A Florida reporter who specializes in political coverage has been suspended because a Republican lawmaker, best known for his inflammatory anti-Muslim rhetoric, objected to questions about the shooting of far-right conservative Charlie Kirk.
According to a report from Mediaite’s’ Sarah Rumpf, Florida Politics founder and publisher Peter Schorsch put reporter A.G. Gancarski in no-man's land after Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) flipped out on X because the reporter texted him questions about a bill he had sponsored when he was in the state senate that would have allowed open carry on Florida college campuses.
That bill failed to be approved.
Gancarski asked Fine, “If Charlie Kirk getting shot affects your position on campus carry?” before adding, “If gun control had been in play could the tragedy have been avoided?”
Fine replied in the text chain, “I learned that Charlie Kirk was shot 23 minutes ago. I am repulsed that you would even think to ask a political question when all anyone should be doing is praying for his survival. Never contact me again.”
Not content with that, Fine posted a screenshot of the exchange on X where he wrote, “You don’t hate the media enough.”
That drew the attention of publisher Schorsch, who noted on X, he has “immediately suspended” his employee.
He then added, “I cannot be the person I am, a critic of extremism on both the left and right if those who work with me lack the basic empathy in horrific situations. Perhaps other outlets can go immediately to the political ramifications of a tragedy like the shooting of a cultural leader, but that is not what I am about.”
For its part, Mediaite reported that Gancarski responded in a tweet that later disappeared after his X account “went dark” at his publisher's recommendation, where he wrote it was a “valid question” and insisted, “I stand by the question. Tragedy is ultimately what tests policy positions.”
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