Gov. Ron DeSantis is making his feelings clear about Florida business during his latest out-of-state campaign trip.
The 2024 presidential candidate told Iowans about how allies of former President Donald Trump filed an ultimately rejected complaint in March 2023 to the state Ethics Commission, accusing the Governor of operating a "shadow" presidential campaign.
DeSantis said that was an example of the Trump camp attempting to weaponize the government against him, in comments responding to a question about moves to push the former President off of ballots due to allegedly spurring an insurrection three years ago Saturday.
"His allies actually weaponized against me last Spring. They filed an ethics complaint with the Florida Election Commission, or Florida Ethics Commission. It got dismissed, but they actually asked to have me removed from office as Governor," DeSantis said in Cumming, Iowa, at an event hosted by the Never Back Down super PAC.
"Here I am, one of the most successful Governors. We're doing this legendary stuff down there. All these things conservatives have wanted and he actually tried to get me removed for bogus purposes."
The 15-page complaint letter from Taylor Budowich of MAGA Inc., purported to provide "ample evidence that Gov. DeSantis and various political committees have engaged in conduct that violated Florida ethics law." The filing contended DeSantis has flouted Florida's "resign to run" law while "skirting federal campaign finance laws," adding that could present an "impermissible conflict between his public duty and his private interests."
The complaint noted that DeSantis had raised money for his state level Friends of Ron DeSantis, unusual given the Governor is term-limited and can't run for state office again. Of course, that money was converted into the Never Back Down super PAC to support the current campaign operations.
Bulk buys of DeSantis' book and promotions were framed in the letter as mechanisms to "personally enrich" the Governor while also making it "clear" that "he has decided to run for President."
The Ethics Commission, helmed by a DeSantis ally, rejected the argument.
"There is no inherent reason why respondent, as governor, cannot travel outside the state, and the complaint does not provide additional information to establish that such travel creates a continuing or frequently occurring conflict between his private interests and the performance of his public duties or that it impedes the full and faithful discharge of his public duties," read the order from ethics commission chairman Glen Gilzean.
Gilzean has left the Ethics Commission for greener pastures. He now makes roughly $400,000 a year running the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.
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