Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ focus on ‘looting’ causes outrage

We go through this with every storm. Nobody wants your waterlogged electronics and soggy couch.

Still, Ron DeSantis has a campaign to run and conservative red meat to dole out. That’s why after Florida was inundated by a massive hurricane, DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody are speaking to national news outlets about fears of looting.

“We want to make sure we maintain law and order,” said DeSantis, before floating the idea that thieves are taking boats into damaged areas to steal from flooded homes. “You can have people bringing boats into some of these islands… I would not want to chance that if I were you, given we’re a Second Amendment state.”

Looting in the wake of major storms is a popular and persistent right-wing myth. Pushing it only serves to make Floridians less safe as it puts constituents and law enforcement officers on edge. There are so many more problems in the state to focus on, but DeSantis and his ilk (which includes the biggest fraudster in the history of Medicare) are too busy demonizing the state’s citizens for clout to care.

Take a look at some selected responses below.