On Thursday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a controversial voter suppression bill during an event where only Fox News was allowed to observe.
Before the Republican governor approved the legislation, his staff barred reporters from attending the West Palm Beach event, except Fox News.
One reporter, Steve Bousquet with the South Florida Sun Sentinel, tweeted that DeSantis’s newly-installed communications director, Taryn Fenske, told him that the signing was a “Fox exclusive.” Other news outlets also complained about being blocked from observing the bill signing.
DeSantis often hold closed-door bill signings, but not as an exclusive news event for one media outlet.
NEW: News media is barred from entry at Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signing of controversial elections bill, SB 90. DeSantis spokeswoman Taryn Fenske says bill signing is a “Fox exclusive” pic.twitter.com/NAos6kmtQS
— Steve Bousquet (@stevebousquet) May 6, 2021
The decision to invite only Fox News comes as DeSantis — an ally of former President Donald Trump — continues to advance a combative strategy with the media. He recently held press conferences where he lashed out at 60 Minutes over a story it did on Florida vaccine distribution, and he frequently spars with reporters at news conferences.
