The Florida legislature passed a law, which Governor DeSantis signed, exempting records of his travel from the state’s robust public disclosure laws. The law is retroactive so no one can get information about where the governor and other public officials have traveled in the past. The justification is that the governor needs secrecy for security but this does not explain why travels in the past will be hidden from the press and taxpayers.
The Governor’s travels are paid for with taxpayer money, but the taxpayer has no right to know how much was spent and for what purpose.
DeSantis continues to build his authoritarian record, which all can see, unlike his travel record.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
DeSantis is also spending $12 million dollars on transporting migrants to sanctuary cities without providing details about where he is getting the money. The governor thinks he is above accountability.
The GOP is bankrolling DeSantis’ multitude of lawsuits to the tune of $16 million. They want to make sure he can afford a good legal representation against Disney.
The justification is as lame
as driving with eyes fixed on the
rearview mirror to see where
you are.
Is DeSantis and the Florida legislators afraid that the people in the state will find out what they are really doing and who they are doing it with. What does DeSantis and the legislators have to hid from the Florida voters? What is it that DeSantis does not want the voters of the US to find out if he is selected as the GOP Presidential candidate (God help us if that happens)? Only cowards and thieves in the night what to hid from the rest of the world what they are doing.
There’s no sunshine in the sunshine state, only dark money and a despot with dark disposition.
Hi Diane–copyediting note: it looks like “go Ernie’s phrase at the head of the second paragraph perhaps should be “governor’s.” And I’d be grateful if you could delete this comment as I am not particularly comfortable editing you.
Best,
Mark
Mark, thank you for the correction. I often make errors and spell-check makes some too. I count on vigilant readers like you to help me. Thank you!
Oh, my pleasure. I copyedit semiprofessionally as a sideline to my work teaching high school in the NYCDOE. I visit here every day, but rarely comment anymore. I’ll keep an eye out for edits–while reiterating that for reasons I assume are obvious, I am circumspect in the extreme when editing your prose. Spellcheck commits errors sufficiently often that I have begun to question its value. And thanks, Diane.
Mark, if I make a typing error, spellcheck rearrranges it into words, even when they make no sense, as in this example. Makes it easy to miss the error. I’m usually a good copy editor but I do make mistakes.
Great. EVERYONE needs copyeditors.
Man, you said it Bob. I can edit other people’s prose, but no matter how many times I go over my own, I still leave lapses and errors.
Haaaa! I was a professional editor for many years, and I almost never read through one of my posted pieces without finding something I missed.
The next move on the part of DeSantis and his mob will be to pass laws that e-mails and other correspondence between him, legislators and others will no longer be subject to the Free of Information Act. Transparency no longer exists in the State of Florida.
As with other legislation that DeSantis and his motley crew have passed, we will see the same thing happening in states like Texaas, Oklahoma, Missouri, etc. Republicans can’t help themselves. They have to follow a Pip Piper such as DeSantis and Trump if they don’t then they no longer meet the current standards of the Republican Party.
You are so right. Abbott in TX immediately copies DeSantis. Peas in a pod.
I would not be at all surprised if DeSantis would pick Abbott to be the Vice President if he becomes he GOP presidential candidate. Like you say, “Two Peas in a Pod”. That way DeSantis would not have to worry about Abbott not supporting him in every illegal and/or dark action he may take or try to take.
Where Transparency Goes to Die
Is anyone out there keeping a record of how many court cases have been filed against DeSantis legislation?
Is it just me, or are we mostly hearing about the legislation that supports DeSantis the Fascist, but seldom hear about the court cases and the outcomes like this one?
FLORIDA
DeSantis’ anti-woke law remains blocked in Florida colleges
U.S. District Judge Mark Walker determined the anti-woke law is “positively dystopian.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/16/desantis-anti-woke-law-00087483
Lloyd,
I don’t expect you to remember but I did report Judge Walker’s decision to put a hold on the WOKE law. But even though it is officially suspended, it has had a chilling effect on teaching in every grade.
https://dianeravitch.net/2022/11/18/florida-federal-judge-rules-woke-act-unconstitutional-in-higher-education/
Now he can take a secret trip on Harlan Crow’s jet to Disney Resort in Shanghai, and Florida’s taxpayers can foot the bill.
Is this legal? I know there’s a lawsuit against the Stop Woke Act, but where are the rest of the lawsuits. So many of their bills seem constitutional.