DeSantis’ 2023 Inaugural Ball Was Attended By Fraudsters And Figures Who Had Attended The January 6 “Stop The Steal” Rally. According to the American Independent, “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ inaugural ball, held on Jan. 5, hosted wealthy donors, Republican Party activists, and local elected officials. According to social media posts reviewed by the American Independent Foundation, attendees at the event also included a fraudster who was convicted of felony wire fraud and conservative media figures who were present at the Jan. 6, 2021, ‘Stop the Steal’ rally in Washington, D.C., that preceded the Capitol riot.” [American Independent, 1/18/23]
DeSantis’ 2023 Inaugural Ball Was An Invitation-Only Event. According to the Miami Herald, “Under cloudy skies and a chance of rain, Ron DeSantis will take the oath of office Tuesday for his second term as the 46th governor of Florida. […] The evening will conclude with an inaugural ball at the Donald J. Tucker Civic Center, an invitation-only event that was often used as a fundraising opportunity for governors before him.” [Miami Herald, 1/2/23]
DeSantis Allowed Jonathan Lee Riches, Who Had Been Convicted On Felony Identity Theft Charges And Spent 10 Years In Federal Prison, Into His 2023 Inaugural Ball. According to the American Independent, “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ inaugural ball, held on Jan. 5, hosted wealthy donors, Republican Party activists, and local elected officials. […] Jonathan Lee Riches, a fraudster who was convicted on felony charges related to identity theft and spent 10 years in federal prison, posted videos and pictures from DeSantis’ inaugural ball on Facebook.” [American Independent, 1/18/23]
Riches Was Indicted In 2018 For Impersonating Mass Shooter Jared Lee Loughner, Who Shot Rep. Gabby Giffords In 2011. According to the American Independent, “Jonathan Lee Riches, a fraudster who was convicted on felony charges related to identity theft and spent 10 years in federal prison, posted videos and pictures from DeSantis’ inaugural ball on Facebook. Riches, who has developed a following online after filing thousands of baseless lawsuits, including suits against Hurricane Ike and the continent of Africa, was indicted in 2018 for impersonating Jared Lee Loughner, the Arizona man who shot U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords in 2011.” [American Independent, 1/18/23]
Riches Had Developed An Online Following After Filing Thousands Of Frivolous Lawsuits, Including Against Hurricane Ike And The Continent Of Africa. According to the American Independent, “Jonathan Lee Riches, a fraudster who was convicted on felony charges related to identity theft and spent 10 years in federal prison, posted videos and pictures from DeSantis’ inaugural ball on Facebook. Riches, who has developed a following online after filing thousands of baseless lawsuits, including suits against Hurricane Ike and the continent of Africa, was indicted in 2018 for impersonating Jared Lee Loughner, the Arizona man who shot U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords in 2011. Riches has branded himself a follower of former President Donald Trump and has attended conservative events.” [American Independent, 1/18/23]
At Least Two Individuals Who Marched To The Capitol On January 6th Were Allowed Into DeSantis’ Inaugural Ball. According to the American Independent, “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ inaugural ball, held on Jan. 5, hosted wealthy donors, Republican Party activists, and local elected officials. […] At least two people who marched to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, were in attendance: Yvette Benarroch, a Florida Republican activist, and Chaya Raichik, who runs the Twitter account Libs of TikTok, which, the Southern Poverty Law Center says, is used for ‘promoting anti-LGBTQ conspiracy theories, directing hostile attention at schoolteachers who allow classroom discussion of gender and sexuality, and highlighting hospitals that provide gender-affirming care.’” [American Independent, 1/18/23]
DeSantis Allowed Chaya Raichik, Who Ran The “Libs Of TikTok” Account, Which Was Described As Anti-LGBTQ Extremism By The Southern Poverty Law Center, Into His Inaugural Ball. According to the American Independent, “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ inaugural ball, held on Jan. 5, hosted wealthy donors, Republican Party activists, and local elected officials. […] At least two people who marched to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, were in attendance: Yvette Benarroch, a Florida Republican activist, and Chaya Raichik, who runs the Twitter account Libs of TikTok, which, the Southern Poverty Law Center says, is used for ‘promoting anti-LGBTQ conspiracy theories, directing hostile attention at schoolteachers who allow classroom discussion of gender and sexuality, and highlighting hospitals that provide gender-affirming care.’ Raichik describes the LGBTQ community as a cult of ‘evil people’ who want to ‘groom’ and sexualize kids. Her posts have prompted harassment campaigns against educators who discuss LGBTQ topics, medical professionals who provide care to transgender people and children, and hospitals.” [American Independent, 1/18/23]
DeSantis Allowed BlazeTV Anchor Sara Gonzales, Who Had Spread Anti-Vaccine Misinformation And Used “Groomer” Slur Against Secretary Buttigieg, Into His Inaugural Ball. According to the American Independent, “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ inaugural ball, held on Jan. 5, hosted wealthy donors, Republican Party activists, and local elected officials. […] Former NYPD officer John Cardillo, who stoked controversy in 2015 by posting a selfie with a firearm on Twitter in response to anti-police violence protesters, and Sara Gonzales, a BlazeTV anchor who has spread anti-vaccine misinformation and described Pete Buttigieg’s husband Chasten Buttigieg using the anti-LGBTQ slur ‘groomer,’ posted pictures from the event on social media.” [American Independent, 1/18/23]
DeSantis Allowed Republican Strategist Caleb Hull, Who Had Made Virulently Racist And Anti-Immigrant Posts, Into His Inaugural Ball. According to the American Independent, “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ inaugural ball, held on Jan. 5, hosted wealthy donors, Republican Party activists, and local elected officials. […] Also in attendance was Caleb Hull, a pro-Trump digital strategist who was revealed by investigative news site Right Wing Watch to have made a series of virulently racist, homophobic, and anti-immigrant Twitter posts in 2014. In one thread, Hull juxtaposed an image of a piece of fried chicken hanging from a noose with an image of a Black man looking up. In another, Hull used anti-gay slurs.” [American Independent, 1/18/23]
Miami Activist Eulalia Maria Jimenez, Chair For The Miami Chapter Of Moms For Liberty, Was Chosen By DeSantis’ Office To Join Him And Speak At A Press Conference Against Critical Race Theory. According to Politico, “A Miami activist Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office handpicked to amplify his criticism of critical race theory has espoused views aligned with QAnon conspiracy theories and appears to support those who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Eulalia Maria Jimenez, the chair of the Miami chapter of Moms for Liberty, stood with DeSantis earlier this week as he touted legislation to combat critical race theory. During the press conference, Jimenez described last year’s demonstrations after George Floyd’s killing as ‘race wars’ and railed against critical race theory teachings.” [Politico, 12/17/21]
After Jimenez Spoke, DeSantis Told Her, “You’re Wonderful. That Was So Good.” According to Politico, “A Miami activist Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office handpicked to amplify his criticism of critical race theory has espoused views aligned with QAnon conspiracy theories and appears to support those who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. […] After she spoke, DeSantis said, ‘You’re wonderful. That was so good.’” [Politico, 12/17/21]
Jimenez Had Used The QAnon Hashtag #GreatAwakening On Instagram Account For Holistic Health Business. According to Politico, “On Jimenez’s Instagram account, affiliated with her holistic health business called ‘Mystic Evolution,’ she posted items praising former President Donald Trump and others that include the hashtag ‘#greatawakening,’ a term used to describe the baseless QAnon theory that authorities will arrest Democrats for allegedly running a global sex ring. In a video she posted in August on Instagram, Jimenez said: ‘Muzzling humanity across the board is not political, mandating people to inject themselves with a poison is not political, men becoming women, women becoming men is not political. Children being smuggled in underground tunnels for the enjoyment of demons is not political. Wake up.’” [Politico, 12/17/21]
Jimenez Echoed QAnon Conspiracies With Posts About “Children Being Smuggled Through Underground Tunnels For The Enjoyment Of Demons.” According to Politico, “A Miami activist Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office handpicked to amplify his criticism of critical race theory has espoused views aligned with QAnon conspiracy theories and appears to support those who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. […] But on Instagram, Jimenez echoed QAnon conspiracy theories by writing about ‘children being smuggled through underground tunnels for the enjoyment of demons’ and posting a picture from the Jan. 6 riots with a caption that said ‘the storm is upon us. Trust the process.’” [Politico, 12/17/21]
Jimenez Would Not Say Whether She Was A QAnon Follower. According to Politico, “A Miami activist Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office handpicked to amplify his criticism of critical race theory has espoused views aligned with QAnon conspiracy theories and appears to support those who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. […] Jimenez, in a brief phone interview with POLITICO, declined to say whether she is a QAnon follower and did not want to discuss her social media posts. ‘What I am is a concerned parent fighting for the liberties of parents and children in the school system,’ said Jimenez, whose group Moms for Liberty has been critical of Miami-Dade school officials over mask mandates.” [Politico, 12/17/21]
Jimenez Had Shared A Picture From The January 6 Riot Which A Sympathetic Caption: “The Storm Is Upon Us. Trust The Process.” According to Politico, “A Miami activist Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office handpicked to amplify his criticism of critical race theory has espoused views aligned with QAnon conspiracy theories and appears to support those who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. […] But on Instagram, Jimenez echoed QAnon conspiracy theories by writing about ‘children being smuggled through underground tunnels for the enjoyment of demons’ and posting a picture from the Jan. 6 riots with a caption that said ‘the storm is upon us. Trust the process.’”
[Politico, 12/17/21]
Jimenez Had Called The COVID Vaccines “Poison” On Social Media. According to Politico, “A Miami activist Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office handpicked to amplify his criticism of critical race theory has espoused views aligned with QAnon conspiracy theories and appears to support those who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. […] But on Instagram, Jimenez echoed QAnon conspiracy theories by writing about ‘children being smuggled through underground tunnels for the enjoyment of demons’ and posting a picture from the Jan. 6 riots with a caption that said ‘the storm is upon us. Trust the process.’ She also called Covid vaccines ‘poison.’” [Politico, 12/17/21]
DeSantis Spokesperson Christina Pushaw Defended Jimenez’s Presence At Press Conference. According to Politico, “A Miami activist Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office handpicked to amplify his criticism of critical race theory has espoused views aligned with QAnon conspiracy theories and appears to support those who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. […] Christina Pushaw, a spokesperson for the governor, defended the decision to invite Jimenez to the Wednesday press conference in Ocala and said that what she said at the press conference was ‘fully on board’ with DeSantis’s message. ‘She was not chosen because of posting right wing or conspiratorial content,’ Pushaw said. She added that the administration picked Jimenez because of her involvement with Moms for Liberty, a nonprofit of mostly conservative parents that advocates for parental choice and against mask mandates and critical race theory. Pushaw said that Jimenez has ‘1st Amendment rights’ to say what she wants on other topics.” [Politico, 12/17/21]