During an interview this Thursday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vowed to fire special counsel Jack Smith on “day one” of his potential presidency and also slammed Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows for booting former President Donald Trump off the 2024 ballot.
Speaking with fill-in host Jason Chaffetz on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle,” he first explained why he’s the best candidate for 2024, with one of the reasons being that he’s going to hold the corrupt accountable.
“I think that a guy like me as the nominee will be able to keep the focus on Biden, keep the focus on the Democrats’ failures, but then, more importantly, after you win the election, start holding these people accountable who have weaponized the legal system to go after their political enemies,” he said.
“And that starts with day one, firing somebody like Jack Smith. That goes to dealing with people who are violating constitutional rights at the state and local government area,” he added.
Listen:
DeSantis then responded to the stunning decision by Bellows to boot Trump off the 2024 ballot.
“The idea that one bureaucrat in an executive position can simply unilaterally disqualify someone from office, that turns on its head every notion of constitutional due process that this country has always abided by for over 200 years,” he said.
“It opens up Pandora’s box. Can you have a Republican secretary of state disqualify Biden from the ballot? Because he’s let in 8 million people illegally, a massive invasion, including from enemies of our country,” he added.
Listen:
DeSantis, a 2024 GOP presidential candidate himself, later predicted the Supreme Court would eventually overturn the ruling in Maine.
“I don’t think that this ultimately will be legally sustained by the US Supreme Court,” he said. “But I do think that this is going to be a constant throughout the election year, where there’s going to be different parts of these legal cases that are going to be front and center.”
“I think that we win when we hold Biden accountable and talk about the issues that matter to the American people. So I think the Democrats, they want the election to be about all these other issues. They do not want to face accountability for their failed policies.”
The governor’s remarks came just shortly after Bellows announced that Trump is ineligible to appear on the state’s ballot as per the 14th Amendment’s “insurrection clause.”
“I conclude… that the record establishes that Mr. Trump, over the course of several months and culminating on January 6, 2021, used a false narrative of election fraud to inflame his supporters and direct them to the Capitol to prevent certification of the 2020 election and the peaceful transfer of power,” she wrote in the ruling. “I likewise conclude that Mr. Trump was aware of the likelihood for violence and at least initially supported its use given he both encouraged it with incendiary rhetoric and took no timely action to stop it.”
“Mr. Trump’s occasional requests that rioters be peaceful and support law enforcement do not immunize his actions. A brief call to obey the law does not erase conduct over the course of months, culminating in his speech on the Ellipse. The weight of the evidence makes clear that Mr. Trump was aware of the tinder laid by his multi-month effort to delegitimize a democratic election, and then chose to light a match,” she added.
That being said, many conservatives were pleased by DeSantis’ quick and strong response to her ruling.
Look:
Very solid answer!
— True Red Gal (@gal_red11250) December 29, 2023
A superb answer by Ron DeSantis.
— 1Cross4Country (@1Cross4Country) December 29, 2023
Once again the most Presidential candidate!!
— Bunny (@Bunny46187471) December 29, 2023
Great point. If Democrats can claim that Trump is disqualified because what he said and did in contesting the outcome of the 2020 election constitutes “insurrection,” then Republicans have a better claim that Biden has committed treason by allowing and encouraging an invasion.
— Mad Replicant (@MadReplicant) December 29, 2023
But some pro-Trump dissenters wanted much, much more from him — like voluntarily removing himself from the ballot in protest of Bellows’ decision.
Look:
Another weak comment
— Eric cartmens politics (@EricCartmens) December 29, 2023
While what he said is true, it is far from strong enough.
— Joe (@Pilot310actuary) December 29, 2023
I really wish you had a more fired-up ballsier response. Come on, man.
— Rick B. (@RickK98k) December 29, 2023
So DeSantis refuses to take himself off the Maine ballot. He would rather keep collecting his delegates.
Got it.
— Mav (@kishelap) December 29, 2023
RD: great job leading a republican state where republicans control every lever of power.
Terrible job of defending basic liberty because it might not benefit his campaign.— bearcat (@Bearcats1992Rob) December 29, 2023
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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