Florida Democrats Took $10K From Prison Transport Contractor, Might Have Broken Prison-Donor Ban
February 5, the private security firm G4S Solutions — a for-profit company founded in Coral Gables that transports inmates for the government — donated $10,000 to the Florida Democratic Party. The money came through G4S's political action committee.
In past years, the donation might have seemed ethically questionable but not an outright source of controversy. But now it is. That's because, in June 2018, the Florida Democratic Party passed a resolution stating it would stop taking donations from any private prison companies or any PACs or lobbyists associated with them. The rules state the "Florida Democratic Party will lead by example and refuse any donations from private prison companies, namely C.C.A. and GEO Group" and "will additionally refuse donations from the registered lobbyists of, and any PACs associated with, private prison companies."
The donation ban does not list any sanctions if those rules are violated. But the news is sure to upset civil rights advocates and critics of money in politics, who already worry the party’s leadership is too reliant on large corporate political donors.
Whether the party made the right decision in accepting the money depends upon whether it considers the Jupiter-based G4S to be a "private prison" company. The company itself does not run or own any prison facilities in the States, but a significant portion of its business includes transporting inmates between jail or prison facilities on behalf of local governments. The company, for example, provides inmate transport services for the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office — and in 2018, a Pinellas County inmate died while being transported in a G4S van.
Read more: https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/florida-democrats-accept-money-from-g4s-private-prison-contractor-11196415
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