Of the 18 major contractor-donors The Intercept has identified, at least 13 secured most of their contracts through invitations to bid, a process meant to ensure competition and insulate contract awards from potential political influence. A handful of these firms were relatively dormant for political contributions in other cycles three have not given to statewide Republican candidates since 2002. Related Ron DeSantis Chartered Planes From GOP-Allied Donor to Fly Migrants to Martha’s VineyardĪnd while DeSantis this spring cracked down on one corporation over its opposition to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay Bill” - yanking the special tax status that had long allowed Disney, in an astounding case of corporate reverence, to operate as if under its own government and avoid Florida state taxes - for the stunt he pulled earlier this month, the governor hired an aviation company that had previously donated to his fellow Florida Republicans to fly and abandon immigrants in Martha’s Vineyard.īoosting DeSantis’s campaign are contributions from 18 companies - including construction, consulting, and utility firms - that received a total of more than $1.68 billion in contracts from state agencies during his time in office. Herzog’s national political interests, for instance, appear in some cases to align with those of DeSantis: Earlier this year, the company’s address appeared on an LLC’s disclosure of a $300,000 contribution to a super PAC backing Missouri Republican Senate candidate Eric Schmitt, and the firm has also funded a Missouri committee called “Let’s Go Brandon PAC.” It also shows how at a moment when many large, image-conscious corporations have purportedly distanced themselves from Trump and his brand of politics, another tier of companies is leaning in. But in Florida, where the governor’s record-setting $177 million war chest has fueled talk about his possible plans to run for president in 2024, the sharp increase in contracts to certain DeSantis donors raises concerns about the limits of campaign finance regulation. It’s not unusual for corporate campaign donors to be awarded government contracts when their favored politician attains their desired office. At a moment when many large, image-conscious corporations have purportedly distanced themselves from Trump and his style of politics, another tier of companies is leaning in. Since the 2018 gubernatorial race, by contrast, the firm has given $350,000 to DeSantis or his state committee and has so far received $32.7 million in contracts from the Florida Department of Transportation, including work on a commuter rail project. Rick Scott and did not donate to his campaign. The railroad company, Herzog Contracting, only received $115,000 in contracts under former Republican Gov. They are just a few of the companies - mostly small and mid-sized construction firms - identified by The Intercept that saw a bonanza of lucrative contracts under the Republican governor, who has styled himself as a successor to Donald Trump and a foe to corporate America’s household names. And a highway and civil site contracting firm that gave $22,500 saw its contracts grow 15-fold. A construction aggregates firm that contributed $82,500 was awarded $30 million in new contracts. Ron Desantis, a Missouri-based railroad and transport company that contributed generously in support of his campaign saw an astonishing 280-fold increase in its Florida state government contract awards. Under the leadership of Florida’s Republican Gov.
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