TALLAHASSEE (CBS MIAMI)
Florida’s Seminole Tribe, which last year reached a gambling settlement with Gov. Ron DeSantis, contributed $1 million to its political committee on Aug. 1, according to a newly filed financial report .
The tribe’s contribution was part of the nearly $2.225 million the Friends of Ron DeSantis committee received from July 30 to Aug. 5, the period covered by the report. The committee also spent nearly the same amount of money during the period and had about $124.9 million in cash on hand as of Aug. 5.
DeSantis and the tribe negotiated an agreement last year that included allowing the Seminoles to operate sports betting in the state. Lawmakers approved the deal, known as a pact, but a federal judge later blocked it.
Other contributions to DeSantis’ committee from July 30 to August 5 included $400,000 from Sun Labs USA, Inc. from Tampa. Meanwhile, the committee contributed $1 million to the Republican Party of Florida and paid $1 million to Ohio-based Flexpoint Media, Inc. for “media placement,” according to the report.
