DeSantis Denied Access to GITMO

By Michael Baxter - @Real Raw News

February 3, 2023

Florida Governor and presumptive 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis was denied access to Guantanamo Bay after a spokesperson at his bequest informed Vice Adm. Crandall that DeSantis wanted to witness Ron Klain’s military tribunal, which is scheduled for Friday, February 3, an adjunct to Admiral Crandall told Real Raw News.

DeSantis’ spokesperson Christina Pushaw Wednesday afternoon informed JAG that DeSantis would arrive at GITMO early Friday morning to view the tribunal and, if time permitted, conduct a routine inspection of the base to ensure security protocols met his expectations. But JAG’s special assistant for strategic planning denied the request, saying GITMO was not currently accepting tourists or politicians, including State governors.

The snub reportedly angered Pushaw because DeSantis had been allowed to tour the base during an unannounced visit last August. DeSantis walked the base on that visit with Admirals Crandall and David Wilson, who listened to DeSantis reminisce about his days as a Navy JAG officer at GITMO in 2006. Neither Vice Adm. Crandall nor base commander General Lance A. Okamura objected to DeSantis’ presence at the time.

Afterward, Gen. David H. Berger spoke to Adm. Crandall and said allowing DeSantis to visit GITMO was like “letting a fox in the coop.” Berger, who has largely recovered from wounds sustained at the hands of his abductors, had long voiced a palpable dislike for DeSantis, and on more than one occasion labeled him a Deep State sympathizer.

According to our source, Berger and Crandall had a tiff last September when the latter said he and his staff, not Camp Pendleton, governed access to Guantanamo Bay. “We each have unique responsibilities,” Crandall said, to which Berger replied, “We have a symbiotic relationship, you and I. I’m not trying to step on your toes—just giving friendly advice.” A few days later, Crandall received a call from none other than President Trump, who encouraged him to forbid unauthorized personnel from setting foot on GITMO but stopped short of issuing a direct order. Trump, who this week called DeSantis a globalist RINO, warned Crandall that DeSantis had questionable allegiances.

“President Trump apparently feels GITMO may have been infiltrated. I think he communicated that to Adm. Crandall. I think when Adm. Crandall entertained Gov. DeSantis in August, it was a courtesy, one Navy officer to another. DeSantis was displeased at hearing he wouldn’t be allowed back. He could be heard in the background muttering unkind words while the admiral’s assistant was talking to Ms. Pushaw,” our source said.

Asked whether Adm. Crandall conferred with Trump before refusing DeSantis’ request, our source added, “I don’t know. But he’s persona non-gratis around here right now.”

As an aside, Ron Klain’s military tribunal will begin at 10:00 a.m. Friday. Real Raw News will supply a report as speedily as possible.