Ron DeSantis has some explaining to do. An overwhelming number of Manatee County voters helped him get elected to two terms as Governor. What has he done to repay them? He’s used backroom pay-for-play politics to elevate the most incompetent and morally bankrupt politicians from his party at the expense of real conservatives who want to represent the will of their constituents.
When Mike Benett retired as Manatee County Supervisor of Elections, Gov. DeSantis was charged with naming a replacement to serve out the remainder of his term. Bennett is a lifelong Republican who represented Manatee in both the Florida House and Senate before spending 11 years as our SOE. Bennett made DeSantis’ job easy. He strongly recommended that the governor appoint Scott Farrington, a fellow Republican who had been his Deputy SOE and Chief of Staff for all 11 years.
Considering Bennett’s Republican pedigree and the vaunted reputation of our SOE office, which has delivered the lowest cost per registered voter in all 67 Florida counties, you would think his recommendation would carry a lot of weight. However, that’s apparently not how DeSantis handles such matters. You see, Carlos Beruff stuffed a lot of money into DeSantis' failed 2024 presidential run, and he is said to have wanted the governor to appoint James Satcher, a first-term Manatee County Commissioner with zero qualifications for the job and a painfully unremarkable record as a commissioner.
DeSantis dragged his feet for months but ultimately gave in. In return, Satcher has been a perpetual embarrassment to the governor, immediately swelling the budget, wasting taxpayer money by sending every voter a completely unnecessary new identification card (many of which contained incorrect information), and most recently, paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for auditing equipment without making sure he had followed the procedures required to use them for the upcoming election.
Perhaps the governor was unaware that Satcher is an imbecile, but that is why you do not appoint someone to such a crucial position without vetting them first, Ron. DeSantis could easily remedy the position by removing Satcher from office for misfeasance, if not malfeasance, but that would require admitting he had made a mistake.
DeSantis has also apparently “endorsed” thief, liar, bully, and alleged pervert Kevin Van Ostenbridge. One would think that after his embarrassing association with the Zieglers and their upside-down pineapple proclivities, DeSantis would be more careful about who he rents his credibility with voters to.
Like Satcher, the Bougenvelia thief is up against a Republican who actually has a record as a conservative in George Kruse. True, Kruse may have admitted to an extramarital affair while in office, but that’s not even close to being wild enough to get him invited to a party where people like the swingin’ Ziegs, KVO, and April Culbreath might congregate. And like Farrington, Kruse has an actual record of supporting conservative policies, while Van Ostenbridge, Satcher, and company just have a bunch of glossy mailers accusing everyone else of being closeted liberals.
So, what is a Ron DeSantis endorsement worth? I’d say slightly more than the cost of a pink-bloomed potted plant but not nearly as much as what these fake conservatives have cost Manatee County taxpayers. Don’t listen to DeSantis. Send these fake conservatives packing. Around here, we don’t like DEI hires, especially when it stands for Dumb Egomaniacal Ignoramuses.
Dennis "Mitch" Maley is an editor and columnist for The Bradenton Times and the host of our weekly podcast. With over two decades of experience as a journalist, he has covered Manatee County government since 2010. He is a graduate of Shippensburg University and later served as a Captain in the U.S. Army. Click here for his bio. His 2016 short story collection, Casting Shadows, was recently reissued and is available here.
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Debann
NAILED IT..I AGREE WITH ALL THE ABOVE...DESATON SUCKS
Tuesday, August 6 Report this
Cat L
Absolutely. I'm so glad his bid for the presidency didn't work out. His willingness to villainize some of his own constituents for culture war propaganda fuel is among his most toxic traits. The fact that lobbyists are choosing his appointees means there is NO thought behind those decisions for the people he represents, only for the donors and business associates they deal with.
Now the results of that thoughtlessness are beginning to show across the state. From poorly planned storm management to the developing collapse of Florida's housing market as well as the exists of many who would otherwise have been in the workforce.
And let's not even get started on the push towards charter schools, the only type of school investors can make money on. The vouchers offered are on the taxpayers dime. The negative actions and publicity of public education encourages people to want the voucher/charter school option. Wonder how much money he gets for that...
Wednesday, August 7 Report this
Libby23
Well said, Mitch!
Wednesday, August 7 Report this
jimandlope
Well said but in addition to his poor choices let’s think about him also. He used the state of Florida to boost his presidential ambitions and could care less what the population of Florida thinks. He is that kind of person hateful, mean and uncaring.
Another thought on this entire situation is that DeSantis is a Republican. Satcher is a Republican. VanOstenbridge is a Republican. Will Robinson is a Republican. Yada, Yada, Yada. Yet the people of Manatee County continue to seek other Republicans once these people are screwed by other Republicans? There are Democrats and Independents as well to choose from. Jim Tierney
Wednesday, August 7 Report this
David Daniels
Each year Desantis and the Fl legislature add more exemptions to Florida’s once exemplary public records law. These exemptions shield the public from the executive branch. We are no longer able to see his travel details, who he meets with, and how much money he spends to n his security. He has tripled the amount of public funds budgeted to defend against public record requests and unconstitutional laws. DeSantis is the swamp.
Wednesday, August 7 Report this
NikkiforPalmetto
Hell yeah, Mitch!
Thursday, August 8 Report this