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Thirty Florida sheriffs denounced the leftist organization Florida Rising for its advocacy of the Democratic agenda to defund the police, claiming that by “demonizing” law enforcement they have provoked violence against officers.
In a memo cited by local media outlet Florida’s Voice, sheriffs refer to Florida Rising as the state’s largest “anti-cop” socialist group that spreads “hate speech” against law enforcement and compares them to the KKK.
“Recent years have forced out of the shadows a radical agenda to demonize law enforcement, and given voice to dangerous attempts to defund and defame the police. Both have led to unspeakable violence against officers in our state and across the country,” the memo reads.
The sheriffs decry that the leftist organization advocates “anti-law enforcement sentiments” and that it believes in defunding the police as “the only way to keep” Florida communities safe.
“On behalf of the hardworking law enforcement officers across our state and the communities we serve and protect, the below signed Florida Sheriffs denounce Florida Rising’s anti-law enforcement hate speech and defund the police agenda,” the text reads.
In the letter, officials “strongly” urge citizens to reject the organization and the Democratic candidates it supports as a “threat to Florida law enforcement” and state security.
The memo also praises Republican leaders who have increased funding for law enforcement by incorporating “commonsense policies.”
“Here in Florida, our leaders have backed our heroes of law enforcement in the face of aggressive activist and media pressure – not just because it’s the right thing to do – but because government’s one and only responsibility is to protect its citizens,” the missive emphasizes.
Socialism in Florida?
Florida Rising is a “proudly” socialist organization that promotes fighting capitalism, advocates “racial and economic justice,” supports the extremist group Black Lives Matter, and advertises for Democratic candidates whose speeches call for defunding the police.
The socialist organization is affiliated with the Center for Popular Democracy, a group that advocates removing police officers from schools, which believes the country’s drug addiction crisis should be addressed through “public health measures” and urges Congress to defund law enforcement to prevent the incarceration of dealers.
“Congress must listen to the urgent call to defund police and shift its priorities by defunding programs that support state and local law enforcement and scaling up its funding for programs that support true public safety,” the group says in a report.
According to the memo, Florida Rising endorsed candidates in the Democratic primary who went on to the general election. Among them, gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist and his running mate, radical leftist Karla Hernandez-Mats.
Through its social media, the organization has promoted the candidacy of Val Demings to “replace” Marco Rubio from the federal Senate.
The signatories to the memo are:
Sheriff de Baker, Scotty Rhoden
Sheriff de Bay, Tommy Ford
Sheriff de Bradford, George Paul “Gordon” Smith
Sheriff de Brevard, Wayne Ivey
Sheriff de Clay, Michelle Cook
Sheriff de Columbia, Mark A. Hunter
Sheriff de DeSoto, James F. Potter
Sheriff de Dixie, Darby Butler
Sheriff de Escambia, Chip Simmons
Sheriff de Franklin, A.J. Smith
Sheriff de Gilchrist, Bobby Schultz
Sheriff de Glades, David Hardin
Sheriff de Gulf, Mike Harrison
Sheriff de Hardee, Vent Crawford
Sheriff de Hendry, Stephen H. “Steve” Whidden
Sheriff de Highlands, Paul Blackman
Sheriff de Holmes, John Tate
Sheriff de Indian River, Eric Flowers
Sheriff de Jackson, Donald L. Edenfield
Sheriff de Lafayette, Brian N. Lamb
Sheriff de Lake, Peyton C. Grinnell
Sheriff de Lee, Carmine Marceno
Sheriff de Liberty, Buddy Money
Sheriff de Martin, William Snyder
Sheriff de Pasco, Chris Nocco
Sheriff de Pinellas, Bob Gualtieri
Sheriff de Santa Rosa, Robert Johnson
Sheriff de Sarasota, Kurt A. Hoffman
Sheriff de Volusia, Mike Chitwood
Tomás Lugo, journalist and writer. Born in Venezuela and graduated in Social Communication. Has written for international media outlets. Currently living in Colombia // Tomás Lugo, periodista y articulista. Nacido en Venezuela y graduado en Comunicación Social. Ha escrito para medios internacionales. Actualmente reside en Colombia.