DeSantis political fortunes a focus of Manatee vaccine event, texts show tampabay.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from tampabay.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The already controversial Lakewood Ranch vaccination pod in Manatee County was carefully choreographed by organizers and the governor’s office to help him politically in his reelection next year, texts obtained by the Bradenton Herald show. Asked about the report Tuesday, DeSantis called it “nonsense” and implied the media didn’t want people in wealthy, Republican-leaning neighborhoods to get vaccinated.
Officials contradict Florida governor s claims about vaccinations to wealthy enclave; Rauner has house there herald-review.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from herald-review.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Updated
Mar 09, 2021
Florida Official Calls On FBI To Investigate Red Carpet Vaccines For State s GOP Donors
“If this isn’t public corruption, I don’t know what is, said Agricultural Commissioner Nikki Fried, referring to reported vaccine distribution by Gov. DeSantis.
Florida’s agricultural commissioner has called on the FBI to launch an investigation into what she branded as Gov. Ron DeSantis’ system of “red carpet vaccine distribution” for wealthy GOP donors.
“The fact pattern is simply just too clear to avoid: Give campaign contribution, big dollars, get special access to vaccines ahead of seniors, ahead of our teachers, ahead of our farmworkers, and so many of our residents here in the state of Florida,” said Commissioner Nikki Fried, the state’s highest-ranking elected Democrat, whose department also serves as Florida’s consumer watchdog.
Former Illinois Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner made a $250,000 campaign contribution to Florida Gov. Rick DeSantis last week after seniors in the uber-wealthy Florida Keys enclave where Rauner owns a home were among the first in the state to receive COVID-19 vaccinations in January.
Rauner’s connection to the favorable treatment first was reported Wednesday by the Miami Herald, which obtained a memo the management of the exclusive Ocean Reef Club sent to residents noting that its medical center had vaccinations for residents age 65 and over while most Floridians struggled to access the shots. DeSantis has used the state’s vaccination program to open special distribution sites in select communities while skipping state and local vaccine registration logs, various Florida news outlets have reported.