Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) helped establish a unique COVID vaccination site for two of the richest zip codes in Manatee County, according to the Bradenton Herald.
Why does it matter: The county spent weeks trying to convince its 180,000 residents aged 65 and over and applied to the state’s Vaccine Standby Pool that the selection process is random.
- Lakewood Ranch is predominantly white and heavily republican – and developed by Rex Jensen, a contributor to the DeSantis campaign, according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
- The average income in the two postal codes is more than double the average county income. Both postal codes did not see as many COVID cases as in other parts of the county.
What happened: County commissioners expressed shock that their colleague, Vanessa Baugh, was working with the governor’s office and Jensen to establish the site.
- “I have been fighting like hell to show people that the lottery is the same and we cannot compromise the system,” said Commissioner Reggie Bellamy.
- “There is no reason why Governor DeSantis should ration vaccines based on political influence,” added Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. “This is worrying and potentially illegal.”
The other side: Responding to accusations of favoritism, DeSantis threatened to send future vaccination sites elsewhere.
- “If Manatee County doesn’t like us to do that, then we are totally fine with putting it in the counties that want it,” he said.
Adding insult to injury: Last Wednesday, the Herald also reported that Baugh created a VIP list of Rancho Lakewood residents that she wanted to vaccinate, including Jensen, Jensen’s father and herself.
This story first appeared in Axios Tampa Bay newsletter, designed to help readers become smarter and faster on the most important news happening in their own backyard.