Florida bill would funnel $5M of public money to Trump to pay legal fees

[riversedge]

Source: raw story




Matthew Chapman January 22, 2024 3:16PM ET

Florida bill would funnel $5M of public money to Trump to pay legal fees

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The legislation — first reported by Newsweek — has been proposed by Florida's Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis and is being sponsored by State Sen. Ileana Garcia. It would establish a bucket of cash called the "Florida Freedom Fighters Fund."

The program"would provide up to $5 million to cover legal costs for Florida residents who are running for president, like Trump, and face 'legal, partisan, political attacks by the Department of Justice or State Attorneys,' Patronis's office said in a statement.

"We’ve got a Florida Man – Donald Trump – running for President, and he’s facing ongoing legal challenges from Democrats in New York, Washington D.C., and Atlanta," the statement said.
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The cash would come from the Florida Department of Revenue, deriving money from the state's Public Campaign Finance Matching Funds Program and from voluntary contributions from driver's license registrations, Patronis's office said.....................................

Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-legal-fees-2667041452/

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Of all the outlandish things I have read already this year--along comes comes another.

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Donald Trump Jr., Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump stand together during the Republican National Convention. (Shutterstock)

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[Lovie777]

1. UGH....................

[montanacowboy]

2. S U C K E R S!

what next?

[erronis]

3. Appropriate to use the 4 F's when talking about trump (or kavanaugh)

It would establish a bucket of cash called the "Florida Freedom Fighters Fund."

I know all those floridaians get a laugh out of their hijinks.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

20. Florida Fake Fiscal Fuckwits . . . . nt

[Marthe48]

4. What a bunch of traitor crooks they are

Taking money from the taxpayers to prop up a crooked slime ball (pretend) fat cat. Glad I don't live in that crappy state, with those crappy politicians blatantly stealing from public funds.

[Chi67]

5. WTF?

How can this possibly be legal? This is completely insane.

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

51. My exact thoughts.

I am so thankful to not be living in this wacko state.

[Escurumbele]

63. Regardless of living in FL or not, someone has to stop this, republicans use a state to test the waters, if this goes

through, do you doubt they will do it in other states as well?

Isn't he a billionaire? If he is, he can pay for it himself. Today is $5 million, will it stop?

No wonder he keeps defaming Jean Carrol, he knows his idiot followers and idiot republicans officials will find a way to pay for it, so he doesn't have to touch his "billions", which I am sure he doesn't have.

When will this nightmare stop?

[Rhiannon12866]

53. +1000!

[tanyev]

6. Huh. Thought Republicans hated "cadillac welfare".

[MOMFUDSKI]

12. Not when it goes

into their pockets.

[IronLionZion]

7. Giving money to a billionaire

lots of his idiot supporters give him money to own the libs

[Coventina]

8. Wow! So glad I don't live there. If I did, I'd be packing my bags!

[Novara]

54. My friends are leaving Florida

And I sure can't blame them.

[Pacifist Patriot]

9. Oh fuck no!

[Merlot]

10. Perfect! This should piss off a bunch of Floridians and motivate them to vote dem

[pfitz59]

11. I see a court challenge

would even the very corrupt SCrOTUS support this?

[Pacifist Patriot]

13. As a Florida citizen I'd sign on to that if there was a way.

[Pacifist Patriot]

14. Wonder how fast they would withdraw it if Biden announced he was moving to Florida.

[SunSeeker]

15. And DeSantis will quickly sign that bill, hoping it buys him an appointment in a potential Trump administration.

This has got to be illegal. It would be illegal in California. We have a law against gifts of public funds.

[PortTack]

22. Oh no doubt...cause little boots is dead to the political world when his gov term runs out

[SunSeeker]

50. Wow, looks like the bill blowback proved too much, even for Little Boots.

FL Dem's pushback was fierce:

“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.”

State Sen. Ileana Garcia (R), who introduced the bill earlier this month, withdrew the bill today after DeSantis threatened to veto it. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ron-desantis-trump-veto_n_65af2b6ae4b09e7f5b9cc547

[BlueMTexpat]

52. Thanks for

posting this!

[Attilatheblond]

59. Exactly! DeSantis used state resource$ for part of his presidential campaign expense

So now, it looks like he is trying to use more state resource$ to buy his way onto the GOP ticket.

The taxpayers of Florida should not be forced to become Trump Donors! How is this legal? If Trump is so rich, he can pay his own legal bills. He got himself into all these legal messes, he can pay up. The people of Florida are NOT Trump's daddy.

[SunSeeker]

60. I think the Republicans figured out it was illegal, not to mention looked terrible. The bill was withdrawn yesterday.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ron-desantis-trump-veto_n_65af2b6ae4b09e7f5b9cc547

[riversedge]

16. FL CFO backs a Senate bill that would allocate an initial $5 million in state funds to pay for Trump's legal defense, th

FL CFO backs a Senate bill that would allocate an initial $5 million in state funds to pay for Trump’s legal defense, then use state agencies and employees to collect additional money for Trump when people renew their driver’s licenses.

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FL CFO Backs Bill to Use Tax Dollars to Pay for Trump's Legal Defense

https://www.meidastouch.com/news/fl-cfo-backs-bill-to-use-tax-dollars-to-pay-for-trumps-legal-defense


This is just gross.

Ron Filipkowski
48 minutes ago

Florida's Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis announced today that he is supporting State Senator Ileana Garcia's bill SB 1740 to create a "Florida Freedom Fighter's Fund" to provide millions of dollars to fund Trump's criminal defense legal team.

One day after Ron Desantis drops out of the presidential race, the push is on to use state resources and funding to finance a private citizen's legal defense in criminal cases. While tens of thousands of indigent Floridians are represented by Public Defenders with massive caseloads due to limited budgets, Florida's CFO wants the state to provide millions to Trump, who testified recently that his net worth is in excess of $10 billion and that his Florida home is the most expensive in the world.

Patronis said the fund would initially provide $5 million for Trump out of the state's Public Campaign Finance program, but that will just be the start. Additional funding would be collected by state agencies from people who, for example, will donate when the renew their driver's licenses. So state employees at government offices will be collecting money for Donald Trump's lawyers...............................

[ZonkerHarris]

17. the lawsuits and legal challenges will kill that bill

[William769]

18. How is this legal?

[rurallib]

23. I guess it is legal when the lawmakers make it a law BUT

you would like to hope one of the other two branches stops it. That is the essence of checks and balances.

Good gawd what kind of a hold does the pants-shatter have on these people?

[William769]

36. I have lived in this State for 48 years

I hate what it has turned into. Florida use to be a great State.

[electric_blue68]

46. I know liberal Floridians. Sure this latest bs will "thrill" them.

[TygrBright]

19. Well... he IS a Florida Man. Maybe THE Florida Man. The archetype of the meme. n/t

[PortTack]

21. Sickening!!

[rurallib]

24. When you think they can't go any lower ------------

Kids in Florida are probably starving, need clothing and housing yet Republicans come up with a way to give the biggest phony in the world money from the public coffers.

[TheBlackAdder]

35. How does the Florida Senate vote?

[Skittles]

49. NEVER, EVER think they have sunk as low as they can go

repukes will always find a way to go lower.....*ALWAYS*

[70sEraVet]

25. While they're at it ....

May as well have a "Florida Freedom Fighters F'd Up Coke Fiend Son Fund"!
You know, just to ensure that the billionaire's son doesnt run out of nose stash.

(I was looking for an emoji that looked like someone snorting coke, but had to settle on one showing a guy going to sleep on a pile of coke!)

[bluestarone]

26. I DO NOT live in Florida, BUT

If i did, i would be SCREAMING my ass off at these dirty Bastards!!

[Coventina]

30. As I posted upthread, I'd be packing my bags!!!

Yeesh!!

[bluestarone]

31. Leaving would NOT satisfy me!

I want FN answers, and lawsuits like crazy! To add here, THIS could open the door for EVERY FORMER GUY loving state to jump on the bandwagon.

[pazzyanne]

27. This is unforgiveable!

[Turbineguy]

28. $5 million is pretty modest when it comes to trump's legal fees.

But look at the bright side; his lawyers won't get stiffed.

[EndlessWire]

33. Well, don't be too sure about that

Depends on whose pocket the money goes into. He could keep the money. The only way that might work is if the lawyers had to apply to the fund to get paid. Didn't sound as if that is the way it would work.

There is nothing they find shameful. This is disgusting. If you don't have money to hire a competent attorney, don't crime.

[oldsoftie]

29. This HAS to be something even the current SCOTUS would strike down

There's just now ay this could be legal just because the legislature passes it

[no_hypocrisy]

32. Unless FL is going to directly pay TFG's attorneys,

I'd bet he'll pocket the $$ and stiff his lawyers.

[Deuxcents]

34. The billionaire needs a go fund me to help pay for his crimes. How nutz is that?

Worse yet..the cult followers intruding this bill and those who will donate.

[Tribetime]

37. This has to be 100% illegal

[Phoenix61]

38. Patronis is a POS but I hadn't realized what a big POS he is. nt

[Emile]

39. Is this even legal?

[Rebl2]

42. I would not

think so, but those lawmakers in FL gonna do whatever they feel like. Maybe citizens of FL could band together and sue to stop it?

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

40. Oh FFS

I thought Donny was a billionaire.

[bucolic_frolic]

41. Party grifting, how can Democratic taxpayer dollars be used politically like this?

[highplainsdem]

43. See this thread about the response from DeSantis:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218617839

[0rganism]

44. Wow it's like a backwards inside-out bill of attainder

It's like some kind of constitutional anti-particle emitted from a parallel universe. This is some truly dark shit indeed.

[electric_blue68]

47. Omg 😄 Love your description! (of shameless actions)

[ZonkerHarris]

45. The grift continues

[Demnation]

48. Socialism for the very rich, free market capitalism for the rest of us suckers.

[Botany]

55. Trump's ongoing legal challenges did not or do not come from Democrats in D.C., Atlanta, or NYC ...

… they come from his breaking of the law multiple times and in multiple places. I hope
the people of Florida raise a stink about this misuse of their money. No doubt the
Republicans in the Villages in Florida will lead a golf cart protest over this use of the
public’s money.

[radical noodle]

56. They've already withdrawn this

DeSantis said he would veto it (surprise).

[marmar]

57. WTF? Kleptocracy much?

[AllaN01Bear]

58. grrr.

this is pure you know what .

[quakerboy]

61. How are they going to regulate this?

Like.. Say I live in Florida, and then realize the feds are closing in on my personal tax fraud.. All i have to do is start a dark horse presidential campaign, and i can tap into this money?

[Aviation Pro]

62. The bill's sponsor withdrew it

……