Uh Oh - Desantis kidnapping flight company may have been a sweetheart deal.

[yellowcanine]

https://www.rawstory.com/desantis-vertol-systems-larry-keefe/

One obvious question. Did Larry Keefe get a kickback? Developing....

"Although Destin-based Vertol Systems Company is in aviation, its primary business is training pilots for the military and providing helicopters across the globe. But the company was familiar to a key member of the DeSantis administration: Larry Keefe, the state’s 'public safety czar' responsible for carrying out the governor’s anti-immigration programs. The company also has a private jet that flew from Florida to San Antonio a week before charter flights took 48 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard," the Miami Herald reported.

[Kid Berwyn]

1. There's money in cruelty.

[malaise]

2. The company should lose all Federal contracts

for starters

[SoFloDenny]

8. +1

[Rebl2]

9. Definitely

[SheltieLover]

13. Absofuckingloutely!

[mountain grammy]

14. Immediately!

[yellowcanine]

3. Can a private jet be legally used for a commercial flight?

Seems like an obvious problem.

[LeftInTX]

26. It was a chartered flight

I don't know how it works, but I assume the govt does charter private aircraft as needed from time to time.

[live love laugh]

27. Surely they can prove other charters in court.

Though I seriously doubt it.

[CTyankee]

4. Watch this closely! This guy DeSantis is smart as hell and more clever than any other prominent

Republican. And he scares me more than any other Republican does.

[yellowcanine]

5. Maybe. But this might be a significant stumble in the middle of a reelection campaign.

The Miami Herald appears to be on it and they are no slouches when it comes to investigative reporting. And these guys do not appear to have covered their tracks very well. The whole thing appears somewhat inept, to say the least. A drip drip drip of negative information has started and it is close enough to the election to do a lot of damage and maybe not enough time to undo any damage. I do believe this was a manor unforced error for Desantis.

[machoneman]

7. Someone 'sold' DeSatan on the idea. He said go with it. Not thinking these folks could screw up...

...a one car funeral! Yet they did. Now, as we've all read for years, DeSatan's post flight efforts to cover up his crimes is worse...than the crime itself. He must be furiously back-peddling and trying desperately to distance himself form this mess. Too late as the FBI. DOJ and J6 committee already have jumped on this, after in fact he took credit! Maybe an alleged smart guy, but zero street smarts. Always use cut-outs, never admit you were involved, etc. Ah, but not DeSatan!

Love this tangled web he wove!

[rubbersole]

10. I live in Central Florida and desantis was our representative before he became governor.

He was never here or responsive to any inquiries. He's not a popular governor. A POS then, a POS now. I don't think he'll be reelected in November.

[gratuitous]

16. Thanks for your first-hand perspective

I know that DeSantis didn't exactly have a landslide victory in 2018, winning by a margin of some 32,000 or so votes. His record over the last four years would, I should think, turn off more of his 2018 supporters than it would attract more votes in 2022. He certainly projects an image of power and confidence, but that's about all I can see that he has going for him.

Come on, Florida, do better. And that goes for you too, Texas.

[Jade Fox]

12. I don't think DeSantis is all that bright.....

I used to think he was smart, but watching his recent actions changed my mind.

Ruthless is what DeSantis is, IMO, and that's scary enough.

[CTyankee]

19. Yale undergrad with Honors, Harvard Law also graduating with Honors

https://dos.myflorida.com/florida-facts/florida-history/florida-governors/ronald-dion-desantis/

After reading his bio information I start to wonder what made him into a monster.

[Jade Fox]

20. He's book smart alright but......

I think he lacks the imaginative ability to understand the consequences of his actions. He seemed genuinely confused by the blowback from his Martha's Vinyard adventure, and he seems to have disappeared since.

I have come to believe DeSantis is chronically prone to rash, ill-considered actions, and hope this will be his downfall.

[CTyankee]

22. I think you are onto something here, Jade! I hadn't thought of that.

He's acting like he never heard of the lessons history has taught us about the utter folly of dictators who think they know everything, have everything nailed down, only to wind up in utter defeat and death, often by their own hand, when the time to pay for their folly comes.

This can only happen in a flourishing democracy, where reason and the rule of law still abide. Hopefully, this will happen before he can wreak further havoc.

[CTyankee]

24. I think that despite his well trained mind he is an immoral, souless man and that kind of man should

be taken seriously, more seriously than Trump. He will stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

[obamanut2012]

21. He has zero charisma

He barely won here.

[Skittles]

23. I don't think he is smart

like all racists, he seriously overestimates the popularity of sickening stunts like this

he may be smarter than Trump but THAT is a fucking seriously LOW BAR

[Timeflyer]

6. So much corruption and selfish cruelty in everything DeathSatan touches.

[Raster]

11. I believe they also took a PPP loan and said they had 30 employees...

...No available records indicate 30 employees. The most anyone can confirm may be FOUR, but that may also be overstating.

[SheltieLover]

15. Wondering about possible connection to tfg's alleged mob-related,

Purportedly drug running helicopter pilot?

https://jezebel.com/meet-the-convicted-cocaine-trafficker-donald-trump-call-1787180877

Tons more info online.

And how about the FL flight school that trained terrorist 911 pilots?

Just wondering...

[DFW]

17. The State of Florida was billed, and presumably paid $615,000 for 1 flight and $950,000 for another

This would have been about ten times what the flights should have cost. That indicates that of the $1.565 million in Florida taxpayer money that went into the account of this "aviation" company, over $1.3 million of it was an unnecessary overpayment. What happened to the extra $1.3 million would be an interesting subject for an IRS audit, since no one claims to know. Florida Republicans don't seem to care, so maybe the anemic Rubio campaign fund got a desperately needed shot in the arm, and they'd rather not discuss from where.

[Heather MC]

18. I told you last week, ALWAYS FOLLOW THE MONEY

The only way it makes sense to spend $12300 per asylum seeker come

To fly them to Martha's vineyard, was if it was just a git was just a grift on the taxpayers

Because they could have put these people on a commercial flight for $394 per person
🤷🏾?♀️

[Hermit-The-Prog]

25. Wonder if certain law enforcement agencies smell the stench of kickbacks.

Roe, Roe, Roe your vote
against theocracy!
Republicans revoke your rights
and kill democracy!

THESE are the races that will determine control of the House of Representatives:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100217175231

Stick 'em up for a blue wave: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100217078977