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The Florida Democratic governor candidate, Andrew Gillum, during a debate on CNN last week in Tampa. (Chris O 'meara / AP)
John Wagner
National journalist heads up the political press team at The Post newspaper
President Trump on Monday accused Andrew Gillum, Democratic candidate for the governorship of Florida, of being a "thief," without citing any evidence.
The president launched this accusation in a tweet in which he sought to contrast the references of the Republican candidate he had sponsored, former Congressman Ron DeSantis and the mayor of the city of Tallahassee, Gillum.
"In Florida, you have a choice between @RonDeSantisFL, a Harvard / Yale educated man, who was a great congressman and who will be a great governor – and a Dem who is a thief and Tallahassee's mayor of the cities. more corrupt of the country! Wrote Trump on Twitter.
Trump did not explain why he considers Gillum a thief. Tallahassee was the subject of a federal public corruption investigation, but Gillum repeatedly reiterated that he had done nothing wrong and that the FBI had told him in June 2017 that he was not the "center" of his investigation.
Gillum responded to Trump on Twitter, saying the president "screamed because he is weak," and urged Florida voters to vote earlier. Gillum also questioned Trump's "courage" because his tweet did not include Gillum's Twitter account.
Trump has also been accused by social media of sending a coded message according to race, since Gillum is black.
On Twitter, Malcom Nance, a terrorism expert and commentator for MSNBC, called Trump "leader #RacistinChief," writing, "That's it. America burns and this petrified wanderer wannabe king publicly calls a distinguished black man running for the governor is a "thief"
Last week, Gillum was put on the defensive by the publication of SMS stating that he had used the ticket of an FBI undercover agent posing as a real estate developer to attend the Broadway show "Hamilton In 2016.
[‘This is what local corruption looks like’: In Florida, DeSantis highlights reports that an FBI agent bought a ‘Hamilton’ ticket for Gillum]
Gillum dismissed the importance of the newly disclosed documents, claiming that his brother had obtained the ticket and that "the idea that I had accepted a gift never came to me. ;mind".
It is generally believed that the FBI agent, who identified himself as "Mike Miller", worked undercover in an investigation that examined the city's community redevelopment agency.
During an appearance on television last week, DeSantis claimed that the actions of the FBI agent show that Gillum is currently under investigation.
"Why would the police have sent an undercover agent to line up his pockets if he was not under investigation? Of course, it is, "said De Santis on" Fox & Friends. "
The Florida Ethics Commission is also investigating whether Gillum has paid for it when traveling with lobbyists in New York and Costa Rica.
Trump's endorsement of DeSantis was key to his victory in the Republican primary. Recent polls have shown that Gillum had a small lead in the run for Governor Rick Scott's (R) successor. Trump plans to return to Florida Wednesday to hold a rally touting DeSantis' bid.
Trump's tweet echoed a line of attack DeSantis advanced against Gillum in the final days of the race.
In an interview with SiriusXM's Breitbart News Daily Monday morning, DeSantis said Gillum was "at the feet of corruption".
"It's a guy who has always used the public service to feather his own nest," said DeSantis.
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