DeSantis faces second ethics complaint over Florida hotel events

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis faces a second ethics complaint about money used for hotels, with the latest filing coming from Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried. 

The newest complaint focuses on whether the governor received an improper gift from his political committee, Friends of Ron DeSantis, which paid more than $235,000 to the Four Seasons in Palm Beach for a three-day retreat in February, Politico reported Monday.

The Palm Beach event featured donors and elected Republicans including Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Tom Cotton of Arkansas.

Fried, who unsuccessfully challenged DeSantis in 2022, filed a Florida Commission on Ethics complaint late last week that claims the committee's spending violates a state law regarding the use of money on things unrelated to a committee's political work.

DeSantis spokesperson Taryn Fenske said the complaint was "frivolous" and "politically motivated."

The Make America Great Again super PAC filed the first complaint against DeSantis, claiming that the governor's committee improperly spent $142,000 at a Miami hotel event as well as $12,000 at a steak restaurant.