Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday he will not support a Sunshine State bill that would leave taxpayers on the hook for former President Donald Trump's bill.
In response to a Politico report that noted that “some Florida Republicans” supported a bill that would give up to $5 million to the 77-year-old Republican presidential primary front-runner. DeSantis tweeted: “But not the Florida Republicans who wield the veto power…”
The proposal, introduced by state Sen. Iliana Garcia (R-Miami), would cover legal costs incurred as a result of criminal charges brought by “public entities of the United States” against “qualified persons.” The idea is to secure state funds in preparation. political discrimination. ”
Trump's name is not listed invoice textbut to be eligible to receive this funding, an individual must meet “presidential eligibility requirements” and be a Florida resident, and Trump meets both criteria.
“We are in the midst of a historic moment in which we are witnessing an election that is about to be stolen by left-wing prosecutors, the Biden administration, and even Blue States,” Garcia said. stated in a statement.
“They're not trying to win at the ballot box. They're trying to use the courts as a weapon to keep President Trump from voting. Having a Floridian in the White House is good for the state, and President Trump's “Anything we can do to support Florida presidential candidates like these will benefit not only our state but the nation,” she added.
After leaving office, Trump will be charged with two felonies in federal cases related to his role in the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol and his alleged mishandling of classified White House documents after taking office. He has been charged with four criminal charges, including:
He also faces charges in Georgia and New York for allegedly trying to overturn the results of the 2020 Peach State election and for allegedly paying hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels.
Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis (R) also supports the measure, which would create a so-called “Freedom Fighters Defense Fund” to ease Mr. Trump's financial burden.
“Donald Trump, a Florida native, is running for president, but he faces ongoing legal challenges from Democrats in New York, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta,” Patronis said. stated in a statement. “The left is really good at weaponizing the courts, and President Biden is so unpopular that they're not just trying to defeat Trump at the polls, they're trying to throw him in jail. This is outrageous.”
“If we can support and support a candidate for the White House in Florida, that's a good thing from a dollars and cents standpoint,” he added, echoing Garcia.
Mr. Patronis said Mr. DeSantis, who withdrew from the presidential race on Sunday and endorsed Mr. Trump, also said he would not be able to raise money if he ran into “the same legal headwinds that President Trump faces” in a future White House bid. He pointed out that he was eligible to receive.
Florida Democratic Party Chairman Nikki Fried condemned the effort.
“Back home… people can't afford insurance, kids are going to go hungry over the summer. Teacher salaries rank 48th in the nation, and this is what Republicans think your money should be used for. “, she wrote in the paper. ×post.
Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, who supports Trump in 2024, was not clear on whether she would support the bill. tell politico Former presidents “have the wherewithal to cover their legal costs. But many don't, and that's Sen. Garcia's concern.”
