A.G. Gancarski
When it comes to a dissident Republican legislator’s latest critiques, Gov. Ron DeSantis isn’t holding back.
DeSantis was asked about Rep. Randy Fine’s charge that visiting Ireland for the Florida State-Georgia Tech football game was tantamount to visiting an “antisemitic country.” In response, the Governor noted that he was not alone.
“All I will say to that is I think just about every lobbyist in Tallahassee made that trip. So is Rep. Fine going to stop taking the money from all the lobbyists like he’s been doing? I’d like to see his answer to that.” Florida’s Governor said at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Operations Center.
DeSantis got applause for his pithy takedown of Fine during Q&A, but the Brevard County legislator wasn’t having it.
“I think we’ve grown used to these childish responses to legitimate criticism by Gov. DeSantis, and his petulance isn’t worthy of a response,” said Fine, the only Jewish Republican in the Legislature.
Fine told USA Today earlier this week that he was “certainly disappointed to see not only folks go to what is clearly an antisemitic country that supports Muslim terror,” but was “also disappointed that the game wasn’t canceled, which it should have been.”
Fine once aligned with DeSantis, but fell out with the Governor over a number of issues around the time of DeSantis’ failed challenge to Donald Trump in the 2024 Presidential Primary.
In an interview with the New Yorker, the legislator described a Governor whose “quietness around the rise of Nazism” in the state led him to reverse his previous endorsement of DeSantis.
“I had been very unhappy with the quietness around the rise of Nazism. And while I wasn’t beating the Governor up publicly over it, I was very vocal privately, asking why we were not using the laws that are in place. So were lots of his Jewish supporters,” Fine said late last year.
13 comments
DuhUmandlikedatRon
August 28, 2024 at 2:32 pm
Zionism vs lobbyists donation, is that what DeSantis just said? One can’t get more antisemitic than that example Mr governor.
Larry Gillis, Libertarian (Cape Coral)
August 28, 2024 at 2:55 pm
CONDEMNING A WHOLE PEOPLE is something the Bad Guys do, Randy. Surely, that resonates? Use your bleeping’ imagination to see how sentiments like that play out. Read a history book, if need be.
Yrral
August 28, 2024 at 3:20 pm
Something lots Jews do not want you to know,their were more Jews responsible for the death of Jews,than the combined death by Hamas on Oct 7,Google Hitler Jewish Soldiers
George
August 28, 2024 at 3:48 pm
What’s your point?
Yrral
August 28, 2024 at 4:11 pm
Jews had a historical history of doing each other end without the assistance of others Google Israel Jewish Nazi Collaboration Court
Yrral
August 28, 2024 at 10:06 pm
Only Jews that are Semitic are Jews,that was born originally in Palestine Google Semetic People
Paul
August 28, 2024 at 3:46 pm
They’re both schmucks.
Ocean Joe
August 28, 2024 at 4:13 pm
Randy Fine, Ron Desantis, Rick Scott. It’s getting hard to tell which one of these guys is the worst. I’ll play it safe and go with Scott.
Making no sense
August 29, 2024 at 8:39 pm
Antisemitic. I think closed mine about their values culture, and etc. protestant. Was the policy.
And sometimes you want just your DNA
Pat McLarnon
August 30, 2024 at 11:05 am
Mr Fine has stated that because Ireland has recognised a Palestinian state it is an anti semitic country. Well that’s just silly as there are few, if any, recorded incidents of violence perpetrated against Jewish people in the country. Even going back decades.
Gearod O Mathuna
September 1, 2024 at 5:26 am
I believe Mr. Fine has demonstrated what most Irish people would consider as gross ignorance of the fact, suggest he read a bit more and if he can’t he should ask and listen.
My Take
September 3, 2024 at 3:28 pm
Does recognizing Russia make a nation anti-democracy?
Of course not.
Pro-reality is more of what it makes you. As was finally recognizing China.
(Same would go with Cuba)
Cindy's world
September 8, 2024 at 8:32 pm
Birds of a feather flick together DNA likes its. DNA.. no one wants hippy mixed with folk. Medical reasons
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