After a week of public relations misery, several Historic City News readers, including a group of members of the Saint Augustine Tea Party, are showing their support for Florida Representative Mike Hill (R) who has visited and spoken to their members as well as members of the Ladies Memorial Association of St Augustine, Inc.
The embattled Pensacola Republican got caught on tape recently, laughing off a suggestion that society resume the practice of stoning gays. He since issued a public apology for not correcting a constituent who quoted a bible verse that does not exist.
The comments in question came during an exchange at a town hall event. A constituent wrongly stated that 1 Corinthians in the Bible says, “a man who has an affair with another man will be put to death.”
“It says that in the Old Testament, too,” Hill replied.
“Can you introduce legislation?” the constituent replied.
Hill and others laughed, then Hill said, “I wonder how that would go over?”
Hill, who is an Air Force veteran, sponsored “The Soldiers and Heroes Monuments and Memorials Protection Act” in December that would make it illegal to remove public remembrances honoring the U.S. military and first responders; including memorials, religious symbols, and historical flags built on or after March 22, 1822. Damaging any of these monuments would be considered a third-degree felony.
The yet to be passed legislation won Hill audiences in St Augustine and St Johns County that included a “standing room only” crowd of both current and former military veterans during one meeting sponsored at SR-16 and I-95 in January. They haven’t forgotten Hill’s presentation.
Since News-Journal columnist Andy Marlette first reported Hill’s controversial remarks, Hill’s supporters have literally labeled him “the victim” and called for a Saturday protest at the Pensacola News Journal newspaper, damning Marlette for promoting “Fake News”.
“Not only has Mike Hill proven himself a devout practitioner of the culture of victimhood, he’s declared himself high priest of a cult of victimhood as well by duping a small, strange group of followers into actually parroting his claims of self-pity,” Marlette wrote in yesterday’s paper.
So, now that “cult” will gather at Marlette’s place of work. Interesting. Hill has already personally promoted the event across multiple social media platforms.
If you plan to attend, the Mike Hill “Rally for Support” will be held this Saturday, June 15, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Central Time at Fake News Headquarters, The Pensacola News Journal located at 2 North Palafox Street in Pensacola, FL 32502.
The event is free to attend, but the organizers, “Supporters of Rep. Mike Hill who are against Fake News”, ask that you register for tickets on EventBrite.
State political leaders from both parties have also slammed Hill.
“He owes his colleagues an apology, and he owes the Republican caucus a better example of political courage,” House Speaker Jose Oliva and Rules Chair Chris Sprowls wrote in a joint statement condemning Hill’s response to the situation.
“On one side, we have the left, that for some reason, wants to divide and destroy this nation,” Hill said in a televised Fox and Friends interview. “On the other side we have constitutional conservatives who believe in championing the rights of the individual, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, equal protection under the law, and our constitution that limits this government by the consent of the governed.”
Jacob Ogles, FLORIDA POLITICS contributed to this article.
Discover more from HISTORIC CITY NEWS
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.