Florida Governor and 2024 Republican presidential primary candidate Ron DeSantis has appointed Tina Descovich, a co-founder of the far-right organization Moms for Liberty, to the Florida Commission on Ethics.
Appointment to the Florida Commission on Ethics
Governor Ron DeSantis has selected Tina Descovich to serve on the Florida Commission on Ethics, a nine-member body responsible for overseeing the conduct of public officers and employees in the state. The commission investigates complaints related to breaches of public trust by these individuals. Descovich is one of two recent appointees to the commission.
Tina Descovich’s Background
Descovich, a former member of the Brevard County School Board, brings a unique background to her new role. Elected to the school board in 2016, she served one term before being defeated by a challenger. However, her involvement with Moms for Liberty has placed her in the spotlight. In early 2021, Descovich co-founded the far-right organization alongside two other conservative women, all of whom had ties to Florida school boards.
Moms for Liberty’s Mission
Moms for Liberty is known for its assertive advocacy on several contentious issues. The organization gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic for its opposition to mask mandates in schools. They argued that such mandates infringed upon their rights and personal freedoms.
A Very Bigoted Organization
However, what has drawn even more attention is Moms for Liberty’s stance on book bans in public schools. The organization has actively pushed for the removal of certain books from school libraries and curricula. While Moms for Liberty says that their aim is to ensure age-appropriate material for children, their efforts have expanded beyond this goal. They now claim to champion parental rights, often opposing books they consider “pornographic” and academic lessons addressing topics like racism and LGBTQ+ issues.
Reactions to Descovich’s Appointment
Governor DeSantis’ announcement of Descovich’s appointment was met with mixed reactions. Descovich herself expressed enthusiasm and a sense of duty to serve the state. Critics, including Stephana Ferrell – a founder of the Florida Freedom to Read Project – raised concerns about the implications of her appointment.
The Integrity of the Commission on Ethics
Ferrell criticized the appointment, claiming that it places the interests of a special interest group leader above those of the broader public. She characterized it as “a fox guarding the hen house,” implying that it compromises the integrity of the Commission on Ethics.
Stephana Ferrell’s Words
Ferrell said: “DeSantis should not appoint people to positions of power that put their own political interests above the people of this state – in this case, appointing a leader of a special interest group to a Commission on Ethics. It’s a fox guarding the hen house and Floridians should not accept it.”
Undermining Public Trust
Descovich’s appointment raised broader questions about the selection of individuals to ethics commissions and similar oversight bodies. Critics argued that such appointments should be impartial and devoid of any perceived conflicts of interest. Appointing a leader from a special interest group, especially one with a history of controversial stances, could undermine public trust in the commission’s ability to uphold ethical standards.
The Internet Responded
News of DeSantis’ decision was shared across social media and people were largely critical. “Florida has an ethics board? Coulda fooled me,” one person said. “The position was vacant because the previous office holder got caught breaking the rules by concurrently holding the position and the position on the board specifically created to punish Disney for their speech, which is a clear conflict of interest,” another replied.
Descovich Is Not Ethical
Others encouraged people to attend school board meetings to ensure Moms for Liberty don’t succeed in their mission. One person said: “Everyone who has a working brain, attend your school board meetings regardless of whether you have kids still in school or not. This person is not ethical.”
Putting Political Affiliations Aside
Some people called for others to put aside their political affiliations and try to look at the situation from a neutral perspective. One person said: “Is this guy trying to wreck this state? How can people [be so ignorant] that they can’t look past rep/dem to see this is [awful].”
The Epitome of Hypocrisy
One person said: “If you’re going to judge others and set ethical standards, you’d better be squeaky clean yourself! Keep watch and see what kind of dirt gets dug up on this one. These people are the epitome of hypocrisy and projection. Should be fun.”
A Bigoted Hate Group
Others made some eerily accurate assumptions. One individual said: “I know nothing about this woman or Moms for Liberty but I’m willing to bet if DeSantis vouches for her, then she’s a vile woman and Moms for Liberty is a bigoted hate group of middle-aged Karens looking to push their fascist beliefs onto others.”
A Silver Lining
Some people tried to find a silver lining. “I hope this news inspires people in Florida to get more active in democracy and fight to get them out of office and put more sane leadership into positions of power,” one person said. “I do too,” another replied.
Fascism in America
Others held a more pessimistic view. One individual wrote: “In fascism’s rather short history, I can’t point to a single country that walked up to the edge of it and didn’t dive right in. Prepare for the worst – and I don’t mean the worst as in you’re mildly inconvenienced and you’re sad about the policies that are pushed. I mean the worst as in the most terrible things that have ever happened in human history. We are going over this cliff.”
A Satirical Response
Some people responded with satire. “Those poor little White children might get their feelings hurt when they hear about what people who share their skin color did. We can’t have that. Will someone just think about the kids for once? The White ones at least,” one person said.
Hate Groups and Ethics
Plenty of people were absolutely baffled by DeSantis’ decision. “What part of Moms for Liberty being labeled as a hate group makes him decide she’s a good person for the ethics committee?” one individual asked.
It Makes Sense for DeSantis
On the other hand, some people expressed a lack of surprise. “Of course, he would appoint the co-founder of an extremist group to be an ethics commissioner,” one person said. “I mean, yeah. That makes complete sense for DeSantis. I’m not surprised in the slightest,” another echoed.
Karine Jean-Pierre