California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom made headlines this week when he threatened Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis with kidnapping charges after another planeload of illegal migrants was dropped off in his state.
Yet as Red State pointed out, DeSantis has released video footage that demolishes Newsom's claims.
The controversy began on Monday when Newsom put out a tweet denouncing his Florida counterpart for being a "small, pathetic man."
"This isn't Martha's Vineyard. Kidnapping charges?" he added, recalling an incident from last year in which DeSantis flew migrants to the wealthy, heavily Democratic enclave of Martha's Vineyard.
The high-profile Democrat then went on to reference a provision of the California Penal Code about kidnapping.
It states, "Every person who, being out of this state, abducts or takes by force or fraud any person contrary to the law of the place where that act is committed, and brings, sends, or conveys that person within the limits of this state, and is afterward found within the limits thereof, is guilty of kidnapping."
.@RonDeSantis you small, pathetic man.
This isn't Martha's Vineyard.
Kidnapping charges?
Read the following. https://t.co/kvuxe8Fb6F pic.twitter.com/KyE1lJiIYo
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 5, 2023
However, the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) responded by releasing a video of the migrants signing waivers before boarding their flight.
What's more, the footage also showed one man declaring, "We made it to California. Thank God! Very thankful to God!"
BREAKING: The Florida Division of Emergency Management has provided video to @townhallcom showing the recent flight of migrants to California was voluntary and migrants expressing their gratitude for the flight.
"We made it to California! Thank God!" one man can be seen saying. pic.twitter.com/tVfLCxGeUP
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) June 6, 2023
The Daily Caller noted that FDEM issued a statement which read, "Through verbal and written consent, these volunteers indicated they wanted to go to California."
"A contractor was present and ensured they made it safely to a 3rd-party NGO. The specific NGO, Catholic Charities, is used and funded by the federal government," it continued.
"From left-leaning mayors in El Paso, Texas, and Denver, Colorado, the relocation of those illegally crossing the United States border is not new," the statement pointed out.
"But suddenly, when Florida sends illegal aliens to a sanctuary city, it’s false imprisonment and kidnapping," it concluded.
