Top donor provided Ron DeSantis, an avid golfer, with a costly simulator
Why It Matters: Mr. DeSantis has faced criticism for donations before.
Mr. DeSantis, a Republican, is running for the party’s 2024 presidential nomination and is a major rival of former President Donald J. Trump. Mr. DeSantis has previously come under scrutiny for potential conflicts in accepting generous in-kind donations from Florida entrepreneurs.
Some of those donations went unreported under Florida campaign and ethics regulations, slipping through loopholes in the state’s disclosure rules designed to prevent undue influence.
The New York Times reported last month that Mr. DeSantis through such loopholes may require private jet donations from Mr. Hosseini and others could have accepted, sometimes without disclosure, as he traveled around the country before making his candidacy official.
Jeremy Redfern, the governor’s press secretary, said Wednesday that the golf simulator loan was “coordinated by staff and approved by legal counsel.” Mr Redfern added that previous governments had accepted donations to the governor’s mansion. A list of the mansion’s acquisitions provided by the governor’s office included rugs and a Peloton bicycle donated to a previous administration.
Background: The golf simulator donor is a heavyweight in Florida politics.
On the campaign trail, Mr. An avid golfer, DeSantis exploited his working-class roots in an effort to connect with voters in states with early voters.
Yet he has relied on a cadre of wealthy Florida businessmen, including Mr. Hosseini, for perks like private jets since he first ran for governor in 2018.
Mr. Hosseini, the president of ICI Homes, has long been a major player in Florida business and politics. He has repeatedly donated his plane to Mr. DeSantis’s political committee, dating back to his early days in office, and was a regular presence in the governor’s office, according to two people familiar with the inner workings of the office who asked for anonymity to speak freely. .
He is chairman of the board of trustees of the University of Florida, which is often regarded as a highly coveted appointment. His appointment predates Mr. DeSantis’ first term, but he was reappointed by Mr. DeSantis in 2021.
In a statement, Mr. Hosseini that he provided the golf simulator for use by the DeSantis family, guests and staff and that he understood that it is permitted by Florida law. He also said the state could keep it as long as it wanted.
In a 2019 letter to Hosseini released by the governor’s office, James Uthmeier, who was then an attorney for the governor and is now his chief of staff, said he personally approved the loan with the Mansion Commission and verified that this was allowed under state ethical codes.
What’s Next: Mr. DeSantis will be back on the campaign trail.
Mr. DeSantis’ opponents in the presidential nomination contest could use such donations and gifts as a contrast to his attempts to relate to working-class voters. This month he has campaign events in South Carolina and New Hampshire. The first debate of the Republican race is scheduled for August 23 in Milwaukee.
The frontrunner, Mr. Trump, has repeatedly tried to draw attention to Mr. DeSantis’ use of private donor aircraft. Jason Miller, a Trump aide, responded to the news reports on Twitter on Wednesday, saying it was “Ron DeSantis’ Florida Swamp in Action!”