AG Report 4.17.2025
Florida Republicans Are Focused on Undermining the State’s Republican Governor
It increasingly seems like there’s a plot in Florida by some in the legislature and others outside of it to undermine the popular governor, even if it harms the state. It’s clear this has little to do with policy differences and everything to do with a personal vendetta over DeSantis running for president.
Florida’s legislative leadership keeps proposing odd bills that seem designed solely to strip power from DeSantis. This became noticeable when they proposed a bill to transfer immigration powers from the governor to the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture. That made no sense, especially since that individual was much softer on illegal immigration compared to DeSantis. DeSantis called it “the fox guarding the henhouse.”
During the debate over that bill, an effort to pay influencers to promote it was exposed, and Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez openly punished those who voted against it.
There have been clashes on several other issues, from expanding Second Amendment rights to property insurance. In each case, legislative leaders seem determined to oppose DeSantis, regardless of the substance. The latest is an education bill that would strip the governor of power over university leadership searches and transfer it elsewhere.
A pattern is emerging, and it became undeniable this week. Former Florida Representative Joel Rudman responded to the education bill’s author, stating that legislative leadership announced at a closed-door meeting in November 2024 that they were “going after DeSantis” and threatened anyone who didn’t support the effort.
Suddenly, Florida House Republicans are launching multiple investigations into DeSantis for “wasteful government spending,” demanding documents, and making accusations. Keep in mind that DeSantis has been running a surplus in Florida. Coincidentally, these demands were leaked to the Miami Herald.
In addition, The Miami Herald published another “scandal” about DeSantis—they’ve been doing this almost weekly since he became governor. This time, they accused him of misconduct in a settlement with the state’s largest Medicaid provider for $67 million. Under the settlement, the provider would pay the agreed amount and donate $10 million to Hope Florida, a nonprofit community initiative started by Casey DeSantis to reduce government dependency. This scandal is being pushed hard by the same Republican legislators mentioned above and several of their media allies.
Individually, each issue could be seen as mere disagreement or concern. But taken together, with public admissions from some involved, it’s clear that parts of the Florida legislature and their allies are focused on a plot to take down the popular Republican governor at the expense of governing the state.
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