TAMPA, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis is aggravated over reports in the news of people still waiting on their unemployment money.
“I think if you have applied in that time period, and your application’s complete, and you qualify, I think 99.99 percent of those folks have been paid,” DeSantis said.
But those who’ve been attempting to file for unemployment assistance since mid-March, say they’re outraged over the governor’s comments.
“I couldn’t believe it. I was instantly infuriated,” Peter Hermann, who 10 Tampa Bay first interviewed in March, said.
We watched as he tried to log on and apply for benefits time after time without success. He even submitted a paper application and is sure he completed the form completely, but still no help from the state.
“It’s anger and disbelief that this guy DeSantis could tell me that I’m doing something wrong,” Hermann said.
State Sen. Janet Cruz is among state lawmakers calling the governor out, saying her office is still flooded with calls from people who have been waiting two months for unemployment benefits.
“Don’t try to spend this and don’t try to blame this on folks that need help,” Sen Cruz said. “I believe with all of my heart that the governor is a good guy, but someone is misinforming the man when they tell him that 99.9 percent of Floridians who’ve applied for benefits in March have been paid. That is a straight-up lie!”
We reached out to both the Governor’s Office and the Dept. of Economic Opportunity to get some clarification on those numbers but so far have not heard back.
“It’s kind of a lack of transparency,” said Hermann who adds he has no idea how many people actually got through to file for unemployment in late March and early April or how many actually got paid.
The governor grew frustrated in Friday’s news conference with reporters who continued asking questions about people who had not been paid.
“Do you have the names? Because I want them,” DeSantis said.
Sen. Cruz says that comment drew the attention of many state lawmakers in Tallahassee who have all be trying to help constituents navigate Florida’s troubled unemployment system.
“After he said that, so many senators on both sides of the aisle are pulling together their lists. We have 500 on a list of folks waiting to be paid. Believe me— you want to see it go Gov? We got it!”
As of Friday, the Dept. of Economic Opportunity claims it has paid 741,997 claimants a total of more than $1.86 billion.
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