By Jill Colvin and Brendan Farrington | Associated Press
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Allies of former President Donald Trump have filed a complaint with the Florida Commission on Ethics accusing Gov. Ron DeSantis, a leading potential 2024 primary rival, of violating campaign finance and ethics rules with a “shadow” run for the White House.
The 15-page complaint filed Wednesday by MAGA Inc., a Trump-supporting super PAC, and shared with The Associated Press, asks the commission to investigate Florida’s Republican leader for allegedly “leveraging his elected office and breaching his associated duties in a coordinated effort to develop his national profile, enrich himself and his political allies, and influence the national electorate.”
It says DeSantis is “already a de facto candidate for President of the United States,” citing the governor’s meetings with donors, outreach by allies to potential staff and his courting of influential Republicans in early-voting states, among other efforts. The complaint asks the nine-member commission — five of whose members were appointed by DeSantis — to punish the governor by having him suspended from office, publicly censured or fined.
DeSantis communications director Taryn Fenske dismissed the accusations and questioned the motives of the complaint. “Adding this to the list of frivolous and politically motivated attacks. It’s inappropriate to use state ethics complaints for partisan purposes,” she said in a statement.
Ken Cuccinelli, the former Trump Homeland Security official who recently launched a political action committee supporting DeSantis’ potential run, accused Trump allies of playing “establishment games.”
“I’m shocked, but not surprised,” he said in a statement. “During my tenure as Attorney General of Virginia, I saw complaints all the time and I can tell when spaghetti is just thrown at the wall.”
The letter, which was first reported by NBC News, comes as Trump has stepped up…
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