Haley Campaign Press Release - Hypocrisy Alert: Ron DeSantis Was the Most Anti-Free Speech Governor

Nikki Haley has been clear: She supports free speech for Americans; she doesn't support free speech for Russian and Chinese bots that are spreading anti-American filth on social media. Ron DeSantis wants to let Chinese and Iranian propaganda machines run wild.

This is also another example of DeSantis' flagrant hypocrisy. He was one of the most anti-free speech governors in the country. DeSantis likes free speech until people use it to criticize him. That's a dangerous quality.

RON DeSANTIS

Ron DeSantis tried to ban anonymous sources in press coverage in violation of the First Amendment.

• DeSantis pushed for a bill that would ban anonymous sources in press coverage in violation of the First Amendment.
• DeSantis was widely criticized by conservative press and was forced to drop the bill.
• Ron DeSantis' allies pushed a bill that would require bloggers who write about DeSantis to register with the state.
• DeSantis said: "The rise of the anonymous source ... allows them to recycle gossip or it allows them to do a pre-cooked narrative that they don't have the goods for, so they can wrap it up in an anonymous source because they couldn't prove it to the reader if they actually had to identify evidence... It's a way to create narratives and elevate narrative over fact."
• Top headlines on DeSantis' efforts to stifle free speech:
  • Miami Herald: Before panning Haley's social media proposal, DeSantis pushed to curb anonymous sources
  • Florida Politics: Ron DeSantis again decries 'anonymous sources' after anti-defamation bill fails
  • Washington Post: DeSantis wanted to rewrite press laws. Conservative media helped kill the effort.
  • Florida's Voice: FOX station says defamation bill is 'death of conservative talk,' GOP sponsor pushes back
  • Newsweek: Ron DeSantis' Media Crackdown Raises Free Speech Alarms
  • Politico: DeSantis wants to roll back press freedoms — with an eye toward overturning Supreme Court ruling