Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis offered a tepid endorsement of former President Donald Trump when he dropped out of the 2024 presidential race over the weekend. But he apparently draws the line at using his state's taxpayer funds to bail out Trump from his legal expenses.
That's exactly what at least some Republican lawmakers in the Sunshine State are proposing. A new bill announced this month with the sponsorship of state Sen. Ileana Garcia and the backing of Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis would establish a "Florida Freedom Fighters Fund," allowing up to $5 million in support for a presidential candidate running this state who faces a federal or state criminal trial. Patronis said the bill is vital to defending candidates from "legal, partisan, political attacks by the Department of Justice or State Attorneys."
But DeSantis apparently isn't interested in bailing out his one-time ally turned bitter rival after months of primary competition.
In response to Politico's post on the social media site "X" that "some Florida Republicans want taxpayers to pay Trump's legal bills," DeSantis wrote, "But not the Florida Republican who wields the veto pen..."
Trump currently faces four separate criminal indictments, including two from federal special counsel Jack Smith, and one each in New York and Georgia. And this is on top of a mountain of civil litigation, including defamation claims brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, and a civil fraud suit in New York alleging he and his adult sons committed fraud in their property valuations.
DeSantis, once considered a rising Republican star and initially leading in some polls against Trump, cratered after hitting the campaign trail and facing a series of missteps and negative press attention. The only major candidate still challenging Trump for the 2024 nomination is former U.N. Ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
