Florida Democrats Slam Trump for In-Person Fundraiser in Coronavirus Hotspot, Continued Failure to Manage the Crisis

Today, on the fourth-consecutive day Florida has broken its single-day record of reported COVID-19 deaths, Donald Trump is coming to Tampa today to fundraise in-person, seemingly unconcerned about the spread of the virus in a COVID-19 hotspot. Ahead of Trump’s visit, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23), State Sen. Annette Taddeo (SD-40), State Rep. Dianne Hart (HD-61), and State Rep. Javier Fernández (HD-114) led a virtual press conference slamming Trump for his continued failure to contain the virus, months into the crisis. They also reminded Floridians that Trump is attempting to distract from his chaotic leadership and unprecedented recession by following the lead of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Mauro and making empty threats to delay the November election.

Vice President Biden also weighed in this morning, slamming Trump for continuing to ignore the crisis and attempting to distract from his failed coronavirus response.

EXCERPTS:

Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23)

“Trump wants to distract us all from this dumpster fire economy and death toll by suspending democracy — all because he’s so badly bungled the covid crisis. That move is straight out of the Maduro, Putin, dictator playbook.

“Trump brings his deadly trail of denial, distraction, and destruction with him to Florida today. And it’s never been more clear that we need a President Biden right now — someone who leads, who takes responsibility, and shows compassion. A Biden White House will listen to health experts and make hard decisions that haven’t happened with Trump or DeSantis.”

State Sen. Annette Taddeo (SD-40)

“Here we are, many months later and we are worse off. We have more cases than some countries. This is outrageous and here he is, Donald Trump, visiting Florida to raise money and pretending like it doesn’t even exist, that we don’t have a problem, with an impending storm coming our way to top it all off. As if 2020 couldn’t get any worse for Floridians, here we are.”

[…] “Then the President has the audacity to tweet that we should just postpone the election. Well guess what, we have a constitution that we hold dear. We are not caudillos in this country. I know he’s trying to copy Maduro in Venezuela, but guess what, we are not going to behave this way in this country.”

State Rep. Dianne Hart (HD-61)

“It’s very, very sad that Donald Trump is coming to Florida for a fundraiser, rather than coming to figure out what we can do about this virus and how we get more PPE and equipment that we need, the testing kits. But as many of you all know, Black and brown Floridians have borne the brunt of this virus and Donald Trump’s failed leadership. ”

[…] “Tampa too is a hot spot… We’re overrun with cases here in Tampa. Our hospitals are at capacity here in my city. We must have someone that really understands how important it is to put science first, not politics, not big money, but people first.

[…] “We do have a storm impending and he is coming here for what, for a major fundraiser — not to deal with the virus, or the storm or PPE or any equipment, but to deal with himself. He’s always first. Let’s get a gentleman who puts the people first –and that would be Joe Biden.”

State Representative Javier Fernández (HD-114)

“In Washington, Congress has taken action and our president, rather than staying in Washington and working for the interests of the American people….has decided to come to Florida of all things, on the eve of a hurricane to basically raise money for his failing campaign. If that doesn’t show you where his priorities are, people, I don’t what else will.”

[…] “The President, on the wake of one of the worst economic quarters in the history of our country, if not the worst, with 1.4 million people going back onto the unemployment line…you think he’d go back to work. Instead he’s engaged in every sort of distraction imaginable, coming to Florida, raising money, hosting phony roundtables on issues that will provide people no meaningful relief. Mr. President, get back to Washington, do your job, because I, for one, cannot wait until the collective board that is the American people get to raise their voice together and say, ‘you’re fired’ on November, 3rd and elect Joe Biden to replace.”