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DeSantis continues public salvo: 'It's all a charade; It's really a pathetic agenda' of the Florida House
By Eileen Kelley
April 16, 2025 at 8:20 PM EDT
Ron DeSantis’s latest salvo with the Florida House of Representatives unfolded in Southwest Florida Wednesday with the governor accusing the House of trying to defund the police.
While the House is far from calling for the defunding of law enforcement agencies, millions of dollars separate it from the its counterpart in the Senate as the two sides hammer out the upcoming state budget.
For years the governor has enjoyed a solid relationship with the Republican-heavy House and Senate each carrying his measures from committees across the finish line to his desk for signatures.
But this year has been different – with members of the Legislature and the governor very publicly rebuking the other.
Wednesday, at the Fort Myers station of the Florida Highway Patrol, the governor was flanked by some two dozen troopers of the FHP a before a crowded room full of elected Republicans — hailing from Sanibel Island to the top seat at the school district of Lee County. There, DeSantis assailed his perceived enemies.
“So you want to talk about a Republican super-majority? This is a donkey in an elephant suit when they're doing going after law enforcement," he said.
DeSantis accused the House Republicans of defunding law enforcement saying it was cutting 84 state trooper positions and reducing funding for armor protections and new patrol cars. There are roughly 75 vacant positions at the Florida Highway Patrol.
"You've got to ask yourself, what is motivating this? Why are you doing this ridiculous nonsense? It's all a charade. It's really a pathetic agenda," DeSantis said.
For years the Florida Highway Patrol and its state counterpart, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement have faced critical staffing shortages. Key to those shortages, many believe are relatively low starting salaries. The state sets the starting salaries for offices in both state agencies. Local municipalities and counties set their own starting salaries.
Right now starting salary for highway patrol officers is around $54,000. While high compared to poor municipalities in Florida, some of which have a starting salaries as low as $31,000, FHP’s starting salary pales in comparison to the starting salaries of police officers in Boca Raton on the east coast of Florida which draw annual paychecks totaling $83,000 — not including overtime.
Governor Ron DeSantis claimed the Florida House was working with what he termed as “liberal Democrats” and the “liberal media” to undo a lot of the conservative efforts in education and other areas. He held a press briefing Wednesday at the Florida Highway Patrol station in Fort Myers. (4000x3000, AR: 1.3333333333333333)
DeSantis has called for increasing starting pay by 20% and increasing overall pay for veteran state officers by 25%.
"Our record in Florida, standing up for law enforcement, is second to none. We have done it time and time again. We are continuing to do it, and honestly, Republican legislators have stood with us time and time again all the way up until this current session in the Florida House of Representatives, something is rotten over there," DeSantis said.
The “Defund the Police” movement gained prominence after the George Floyd protests of 2020 as many called for redirecting some police funding to community-based services like mental support and social work. While some cities made adjustments to funding, the movement faced significant push-back — notably in Florida.
In 2021 the governor signed into law an anti-rioting measure that also allowed for state attorneys or city governments to appeal to his administrative council — and ultimately his cabinet — for final say should any local agency attempt to reduce police funding.
Years later, the term "defund the police" has been used a trigger point between rivaling sides — it elicits reactions like the words ‘Swamp” and “Woke” do.
DeSantis and the house have publicly been at odds since before the legislative session began when the governor called for a special session on immigration. Instead of passing the governor’s anti-immigrant proposals the Legislature opened the session only to immediately close it without so much as publicly discussing any of the governors’ proposals. It was a stunning rebuke of the governor.
And while matters seemed to be smoothed over between the Legislature and governor at the start of the session, it was short-lived.
Also in attendance Wednesday was Amanda Gerhart, widowed fiancé to a trooper killed during a police pursuit last year. She joined the governor and key members of his administration to advocate for higher funding for members of the Florida Highway Patrol.
“I am here to tell the people of Florida that I am ashamed at the actions of the Florida House of Representatives. I cannot understand, and no one can explain to me why in the great state of Florida, the Florida House of Representatives is defunding the police," Gerhart said.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.
While the House is far from calling for the defunding of law enforcement agencies, millions of dollars separate it from the its counterpart in the Senate as the two sides hammer out the upcoming state budget.
For years the governor has enjoyed a solid relationship with the Republican-heavy House and Senate each carrying his measures from committees across the finish line to his desk for signatures.
But this year has been different – with members of the Legislature and the governor very publicly rebuking the other.
Wednesday, at the Fort Myers station of the Florida Highway Patrol, the governor was flanked by some two dozen troopers of the FHP a before a crowded room full of elected Republicans — hailing from Sanibel Island to the top seat at the school district of Lee County. There, DeSantis assailed his perceived enemies.
“So you want to talk about a Republican super-majority? This is a donkey in an elephant suit when they're doing going after law enforcement," he said.
DeSantis accused the House Republicans of defunding law enforcement saying it was cutting 84 state trooper positions and reducing funding for armor protections and new patrol cars. There are roughly 75 vacant positions at the Florida Highway Patrol.
"You've got to ask yourself, what is motivating this? Why are you doing this ridiculous nonsense? It's all a charade. It's really a pathetic agenda," DeSantis said.
For years the Florida Highway Patrol and its state counterpart, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement have faced critical staffing shortages. Key to those shortages, many believe are relatively low starting salaries. The state sets the starting salaries for offices in both state agencies. Local municipalities and counties set their own starting salaries.
Right now starting salary for highway patrol officers is around $54,000. While high compared to poor municipalities in Florida, some of which have a starting salaries as low as $31,000, FHP’s starting salary pales in comparison to the starting salaries of police officers in Boca Raton on the east coast of Florida which draw annual paychecks totaling $83,000 — not including overtime.
Governor Ron DeSantis claimed the Florida House was working with what he termed as “liberal Democrats” and the “liberal media” to undo a lot of the conservative efforts in education and other areas. He held a press briefing Wednesday at the Florida Highway Patrol station in Fort Myers. (4000x3000, AR: 1.3333333333333333)
DeSantis has called for increasing starting pay by 20% and increasing overall pay for veteran state officers by 25%.
"Our record in Florida, standing up for law enforcement, is second to none. We have done it time and time again. We are continuing to do it, and honestly, Republican legislators have stood with us time and time again all the way up until this current session in the Florida House of Representatives, something is rotten over there," DeSantis said.
The “Defund the Police” movement gained prominence after the George Floyd protests of 2020 as many called for redirecting some police funding to community-based services like mental support and social work. While some cities made adjustments to funding, the movement faced significant push-back — notably in Florida.
In 2021 the governor signed into law an anti-rioting measure that also allowed for state attorneys or city governments to appeal to his administrative council — and ultimately his cabinet — for final say should any local agency attempt to reduce police funding.
Years later, the term "defund the police" has been used a trigger point between rivaling sides — it elicits reactions like the words ‘Swamp” and “Woke” do.
DeSantis and the house have publicly been at odds since before the legislative session began when the governor called for a special session on immigration. Instead of passing the governor’s anti-immigrant proposals the Legislature opened the session only to immediately close it without so much as publicly discussing any of the governors’ proposals. It was a stunning rebuke of the governor.
And while matters seemed to be smoothed over between the Legislature and governor at the start of the session, it was short-lived.
Also in attendance Wednesday was Amanda Gerhart, widowed fiancé to a trooper killed during a police pursuit last year. She joined the governor and key members of his administration to advocate for higher funding for members of the Florida Highway Patrol.
“I am here to tell the people of Florida that I am ashamed at the actions of the Florida House of Representatives. I cannot understand, and no one can explain to me why in the great state of Florida, the Florida House of Representatives is defunding the police," Gerhart said.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.