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DeSantis Signs Provision Prohibiting State Agencies From Contracting With Media Censors

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Florida’s FY 2026 budget includes a provision that prohibits state agencies from using taxpayer dollars to contract with advertising and marketing companies that act as or use “media reliability or bias monitors” services, like censorship group NewsGuard.

The measure, included in a budget bill Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law Monday, “prevents state agencies from entering contracts with advertising agencies and marketing firms that use politically biased media monitoring services like NewsGuard, Ad Fontes,” and the Global Disinformation Index (GDI), according to a press release from the Independent Media Council.

“These monitoring groups purport to be impartial, but consistently skew their ratings to target conservative and independent media from receiving advertising from major brands,” the release adds.

NewsGuard’s “Misinformation Fingerprints” technology was developed with the help of a $750,000 grant funded by the Department of Defense, as The Federalist’s Margot Cleveland reported. The group’s “False Claim Fingerprints” technology is currently marketed to social media, AI, and other tech companies to trace and flag “misinformation.” (Read more from “DeSantis Signs Provision Prohibiting State Agencies From Contracting With Media Censors” HERE)

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This Is How Much Your Home Is Worth in Gold—As Florida Recognizes 2 Precious Metals as Legal Tender

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Florida has taken a major step toward treating gold and silver as legal tender, opening the door for homebuyers to use the precious metals.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 27 signed a bill into law to recognize gold and silver coins in payments in the Sunshine State, making Florida one of a dozen states to move in that direction, including Louisiana, Texas, and Utah.

The new law, which goes into effect on July 1, 2026, requires all gold and silver coins to be stamped with weight, purity, and mint of origin.

Additionally, purchases of gold and silver will be free from sales tax, and money service businesses, such as PayPal and check-cashing places, will be authorized to transmit and accept payments in precious metals. . .

DeSantis touted the bill, known as HB 999, as a “landmark piece of legislation” that offers Floridians greater independence and spares them from being “wedded to a fiat currency.” He pledged the law will transform gold and silver into “real currency again” and not “just investment vehicles for the wealthy.” (Read more from “This Is How Much Your Home Is Worth in Gold—As Florida Recognizes 2 Precious Metals as Legal Tender” HERE)

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Florida AG Launches Criminal Investigation Into Andrew Tate; Influencer Lashes Out at Ron Desantis With Conspiracy Theory

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The Florida attorney general announced that a criminal investigation would be launched against controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan Tate. The 38-year-old former MMA fighter lashed out at the investigation and called the move “absolute communism.”

The Tate brothers landed at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida on Feb. 27 after Romania lifted a travel restriction on them.

According to NBC News, the brothers left Romania while still under a criminal investigation regarding accusations of having formed an organized criminal group, in addition to human trafficking, the trafficking of minors, sex with a minor, and money laundering. The Tate brothers were arrested near the Romanian capital of Bucharest in 2022 along with two Romanian women. . .

In mid-February, President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Richard Grenell, raised the issue of the Tate brothers with Romania’s Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu at the Munich Security Conference. Hurezeanu said he did not consider the discussion as a “form of pressure.”

Last week, Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism said in a statement that the Tate brothers would be expected to appear before judicial authorities if summoned and were warned that deliberately dodging “obligations may result in judicial control being replaced with a stricter deprivation of liberty measure.” (Read more from “Florida AG Launches Criminal Investigation Into Andrew Tate; Influencer Lashes Out at Ron Desantis With Conspiracy Theory” HERE)

Andrew Tate and Brother Face Florida Investigation— As Gov. DeSantis Says They Are Not Welcome

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has warned controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan they are “not welcome” in the Sunshine State after they arrived there when Romania lifted travel restrictions for the pending criminal case against them.

“Florida is not a place where you’re welcome with that type of conduct,” DeSantis said at a press conference in response to a reporter’s question about the Tate brothers.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, meanwhile, launched a “preliminary inquiry” into the Tate brothers, he said in a statement on X on Thursday.

“Florida has zero tolerance for human trafficking and violence against women. If any of these alleged crimes trigger Florida jurisdiction, we will hold them accountable,” the Florida AG wrote.

DeSantis denied that state officials OKed the arrival of the self-described misogynists.

“We have no involvement in that. I read about it through the media,” he said. (Read more from “Andrew Tate and Brother Face Florida Investigation— As Gov. DeSantis Says They Are Not Welcome” HERE)

DeSantis Doesn’t Trust Federal Government to Look into Apparent Assassination Attempt Against Trump. Florida Will Conduct Own Probe.

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Gov. Ron DeSantis expressed doubts Monday about the federal government’s ability to fairly and objectively investigate the apparent assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.

His solution: Florida will conduct its own state investigation into the Sunday incident at Trump’s golf club near West Palm Beach.

DeSantis acknowledged that the federal government is pursuing the matter.

“I understand that the feds are involved, but, but we do believe that there were multiple violations of state law,” he said at a news conference in Orlando.

He amplified on why he said the state would conduct its own investigation. “We also believe that there’s a need to make sure that, that the truth about all this comes out in a way, you know, that’s credible.

“I mean I look at the federal government with all due respect to them, you know, those same agencies that are prosecuting Trump in that jurisdiction are now going to be investigating this. I just think that that may not be the best thing for this country. (Read more from “DeSantis Doesn’t Trust Federal Government to Look into Apparent Assassination Attempt Against Trump. Florida Will Conduct Own Probe.” HERE)

Nikki Haley, Ron Desantis — Who Opposed Trump in the Primaries — Strongly Support Trump in Rousing RNC Speeches

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Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis — who opposed former President Donald Trump in the primary races — threw their support behind Trump in back-to-back, rousing Republican National Convention speeches Tuesday night.

Haley — who stayed in the primaries the longest against Trump — told the RNC crowd she wanted to make “one thing perfectly clear: Donald Trump has my strong endorsement, period!” The audience loved the moment and showered her with cheers and applause.

The former South Carolina governor — who also served as United Nations Ambassador under Trump for part of his term in office — added that America is “at a critical moment” and “will be badly worse off” if Democrat President Joe Biden is reelected — and Americans must vote for Trump “for the sake of our nation.”

The Associated Press, citing Haley spokesperson Chaney Denton, reported that Haley hadn’t been invited to the convention. But the AP said that changed when Haley was added to the list of speakers Sunday — one day after Trump survived an attempted assassination during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Indeed, Haley said at the RNC that Trump asked her to speak “in the name of unity.” (Read more from “Nikki Haley, Ron Desantis — Who Opposed Trump in the Primaries — Strongly Support Trump in Rousing RNC Speeches” HERE)

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DeSantis, Donald Trump Discuss Détente in Miami

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Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump met Sunday in Miami for a private meeting, suggesting a détente following a bruising presidential primary ahead of the 2024 general election, The Washington Post reported.

People familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity told the Washington Post about the meeting, later confirmed by NBC News correspondent Dasha Burns.

“NEW: Multiple sources confirm to @NBCNews Trump and DeSantis met in Miami this morning. A Trump official tells me DeSantis reached out two weeks ago to set up the meeting via a mutual connection to ‘bury the hatchet’ and talk fundraising,” Burns tweeted late Sunday morning.

The meeting was set up in hopes the two would repair their strained relationship, but Trump advisors were hoping DeSantis would help raise significant sums for the general election through his donor network, according to The Washington Post. The meeting, which was “mutually agreed upon and arranged by Steve Witkoff,” lasted for several hours, with DeSantis agreeing to help the former president, Burns reported. (Read more from “DeSantis, Donald Trump Discuss Détente in Miami” HERE)

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Disney Caves in High-Stakes Lawsuit Against Ron DeSantis

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Disney on Wednesday capitulated in its long-running legal battle against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — handing a victory to the Republican in the high-stakes fight over a $17 billion planned development at the company’s theme park near Orlando.

The Mouse House agreed to a settlement that gives up its self-governing powers over the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which was dissolved by DeSantis in 2022 after the company opposed his “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Disney had controlled the special tax district for decades.

As part of the deal, Bob Iger’s Disney also agreed to drop a lawsuit over access to public records and defer briefings in a federal lawsuit it filed against DeSantis as the two sides try to reach a consensus on a new development agreement for Walt Disney World, among other matters.

“This agreement opens a new chapter of constructive engagement with the new leadership of the district,” Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle said.

DeSantis took a victory lap after the stunning turn of events, saying his administration was “vindicated” by the settlement with one of Florida’s biggest employers following the two-year feud. (Read more from “Disney Caves in High-Stakes Lawsuit Against Ron DeSantis” HERE)

Governor Says Florida Officers Nabbed Boat With Armed Haitians

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Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Friday his state’s law enforcement intercepted a boat of possible illegal Haitian immigrants with weapons and narcotics.

DeSantis deployed on Wednesday 250 Florida State Guard forces and law enforcement officers to protect against a potential influx of illegal Haitian migrants. Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers stopped the boat, which was moving in a way that could have been dangerous, the governor said.

“Our Florida Fish and Wildlife officers interdicted a vessel that had 25 illegal immigrants, potential illegal immigrants, from Haiti. In their boat, in their vessel, they had firearms, they had drugs, they had night vision gear and were boating very recklessly, which would potentially endanger other folks,” DeSantis asserted.

The interception took place at around 7:30 PM on Feb. 29, according to a FWC press release.

“Immediately upon stopping the vessel, the officers knew they had intercepted a human smuggling operation,” the press release reads. “The operator of the vessel was armed and onboard; lying prone on the deck of the boat, they discovered 25 individuals, including five unaccompanied children, illegally entering the country. In addition to the individuals onboard, officers discovered firearms, night vision gear and drugs.” (Read more from “Governor Says Florida Officers Nabbed Boat With Armed Haitians” HERE)

Ron DeSantis Vows to Sign Bill Permitting Release of Epstein Documents

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis this week vowed to sign a bill passed by the Florida legislature which would permit the release of documents related to the Florida case of the late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The Florida Senate passed Senate Bill 234, which allows for the release of testimony and evidence from the grand jury investigation in 2006.

The bill reads in part:

An act relating to disclosure of grand jury testimony; amending s. 905.27, F.S.; revising the list of persons prohibited from disclosing the testimony of a witness examined before, or the evidence received by, a grand jury; creating an exception for a request by the media or an interested person to the prohibited publishing, broadcasting, disclosing, divulging, or communicating of any testimony of a witness examined before the grand jury, or the content, gist, or import thereof; providing criminal penalties; providing construction; making technical changes; reenacting s. 905.17(1) and (2), F.S., relating to who may be present during a session of a grand jury, to incorporate the amendment made to s. 905.27, F.S., in references thereto; 16 providing an effective date.

The House version of the bill passed earlier this month, and DeSantis announced this week that he will, indeed, sign it. (Read more from “Ron DeSantis Vows to Sign Bill Permitting Release of Epstein Documents” HERE)

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