Anthony Sabatini

Anthony Sabatini (born October 20, 1988) is an American politician. He is a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives, serving since 2018. He represents the state's 32nd House district in Lake County west of Orlando.[1] He is a candidate in the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida for Florida's 7th congressional district.

Anthony Sabatini
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 32nd district
Assumed office
November 6, 2018
Preceded byLarry Metz
Member of the Eustis City Commission
for Seat 2
In office
January 2017 – April 30, 2018
Preceded byRobert Morin
Succeeded byMichael Holland
Personal details
Born (1988-10-20) October 20, 1988
Smithtown, New York, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationUniversity of Florida (BA, JD)
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Years of service2008–present
UnitFlorida Army National Guard

Early life, education, and personal life

Sabatini was born in Smithtown, New York, in 1988 and moved with his family to Florida the following year. He is an infantry officer in the Florida Army National Guard and Florida State Representative from Florida House District 32. He earned bachelor's degrees in philosophy and history from the University of Florida in 2012 and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law in 2017.[2]

In a high school photo, Sabatini and a friend were pictured in blackface.[3][4] In his freshman year of college, he was photographed in brownface.[5][6]

Sabatini was elected to the Eustis City Commission in 2016 and resigned from the office on April 30, 2018, to focus his attention on his Florida House campaign.[7]

Florida House of Representatives

Sabatini defeated Monica Wofford and Shannon Elswick, to win the August 28, 2018 Republican primary, winning 46.7% of the vote.[8] In the November 6, 2018 general election, Sabatini defeated Democrat Cynthia Brown, taking 56.48% of the vote.[9]

In 2019, Sabatini proposed amendments to protect Gainesville's landmark restaurant The Swamp from demolition.[10][11] The restaurant was temporarily closed, but not demolished and eventually returned.[12]

On January 13, 2020, Sabatini introduced HB 1365, which would have made it a felony for doctors to provide hormone therapy or gender reassignment surgery for transgender minors.[13]

In 2020, Sabatini introduced bills allowing Floridians with valid concealed carry licensed to carry firearms on public colleges and universities.[14][15][16]

Under the slogan "Eight is enough", Sabatini has sponsored legislation to enshrine eight-year term limits for Florida's school boards.[17][18][19][20]

Sabatini has introduced legislation to ban red light cameras in Florida.[21][22][23]

2022 U.S. House campaign
Main article: 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida

On March 8, 2021, Sabatini announced that he would challenge incumbent Republican Representative Daniel Webster for Florida's 11th congressional district. He later suggested he might not wind up running against Webster due to redistricting.[24] On June 7, 2021, he announced he would challenge incumbent Democratic Representative Stephanie Murphy for Florida's 7th congressional district due to redistricting.[25]

Political activities

Orlando Sentinel tweet

During Donald Trump's reelection bid announcement in Orlando on June 18, 2019, a rally goer attacked an Orlando Sentinel reporter filming the event. The reporter tweeted the encounter, to which Sabatini replied "MAGA". Sabatini said that he routinely replies "MAGA" to Sentinel reporting and wanted to counter what he considered "ridiculous" coverage of the rally.[26]

Opposition to Black Lives Matter protests

In response to the protests following the murder of George Floyd, Sabatini posted a tweet that suggested protesters illegally entering businesses would be met with an AR-15 and included an image of the gun, which also appeared with Sabatini on his Facebook page with the caption "Don't Tread on Me".[27] This was condemned for being "clearly inflammatory" and "inciting violence" by Democratic Florida State Representative Cindy Polo.[28] Nikki Fried, Florida Agriculture Commissioner, called for Sabatini to be reprimanded. House Speaker José Oliva found no "direct or preemptive threat" in Sabatini's comments and did not take punitive actions.[29] Sabatini also drew criticism for referring to Black Lives Matter protesters in Minneapolis as "disgusting, lawless thugs" in a tweet calling for their arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment.[30]

COVID-19

In July 2020, a Florida resident filed an ethics complaint against Sabatini in connection with his involvement in several mask mandate lawsuits.[31] The complaint was in response to a press release about the lawsuit that printed Sabatini's official House email address as the press contact and alleged that this violates a Florida State Statute about misuse of public position.[31] The complaint also accused him of violating a similar requirement specified under House rules.[31] Sabatini dismissed the complaints as a left-wing plot against him by "sick and disturbed people."[32] Sabatini also tweeted what appeared to be a booking photo of the complainant taken during a past arrest for driving under the influence.[32]

Sabatini has filed at least 14 lawsuits during the COVID-19 pandemic challenging local ordinances requiring the use of face coverings.[33] On September 2, 2020, he received his sixth loss from the filed suits that have so far been heard. [34]

Electoral history
2016 Eustis City Commission Seat 2
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Anthony Sabatini 3,414 46.1
Nonpartisan Brandon Avallone 1,186 16
Nonpartisan Michael Strong 2,804 37.8
Total votes 7,404
2018 Florida House of Representatives 32nd district Republican primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Anthony Sabatini 8,278 46.7
Republican Shannon Elswick 5,170 29.2
Republican Monica Wofford 4,276 24.1
Total votes 17,724 100.00
2018 Florida House of Representatives 32nd district
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Anthony Sabatini 46,446 56.5
Democratic Cynthia Brown 35,784 43.5
2020 Florida House of Representatives 32nd district
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Anthony Sabatini 63,164 55.7
Democratic Stephanie Dukes 50,226 44.3

References
  1. "District map at www.myfloridahouse.gov website" (PDF). Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  2. "Florida House of Representatives - Anthony Sabatini - 2018 - 2020 ( Speaker Oliva )". myfloridahouse.gov. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  3. Brice-Saddler, Michael (February 7, 2019). "A politician wore blackface to dress as his friend. They call it a 'silly high school prank.'". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  4. Lemongello, Steven. "State Rep. Anthony Sabatini dismisses Florida Democratic chair's call for his resignation over high school 'blackface' photo". orlandosentinel.com. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  5. Wolf, Colin. "Photo appears to show Florida Rep. Anthony Sabatini, who's still dealing with a blackface scandal, wearing brownface". Orlando Weekly. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  6. Lemongello, Steven. "Rookie Rep. Anthony Sabatini draws fire from GOP leader, critics. The session hasn't even started yet". orlandosentinel.com. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  7. McNiff, Tom (May 1, 2018). "Sabatini steps down from Eustis Commission". Daily Commercial. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  8. "Florida Department of State - Election Results". results.elections.myflorida.com. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  9. "Florida Election Watch - State Representative". floridaelectionwatch.gov. Archived from the original on November 30, 2018. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  10. "Florida lawmaker proposes amendment to make The Swamp Restaurant a landmark - The Independent Florida Alligator". Alligator.org. April 18, 2019. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  11. Marr, Madeline (April 19, 2019). "Popular Gator Nation bar The Swamp faces wrecking ball. Lawmaker joins fight to save it". www.miamiherald.com. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  12. "The Swamp restaurant to return to Gainesville in new location - The Independent Florida Alligator". Alligator.org. December 13, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  13. Lipscomb, Jessica (February 4, 2020). "Nonbinary Broward Candidate Confronts Florida Rep Sponsoring Anti-Trans Bill". Miami New Times. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  14. Patrick, Craig (December 29, 2020). "Florida lawmaker confident legislature will allow guns on college campuses". Fox13news.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  15. The News Service of Florida (December 4, 2020). "Florida Rep. Anthony Sabatini shoots for 'campus carry' concealed gun permits yet again in 2021 session | Blogs". Orlandoweekly.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  16. "Anthony Sabatini pulls trigger on 'campus carry' legislation". Floridapolitics.com. November 30, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  17. "Florida lawmakers renew push for school board term limits". Tampa Bay Times. January 21, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  18. "Florida lawmaker files another school board term limit proposal". WJXT. December 1, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  19. Jim Saunders, News Service of Florida (January 29, 2020). "Florida House Republicans are pushing for term limits on county school-board members | Blogs". Orlandoweekly.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  20. Katie Sartoris. "School board term limits one step closer to the voters - News - Daily Commercial - Leesburg, FL". Daily Commercial. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  21. Rousseau, Beth (January 16, 2021). "Florida lawmaker pushes ban on red light cameras". WFLA. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  22. Report, Wire (December 7, 2020). "Rep. Sabatini files bill again to abolish red-light cameras in Florida". orlandosentinel.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  23. "Anthony Sabatini Wants to Eliminate Red Light Cameras for Good". Florida Daily. April 10, 2018. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  24. Fineout, Gary (March 8, 2021). "Pro-Trump Florida state lawmaker to challenge Webster". Politico. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  25. Steven Lemongello (June 8, 2021). "Anthony Sabatini says he will run for Congress against Stephanie Murphy". Orlando Sentinel.
  26. Bever, Lindsey; Iati, Marisa (February 19, 2019). "A Trump supporter was arrested after smacking a reporter's phone. 'MAGA,' a GOP lawmaker responded". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  27. Lipscomb, Jessica (June 2, 2020). "Hialeah lawmaker says colleague's AR-15 tweet was inciting violence". Miami New Times. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  28. "Freshman Florida state representative under fire for 'openly calling for violence'". Washington Examiner. June 2, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  29. Lemongello, Steven (May 31, 2020). "Lake County GOP Rep. Sabatini posts picture of AR15 rifle directed at protesters". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  30. Gancarski, A. G. (May 30, 2020). "'Thugs' drive Florida House Twitter beef". Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  31. Schorsch, Peter (July 29, 2020). "Anthony Sabatini faces ethics complaint in connection to mask lawsuits". Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  32. "Fla lawmaker says he was slapped with ethics complaint in retaliation for challenging mask mandates". www.bizpacreview.com. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  33. "Florida lawmaker files lawsuit against Manatee County, one of 14 lawsuits against mask mandates". wtsp.com. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  34. "Judge sides with DeLand over Anthony Sabatini in mask lawsuit". Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government. September 2, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
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