DeSantis' clash with Republican lawmaker Fine sparks controversy on social media

Brevard County’s Fine now wants an investigation into “whether certain positions in the governor’s office are necessary.”

The feud between Gov. Ron DeSantis and a key Republican lawmaker escalated Wednesday night, when his staff’s online criticism of Rep. Randy Fine resulted in his calling on the Legislature to investigate whether those positions are necessary.

DeSantis spokesman Jeremy Redfern, senior analyst for the governor’s office Christina Pushaw and DeSantis’s political campaign spokeswoman Taryn Fenske mocked Fine in a series of posts on the social media site X.

“Will (Fine) now give back her Harvard degree?” Fenske posted about a story about Harvard University’s hiring of former University of Pennsylvania president Liz Magill, who resigned after testifying before Congress about her efforts to combat anti-Semitism on campus.

The post alluded to Fine’s criticism of DeSantis’ trip to Ireland, first reported by USA TODAY Network – Florida Capital Bureau.

The trip included meetings with Irish companies aimed at generating economic development in Florida and attending the Florida State-Georgia Tech football game in Dublin. But Fine called Ireland an “anti-Semitic country” that “supports Muslim terrorism” because it recognized Palestine as a country in May.

The recognition came amid a war between Hamas and Israel, which began on October 7, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel responded by invading the Gaza Strip.

Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says around 40,000 Gazans have been killed since the invasion began. However, that figure does not distinguish between civilians and fighters and does not identify the causes of death. The Israeli government says it has killed 17,000 fighters.

At the time, Fine promised to introduce a bill to add Ireland — as well as Spain and Norway, which also recognized Palestine — to Florida’s vetted companies list, which would prohibit Florida government entities from investing in or contracting with companies from those countries. Fine is term-limited in the House of Representatives, but is running for a heavily Republican state Senate district in Brevard County.

Redfern and Pushaw weighed in with their own posts, sparking an exchange of views with Fine, who then criticised them, called for an investigation into their activities and questioned whether they should keep their positions.

“I would fire them immediately,” Randy Fine posted on X

“If one of my taxpayer-funded employees ever confronted another elected official the way three of the Governor’s staff did tonight (and they often and routinely do), I would fire them immediately,” Fine posted.

“Tomorrow, I will ask the Senate President and the House Speaker to investigate whether certain positions in the Governor’s office are necessary given the frequency with which they are involved in personal and political activities for the Governor. This conduct is not only inappropriate and unprofessional, it may be illegal.

“The Governor had no problem vetoing the budget for legislative support staff; it is time to change things.”

While Fenske previously worked in DeSantis’ office, her role on the campaign does not include a taxpayer-funded salary. However, Redfern and Pushaw receive $129,800 and $159,700 per year from the state, respectively.

Fine was previously a top Republican ally of DeSantis in the Legislature. He sponsored the bill to strip Walt Disney of its home rule status in the Reedy Creek Improvement District, a highly controversial bill that severed the entertainment company’s long-standing friendly relations with Florida Republicans in charge of the Legislature.

Fine also supported DeSantis in his presidential campaign last year, before abruptly switching her support to Donald Trump, claiming DeSantis was not doing enough to enforce a new law cracking down on anti-Semitism in the state.

DeSantis responded to Fine’s criticism early Wednesday by suggesting he would not turn away lobbyists who also went to Ireland for the FSU game.

“I think almost every lobbyist in Tallahassee made that trip, so is Rep. Fine going to stop taking money from all the lobbyists like he’s been doing?” DeSantis told reporters. “I’d like to see his response to that.”

One thing Fine shares with DeSantis is a love for Ireland — the country, that is, though not for his administration’s decision on Palestine. DeSantis has previously spoken about his affinity for the island after visiting it, and Fine said he took a trip there with his family last year, before the Oct. 7 attacks and before the decision to recognize Palestine.

“We went to Ireland with my family last summer and had an amazing summer,” Fine told USA TODAY Network Florida Capital Bureau in an interview Monday.

“I had no idea that there was such deep-rooted anti-Semitism in Ireland. Obviously, it was very sad for me. It was literally one of the best family trips of our lives. I thought to myself, ‘Wow, what would have happened if I had worn my kippah?’”

Grey Rohrer is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X: @GrayRohrer.

Breaking

DeSantis’ clash with Republican lawmaker Fine sparks controversy on social media

ByS. Jacob

Brevard County’s Fine now wants an investigation into “whether certain positions in the governor’s office are necessary.”

“I would fire them immediately,” Randy Fine posted on X

By S. Jacob

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