TALLAHASSEE, FL- At Law Enforcement Today, we’ve had our share of law enforcement officials whom we strongly admire.
It is actually a fairly substantial list—especially sheriffs who refuse to bow to political correctness by not enforcing liberty-busting coronavirus regulations and those who vow to make their jurisdictions Second Amendment sanctuaries—come to mind.
One of our favorites however is Polk County (FL) Sheriff Grady Judd.
On Monday, Judd was speaking during a news conference held by another one of our favorites, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).
They were speaking about a new anti-rioting bill passed by the legislature and being signed into law by DeSantis.
During the conference, Judd warned new residents to Florida from liberal states such as New York against “voting the stupid way you did up north,” The Blaze reported.
Judd famously last September made headlines and irked far-left liberals when he provided members of the media with a visual aid to assist them in differentiating between a peaceful protest and a riot.
At Monday’s press conference, Judd praised DeSantis, as well as Senate President Wilton Simpson, House Speaker Chris Sprowls, and other lawmakers for putting the safety of Florida visitors and residents first.
“Florida is a unique place, and a special place. It’s where we work, where we live, but it’s also where the world come to play, to bring their children—and their children have a right to be safe,” Judd said.
Judd compared the leadership of DeSantis to those of cities such as Seattle, Portland and Minneapolis, where Black Lives Matter and Antifa protests have become a near daily occurrence and which have more times than not turned into violent riots, where property is destroyed and law enforcement officials have become target practice.
“That’s no way to treat a community. That’s no way to treat those that put their entire life into building their business,” the sheriff said.
“We saw folks’ businesses around this nation who literally worked their entire life and had every penny in their life savings involved.
We’re going to [be] proactive and we’re going to make sure people are safe,” repeating his mantra from last September when he held up two pictures, one of a peaceful protest next to a picture of a riot,” as seen in a video posted by WTVT-TV.
“Pay attention, we got a new law and we’re going to use it if you make us. We’re going to protect the people.”
The Daily Caller noted that during his remarks, Judd warned those moving from liberal states to leave their voting style behind them.
“We’re a special place and there are millions and millions of people who like to come here, and quite frankly, we like to have them here,” Judd said.
“So we only want to share one thing as you move in hundreds a day; welcome to Florida, but don’t register to vote and vote the stupid way you did up north or you’ll get what they got.”
Judd continued:
“There’s a reason that this place is fun. There’s a reason why we have a 49-year-low crime rate. And the same people that don’t think we should have an anti-rioting bill, or a rioting bill are the same ones that think we ought to let more people out of prison.
And where they’re doing that, as the governor and our speakers have alluded to, crime goes up, but it’s not just crime that goes up, the victimization goes up.”
Judd said the new bill was designed to protect people and ensure Florida doesn’t turn into another Seattle or Portland.
“We’ve got a new law and we’re going to use it if you make us,” Judd said.
“We’re going to protect the people. No longer will people walk up and surround you as a citizen of Florida or a visitor of Florida, surround you while you’re eating dinner at an outdoor café in a big mob without there being immediate consequences and arrest. It’s not acceptable.”
The new law, “Combating Public Disorder” criminalizes “mob intimidation”—such as the frequently seen tactic of violent mobsters accosting innocent people at restaurants—and would increase penalties for rioting, looting and related violence.
The bill also creates protections for motorists who flee a violent mob out of fear for their safety when such a response causes injuries or death to rioters engaged in such a tactic.
“We saw unprecedented rioting throughout 2020,” DeSantis said at the news conference. “We wanted to make sure the people of our great state, businesses, and property against any type of mob activity. We’re here today being prepared to sign that bill into law.”
That rioting of course emanated from the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis, a death which was blamed on former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on the side of Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes.
Despite exculpatory evidence showing Floyd had a deadly mix of Fentanyl and methamphetamine in his system, along with underlying health conditions, a Minneapolis jury convicted Chauvin in Floyd’s death Tuesday.
In response to the violent riots nationwide last year, DeSantis proposed the anti-rioting law to protect citizens of and visitors to Florida.
“If you are involved in a violent or disorderly assembly and you harm somebody, if you throw a brick and hit a police officer, you’re going to jail, and there’s going to be a mandatory minimum sentence of at least six months for anyone who strikes a police officer, either with a weapon or a projectile. .
“And we’re also not going to simply let people back out on the street,” DeSantis had previously said. “So if you are in custody for one of these offenses relating to a violent or disorderly assembly, you’re not getting bail before your first appearance.”
DeSantis also announced that out of state individuals participating in such riots would also have extra penalties imposed as well.
The law also criminalizes the destruction of memorials by creating a felony crime for “defacing, damaging, destroying or pulling down memorials or historic property” if the damage amount exceeds $200.
Anyone convicted under this portion of the law would be responsible for the cost of restoring or replacing the property.
As to Judd’s comments about out-of-staters moving to Florida to escape crime and high taxes, states such as Colorado and Arizona offer a cautionary tale.
Both used to be historically red states, however transplants primarily from places such as California moved to those states to escape California’s confiscatory taxes, yet took their blue-voting tendencies with them. Colorado has transformed into a blue state, while Arizona is a purple state heading for blue.
The last thing Florida needs is a bunch of liberals moving from New England and New York to escape leftist governors and going to the Sunshine State and voting the same way, Judd reasons.
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