Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters if a reporter uses anonymous sources in a story or article, it could be considered a malicious act subject to a lawsuit for defamation.
Florida, led by DeSantis, is trying to undo First Amendment protections for journalism and all Americans in this country by promoting a new bill: HB 991: Defamation, False Light, and Unauthorized Publication of Name or Likenesses.
(The Florida governor held a Panel Discussion on Defamation here)
During today’s press conference, a reporter asked the Florida governor about his latest actions.
“We’re hearing concerns that the defamation bills that you support, Governor, would chill free speech, particularly for people on social media, bloggers, and people at public meetings, and encourage frivolous lawsuits,” the reporter asked. “So how would your administration keep that from happening?”
“Well, I think the, I think what the bill is doing now is basically saying that if somebody is defamed, so someone publishes or says something, this is pretty much going to be written, they publish something that defames you, so it’s false, that if they’re using anonymous sources, then that can be a presumption that that was done with malice,” DeSantis said.
Huh? A presumption of guilt? WTF is he talking about?
“Because if not, then there’s no way you could ever have a defamation action.”
“I think what’s happened is, particularly corporate media outlets have relied on anonymous sources to smear people,” he said. “And I just think that that’s something that is fundamentally wrong.”
DeSantis does not want to protect any person that comes forward with damning information they have witnessed without offering them any protections whatsoever.
The John Gottis of this country would have been in love with this man.
And so, again, these are false statements of fact that defame people.
The question is, if you bring a suit, how are you able to show that that was malicious? And I think the fact that it was anonymous could be a presumption that that’s the case.”
So I think, I don’t think it’s going to cause much of a difference in terms of free speech.
I do think it may cause some people to not want to put out things that are false, that are smearing somebody’s reputation. And, you know, I think people can make a judgment about how they view that.
This is insane.
DeSantis wants to destroy eyewitnesses to crimes as well since they would have to prove what?
Freedom of the press is fundamental to the US Constitution. It helps sustain a free society.
Freedom of an individual to disagree, confront or expose politicians and government malfeasance is embedded in the First Amendment.
Fascist rulers and dictators always want to control the media and punish all those that are do not show the proper loyalty.
This is one topic Traitor Trump and Meatball Ron agree on.
