Anne Geggis
Violence should never play a part when campaign canvassers are out doing their job, but Florida Democrats say a Republican canvasser — with a violent arrest in his past — should not have had that job.
The political press has been awash with stories since Christopher Monzon was attacked while canvassing for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio in Hialeah Sunday night. The Senator went viral with a tweet showing pictures of Monzon battered and bloodied in a campaign T-shirt. Rubio said that the attack was politically motivated.
Now, though, Democrats have questions for Rubio about why Monzon was hired to canvas for the GOP in the first place. Monzon pleaded no contest in 2017 to assault with a deadly weapon and inciting to riot as protesters asked for Confederate street names in Hollywood to be removed and was photographed at the fatal 2017 Charlottesville protest reciting an antisemitic sentiment.
At a virtual press conference Friday, Democrats called for Republicans to fire Monzon from the job for which he earned $10,000 between June and August, which the Huffington Post first reported.
“Marco Rubio, Senator, please fire Christopher Monzon,” said Rabbi Mark Winer, president of the Florida Democratic Party Jewish Caucus. “Our society can’t afford to play footsie with racist, antisemites, White supremacists. We can’t give them any room to work their poison, to inject it into the system.”
Rachelle Litt, Vice President of the Florida Democratic Party Jewish Caucus, said that it’s disturbing that Republicans have hired someone with a past as well-known as Monzon’s.
“Rubio and the Republican Party are fostering the spread of antisemitism and hate by allowing and including right-wing extremists and supremacists in their political sphere and activities,” Litt said, noting that Thursday was the fourth anniversary when a gunman burst into a Pittsburgh synagogue and killed 11 Jews.
Rubio, however, scolded reporters Friday for asking him about it and sidestepped questions about Monzon’s history, except to say he doesn’t know about it.
“We should be focused on these two thugs who attacked him in a felonious attack and that’s what you should be asking me about,” Rubio said, in a tweet that showed him responding to reporters’ questions Friday. “That’s what the press should be focused on and not shaming the victim of a crime.”
Democratic state Sen. Lori Berman of Delray Beach and state Rep. Tracie Davis of Jacksonville were also at the news conference raising the alarm that Monzon is among the Republicans’ foot soldiers getting their message out.
“Every Floridian should be deeply concerned that Marco Rubio’s message is attracting and defending dangerous extremists like Christopher Monzon,” said Davis, who is running for state Senate.
Berman urged Florida Republicans to be like Adidas, which cut ties with the controversial rapper Ye — formerly Kanye West — after he tweeted antisemitic sentiments.
“It is not appropriate in Florida to engage and to allow these people to have our support by hiring them and putting them out on the street,” Berman said.
26 comments
Elliott Offen
October 28, 2022 at 7:26 pm
Marco Rubio is an empty suit and the Florida GOP is derelict in their duty to condemn the far right and distance themselves from them. These are the embarrassing results. Then to bitch about the guy getting beat up is just adding insult to the injury that the far right already causes the GOP.
Tom
October 28, 2022 at 7:28 pm
Desperation tactics set in!
Dem chair Diaz resignation sought, under attack!
Tarantula charged a socialist in congressional race vs Salazar.
FGOP at 325,000 new registrations!
Smack down coming.
Linwood Wright
October 28, 2022 at 7:57 pm
Rubio is a neo-Nazi Christian Nationalist though.
By not denouncing this person, he is actively supporting him.
Seber Newsome III
October 28, 2022 at 9:03 pm
This is proof that Democrats do not care about crime. Rather than talking about the ones who committed this crime, they are blaming the victim. This is who the Democrats are, and this is why they will lose on Nov 8 Chris is a. hero!!!!
Phil Morton
October 29, 2022 at 5:41 am
Victim? If Republicans cared about crime, he would have been locked up not roaming the streets.
Tjb
October 29, 2022 at 3:44 pm
Chris is not a hero he is a white supremacist. Look at his arrest record. Also, according to the FBI stats, Republican lead cities in general has more serious crime issues than Democratic’s lead cities and states.
Tom
October 28, 2022 at 9:05 pm
Linwood is a corrupt moron.
Rubio is for freedom, liberty, economic prosperity and justice.
Democrats should leave the state now, see ya.
Shellacking coming.
Charlie Crist
October 28, 2022 at 9:16 pm
👆 Right wing terrorist
Tom
October 28, 2022 at 9:05 pm
Linwood is a corrupt moron.
Rubio is for freedom, liberty, economic prosperity and justice.
Democrats should leave the state now, see ya.
Shellacking coming.
Charlie Crist
October 28, 2022 at 9:17 pm
Whole bar would beat your ass in Miami for saying Democrats should leave. Only on the internet buddy.
Tom
October 28, 2022 at 9:48 pm
Getting your asses kicked.
Diaz resigning as Dum Dem chair.
DeSantis getting 60%, Marco over 55%. Top down, electoral annihilation.
State, county and local races all Repub.
Yes, you the Dum Dem Dummycrats are leaving. LMAO. I’ll see you and the other 10 Dum Dems. Dumings isn’t going. Biden’s Florida approval is 36%, approval LMAO. Enjoy
Charlie Crist
October 29, 2022 at 8:40 am
You see the article picture? This is gonna happen to you if you keep on with it.
Tom
October 28, 2022 at 9:48 pm
Getting your asses kicked.
Diaz resigning as Dum Dem chair.
DeSantis getting 60%, Marco over 55%. Top down, electoral annihilation.
State, county and local races all Repub.
Yes, you the Dum Dem Dummycrats are leaving. LMAO. I’ll see you and the other 10 Dum Dems. Dumings isn’t going. Biden’s Florida approval is 36%, approval LMAO. Enjoy
Charlie Crist
October 28, 2022 at 11:15 pm
Yeah? Gonna get an ankle kick to the cheek, spinning high kick to the side of the head, and heel kick to the top of the head…knee to the balls!
Phil Ammann
October 30, 2022 at 2:01 pm
Please be civil and respectful. Florida Politics encourages debate and discussion in our comment section(s): Do not swear, use profanity, or otherwise inappropriate language on any FloridaPolitics.com post. Posting under another person’s name is also a violation of our rules. If any user continues to violate and/or does not maintain proper decorum, the account will be subject to additional moderation actions — up to and including a permanent ban. Derogatory language is not allowed, and if continued, will result in immediate removal/blockage without further warning.
Phil Ammann
October 30, 2022 at 2:01 pm
Please be civil and respectful. Florida Politics encourages debate and discussion in our comment section(s): Do not swear, use profanity, or otherwise inappropriate language on any FloridaPolitics.com post. Posting under another person’s name is also a violation of our rules. If any user continues to violate and/or does not maintain proper decorum, the account will be subject to additional moderation actions — up to and including a permanent ban. Derogatory language is not allowed, and if continued, will result in immediate removal/blockage without further warning.
nail
November 4, 2022 at 7:24 pm
Came back to see how this was going! As I thought a lot of BS from s do nothing GQP rag.
30 Proud Boys and QAnon Mom’s for Liberty were supported by DeSatis for local school boards and govt jobs.
Tom should be jumping through hops on this one. The Authoritarian has his day coming sooner than the end of Dec.That judge in Orlando just is eating up everything DeSantis and his minions do.
Tom will need to find another job, heard the co-governor Christine Pushaw id going down with him….
Yrral
October 28, 2022 at 9:40 pm
Rubio is a wannabe,he say anything and do anything to please his masters as long as he benefits Lil Marco Google Marco Rubio Drug Cartel Connection
Jerry
October 29, 2022 at 3:15 am
Typical of Democrats…..attack the victim.
Ocean Joe
October 29, 2022 at 5:36 am
It was laughable to Marco when Texas troublemakers tried to run a bus full of Democrats off the road (surprised they could find enough Dems to fill it) glad to see he takes this beating seriously.
Anybody whoever stepped foot in Hialeah knows this guy wasn’t beat up for political reasons, the victim’s history marks him as an agitator, and he ran up against similar ilk. Push came to shove. Hope he makes a full recovery so he can read some of Marco’s bible tweets and live by them.
Tom
October 29, 2022 at 10:02 am
Yes ocean, you forgot to include your despicable George Wallace reference.
You are disgusting. The far left is deranged.
Tom
October 29, 2022 at 10:02 am
Yes ocean, you forgot to include your despicable George Wallace reference.
You are disgusting. The far left is deranged.
Phil Ammann
October 30, 2022 at 1:58 pm
Please be civil and respectful. Florida Politics encourages debate and discussion in our comment section(s): Do not swear, use profanity, or otherwise inappropriate language on any FloridaPolitics.com post. Posting under another person’s name is also a violation of our rules. If any user continues to violate and/or does not maintain proper decorum, the account will be subject to additional moderation actions — up to and including a permanent ban. Derogatory language is not allowed, and if continued, will result in immediate removal/blockage without further warning.
Yrral
October 29, 2022 at 8:24 am
Ocean Joe,the Trump supporters are gonna be Prosecuted under the Klux Klan Act of 1871 Google Texas Trump Train Klu Klux Klan Act of 1871
Notstupid
October 29, 2022 at 1:11 pm
Religion is fraud. Religious people are mentally ill. Every single aspect of every single religion is made up lies. These mentally ill people have no business trying to fix their fraud within our laws or the Supreme Court. Religion is the world’s oldest and most accomplished serial killer. Hey everyone! The emperor has no clothes!
Tjb
October 29, 2022 at 2:02 pm
Recently, Rubio would not denounce the Proud Boys in the executive wings of the Miami Dade Republican Club and he hires white supremacist as canvassers.
Why is Rubio supporting hate groups and it’s members? Who does these hate groups, HATE?
Comments are closed.