Ron DeSantis Condemnation of Satan Backfires

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is facing backlash after offering to send aid to a man accused of illegally tearing down a Satanic Temple display at the Iowa State Capitol.

Self-proclaimed "America First Conservative" Michael Cassidy, a 35-year-old Navy Reserve instructor pilot and former GOP congressional candidate, was charged with 4th-degree criminal mischief after allegedly beheading the Des Moines display's statue of occult icon Baphomet on Thursday.

DeSantis offered to support Cassidy's legal defense fund in a post to X, formerly Twitter, on Friday. The governor, who is challenging former President Donald Trump for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, asserted that "Satan has no place in our society" while offering to "chip in" to Cassidy's defense.

"Satan has no place in our society and should not be recognized as a 'religion' by the federal government," DeSantis wrote. "I'll chip in to contribute to this veteran's legal defense fund. Good prevails over evil -- that's the American spirit."

Several supporters of Trump's MAGA movement responded by quickly pointing out that Cassidy's funding campaign had already been suspended after a $20,000 goal was reached within hours.

Newsweek reached out to the DeSantis campaign via online press contact form for comment on Friday.

Some also complained that DeSantis, during a recent CNN town hall event, had blamed Trump for the statue being displayed at the Iowa Capitol in the first place.

"You blamed the statue on Trump," right-wing influencer Jack Posobiec wrote in response to the DeSantis post. "You didn't call for it to be taken down. And the defense fund already maxxed out. Ron DeSantis - always waiting for approval, always leading from behind."

X user @_johnnymaga wrote: "The veteran said he's pausing donations bc he has enough. You wouldn't know that because you don't actually care, you're just trying to get attention for your failing campaign. When asked about this at your town hall, 3 days ago, you said there's nothing we can do & blamed Trump."

"Why didn't you speak out about it?" @TammieMcDonal17 posted. "All you did was blame Trump. Now you wanna jump in the fight? This is what a weak man looks like!! This Christian man is a hero, you are not!!"

Right-wing news website The Republic Sentinel, which organized the Cassidy fundraiser, chimed in on the DeSantis offer with the following: "Thanks @RonDeSantis! We at @RepubSentinel raised the $20,000 needed by @VoteCassidy in a few hours and paused the campaign at his direction. We will reach out if more funds are needed."

Newsweek reached out for comment to the DeSantis campaign via online press contact form on Friday.

DeSantis did receive some support. X user @MaxNordau responded to his post by asking, "Why is Gov. DeSantis the only candidate willing to condemn Satan?"

"DeSantis opposes the Church of Satan," posted @CoreysName apparently confusing the Satanic Temple with a different organization. "Trump's IRS gave it religious recognition. My vote is against Satan and for DeSantis and so should yours."

DeSantis seemed to place at least partial blame on the Trump administration for the Satanic Temple being legally entitled to the display during his town hall event, which took place in Iowa on Tuesday.

"The Trump administration gave them approval to be under the IRS as a religion," DeSantis said. "So, that gave them the legal ability to potentially do it...It very well maybe because of that ruling under Donald Trump that they may have had a legal leg to stand on."

Satanic Temple co-founder Lucien Greaves lashed out at DeSantis in a CNN appearance hours after the display was torn down.

"Our IRS tax-exempt application certainly never came across Trump's desk," said Greaves. "Trump wouldn't have comprehended it if he had seen it, and I think DeSantis knows that...I do think he is being a pathetic little coward."

The erection of the display caused a furor among Iowa Republicans, some of whom called for it to be removed, despite arguments that it was protected under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Others condemned the statue but argued that it could not be removed legally. Republican Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds urged residents to instead join her in "praying over the Capitol" earlier this week.

Reynolds, who has endorsed DeSantis' presidential campaign, said in a statement on Tuesday that she found the display to be "absolutely objectionable" while arguing that the "best response" to it was "more speech" in opposition.

The Satanic Temple says that it does not believe "in the existence of Satan or the supernatural" and instead promotes religious freedom and "rational thought removed from supernaturalism."

In addition to the Baphomet statue, the display included text promoting the Satanic Temple's "seven fundamental tenets," which are said to be "a set of seven core beliefs that members see as their guideposts for our deeply held beliefs."