Seminole Tribe sends $1 million to Gov. DeSantis political committee
TALLAHASSEE - The Seminole Tribe of Florida, which last year reached a gambling deal with Gov. Ron DeSantis, contributed $1 million to his political committee on August 1, according to a newly filed finance report.
The tribe's contribution was part of nearly $2.225 million that the Friends of Ron DeSantis committee received from July 30 through August 5, the period covered in the report. The committee also spent nearly the same amount of money during the period and had about $124.9 million in cash on hand as of August 5.
DeSantis and the tribe last year negotiated a deal that included allowing the Seminoles to operate sports betting in the state. Lawmakers approved the deal, known as a compact, but a federal judge later blocked it.
Other contributions to DeSantis' committee from July 30 through August 5 included $400,000 from Sun Labs USA, Inc. of Tampa. The committee, meanwhile, contributed $1 million to the Republican Party of Florida and paid $1 million to Ohio-based Flexpoint Media, Inc. for "media placement," according to the report.