'' WESH 2 Investigates concerns about DeSantis' use of state plane ''
wesh.com/amp/article/florida-desantis-state-plane-usage/44018103
May 26, 2023 Greg Fox Reporter
''Two taxpayer watchdog groups are raising concerns about the use of the state plane by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.''
They say taxpayers deserve some answers and may deserve reimbursement from the governor's new presidential campaign.
The governor was in Orlando Thursday.
It was not arranged by the executive office of the governor, but a spokesman says it was official business and that the governor was acting in his official capacity as governor.
But two groups that track government spending say the governor's use of the state plane is blurring the lines between "official business" and "campaigning."
Shortly after speaking at the Florida Parent Educators Association in Orlando, DeSantis boarded the state's $15 million jet, a Cessna Citation Latitude, and took off from Orlando back to Tallahassee.
We know this because WESH 2 Investigates has been tracking the plane, using publicly available online websites, since it was purchased in 2019 for the sole purpose of transporting the governor for "official" business.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis releases presidential campaign video
People who track government spending say they doubt events like this qualify as official business.
"This has been the problem with Governor DeSantis in the past six, seven, eight months," Barbara Peterson said.
Peterson heads up the Florida Center For Government Accountability.
She says a speech, just two days after DeSantis launched his bid for president, looked and sounded like a campaign event.
She expects to see more of it since DeSantis signed two new laws: one means the governor doesn't have to resign to run for president, and another one seals his travel records, including records WESH 2 Investigates has been seeking from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for 16 months.
"Should the campaign be reimbursing the state?" WESH 2 asked.
"Absolutely, the campaign should be reimbursing the state. This is tax dollars that pay for that plane," Peterson said. "And we need to be reimbursed when the plane is being used for a different purpose than public business."
It costs nearly $2,700 per hour to fly, according to records obtained from the FDLE.
"I think he owes the taxpayers an explanation," Ben Wilcox said.
Wilcox is head of research at the taxpayer watchdog group Integrity Florida.
He says the law is clear: "No candidate shall use any state-owned aircraft or motor vehicle solely for the purpose of furthering his or her candidacy."
And he says this Orlando speech appeared to be a campaign event.
"I think it blurs the lines that you are supposed to draw when you are doing your public business and your campaigns at the taxpayers' expense," Wilcox said.
"This event was not organized by the executive office of the governor. We, along with the media in attendance, were invited guests of the FPEA," the governor's press secretary said. "It's not a campaign event. The governor was an invited guest. He's gone multiple years in a row."
Just as we're raising questions about the governor's use of the state plane, NBC is reporting that at least four members of the governor's official staff
— not his campaign team but his office staff
— have been texting lobbyists and requesting donations.
Marker honoring first LSU Superintendent unveiled in Pineville
kalb.com/content/news/Marker-honoring-unveiled-at-or-505531991.html
February 7, 2019 By Steven Maxwell
Published: Feb. 7, 2019 at 6:55 PM EST
Did you know that Louisiana State University started right here in Central Louisiana. On Thursday, the community gathered to honor the man who started the school here.
''After years of work, the Central Louisiana Historical Association raised funds and was approved to put up a marker honoring William Tecumseh Sherman, LSU's first superintendent, at the site of the original school across from the VA hospital in Pineville.''
Local officials and even LSU’s President, F. King Alexander, gathered to commemorate the marker.
General Sherman was instrumental for putting the school in Central Louisiana in the mid 1800’s before it burnt down. The school was then moved to Baton Rouge where it is today.
"I think it's a great celebration of the founding of what would become LSU and the beginning of a seminary and military academy that General Sherman helped create," said Alexander.
"I have been stunned that the people of Cenla who had no idea LSU’s first ten years was here,” said Michael Tudor, Pineville lawyer. “Does that give you some idea of how important it is. It's a beautiful historic place and the walking trail that the Rapides Foundation did. So it's these sort of events that educated people."
The marker sits in front of the old LSU walking trail that runs near the forestry service.
https://twitter.com/ReaganRunners/status/1662285331100581890
The more I watch this, the more I think God was trying desperately to warn Americans.
10:31 PM · May 26, 2023 311 Views
Wasn’t there a video with her and the American flag falling ?
I need to search for that one again
https://youtu.be/6VvOqUvvO9Y
https://twitter.com/RealJamesWoods/status/1662121111969226752
Do your mom’s hand jobs count? #INSTABLOCK
Quote Tweet
Phadrus🏳️🌈 @Phadrus5 13h
''Replying to @RealJamesWoods I still see you can't get a real job after all these years. ''
11:38 AM · May 26, 2023 610.5K Views
https://youtu.be/Kk-iMNLbwCY
Founder of A.A.(played by James Woods) Shows Difficulty In Changing Behaviors
https://youtu.be/maLSNMuS9No
My Name is Bill W - Chap 7