DeSantis backs sanctions against attorney who dressed as Grim Reaper on Florida beaches
Ron DeSantis have urged an appeals court to sanction a Northwest Florida attorney who filed a lawsuit to try to force DeSantis to close beaches to prevent the spread of COVID-19. DeSantis’ lawyers filed an 11-page document Friday at the 1st District Court of Appeal contending that Santa Rosa Beach attorney Daniel Uhlfelder filed a frivolous appeal after a circuit judge ruled against him in the beach-closure case. It subsequently said DeSantis’ lawyers could file arguments on the issue. DeSantis issued a “safer at home” order but refused to close beaches statewide, though some local governments temporarily imposed beach closures. DeSantis’ lawyers described the appeal as an “axiomatic example of abuse of the justice system.
Video: Florida lawyer dresses as Grim Reaper to protest reopening of beaches
Residents and tourists across Walton County beaches were in for quite a scare Friday afternoon. The grim reaper, or Florida lawyer Daniel Uhlfelder, was out protesting Walton County’s beaches with a film crew along for the ride. He’s the same Florida lawyer who filed a suit against DeSantis in March. Uhlfelder says he actually loves the beaches but thinks they should be empty for the foreseeable future. “I’ve got Mike Huckabee filing a bar complaint against me for speaking out, but there’s a time for this.”Uhlfelder is also currently leading efforts to make all Florida beaches public and do away with privately-owned beaches.