Former President Donald Trump's lies about the validity of the 2020 election have prompted Republican legislatures across the nation to propose a slate of laws designed to limit access to the ballot box.
The latest voter suppression bill was signed into law by Florida's Republican governor and potential 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis.
Senate Bill 90 heightens restrictions on voter identification, expands partisan oversight of the tabulation process, and limits eligibility for voting by mail.
But if the bill itself wasn't incendiary enough, the ceremony DeSantis held for signing it only heightened its already partisan nature.
Reports emerged that all media outlets were barred from covering the signing ceremony, except for the conservative Fox News network.
The network covered the ceremony live on Fox and Friends, presenting it as an exclusive.
DeSantis said during the signing:
"We're proud of the strides that we've made. We're not resting on our laurels, and me signing this bill here says Florida, your vote counts. Your vote is gonna be cast with integrity and transparency, and this is a great place for democracy."
In response to backlash, Fox said in a statement:
"FOX & Friends did not request or mandate that the May 6th event and/or interview with Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) be exclusive to FOX News Media entities."
People were stunned that the signing of a public law that would affect all Florida residents was rolled out as a network exclusive.
Some, Like Democratic Congresswoman Val Demings of Florida, said the decision to limit the signing to a friendly network was made out of fear.
Former President Donald Trump has floated DeSantis as a potential running mate if Trump seeks the GOP nomination again in 2024.
