March 17, 2023
Donald Trump spent much of the past year teasing a 2024 presidential campaign—telling New York magazine last summer that he had “already made that decision” on whether to run and promising his rally crowds for months that they would be “very happy” about his choice, reports The New York Times.
Now, Trump’s allies are accusing Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida of doing the same—but insisting that he has violated state law.
MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, filed a complaint with Florida officials on Wednesday, March 15, alleging that DeSantis—the former president’s chief potential rival for the Republican Party’s 2024 nomination —is operating a shadow presidential campaign.
The super PAC said that DeSantis should be considered a presidential candidate because he has taken meetings with donors, raised money for a political committee, and toured the country to sell books, while allies are reaching out to potential campaign aides.
The pro-Trump super PAC, which sent the complaint via certified mail on Wednesday, is asking the state commission to impose “the most severe penalties” under Florida ethics law, which include, among other things, impeachment, removal from office, public censure and ballot disqualification. NBC News earlier reported on the complaint on Wednesday.
A spokesperson in the governor’s office, Taryn Fenske, said the complaint was part of a “list of frivolous and politically motivated attacks,” adding, “It’s inappropriate to use state ethics complaints for partisan purposes.”
While DeSantis hasn’t formally declared a White House bid, he is checking all the boxes of a potential candidate, the Times said. He published a book that could double as the outline of a 2024 campaign platform and has been promoting the book on a nationwide tour—including stops in states that are hosting the first three Republican primary contests. He has also laid out foreign policy positions this week on Fox News.
The allegations from the pro-Trump group echo a similar complaint filed against Trump last year in March by a Democratic super PAC. In that complaint, the Democratic group, American Bridge, argued to the Federal Election Commission that Trump had been behaving like a 2024 presidential candidate while avoiding federal oversight by not filing a statement of candidacy.
The group filed a lawsuit in July against the federal commission, seeking to force it to take action against Trump within 30 days. The lawsuit accused Trump of trying to disguise his run for the presidency in order to leave voters “in the dark about the contributions and expenditures he has received, which is information they are entitled to.”
The FEC did not take action against Trump. He eventually announced a formal presidential campaign four months later.
Trump’s allies could face a similarly tough road in persuading the state ethics commission to act. DeSantis has appointed five of the nine members of the commission.
Research contact: @nytimes
