Request for DeSantis' travel records leads to 2-year delay, then denial

TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Department of Law Enforcement waited nearly two years to tell the Orlando Sentinel that the financial details of a flight Gov. Ron DeSantis took to Fort Pierce and Live Oak were exempt from public records requests.

The newspaper wanted to determine if DeSantis, who was running for reelection, had piggybacked campaign events on top of official ones without the campaign reimbursing the state for the Aug. 30, 2022, flight.

It also wanted to know whether other candidates reimbursed the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for using the jet bought with taxpayer dollars after DeSantis became governor in 2019. The aircraft is available to the governor and other top state leaders for official duties.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement denied the requests in late April and early May. It delayed the response until a year after DeSantis signed a law that bans the release of his and the other leaders’ travel records. Lawmakers called it necessary to protect their safety.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2024/06/01/request-desantis-travel-records-leads-2-year-delay-then-denial/

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