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Miami Herald: If report of DeSantis squeezing lobbyists for cash is true, it's a stunning violation
If report of DeSantis squeezing lobbyists for cash is true, it’s a stunning violation ǀ OpinionIf it’s true that Gov. Ron DeSantis’ state employees — not his campaign staff — are soliciting donations from lobbyists for his presidential run, as is being reported, Florida is entering uncharted territory in unethical behavior.
NBC News published a story Thursday that said reporters had seen text messages from four DeSantis administration officials sent to Florida lobbyists requesting contributions to the governor’s campaign. The report said the texts included a link that appeared to track who was giving the money. The texts came from people directly in the governor’s office and leaders in state agencies.
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First of all, the governor should be keeping his campaign — paid for by private donations — and his state staff — paid for by taxpayers — strictly apart. That has long been the norm and for very good reasons. It’s still unclear if what those staffers allegedly are doing is illegal, but the practice most certainly raises the question of whether the governor is wrongly using state resources.
And then there’s the issue of strong-arming lobbyists for cash when they probably make their living by being able to lobby at the state Capitol. Can you afford to say no when the guy asking for money holds your living his hands? Probably not. That, though, would amount to blackmail.
NBC News published a story Thursday that said reporters had seen text messages from four DeSantis administration officials sent to Florida lobbyists requesting contributions to the governor’s campaign. The report said the texts included a link that appeared to track who was giving the money. The texts came from people directly in the governor’s office and leaders in state agencies.
-snip-
First of all, the governor should be keeping his campaign — paid for by private donations — and his state staff — paid for by taxpayers — strictly apart. That has long been the norm and for very good reasons. It’s still unclear if what those staffers allegedly are doing is illegal, but the practice most certainly raises the question of whether the governor is wrongly using state resources.
And then there’s the issue of strong-arming lobbyists for cash when they probably make their living by being able to lobby at the state Capitol. Can you afford to say no when the guy asking for money holds your living his hands? Probably not. That, though, would amount to blackmail.
https://news.yahoo.com/report-desantis-squeezing-lobbyists-cash-214827620.html
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It looks like a shakedown. It moves like a shakedown. Does it have to quack like one?
25 replies
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He's a Republican, norms are for libtards. 
