A Trump-aligned political action committee on Wednesday asked the Florida Ethics Commission to investigate Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
A 15-page complaint from MAGA, Inc. claims that DeSantis has launched a “shadow presidential campaign” and is using it to amass “significant personal wealth and political capital.”
Taylor Budowich, the head of MAGA, Inc., argues to Glenton Gilzean Jr., the chairman of the Florida Commission and a DeSantis appointee, that there is “strong evidence” that DeSantis engaged in a “illegal conduct”.
DeSantis, according to the complaint, takes actions associated with launching a presidential campaign, such as hiring staff and meeting with key figures in early primary states, but does so “at the expense of Florida taxpayers.”
Budowich argued that DeSantis uses his book tour as a pretext for a presidential campaign and receives “gifts” associated with it, including hotel rooms, conference rooms and food.
“If the Commission finds that a violation has occurred, it should impose sanctions such as the impeachment of Governor DeSantis and his disqualification from any future ballot in the State of Florida,” said a press release from MAGA Inc. .
A Trump-aligned Political Action Committee on Wednesday asked the Florida Ethics Commission to investigate Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
Trump-aligned PAC MAGA, Inc. claims DeSantis has launched a “shadow presidential campaign” and is using it to amass “significant personal wealth and political capital.”
DeSantis communications director Taryn Fenske told DailyMail.com in a statement, “Adding this to the list of frivolous and politically motivated attacks.” It is inappropriate to use state ethics complaints for partisan purposes.
DeSantis named five of the nine members who currently serve on the Florida Ethics Commission, including Gilzean.
The move shows those at Trumpworld are ready to play hardball against DeSantis, who Trump said on Monday posed “probably” the biggest threat to him winning the Republican nomination again in 2024.
“I would probably say yes, but you never know what’s going on, that could change,” Trump told a group of reporters aboard “Trump Force One” with him en route to Davenport, Iowa.
“I think we won’t have much of a challenge,” Trump also offered.
Trump used the Davenport event — his first of the 2024 race in the state that holds the first presidential caucus — to go after DeSantis like never before.
He told the crowd — which represented people from 77 of Iowa’s 99 counties — that DeSantis was bad on ethanyl and wanted to cut Social Security and Medicare.
He also portrayed the Florida governor and former congressman as a “RINO” who would lose the race.
“You have to remember that Ron was a follower of Paul Ryan,” Trump told the crowd, describing the former GOP House chairman as a “RINO loser who is currently destroying Fox.”
In Davenport, Iowa on Monday, former President Donald Trump lashed out at DeSantis, linking him to ‘RINO’ losers and saying he was bad on ethanyl, Social Security and Health Insurance.
“To be honest with you, Ron also reminds me a lot of Mitt Romney,” Trump added.
While Trump announced his 2024 candidacy in November, just days after the end of the 2022 midterm races, DeSantis has yet to declare his intentions despite it being abundantly clear that he is testing the waters.
Ahead of Trump’s trip to Davenport on Monday, DeSantis visited the same Iowa city on Friday, as well as the state capital, Des Moines.
He plans to headline an event in New Hampshire next month and traveled to Nevada this weekend.
MAGA, Inc.’s ethics complaint bases its complaint on a Florida law that states that politicians running for new office must resign from their current position if the two offices overlap.
A 2024 presidential race would violate the law, although top Republican lawmakers in the state have indicated they will change the law for DeSantis to run a race.
It was changed in 2008 when it looked like Republican Florida Governor Charlie Crist could be chosen to be Senator John McCain’s running mate. It was changed in 2018.
MAGA, Inc.’s complaint argues that because the law remains unchanged, any gifts or money accepted by DeSantis to entice him to run for president are in violation of state law.
