The University of Florida is under fire for blocking three professors from testifying in a lawsuit challenging the state's new law voting restrictions, and the Washington Post's Greg Sargent is wondering why Gov. Ron DeSantis has been mute on the story so far.
"After all, conservatives hewing to the DeSantis and Donald Trump style of politics rarely pass on an opportunity to posture as foils to pointy-headed elites such as university professors," Sargent writes. "Why has he been relatively mute thus far?"
While a DeSantis spokesperson denied he had any direct involvement in the university's decision to prevent the professors from testifying, Sargent contends that DeSantis' office has "essentially endorsed the move," and has "arguably encouraged it to continue," adding that the spokesperson effectively endorsed the university's policy of allowing only unpaid, pro bono testimony, by saying that while the Constitution guarantees free speech, it does not guarantee "profit from speech."
"This is important in another way. Plaintiffs challenging Florida's voting law are seeking discovery into communications between the governor's office and the university that could illuminate any involvement in or support for the decision. This effective endorsement of the university's moves strengthens the case for this," Sargent writes. "It's easy to imagine that the university will read this new statement as a green light to keep going. And notably, these policies are some of his biggest and most scrutinized moves."
Read the full op-ed over at The Washington Post.
