There is an absolutely bonkers protest happening outside of the Broward County Board of Elections in Southern Florida. Congressman Matt Gaetz, who regularly pushes extremist ideologies and far-flung right-wing conspiracies and who lives at the opposite end of the state, representing the Panhandle, was there getting in the face of residents who are trying to ensure that every vote counts. Gaetz apparently feels differently. Watch him shout at his fellow Floridian, emboldened by the angry mob of Republican voters surrounding them. This man is a disgrace to the United States Congress.
I’m old enough to remember two weeks ago when Republicans were chanting “Jobs not mobs” at Trump rallies. Now they seem to love mobs!
Meanwhile, there is NO fraud investigation, despite what Gaetz and Rick Scott are claiming.
Make no mistake about it, Republicans like Gaetz are remembering how successful their efforts were in 2000 when they paraded a bunch of Republican interns to mob the Board of Elections, an effort that did help to end the recount and declare George W. Bush the winner, despite a later count that showed different results. That event was dubbed the “Brooks Brothers riot.” What will this be called? Gaetz is a favorite of InfoWars deplorables and MAGA supporters, so perhaps the MAGA mob?
Of course, the crowd couldn’t help themselves from breaking into a “Lock her up!” chant regarding Broward County Elections Supervisor Brenda Snipes. Those folks are really, really into the idea of locking up their (female) political rivals.
Of course, several of the Republican protesters are also openly racist. Exhibit A: these two white women saying people only voted for Andrew Gillum because he’s black. As you can see in the two clips below, they were still at it hours later, mocking a black woman who was chanting “Count my vote!”
A woman arrived in a Gillum shirt and the crowd turned on her.
In the end, this is an obvious effort to intimidate election officials and end the efforts to ensure every vote counts. Whatever the outcome, Florida Democrats need stand firm, follow the law, fight for the constitutional right to vote, and find a true challenger for Matt Gaetz, even in his ruby-red district. Beto, Gillum, and Abrams have given a taste of just how far the right progressive candidate can go. Nobody is untouchable.