“Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said this week he will issue pardons to anyone in his state who is facing criminal penalties for not following Covid-19 health restrictions. DeSantis made the comments Wednesday to Fox News host Laura Ingraham while addressing the high-profile case of Mike and Jillian Carnevale, gym owners who refused last year to enforce local mask mandates. They were arrested. DeSantis called the arrests ‘government overreach.’ ‘When our clemency board meets in the coming weeks, we’ll issue pardons not only for Mike and Jillian but for any Floridian that may have outstanding infractions for things like masks and social distancing,’ DeSantis said on Fox News. ‘These things with health should be advisory. They should not be punitive. And so we’re happy to use our constitutional authority. I think they’ve been treated poorly. And fortunately, they’ve got a governor that cares.’ Last week, DeSantis suspended all local Covid-19 health restrictions, saying the state has a surplus of vaccines needed to stop the virus. He said he wants people to ‘live freely in the state of Florida’ and ‘enjoy themselves.’”
“Florida Governor,” Christian Headlines, May 14, 2021