Report: DeSantis Took Campaign Cash from China-Backed Refrigerant Company

Breitbart ^ | 23 Nov 2023 | KRISTINA WONG

[SoConPubbie]

Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took more than $11,000 in campaign donations from the CEO of a Tampa refrigerant company backed by China, according to a report.

According to a report in the Miami Herald, the donation was “just the latest in years” of financial support that the company, iGas USA, has given DeSantis. The report said that DeSantis even held a rally at the company’s Tampa complex.

The report said:

The rally and contributions are part of a recent wave of political giving by iGas and entities associated with its CEO, Xianbin (Ben) Meng. All told, the companies and employees have made more than $1.1 million in federal and state political contributions in the past five years, with 98% of the money going to Republican candidates and committees. The lion’s share of that money, $340,000, went to DeSantis and committees affiliated with him.

The report said that Meng had donated to former President Donald Trump in 2016 but that DeSantis is the only Republican presidential contender iGas or its employees have given to this presidential campaign cycle.

The newspaper said corporate records and court filings show that a state-controlled Chinese company owns about a third of iGas USA, and that American competitors of the company have protested the company’s import of “cheap, Chinese-made refrigerants,” saying it has hurt domestic producers of refrigerant.

The report added:

iGas USA was created in 2018 as a joint venture between Meng and Zhejiang Juhua, a major Chinese manufacturer of refrigerants that the Commerce Department determined to be controlled by the Chinese government.

The company increased donations to lawmakers as Congress considered a bill phasing out the type of refrigerants that iGas imports from China known as “hydrofluorocarbons” used to cool refrigerators and air conditioners but are considered contributors of climate change.

[BobL]

“The company increased donations to lawmakers as Congress considered a bill phasing out the type of refrigerants that iGas imports from China known as “hydrofluorocarbons” used to cool refrigerators and air conditioners but are considered contributors of climate change.”

If they’re opposing the phaseout of hydroflourocarbons, then more power to them and DeSantis is SMART for taking their money. At least for me, since I live in Texas and prefer to have continued access to air conditioning.

[Honest Nigerian]

Corruption? In TAMPA, Florida?
Are you guys KrayZee? / LOL and doing the giggle-chuckle-snicker-laff-laff

[17th Miss Regt]

...since I live in Texas and prefer to have continued access to air conditioning.

Aha! Another racist is unmasked! (/green fanatic)

[lasereye]

The point of this is what?

[conservative98]

The report is the LATEST in a STRING of stories about DeSantis’s history with Chinese-connected companies, as he and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, another 2024 Republican presidential governor have traded barbs over who has been more welcoming of Chinese business to their states.

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People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

[BobL]

“The point of this is what?”

He’s trying to save air conditioning for Florida (and Texas, by extension).

Even so, I’m still a Trump man.

[Robert DeLong]

Hasn’t Ron been talking tough on China? Talk is cheap with the man, apparently.

[Responsibility2nd]

The point of this is what?

————————————————————

To show the desperation of AT’s who are so eager to find dirt on RDS, even if it also slimes Trump.

[TBP]

You mean the guy who banned Chinese land purchases in his state?

[Fido969]

And why should he drop out if the cash keeps rolling in?

[JoJo354]

Just to try to make DeSantis look bad. I would like to know how much Breitbart takes from people who have any association with China? I think there are a lot of people and companies in this country have no idea how much Chinese money is being used everyday by politicians, companies and even everyday folks.

[Garden Island]

So it’s a company in FL which I assume has Florida workers, but the company itself has ties to China and not DeSantis himself. It seems like a desperate stretch by increasingly nervous Trump shills who seem oblivious to Trump hiring companies in China to make his Trump Ties and other Trump accessories.

[OrioleFan]

The report said that Meng had donated to former President Donald Trump in 2016.

DOJ "Special" prosecutor Jack Smith and the prosecutors in New York and Georgia have teams of lawfare lawyers all over this.

[wild74]

Sure he did

[wild74]

No point at all just insinuations

[conservative98]

The point is DeSantis is going after others for China connections and he has his own China problem.

[conservative98]

DeSantis is the only Republican presidential contender iGas or its employees have given to this presidential campaign cycle....The report said that DeSantis even held a rally at the company’s Tampa complex...The newspaper said corporate records and court filings show that a state-controlled Chinese company owns about a third of iGas USA, and that American competitors of the company have protested the company’s import of “cheap, Chinese-made refrigerants,” saying it has hurt domestic producers of refrigerant."

[conservative98]

The report said that DeSantis even held a rally at the company’s Tampa complex.

Say it aint so, Ron.

[Phoenix8]

I believe the hate on FR for Desantis is greater than for Biden.