Since the beginning of 2021, news media has been focused on political scandals. Two stories from Florida have implications for the future of national politics.The main misconduct from the Sunshine State to reach national news is that of Representative Matt Gaetz. It was revealed in March that Gaetz has been under investigation by the Department of Justice since President Trump was in office.
The investigation centers on the allegation that Gaetz engaged in a relationship with a 17-year-old girl and traveled across state lines with her, exchanging $900 as payment. These actions constitute sex trafficking and are part of a probe into an associate of Gaetz, Joel Greenberg. Greenberg was indicted last year for similar crimes.
Due to the seriousness of these allegations and their associated crimes, many Democrats and a few Republican colleagues, such as Rep. Adam Kinzinger, have publicly stated that they believe that Gaetz should resign as soon as possible. The House Ethics committee has also opened its own investigation into the allegations.
The story of Gaetz’s behavior has created calls from other politicians, urging the investigators to look into the goings-on at Florida’s State Capitol. Many women who are members of the legislature and staff report that a significant number of men in the legislature are frequently misogynistic and regularly commit sexist acts against them.
A scandal that has not reached the national press as frequently as Gaetz’s involves Governor Ron DeSantis. DeSantis implemented a vaccination strategy that focuses on ensuring those 65 and older receive the vaccine, instead of following the CDC guidelines which mandate essential workers get vaccinated first. Residents aged 65 and older are the most important voting bloc for the state and the GOP.
This has led to Florida ranking 30 out of 34 states in the percentage of Black residents vaccinated as of March 1. The Latino population is being vaccinated just as slowly. Part of this is due to age disparity, as the Black and Latino populations in Florida are younger than the white population that makes up almost all of the 65+ category. However, the Black and Latino populations are killed by COVID-19 in greater proportion to their population than white people. The location of the vaccination sites has aided in this racial disparity, causing further controversy.
A byproduct of prioritizing the vaccines for the 65 and older crowd is that vaccines primarily reached gated retirement communities. Communities such as Ocean Reef in Key Largo, FL are predominately white and wealthy.
The 17 people from Key Largo who donated to DeSantis and the GOP live in Ocean Reef. This includes former Illinois governor Bruce Rauner, who donated $250,000 after receiving the vaccine in January. When people in Bradenton, FL protested in response to a nearby retirement community receiving extra doses, as well as a commissioner hand-selecting wealthy friends and associates to receive the vaccine, DeSantis threatened to remove the pop-up vaccination sites from the county.
Not grasping that the optics of only giving vaccines to people who give you money are unfavorable, DeSantis chose Publix—a regional supermarket chain—to help deliver vaccines. This decision comes a month after the chain donated a total of $100,000 to a PAC supporting DeSantis.
This further compounds the issue of vaccines not reaching marginalized populations. The state’s vaccine rollout was investigated by 60 Minutes when they went to Belle Glade, FL. In Palm Beach County, where Belle Glade is located, Publix is the sole provider of vaccines. However, for Belle Glade and surrounding cities who tend to be more impoverished than their further east neighbors, there are no Publixes. The closest one to Belle Glade is 25 miles or the equivalent of a two-hour bus ride.
Both of these politicians deny any wrongdoing as they are, of course, politicians and unquestionably guilty. Florida, just as much as it plays a role in the outcome of presidential elections, is becoming known for its politicians running in national elections. Gaetz has become a national figure with a reputation as a staunch supporter of Trump’s ideas. DeSantis’s image is similar with many believing he will run for president in 2024.
More people need to be aware of Florida’s political atmosphere, especially its multitude of scandals. The same people committing these offenses aspire to hold national offices. If allowed to reach that public prominence, they may be allowed even more free reign to do further harm that affects the whole nation.
