By EDUARDO PAZ-MARTINEZ
McALLEN, Texas |...Now this: Florida Republicans want to the state's taxpayers to pay for Donald Trump's mounting legal bills. Okay, you ask, so how much cash are we talking about, 'cause the Orange One loves dealing in cash - especially if it's coming his way.
$5 million.
But, but, but isn't Trump a billionaire? And isn't he already receiving a load of contributions from his many MAGA supporters?
The latest Trump Fund comes in a proposal from Florida State Sen. Ileana Garcia, shown at right in photo above. She is a die-hard Trump fan and a former prisoner in her native Cuba. The funding would come from taxpayers and not her bank account.
This from the MiamiHerald.com: [ Some Florida Republicans want millions to go toward former President Donald Trump’s legal fees. And they want residents to foot the bill.
State Sen. Garcia has authored a proposal that could grant up to $5 million to the Republican frontrunner, who has been indicted four times. The bill doesn’t name-drop the presidential hopeful but says the funds would be provided to "qualified persons" who have been "subject to political discrimination" to "pay for legal fees incurred as a result of criminal charges brought by a U.S. public entity."
For a person to qualify, they must meet the presidential eligibility requirements and be a legal resident of the state.
Trump is the only president in American history to have faced criminal charges.
Trump is charged in two federal cases, one related to the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol and the other related to the alleged mishandling of highly classified documents at Mar-A-Lago. He’s also charged in Georgia with racketeering over attempting to subvert the 2020 election results and in New York with falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments.
The money would come from the Freedom Fighters Trust Fund, which Garcia filed a bill to create. ]
We're okay with Florida proceeding with this nutty idea (I mean, what's next - Florida buying Mar-a-Lago for a billion and then gifting it to Trump? Don't laugh.)
The question for us, and this is all about taxpayers, is whether Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, a dude who has pretty much copied every move Florida has made to stem that phantom migrant invasion at the Mexican border, will up and say he'll chip-in another $5 million for Trump.
Abbott's undying allegiance to Trump is well-documented.
He could say it today or tomorrow and Texans would immediately be on the hook for that cash sent off on direct-deposit to Trump. Just like that - swiftly and neatly. And politically expedient. Got any other ideas, Republicans?
Surely, you do.
There have to be a good dozen Texas state senators in the Ileana Garcia mold. Or perhaps the leadership, eh?
Hell-o, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
Good morning, Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Yeah, those Texans...
-30-
UPDATE:...This legislative bill has been withdrawn after a "no" vote from Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who noted he has "veto" power in the Sunshine State. I know. The idea could easily resurface in Florida or elsewhere again if the Republicans think it'll help Trump. Texas certainly would consider it, is my feeling...
ReplyDeleteWhat’s scary is that they even thought of this and considered it.
DeleteThey want taxpayers to pay kids to attend private school but forgiving college debt is too far. Taxpayers paying for children's food programs is too far but taxpayers paying for Trump's legal bills... perfectly fine?
ReplyDeleteRacism is part of Republicans’ ideological DNA. Republicans are afraid of Black people, Brown people, LGBTQ people, Muslim people and other historically disfavored people coming to visibility and power.
ReplyDeleteWhen you look at the Democrats, they actually look like America, When I look at the Republicans, They look like the most restrictive country club in America – Republican Kevin McCarthy.
You only have to take a look around the halls of Congress to see that Republicans have a diversity problem their sole LGBTQ+ representative, George Santos, just got canned.
Most absurd plan I've ever heard of. Taxpayer money to Trump? My God.
ReplyDeleteYou said it.
DeleteFlorida has serious problems. Their taxpayers would do this? I'd hope not!
ReplyDeleteWay to go Florida, first DeSantis picks a fight/lawsuit with Disney - one of Florida's MAJOR tourists attractions, then he BANS books and supports the radical group Mothers for Liberty which are now BANNING Dictionaries and Encyclopedias, then he drops out of a Presidential Race that HE created a Special Law for to ALLOW him to run in said race, then he drops out of race and endorses the VERY SAME Candidate he was supposed to run against! Now this Garcia wants to STEAL Floridians money to support a criminal with 91 charges against him??? Past time to start taking names and remembering who NOT to vote for!
ReplyDeleteThat's what the Republican Party has become right now, collect tax money and turn over to Donald Trump for his legal bill for his criminal activities, they're in power for too long, they're corrupt and no respect for public fund, they spend it any way they please.
DeleteI love to see those people have to skip meals and medical care for their children so they can send money to trump.
ReplyDeleteGreat cartoon!
ReplyDeleteDeSantis would be for this if still in the presidential race. Anything for Donald.
ReplyDelete$5 million? Trump never pays his lawyers!!!
ReplyDeleteLOL!!!
DeleteVote 💙 blue
ReplyDeleteDeSantis already screwing with Trump. Watch out!
ReplyDeleteThe gall of a legislative representative to tell her taxpaying constituents that their hard-earned money will go to a private citizen's legal defense. Not exactly what the state's money is supposed to be used for. But the GOP doesn't care about actual citizens, until they need their vote.
ReplyDeleteOutrageous.
Delete$5 million would have gone into Trump's pocket. He never pays his lawyers.
ReplyDeleteTruth.
Delete