Ron DeSantis' campaign brought in half a million dollars in donations from Tallahassee in June – including a lot of cash from questionable sources, the Tampa Bay Times reported Monday.
Donors included lobbyists and staffers employed in his own office, business owners who hold government contracts worth millions and at least six state agency leaders who owe their positions to the Florida governor, the newspaper reported.
His own employees gave $30,000, the report said.
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"While the full-throated financial support from the center of DeSantis’ power is not unexpected, it underscores how much he has leaned on Florida, sometimes prompting questions about the scalability of his campaign," the Times reported.
"The money also comes after several instances of DeSantis or his staff blurring the lines between his official and political operations.
When asked about the donations, campaign press secretary Jeremy Redfern, who himself gave money, said making a donation “as a private citizen is my First Amendment right.”
“I believe in what Gov. DeSantis is doing and what he is fighting for, and my support outside of the Executive Office stands as a testament to his leadership,” he said.
