More helpful news from Florida:
https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/02/politics ... index.html
Amid recent surging coronavirus cases in Florida, a top Republican National Committee official in the state has spread anti-vaccine rhetoric and misinformation, comparing the Biden administration's vaccine efforts to Nazi-era "brown shirts," and twice calling the vaccines "the mark of the beast," comparable to a "false god."
A review by CNN's KFile found that Peter Feaman, a lawyer and RNC committeeman from Florida made the comments on his blog the "The Backhoe Chronicles," which he publishes regularly in a private group on MeWe. The social media platform bills itself as the "anti-Facebook" app.
"The Biden brown shirts are beginning to show up at private homes questioning vaccine papers," Feaman wrote on July 20, incorrectly implying government officials would be showing up at people's homes to question their vaccination status, comparing them to the Nazi Party paramilitary wing.
Previously, he supported far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who used the term and faced swift backlash.
In May, Feaman called Covid-19 vaccines a "mark of the beast" -- a reference to a symbol from the biblical Book of Revelations showing allegiance to Satan -- and called Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer "diabolical" for encouraging vaccines. "Diabolical Michigan Governor Whiter wants her citizens to get the Mark of the Beast to participate in society," Feaman wrote.
"Now the Michigan Democrat has announced that she is going to prolong the state's suffering until residents submit to getting 'the jab' and if enough of them comply with her demands, then she and Joe Biden might permit them to celebrate Fourth of July," he added, seemingly referencing the Biden administration's goal to have 70% of the US adult population with at least one dose of the vaccine by that holiday. (The goal was not met.)
He later added, "Hey Whitmer, we will not bow to your false god."
CNN reached out to Feaman and the RNC for comment multiple times but neither responded.
Feaman is one of three officials representing Florida in the governing body of the RNC, the political committee which leads the Republican Party. He has served in the position since 2012.
His reelection to the position in 2020 at an annual Florida Republican Party meeting was supported by state party chairman Joe Gruters, and he was previously appointed to nomination commissions for state and federal judges by Sen. Marco Rubio and then-Florida Gov. Rick Scott. He also served as an elector in the 2016 and 2020 presidential election.
On Sunday, Florida broke its record for coronavirus hospitalizations just one day after the state recorded the most new daily Covid-19 cases since the start of the pandemic."
….hadn’t used that in a while. Congratulations.
