DeSantis uncharacteristically silent as Florida faces pressure to dump Russian investments: report
Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine, politicians on both sides of the aisle in the United States have taken strong positions in support of Ukraine. Those actions have included pouring Russian vodka down the drain and divesting investments in Russian companies.
In Florida, GOP Sen. Marco Rubio introduced legislation that would bar U.S. institutions from investing in Russian securities. “We need to minimize the resultant harm to Americans, including teachers and retirees, who have pensions and retirement accounts invested in Russian securities,” Rubio said at the time. “Many Americans do not even realize that fund managers have placed their money in these Russian companies.”
But as Politico reports, sunshine state Gov. Ron DeSantis doesn't appear to have a sense of urgency about having the state ditch the investments its $200 billion pension plan has in Russian entities. Gary Fineout of Politico writes, "DeSantis is never shy about offering his views on foreign policy issues during his tenure, whether it be about Israel, China or Latin America," but has been uncharacteristically silent about Russia.
The Florida governor did make some comments early on about the Russian invasion and offered criticism of Vladimir Putin, but he has spent more time deriding President Joe Biden over his handling of the European war crisis.
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Democrats in Florida are not happy with what they see as DeSantis's foot-dragging. At the end of last week, 11 Democratic members of Florida’s Congressional delegation signed a letter calling on DeSantis to act. Politico reports that no GOP members would sign onto the letter.
“Urgently isolating Vladimir Putin and his oligarchs saves Ukrainian lives, and I’m repulsed that DeSantis and his fellow Republicans refuse to divest Florida’s Russian-tied assets," said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz in a statement. "I’m also stunned that, given the chance, Florida’s Republican members of Congress refused to sign this straightforward letter urging their counterparts in Tallahassee to wipe this blood-stained money off Florida’s investment books.”
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