Florida Republican leaders react to Mar-a-Lago FBI search, one calls for special session

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Florida leaders are responding to the FBI executing a search warrant on former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.

Republicans accusing the Biden administration of “weaponizing” the agency and at least one Republican lawmaker in Florida is even calling for a special legislative session.

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The FBI search of Mar-a-Lago has infuriated many Florida leaders, including state Rep. Anthony Sabatini (R-Howey-in-the-Hills).

“You don’t use the law enforcement agencies to harass your opponents,” said Sabatini.

Sabatini is calling for a special session to enact a law that would give the state the authority to approve or deny federal law enforcement actions within Florida.

“Today it’s Donald Trump, but tomorrow it’ll be some other enemy of the state. The truth is there’s too much concentrated power in Washington, D.C.,” said Sabatini.

This isn’t the first time that Sabatini has called for a special session but his past efforts have fallen on deaf ears.

Still, Sabatini isn’t alone in his rhetoric.

In a tweet, the governor called the FBI’s search of Mar-a-Lago, “Another escalation in the weaponization of federal agencies against the Regime’s political opponents.”

He ended the tweet with the words “Banana Republic.”

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Florida’s attorney general Ashley Moody made similar comments on Fox News Monday evening and pushed for the release of the search warrant and affidavit.

“And I tell you what, the charges, if there are any, the allegations — this better be a rock solid case to wreck whatever respect there is right now for the FBI,” said Moody.

On the other hand, Nikki Fried, the state’s top elected Democrat, said yesterday’s search shows no one is above the law.

“Our governor escalated the situation last night, you know, calling this a regime, defending an insurrectionist like Donald Trump. No one’s above the law and that’s what we saw yesterday. Not Donald Trump, not Ron DeSantis, not me,” said Fried.

However, Fried also encouraged the Justice Department to release more information.

“What exactly that warrant looked for, what was on it and what they’re looking for. So, hopefully, the American people will get answers in a very short order,” said Fried.

We contacted Moody’s office and asked if she believes there’s any possibility her office could become involved in this case, and if so, what that might look like.

We didn’t hear back in time for this story’s publication.

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