Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) is a prolific fundraiser. Since announcing his candidacy in 2018, DeSantis has solicited funds for his eponymous state political committee, Friends of Ron DeSantis. Friends of Ron DeSantis can accept contributions in unlimited amounts — from individuals and corporations. DeSantis has taken advantage of Florida's permissive rules. Even after spending tens of millions on his election and reelection, he has amassed a war chest of nearly $86 million.
This article could easily have been captioned "Ron DeSantis is about to make a mockery of ____________________ (fill in the blank), because that's all he does.
Speaking of mockery, given Trump's performance in the CNN town hall debacle, can you imagine DeSantis going toe-to-toe in a primary debate with the Orange autocrat? There would be nothing left of DeSantis except a grease spot where he melted.
Is there really no recourse? Is the FEC the only entity that governs this grift?
Personally, I am loving the fact that these wealthy folks will be loosing their money supporting an unelectable but I would like to see some legal consequences.
Judd, your focus is brilliant. DeSantis attracted many Republican donors because they thought they had a perfect formula to beat Trump. With the absurd lengths that the Governor chose to go to--Disney, CRT, book banning and felonizing teachers, and more--these power brokers are not so sure.
Please, continue to describe who contributes to DeSantis and what that specifically means they are standing for. People must learn about the repercussions DeSantis's power has and could have. This exposure can reach "we the people" in enough numbers to override FEC and other roadblocks. [Remember Sexton of Tennessee!]
This is ridiculous. Why do we even have any laws if republicans can flout them at every turn? The so called "party of law and order" breaks the law right out in the open and never faces any consequences at all. Hopefully your article will be picked up nationally and shine an even brighter spotlight on these corrupt goons...
Thanks for your fine work. Trump with a Harvard legacy and the clear intention to do whatever the *^%# it takes to leverage every bit of right wing lunacy and cash into power.
And, majored in history!! Of course History covers the world since the beginning of time, but how can he have that advantage and behave like the cruel and moronic Trump?
If there was a way we could have this, without removing his laser focus from working with the PI team to expose corruption, I'd wholeheartedly endorse it.
I agree the FEC is a paper tiger. Thank you for exposing just one more thing the GOP, Ron DeSantis and I'll add, major media are doing in plain view. Hell would have frozen over before I watched Trump on CNN last night. This morning we have Judd's important story here and at least 10 elsewhere with "5 Takeaways from Trump's CNN Town Hall"
That is what most of America will hear and read today. SMDH.
DeSantis can't buy that kind of attention even with finance capital of 86 million illegally used and loopholes up his wazoo.
I flipped on MSNBC to hear what they had to say about Santos. Instead, coming up was their coverage on trump at CNN. I flipped to Kimmel. If I was interested in trump's townhall I would have watched it. SMDH, is exactly right.
The question is will all these funds serve to truly catapult him past TFG, who still holds sway and command of the GQP base? Is DeSantis attractive enough to a large enough part of his party? A war chest, even of ill-gotten gains, may not be enough. Fingers crossed!
At first I thought DeathSentence might challenge Orange Julius. After what I've seen over these past months I have my doubts. I agree with you that a warchest of cash is not enough to help him. It cannot buy him a personality, charisma or imagination.
First, it was him foaming at the mouth all day about woke, LGBTQ and getting his teeth kicked in by Mickey and Goofy. Now that I've seen this account...ooh boy. Even the PAC name he chose is insipid. Never Back Down?! It sounds like a low budget action movie from the 80s. As much as I despise TFG, I have to admit that he generally understands how to read and rile a crowd. This other guy out of FL? Not so much.
Hahaha! What a mental picture I got from your comments.
"Never Back Down" starring Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, Sylvestor Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Ray Liotta, Richard Roundtree, Clint Eastwood & Yaphet Kotto with guest appearences from Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise and Umma Thurman. Directed by Quentin Tarantino. What a fine mess that would be.
You're even more generous in casting choices than I was thinking. I was leaning more towards something like the movie Gymkata, starring Kurt Thomas. Something you'd dig up in the 20 for $10 VHS bin at Walmart.
This is the big flaw of a Democracy. To function properly depends on our leaders being decent human beings.
Our democracy doesn’t have effective laws in place that could shut down all these illegal and barely legal shenanigans, or prevent them from happening, and arrest or fire the law breakers who work to ignore our constitution or to interpret it wrongly. OR to install a new form of government in slow motion.
Democracy is too easy to undermine unless the voters strongly and visibly, consistently protest by marching ~~before we miss the window.
Plus if you zoom out to the time of our founders and extrapolate to the future we’re seeing now, while knowing well the dark side of human nature, Capitalism was bound to place its foot on the neck of democracy eventually. Strong laws might have prevented that. Rules are not enough.
Right. Then it becomes who is the best at cheating. We know, even for all his inelegance, who that guy is. It’s not DeSantis. People love Trump’s lies and his flaunting the rules of decorum and decency, roughing up and raping women. Stiffing his employees.
It’s not that they believe his lies. They want to be like him. This is the REAL Trump University. How many of the millions of his sycophants actually believe his lies? I lean toward hardly any. The so called Christians don’t need to believe him. They’re only in it for the power to ascend on his coattails to rule over the country. The rest aspire to be him.
I keep shouting from the roof top "We will only change this country when we get a Democratic Super Majority. Only then can many of these downfalls of a democracy be codified!"
Shocker.
This article could easily have been captioned "Ron DeSantis is about to make a mockery of ____________________ (fill in the blank), because that's all he does.
Speaking of mockery, given Trump's performance in the CNN town hall debacle, can you imagine DeSantis going toe-to-toe in a primary debate with the Orange autocrat? There would be nothing left of DeSantis except a grease spot where he melted.
Lol so true! He is a competent politician only in his scowl for the camera.
Well that’s pretty fucking infuriating.
One must wonder why this great nation is constantly beset by criminals in the guise of supposed leaders/legislators/representatives/etc!
DeSantis is among those of our current crop of thieves and worse, breaking the system in pursuit of personal power.
Oh but for a gaol in which to shove them all!
I have a better thought for their future home!
Oh? You care to expound upon this presumed "better thought" hmmm?
Lol.
You can read between the lines Adam.
Heh heh heh
Judd continues to expose the real DEEP STATE. thank you Judd.
Is there really no recourse? Is the FEC the only entity that governs this grift?
Personally, I am loving the fact that these wealthy folks will be loosing their money supporting an unelectable but I would like to see some legal consequences.
Judd, your focus is brilliant. DeSantis attracted many Republican donors because they thought they had a perfect formula to beat Trump. With the absurd lengths that the Governor chose to go to--Disney, CRT, book banning and felonizing teachers, and more--these power brokers are not so sure.
Please, continue to describe who contributes to DeSantis and what that specifically means they are standing for. People must learn about the repercussions DeSantis's power has and could have. This exposure can reach "we the people" in enough numbers to override FEC and other roadblocks. [Remember Sexton of Tennessee!]
Thank you Valerie. I agree.
This is ridiculous. Why do we even have any laws if republicans can flout them at every turn? The so called "party of law and order" breaks the law right out in the open and never faces any consequences at all. Hopefully your article will be picked up nationally and shine an even brighter spotlight on these corrupt goons...
Judd, the careful granularity of your research makes a real world difference. Thank you for your work.
Thanks for your fine work. Trump with a Harvard legacy and the clear intention to do whatever the *^%# it takes to leverage every bit of right wing lunacy and cash into power.
Yale too. AND the United States Navy.
And, majored in history!! Of course History covers the world since the beginning of time, but how can he have that advantage and behave like the cruel and moronic Trump?
He’s the worst of the worst, pulls up the ladder once he’s climbed it.
Judd 2024.
If there was a way we could have this, without removing his laser focus from working with the PI team to expose corruption, I'd wholeheartedly endorse it.
Republicans can only survive for awhile on their willingness to cheat the system and the people.
Perhaps. I like your profile pic Pat!
I agree the FEC is a paper tiger. Thank you for exposing just one more thing the GOP, Ron DeSantis and I'll add, major media are doing in plain view. Hell would have frozen over before I watched Trump on CNN last night. This morning we have Judd's important story here and at least 10 elsewhere with "5 Takeaways from Trump's CNN Town Hall"
That is what most of America will hear and read today. SMDH.
DeSantis can't buy that kind of attention even with finance capital of 86 million illegally used and loopholes up his wazoo.
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I flipped on MSNBC to hear what they had to say about Santos. Instead, coming up was their coverage on trump at CNN. I flipped to Kimmel. If I was interested in trump's townhall I would have watched it. SMDH, is exactly right.
The question is will all these funds serve to truly catapult him past TFG, who still holds sway and command of the GQP base? Is DeSantis attractive enough to a large enough part of his party? A war chest, even of ill-gotten gains, may not be enough. Fingers crossed!
At first I thought DeathSentence might challenge Orange Julius. After what I've seen over these past months I have my doubts. I agree with you that a warchest of cash is not enough to help him. It cannot buy him a personality, charisma or imagination.
First, it was him foaming at the mouth all day about woke, LGBTQ and getting his teeth kicked in by Mickey and Goofy. Now that I've seen this account...ooh boy. Even the PAC name he chose is insipid. Never Back Down?! It sounds like a low budget action movie from the 80s. As much as I despise TFG, I have to admit that he generally understands how to read and rile a crowd. This other guy out of FL? Not so much.
Hahaha! What a mental picture I got from your comments.
"Never Back Down" starring Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, Sylvestor Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Ray Liotta, Richard Roundtree, Clint Eastwood & Yaphet Kotto with guest appearences from Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise and Umma Thurman. Directed by Quentin Tarantino. What a fine mess that would be.
You're even more generous in casting choices than I was thinking. I was leaning more towards something like the movie Gymkata, starring Kurt Thomas. Something you'd dig up in the 20 for $10 VHS bin at Walmart.
Damn! I forgot Kurt Douglass!!!!!
Now you're cooking. Can't have an actioner without Spartacus.
Ya think Willem DaFoe and Jonathon Majors would be too much? I know old John is out of favor now and that's too damn bad. He should have known better.
This is the big flaw of a Democracy. To function properly depends on our leaders being decent human beings.
Our democracy doesn’t have effective laws in place that could shut down all these illegal and barely legal shenanigans, or prevent them from happening, and arrest or fire the law breakers who work to ignore our constitution or to interpret it wrongly. OR to install a new form of government in slow motion.
Democracy is too easy to undermine unless the voters strongly and visibly, consistently protest by marching ~~before we miss the window.
Plus if you zoom out to the time of our founders and extrapolate to the future we’re seeing now, while knowing well the dark side of human nature, Capitalism was bound to place its foot on the neck of democracy eventually. Strong laws might have prevented that. Rules are not enough.
That's a key point Susan. Democracy is an honor system of sorts. It can't work if everybody cheats.
Right. Then it becomes who is the best at cheating. We know, even for all his inelegance, who that guy is. It’s not DeSantis. People love Trump’s lies and his flaunting the rules of decorum and decency, roughing up and raping women. Stiffing his employees.
It’s not that they believe his lies. They want to be like him. This is the REAL Trump University. How many of the millions of his sycophants actually believe his lies? I lean toward hardly any. The so called Christians don’t need to believe him. They’re only in it for the power to ascend on his coattails to rule over the country. The rest aspire to be him.
I keep shouting from the roof top "We will only change this country when we get a Democratic Super Majority. Only then can many of these downfalls of a democracy be codified!"
Start crooked. End up crooked.
Stunning exposé, Judd.