FACT CHECK: DeSantis is Not Creating a Personal ‘Gestapo’

December 3, 2021 Updated 11:34 A.M. ET

CLAIM: Governor Ron DeSantis is creating “paramilitary militias & insurrectionists,” and a ‘gestapo.’

CLAIMANT: Malcon Nance, other social media Democrats and leftists

FACT CHECK: Originally passed in 1941, the law that established the now Florida State Guard is used to respond to local emergencies without needing the support of the federal government and is used by states like New York and California.

PENSACOLA (FCV) – After announcing the planned reestablishment of the Florida State Guard, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) was accused of crafting his own ‘gestapo’ and “paramilitary militias & insurrectionists” by leftists on social media.

Malcolm Nance, a “US Intelligence [expert]” with more than 900,000 followers on Twitter made the claim Friday morning.

Leftists on social media are stirring panic that DeSantis is attempting to subvert typical law enforcement by crafting a force beholden to him. However, in reality, this kind of legislation is decades old and has been implemented by other blue and red states.

Prominent Democrat states, like New York and California, have the same kind of state guard that DeSantis is reestablishing.

22 other states have active state defense forces.