DeSantis’ office denies Trump team accusations of ‘taxpayer funded’ campaign

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – Both Gov. Ron DeSantis’ state and political team denied accusations from former President Donald Trump’s campaign that the governor is utilizing public funds for political events across the country.

Florida’s Voice spoke with both a member of DeSantis’ political team and the Executive Office of the Governor.

The Trump War Room released a statement alleging DeSantis is using “taxpayer dollars to travel around the country for his 2024 presidential campaign.” They cited reports that DeSantis plans to travel to states like Georgia, Michigan, New Hampshire and Ohio, along with his past visits to Iowa and Nevada.

“All this travel occurs while the Florida Legislature is in-session, and before DeSantis has formed a campaign committee to pay for his travel,” they said. “This means Florida taxpayers are on the hook for the bill.”

However, Trump’s team did not cite evidence that public funds are going towards events like the “Florida Blueprint” tour – the name for DeSantis’ promotional events for his new book, “The Courage to Be Free.”

Jeremy Redfern, DeSantis’ deputy press secretary, told Florida’s Voice that no public funds go towards coordinating, planning, or executing “political travel.”

“Florida Blueprint” events are not hosted or funded by the Florida government. A 501(c)(4) organization called “And to the Republic” is responsible for them.

On their “events” page, upcoming events include a March 30 event in Cobb County, Georgia, and an April 1 one in Nassau County, New York.

“And To The Republic promotes common-sense, freedom-oriented, conservative policy successes while examining failures of over-government regulation,” the group said in its description.

A member of DeSantis’ political team told Florida’s Voice that other events, like the governor’s appearances at local GOP clubs that are not “Florida Blueprint” events, are also hosted by other groups, not paid for by the state.

Redfern clarified that other kinds of trips, like his upcoming trip to Israel, is a “trade mission through Enterprise Florida and, just like the last one, is not paid for at the taxpayer’s expense.”

DeSantis is also facing an ethics complaint from a Trump-supporting super PAC alleging there is “strong evidence” of the governor breaking various campaign-related laws, arguing that some of the activities that have helped the governor’s “ascension to the national stage” are being funded by “a vast network of political committees.”

“[They] are in furtherance of his personal financial gain at the expense of Florida taxpayers, and are intended to influence his official decision to resign from office. It is no secret that Governor DeSantis aspires to national prominence,” the complaint from Make America Great Again Inc.

DeSantis’ office dismissed the complaint as a “frivolous and politically motivated attack.”

“It’s inappropriate to use state ethics complaints for partisan purposes,” they said.

The governor has said he will look into “national” political decisions once the Florida Legislature wraps up its session in May.

He is reportedly planning additional out-of-state visits in April to areas like Michigan, Ohio, and New Hampshire.