Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) wanted guns banned from his election-night party in Tampa last year but wanted to blame city officials, according to a new report.
Emails obtained by The Washington Post reveal the sensitive request made by DeSantis’ campaign to city officials in Tampa prior to a Nov. 8 election party. DeSantis, who received a 100% rating from the National Rifle Association last year, didn’t want any guns at his event. He also didn’t want anyone to know it was his decision, according to the new emails.
“DeSantis/his campaign will not tell their attendees they are not permitted to carry because of the political optics,” Chase Finch, the Tampa Convention Center’s safety and security manager, said in an Oct. 28 email to other city officials about the request.
In another email to city employees, Finch said, “it sounds like they want us to say it’s our policy to disallow firearms within the event space if anyone asks.”
Finch received a response back less than half an hour later from Nicole Travis, the city’s administrator of development and economic opportunity:
“We are not saying anything about concealed carry. That is the responsibility of the renter. We follow State Statute that permits concealed carry.”
Travis then sent a follow-up, according to a copy of the emails obtained by the Tampa Bay Times.
“Just to be clear, we are not signing this form,” Travis said.
In an email to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Finch said banning guns would put the city in a “legal quagmire,” a response an FDLE official agreed with, according to The Washington Post. Guns were ultimately allowed at the event.
Read the full story at The Washington Post.