A.G. Gancarski
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried is more likely to be seen on MSNBC than heard on conservative talk radio.
But when it comes to Gov. Ron DeSantis, the former Agriculture Commissioner is finding common ground with Roger Stone.
Republicans weren’t thrilled by the cross-party dialogue.
A DeSantis spox called this evidence of “contrived, politically motivated astroturf campaign against the Governor and First Lady” ahead of the broadcast Thursday night. And Florida GOP Chair Evan Power called it “extremely disappointing,” given that Fried “has said horrible things about our President and Governor.”
But Stone, a staunch Donald Trump loyalist, called Fried a “longtime friend” ahead of her segment on WABC, in which they discussed what Stone said might be the “greatest single corruption scandal in Florida history,” regarding Hope Florida’s programming of $10 million from a settlement for dark money for political advocacy last year.
“I think people are going to be surprised by our conversation,” Fried said.
Indeed, there was very little daylight between the two, as they painted a picture of a corrupt Governor without guardrails and a state rendered dystopian by his mismanagement.
The conversation moved to what Stone called a “slush fund” related to Hope Florida, with Fried saying it funded “dark money PCs” designed to torpedo “the legalization of cannabis.”
“He seems to go completely nuts like the people of Florida have no right to question him,” Stone said of DeSantis.
Fried agreed.
“I’ve been bringing to light all of this corruption that Ron and Casey and his executive office has been doing for six years. And it’s good to see that the Republican Legislature, specifically in the Florida House, is finally understanding that this is not partisan. You know, uncovering corruption and making sure that we’re holding our elected officials to some type of standards and no one’s (above) the law,” Fried said.
“It’s almost as if Ron and Casey DeSantis think the law doesn’t apply to them,” Stone remarked, before bemoaning how the current administration has “gutted the Sunshine Laws.”
Fried went on to offer her perspective on the lead up to DeSantis’ failed presidential run.
“(Current Attorney General) James Uthmeier and other key leadership inside the governor’s office were making phone calls to state representatives and lobbyists holding over their heads the budget and these bills to get endorsements for his presidential run, get money into the coffers for that presidential run,” Fried said, describing events in 2023 before the official launch.
13 comments
Foghorn Leghorn
April 18, 2025 at 6:58 am
Hey Roger. Like Gancarski, Nikki is not going out with you. By the way, she is the number one recruiter of new Republicans to the state of Florida. You go girl.
MH/Duuuval
April 18, 2025 at 2:31 pm
Peachy in drag…
Tom
April 18, 2025 at 7:47 am
It raises the question of who actually has the juice in Florida, trump or desantis? Seems like nobody at the Federal level likes him and his own House has turned on him and yet he’s still trying to push his missus into the Governor slot so he can maintain some relevance.
This should be fun to watch.
Tom Palmer
April 18, 2025 at 8:07 am
This is the first case of high-level corruption allegations since the Harmon Shields controversy several decades ago. It seems, based on what we have heard so far, calling it a dark money slush fund to
further DeSantis’ anti-democratic political agenda seems apt.
Ocean Joe
April 18, 2025 at 9:36 am
Disappointing that Nikki would pal around with one of the architects of the Stop the Steal rally and the Jan 6 violence. As for Desantis, he has a long list of abusing state funds for his own political purposes, primarily for ridiculous stunts and travel to Iowa and cops to Texas, migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, litigation against Disney. What’s another ten million?
Foghorn Leghorn
April 18, 2025 at 11:41 am
Nikki hates DeSantis so much that she will join forces with anyone that might help her personal vendetta against DeSantis. She is no match for him however and should stick to recruiting Republicans in the state of Florida.
Tom
April 18, 2025 at 12:59 pm
The enemy of your enemy is your friend as they say. Why wouldn’t she encourage division between trump and desantis? It’s not even close to being a given that she’ll be the demo nominee so why not stir up some crap? I’d call it business as usual.
SuzyQ
April 18, 2025 at 12:14 pm
Nikki Fried and Roger Stone are two peas in a pod.
MH/Duuuval
April 18, 2025 at 2:32 pm
Wannabe IMPeachy checks in…
SuzyQ
April 19, 2025 at 1:09 am
Wannabe Whitaker?
Mary Ruth
April 18, 2025 at 6:01 pm
My glasses fogged up in all the hot air here. Fried should watch her back. I’m sure there are all kinds of strings making this DeSadist scandal dance, but Stone is absolutely not to be trusted.
FL is the damn saddest case of suicide by depravity.
Fu too
April 18, 2025 at 7:18 pm
Not one shares any ground..just catch them with flies and pants down.. common ground. Really jerks..
MH/Duuuval
April 18, 2025 at 8:30 pm
Not to understate what Dee and his spouse did, but Florida has had bigger scandals: I’m thinking of how Tallahassee gave away so much of our public lands in the late 19th century to railroads, rich Yankees and assorted grifters. These days we’re trying to buy back parts of it for many millions.