DeSantis’ Flight Company, Trump’s Net Worth, PAC’s Bank Fraud

Today we look at DeSantis’ chosen aviation firm, Trump’s net worth and a PAC that claims it lost $37,000 through bank fraud.

The flight company DeSantis hired for the Martha’s Vineyard stunt may have violated the law that prohibits political donations

TThe Florida airline Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) hired to fly immigrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard earlier this month may have violated campaign finance laws by donating to a political action committee while registered as a contractor governmental.

government contractors are prohibited from making political contributions, according to the Federal Election Commission. But in August 2016, Vertol Systems Company, the firm DeSantis hired, launched a four-year, $3.4 million contract to provide flight training for the Department of Defense.

Two weeks after its government contract began, Vertol Systems Company contributed $2,500 to North Florida Neighborswhich is advertised as “the leading independent super PAC supporting conservative Republicans.” The firm spent over $5,000 more on that PAC in March 2017. At the time of the contributions, North Florida Neighbors was supporting Matt Gaetz and Neal Dunn in their first races for Congress.

Technically, donations can break the law. But both are beyond the five-year statute of limitations for enforcement. And even if they weren’t, an expert on campaign finance laws said it’s unlikely the FEC would take any action.

“The FEC’s Republican commissioners would argue that when the 2017 contribution was made, it was not clear that the federal contractor ban was still valid after Citizens United,” said Brett Kappel, an attorney at Harmon, Curran, Spielberg & Eisenberg. . In a number of cases this year, the FEC rejected the argument that Citizens United repealed the ban on contractors wanting to political committees, according to Kappel.

Spokesmen for Vertol Systems Company and North Florida Neighbors did not respond to questions.

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In case you missed it

Donald Trump Final Net Worth

“He is neither as rich as he boasts, nor as poor as his critics claim,” reports Dan Alexander. “Donald Trump’s Real Net Worth? $3.2 billion, according to our latest report, conducted in September 2022. Follow the link for Forbes‘ asset-by-asset breakdown of the former president’s wealth.

Persistent problems

Updates on previous reporting of checks and balances

Virginia Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, testified in person before the January 6 committee on Thursday, where she “reiterated her belief that the 2020 presidential election was stolen,” CNN reported. In May, Virginia Thomas donated $250 to a Republican running for Congress, who has called into question the results of the 2020 presidential election. Her political donations total at least $16,000.

Oops

Consumer Technology Association PAC Claims “An unknown person” stole 37 thousand dollars from her bank account in August via fake checks and fraudulent ACH debits. The PAC bank has returned $24,000, according to an FEC filing. A PAC spokesman did not immediately respond to an inquiry. The Consumer Technology Association is a trade group for technology firms.

Following Trump

Forbes continues to update “Stalking Trump: A roundup of all lawsuits and investigations involving the former president.”

A customer at Trump National Doral poses next to a marker displaying the presidential seal. Doral, which is set to host a high-profile tournament for the controversial Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series next month, is one of at least five Trump clubs displaying the markers, which could violate federal law on with the use of the seal.

Former White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway is hosting the America First Club’s fall kickoff at her former boss’ West Palm Beach golf club in October. Tickets are $125 and include a photo with Conway and autographed copy of her book.

America’s First Club “exists[s] to bring meaningful content, events and programming to conservative thinkers,” according to its website.

Florida Kosher Vacations is returning to Trump’s golf course in Miami for its Yom Kippur program next week.

• “Judge again sides with Trump in fight over Mar-a-Lago documents” (Politico)
• “Grossly inflated, objectively false, and therefore fraudulent and illegal” (Mother Jones)
• “Trump avoids Friday filing in lawsuit by being at Mar-a-Lago during hurricane” (CNN)