Sunday evening on “60 Minutes,” Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis was exposed as having potentially broken the law and violated the oath of office he took when he was elected three years ago.
Specifically, CBS News reported that DeSantis allowed wealthy individuals from around the country to jump to the front of the line for COVID-19 vaccines in exchange for money:
“Florida’s rollout started pretty typically. The first doses were given to healthcare workers and nursing home residents in early December. But then, a few weeks later, Gov. Ron DeSantis, breaking from C.D.C. guidelines, announced he would not vaccinate teachers and essential workers next, but instead put ‘seniors first,’ making anyone 65 or over eligible for the vaccine, the first in the country to do that. DeSantis said seniors were at highest risk.”
Sounds good, huh? DeSantis promised he was going to prioritize senior citizens, but then he changed his mind when big money was waved at him:
“The private jets started arriving. Hollywood moguls, New York socialites and tourists from overseas were getting vaccinated in Florida, posting on social media and sparking outrage. Early on, there were no residency requirements to get vaccinated in the state.”
Says Mayor James of West Palm Beach: “But isn’t it funny that these mistakes only happen in communities that have that kind of wealth? They didn’t make a mistake and send a thousand doses to the poorest communities in our county?” https://t.co/gyrW9hYPTg
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) April 4, 2021
Can you imagine what the Department of Justice can do to DeSantis if it’s proven that he sold vaccinations to the highest bidder while others caught coronavirus and died? Between that and the wrongful death civil actions that will be filed, DeSantis could well be looking at leaving the state of Florida flat broke and himself under criminal indictment.
DeSantis was once considered a leading contender for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. But he’ll be lucky to get elected dog catcher now that this latest scandal has exposed his reckless actions.