Florida – Just a day after he suspended his presidential campaign and reluctantly supported Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, the Governor of Florida, blocked a plan to use state money to help pay for Trump’s legal fees.
DeSantis said he would veto a bill that could help Trump financially
DeSantis said he would reject a proposal by State Senator Ileana Garcia, from his own Republican party. Garcia wanted to set aside as much as $5 million from Florida’s budget to help Trump with his legal bills. Trump is dealing with 91 criminal charges and many lawsuits in different places.
DeSantis shared a link on social media to a Politico article headlined “Some Florida Republicans want taxpayers to pay Trump’s legal bills”, and he added the caption: “But not the Florida Republican who wields the veto pen.”
Garcia’s idea had support from Jimmy Patronis, the Republican in charge of Florida’s finances. However, soon after DeSantis spoke against it, Garcia took back her proposal, according to FloridaPolitics.com.
She said in a statement that having Trump in the White House again would be a gain for Florida, where the former president’s Mar-a-Lago resort is located.
“We’re in the midst of an historic moment where we’re watching an election that’s trying to be stolen by Left wing prosecutors, the Biden Administration and even Blue States. They’re not trying to win at the ballot box; they’re trying to keep President Trump off the ballot by weaponizing the courts. Having a Floridian in the White House is good for our state – and anything we can do to support Florida Presidential candidates, like President Trump, will not only benefit our state, but our nation,” she said.
DeSantis endorsed Trump immediately after he confirmed he suspended his bid
DeSantis dropped out of the race for the White House last Sunday. He came in second after Trump in the Iowa caucuses and was expected to be third in the New Hampshire primary, behind Trump and ex-South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.
Endorsing Trump, DeSantis said: “It’s clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance. He has my endorsement because we can’t go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear, a repackaged form of warmed over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents.”
Trump appreciated DeSantis’ support but said on Fox News that it’s very unlikely DeSantis would be part of his administration if he wins again.
“I have a lot of great people, and I have great people that have been with me right from the beginning,” Trump said on Sunday.
Trump faces criminal charges related to his efforts to overturn his 2020 loss to Joe Biden, keeping government secrets after his term, and payments to silence an adult film actress about an alleged affair. He’s also involved in lawsuits about his business dealings and an accusation of sexual assault by writer E Jean Carroll, which a judge has found largely credible.
