DeSantis Says Media ‘Propped’ Up Andrew Gillum Amid FBI Investigation
June 23, 2022 Updated 3:51 P.M. ET
FORT LAUDERDALE (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday that the media propped up Andrew Gillum, DeSantis’ 2018 opponent, even as the FBI investigated the Democratic opponent.
On Wednesday, the former Democrat candidate for Governor, Andrew Gillum, was indicted by a U.S. government federal grand jury on 21 counts for conspiracy, wire fraud, and making false statements.
“What was presented to the public was that this guy was like the second coming,” DeSantis said Thursday. “I mean, never has a candidate been elevated I think that way by media outlets, certainly in the last 10 years or so.”
During the 2018 election, DeSantis went after Gillum for corruption and rumored investigations.
A reporter asked the Governor Thursday if he felt “vindicated” after being called a “racist” and “liar” for calling out Gillum for being under investigation.
“I would ask a lot of the media that propped him up whether they have any type of mea culpa on that,” DeSantis said in response. “There were clearly a lot of issues there. If you looked under the hood, you saw it.”
Andrew Gillum Indicted for Federal Conspiracy and Wire Fraud, May Face Years in Prison
The DOJ says that Gillum conspired to commit wire fraud by using fraudulently-provided money “disguised as payroll payments” for his personal use. 19 of the 21 counts are wire fraud.
“I have spent the last 20 years of my life in public service and continue to fight for the people,” Gillum said in a statement Wednesday. “Every campaign I’ve run has been done with integrity. Make no mistake that this case is not legal, it is political.”
Governor DeSantis narrowly won the 2018 election over Gillum by only approximately 30,000 votes.
“If I had not won in 2018, this state would be in a much worse shape,” DeSantis said. “And that’s not even a question. And so we’re happy that we were able to do it but even more happy that we’ve been able to lead and accomplish more than anyone thought we could accomplish in the state of Florida.”
