Charlie Crist slams Ron DeSantis as a 'brazen' enemy of democracy: 'It’s all about authoritarianism'

During the Monday, April 25 broadcast of her MSNBC show “The ReidOut,” liberal host Joy Reid slammed MAGA Republicans for declaring war on democracy both in the United States and abroad. Reid noted that far-right Marine Le Pen, who lost to President Emmanuel Macron by 18% in France’s 2022 presidential election, was endorsed by former U.S. President Donald Trump’s “most slovenly supporter”: “War Room” host Steve Bannon.” And Reid went on to lambast Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for his vendetta against Disney, bringing on Democratic Florida gubernatorial candidate Rep. Charlie Crist.

“Le Pen’s loss is a resounding victory for democracy and for the French people, who, despite deep frustrations with the president, chose democracy over extremism,” Reid told viewers. “The same, unfortunately, cannot be said here in America, where the modern Republican Party is taking a page from (Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor) Orbán’s book and leaning hard into authoritarian socialism — where Christian conservatives are waging a full-on jihad against those who are disagreeing with their increasingly and obsessively anti-gay, anti-trans, anti-immigrant, anti-history views.”

Reid, a native Floridian, continued, “Look no further than the free-state-for-some of Florida, where Ron DeSantis has waged a hypocritical war on Disney. Freaking Disney! Why? Because they dared to push back on his hideous Don’t Say Gay law.”

DeSantis’ decision to punish Disney by taking away its tax privileges, Reid noted, will result in a “massive tax hike” for “thousands of Floridians” in Orange County and Osceola County — both of which lean Democratic. And Crist, a former Republican who is seeking the Democratic nomination in Florida’s 2022 gubernatorial race, was equally critical of DeSantis when Reid brought him on.

“This is punishment,” Crist told Reid. “This is punitive. And it’s intentional, and it’s bullying. I mean, you know, Disney can’t express their right to free speech in the Sunshine State anymore? This has gotta be unconstitutional, number one — under both the United States Constitution and the Florida Constitution.”

Crist argued that DeSantis is behaving in such a “brazen” fashion because he plans to run for president in 2024.

“Gov. DeSantis is so focused on the 2024 Republican presidential primary and going against Donald Trump,” Crist told Reid. “He’s trying to out-Trump Trump…. He signed into law recently the most anti-abortion bill in Florida history. He’s gone after LGBTQ kids…. It's almost like he goes to bed at night thinking, ‘What group can I punish tomorrow?’ Women, African-Americans, LGBTQ — you know, you name it.”

Crist continued, “And now, he’s…. gone after Disney in an anti-business fashion. The Florida Chamber of Commerce ought to back me instead of DeSantis for what’s going on. I’m more pro-business…. This will be the largest single tax increase in the history of Florida under Gov. Ron DeSantis. What happened to less taxes, less government, more freedom from the Republican Party? Apparently, it’s out the window. Because it’s all about authoritarianism. This is democracy versus autocracy.”

Watch the video below:

DeSantis Brazenly Admitting To Punishing Disney Is Unbelievable Says Cristwww.youtube.com