Florida Appeals Court Supports DeSantis on Migrant Flight Records

An appeals court has overturned a circuit judge's ruling that criticized Governor Ron DeSantis' administration for delays in providing public records related to a 2022 migrant flight program from Texas to Massachusetts. The 1st District Court of Appeal sided with DeSantis, stating that the administration's response to the public records requests made by the Florida Center for Government Accountability was not unreasonable. The judges noted that the extensive nature of the requests, coupled with the impact of Hurricane Ian, justified the time taken to process them. Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh had previously mandated the administration to comply within 20 days, but the appeals court found this expectation unrealistic given the circumstances. The court's ruling emphasized the complexity of the records sought, which included communications from various state officials. This decision marks a significant affirmation of DeSantis' handling of public records requests amidst a contentious political climate.