Acknowledgement that federal authorities are looking into the transports.
Democrat lawmakers from Massachusetts requested that the Treasury Department open an investigation into Republican Governor Ron DeSantis for flying illegal migrants to Martha’s Vineyard. The question is whether or not DeSantis improperly used COVID-19 relief money to pay for the flights. Their request has been granted.
A letter was sent to Massachusetts’s Democrat congressional delegation by the Treasury Department that it plans “to get this work underway as soon as possible” on their request. The department is auditing how states used the billions of dollars in aid sent as part of the American Rescue Plan. Senator Ed Markey’s office confirmed receiving the letter to Politico.
A spokesperson for DeSantis responded that representatives of the governor’s budget office spoke with the inspector general’s office “weeks ago” about using interest earnings from the COVID-19 funds to pay for the transport program. Florida state officials say that the use of the money is permissible under the rules sent to states. Spokesperson Taryn Fenske said, “reviews by Treasury are typical and, as stated by the OIG, are ‘part of its oversight responsibilities.
