The Florida Democratic Party waited until Friday night on a holiday weekend to condemn widely reported statements by a Pensacola Republican.
Responding to Rep. Michelle Salzman's use of the phrase "all of them" during a floor debate on a failed resolution urging an Israeli ceasefire in the war with Hamas when the bill sponsor asked how many dead Palestinians would be enough, the state party relied on the X social media platform, rather than a formal statement with a name attached to a quote.
"STATEMENT: The Florida Democratic Party condemns Michelle Salzman's comments made on Tuesday. No elected official in any chamber in the United States of America should advocate for the death of civilians. Israelis and Palestinians are both victims of this war against Hamas. We continue to support the Biden administration's efforts to call for the release of hostages, minimize civilian casualties and negotiate humanitarian pauses."
Salzman called the allegation "fake' in an interview with WEAR TV Friday, in the wake of Rep. Angie Nixon asserting it was Salzman, and subsequent comments from Rep. Alex Andrade that said he didn't "believe Rep. Salzman meant Palestinian civilians. I believe her anger was focused on Hamas and anyone else who believes in the eradication of Jews and the state of Israel."
Nixon called for Salzman's censure and resignation not just because of "what she says," but also "what she does and she has a history and a pattern of speaking recklessly and vile things in regards to people who don't agree with what she believes in. And she needs to be gone. She should not be a representative in the Florida legislature."
The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations called for a similar sanction, as reported by The Guardian.
"Salzman's words are incredibly dangerous and dehumanizing to Palestinians here at home and under the Israeli occupation," executive director Imam Abdullah Jaber said. "She must face her party's censure and a public repudiation from all Florida legislators."
Nixon has also called for the censure of Rep. Randy Fine for comments he made during the debate on her failed resolution. Thus far the Democrats haven't commented on his remarks this week or other "vile, hateful & incendiary things" Nixon claims "have been said in the FL House, as well as publicly & on this app."
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