WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida politicians took to social media to share their thoughts about the FBI's search of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.
The FBI searched Trump's Palm Beach estate as part of an investigation into whether he took classified records from the White House. That's according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation, according to the Associated Press.
"These are dark times for our nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents," Trump said on his Truth Social social media platform. "Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before."
Republicans were quick to stand behind Trump in online statements.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the "raid of MAL is another escalation in the weaponizaton of federal agencies."
The raid of MAL is another escalation in the weaponization of federal agencies against the Regime’s political opponents, while people like Hunter Biden get treated with kid gloves. Now the Regime is getting another 87k IRS agents to wield against its adversaries? Banana Republic.
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantisFL) August 9, 2022
Florida's state Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book rebutted DeSantis.
"Ron DeSantis is now asserting that the Mar A Lago raid was a political hit job," she said. "He's wrong. No one, not even a former President is above the law."
Ron DeSantis is now asserting that the Mar A Lago raid was a political hit job. He's wrong.
— Lauren Book (@LeaderBookFL) August 9, 2022
No one, not even a former President is above the law, and as for DeSantis, trust me, as Florida's Senate Democrat Leader, I will work to ensure we hold DeSantis accountable at the polls.
Both Democrat gubernatorial candidates blasted DeSantis' tweet.
"Ron DeSantis attacks law enforcement for legally raiding Mar-a-Lago while he's yet to say anything about the heinous Nazis in our state who've been rallying in support of him," Rep. Charlie Crist tweeted. "Also, attacking a private company, Disney, for free speech is about as 'banana republic' as it gets."
Ron DeSantis attacks law enforcement for legally raiding Mar-a-Lago while he’s yet to say anything about the heinous Nazis in our state who've been rallying in support of him.
— Charlie Crist (@CharlieCrist) August 9, 2022
Also, attacking a private company, Disney, for free speech is about as "banana republic" as it gets.
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said DeSantis "is defending Donald Trump instead of the rule of law." She will speak in front of the governor's mansion Tuesday about the search.
Ron DeSantis is defending Donald Trump instead of the rule of law, so I’ll be holding a press conference tomorrow in front of the governor’s mansion to remind Floridians that nobody is above the law.
— Nikki Fried (@NikkiFried) August 9, 2022
U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Fla., told WPTV anchor Michael Williams that "the FBI must be allowed to do its job without political interference or pressure."
Florida's Republican senators also tweeted in support of the former president, with both echoing Trump's third-world country remarks from his statement.
"Such an assault could only take place in broken, Third-World Countries," Trump wrote in his statement.
"Using government power to persecute political opponents is something we have seen many times from 3rd world Marxist dictatorships, but never before in America," Sen. Marco Rubio tweeted.
Using government power to persecute political opponents is something we have seen many times from 3rd world Marxist dictatorships
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) August 9, 2022
But never before in America
"This is 3rd World country stuff. We need answers NOW. The FBI must explain what they were doing today & why," Sen. Rick Scott tweeted.
The @FBI’s raid of Mar-a-Lago is incredibly concerning, especially given the Biden admin’s history of going after parents & other political opponents. This is 3rd World country stuff.
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) August 9, 2022
We need answers NOW. The FBI must explain what they were doing today & why.
