Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier issued an investigative subpoena to the Democratic Socialists of America, saying his office is examining whether the group accepted contributions or support from foreign sources of concern, including the regimes in Cuba and China, and whether its fundraising from Florida donors has been fully transparent and lawful.
Floridians who give to organizations operating in our state have a right to know where that money comes from and how it is used, Uthmeier said, announcing the subpoena under Floridas Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and the states charitable-solicitation laws. He has not detailed specific allegations or named individuals, and the inquiry is a demand for records, not a finding that foreign funding occurred. The DSA had not issued a public response as of Tuesday afternoon.
Uthmeier said the examination includes recent DSA delegations to Cuba, where national leaders and national political committee members met with Cuban government officials, as well as a delegation to China, plus travel fund solicitations that sought tens of thousands of dollars to cover costs for those trips and related activities involving Florida chapters. Our laws prohibit accepting contributions from foreign sources of concern, he said. They require organizations to be honest and transparent about how money is raised and used. The subpoena seeks the documents needed to determine compliance.
We will follow the facts, we will enforce the law, and we will not allow foreign adversaries to influence Florida through the back door of nonprofit fundraising, Uthmeier said. The attorney generals office framed the action as an investigation into possible foreign contributions and support, not as proof that such money was received.
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