"Florida Republicans accepted donations from ex-congressman who sent
lewd messages to underage boys even as party's right wing crusades
against 'grooming'"

"Prominent Republicans have slammed critics of Florida's new sex
education bill that critics call "Don't Say Gay" as "groomers" and "pedophiles."

But some Florida Republicans are meanwhile accepting financial
contributions from the old campaign committee of an ex-congressman who
sent sexually explicit messages to underage boys working as
congressional pages.

Former Republican Rep. Mark Foley, who resigned his West Palm Beach
district seat over the 2006 messaging scandal, has made $118,250 in
donations and sponsorship to the Republican Party of Palm Beach County
since 2010 through his ex-campaign committee Friends of Mark Foley for Congress.

Foley's most recent donation to the Republican Party of Palm Beach
County came in January, when his campaign committee gave $15,000,
according to an Insider analysis of filings from the Federal Elections Commission.

Palm Beach County encompasses Mar-a-Lago, the private luxury club former President Donald Trump calls home. Mar-a-Lago is also where the county Republicans held their annual Lincoln Day fundraiser in March.

A representative who answered the phone for the Republican Party of Palm
Beach County said it was not the group's policy to talk to the media and
"there is no comment." The organization's chair, Michael Barnett, did
not respond to emailed questions and did not return a phone call.

The Republican Party of Palm Beach County appears to have previously
welcomed Foley into its fold, honoring him in 2019 with a service award
at its Lobsterfest dinner in Boca Raton, the Florida Sun Sentinel
reported. "
[snip]

TB

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