The “national regime media,” according to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, wanted Hurricane Ian to destroy Tampa because it would have been exploited to further a “political agenda.”
The Republican leader was chatting with Florida’s Voice, a tiny conservative publication that had caught up with him in Lee County, a hard-hit area.
When questioned about the region’s postponed evacuation order earlier this week, DeSantis said that media outlets had given Cape Coral, Sanibel Island, and Fort Myers people a false feeling of security by only covering the Tampa area.
A number of media sites have refuted the charge.
On Tuesday, when asked whether there would be any “accountability in the media” for the projections forecasting catastrophe in Tampa, he reiterated the argument to Florida’s Voice.
Quite simply, I believe that a portion of the problem is due to the fact that the national regime media wanted Tampa to be struck because they believed it would harm Florida more. These folks believe like that,’ DeSantis added.
They have no concern for the residents of this state. They are unconcerned about the residents of this neighborhood. They want to utilize storms and the damage they cause to further their goals.
They don’t care about the people here, he said, they don’t care about the havoc they leave in their wake. They will utilize it to further their political objectives if they can.
DeSantis said of the media coverage in the days leading up to the hurricane, “We were obviously worried about Tampa too, but I do believe people decided…well I’m 125 miles away from here, maybe I’m better off hunkering down.” “I’m sure that affected decision-making,” you say.
Prior to the hurricane, he called the media’s focus on Lee County’s day-long evacuation window a “pissing contest” and said it was “wrong” to be looking for fault while the recovery process was still underway.
DeSantis said he had forewarned of the storm’s unexpected route “the entire time.”
The governor stated, “It’s not even right to be doing that now to go back and say, say, Lee County did this awful or that horrible.”
“When the dust settles, you know, we can speak about it if you want to do that.” Naturally, you need to provide evidence and explain the track and the reasons why everyone was concentrating on Tampa, but that’s okay.
So far, Lee County has seen the bulk of the state’s deaths—a total of dozens—in death.
Just one day before the hurricane made landfall as a Category 4 Hurricane, the region, which includes areas only accessible by a bridge that has now been damaged by the storm, was ordered to evacuate.
According to a New York Times story, Lee County’s own hurricane evacuation standards would have required people to find refuge at least a day sooner than they were instructed to, in spite of statements from authorities that they couldn’t have foreseen it coming.
DeSantis also disclosed on Tuesday that three of the four suspects in the Lee County looting were illegal Americans.
He revealed it while providing an update on the reaction to Hurricane Ian during a press conference in Fort Myers.
DeSantis connected his opposition to President Joe Biden’s immigration policy with his emphasis on “law and order” in Southwest Florida.
DeSantis said, “These are folks who are immigrants who are here illegally, but not only that—they attempt to plunder and ransack in the wake of a natural catastrophe.”
They should be charged, but they also need to be returned to their country of origin. They shouldn’t even be here.
Online prison records show that the four guys were detained on suspicion of breaking into an uninhabited building during a time of emergency.
The 20-to-33-year-olds ransacked Fort Myers Beach houses and businesses after the hurricane.
Four looters were detained on September 29, but freed after paying $35,000 bonds.
33-year-old Omar Mejia Ortiz is the oldest looter. He resides in Immokalee, so he went at least 50 miles to Fort Myers beach to loot following Hurricane Ian, reported Florida Jolt.
Valerie Celeste Salcedo Mena, 26, drove from Cape Coral to the Florida shore.
Brandon Mauricio Araya and Steve Eduardo Sanchez Araya seem to be related.
Two 20-year-olds from Cape Coral were arrested in Lee County.
All four defendants will appear in court on October 31 for burglary of an uninhabited building under a state of emergency.
Lee County has a curfew and zero-tolerance looting policy.
DeSantis has been tough on looters after Hurricane Ian hit Florida and he noticed a sign near Punta Gorda.
DeSantis claimed they boarded up all the stores and scrawled “you loot, we shoot” on plywood.
We won’t let lawlessness exploit this situation. We are a law-and-order state and society, so don’t take advantage of victims.’
DeSantis has taken a hard position on immigration and sent 48 Venezuelan migrants to Martha’s Vineyard last month.
Later in St. Augustine, DeSantis claimed he informed Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie the state could help if individuals used boats to ‘ransack’ houses on remote islands.
DeSantis: ‘In Florida, you never know what’s lying behind someone’s house. We’re a Second Amendment state, so I wouldn’t risk it.
Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno endorsed DeSantis’s stance on looting.
‘Looting is illegal in Lee County. Florida will always have law and order. I’m glad to inform four looters are behind jail. Marceno: Our people are safe.
Robert Mena, Brandon Araya, and Stephen Araya are illegal immigrants who stole bottles on Fort Myers Beach during the storm. They’re arrested. I won’t tolerate it anymore.’
Marceno warned looters of police gunfire.
No kidding. No games. Law and order means citizens are safe. Marceno said, “We’ve made arrests.” You could enter. You’re done.
Ian’s fury has killed 85 people, and ‘ground zero’ Fort Myers is one of Florida’s most devastated areas as rescuers search for survivors.
Hurricane Ian caused $60 billion in damage.
After the Category 4 hurricane transformed Florida’s streets into rivers and swamped homes, insurers are ready for a multi-billion dollar blow.
Coastal villages decimated and houses underwater are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of last week’s tragic devastation. 1,600 villagers have been rescued.
As rescue crews evaluate the wrecked villages flooded by Ian’s ferocity, the number of dead is anticipated to rise. Meanwhile, 600,000 people remain in the dark after the storm destroyed power lines.
Fort Myers was devastated by a 15-foot storm surge, forcing survivors to flee on foot while clean-up crews combed through the horrific wreckage.
Verisk estimates Ian’s wind, storm surge, and inland flood damages in Florida and South Carolina.