Crying ‘Fascism’: Freshman Florida Democrat Rep. Maxwell Frost Repeatedly Targets DeSantis
Freshman Florida Democrat Representative Maxwell Frost has been busy complaining about Governor Ron DeSantis and his policies over recent weeks. From the governor’s support of constitutional carry to punching back against a drag show for kids, Frost has not been quiet about his disdain for all DeSantis’ policies.
DeSantis has long-promised a constitutional carry bill for Florida, joining the likes of Texas, Vermont, and Tenessee. The supermajority Republican legislature is taking up the bill and is likely to pass it. MSNBC’s Joy Reid asked Frost for his opinion on the legislation in the run-up to Biden’s State of the Union address.
Subscribe to Florida Jolt Newsletter!
“This is legislation that will result in death. People will die if this bill passes the Florida house and Florida senate and assigned by the governor. It’s unfortunate, it’s disappointing, it’s not surprising,”
It should be noted that the data is unclear about how permitless carry affects violent gun crime, and there’s some evidence it has a reducing effect. With the addition of Florida, over half of the states in the union will be constitutional carry states. Frost went so far as to call this loosening of governmental restrictions “fascism.”
“What we’re seeing in Florida is scary. And I’m blunt about it. It’s fascism,”
If passed, the bill would require gun carriers in Florida “to carry identification & display upon demand by law enforcement.” It would also prohibit people from carrying in specific locations, like at school-sponsored events or on school property.
However, that didn’t stop Frost, who attacked DeSantis personally, calling him out for his rumored presidential aspirations.
“We have a governor who is inappropriately abusing his power to scapegoat vulnerable communities and pass an agenda based on messaging. He’s more interested in running for president than running our state.”
Frost also laid into DeSantis for his policies banning CRT and other ‘woke’ ideologies from public college curriculums.
“This week our Governor launched a full scale fascist attack on a small and very important institution of higher learning, the New College of Florida.”
Frost also argued that the move would cause harm to “young queer and people of color who formerly considered New College a Safe Haven.”
Frost was not specific about how curriculum regulations would cause this harm.
I know this school, I love this school. DeSantis has waged a war, a war on education, and we have to be clear this isn't freedom. The people of Florida, the students of New College and all across our state, will not let this happen without a fight. pic.twitter.com/HGmNF2h0v6
— Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost (@RepMaxwellFrost) February 2, 2023
Most recently, Frost has taken issue with DeSantis for pulling the venue’s liquor license that allowed children to attend a sexually explicit drag Christmas show.
DeSantis Admin. to Revoke Liquor License of Venue-Exposed Kids to Explicit Drag Show
The freshman congressman retweeted a tweet that argued the move was tantamount to “weaponizing the state to eliminate queer existence.” Frost echoed the idea, claiming DeSantis was attempting to “erase” these communities.
Unsurprisingly, Frost called this move to shield children fascistic as well, claiming that “queer celebration,” presumably the drag show, was not obscene.
“We’ve got to call this what it is: FASCISM in action. Queer celebration is anything but obscene.”
It should be noted the show involved simulated sex acts, sexually suggestive songs and dances, and the baring of prosthetic sexual organs.
Frost argued that DeSantis should be brought in front of Congress over his actions.
“That is limiting free speech, and I’d love to see this committee bring in some of these governors who are abusing their power by Governor DeSantis in my state of Florida to limit the Free Speech of people,”
We’ve got to call this what it is: FASCISM in action. Queer celebration is anything but obscene.
We cannot tolerate DeSantis and his attempt to erase our communities. I wholeheartedly condemn this attack and remain in solidarity with our beautiful LGBTQ+ family in Orlando. https://t.co/q8FDyycw5C
— Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost (@RepMaxwellFrost) February 4, 2023
Frost attended hearings regarding the New York Post Hunter Biden Laptop story, which was censored on Twitter, potentially changing the election’s outcome. The publishing of the Twitter Files has revealed that the censorship, along with many of Twitter’s policies and decisions, were FBI-ordered and influenced, raising serious First Amendment concerns. Frost brushed off the concerns as “bullying” and a “waste of time,” comparing the freedom of the public square to editorial decisions at Fox News and, instead, aiming back at DeSantis’ policies regarding state school curriculum and protecting children.
House R's are bitter, holding hearings on Hunter Biden’s laptop & claiming it’s a free speech issue. If Republicans truly cared about “protecting free speech” they’d care about DeSantis and his censorship, not what type of editorial decisions, Twitter (a private company), makes. pic.twitter.com/2suf1b99Dg
— Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost (@RepMaxwellFrost) February 8, 2023
Frost did not call this particular story fascist.
Other stories you may want to read:
Dem. ‘Squad’ Freaks Out on House Floor After Republicans Fire Ilhan Omar
Whoopi Goldberg Says Pledge of Allegiance is ‘A Waste of Time’
