Government Ron DeSantis is probably used to losing major lawsuits by now, but his latest legal setback is among the most notable because the Florida Republican was so invested in the underlying policies. NBC News reported:
“Transgender opponents are obviously free to maintain their beliefs,” U.S. District Court Judge Robert L. Hinkle wrote in his opinion. “But they are not free to discriminate against transgender people just because they are transgender. Over time, discrimination against transgender people will decrease, just as racism and misogyny have decreased. To paraphrase a civil rights advocate from an earlier era, the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
The lawyer added: “The state of Florida can regulate as necessary, but cannot outright deny transgender people safe and effective medical treatment — treatment with medications routinely provided to others with the state’s full approval, so long as the purpose is not to support the patient’s transgender identity. .”
The governor’s spokesperson said, not surprisingly, that the DeSantis administration plans to appeal the ruling. Time will tell how policy will play out at the 11th Circuit.
But in the meantime, it’s worth realizing how familiar these conditions are.
Last summer, for example, DeSantis’ policy against drag shows was blocked by state courts, part of a longstanding pattern. The Florida Republican also lost when a court blocked Florida’s “Stop WOKE Act”; his anti-protest measure was also blocked by a federal judge; DeSantis’ law to regulate social media companies was blocked by another federal judge; and the cases brought by his election police unit have largely fallen short.
More recently, the governor’s anti-immigrant agenda also ran into trouble in court.
Whether Florida taxpayers are aware of it or not, they are footing a hefty bill to cover the legal costs surrounding DeSantis’ culture war. I’m reminded of something Bob Jarvis, a law professor at Nova Southeastern University, told The Miami Herald in late 2022, reflecting on the fact that DeSantis is almost certain that many of his policies will not pass judicial scrutiny.
“He doesn’t care if he wins or loses,” Jarvis said. “If he wins, he can even say, ‘Look, I was right.’ And if he loses, that’s as good as winning, because then he can say, “There’s a liberal conspiracy and we need to get the libs out.”
“But if your goal isn’t to win or lose, and you have a blank check from the taxpayers, then it’s really all about, ‘Will this lawsuit make headlines? And will this allow me to control the story?’” Jarvis added.
It’s likely that DeSantis won far-right policy victories in hopes of impressing his party’s presidential primary and caucus voters, although that didn’t work either: In addition to his many legal setbacks, the Florida governor lost the Iowa caucuses by winning 30 points and ended his White House campaign shortly thereafter.
This message updates our related previous reporting.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
