Posted on 07/02/2024 4:36:12 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida has given the public some clarity on his veto last week of $32 million in arts and culture grants from next year’s state budget.
According to a story published in the Tampa Bay Times, DeSantis said the cause was Orlando International Fringe Theater Festival, which he characterized as being overtly “sexual” and therefore an inappropriate recipient of state funds.
While it’s unclear if the Orlando festival was slated to receive any money from the grants, the state of Florida awards money for cultural projects based on a ranked list. The Fringe Festival was ranked toward the bottom. DeSantis said the event should spur Florida lawmakers to reevaluate how state money is spent.
“You have your tax dollars being given in grants to things like the Fringe Festival, which is like a sexual festival where they’re doing all this stuff,” the Governor said at a press conference, adding later that “when I see money being spent that way, I have to be the one to stand up for taxpayers and say, you know what, that is an inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars.”
“In referring to the fringe as a ‘sexual’ festival, he incorrectly characterized our festival and misrepresented our contributions to the arts community, locally, nationally and internationally,” Tempestt Halstead, producer of the Orlando Fringe Festival, said in a statement. Halstead said the festival was one of 200 such events around the world that are “contributing to a global movement of artistic expression and cultural exchange.”
Democratic Representative Anna Eskamani of Orlando said this year’s festival was not “sexual,” though she noted that it “does feature drag queens and other forms of artistic expression that DeSantis has wanted to censor despite courts telling him otherwise!”
In 2023, lawmakers asked to ban drag shows that allow children and stop venues from admitting children to adult live performances. That proposed legislation was blocked by a federal judge due to violating First Amendment rights, a decision that was later bolstered by the Supreme Court.
Among the institutions affected by DeSantis’s culture funding veto were the Tampa Museum of Art and the Orlando Museum of Art.
GOOD FOR HIM
“Florida’s Ron DeSantis Says ‘Sexual’ Festival Caused Him to Veto $32 M. in Arts Grants”
EXCELLENT!!! Just canceling it ‘out of principle’ would, technically, be reason enough, but the idea of linking the cancellation to a bunch of perverts shows incredible political skill.
Ron DeSantis for President in 2028.
For sure.
But he is a deep state plant remember from all the haters here?
🤮
please. much more of this from the gop.
“But he is a deep state plant remember from all the haters here?”
That doesn’t change. But kicking ass in Florida doesn’t present a threat to the country, especially given the Neocon infestation at the top. Perhaps in 2028 that will be gone, but either way, I’ll deal with 2028 when it comes around.
He isn’t eligible to run for governor again.
Putin 2028
you are saying he is a deep state plant?
Why do we fund arts, anyway? It’s useless. Ipfunding honestly should only be for the public good, tangible good.
Maybe if we got rid of income tax, people could get really wealthy all over so that they can once again sponsor the artists they like, fully. Like the old days.
thank you Jesus, for Ron DeSantis. Excellent Governor
Awesome. Wish someone would defund NPR.
Trump said that he handled COVID worse than Andrew Cuomo.
We should have a constitutional amendment that precludes governments from giving our tax money away to third parties to anything outside of law-enforcement, public works, and military defense.
which was pure bullshit ... and he knew it ...
Another great job by DeSantis! How I wish he would have waited until 2028. Then he wouldn’t have had so many derps hating on him.
Maybe he should pick Cuomo for VP.
How can he run in 2028? Among other things, he can’t run for governor again, so in two years, he is just a private citizen.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.