Senate panel supports Moms for Liberty leader’s appointment to Ethics Commission

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The Senate Rules Committee says Moms for Liberty co-founder Tina Descovich should be confirmed to the state’s Ethics Commission, though Descovich didn’t attend the hearing, keeping any political fireworks at bay.

Gov. Ron DeSantis first appointed Descovich last year, but Descovich failed to get Senate confirmation. What sank her confirmation last time was a citizen complaint that her work with the parental rights group Moms for Liberty effectively served as lobbying.

Moms for Liberty is a group of parental rights advocates that has made national headlines with candidates running for local School Boards and helping lead book banning efforts.

The Senate Rules Committee is chaired by Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, who served as Senate President last year when Descovich’s confirmation failed to advance.

Descovich’s absence Tuesday spurred a discussion after Sen. Jason Pizzo voiced concerns about wanting to question her during the hearing.

“First of all, she doesn’t have to appear before this committee,” Passidomo said. “We didn’t invite her.”

Sen. Don Gaetz also chimed in. “It is somewhat unfair for us to engage in questions and debate without the nominee being here to offer an explanation and answers,” he said.

But Descovich’s appointment gets a second committee stop before the Ethics and Elections Committee, which is chaired by Gaetz. He urged Pizzo to attend, promising that Descovich will be invited.

Passidomo supported Descovich’s confirmation Tuesday.

“This is a reappointment. She’s already serving on the Commission. I think if there were a new appointment, I might have felt differently about asking her to attend,” the Naples Republican said. “I feel comfortable today moving forward.”

During the short debate, outnumbered Democrats raised their concerns about Descovich’s ties to Moms for Liberty and whether she might have a conflict of interest herself on the Ethics Commission. 

“She listed Bridget Ziegler as a reference on her application,” said Sen. Lori Berman.

Ziegler is another Moms for Liberty member who gained notoriety for her stances against the LGBTQ+ community all while she reportedly had a threesome with her husband, former Republican Party of Florida Chair Christian Ziegler, and another woman. The scandal became public after her husband was accused of, and later cleared of, rape.