Report Indicates Speculation DeSantis Would Use Taxpayer-Purchased Planes For Campaign Rallies

Florida Phoenix

March 15, 2022

The Florida Legislature approved the purchase of two state planes that could be used for “executive air travel” for state officials, including a plane “solely for the governor’s travel,” budget documents show.

That raised concerns by Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, who addressed the issue at a Tuesday press conference, saying that Gov. Ron DeSantis would be using “taxpayers’ dollars today to buy two new additional planes — it’s showing a lack of priority for the people of our state.”

“The governor has abused the plane that the people bought him already,” Fried said. “He’s taking this to press conferences, where it’s basically campaign rallies.”

Fried didn’t provide specific details of any campaign-like rallies.

But the governor has been seen in settings during his travels that involve balloons and the American flag. For example, there were red, white and blue balloons, and an American flag, at a Cape Coral event on mask mandates on July 30, 2021.

Fried is a 2022 gubernatorial candidate hoping to oust DeSantis in the November elections, though she needs to win the Democratic primary first.

In the state budget that was recently finalized, nearly $30.8 million would be provided to the Florida Department of Management Services to purchase two “executive jets,” called the Embraer Phenom 300E that can sit 11 occupants, including crew members. (The state budget includes expenses for six pilots.)

One executive jet would be “designated for and may be used solely for the governor’s travel,” according to recent budget legislation entitled “an act relating to aircraft.”

However, Cabinet members, including Fried herself, the lieutenant governor, justices of the Supreme Court and others would also have access to one of the executive aircrafts for travel, according to the legislation.

The 2022-23 state budget approved Monday also shows that state lawmakers approved about $26.5 million in the state budget for Fried’s Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to purchase aircrafts. According to the budget records, the agency would use the funds to “replace four helicopters and one fixed wing aircraft for wildfire suppression activities.”

In addition, lawmakers approved $5 million in the state budget “for the acquisition of aircraft including funds for fuel and maintenance” for the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

At the Tuesday press conference, Fried acknowledged that the 2022 legislative session resulted in historic funding, saying her agency received the “largest FDACS budget ever, at $1.99 billion total.”

She also added that the agency received pay increases for some agricultural workers in the state budget, but many initiatives addressing climate change and other environmental issues weren’t backed by lawmakers in the session.

“We saw so many Democratic bills that didn’t get a first hearing,” she said. Fried also added that “the Legislature was more concerned about a November election.”

At one point during Tuesday’s press event, Fried pointed to many protests over controversial culture-war bills that passed during the session, such as the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill and the 15-week abortion ban. “They passed pieces of legislation that infringe upon people’s rights,” said Fried, who is the only Democrat on the elected Cabinet.

The state budget for 2022-23 has been approved by lawmakers, but Gov. DeSantis has to approve it as well. He also has the authority to veto aspects of the budget.

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