Gov. DeSantis Will Pardon Anyone In Florida Charged For Defying COVID-19 Rules

I’m starting to like Gov. Ron DeSantis more and more each day.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has announced he will pardon all people in the state of Florida who were arrested for violating COVID-19 restrictions.

He announced the news during a live Fox News interview and did so in a dramatic fashion by surprising gym owners Mike and Jillian Carnevale with clemency after they were facing 120 days in jail for allowing gym members to forego masks.

While most governors have mishandled the COVID-19 out break and turned it into an opportunity to become an authoritarian, DeSantis did quite the opposite and showed Floridians he’s a man who stands up for the people.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to pardon anyone charged for defying COVID rules https://t.co/fLHkWlrlxT pic.twitter.com/6hkqN3QyP2

— New York Post (@nypost) May 13, 2021

BREAKING: Ron DeSantis announces he will pardon ALL Floridians being prosecuted for failing to wear masks or socially distance as he surprises couple in interview after they were arrested for not enforcing COVID rules at their gymhttps://t.co/hiQxQO45KV

— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) May 13, 2021

The New York Post covered DeSantis’ big announcement:

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will pardon anyone in the Sunshine State charged for not wearing masks or socially distancing — breaking the news live on air to a gym-owning couple who were facing jail time for defying coronavirus safety recommendations.

The Republican governor made the unexpected announcement on Fox News Wednesday as he decried county officials penalizing people.

“It’s a total overreach,” he told Laura Ingraham. “These things with health should be advisory, they should not be punitive.”

He broke the news of his pardon directly to Mike and Jillian Carnevale, who faced up to 120 days in jail for repeatedly allowing people to forgo masks at their gym in Plantation in Broward County.

WATCH: DeSantis Pardons Couple Arrested For Keeping Gym Open, Then Pardons Anyone Arrested For Not Masking Or Social Distancing https://t.co/Npa4eLefbL pic.twitter.com/0ValRDLC6j

— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) May 13, 2021

Fox 13 News got the scoop too:

Gov. Ron DeSantis granted a Florida couple clemency who had been arrested multiple times for not enforcing a mask mandate.

Florida business owners Mike and Jillian Carnevale joined “The Ingraham Angle” Wednesday, along with the governor who called the arrests a ‘total overreach.’

RON DESANTIS: “This is exactly what we ordered against last summer many, many months ago, and so I was actually just recently briefed on this case, and we looked at it and so I’m glad you have Mike and Jillian on, and I’m also glad to be on to be able to say that effective tomorrow morning, I’m going to sign a reprieve under my constitutional authority. So that will delay the case for 60 days against both of them, and then 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.”

Here’s the moment Gove. DeSantis granted the gym owners clemency on live air: