Globetrotting Governor: Who Paid for Ron DeSantis' Overseas Travel?
May 2 2023, Published 6:00 p.m. ET
As constituents watched Governor Ron DeSantis embark on a costly overseas political trip, Florida lawmakers refused to name who was responsible for fronting the bill for his extensive travel, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Despite Governor DeSantis' office's insistence that taxpayer dollars were not used to fund his out-of-state travel, more questions than answers have been raised, as the Florida lawmaker ramped up efforts for what appeared to be a presidential campaign.
The question of who funded DeSantis' recent travels was intensified as a bill that would protect the governor's travel records — and who paid for said trips — was brought before the state legislature.
Recent flight records, however, showed a disconnect between past trips funded by political donors.
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DeSantis (Left) on a trip to Japan
At the end of February, DeSantis embarked on a jam-packed day of travel that included three stops in different states. That trip coincidentally aligned with flight patterns from two private jet companies based out of Florida.
Ahead of DeSantis' trip to Staten Island in late February, a private jet operator associated with Miami's iconic Fontainebleau Hotel also left the Sunshine State for Newark, a popular hub for the tri-state area.
Ironically, that same day, another private jet company from the state traveled to the region that DeSantis skipped across on his press tour.
The second private jet operator flew to Newark then Philadelphia before making a final stop in Chicago, the same day that DeSantis made appearances in New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois, respectively.
According to Politico, when a spokesperson for the governor was asked who funded the multi-city travel day, the rep declined to comment. Additionally, there was nothing noted of the trip in a February campaign finance report for DeSantis' political committee.
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Political pundits saw DeSantis' recent trip to Japan and Israel as a signifier that his rumored presidential campaign announcement was imminent.
While DeSantis was busy globetrotting, a private jet company from Austin, Texas, showed flight records that also aligned with his overseas travel.
The Texas-based company operated flights from Austin to Japan; Japan to South Korea; South Korea to Israel; Israel to London; before returning stateside. Once back in the U.S., the jet was chartered from Boston to Tallahassee.
The extensive trip was said to be paid for by donations from Enterprise Florida, however, a spokesperson for the community did not return comment on the costly use of a private jet for the governor.
