Today, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is officially launching his campaign for president (wow what a surprise). DeSantis is trying to claim the MAGA mantle without the MAGA baggage, but he also had close ties with the shady criminals of Trump’s world. DeSantis tried to hide how in debt his 2018 campaign was to convicted fraudster Lev Parnas — until Florida reporters went digging. Especially given DeSantis’ recent pro-Putin gaffe calling the war in Ukraine a “territorial dispute,” national media needs to be asking him as he runs for President: What did Parnas think he was buying with ALL that 2018 financial assistance?
Ron DeSantis “Became Very Friendly” With Infamous Giuliani Fixer, Lev Parnas, Who Was Later Arrested For Fraud And Campaign Finance Crimes
2018: RON DESANTIS MET WITH LEV PARNAS AT LEAST SIX TIMES
HEADLINE: “Ron DeSantis Had More Meetings With Lev Parnas Than Originally Thought” [Florida Politics, 11/15/19]
Ron DeSantis Met With Lev Parnas At Least Six Times And Had Other Encounters. “Lev Parnas, the Ukrainian-American tied to Rudy Giuliani and under indictment for campaign finance fraud, met with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at least six times and had other encounters beyond that, the governor’s office confirmed to the Orlando Sentinel. The number of interactions is more than previously reported by Florida news outlets asking questions for weeks about the governor’s ties to the Parnas and his business partner Igor Fruman. The duo also has been tied to the Ukraine scandal that has led to House impeachment hearings of President Trump.” [Orlando Sentinel, 11/15/19]
After First Downplaying His Ties To Lev Parnas, Ron DeSantis Admitted He Knew Him And Parnas Said They Became “Very Friendly”
HEADLINE: “Ron DeSantis Downplayed Ties To Giuliani Associates. Then We Found Them Hugging.” [Tampa Bay Times, 10/18/19]
Ron DeSantis: “I Knew Parnas” “When asked about Parnas and Fruman, who helped Trump’s personal attorney, Giuliani, push for investigations in Ukraine of the president’s political opponents, Ferré said that the event was ‘open to the public.’ Yet the pictures show Parnas wearing a badge stating ‘official guest’ and the two standing next to DeSantis’ teacher from his Dunedin grade school days, a fixture at Tampa Bay area campaign events. Ferré later said ‘donors were likely invited’ by his campaign to the party. After a social media firestorm over the images, DeSantis finally acknowledged Wednesday that he had a more formal relationship. ‘I knew Parnas,’ DeSantis told reporters. ‘I didn’t know the other guy as much.’” [Tampa Bay Times, 10/18/19]
May 2023: Now In House Arrest, Lev Parnas Said Of Ron DeSantis, “We Became Very Friendly.” “Parnas is serving out his sentence under house arrest. Wearing shorts and an ankle bracelet, he spoke with Reuters for several hours at his home in Boca Raton. Parnas says he now regrets his alliance with Giuliani and Trump, believing he was used. He said he shared the texts with Reuters because he feels betrayed by DeSantis, who he says stopped returning texts or calls once he won the governor’s race. Parnas once considered DeSantis a close confidant, he said. ‘We became very friendly.’” [Reuters, 5/22/23]
2018: BEFORE RETURNING THE MONEY, RON DESANTIS ACCEPTED $50,000 IN CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM LEV PARNAS AND IGOR FRUMAN
June 2018: Lev Parnas And Igor Fruman Contributed $50,000 To Support Ron DeSantis’ Campaign Through A Company Called Global Energy Producers. “Gov. Ron DeSantis will return the $50,000 he received as a contribution from two South Florida businessmen who helped President Donald Trump’s personal attorney look into his political opponents in Ukraine Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman were arrested Wednesday night and charged with attempting to funnel foreign money into U.S. politics. The alleged scheme included straw donations in which the duo masked the source of their political contributions by sending them through a newly formed Delaware corporation. In June of 2018, they gave DeSantis $50,000 through a company called Global Energy Producers. They made the contribution one day before Trump endorsed DeSantis for Florida governor.” [Tampa Bay Times, 10/10/19]
- Lev Parnas And Igor Fruman Were Arrested Amid Allegations They Made Donations To Federal Political Committees Through Global Energy Producers That Were Funded By “Private Lending Transactions Between Fruman And Third Parties.” “The men were arrested Wednesday night as prosecutors say they were trying to leave the country on a one-way flight out of Dulles International Airport in Virginia. Prosecutors say Fruman and Parnas made donations to federal political committees through Global Energy Producers that were, in fact, funded by ‘a private lending transaction between Fruman and third parties.’” [Tampa Bay Times, 10/10/19]
- Lev Parnas Was Sentenced To 20 Months In Prison For Fraud And Campaign Finance Crimes. “Lev Parnas, an associate of Rudy Giuliani who was a figure in President Donald Trump’s first impeachment investigation, was sentenced Wednesday to a year and eight months in prison for fraud and campaign finance crimes. Parnas, who had helped Giuliani connect with Ukrainian figures as part of a campaign to dig up dirt on President Joe Biden’s son, had sought leniency on the grounds that he’d helped the Congressional probe. […] Prosecutors had asked that Parnas be sentenced to more than six years.” [NPR, 6/29/22]
- A Russian Oligarch, Andrey Muraviev, Funneled Illegal Foreign Donations To A Texas Congressman And Trump PAC Through Two Soviet-Born Associates Of Rudy Giuliani, Lev Parnas And Igor Fruman. “A Russian tycoon who federal authorities say funneled illegal foreign donations to a Texas congressman and Donald Trump’s political action committee was secretly charged with conspiracy, the Justice Department revealed Monday. The September 2020 indictment of oligarch Andrey Muraviev had remained secret until now, though prosecutors had previously identified him as the true source of $5,400 donated to Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Waco, and other illegal donations. […] Two Soviet-born associates of Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, were convicted of violating campaign finance law by acting as straw men for a foreign donor.” [Dallas Morning News, 3/14/22]
Lev Parnas Even Hosted Two Fundraisers To Support Ron DeSantis’ Gubernatorial Campaign
HEADLINE: “Giuliani Associate Embroiled In Trump Ukraine Drama Raised Money For DeSantis Campaign” [Miami Herald, 10/9/19]
Lev Parnas Hosted Two Fundraisers For Ron DeSantis’ Gubernatorial Campaign In The Summer And Fall Of 2018. “Parnas, one of two South Florida businessmen called to testify before Congress as part of an impeachment investigation, hosted two fundraisers for DeSantis in the summer and fall of 2018, the Miami Herald reported Thursday. One of the events was an exclusive affair held at a South Florida residence with fewer than 30 people attending, including the governor. The other gathering was headlined by Donald Trump Jr.” [Tampa Bay Times, 10/10/19]
- 7/18/18: Lev Parnas Was On The Host Committee For A Fundraiser For Ron DeSantis That Donald Trump, Jr. Attended As Well. “The next time DeSantis met Parnas was in Longwood on July 18, 2018, at a fundraiser at which Donald Trump Jr. attended. Parnas was on the host committee for the event. Parnas and Fruman’s company, Global Energy Producers, had donated $50,000 to DeSantis’ committee the previous month, on June 21, one day before President Trump tweeted a formal endorsement of DeSantis, although Trump had expressed support for DeSantis previously.” [Orlando Sentinel, 11/15/19]
MAY-OCTOBER 2018: RON DESANTIS REPORTEDLY TEXTED MORE THAN 60 TIMES WITH LEV PARNAS
Lev Parnas Provided Reuters With 63 Text Messages Between Parnas And DeSantis That Took Place Between May And October 2018. “But DeSantis and Parnas worked more closely together than the Republican governor has disclosed, according to a detailed account of their relationship Parnas provided to Reuters and 63 previously unreported text messages from DeSantis to Parnas between May and October 2018, as DeSantis campaigned for governor. A jury later found Parnas guilty of campaign finance crimes and other charges. As DeSantis prepares to take a widely anticipated leap into the 2024 presidential campaign this week, the disclosures from Parnas cast new light on the Florida governor’s relationship with the businessman and the role Parnas played in helping DeSantis gain entree to the circle of former President Donald Trump.” [Reuters, 5/22/23]
Text Messages Showed That In More Than 20 Texts, Ron DeSantis Appealed To Lev Parnas For Introductions, Advice, And Other Fundraising Help During His 2018 Gubernatorial Campaign. “The text messages reviewed by Reuters show that DeSantis frequently – in more than 20 texts – appealed to fellow Floridian Parnas for introductions, advice and other fundraising help during his hotly contested campaign for governor. Two sources close to DeSantis during his 2018 campaign confirmed the texter’s number belonged to DeSantis at that time.” [Reuters, 5/22/23]
Text Messages Showed Lev Parnas Served As An Intermediary Between Ron DeSantis And Rudy Giuliani – In One Text DeSantis Reportedly Suggested Wording For Giuliani For A Tweet In Support Of His Candidacy. “The texts also reveal that Parnas served as an intermediary between DeSantis and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who at the time was the personal attorney of then-President Trump. In one case, 10 days before the 2018 election, DeSantis sent Parnas a text with suggested wording for a Giuliani tweet in support of his candidacy, the messages show.” [Reuters, 5/22/23]
2018: UKRAINIAN-AMERICAN BUSINESSMAN LEV PARNAS WAS PHOTOGRAPHED AT HIGH-PROFILE RON DESANTIS EVENTS
Lev Parnas Was Pictured At Ron DeSantis’ 2018 Election Victory Party And Was In The VIP Section Of DeSantis’ Gubernatorial Swearing-In Ceremony. “Parnas and Fruman were then seen in numerous pictures with DeSantis at his victory party on election night. During the transition, Parnas asked to be on the public safety transition team, but DeSantis opted to name Pereira instead. Parnas and Fruman then attended a ‘Thank You’ dinner in Miami on Jan. 3, a few days before DeSantis was to be sworn in as governor. They complained they were seated in the back and lacked access to DeSantis. The pair also turned up in the VIP section of DeSantis’ swearing-in ceremony, which was approved by Justin Caparale, an aide with the Republican Party of Florida at the time.” [Orlando Sentinel, 11/15/19]
- HEADLINE: “Photos Show Rudy Giuliani’s Fixers With Florida Governor” [Associated Press, 10/15/19]
- HEADLINE: “Indicted Giuliani Associate Joined DeSantis On Last-Minute Campaign Swing” [Politico, 10/21/19]
Ron DeSantis Defended Trump During His 2019 Impeachment Inquiry, Even Fundraising Off Of It
RON DESANTIS DEFENDED TRUMP DURING FIRST IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY OVER ALLEGATIONS HE IMPROPERLY PRESSURED UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS TO INVESTIGATE JOE BIDEN AHEAD OF THE 2020 ELECTION
September 2019: Ron DeSantis Fundraised Off Supporting President Trump As Trump Was Facing An Impeachment Inquiry Over Allegations He Tried To Pressure Ukraine To Help Him In The 2020 Election. “Gov. Ron DeSantis, on behalf of the Republican Party of Florida, is raising money to back President Donald Trump amid an impeachment inquiry and allegations of trying to pressure Ukraine’s leader to help in the 2020 election. ‘As governor of Florida, I want the President to know that we have his back in this fight 100 percent, so today I’m issuing the Presidential Protection Fund to fight back against this disgusting attempt to overturn a legitimate U.S. election,’ DeSantis wrote in an email Thursday.” [Orlando Weekly, 9/27/19]
- Ron DeSantis: “As Governor Of Florida, I Want The President To Know That We Have His Back In This Fight 100 Percent, So Today I’m Issuing The Presidential Protection Fund To Fight Back Against This Disgusting Attempt To Overturn A Legitimate U.S. Election.” “Gov. Ron DeSantis, on behalf of the Republican Party of Florida, is raising money to back President Donald Trump amid an impeachment inquiry and allegations of trying to pressure Ukraine’s leader to help in the 2020 election. ‘As governor of Florida, I want the President to know that we have his back in this fight 100 percent, so today I’m issuing the Presidential Protection Fund to fight back against this disgusting attempt to overturn a legitimate U.S. election,’ DeSantis wrote in an email Thursday.” [Orlando Weekly, 9/27/19]
The House Impeached Trump After He Was Accused Of Withholding Aid To Ukraine Unless Officials Investigated Joe Biden
The House Impeached Former President Trump After Being Accused Of Withholding Aid To Ukraine Unless Officials Investigated Joe Biden. “Parnas, now 51, shot to prominence in 2019. He was a key figure in the events leading to Trump’s first impeachment, working with Giuliani to gather damaging information on Democrat Joe Biden’s son Hunter in Ukraine. Accused of withholding aid to Ukraine unless Kyiv investigated Biden, Trump was impeached by the Democratic-led House of Representatives and charged with abuse of power. He was acquitted by the Republican-majority Senate.” [Reuters, 5/22/23]
Lev Parnas Helped Connect Rudy Giuliani With Ukrainian Figures As Part Of Trump’s Pressure Campaign To Investigate Joe Biden
Lev Parnas Helped Rudy Giuliani Connect With Ukrainian Figures As Part Of A Campaign To Try To Dig Up Dirt On Joe Biden’s Son. “Lev Parnas, an associate of Rudy Giuliani who was a figure in President Donald Trump’s first impeachment investigation, was sentenced Wednesday to a year and eight months in prison for fraud and campaign finance crimes. Parnas, who had helped Giuliani connect with Ukrainian figures as part of a campaign to dig up dirt on President Joe Biden’s son, had sought leniency on the grounds that he’d helped the Congressional probe. […] Prosecutors had asked that Parnas be sentenced to more than six years.” [NPR, 6/29/22]
- When He Was Arrested, Lev Parnas Was In Possession Of A Business Card For Nazar Kholodnytsky, A Ukrainian Prosecutor That Rudy Giuliani Had Met With Months Earlier As Part Of His Efforts To Pressure Ukraine To Investigate Joe Biden And Hunter Biden. “Parnas and Fruman, both of whom are naturalized Americans born in former Soviet republics, Parnas in Ukraine and Fruman in Belarus, were largely unknown to the public until Oct. 9, when they were arrested at Dulles International Airport in Washington. According to the Daily Beast, the items Parnas had on him when he was arrested included five cell phones, eight credit and debit cards and $5,000 in $100 bills. He also had the business card of Nazar Kholodnytsky, a Ukrainian prosecutor Giuliani met with months earlier as part of his efforts to get Ukraine to investigate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter, who served on the board of a Ukrainian energy company while Biden was vice president. Parnas and Fruman have been asked to testify in ongoing impeachment hearings on Capitol Hill.” [Orlando Sentinel, 11/15/19]
- Washington Post: “[Lev Parnas] Was A Guide Of Sorts To Giuliani When The Former New York Mayor And Federal Prosecutor Sought To Unearth Damaging Information About Joe Biden And His Son Hunter In Ukraine Before The 2020 Election.” “The sentencing ends a case that drew intense interest because of Parnas’s connections to Giuliani, who once served as President Donald Trump’s personal attorney, and because of Parnas’s role in Trump’s first impeachment trial. He was a guide of sorts to Giuliani when the former New York mayor and federal prosecutor sought to unearth damaging information about Joe Biden and his son Hunter in Ukraine before the 2020 election.” [Washington Post, 6/29/22]
Lev Parnas Said Trump And Rudy Giuliani Directed Him To Urge Ukrainian Officials To Publicly Open An Investigation Into Joe Biden. “Speaking in an interview aired Wednesday night, Parnas said Trump and Giuliani, the president’s personal attorney, directed him to urge Ukrainian officials to publicly open an investigation into a Trump Democratic rival, former Vice President Joe Biden. Parnas asserted that the ouster of Marie Yovanovitch as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine last spring was motivated entirely by her interference in their efforts to start a Biden investigation. And he even apologized to her for his conduct.” [Politico, 1/15/20]
Republican Claims That Joe Biden Took Action In Ukraine To Help Hunter Biden Have Been Widely Discredited And Debunked
Associated Press Said Conservative Theory That Vice President Joe Biden Pushed For Ukraine To Fire Its Top Prosecutor In Order To Protect Hunter Biden And Burisma From Investigation Was “Widely Discredited.” “Trump and his supporters, meanwhile, have advanced a widely discredited theory that Biden pushed for the firing of Ukraine’s top prosecutor to protect his son and Burisma from investigation. Biden did indeed press for the prosecutor’s firing, but that’s because he was reflecting the official position of not only the Obama administration but many Western countries and because the prosecutor was perceived as soft on corruption.” [Associated Press, 10/28/20]
Vox Reported Trump Claim That Joe Biden Took Action In Ukraine Designed To Help Hunter Biden And His Clients Was “Widely Debunked.” “First, Trump’s team has tried to argue that, as vice president, Joe Biden took action designed to help Hunter’s clients in some way. Their highest-profile example — the vice president urging the firing of Ukraine’s prosecutor general — was widely debunked last year, since the prosecutor general was himself corrupt and many Western governments and institutions wanted him removed for that reason.” [Vox, 10/22/20]
FACT CHECKERS HAVE ALREADY DEBUNKED CLAIMS THAT JOE BIDEN SOUGHT THE REMOVAL OF UKRAINE’S PROSECUTOR GENERAL TO PROTECT HIS SON
New Yorker: “There Is No Credible Evidence That Biden Sought Shokin’s Removal In Order To Protect Hunter [Biden].” “There is no credible evidence that Biden sought Shokin’s removal in order to protect Hunter.” [New Yorker, 7/8/19]
FactCheck.Org Said President Biden Carried Out U.S. Policy, Which Found Ukrainian Prosecutor, Viktor Shokin, Guilty Of Corruption – The International Community Also Advocated For Shokin’s Removal From Office. “As we have reported more than once last year, Biden traveled to Kyiv as vice president and warned Ukraine’s then-president, Petro Poroshenko, that the U.S. would withhold $1 billion in loan guarantees until Ukraine removed its prosecutor general, Viktor Shokin, who was widely viewed as corrupt. At the time, the international community and anti-corruption advocates in Ukraine were also calling for Shokin to be removed from office for his failure to aggressively prosecute corruption.” [FactCheck.org, 10/15/20]
- Vice President Biden And Other Western Leaders Called For The Firing Of Ukraine’s Top Prosecutor, Viktor Shokin, Who Faced Criticism For Blocking Corruption Investigations – Shokin Was Removed By Ukrainian Parliament In 2016. “At the time, his father was actively engaged in anti-corruption work in Ukraine. Vice-President Biden rallied other Western leaders to call for the firing of the country’s top prosecutor, Viktor Shokin, who faced criticism for blocking corruption investigations. Mr Shokin was removed by the Ukrainian parliament in 2016. Mr Trump and some of his allies have claimed he was ousted for investigating Burisma.” [BBC, 10/6/22]
- U.S. Special Envoy For Energy Policy, Amos Hochstein, Said Shokin’s Removal Was Due To Concerns By The International Monetary Fund, European Union, And The U.S. Government That He Wasn’t Pursuing Corruption Investigations. “According to Amos Hochstein, the Obama Administration’s special envoy for energy policy, Shokin was removed because of concerns by the International Monetary Fund, the European Union, and the U.S. government that he wasn’t pursuing corruption investigations.” [New Yorker, 7/8/19]
HEADLINE: “Envoys Pushed To Oust Ukraine Prosecutor Before Biden” [Financial Times, 10/3/19]
- EU Diplomats Working On Ukraine Told Financial Times They Were Looking For Ways To Persuade Kiev To Oust Shokin Well Before Then-Vice President, Joe Biden Got Involved. “EU diplomats working on Ukraine at the time have, however, told the FT that they were looking for ways to persuade Kiev to remove Mr Shokin well before Mr Biden entered the picture. The push for Mr Shokin’s removal was part of an international effort to bolster Ukraine’s institutions following Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the armed conflict in the eastern part of the country.” [Financial Times, 10/3/19]