DeSantis on big tech, government collusion: ‘Gross abuse of power’

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis pledged to have a “zero tolerance” policy regarding collusion between federal agencies and big tech platforms, if elected president.

DeSantis said he would “show the door” to officials from the federal government caught colluding with tech companies for censorship purposes.

“We’re gonna clean all of that out, as president,” DeSantis said. “If you are colluding and you’re in the FBI or DHS or any of these with tech, you’re gonna get canned, you’re gonna be shown the door.”

The governor’s comments came after a federal judge issued a ruling that prohibits officials from the Biden administration from engaging in certain kinds of communication with social media companies.

The attorneys general of Louisiana and Missouri filed suit against the administration, accusing them of engaging in a “campaign of censorship.”

The lawsuit alleged that the Biden administration collaborated and conspired with social media platforms to identify and target specific speakers, viewpoints, and content that they deemed unfavorable.

Judge Terry Doughty, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, agreed, and issued a preliminary injunction that restricts a broad range of officials from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Justice, the State Department, and the FBI from engaging in communication with certain social media companies.

DeSantis praised Judge Doughty’s ruling and called it “absolutely right.”

“That is absolutely a violation of the First Amendment. This judge was absolutely right,” DeSantis said. “You can’t do indirectly what the First Amendment would forbid you to do directly.”

The governor’s comments come as his wife, Casey, campaigns in Iowa as part of the campaign’s new “Mamas for DeSantis” initiative.