Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis shot back at criticism from President Joe Biden, who accused DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott of getting in the way of the federal government’s efforts to deal with the COVID-19 delta variant.
“If you’re coming after the rights of parents in Florida? I’m standing in your way,” DeSantis said on Wednesday in a speech ostensibly about the Florida economy.
“If you’re trying to deny kids a proper in-person education, I’m gonna stand in your way and stand up for the kids in Florida. If you’re trying to restrict people and impose mandates and ruin their jobs and livelihood, if you are trying to lock people down, I am standing in your way. I am standing for the people of Florida,” he added.
FLORIDA SCHOOL DISTRICT DROPS MASK MANDATE AFTER DESANTIS THREATENS TO WITHHOLD FUNDING
DeSantis’s comments come after a speech from Biden on Tuesday in which the president implored DeSantis and Abbott to “use [their] power to save lives” or get out of the way.
“Florida and Texas account for one-third of all new COVID-19 cases in the entire country. Just two states. Look, we need leadership from everyone. If some governors aren’t willing to do the right thing to beat this pandemic, they should allow businesses and universities who want to do the right thing to be able to do it,” Biden said. “I say to these governors: please help. If you aren’t going to help, please get out of the way of the people who are trying to do the right thing.”
DeSantis, a Republican, shot back, evoking the southern border situation in his speech.
“Why don’t you do your job? Why don’t you get this border secure?” DeSantis said.
“And until you do that, I don’t want to hear a blip about COVID from you, thank you,” he snapped in conclusion to the cheers of the audience.
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DeSantis has repeatedly clashed with groups inside and outside his state that object to his ban on mask mandates and other compulsory COVID-19 restrictions.
Despite DeSantis’s policy, Broward County Public Schools announced it would institute a mask mandate for students and staff. The school district quickly abandoned the plan after the governor threatened to withhold government funding.
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Tags: News, Ron DeSantis, Greg Abbott, Joe Biden, Coronavirus
Original Author: Timothy Nerozzi
Original Location: DeSantis vows to stand in Biden’s way on COVID-19 restrictions
