Home News Florida Democrat Chair Files Ethics Complaint Against DeSantis

Florida Democrat Chair Files Ethics Complaint Against DeSantis

9882
3
Ron DeSantis via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Florida Democrat chair Nikki Fried has filed an ethics complaint against Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), accusing him of violating state law by accepting gifts from his political committee.

The complaint centers primarily on a three-day retreat at the Four Seasons in Palm Beach, Fla., where DeSantis met with donors and Republican lawmakers.

According to The Hill, the complaint cites several other expenditures by the committee, including $142,000 at the Four Seasons Hotel Miami for a meeting expense and nearly $12,000 for food and beverages at Dirty French Steakhouse in Miami.

“This is yet another example of Ron DeSantis arrogantly thinking he is above the law. No one is above the law,” Fried said in a statement. “While Floridians face some of the highest property insurance and mortgage rates in the state’s history, DeSantis is hobnobbing with special interest donors and lining his pockets with freebies. Floridians deserve answers, and DeSantis needs to be held accountable.”

DeSantis’s office brushed off that complaint as “politically motivated,” and dismissed Fried’s complaint on Monday with a similar remark.

“Just like the one from two weeks ago, we’ll just add this to the list of frivolous & politically motivated attacks,” Taryn Fenske, DeSantis’s communications director, tweeted. “Louder for the Dems in the back: It’s inappropriate to use ethics complaints for partisan purposes.”

Fried’s complaint is the second filed against DeSantis in less than two weeks.

Make America Great Again Inc., the main super PAC aligned with former President Trump, filed a complaint earlier this month accusing the Florida governor of violating state and federal law by running a “shadow presidential campaign.” (RELATED: Ron DeSantis Hit With Ethics Complaint From Trump Super PAC)

NBC News first reported the complaint alleges that DeSantis has already checked all the boxes for someone considering a run for the White House, including making stops in early primary states; writing a book; raising tens of millions of dollars to go into a state-level committee that could be transferred to a federal super PAC; and watching a constellation of supporter-led super PACs and an outside nonprofit group pop up, some with the stated intention of getting DeSantis to run for president.

The pro-Trump super PAC says the combination of those steps violates a handful of Florida laws about officeholders’ accepting illegal gifts.

“This letter provides ample evidence to support a finding of probable cause by the Florida Commission on Ethics that Governor DeSantis, in concert with certain associated political committees, political consultants and a 501(c)(4) organization, has solicited and received millions of dollars’ worth of illegal gifts in violation of Florida State ethics laws and the Florida Constitution,” the draft complaint reads. 

3 COMMENTS

  1. Just more sour grapes by the Leftist Pukes. They simply can’t win with ideas on how to fix the nation’s problems, so they dishonor themselves by personal attacks, lies, innuendoes, or half-truths. I urn for the days where even politicians might have an honorable bone in their body and still put the country and the people first.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here