A political action committee supporting former President Donald Trump has filed an ethics complaint against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ahead of his expected 2024 announcement.
Make America Great Again Inc. claims the Sunshine State governor has violated state ethics and election laws with his “shadow presidential campaign.”
On Wednesday, the group filed the complaint with the state’s Commission on Ethics, a majority of which are DeSantis appointees.
NBC News first reported the complaint alleges that DeSantis has already checked all the boxes for someone considering a run for the White House, including making stops in early primary states; writing a book; raising tens of millions of dollars to go into a state-level committee that could be transferred to a federal super PAC; and watching a constellation of supporter-led super PACs and an outside nonprofit group pop up, some with the stated intention of getting DeSantis to run for president. (RELATED: DeSantis Tests Presidential Waters In Iowa With Trump-Endorsed Governor)
The pro-Trump super PAC says the combination of those steps violates a handful of Florida laws about officeholders’ accepting illegal gifts.
“This letter provides ample evidence to support a finding of probable cause by the Florida Commission on Ethics that Governor DeSantis, in concert with certain associated political committees, political consultants and a 501(c)(4) organization, has solicited and received millions of dollars’ worth of illegal gifts in violation of Florida State ethics laws and the Florida Constitution,” the draft complaint reads.
While the group undoubtedly faces an uphill battle against DeSantis, if the governor did face penalties, they could include fines, public censure, ballot disqualification, removal from office, or impeachment.
The governor has brushed off the lawsuit.
“Adding this to the list of frivolous and politically motivated attacks — it’s inappropriate to use state ethics for partisan purposes,” said Taryn Fenske, DeSantis’ communications director.
Read a copy of the formal complaint below:
It is addressed to the chairman of the Ethics Commission, Glenton Gilzean, whom DeSantis appointed.
Super PACs, known as independent expenditure-only committees, are legally allowed to raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, associations and individuals, and to spend unlimited sums to support or oppose political candidates. Unlike traditional PACs, they are prohibited under long-standing federal rules from either coordinating or contributing directly to a candidate or candidate’s campaign.
DeSantis is widely expected to announce his 2024 presidential campaign this spring after Florida wraps its legislative session. His rumored entrance to the race has been a thorn in Trump’s side for months.
The former president has sunk to his usual tactics of criticisms and name-calling but so far DeSantis has largely avoided commenting on Trump’s targeting.
Trump has repeatedly launched attacks against the Florida Governor, sometimes referring to the lawmaker as “Ron DeSanctimonious.”
However, while Trump’s typical style used to win over voters now it seems conservatives are looking to tone down the theatrics and childlike name-calling.
Donald Tapia, a prominent businessman from Arizona and Trump’s former ambassador to Jamaica from 2019 to 2021, was a strong financial backer of Trump in 2016 and 2020, contributing hundreds of thousands of dollars to the former president over his two elections but recently announced he plans to support DeSantis for president.
“The name-calling has turned a lot of people off,” Tapia said to Politico. “Let me tell you, we don’t like that.”
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