Gov. DeSantis defends staffers against ethics complaints
TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday defended three of his top staff members against ethics complaints related to his presidential campaign.
"I'm confident it was 100 percent totally compliant with anything, and I think it's just a great testament that people understand we need to change some things in this country," DeSantis said when asked about the issue during an appearance in Tampa.
DeSantis also said his staff's support for his campaign is "a very positive thing" and described as "totally frivolous" the complaints filed by Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried, a longtime DeSantis foe.
Based on reporting by NBC News, the complaints filed Wednesday at the Florida Commission on Ethics and Florida Elections Commission targeted DeSantis Chief of Staff James Uthmeier, legislative affairs director Stephanie Kopelousos and policy and budget director Chris Spencer.
"Public officials are employed to serve the people of Florida, not line Ron's pockets," Fried said in a statement.
"Any reasonable person could infer from the reporting that our governor was holding the state budget hostage in exchange for political endorsements and donations --- actions that are both unethical and illegal," Fried added. "This corrupt scheme to generate fake support for his failing presidential campaign is both a major threat to our democracy and a sad look into the psyche of a man whose ambitions have driven him and his sycophants to lives of crime."
The governor's office has said the staffers engaged in campaign activities in their private time, an explanation that DeSantis backed on Thursday.
"They've called friends. Asked for support, donations, all this other stuff," DeSantis said. "They have every right to do that. They don't use state resources to do it. Of course not. But you have every right as a private citizen to be engaged and to be involved."
