Lawless Gov. DeSantis Of The Fascist State Of Florida Now Says He Would Deny Trump Extradition (He Can’t)

Reversing his prior position, because Donald Trump is beating his sorry ass in early polls, Gov. Ron “Go-G0 Boots” DeSantis  now says that he will not cooperate with the extradition of “Individual-1,” Donald Trump, to the state of New York, if he does not voluntarily surrender himself. So the rule of law no longer applies in the Fascist State of Florida because Donald Trump’s mini-me, the lawless tin-pot dictator of the Fascist State of Florida, is protecting a wanted man whom he pathetically emulates.

First, some legal background. Extradition Between States (excerpt):

Extradition Between States: Legal Basis

Within the United States, federal law governs extradition from one state to another. The Extradition Clause of the U.S. Constitution (Article IV Section 2) requires that:

A person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on Demand of the executive Authority of the State from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having Jurisdiction of the Crime.

In addition to the Constitution, federal law (18 U.S.C § 3182) provides requirements for extradition. Requirements and guidelines can also be found in the Uniform Criminal Extradition Act (UCEA). The UCEA is not mandatory and not all states have adopted it. States that haven’t adopted the UCEA have their own extradition laws that comply with the federal statute.

* * *

[T]he original state may make a request for the return of the fugitive, but they don’t always do so. If the crime is a misdemeanor or something other than a violent felony, there may be no request for return. However, if such a request is made, the fugitive has the option of waiving extradition or attempting to fight extradition through a writ of habeas corpus.

If the fugitive refuses to waive extradition, the original state prepares a request to have the fugitive returned. Extradition requests are made from the office of one state’s governor to the other. If the request is approved by both governors, an extradition hearing will be held and a court in the state with the fugitive will make a decision to grant or deny extradition.

States, in deciding whether to extradite, generally may not delve into the underlying charge behind an extradition request. However, the U.S. Constitution (Sixth Amendment) requires the accused “be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation.” This means that states will inform the fugitive of:

1. 1. the extradition request;
   2. the underlying criminal charge; and
   3. the individual’s right to seek legal counsel.

Once the request for extradition has been granted, the fugitive will be offered to the demanding state. The fugitive can still fight extradition by filing a writ of a habeas corpus. If the habeas corpus petition is denied, the original state will make arrangements to transport them back to the demanding state. If the habeas corpus petition is granted, the fugitive will be released.

Extradition Between States: Defenses

There aren’t many defenses to extradition. As long as the process and procedure found in the U.S. Constitution and federal law have been followed, the fugitive must be surrendered to the demanding state. However, there are a few defenses that have been identified by the Supreme Court, such as:

1. 1. whether the extradition request documents are in order;
   2. whether the person has been charged with a crime in the demanding state;
   3. whether the person named in the extradition request is the person charged with the crime; and
   4. whether the petitioner is, in fact, a fugitive from the requesting state.

If the fugitive’s petition or writ for habeas corpus is unsuccessful, the arresting state must hold them for the demanding state. The demanding state then has 30 days to retrieve the fugitive. If they don’t, the arresting state may release them.

The Tampa Bay Times reports, DeSantis says Florida will ‘not assist’ in possible Trump extradition after indictment:

Following the explosive news Thursday that a grand jury voted to indict former President Donald Trump in New York, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Florida wouldn’t cooperate with any potential extradition requests. Trump lives in Florida at Mar-a-Lago.

“The weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda turns the rule of law on its head. It is un-American,” DeSantis wrote on Twitter.

“[The Fascist State of] Florida will not assist in an extradition request given the questionable circumstances at issue with this Soros-backed Manhattan prosecutor [gratuitous anti-semitism] and his political agenda,” the governor added, referencing liberal mega-donor George Soros. [Republicans use Soros as code for “Jews” generally, of which there are many living in the Fascist State of Florida.]

So… here Ron DeSantis is basically disavowing the full faith and credit clause of the US Constitution.

Fascists gonna fascist. https://t.co/z9eSAuO170

— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) March 30, 2023

Dude, your refusal to comply with the U.S. Constitution and federal law to protect a wanted man because he is a Republican hack politician like you is the very definition of “the weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda.” You have no legal basis to deny extradition, and cannot do so. You are simply posturing.

The statement struck a notably more hardline tone than DeSantis’ previous comments, in which he said he would not get involved, prompting fierce blowback from Trump and his allies. [So “Go-Go Boots” is also a sniveling coward.]

“I’ve got to spend my time on issues that actually matter to people,” DeSantis said last week. ” I can’t spend my time worrying about things of that nature. So we’re not going to be involved in it in any way.”

[As] of Thursday evening, the Associated Press was reporting that New York officials were preparing for Trump to turn himself in, likely making extradition unnecessary. Trump is the first former American president to face criminal charges.

Even if Trump didn’t surrender in New York, it’s unclear whether DeSantis would actually have the power to stop extradition from happening. Although Florida law allows for a governor to investigate demands for extradition, the U.S. Constitution declares that states must cooperate to extradite people charged with crimes in other states.

“He can’t stop it. He can delay it,” said Dave Aronberg, the top prosecutor in Palm Beach County, where Mar-a-Lago is located. If DeSantis refused to sign an extradition order, for example, New York officials could go to federal court to compel him to do so, he said.

So Trump’s mini-me is puffing up his chest and talking tough, but the tin-pot dictator of the Fascist State of Florida has no power nor credibility. He is just a pathetic loser.