Nikki Fried ethics complaint against DeSantis’ budget chief dismissed
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – An ethics complaint filed against Gov. Ron DeSantis’ budget chief by Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried has been dismissed after accusing DeSantis officials of “unethical and illegal solicitation of endorsements” for his presidential run.
Fried filed three ethics complaints against DeSantis’s executive staff with both the Florida Commission on Ethics and the Elections Commission.
According to documents, the commission dismissed the following complaints for “lack of legal sufficiency.”
In June, Nikki Fried filed three ethics and elections complaints against the administration for “reported unethical and illegal solicitations of campaign contributions from Florida lobbyists.”
The filed complaints alleged that officials from the Executive Office of the Governor engaged in unethical and potentially illegal activities by soliciting campaign contributions from lobbyists.
Fried said the allegations “represent a gross violation of state laws and ethics […] and we could not in good conscience ignore them.”
“If true, they are yet another example of Ron abusing his public office for personal gain. Public officials are employed to serve the people of Florida, not line Ron’s pockets,” Fried said.
It also accused the officials of unethically and illegally seeking endorsements for the governor’s presidential campaign during discussions with lawmakers regarding the state budget.
In June, press secretary for the governor’s office Jeremy Redfern said DeSantis’ team is “adding this to the list of politically motivated attacks.”
“We know the great work he’s accomplished as governor,” Redfern said. “If the executive team wants to fundraise, knock doors, or volunteer their free time, more power to them – they have First Amendment rights like every American.”
A number of other complaints were also dismissed such as two complaints filed against Crescent City Commissioner Cynthia Burton, two complaints filed against State Attorney 16th Judicial Circuit Dennis Ward, Broward County School Board Member Brenda Harmer Fam, Broward County School Board Member Allen Zeman, and more.
The meeting took place on July 28 in closed session. The Florida Commission on Ethics took action on 41 matters in total.
Five of those matters were complaints considered for probable cause.
The Florida Commission on Ethics is an independent nine-member commission formed in 1974 to review complaints filed under the statutory Code of Ethics and to answer questions from public officials about potential conflicts of interest through its issuance of advisory opinions.
