On Wednesday, a golf simulator worth tens of thousands of dollars was revealed to have been installed in the private pool cabana of the Florida governor’s mansion, funded by a wealthy donor and prominent businessman, Morteza Hosseini. This donation was not disclosed by the governor, Ron DeSantis, raising questions about the ethics of the transaction.
What Happened: The golf simulator was installed after DeSantis, an avid golfer, moved into the governor’s mansion in 2019. However, neither DeSantis nor the state government funded the simulator. Instead, it was paid for by Hosseini, Reuters reports.
The donation was never reported as a gift by DeSantis, who is currently a top rival to former President Donald Trump in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
Florida law generally allows officials to receive gifts as long as they are disclosed and won’t influence their official work. However, the golf simulator transaction appears to have been structured to avoid Florida’s rigorous ethical disclosure requirements.
Why It Matters: This news comes at a time when DeSantis is under scrutiny for his policies in Florida, including the removal of over 1 million people from Medicaid, as reported by Benzinga.
Furthermore, DeSantis is currently in the running for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, with betting odds placing him as a strong contender alongside former President Trump, according to another Benzinga article. However, Trump has recently criticized DeSantis for his decision to join the presidential race, branding him as “disloyal” in an interview.
Meanwhile, other Republican candidates, such as Chris Christie, are gaining support from wealthy donors, as noted in a Benzinga report.
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