'Telling silence': Miami Herald slams DeSantis for giving cover to Orlando Nazis

The Miami Herald did not mince words in its criticism of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' (R) for his failure to condemn an upcoming rally set to be held by Nazi organizers in Orlando, Fla. The Miami Herald's editorial board opened with a simple request for the Republican governor.

“Denounce the Nazi demonstrators in Orlando, Gov. Ron DeSantis," the board wrote. "It’s that simple. Say they are abhorrent. Say they are despicable. Say they have no part in this society or this state. But no.”

The board went on to slam DeSantis for focusing on Democrats instead of condemning the far-right protestors. "Instead, our governor attacked Democrats during a press conference in Palm Beach County on Monday," the board wrote. "Dragged in issues like immigration and inflation and crime. Accused unnamed people — Democrats, of course — of trying to 'smear' him. Said he wouldn’t 'play their game.'"

Although DeSantis described the group as "jackasses," The Herald argues that he failed to emphasize how unacceptable Nazi-inspired hatred is.

"But the strongest remarks he had for the demonstrators who shouted anti-Semitic slurs at a shopping center while waving Nazi flags was to say that state law enforcement would hold them accountable," the board noted. "Oh — and he also called them 'jackasses' and malcontents. You tell ‘em, governor."

The condemnation of DeSantis and his staff came after the governor's press secretary, Christina Pushaw, released a tweeted statement on Sunday night suggesting Democrats might have been involved in the planning of the Nazi demonstration in Orlando. "Her comment drew widespread condemnation," the board wrote. "She followed with a tweet admitting she didn’t know who had staged the protest and said hate speech is wrong."

The board also argued that DeSantis should have addressed the remarks made by Pushaw.

When the Florida governor “had his chance to condemn these demonstrators, when he could have simply said Nazis are bad people, when he could have made sure he didn’t give cover to those who hate, well, he didn’t,” it added. “And all the manufactured anger at Democrats can’t cover up that telling silence.”