Gubernatorial candidate Nikki Fried has abused her position as Agricultural Commissioner to deny tens of thousands of Floridians concealed weapons licenses.
The report comes as the Senate passed a bill last week that would expand background checks on gun buyers under the age of 21 and provide funding to red flag laws across the country.
The gun control bill was supported by fifteen Republican Senators including top Republicans like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. and Senator John Coryn, R-Tx.
Fried’s abuse of existing Florida gun laws is illustrative of why many grassroots Republicans are skeptical of new gun laws, including highly controversial Red Flag Laws.
Data obtained by Florida City and State Review found that Fried denied more concealed weapons licenses in her three-year tenure as Agricultural Commissioner than the last two Commissioners combined, over a 16-year period.
Fried’s denial rate for concealed weapons license applications more than doubles her predecessors, with hers sitting at 4% and the two previous Commissioners denying 1.6% of applications and 1%, respectively.
The stark contrast between Fried and other Commissioners confirms what 2nd Amendment advocates believe will happen if Red Flag Laws take hold across the country.
One high-profile incident comes to mind where conservative commentator Ben Shapiro said that he would push back against attempts to indoctrinate his children “with a gun”, and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Ca.) implied that Red Flag Laws should be used to take Shapiro’s guns away.
Flagging for all the Republicans that have indicated that they’re prepared to back the red flag laws pushed by democrats. This is what you’re backing. You’ve been warned. pic.twitter.com/76jrec9Kji
— Arthur Schwartz (@ArthurSchwartz) June 13, 2022
The National Rifle Association released a statement voicing their concern about the issue, saying
“So-called “Red Flag” orders, or Emergency Risk Protection Orders, are designed to empower the government to confiscate Americans’ firearms without due process of law. Aside from allowing run-of-the-mill malicious actors to indulge personal grudges against law-abiding gun owners, in the current politically-charged environment these laws enable the government to target those with First Amendment-protected political views the government disfavors.”
Fried has not shied away from controversy in her role as Agricultural Commissioner and as a gubernatorial candidate, further undermining faith in her ability to issue permits objectively. She has frequently attempted to tie her opponent, Ron DeSantis, to “insurrectionists” who protested at the “Stop the Steal” rally and compared him to Hitler.
Additional stories you may want to read:
FL lawmaker to Biden: ‘Take our guns and you’ll learn why 2A was written’
Florida reacts to Supreme Court gun control ruling
