Newt Gingrich Calls On Florida Republican To Back Away From 'Insane' Bill

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich offered his two cents on a Florida Republican ’s “insane” piece of proposed legislation that would require paid bloggers who cover state politicians to register with the state .

The bill, introduced by Florida Sen. Jason Brodeur (R), targets bloggers who write about Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), state Cabinet members and state legislators, NBC News reported .

Brodeur has referred to paid bloggers as “lobbyists who write instead of talk ” and his efforts to pass the bill didn’t please Gingrich.

“The idea that bloggers criticizing a politician should register with the government is insane,” Gingrich wrote in a tweet. “It is an embarrassment that it is a Republican state legislator in Florida who introduced a bill to that effect. He should withdraw it immediately.”

Clay Calvert, a University of Florida professor emeritus of law, also criticized the bill, dubbing it “highly problematic.”

“It is tantamount to requiring bloggers to register, and that’s a form of licensing. One of the reasons we have the First Amendment is to give the press freedom, and to be free from government control,” Calvert told Newsweek .