Gov. DeSantis welcomes CAIR lawsuit as chance to figure out who funds the Islamic group

“See you in court” often sounds like a warning. But when it comes to Gov. Ron DeSantis being sued by the Committee for American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the portentous phrase is being taken as an invitation.

DeSantis is excited about CAIR threatening a lawsuit, as it gives the state of Florida an opportunity to see who funds the group he designated as a terrorist organization Monday.

“I welcome the lawsuit,” DeSantis said in North Miami Beach. “That will give the state of Florida discovery rights to be able to subpoena the bank records.”

CAIR, which says it’s funded by “generous people of different faiths and backgrounds across America (and) charitable foundations,” decried DeSantis’ “defamatory and unconstitutional” executive order. They said it’s evidence of an “Israel-first” governing style and an “attempt to shred the Constitution for the benefit of a foreign government.””

DeSantis sees it differently, saying that designating CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations “has been a long time coming,” noting that the federal government is “working in a similar direction.”

Indeed, DeSantis’ fellow Republican, U.S. Rep. Randy Fine, has filed federal legislation to that end.

The Governor said CAIR was an “unindicted co-conspirator” in the 2008 “Holy Land Foundation” trial, in which members of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF) were found guilty of funneling money to Hamas. CAIR was part of the “Hungry for Justice” coalition that supported HLF during the trial.

The Governor acknowledges that Florida isn’t leading on this front, noting that Texas has acted as well.

“Texas has a little bit more robust architecture in their statutes than Florida does,” he said. “I think you’re going to see the Legislature probably mirror what Texas has done and ultimately, you know, that’s it going to be in the best interests of the people.”

In a statement Monday, CAIR linked DeSantis and Florida with Texas and its Governor.

“Like Greg Abbott in Texas, Ron DeSantis is an Israel First politician who wants to smear and silence Americans, especially American Muslims, critical of U.S. support for Israel’s war crimes,” the group said.

“Governor DeSantis knows full well that CAIR-Florida is an American civil rights organization that has spent decades advancing free speech, religious freedom, and justice for all, including for the Palestinian people. That’s precisely why Governor DeSantis is targeting our civil rights group with this unconstitutional and defamatory proclamation.”