After two Democratic activists repeated lies on Tuesday about Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) in tweets that were widely retweeted, even members of the media condemned the false claims.
The claims, that DeSantis was forcing students and teachers to “register their political views with the state” or “identify their political affiliation to Florida’s GOP state legislatures,” had first been debunked last year after The Washington Post and The Hill made similar claims.
The Hill wrote, “Florida Gov signs law requiring students, faculty be asked to declare their political beliefs.” The Post claimed, “In push against ‘indoctrination,’ DeSantis mandates surveys of Florida students’ beliefs.”
On Tuesday, Democrat Jon Cooper, whose Twitter profile reads “Former National Finance Chair of Draft Biden 2016, Long Island Campaign Chair for @BarackObama & Majority Leader of Suffolk County Legislature, NY,” linked to a 2021 story in Salon titled, “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
Democratic strategist Dash Dobrofsky echoed, “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,” RedState noted.
The two Democrats’ tweets went viral, with even famed leftist sportscaster Jemele Hill trumpeting the news.
But even members of the legacy media were fed-up with the lies.
ABC News reporter Jay O’Brien snapped, “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,” RedState added.
Florida Politics publisher Peter Schorsch was seemingly angry because the false claims could allow DeSantis and his spokesperson to fire back and score another victory.
He tweeted, “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
The bill that DeSantis signed last year actually mandates that students and professors be surveyed as to their freedom to speak their minds on campus and asks if they think all viewpoints are tolerated, as it states:
The State Board of Education shall require each Florida College System institution to conduct an annual assessment of the intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity at that institution. The State Board of Education shall select or create an objective, nonpartisan, and statistically valid survey to be used by each institution which considers the extent to which competing ideas and perspectives are presented and members of the college community, including students, faculty, and staff, feel free to express their beliefs and viewpoints on campus and in the classroom. … The State Board of Education may not shield students, faculty, or staff at Florida College System institutions from free speech protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, Art. I of the State Constitution, or s. 1004.097.