MS Now host and activist Al Sharpton condemned Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sunday for doing an impersonation of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
Amid an ongoing redistricting battle, there has been another feud about political rhetoric and tone. Just days before an apparent assassination attempt on President Donald Trump’s life, Jeffries warned DeSantis against redrawing the state’s congressional map, declaring, “We are in an era of maximum warfare. Everywhere, all the time.”
He has also challenged Republicans with similar rhetoric, declaring, “Our message to Florida Republicans is, ‘F around and find out.’”
During a news conference amid the redistricting battle, DeSantis imitated Jeffries’ bombastic rhetoric and voice, saying, “’We’re gonna do maximum warfare against Republicans,’ ‘Florida Republicans, you F around, you gonna find out.’”
He then paraphrased Jeffries again, without imitating his accent, “And he’s like, ‘Oh, if you do the redistricting, we’re gonna take out all your members. We’re gonna do all this stuff,’ and what I said was, ‘Go ahead, make my day.’”
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to limit how race can be used in districting and narrowed Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, something which Sharpton condemned on Sunday.
“Republicans are trying to claim that Black majority districts across the country are racially discriminatory. Yet Florida’s governor this week has been out mocking House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries using an offensive accent,” Sharpton said to his guest, Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried.
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He went on to ask her, “What do you make of the GOP’s racist rhetoric right now at the same time they’re dismantling civil rights protections that have been an important part of our democracy for decades now.”
“But remember that this has been DeSantis’ M.O.,” Fried replied. “You know, just a couple years ago, he got rid of Black history in our school system. Back in 2022, he actually vetoed the maps from the legislature during the redistricting period of time so that he can draw his own maps to dismantle one of our Black elected congressional seats in the panhandle.”
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“So this is what Ron DeSantis has consistently been doing,” she continued. “You know, the Stop Woke Act, the DEI attacks. And so, I’m not surprised that DeSantis continues to stoop lower and lower and lower when it comes to his rhetoric and protecting all 23 million Floridians that are here in our state. He is charged with that responsibility as a governor for all 23 million. He continues to be derelict in that responsibility.”
Fox News Digital reached out to DeSantis’ office and did not receive an immediate reply.
