DeSantis Said FL Is Where WOKE Goes To Die. WOKE’s Alive and Hitting Back

Ron DeSantis loved to brag about Florida being the place WOKE goes to die. He (and Casey) were oh so proud of that little campaign theme. Ron couldn’t say the word enough. I swear he tried to insert it into every sentence, more than once even. WOKE WOKE  WOKE WOKE (to infinity). It was a winner for him and he sure as hell governed like he was out to kill WOKE in his state. From attacking his state’s largest employer to taking over the boards of universities to changing school lessons so white folks could feel proud instead of (rightfully) ashamed over it. DeSantis has been on a mission to stamp it out. That included firing an elected country DA too progressive for Ron’s sensibilities. He was WOKE and that’s not allowed in DeSantistan aka Florida. WOKE is dead there! It seems WOKE is not only not dead, it’s just turned itself into a smelly, washed-up-dead-on-the-shore tarpon (a FL gamefish) and smacked DeSantis across the mouth!

WOKE not only isn’t dead in Florida but fighting back and it’s just scored a big win against the state’s wannabe dictator. As Salon reports, one of the two prosecutors DeSantis fired took him to court. On Wednesday a three judge panel from the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a strong rebuke to DeSantis and reinstated Andrew Warren. I keep seeing how bitterly cold it is in Iowa right now but I suspect if you’re in the same zip code as DeSantis who practically has been living there the weather is downright tropical given the heat he’s giving off!

Appellate judge Jill Pryor’s opinion is quoted at length in the attached article and while I’m tempted I will refrain from reposting that level of detail here. Maybe I’m weird for enjoying reading and dissecting legal opinions but I know most folks aren’t. I will however say judge Pryor goes through a thorough analysis of Warren’s actions/statements as well as the indirect funding that came to Warren from George Soros via the state Democratic Committee. She also details how Warren didn’t use the power or resources of his office in his involvement with certain advocacy that pissed DeSantis off, and therefore that Warren had engaged in Constitutionally protected Free Speech.

While pointing out both of the statements Warren signed (one about transgender rights and the other abortion rights) not only involved no use of  his official capacity or resources of his office, she went on to point out that neither statement referenced any specific Florida law! She went on to acknowledge that when a person enters government service they give up certain portions of their rights (I’ve been both in the armed forces and in federal and local govt. employment so I know the drill) Warren was within his rights:

Contrary to what DeSantis contended, the statements that Warren made in no way “impeded the government’s ability to perform its duties effectively.” And, invoking familiar language from long-standing Supreme Court precedent, she said that there was no evidence to suggest that “the statements’ time, place, manner, or context disrupted Warren’s office.”

Pryor took DeSantis to task for taking down a “reform minded prosecutor” for “purely partisan reasons.” She stuck a legal knife into DeSantis by saying “the First Amendment protects government employees from adverse employment actions based on partisan considerations.” Then for good measure she twisted that knife to drive the point home:

The judge also noted that despite the governor’s imperial pretensions, “Voters elected Warren; DeSantis did not appoint him.” She explained that “If alignment with DeSantis’s political preferences were an appropriate requirement to perform the state attorney’s duties, there would be little point in local elections open to candidates across the political spectrum.”

And, in language that has particular resonance in 2024, Judge Pryor wrote, “Elections mean something. Majorities bestow mandates.” In a democracy, the job of elected officials, including prosecutors, is to translate those mandates into policy.

The news is flooded with all manner of hugely important matters of national significance so political goings on in Florida aren’t getting much attention. I do however see bits and pieces indicating some of the GOPers in the legislature down there are getting a bit frustrated with their “Gubenator” and some of the citizens are as well. Since Ron (and I gather Casey too) have been pretty much living in Iowa for weeks now the ire over the explosion in insurance costs, as well as the rubber meets the road consequences of his Disney fight (someone proposed reinstating the Reedy Creek District!) has been growing. WE might joke about Florida not wanting him back but maybe they really would rather he NOT come back!

I saw the much anticipated Des Moines Register poll came out today and while Trump is as expected way the hell out in front with 54%. It’s not DeSantis but Nikki Haley that’s in second. With 20%. Little Ronnie is back in third with only 13%. Unlike Haley who hasn’t put much time and effort in Iowa DeSantis has been all in from the start. His entire campaign was built on winning Iowa and that win magically making him the Trump Slayer. He’s not even going to finish second. Given the cold he might want to return to Florida instead of trying to salvage something in New Hampshire. That would be even more of a lost cause for him. But you know what? I think he’ll give it a try.

Slinking home after a humiliating third place in Iowa (imagine if he’s only in the single digits!) AND with this latest legal loss he might decide to deal with more cold weather. Can you imagine the signs folks would have at the airport?  And outside the Governor’s Mansion? Stuff like “WOKE – Still Here Ron!”, or “Florida – where WOKE’s Alive and Well!” I could, as anyone who knows me come up with far more “colorful” stuff (my language in personal life gets awfully salty) but will be genteel here on PZ.

So if you’ve read this I thank you for doing so. And hope that like me the thought of the 11th Circuit (a quite conservative one) slapping Ron DeSantis down puts a smile on your face heading into the weekend.