DeSantis shuts down reporter's suggestion that Big Tech bill is 'for' Trump

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Media top headlines May 25

A Facebook whistleblower alleging that the tech company censors 'vaccine hesitancy' and more round out today's top media headlines

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, R., shot down a Miami Herald reporter on Monday who accused him of introducing his new Big Tech censorship bill that allows residents to sue Big Tech companies solely for the benefit of former President Donald Trump, who was banned from Twitter this year. 

"You're a loyal support of President Trump," the reporter said. "Of course Donald Trump is now a resident in Florida, and he was deplatformed. Is this bill for him?"

Some people in the room laughed at the question as DeSantis replied the bill "is for everyday Floridians."

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But DeSantis gave the reporter the benefit of the doubt by noting that she brought up an important issue: the inconsistent censorship attitudes of Big Tech.

"But I do think that's another issue that's been brought to bear," he said. "When you deplatform the president of the United States, but you let Ayatollah Khamenei talk about killing Jews, that is wrong."

That line got a round of applause from the crowd.

Last month, DeSantis explained who he had in mind when signing the Big Tech legislation.

"This session, we took action to ensure that ‘We the People’ — real Floridians across the Sunshine State — are guaranteed protection against the Silicon Valley elites," DeSantis said in a statement. "Many in our state have experienced censorship and other tyrannical behavior firsthand in Cuba and Venezuela. If Big Tech censors enforce rules inconsistently, to discriminate in favor of the dominant Silicon Valley ideology, they will now be held accountable."

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DeSantis has frequently sparred with the media this year, perhaps most notably when he forcefully responded to a "60 Minutes" report that suggested he gave Publix, a grocery store chain, preference on distributing the coronavirus vaccine based on its donations to his PAC. The report also questioned his leadership on vaccine distribution, specifically his decision to place vulnerable seniors ahead of teachers.

"They’ve issued a lot of mealy-mouthed statements since the episode aired, they knew what they were putting on the air was false," DeSantis reacted on "Fox & Friends."

"These are corporate media operatives … They had a political mission to smear me, they thought that they could do it, drive by, and just go on to the next target," he added. "But I have a platform, I have the ability to fight back. We have done that, we’re going to continue to do that."

DeSantis also scolded CNN reporter Rosa Flores in January after she appeared to blame him for vaccine distribution issues at local hospitals. As she continued to shout pointed questions at him, he said, "So you’re going to give a speech or are you going to ask a question? You asked a question and I’m going to answer it."

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When Flores accused DeSantis of having no plan to help senior citizens avoid long lines for the vaccine, he replied, "So the state is not dictating to hospitals…that would be a total disaster."