Andrew Gillum, DeSantis' 2018 opponent, faces indictment
Andrew Gillum, the once-rising Florida Democratic star who narrowly lost his 2018 gubernatorial race against Ron DeSantis, has told associates that he expects to be indicted in federal court as early as today for alleged fraud tied to his campaign, NBC News has learned.
The exact charges are unclear and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida would neither confirm nor deny details about the criminal case against Gillum. In a written statement to NBC News, Gillum acknowledged the case but said it is politically motivated without offering specifics.
“I have spent the last 20 years of my life in public service and continue to fight for the people,” Gillum said. “Every campaign I’ve run has been done with integrity. Make no mistake that this case is not legal, it is political. Throughout my career I have always stood up for the people of Florida and have spoken truth to power. There’s been a target on my back ever since I was the mayor of Tallahassee. They found nothing then, and I have full confidence that my legal team will prove my innocence now.”
Marc Elias, a leading Democratic lawyer, and top criminal defense attorney David Oscar Markus also issued a written statement to NBC News that would not confirm the charges, but said they’ll fight to clear his name.
“The government got it wrong today. The evidence in this case is clear and will show that Mr. Gillum is innocent of all charges. We look forward to putting this case to rest and giving Andrew and his family peace of mind once and for all,” the lawyers said in the joint statement.
SAUCE: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/andrew-gillum-desantis-2018-opponent-faces-indictment-rcna34676