Ron DeSantis Took Trump Supporters' Money. He is Now Using it Against Them

Ron DeSantis has been accused of violating campaign finance law by orchestrating the transfer of more than $80 million from a state PAC, formerly known as Friends of Ron DeSantis, to Never Back Down, a super PAC which is supporting his White House bid.

Never Back Down is campaigning for DeSantis to win the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, rather than former President Donald Trump. However, attorney Ron Filipkowski said some of the money handed over was likely donated by Trump supporters, who wanted to support DeSantis' successful 2022 campaign for re-election as governor of Florida.

Polling indicates DeSantis is Trump's most credible challenger for the Republican nomination in 2024, though he remains some way behind. Thus whether the money has been transferred legally could play a role in determining the next White House occupant.

In a complaint filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), the Campaign Legal Center (CLC), which says it is a non-partisan group committed to protecting the U.S. democratic process, alleged the financial transfer broke the Federal Election Campaign Act.

The complaint states: "The transfer of this colossal sum from a state PAC that DeSantis established and used to raise over $225 million, to a federal committee that has spent, and plans to continue spending, millions of dollars supporting DeSantis' own campaign is a brazen attempt to circumvent the federal campaign finance rules that are crucial to preventing corruption and establishing transparency about how our federal elections are financed."

The money was originally raised by Friends of Ron DeSantis, a state PAC which backed the Florida governor's 2022 re-election campaign, and which changed its name to Empower Parents PAC in May.

Under the Federal Election Campaign Act, federal candidates are prohibited from transferring what is termed "soft money," finances raised by nonfederal groups that are not subject to federal campaign finance law, for spending on federal elections.

When contacted by Newsweek, an FEC spokesperson said the agency is unable to "discuss or comment on potential complaints due to confidentiality requirements and agency policy." DeSantis and Never Back Down have also been approached for comment.

The DeSantis campaign denies it is still affiliated with the Empower Parents PAC, though this claim was branded "absurd" by journalist Judd Legum, who writes the influential Popular Information newsletter.

In May Legum wrote: "The idea that Ron DeSantis is no longer controlling or associated with "Friends of Ron DeSantis" is absurd. And the notion that the money held by Friends of Ron DeSantis will decide to transfer its funds to Never Back Down independent of DeSantis is not credible."

Filipkowski, who says he tracks and reports on "right-wing extremism," shared a Raw Story article about the financial transfer on Twitter.

He added: "What [is] most amusing about this to me is that the people who gave this $80 million to DeSantis last year when he was running for Governor are also Trump supporters. So now he will be using money donated by Trump supporters against Trump."

Update 6/16/23 2:55 a.m. ET: This story has been updated following contact with the Federal Election Commission.