Florida Phoenix
Talk about a friendly audience — Gov. Ron DeSantis opened the floor for questions at the end of a Jacksonville news conference Monday and left after allowing a single person in the crowd to shout what sounded like, “We love you.”
“Oh, I love you, too,” the Governor responded. He then said, “God bless, everybody.” He waved with both hands and added, “We’ll see ya.”
DeSantis then turned his back and left the stage at the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center in Jacksonville, where he’d gone to personally hand over $1,000 pay bonus checks to 50 first responders under the second year of a legislatively approved program.
He said nearly 100,000 cops, firefighters, EMTs and other public servants would receive checks in the mail during the next few weeks. The amounts have been calculated to cover any federal income tax, the Governor said.
News organizations definitely attended the event, gubernatorial Press Secretary Bryan Griffin told the Phoenix by email, but the Governor’s quick departure gave them no time to question him.
“Yes, the press conference was advised as normal on our advisory listserv, and press attended. Today’s RSVPs included Hola News, Action News Jax, WJCT, First Coast News, and WJXT,” Griffin wrote.
“I wasn’t there today, but it would appear that the press had no questions and people love the Governor,” he added.
However, Deputy Press Secretary Jeremy Redfern, who said by email that he did attend the event, confirmed: “I was standing in the back and no one from the press asked questions.”
The Phoenix, based in Tallahassee, observed the press conference via the Florida Channel. On that medium, it can be difficult to hear questions asked of the Governor because his interrogators often are unmic’ed.
“Press” conferences
It’s hardly unheard of for the Governor to call a press conference but decline to take questions from the actual press, either through failing to open the floor to them or by basking in praise from the supporters who attend his audiences.
And it’s not like there were no pertinent questions the press and public might want answered some eight weeks before the conclusion on Nov. 8 of his re-election bid against Democrat Charlie Crist, the Congressman from Pinellas County.
The Florida Democratic Party posited a list of such questions in advance of the Governor’s scheduled appearance, including whether he is he OK with Attorney General Ashley Moody’s court pleading asking the Florida Supreme Court to reverse the state’s constitutional protection for abortion access?
Does he support a complete abortion ban (existing state law cuts off access after 15 weeks’ gestation)?
Additional questions involved DeSantis’ relationship with Florida Power & Light and its rate increases, whether to bus Cuban immigrants out of state, and the DeSantis-Crist televised debate schedule.
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Michael Moline reporting via Florida Phoenix.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Diane Rado for questions: [email protected]. Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and Twitter.
11 comments
Boo Ritos
September 13, 2022 at 10:20 am
“. . . from the actual press. . .:
As opposed to the fake press like this one? Bwa-ha-ha-ha!!
The only “press” in Florida that is worth a damn is the one that makes Cuban sandwiches.
Hope
September 13, 2022 at 10:39 am
I see you’ve been inspired by my term “Bye-Done”…
Charlie Crist
September 13, 2022 at 12:37 pm
Meanwhile Trump spending the rest of his life in court for various frauds and thefts…let’s here something about that. What are you pro crime???
Charlie Crist
September 13, 2022 at 12:38 pm
Typo: Hear
Tom
September 13, 2022 at 10:24 am
Hey, the Phoenix is a hostile force and a mega DeSantis hater.
To be clear, I watched the event, the Gov offered the press in very clear terms opportunity to ask questions. I’ve viewed other events, the Gov to his credit normally takes 3 or 4 questions from the press in attendance. It’s pretty standard!
He is accessible.
Press asks questions. Gov asked, no one asked.
Move on!
Tjb
September 13, 2022 at 11:29 am
DeSantis in a November 2021 fundraising newsletter had the following theme, “Florida’s Governor Has A Pair”.
Is Desantis afraid to answer questions? When will he tell us exactly what his position is on the pro-choice issue.
Let me ask. Governor DeSantis what is your position on the pro-choice issue? You or your mouth piece, Christina Pushaw are welcome to respond . Show us that you do have a pair.
.
Tom
September 13, 2022 at 12:09 pm
He asked for questions, Tjb stop lying as you and chameleon are called out. Liar, Factcheck.Org Facts are funny things.
Btw, Gov has kahones, I bought his golf balls!
LMAO
Elliott Offen
September 13, 2022 at 12:35 pm
^ Barely intelligible nonsense
Tom
September 13, 2022 at 1:18 pm
Scum Bag. Clueless, it’s English.
Concern Citizen
September 13, 2022 at 2:07 pm
Tom, you are a liar and BS artist… I got this information from Fact-check..org
Now go play with your DeSantis balls
Tom
September 13, 2022 at 2:15 pm
Kiss my ass!
You are a scum bag, scum bag non citizen! Facts are funny things. Factcheck proves your chameleon is a loser, liar. Just like soros Manchurian nation.
Truth hurts, incompetent press didn’t ask Q. No one cares but u 5% haters.
I hit golf balls through your ears.
LMAO, I crush your puny balls.
Comments are closed.