The father-in-law of California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom attacked Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis, who divulged a personal conversation the two shared during a nationally televised debate last week.
DeSantis and Newsom argued for 90 minutes on Fox News on Thursday during a debate about the future of the country.
Both men pointed to the their states as models for how the country should be run.
During one moment while DeSantis was discussing the Californians seeking shelter in states such as his from crime and taxes, he invoked Newsom’s in-laws — who are residents of Naples, Florida, and have been since 2020.
“I was talking to a fella who had made the move to California to Florida, and he was telling me that Florida was much better governed, safer, better budget, lower taxes, all this stuff. And he’s really happy with the quality of life,” DeSantis said during the debate.
The Florida Republican added, “And then he paused, and he said, ‘Oh by the way, I’m Gavin Newsom’s father-in-law.’ So we do count Gavin’s in-law as some of the people that have fled California and come to the state of Florida.”
I was talking to a fella who had made the move from California to Florida. He was telling me that Florida’s much better governed, safer, better budget, lower taxes.
Then he paused and said ‘by the way, I’m Gavin Newsom’s father-in-law.’ pic.twitter.com/OSsYCRTJYo
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) December 1, 2023
In an interview with the U.K. Daily Mail, Kenneth Siebel — the man in question — attacked DeSantis for the debate comment.
“Saying we moved from California to Florida to fit his narrative was a downright slimy lie, which he knew,” the 82-year-old said.
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Siebel said he and his wife Judith Siebel — Newsom’s mother-in-law — moved to Florida from Montana and not directly from California.
“DeSantis knew that we were Montana residents. And he said that I said Florida has better budgeting and less crime,” Siebel said. “I have no clue on the state’s budgeting. I have no clue about the crime rates.”
He praised California and admitted he did live in the state for decades before he moved to Montana years ago, but he was angry with DeSantis and claimed he moved to Florida to be near his friends.
“He just made up stuff as a lie. I’m 82, nearly 83, and I’m very sad that we got brought into this — this slimy part of the conversation,” Siebel said. “It was a real slimeball move. It made me very angry, and I shouldn’t have to get angry.”
Added Newsom’s father-in-law, “I don’t tolerate liars, and he lied. I found it despicable that he knew he was lying to make a point.”
Siebel did not mention any of the tall tales his son told the country during the debate.
A representative for DeSantis framed Siebel’s comments as damage control on behalf of Newsom and pointed out that the California governor’s father-in-law donated to DeSantis’ 2022 re-election bid.
“Gavin Newsom got beaten by Ron DeSantis so badly at the debate that his family is now putting on the full-court press to mitigate the damage,” a representative for the Florida governor said.
“And it makes sense; they’re acting as his surrogates because no normal California resident would be willing to do so,” the person added. “It’s also been widely reported that Mr. Siebel even went so far as to donate to support Ron DeSantis.”
