Florida State Legislator Anthony Sabatini started a firestorm on Twitter this past Saturday, November 21.
The Republican lawmaker tweeted that Kyle Rittenhouse—the 17-year-old charged with crossing states lines and murdering a mentally ill homeless man, a protester and injuring a third man with an AR-15—should be in Congress.
Rittenhouse is currently out on bail thanks to donations from conservatives like Ricky Schroder and the My Pillow guy.
KYLE RITTENHOUSE FOR CONGRESS— Rep. Anthony Sabatini (@Rep. Anthony Sabatini) 1605967670.0
Twitter didn't waste any time calling out the supposedly "pro-life" state congressman.
Bernice King, the daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., wrote that Sabatini's tweet was "inhumane" and "dangerous."
So inhumane. So dangerous. So irresponsible. So racist. https://t.co/dmh4jpBLyO— Be A King (@Be A King) 1606020117.0
The clown 🤡 #AnthonySabatini needs to #Resign immediately. https://t.co/6ArEhGRo2S— Jessica Harrington (@Jessica Harrington) 1606159670.0
@AnthonySabatini This is the most disturbing thing I've seen in my entire life https://t.co/53QShrTlv3— Marypat B-H (@Marypat B-H) 1606171521.0
The Orlando Sentinel, who have previously said that Sabatini is "the worst person in the Florida Legislature," wrote of Sabatini's tweet:
"Anthony Sabatini has always been desperate for attention. So earlier this month, the 32-year-old Republican legislator from Lake County called for the imprisonment of Joe Biden."
"The tweet earned him 596 'likes'—not as many as when Sabatini called Biden a 'POS' (piece of sh**)—and was quickly forgotten."
"So this past weekend, Sabatini upped the ante—lauding the 17-year-old accused of killing two protesters in Wisconsin."
@AOC @JohnCornyn Well @AnthonySabatini thinks Kyle Rittenhouse should be a congressman so... there's some messed up… https://t.co/TSCDJvJb5f— no one (@no one) 1606173003.0
@AnthonySabatini So, you have no respect for our laws. You think it is fine for individuals to take the law into t… https://t.co/yTze2eHW1I— 😷Rocky Mountain Views😷 (@😷Rocky Mountain Views😷) 1606005713.0
@AnthonySabatini https://t.co/olSOQnQgyb— Racism Watchdog (@Racism Watchdog) 1606074937.0
The Orlando Sentinel's columnist, Scott Maxwell, went on to say:
"This column isn't an attempt to shame Sabatini. I'd have better luck trying to get a cocker spaniel to understand quantum physics."
"Nor is it a call to throw Sabatini out of office. This is a democracy."
"And the voters of Lake County seem to enjoy Sabatini's aggressive tweets and vocal ignorance. (Rittenhouse isn't even old enough to legally serve in Congress.)"
"Sabatini's divisive, facts-be-damned bomb-throwing apparently reflects the values of Lake County voters. The question is whether they also reflect the values of the Florida Republican party …"
"New House Speaker Chris Sprowls has started handing out committee assignments in the Florida House."
"If Sprowls wants to make it clear that Sabatini's incendiary stunts don't reflect the speaker's own values, he'll sideline Sabatini—and not let him anywhere near the crafting of public policy in this state."
"We'll see if Sprowls is interested in pursuing a serious policy agenda or in playing footsies with extremists."
@AnthonySabatini See, folks? The Every Life is Sacred, All Lives Matter Party are just a bunch of hypocrites. If yo… https://t.co/Ec4IMLAiea— Flintoid in Ohio (@Flintoid in Ohio) 1606050263.0
@AnthonySabatini Your bio says you are the worst & you just wake up everyday to prove the Orlando Sentinel right. https://t.co/4c4AgzNknm— Ryan Deitsch (@Ryan Deitsch) 1606059943.0
@AnthonySabatini He literally killed 2 people. He's a teenager. Who killed two people. He took a gun he bought… https://t.co/I82B1foewl— Gratefully Deadicated (@Gratefully Deadicated) 1606007444.0
Twitter was incredibly disappointed that—in the modern Republican party—people who travel across state lines to gun down unarmed mentally ill people and unarmed protesters are held in places of honor and respect.
@AnthonySabatini "Teen vigilante who spent stimulus check on a gun to kill strangers across state lines runs for office." Seems legit.— 💀🗳️👻Ghost of Democracy👻🗳️💀 (@💀🗳️👻Ghost of Democracy👻🗳️💀) 1606010744.0
@AnthonySabatini I'm just gonna put this here for that moment when you try to purge your tweets. https://t.co/rRQVOkaG4h— 💀🗳️👻Ghost of Democracy👻🗳️💀 (@💀🗳️👻Ghost of Democracy👻🗳️💀) 1606010814.0
@AnthonySabatini What is wrong with you? Kyle Rittenhouse murdered two unarmed people in cold blood with an illegal… https://t.co/5pLJ6GwhCi— Victoria Brownworth (@Victoria Brownworth) 1606065958.0
Tweets like this one should disqualify the author from public service, but it doesn't seem Sabatini will experience any repercussions.
@VABVOX @AnthonySabatini Funny how all that 'law and order' stuff goes out the window when someone shoots ppl they DON'T like.— Anne Donovan (@Anne Donovan) 1606082959.0
If this is your party, you should consider another one. https://t.co/KNcupErFlQ— John Pavlovitz (@John Pavlovitz) 1606065330.0
Sabatini is taking a stand.
Alleged murderers like Kyle Rittenhouse deserve places of leadership in the Republican Party. In his eyes, it's admirable to kill the mentally ill and protesters who disagree with you.