Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration has been soliciting campaign funds from lobbyists through text messages, raising ethical and legal concerns. DeSantis’ campaign raised $8.2m within the first 24 hours, but the perception of state employees leveraging their positions for money is problematic. The legality of the solicitations depends on whether they were sent on state-owned phones or property.
Politics
Biden Downplays China Provocations
The Biden administration has been accused of downplaying provocative actions by China, including reported plans to build an electronic listening facility in Cuba, in order to secure a visit to China by top US diplomat Anthony Blinken. Blinken’s trip would be the first for a secretary of state since 2018, and insiders claim the White House is eager to avoid jeopardizing the visit. The administration has been vague in its response to reports of the Cuba project, maintaining only that articles on the issue were inaccurate.