DeSantis Imposing Silence Upon Florida's Bloggers

With Ron DeSantis in full control of the Governor's office, with his allied Republicans in full control of the Florida Legislature, we are witnessing the hostile takeover of the Sunshine State.

DeSantis is rigging the state's public university system to the control of his lackey and corrupt buddies, he's looking to impose harsh restrictions going after gays and transgender teens/college students, he's carrying through his threats to go after any corporation - Disney, why the hell haven't you punched back? - that refuses to play his racist/sexist games, he's shutting down any criticism of him like the bully he is.

And the state GOP is happy to help him on that. Just tonight, I'm hearing the legislature is considering a bill that would target reporters and bloggers in Florida who write/say anything negative about the Governor (and other state elected officials, but we know who they're covering for here). Via Sam Sachs at WFLA News:

Florida Sen. Jason Brodeur (R-Lake Mary) wants bloggers who write about Gov. Ron DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody, and other members of the Florida executive cabinet or legislature to register with the state or face fines.

Brodeur’s proposal, Senate Bill 1316: Information Dissemination, would require any blogger writing about government officials to register with the Florida Office of Legislative Services or the Commission on Ethics.

In the bill, Brodeur wrote that those who write “an article, a story, or a series of stories,” about “the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, a Cabinet officer, or any member of the Legislature,” and receives or will receive payment for doing so, must register with state offices within five days after the publication of an article that mentions an elected state official...

You may argue "But Paul, this is for bloggers who receive payment." I don't get paid directly for this blog (I don't even get donations, at least none I've seen), but I know these assholes. Some genius wingnut prosecutor in their ranks would argue that any money I make from marketing myself - like the published books I link on here - counts under this law, and then force me to jump through their hoops to appease their regulations.

Once they've got ANY means to shut down anybody writing about them good or bad (especially anybody critical), these Republican bullies will abuse that law well enough to harass and target me and any others writing in Florida about their sins and follies.

And what exactly are we registering FOR? Are we registering for certification? That we have to submit our writings in advance to someone in the Legislative Services office or Ethics (ha!) Commission for editing and approval?

Are we required under this law to be censored? Are we required to beg for the "privilege" of criticizing anybody in power in the state of Florida?

This is straight-up violation of the United States Constitution and the First Amendment.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

One of the things about criticizing our elected officials is that we're calling for change, we're pointing out where the leadership is making mistakes, we're attempting to express our grievances through public outcry. Whether or not we have merit in our criticisms - if we're doing it on the facts or if we're idiots spewing conspiracy - should be up to the public forum (and the courts) to resolve that.

But DeSantis doesn't like to be criticized. He doesn't like getting pointed out where he's gotten things wrong. We've seen this when he and his allies went after the health care expert who kept tracking COVID responses in spite of DeSantis' attempts to pretend all was well. Ever since he won re-election - and ever since he began his Pandering To MAGA Voters 2024 Campaign - DeSantis is looking to inflict the same punishment on everybody else.

This is DeSantis proving himself the Imposter, as Junius warned: The imposter employs force instead of argument, imposes silence where he cannot convince, and propagates his character by the sword.

If DeSantis and the Florida Republicans come after me for my blogging, I will fight back. If they go after anybody else in Florida who are bloggers, I will help them fight back the best I can.

Never let the bullies like DeSantis win.

Fight back, bloggers.

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Anybody know a good Free Speech law firm by the by? I hope Poynter Institute has somebody pro bono...