DeSantis Spokesperson Defends Governor For Not Condemning Group of Nazis: ‘Do We Even Know They’re Nazis?’
Ron DeSantis’ spokesperson, Christina Pushaw, defended the Florida governor for not condemning a group of Nazis demonstrating in Orlando over the weekend.
Video circulating on Twitter showed a handful of people standing outside a strip mall in the Orlando area of Waterford Lakes. The demonstrators can be seen with Nazi flags, doing the Nazi salute, and yelling anti-Semitic slurs. Another video showed the group beating up a man.
#Update: Other video footage of the small group of people dressed up like Nazis, shouting profound languages at people passing by them, and attacking some of them in the are of Waterford Lakes in #Florida. pic.twitter.com/ocSAV4PKMR
— Sotiri Dimpinoudis (@sotiridi) January 30, 2022
In response to a tweet asking if DeSantis will issue a condemnation of the demonstration, DeSantis spokesperson Pushaw wrote, “So – If the governor himself does not issue a public statement of specific condemnation of whoever this group is, within a time period that the Left deems acceptable, he is smeared as a Nazi sympathizer by default?”
DeSantis has yet to issue a condemnation of the demonstration, though Pushaw posted that “The Nazi symbols and hate speech are unacceptable in any case.”
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer tweeted, “Anti-semitism and hatred are not welcome in this community. Despite displays of hate in Central Florida this weekend, our collective commitment to building an inclusive, compassionate community for all is stronger than ever.”
Anti-semitism and hatred are not welcome in this community. Despite displays of hate in Central Florida this weekend, our collective commitment to building an inclusive, compassionate community for all is stronger than ever.https://t.co/9v3fmv2n0k
— Mayor Buddy Dyer (@orlandomayor) January 31, 2022
In a now-deleted tweet, Pushaw appeared to question whether the demonstration was staged in a way similar to the one in Virginia in October organized by the anti-Trump group The Lincoln Project ahead of the state’s gubernatorial election.
However, she later tweeted, “It’s apparently real, it’s called “National Socialist Movement.” Never heard of this group before today. It’s ~200 people and they’ve been around for 20 years pulling nasty hateful stunts. In any case, it has nothing to do with Governor DeSantis, the GOP, etc.”
It’s apparently real, it’s called “National Socialist Movement.” Never heard of this group before today. It’s ~200 people and they’ve been around for 20 years pulling nasty hateful stunts. In any case, it has nothing to do with Governor DeSantis, the GOP, etc. https://t.co/HjySBd7yyu
— Christina Pushaw 🐊(@ChristinaPushaw) January 31, 2022
Pushaw also tweeted that DeSantis “has always condemned antisemitism. The massive coordinated demands to ‘denounce’ specific groups and actions are intended to associate him with those groups / actions, which is utterly false and reprehensible.”
