Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Monday indicated he would veto a bill that would give up to $5 million in taxpayer money to Donald Trump to help pay his extensive legal fees.
DeSantis, who ended a bitter campaign against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination on Sunday, shared a story about the bill on X, along with his veto comments:
The “Florida Freedom Fighters Fund” bill, introduced earlier this month by State Sen. Ileana Garcia (R), would offer cash to Florida residents running for president who are charged with crimes and are “victims of political discrimination.”
Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis ― a Republican ― rationalized it by saying in a statement that Trump is a “Florida Man” and supporting him is “just good from a dollars and cents perspective.”
Garcia initially said in a statement that “anything we can do to support Florida Presidential candidates, like President Trump, will not only benefit our state, but our nation.”
She withdrew the bill on Monday after DeSantis’ veto threat.
″[H]e can handle himself,” she wrote on X.
Democrats pushed back.
“What this shows you is who the Florida GOP is loyal to, because it’s certainly not the people of Florida,” Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried told the Miami Herald. “They’re quick and ready to dole out up to $5 million dollars for Trump, but have yet to put forward a solution to our property insurance and housing crisis, the 4,000-teacher shortage, or the crippling costs of healthcare because the legislature simply refuses to expand Medicaid.”
