Gov. Ron DeSantis has seen his Republican presidential campaign flatline, and he is refusing to confirm or deny that he is being flown to campaign events by a wealthy supporter.
This week, Ron DeSantis flew to New Hampshire for a campaign swing that coincided nearly exactly with the path of a private plane connected to a wealthy supporter.
Daniel Doyle, Jr., who runs a printing company in Central Florida, owns a plane whose flight path lines up with DeSantis’ July 4 trip to the Granite State, according to public records. Neither DeSantis’ presidential campaign nor representatives for Doyle would say if DeSantis was aboard.
It’s a recurring pattern where DeSantis and the organizations assisting him remain quiet about who is bankrolling his travels and his frequent use of private charter jets.
Campaign finance law is clear. Any travel that DeSantis accepts must be disclosed, and the campaign must reimburse the owner of the plane for the cost of the fight. It doesn’t matter what laws the state of Florida has passed to hide who is paying for Ron DeSantis’s travel. Governor DeSantis is a federal election candidate who is subject to federal campaign finance laws.
The situation should be very uncomplicated. DeSantis should be paying for his travel. If he and his campaign are allowing wealthy donors to fly him around and they aren’t reporting and reimbursing for the flights, DeSantis is breaking the law.
The DeSantis campaign has stalled. The chatter in Republican circles is growing and perception is growing that Ron DeSantis is not the candidate who can beat Trump.
The last thing that DeSantis needs is a travel scandal, but that is what his campaign’s lack of transparency is creating.