This past Tuesday in the wake of two Democratic activists choosing to retweet a series of repeated lies about Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL), even members of the media had to step in a callout the severely false claims.
These claims, which stated that DeSantis was requiring all teachers and students to “register their political views with the state” or “identify their political affiliation to Florida’s GOP state legislatures,” had been entirely debunked last year in the wake of bother The Hill and The Washington Post making similar claims.
The Hill stated, “Florida Gov signs law requiring students, faculty be asked to declare their political beliefs.” while The Post stated, “In push against ‘indoctrination,’ DeSantis mandates surveys of Florida students’ beliefs.”
This past Tuesday, Democrat Jon Cooper, who sports a Twitter profile reading “Former National Finance Chair of Draft Biden 2016, Long Island Campaign Chair for @BarackObama & Majority Leader of Suffolk County Legislature, NY,” highlighted a post from 2021 from Salon titles, “DeSantis signs bill requiring Florida students, professors to register political views with state.” Cooper wrote, “ICYMI.”
ICYMI: Ron DeSantis signs bill requiring Florida students and professors to register their political views with the state https://t.co/cWzHyhhmIw
— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) July 5, 2022
Dash Dobrofsky, a Democratic strategist, claimed, “Ron DeSantis is forcing teachers to identify their political affiliation to Florida’s GOP state legislatures. If the Legislatures aren’t ‘satisfied’ with the answers, they can defund those public schools. This is not Freedom of Speech. This is Fascism.”
Ron DeSantis is forcing teachers to identify their political affiliation to Florida’s GOP state legislatures. If the Legislatures aren’t “satisfied” with the answers, they can defund those public schools. This is not Freedom of Speech. This is Fascism. Vote for @CharlieCrist.
— Dash Dobrofsky (@DashDobrofsky) July 5, 2022
“He then followed up with some hot take-style videos about how DeSantis ‘just passed a bill’ that forces public school teachers and students to ‘submit their political beliefs’ to the government via a survey,” highlighted RedState.
The pair of tweets from the Democrats managed to go viral, which ended up with even Jemele Hill, a well-known leftist sportscaster, parroting the headline.
Despite this, various members of the legacy media were done with all of the falsehoods.
Jay O’Brien, a reporter for ABC News, went off in a post, stating, “This viral post is inaccurate. Further, it references a law passed in 2021 and makes a claim that was debunked that same year. Even the article it links to was written in 2021. Look before you retweet.”
This viral post is inaccurate.
Further, it references a law passed in 2021 and makes a claim that was debunked that same year. Even the article it links to was written in 2021.
Look before you retweet. https://t.co/0BOMrchsTF
— Jay O'Brien (@jayobtv) July 5, 2022
“He linked to a Politifact fact check that debunked similar claims that were made last year about the bill, as well as the bill itself and a sample of the actual survey,” continued RedState.
Peter Schorsch, the publisher of Florida Politics, chimed in angrily due to the fact that these outright lies could let Team DeSantis fire back and earn yet another win.
He posted, “C’mon, Jon, this is not what bill does. In fact, it’s these kind of bigfooting mischaracterizations that @RonDeSantisFL/@ChristinaPushaw use to their advantage.”
C’mon, Jon, this is not what bill does.
In fact, it’s these kind of bigfooting mischaracterizations that @RonDeSantisFL/@ChristinaPushaw use to their advantage. https://t.co/8Jxy7jBZOa
— Peter Schorsch (@PeterSchorschFL) July 5, 2022
Thank you, Jay.
Now all of the Capitol Press Corps will be singed because Coop bigfooted. https://t.co/0mhSxzFKIO
— Peter Schorsch (@PeterSchorschFL) July 5, 2022