A.G. Gancarski
Someone who tries to take the life of a country’s sovereign ruler should be put to death under certain circumstances.
That’s what new legislation (SB 776/HB 653) from Sen. Blaise Ingoglia and Rep. Jeff Holcomb would enshrine in Florida law.
Monday’s bill filing from the two lawmakers, both Republicans from Spring Hill, contemplates adding to 921.141 (Sentence of death or life imprisonment for capital felonies) that the sentence applies when a “capital felony was committed against the head of a state, including, but not limited to, the President or the Vice President of the United States or the Governor of this or another state, or in an attempt to commit such crime a capital felony was committed against another individual.”
Ingoglia invokes the attempted assassination of then-candidate Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally last year in his statement of the bill’s necessity.
“The events that occurred at Butler, Pennsylvania, opened up a lot of eyes to the potential horrors of political discourse,” Ingoglia said. “Any attempts on the lives of heads of state or innocent bystanders on Florida soil should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, including the death penalty. As one of the strongest law and order states in the union, Florida is going to lead on this issue because the most serious and heinous crimes should be punishable with the ultimate penalty.”
The attempted assassin killed one rally attendee and critically wounded two others on that fateful day.
Holcomb justifies the bill regarding the permissive immigration policies of former President Joe Biden.
“Due to the increased threats in our country, it is clear that Florida has to be a leader with enhanced penalties for criminals who try to assassinate our key elected officials. For four years, our borders were opened by the most corrupt president in American history, who allowed rapists, murderers, and terrorists to freely enter our country, not to mention the many known foreign threats. This bill will ensure a capital sentence on a horrendous act aiming to rob heads of state of their safety and well-being. Florida should not tolerate such cowardly acts,” Holcomb said.
If the bill becomes law, it takes effect on July 1.
2 comments
Paul Passarelli
February 17, 2025 at 2:57 pm
While I agree in principle, I’m dismayed by such a proposed law. Why? Because it elevates certain individuals above others. What is a head of state other than the winner of a popularity contest? Or the descendant of a tyrant? Or worse, the actual tyrant that seized power?
The spirit of this law *seems* to elevate certain individuals above others, and that is anathema to the equal protection clause of the constitution.
We have laws on the books for capital murder. Those should be sufficient. When those laws fail to deter, which is implicit in the reason for enacting the new legislation, one must ask if the new law will make any difference whatsoever?
P.S. If Sen. Ingoglia or Rep. Holcomb read this and wish to get additional feedback from a constituent, please, don’t hesitate to reach out. You both know me, and you know I’m a straight shooter.
Victoria Olson
February 17, 2025 at 8:16 pm
I’m sick of Republicans constantly twisting the Truth. The man who shot at trump was NOT an IMMIGRANT. He was a AMERICAN BORN WHITE man. Why was Immigration twisted into the conversation? So it sounded better that our egregious Governor will be spending Floridians TAXPAYER dollars to fund this Fascist NAZI occupation of rounding up Latino’s, while Federal dollars is paying for it. What about all the Illegal Russians that are in Florida & US, why aren’t they being rounded up & deported?