A Florida county commission, with members noting President Donald Trump’s dislike for The New York Times, has stopped its libraries from purchasing a digital subscription to the newspaper.
The Citrus County Commission blocked $2,700 in annual funding on Oct. 24 that would have provided free access to the newspaper for 70,000 library cardholders, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
“Fake news, I agree with President Trump,” Commissioner Scott Carnahan said. “I don’t want The New York Times in this county. I don’t agree with it, I don’t like 'em, it’s fake news and I’m voting no. I support Donald Trump."
The White House last month announced it will not renew its subscriptions to the Times and The Washington Post after Trump had suggested it. Trump had said in an interview with Sean Hannity of Fox News that the Times is a “fake newspaper” and “we don’t even want it in the White House anymore.”
County Commissioner Brian Coleman had also initially cited Trump during the vote to block funding, the Citrus County Chronicle reported.
“I support President Trump,” he said. “I would say they put stuff in there that’s not necessarily verified."
Two days after the meeting, Coleman told the Chronicle he wanted to re-address the issue.
“Our decision should have been impartial, instead of having it become a personal thing," Coleman said.
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