When Gov. Ron DeSantis leaves office, appointed CFO Blaise Ingoglia believes the state should continue paying for the First Family’s security.
“I am absolutely 100% in favor of that in this heightened environment where you have political violence occurring,” the Spring Hill Republican said in Gulf Breeze.
Ingoglia, a former Chair of the Republican Party of Florida who was a Senator before DeSantis picked him for his current job, cited assassination attempts on President Donald Trump and the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk to explain the unprecedented spend to keep a former officeholder and his family safe.
“You do not know what’s out there,” Ingoglia said, defending “protecting elected officials, no matter where, where they’re going, what time of the day.”
“I think it is incumbent upon us to protect them,” he affirmed.
A recent Senate budget offer would put state funds toward that unprecedented effort.
Per the offer, “the Department of Law Enforcement shall continue to provide and maintain the security of the individual currently serving as Governor and such individual’s immediate family for a period of twelve months following the expiration of the Governor’s term.”
DeSantis has not publicly lobbied for the perk, saying he has “no idea” what that would look like.
DeSantis has benefited from state police before while involved in duties beyond being Governor, including when he ran for President in 2023 and 2024. It wasn’t entirely without risk to state assets. His motorcade was involved in a vehicular accident during a swing through Tennessee during that campaign.
Senate President Ben Albritton’s spokesperson previously defended the proposal, saying DeSantis has “obviously built a national profile, and that’s led to an unprecedented amount of threats,” as reported by Gary Fineout.
Thus far, the House has not agreed to the ask.
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