DeSantis administration blasted for 'chilling' Florida press with cease-and-desist letter

[Zorro]

The administration's 'lack of support for the public's constitutional right to (know is) mind boggling,' one free speech advocate said.

By sending and posting on social media an unsigned cease-and-desist letter to an Orlando Sentinel reporter, Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration infringed on press freedom by demanding that reporting stop about an initiative spearheaded by his wife, First Amendment attorneys say.

The Department of Children and Families (DCF), which houses the Hope Florida program, sent a letter June 6 addressed to Sentinel reporter Jeffrey Schweers and its executive editor, Roger Simmons. It accuses Schweers of using "threats" to coerce foster families who had experienced damages to their homes after Hurricanes Helene and Milton to make "negative statements about Hope Florida for his reporting."

Hope Florida is a conservative alternative to welfare, which has a goal to steer Florida residents away from government programs and instead toward services from nonprofits and faith groups, for instance.

DCF's letter was promptly posted on X and reposted by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who called the reporter a "bottom feeder." That sparked outrage among many journalists on the platform, accusing the governor's office of First Amendment infringements.

https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/state/2025/06/10/reporting-on-desantis-hope-florida-triggers-clash-over-press-freedom/84114090007/

[Walleye]

1. There is a classic reason they are attacking the press. They want to do their dirty deeds in secret.

It is a natural human thing for people to want to hide their mistakes. This is why we have a first amendment.