this hell take over our state,” Sabatini said.
The Lake County Republican said he was the only member of the entire Legislature to refuse compliance with Sprowls’ mask mandate within the state House. It’s no surprise, then, that the Speaker won’t act with swiftness to call a new Session.
And while Sabatini said he does love DeSantis, there has been disappointment there, too. The Governor last year put the state under lockdown for a month and bowed to pressure from corporations and county, city and school governments to let local restrictions stand through most of 2020.
“But you can’t blame the Governor because the Legislature isn’t giving him the backup he needs,” Sabatini said.
Now, DeSantis has tried to stop local restrictions and mandates by executive fiat, but Sabatini actually categorized that as a course of action that was “quasi-constitutional, flimsy, arguably struck down.” That seemed to reference a circuit court ruling blocking DeSantis’ executive order forbidding mask mandates.
“Hopefully the appellate court goes the other way but even then, why is it even in court?” Sabatini said.
He advised local activists from court challenges, assessing the judiciary as already lost. Rather, he said every Republican lawmaker who failed to take action during Session — by his apparent estimation everybody but himself — must face a Primary opponent next year.
“If they are not speaking up and doing something, calling for a Session, calling for an end of this insanity, then they need to be primaried and they need to be removed from office,” Sabatini said. “… Every elected Republican in this state is at fault. We need to be hard as hell on them.”
12 comments
Alex
September 8, 2021 at 6:59 pm
This is the caliber of Floriduuuuhhhh Republicans.
Lol
What an idiot.
Frank
September 8, 2021 at 8:59 pm
He is what’s wrong with the Republican party. As a Republican, I’m so glad he’ll be out of the House, and maybe real conservative values will stop being cast aside by virtue signaling like his. Stop being an idiot Anthony Sabiniti.
Brian Soukup
September 8, 2021 at 10:31 pm
That’s why we love him. Speaks the truth.
Ken
September 8, 2021 at 11:59 pm
He isn’t wrong.
Marshall
September 9, 2021 at 12:48 am
Florida Politics, thank you for the update, but I am unable to send Rep. Sabatini another check at the moment. Both myself and my family have already done so.
Ian
September 9, 2021 at 7:05 am
Ronald Reagan’s 11th Commandment:
“Do not speak ill of another Republican.”
Learn it. Love it. Live it.
Bob
September 9, 2021 at 3:29 pm
Republicans killed pro-gun bills like Constitutional Carry and Second Amendment Sanctuary.
The RPOF is crooked and took $500k from Bloomberg to destroy the Second Amendment rights of Floridians.
In 2018, it was Republicans that pushed gun control in 16 days! From introduction to signage by Rick Scott.
But these scumbags claim to be pro-gun and worse, the NRA defends them.
Gun Owners of America at least calls them out for it like Sabatini does.
Screw the RPOF and the NRA.
Ken
September 9, 2021 at 3:50 pm
They need to be called out for abandoning the platform.
Bob Painter
September 9, 2021 at 8:10 am
What a foul-mouthed, self-referential jerk. Get these GD Republicans OUT.
Harold Finch
September 9, 2021 at 9:24 am
Sabatini is the Andra Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) of the Florida Republican Party, and a cancer that needs to be cut out!! Speaker Sprowls should censure and strip him of all committee assignments.
He is absolutely the most radical right-wing republican I have ever encountered, and as a Republican, I feel he is a big problem for Party Leadership.
Bob
September 9, 2021 at 3:31 pm
Sprowls voted for gun control in 2018. He can suck an egg from Wilton Simpson’s farm… the farm that Simpson hires illegals to work.
As Senate President, Wilton Simpson killed DeSantis’ mandatory E-Verify bill so he could continue to hire illegals.
Nancy Scott
September 11, 2021 at 12:44 pm
I understand Sabatini’s frustration with the Republican Party and their “sit back and let the chips fall” mentality. I am angry too! In the past as a Republican, I’ve contributed to/voted for candidates just because he/she had an “R” next to their name (McCain, Romney) only to find out that they were RINO’s. We need true conservatives in Florida and in the national government! Let it not be too late!!
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