Andrew Gillum’s political action committee (PAC) from his failed bid for Florida governor recently paid his Miami lawyers $440,181, according to reports filed with the Division of Elections.
Gillum was indicted in June on multiple charges connected to campaign contribution fraud before and during his 2018 run for governor of Florida. The 21 count indictment includes conspiracy charges, wire fraud and making false statements.
Campaign filings show the Forward Florida PAC made the payment to the Markus/Moss law firm located in Miami, Florida. On July 11, lawyers David Markus and Todd Yoder officially notified the court that they would be representing Gillum.
The Forward Florida PAC has raised approximately $38 million since its creation in February 2016 as a campaign vehicle to help Gillum win the Florida governor’s race. However, Gillum took heavy criticism after it was reported that he left $3 million unspent in Forward Florida’s coffers.
Attorney John Morgan, who donated millions to the PAC, called Gillum a “Fraudster” after learning about Gillum’s decision not to spend the PAC money.
Other notable donors to the PAC included billionaire George Soros – who’s initial donation was $100,000, TV producer and People For The American Way founder Norman Lear gave $50,000, and actress Jane Fonda contributed $7,000.
After losing the governor’s race, Gillum announced that Forward Florida would use $3 million in unspent money to help register voters and get Democrats elected across the state. That effort later shifted to a separate nonprofit, Forward Florida Action, as the PAC became mostly inactive.
In addition, contributions dwindled to Forward Florida beginning in April 2020, shortly after Gillum was involved in a high-profile incident at a Miami hotel where authorities responded to a call about another man suffering a drug overdose. Gillum was found at the scene inebriated and nude.
By 2020, the PAC had spent more than $500,000 on legal expenses related to the FBI probe.
Florida state law limits the ways campaigns can spend money. According to guidance provided by the Division of Elections, Florida committees may make expenditures to “expressly advocate the election or defeat of a candidate or issue,” which is what Forward Florida did for years.
Gillum’s indictment alleges Forward Florida money was reportedly being used for get-out-the-vote efforts but instead ended up being paid to Gillum in several small installments reported as “End of year Bonus” payments. Now Florida Forward funds are being used to defend Gillum from charges related to Forward Florida expenditures.
After the most recent legal bill expense, the Forward Florida PAC has a balance of approximately $125,000.
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Steve Stewart is a senior contributor at The Florida Capital Star.
Photo “Andrew Gillum” by The Circus. CC BY 3.0.
