Matt Gaetz Calls DeSantis ‘Thirsty’ For Inviting Kamala Harris to Florida to Debate Black History Curriculum
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), a diehard supporter of former president Donald Trump and former ally of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, is now calling his old friend “desperate” and even “thirsty.”
Responding to Vice President Kamala Harris’s persistent attacks on the Republican presidential candidate over a new African American History curriculum developed for the Sunshine State, DeSantis invited Harris to Florida to discuss its merits.
“Our state pushed forward nation-leading standalone African American History standards — one of he only states in the nation to require this level of learning about such an important subject,” reads a letter from DeSantis to Harris. “One would think the White House would applaud such boldness in teaching the unique and important story of African American History. But you have instead attempted to score cheap political points and label Florida parents ‘extremists.'”
“I am officially inviting you back down to Florida to discuss our African American history standards,” it continued.
Harris has sought to portray a line in the curriculum about how students should be instructed on “how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit,” as offensive.
“In the state of Florida, they decided middle school students will be taught that enslaved people benefited from slavery,” declared Harris late last month, despite the fact that an AP African American history course contains a similar provision meant to highlight slaves’ resilience and adaptability.
Somewhat surprisingly, however, many allies of Trump — including Gaetz — have backed Harris over DeSantis.
“Imagine being desperate enough to be thirsty for a Kamala visit,” commented Gaetz on Monday night.
Imagine being desperate enough to be thirsty for a Kamala visit. https://t.co/hsieGFfJet
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) August 1, 2023
“.@RonDeSantis, #1: slavery was not CTE! Nothing about that 400 years of evil was a ‘net benefit’ to my ancestors,” tweeted Rep. John James (R-MI) last week, misleadingly attributing the phrase “net benefit” to DeSantis despite the fact that neither DeSantis nor the Florida standards used it.
Notably, James endorsed Trump in July after declaring in December that he was “not fit to lead.”
Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX), another endorser of the former president, also parroted the “net benefit” falsehood.
“As the direct descendent of a slave, I have a hard time understanding Governor DeSantis’ position that transferrable skills learned in bondage are somehow a net benefit,” he tweeted last Friday.
Gaetz helped DeSantis in debate prep during the latter’s 2018 gubernatorial campaign. The two served in the House of Representatives together, where they both were members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.
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