Gov. DeSantis laughs off proposed travel warning for Black people wanting to visit Florida
MIAMI - Governor Ron DeSantis is downplaying a "warning" about certain groups traveling to Florida.
During a news conference in Clay County, DeSantis was questioned about the Florida NAACP chapter asking the national branch to issue a travel advisory to Black Americans, telling them not to come to Florida.
Reports say that the president of the Lee County NAACP was among hundreds of leaders who voted unanimously to request permission from headquarters for the travel advisory. They say the goal is to warn Black people eyeing Florida to pick another state.
The governor called the warning proposal "ridiculous."
"What a joke. Yeah, we'll see how effective that is. You know, just remember, during COVID, these people would be on CNN, all this stuff, slamming Florida, saying we were so bad, don't go to Florida. And then they would end up being spotted on the beach somewhere vacationing in Florida," he said.
The question of whether to issue the travel advisory is now in the hands of the national NAACP board which could vote on the measure as soon as next month.