Four Republicans Defect From Mike Johnson to Force Health Care Vote

DeSantis’s order prohibits CAIR, a national organization with chapters in states across the country, from receiving contracts, employment, or funding from state agencies. When asked for comment, a DeSantis spokesperson directed Politico to DeSantis’s posts on X, including one where he said legislation was being drafted “to stop the creep of sharia law, and I hope that they codify these protections for Floridians against CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood in their legislation.”

DeSantis is following the example of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who declared CAIR a terrorist organization in November, only to be sued by the nonprofit a few days later. In both cases, the motives appear to be based on bigotry, with DeSantis’s order claiming that through its supposed Muslim Brotherhood connections, CAIR is seeking to establish “a world-wide Islamic caliphate.” 

CAIR is also being attacked for allegedly supporting Hamas, but the organization said in its lawsuit that it has condemned Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel as well as Hamas’s other attacks. The use of the term “sharia law” evokes a conspiracy that right-wing groups have pushed for decades, claiming that Muslims are trying to set up a religious legal system.