More Flori-DUH: DeSantis Threatens to fine Special Olympics $27.5M If Vaccine Requirements Kept

Apparently, the rights of some unnamed (and uncounted) "antivax Special Olympians" are more important than keeping everyone safe, according to DeSantis. 

SCOOP: The State of Florida threatened the Special Olympics with $27.5 MILLION in fines because the organization had a vaccine requirement at its games in Orlando this weekend.

Late yesterday, the Special Olympics pulled the requirement. 1/3

— Jay O'Brien (@jayobtv) June 3, 2022

DeSantis is a COVID denier in all but name and has persistently tried to downplay death rates. Even his state surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, has no experience managing epidemics or in public health, and is a signer of GBD, calling COVID preparations "COVID mania".  

Combined with his "don't say gay" bill, a kick in the Tampa Bay Ray's shins on their quest for a new stadium just because Ray's expressed support for a bit more gun safety, and other political theater to appeal to conservatives, it's pretty clear he, like Abbott in Texas, is just setting himself up as a Trump successor in two years by abusing the power of his office. 

Flori-DUH Governor DeSantis Proves Again He's More About Politics Than Floridians

According to Ron Filipkowski, quoting OutKick, it seems that DeSantis will veto $35 million for Tampa Bay Rays training facility, because the team spoke out against gun violence in the wake of the two recent mass shootings. 

Desantis will veto the bill to fund the Tampa Rays new Spring Training facility because of their recent statements about gun violence following the Buffalo and Uvalde mass shootings. pic.twitter.com/TcpvMJHN7Y

— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) June 2, 2022

You may ask, why do Tampa Bay Rays need a spring training facility? 

Seems the Rays are only LEASING their current spring training facility in Port Charlotte, Florida and their lease runs out in 2028. The idea is to build a complex of multiple practice fields, a stadium, clubhouse, training facilities, catering and cafeteria for both players and visitors, player housing, and parking, so while the primary tenant is away or off-season, the fields can be used by other local teams, both amateur and professional. 

The idea is to retain the Rays in Florida because the Rays need a better home stadium. While they have played at Tropicana Stadium at St. Petersburg, FL, they want a better stadium than the 32-year-old stadium which only has a capacity of 25K fans, and their lease runs out in 2027.  And the construction of both a spring training facility AND a new stadium would keep the Rays in Pasco County, near Tampa. 

DeSantis vetoing this would almost guarantee Rays leaving unless a different deal can be struck between now and then. 

Talk about cutting off one's nose to spite one's face, but that's DeSantis for you. He's rather use every opportunity to help his political views than to do the right things for all Floridians.