Time is running out for Democrat Charlie Crist to go on the attack for a scandal that should be rocking Ron DeSantis’ re-election campaign for governor of Florida..
DeSantis has done something that is not only immoral and unethical, but illegal and should be treated as a major scandal that could derail his re-election effort. I’m referring to the pathetic political stunt of shipping 50 Venezuelan immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard. Yes, the story has received some negative coverage in the media, but so far DeSantis has managed to avoid serious accountability.
The $1.6 million in public funds DeSantis used to pay for this fiasco were supposed to “facilitate the transport of unauthorized immigrants from this state.” But the Venezuelans DeSantis shipped to Martha’s Vineyard are not “unauthorized immigrants” because they have documents and work authorization based on their pending applications for political asylum. And their point of origin was Texas, not Florida, as required by the law DeSantis claims to be complying with, so he appears to bein clear violation on at least two counts. There is a pending lawsuit filed by a state legislator in an effort to hold him accountable for the illegal use of taxpayer money.
A separate lawsuit has been filed on behalf of the immigrants who were misled into believing they would receive employment, free housing, and other benefits. Investigations are now underway but have been thwarted by DeSantis’ refusal to cooperate in producing relevant documents. A judge recently issued an order requiring DeSantis to produce all of the requested documents. And the Sheriff of the Texas County where the immigrants were living has opened an investigation to determine possible criminal liability for fraud.
All of this presents a golden opportunity for Charlie Crist and Democrats. Aside from it’s illegality, how on earth do you justify spending $1.6 million dollars to transport employable immigrants to another state when there is a labor shortage in your own state? And how does using Venezuelan immigrants as political props go down in places like Miami, where literally tens of thousands of political refugees from Cuba have found safe harbor and contributed so much to the state of Florida?
This is a major gaffe by DeSantis, who was obviously trying to burnish his anti-immigrant credentials in preparation for a presidential run. Crist did briefly address the issue in his debate with DeSantis. But I have seen no Crist campaign ads highlighting the issue. If the media won’t give it the attention it deserves, it is up to Crist and Democrats to make sure the people of Florida know that DeSantis is spending their tax dollars on purely political stunts that are illegal and unethical.